King Adrian stood at the balcony of the hall looking down at the couples on the dance floor when he suddenly smelled something sweet, he had never smelled something like that before. He looked around to check if they were bringing food to where he sat but there was nothing.
"What's that smell?" He asked no one in particular. He glanced downwards again to check if the scent was from there. Scanning everyone in the room, until he found a white-haired lady standing in the middle of the hall.
"It is coming from her, why?"
He suddenly heard someone scream at the girl to move but she just stood there.
"What's wrong with her tho?" He asked.
"Ah! Arielle move away from there!" She heard Anna scream her name but she couldn't move as her secret had been revealed.
"The chandelier Ari! Move!" She heard her mother scream from where she was standing and she looked up but it was too late and her white hair came into view.
Arielle looked up and her eyes widened at what she was seeing, she wanted to move but it felt as though she was bound by something invisible.
King Adrian looked at the wide-eyed girl in disbelief and before he knew it he had rushed downstairs.
Arielle squeezed her eyes shut instinctively as she braved herself for the impact, her muscles, tensed. Time seemed to slow as the chandelier hurtled towards her. She waited for the pain to tear into her scalp, but the pain never arrived. Instead, her elbow was caught from behind and she landed into something firm and warm.
King Adrian held her closely towards his body and oh! She smelt fantastic.
'Mate!'
His eyes widened when he heard his wolf speak loudly with so much energy. And if he could transform into his wolf, he was so sure Kaelos would be running around in circles considering how enthusiastic he was, a stark contrast to his earlier voice that sounded as though he was about to breathe his last.
'M- mate? How do you know?' King Adrian stuttered in disbelief.
The chandelier shattered on the marble floor, sending shards of crystal flying in all directions, and the candles snuffed out in the process. The sound of the crash echoed through the hall, making Arielle's ears ring.
'Mate!'
'Mate!'
'Mate!'
Kaelos kept on chanting in Adrian's head and he became increasingly annoyed.
'Shut up!'
He wasn't as thrilled as his wolf, he wasn't even thrilled at all. He prayed never to even find his mate.
"Are you a fool?"
Adrian asked her irritatedly. He inhaled more of her scent and he could not deny how intoxicated it made him feel. He pushed her away slightly to stop inhaling her scent further.
Arielle's eyelids slowly fluttered open as soon as she heard a voice above her and tried to maintain her footing. 'Why did he push me?' She asked inwardly with a frown.
She looked up to see the person, but… Where was his face? She thought. She stared at the blank silver mask that revealed nothing of the man's facials or expressions.
All she could see was his silver hair which was parted horizontally with the upper part packed into a bun and the rest let down falling on his shoulders. It glistened like moonlight under the soft glow candles. She wanted to touch it and feel how soft it was against her fingers.
••••••
Over at the guest's side of the hall, Arielle's mother, Victoria, could not explain how relieved she was when Arielle escaped the chandelier but her relief was cut short as she noticed Arielle's hair had been exposed.
She looked towards her husband who sat beside the king, he was already looking at her. She sensed his worry also but she didn't think they could do anything to salvage the situation.
Very soon… She was interrupted from her thoughts as her fear came to pass.
"A witch!"
Someone shouted from the crowd and everyone followed suit.
"She has been living among us since all these years? And we never found out."
"Goodness knows what she has been up to."
Arielle's sister, Natalie, looked at her mother for an explanation as she was also shocked to see Arielle wearing a wig all this time. 'How come she never found out?' She asked inwardly. They lived in the same house all these years.
Arielle looked at the people talking and snickered inwardly. You could never know someone inside out. To think she has rendered help to some of these people before is something to laugh about. And now, they were all labeling her a witch because of her hair. Well, she could not blame them, she would do the same if she were in their shoes. 'I mean, who is born with a white hair?' She asked herself.
She had a growing suspicion and prayed for it not to be true.
•••••••
The King stood up from his seat with his heart in his throat as he watched the chandelier come crashing down on the white-haired girl. Luckily, she was saved just in time. All the aura and elegance a king should possess evaporated from his body.
Relief. Relief was all he felt when she escaped that near-death experience.
He moved his body a bit to the side, that way he could see the girl's face clearly. To say he was shocked was an understatement.
'How come I never recognized her all these while?'
He had seen her in the castle multiple times when she was small but he didn't recognize her.
'So she has been under my watch all this time?'
He heard people call her a witch and his jaw ticked in annoyance.
"Enough!"
His voice boomed through the hall and it quietened down immediately. No one dared to say a word more.
Arielle was startled and she almost lost her footing when she felt hands holding her by her sides. She looked towards the source of the hands and she couldn't be more grateful.
•••••
Anna freaked out when she saw the chandelier tumbling down on Arielle's head and she shouted at Arielle to move away.
"Ah! Arielle move away from there!"
Belle and Emma looked at each other with widened eyes. They had not expected this turn out of events at all. Their relief could not be explained when she was dragged away from the falling chandelier.
They were not happy that Arielle had hidden something like this from them. Nonetheless, the fact that everyone was calling her a witch did not sit well with them
My either.
Their eyes were on Arielle all the time as they noticed she was about to fall when she heard the King's voice. They were startled too.
Anna and Belle rushed over to support her from falling. They both gave her a reassuring smile when they noticed her eyes were filled with gratitude.
"We are here for you, Elle." Anna assured her with a smile. "Anna's right, Elle." Belle chimed in.
Arielle's eyes shone with tears as she noticed the nickname they both called her. It was a nickname only both of them called her. She reached out, her hands wrapping around both their hands, her voice barely above a whisper as she expressed her heartfelt thanks.
•••••
Chloe's smile widened when she discovered that what she had in mind went as planned. She couldn't be more happy. She watched as the chandelier came down on Arielle but before it could touch her, she was saved. Chloe was a little sad that Arielle didn't sustain any injury.
"Well, it still went as planned." She grinned widely when she heard the people calling Arielle a witch. Arielle would be kicked out for sure.
Davis on the other, his face paled in fear, excitement was far from what he was feeling. His eyes widened when he noticed the chandelier crashing down on Arielle's head and he wanted to pull her away but he could not will his body to move.
He saw a man pull her away and then he was relieved. But then again, why could he not go pull her by himself? He scoffed inwardly at himself. His fear had gotten the better of him and he felt a pang of disappointment in himself.
"Had she always had white hair?" He muttered disbelievingly.
Chloe who was standing beside him, heard his mutter and grinned. This was the perfect opportunity. She thought.
"Yes, Davis. She had always had white hair, she just had all of us fooled. Who knows what she had done to you with her witchcraft?" Chloe said, her voice laced with worry.
Davis listened to Chloe go on and on and he knew what she was trying to do, he wasn't going to allow her to spoil the image of Arielle in his mind.
He knew Arielle to be kind and without blemish. She was the type of girl who would leave her safety to help someone else.
"How can you like someone like that, Dav?"
Davis felt disgusted with the nickname Chloe called him.
"I know what you are doing Chloe, and you will not succeed in it."
"I am not doing anything, Davis. Why are you so infatuated with her? Can't you see she has used her witchcraft on you?! Can't you see I love you?" She asked the last question in a whisper, her voice laced with sadness.
"Ohh?" Davis let out a mocking laugh.
"It's not funny Davis. I don't know what you see in that witch!" Chloe cried out.
"She has what you will never have Chloe, you are conceited. You exposed her in front of everyone to spoil her image, you succeeded, didn't you? Are you happy now?! Everyone is calling her a witch all thanks to you. And let me tell you, I. Will. Never. Like you…. Ever! Even if I don't get to marry her, I won't marry you also!" Davis spat and walked away from her.
Chloe stood there dumbfounded. Tears spilled out of her eyes in waves. After a while, she cleaned her tears and regained her composure. She looked completely fine as if what happened earlier, hadn't happened.
•••••
The King looked livid when he heard people call the girl a witch. He looked at Arielle and his eyes grew misty, forgotten memories stirring a bittersweet longing within him.
King William stepped down to the ground floor and walked towards her. He reached out to hold her hands and caress them gently.
"My child."