Octavia's Dress ^

Octavia

"Helios, this fashion is boring." Lady Scylla moans, "Why must we pay homage to a human tradition when they split away from the united realms centuries ago."

"Because it is tradition dear." The ambassador of the Undersea and mate of Lady Scylla placates. "Not everyone appreciates our style of clothes dear."

Scylla rolls her eyes, those shark dead eyes swirling with thousands of colours. That's the beauty of magical creatures, I know for a fact it looks like there's a thousand seas of colour in her eyes yet I can't help but feel as if they are merely dead shark eyes, peering out from her scaled features.

"The fairy dances will no doubt fill the social season." I comment with a sigh, unable to keep the wistfulness out of my voice. Lady Scylla giggles at me and I smile in return.

"See," She trills at her mate, looping her arm through his. "Princess Octavia agrees with me."

The Ambassador gives me a playfully annoyed expression before dipping his head farewell and leading his mate away to the dance floor where I can see my sister once again dancing with that same gentleman. I recognise him, he was hovering around the Archon family, perhaps he's a relative. Stella waltzed across the ballroom floor with a rare smile on her face, staring up at the stranger in adoration. Sweet Helios, I'm going to have a field day doing background checks on this one. At least Sky was fairly easy for me to clear and give approval, he practically has fan accounts with his father fame, not to mention hacking into Silva's computer was alarmingly easy. Though the videos of baby Sky and Silva were quite cute, there was even a whole folder of photos containing various people holding baby Sky. Andreas, Farah, Irene, Harvey... Silva didn't seem to be on them, poor sod was probably the camera man.

The crowd shifts and lulls with movement, the hour getting later and later. Dignitaries and delegations have started to leave, they're under no obligation to stay for one of the introductory balls. The time for showing off and staying out late will come once the spring ball season begins, thankfully during the height of Alfeas' summer holidays so students can attend without sacrificing their education. Not that they would care about missing a few classes.

I drift aimlessly through the crowd, slowly losing interest in the company around me. I've spoken to businessmen, artists, dignitaries, ambassadors, I've danced with pixies, nymphs, shifters, fawns and a dozen other lesser fae I can't put a name too. Quite frankly, I'm done. I am done dancing, talking, and socialising. My social battery is dead. I'm a shadow fairy for Helios' sake, I live in the shadows in my nice little introverted room. Why does nobody get that! Just because I have random bursts of social courage where I trick myself into thinking I'm an extrovert like my sister. I'm not.

And now, I'm hungry. Those strawberries I ate are definitely not enough, not to mention the amount of champagne and cocktails I've drank have no doubt gone straight to my head and will be kicking in soon if I'm not careful.

Slipping through the crowd to reach the back wall I drift towards the old servants stairs, now open to the public on tours and used by waiters during events. I remember the ruckus among the upper class when they found out lords of great houses were allowing the public to see the behind the scenes when they were showing off the grandeur of the houses. They were firmly of the belief that the 'working classes' should either be kept in the servants quarters entirely as workers or they should only see good things so the lords can show off. What a load of pretentious sods, but I suppose that's the curse of the older generation title. We'll all eventually become that jaded generation behind the times.

"You stupid waiter!" A fairy wails. "This is a brand new dress."

I glance to the side, seeing a yellow dress covered in champagne and a waiter having the whole bottle poured over his head by the pissed fairy. Well, at least I won't be that generation. Scoffing quietly I descend through the hidden corridors in search of the kitchens.

Mistress. Oh mistress your back.

You're back, oh we've missed you.

There's so much to tell you

Finally, I thought you were going to be gone for hours

Pain rips through my elbow as I slam into the stone wall. Shock overtaking me as the shadows drift back in.

Where were you?

You barely said anything

We couldn't seen in much

Who was the winged male, we could not see his face.

Panic claws at my throat. No, no, no. Not here. C'mon Tavi, not here. It's just the shadows, the same ones you've had for years. Tremors shudder through my legs and hands. Oh Helios, I can't breathe. I'm stumbling through the corridor, round and round and round the winding staircase, further and further, going faster each time. Desperation fills me. Consuming every thought.

What's wrong, Darkling demands. What are you idiots doing

Tavi?

Little shadow. He's swirling in front of me, at eye level just above the floor. Confusion flutters through me, on the floor? I clench my hands, finding cool hard stone beneath me, there's cold pressure underneath my knees and I look around in shock. I'm on the floor, at the bottom of the staircase.

I gasp in pain, a hand flying to my side. Aches and pains begin to make themselves known.

You fell. Darkling whispers, voice filled with an unknown emotion. Don't you remember?

No, no I don't. Shit. This isn't good. I groan and straighten up till I'm leaning against the wall with my legs stretched before me. The hallway is mercifully empty but I can hear the soft hubbub of chatter float through from somewhere deeper in the house. What the hell just happened.

What was that? I question softly, my eyes fluttering shut with pain as I continue to cradle my side.

We don't exactly like being separated from you. One of the shadows mutters bitterly.

I hum in thought, acknowledging its statement.

I think I'm done for the night. I murmur in exhaustion, my head pounding as the alcohol fully sets in. Helios, I took it too far tonight.

What about the whiskey bottle and beer keg? Little shadow murmurs in a childish manner. Or the bottle of champagne?

I frown, what's he going on about?

For Sky and Riven. He states as if it was obvious. You said you'd get them some.

Oh. I open my eyes, looking around at the now startlingly bright hallway. Helios, I hate being injured while drunk. That was a joke, little one. Not serious.

But they're friends aren't they? He questions in such a sad and confused tone that I can't help but sigh in defeat. Don't we get things for friends that they want, like we used to do with Ricki and Bea.

I tense but quickly relax, far too tired to even scrounge up grief and hurt. I let out a heaving groan as I clamber to my feet, using the wall to support my weight.

Okay, Okay. I murmur, rubbing at my tired eyes, grateful for the magic keeping my makeup in place. Where am I going then.

There's a storage cupboard just down the hall. He responds with enough chipperness that I wince and groan.

Inside voice, kid. Inside voice.

Sorry. Little shadows coos and I can hear the others chuckle in the back of my mind.

I stumble through the corridor, one hand on the wall as I slowly begin to sober up with each step. Doing my best to straighten up and look all regal and shit. I'm walking for maybe 5 minutes before Darkling whispers to stop. I glance around, seeing the wooden door embedded in the stone. Nothing ornate or gold about this one, nothing like upstairs. Tugging at the handle as quick as I can I open the door to find a much large room filled with various bottles of alcohol, some covered in thick layers of dust and cobwebs.

Reaching the back of the room I begin to rifle through the oldest bottles for one of whiskey, doing my best not to move too much in fear of the alcohol not numbing enough of the pain.

She's here, Bea's here mistress

Finally, someone interesting at this gods-forsaken party

Incoming,

3,

Great, just what I need while I'm tipsy and in pain.

2,

Here we go again.

1

"It seems great minds think alike." Beatrix drawls and my head snaps up to see the lightning fairy standing in the doorway. "The old whiskey, at least you haven't lost your good taste."

Beaaaatriiixxxxx. Asmodeus coos with a sultry threat before darting out to greet her.

I stare at Beatrix as she closes the door behind herself and prowls towards me, her purple dress shifts with every movement. For a second, she ignores me in favour of lifting the small shadow up into the palm of her hand, choosing to give Asmodeus a soft smile before placing him on her shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" I question, voice thick with emotion but my mind is clear. Any hint of alcohol and drunkenness wiped from my system the second my old friends stepped through the door.

"Queen Luna sent me to keep Stella company and out of drama," I snorted at her words, she didn't do a great job at it if the boy toy was any indication.

Bea rolls her eyes at me, clearly sensing my thoughts. Asmodeus hums and swirls around her shoulder and neck.

"Well I had to let the poor girl have some fun, even if it was with some powerless commoner."

"Jealous?" I hum, standing from my crouched position by the lower shelves.

"Please," She huffs, dragging a finger along the bottles to part the dust. "I could get any male I want here."

I hum in amusement eyeing Bea with interest as I catch sight of her irritated look. Leaning against the shelf behind me I turn away from her, my heart beginning to clench in pain as it starts to feel like nothing has changed between us.

"Speaking of boys." She purrs, lifting a hand to stroke her shadow. "I heard a rumour you were flirting with a certain blond."

Beatrix pauses, her head tilting to the side in curiosity but I see that familiar mischief that got us in trouble as kids flicker through her eyes.

"Sister's ex, how shameful of you." She coos with a grin. "I'm impressed."

She has a point there, Tavi.

I scoff and glare at her. Why must she always be so vulgar and flippant?

"It's not like that." I state, only for Beatrix to dramatically groan and roll her eyes at me before moving to the shelf opposite the one I'm leaning against.

"Of course it's like that Tavi," She states, leaning against the shelf to stare at me. "He's just your type."

"We're friends, Bea. Nothing more." I snap.

The humour dies from her eyes.

"Then why are you hanging out with Andreas' son, Octavia. Hmm?" She demands,

I stiffen. Fuck. My eyes widen as I gape at my friend. She can't be serious. And what the hell is she insinuating?

"Oh don't give me that look." She snaps. "You can't tell me that on some level you didn't already know Sky was Andreas' son. That you didn't quickly connect the dots within seconds of meeting him."

I had, of course I had. But what was I supposed to do with that information? What was I supposed to tell the sky? Hey, by the way, your dead dad who isn't actually dead has been raising and training me for the past 10 years. Oh yeah, Queen Luna knew too and I'm sure Stella knew in the back of her mind but didn't want to accept it.

"I don't know what you mean." I finally state.

Bea's eyes flash, "Bullshit."

I stiffen, the shadows following suit and Asmodeus goes completely still on Beatrix's shoulder.

"You traded me in for my brother." She snaps, pain in her eyes. "You quite literally left me and then came and befriended Sky."

I flinch but understanding flares through me.

"Is that what you think happened?" I whisper, "That I left you."

I storm forward, pain flaring in my side but I ignore it as I corner Beatrix against the shelf, she refuses to break my gaze, her eyes filled with fury and pain.

"I killed 5 burned ones, slaughtered the Queen's men, ran 8 fucking miles only to find Andreas' house going up in flames. I went into those flames, Beatrix." I snarl, slamming my hands into the shelf. "I searched for you, I searched for Andreas but you were gone."

My eyes fill with tears. "You were gone Beatrix, I thought you were both dead and then I found out Rosalind hid you from me. So I ran,"

"And you went to Alfea." Beatrix states, voice thick and eyes losing their fire.

"And I went to Alfea." I whisper, letting go of her. "There's a book there, Bea. One full of forbidden spells. Including a tracking spell and hopefully a way to keep Rosalind down. It was taken fromt eh Royal Archives-"

"No, No." Beatrix shakes her head, pushing me away from her to pace the length of the room. "Rosalind has the answers I need, Tavi. You know this."

"And that's worth being used like this Bea, that's worth what we went through, what Andreas went through?"

"Don't." Bea snaps, trembling with old rage at the reminder of what happened to Andreas. "It was a necessary evil, he was going insane."

I shake my head. "You don't need her Bea."

"Yes, I do." She snaps stubbornly. "She took me in, kept me safe, offered me justice for my family, a way to control my powers and a place by her side. Why would I get rid of her"

"Because of Ricki!" I exclaim, "because someone betrayed us then and she was one of the few people who knew"

"Enough." Bea screams and the bottles behind her shatter. We freeze, both of us turning to face the smashed bottles.

The guards heard, so did the servants

Actually, I'm pretty sure everyone heard.

Shit. Not good. Not good at all.

"We've got to go." I call, quickly grabbing a bottle of whiskey.

"No shit Sherlock." Bea snaps.

Bea grabs two bottles, chucking me a bottle of glow berry champagne before we race out the door. There's a group of four guards at the end of the hall, all of them staring at us with bemused curiosity. Bea and I bolt down the corridor in the opposite direction listening to the guards' hollers and demands for us to stop.

Turn left, LEFT

I grab Beatrix by the arm and drag her down the corridor to the left. "This way." I called. Bea stumbles after me, laughter bubbling out of her as we race down the corridors.

Right!

Up the stairs

A laugh bubbles out of me as Bea and I run up the stairs.

"Faster Bea, faster." I call, running out into the fields by Andreas' house.

"I'm running as fast as I can." Little Bea calls, her hair is pulled up into two pigtails and her small summer dress flutters in the breeze. "Where are we going?"

"To the field, Drea said he had a surprise."

Bea lets out a groan, she hates surprises. The two of us run through the spring fields, the bright flowers filling the cold British air with colour. Surprisingly, the sun is out and the sky is mercifully clear of clouds for Bea's birthday. We quickly began to clamber up the hill eager to reach the plateau at the top where Drea said he would be waiting for us.

Reaching the top of the hill I hear Beatrix's gasp of delight at the sight of Storm grey, mottled horse standing beside my black paint horse from America. Andreas beams at his daughter, a rare emotion on his face.

"Happy 10th birthday Little Storm." He calls gruffly and Bea squeals and runs forward to grasp her father around his waist in a vice-like grip.

I smile at the duo and rush after my sister. Reaching up to nuzzle my horse which had been imaginatively named Ace by Bea and I a few months ago on my birthday.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you.." -

"Thanks for that." Bea says through shaky pants of breath. "Helios, it's hard to run in these stupid ballroom dresses."

"Be grateful we weren't in fairy dresses, that would have been a pain."

For a second, we just stare at each other. Bea leans against the wall at the top of the stairs, both of us peering through the cracked open door into the ballroom.

"Well this night sucked." Bea moans.

I chuckle and glance at my adopted sister. "I thought you liked dancing and parties."

"I like fairy balls, and this one was just filled with drama." Bea rolls her eyes but grins at me. "I don't want us to be on opposite sides, Tavi. You were my sister."

"I am your sister." I state, voice rough. "I will always be your sister."

Bea shakes her head sadly. "You have Stella now, and you've started a new life. Where do Drea and I fit back into that?"

"I could come back to you." I say, voice soft but we both know I can't. I could never go back to Rosalind, I'd rather die than go through that hell again.

"No you can't, Tavi." Bea whispers, "But maybe one day we'll find ourselves on the same side again."

I open my mouth to say something but Bea is already moving back into the ballroom, slipping the whiskey bottles into a small clutch bag with a comical size difference. Thank Helios for extension charms. Though I'm pretty sure Bea got the inspiration from Hermione, she really does love the Harry Potter books.

You guys got anywhere I can hide these? I ask,

We'll place them in a shadow pocket mistress.

I watch in fascination as the shadows descend onto the two bottles, swarming and swirling around them till they are hidden from sight. They hold for a second before dispersing in one great poof that has me jumping in surprise.

Why haven't you told me about that before?

We didn't have enough power then and you didn't have enough control to facilitate it.

That was super cool either way.

The shadows hum and murmur delight at my praise before moving to settle on my shoulders and arms. A few errant shadows swirl around my wrists where the scars are hidden and I can't help but smile fondly at them. They always find those scars, even when I keep them hidden everyday for training. I suppose those were the scars that I got when they first appeared in corporeal forms.

Can you take me to Stella? I think it's time we head back to Alfea.

Do you want to try using your own powers? We can guide you.

I pause, thinking about Darkling's offer.

No, I decide. I've got too much alcohol in my body and drama in my head. It's not worth the risk.

Fair enough. Darkling hums.

I step towards the door, moving to the hinges where the shadows are darkest. Striding as confidently as I can into a solid wall the shadows envelop me in a cold embrace. Shifting and swirling over me as the sensation of falling overtakes me. For a long second I feel as though I'm suspended in time before I suddenly come crashing out the other side. I stumble out of a shadowed wall, quickly regaining my footing to find my bearings.

A cool autumn breeze drifts past as I take in the courtyard before me. I'm just outside the entrance to the main hall. Distantly I can still hear the paparazzi outside the main gates, no doubt waiting to see what we look like as we exit. The courtyard is filled with smaller groups, no where near as full as when we arrived, but there is a steady stream of people leaving and I know once Queen Luna leaves all those seeking her favour will follow and the politicians and dignitaries will too. No need to stay when the head of government is gone and staying to party when it's only a human ball does not send the right message.

Stella walks out from the main entrance and I step forward into the light, eager to greet her and get the hell out of this place but I pause at the sight of boy toy wannabe escorting her out. Oh. OH.

Is she-?

I Bloody well hope not. I snap at Darkling, who chuckles at my distinctly British saying.

I step forward, remaining 3 metres away from the pair but close enough that I catch my sister's eye. I raise a brow in question but my twin merely blushes and turns back to her suitor. They begin a rushed conversation that I stubbornly refuse to ask the shadows to listen to.

I watch with a predator's attention as the male bows down to kiss the back of my sister's hand before handing her a card with a silky smile. Sleazebag. Stel steps away from him and strides towards me with a big grin. I raise my eyebrows in question as my twin reaches me to only loop her arm through mine and tug me away.

"Well?" I demand, tone stern but eyes humorous.

Stel blushes and sneaks a glance at me from the corner of her eye before quickly looking over her shoulder at the gentleman. We stride down the read carpet and I can see our mother's car waiting for us at the end. A laugh bursts out of me when Stella's head suddenly snaps back around with an even brighter shade of blush on her face.

"Oh shut up." She snaps.