Sam tried to pay attention to what her father was saying, but she was finding it hard to concentrate. Especially when she was attempting to discreetly observe Connor from the corner of her eye. Something had gotten him upset when he'd looked over at her, and although she shouldn't care, she did.
Also, it was hard to ignore Connor when he looked the way he did tonight. The whole time she'd been on her way to the ball, she'd tried not to think of him. She'd managed to convince herself that he wasn't coming, since he'd told her how much he hated these things. Yet somehow... somehow she hadn't managed to quell that little flutter of anticipation in her belly as she was getting ready tonight. As she'd put on her dress, she couldn't stop her mind from wandering to how Connor would react if he saw her.
Someone
really
cleaned up good when he tried. His blond hair was combed back, bringing more attention to his blue eyes. No woman could look at the man in a tuxedo and stay unaffected. It should be a crime that he looked that hot.
"Sämrhyn, are you listening?"
"Hm...? I mean yes, father." She tried to backtrack through the conversation, but she only drew a blank.
"Then you'll agree," her father said with an uptight smile-that-was-not-really-a-smile, "that Prince Darryk will be the perfect husband for you. Your marriage will be beneficial to both his father and I, not to mention that his bloodline is one of the few that's worthy of joining with ours. He's told me that you two dated briefly, and parted on amicable terms due to long distance. He's eager to start things up again if you come back to our realm. You've been gone long enough. It's time for you to come home."
"I'm sorry,
what
?" Sam snapped back to attention immediately.
"Sämrhyn my dear, you said that when the time came, you would come home and resume your duties. I think it's about time. Aren't you tired of being amongst the humans and their mundane lives? Our Elven realms have so much more to offer."
"No, rewind," Sam said, feeling a tightening in her chest. "Did you just say
Prince Darryk
and
husband
in the same sentence? Father, you can't be serious. The whole time I was with him, he treated me like his property. He wanted me to wear what he thought I looked good in, he decided where we went, and god forbid if I had an original thought in my head. Long distance my ass!"
Her father gave a defeated sigh. "Sämrhyn, when are you going to grow up? You're a Galäeodir. You should know better than to think marriage for us involves romance and true love. Sacrifices have to be made for the greater good."
Sam shook her head. "That can't be true. You loved mother."
A faraway look crossed her father's eyes, the way it always did when someone mentioned her mother. "Our marriage was an arranged one, my dear. I never told you this, but I was in a relationship when the marriage was decided, and had to break it off to meet my duties. Your mother and I were strangers at first, but then we grew to love each other over time. You could too, with Prince Darryk. People can change, and we have centuries to do it."
"And if he never does? I'll be with him for all eternity! I can't do it." Sam said.
Her father's lips formed a grim line. "Why don't you come home with me, Sämrhyn, and we'll talk about this another time."
"I'm not ready to go back yet, Father," Sam protested, "I'm not even close to fifty years old! Besides, you've got my brothers with you. All seven of them! Nobody cares that I've left."
Her father looked back at her with sad eyes. "I care. I miss you, Sämrhyn. You've been away since you were a child. I want my daughter back."
Sam sighed. She wasn't sorry for wanting her life to be elsewhere, but she did feel bad for not spending more time with her father. "Give me a couple more decades, ok? And then I'll think about coming home. I promise I'll visit more often for now. I do miss you too, father, but I'm happy where I am."
"Very well. You know I want you to be happy, Sämrhyn," her father said finally. "Could you at least do one thing for me? Prince Darryk is walking over right now. Indulge me by giving him one dance. You never know, you might see things differently now."
"Fine," Sam muttered begrudgingly. "But don't expect anything."
Her father gave her a real smile this time. He pulled her into his arms for a quick hug, and she sank into it. She really did miss her family, even if she didn't want to move back in with them.
"One dance is all I ask, my dear." Her father said softly before he turned to go, giving Darryk a nod on his way.
"Princess Sämrhyn, would you do me this honour?"
Darryk was dressed up in full elven finery, the rich brocades and fine woven fabrics contrasting with the slim fit and weightless movement of his garments. Many women would have been knocked off their feet at the sight of the prince. Especially with his tall, wiry build, fair skin, dusky long brown hair, and golden eyes. Even without his looks, he knew how to charm anyone with a well-timed smile and twinkle of his eye.
Sam knew, because she had once fallen for those charms. Thankfully, she realised who the person behind those charms was after a few dates. She chose not to say anything, only held out her hand for him to bring to his lips, and then to gently steer them into their dance. She frowned when he pulled her close against him, closer than she was comfortable with.
"You are more beautiful than I remember, Princess. This dress of yours doesn't begin to do you justice," Darryk said as he led her into the footwork of a classical elven dance that matched the slow, seductive music, despite its remixed electronic base.
"You look well, Darryk," Sam replied with a warmth she didn't feel, drawing on everything she had learnt growing up in a royal household. "How is your family?"
"They're well," Darryk said as he gave her a twirl. "Sämrhyn, I'm not here to make small talk. I've made a bid to your father for your hand in marriage."
Sam would have tripped if Darryk hadn't pulled her back tightly against him just then.
"Cutting right to the chase then," Sam said when she'd recovered. "What did my father say?"
"He said he would talk to you first. Judging by that expression on your face, I'd say he wasn't very convincing. Really, Sämrhyn, do you honestly think a better offer will come your way? After those things you said to me the last time, you should know that you're very lucky I've chosen to set bygones aside."
Is he for real?
"I haven't changed my mind about being with you," Sam said through clenched teeth, throwing away all efforts at being polite.
"Come on Sämrhyn," Darryk said as he pulled her close, his breath warm on her ear, "think of how handsome our offspring will be! Our children will be powerful too, with our two bloodlines. Think of the good that will come to our realms when our two kingdoms merge."
Sam tried to pull away but Darryk's grip around her waist was firm. She hissed angrily, "as if I would ever consider offspring with you. Let me go, Darryk."
Darryk's grip only tightened. "You think you have a choice in the matter. But you just wait and see. I have my ways, Princess. I always get what I want in the end, and I want you as my queen."
