Ileus: The Dark Prince

Ileus crunched the grape in his mouth and crossed his right leg over his left one and began shaking it from the ankle. He tilted his head, and smiled more as he picked up yet another red grape and crunched it, its juice falling on his lips. "What did you say again?" he asked, feigning that he couldn't quite clearly listen to Darla. He wanted to spend as much time as possible, irritate them as much as possible and then bargain—bargain to stay around his wife. 

Darla rolled her eyes. She balled her fists and repeated her request in a voice laced with irritability, "Please unshackle her wings so that Mrs. Babette can take her measurements! We don't have all the time in the world for your antics, Ileus!" 

"I am sorry, but I would like to talk to my mother on this issue," he replied. The only person whom he would be bargaining with was his mother. And Darla, the pest, would be taught a lesson. He was thankful that he had shackled her wings in the carriage. It really came handy now. 

Darla's eyes flared wide. "What is there to talk about?" she grunted with her hands on her hips and legs planted wide. "Anastasia needs to get these dresses sewn. Dinner is about to get started in less than an hour. You have to release her wings." 

Ileus shook his head lightly. "Nah! Get my mother here." 

"Ugh!" Darla shouted, balling her fists up in the air. Then she looked at the seamstress and said, "Please just sew the dress without adjustment for the wings." 

Anastasia poked her tongue in her cheeks when Ileus looked at her in that arrogant and possessive way. He was such a rogue. She said to Mrs. Babette, "For the evening, which color will you be choosing?" 

Darla snapped her head to Anastasia's side and rushed to her. "Oh, I think sea green would look lovely."

"On the contrary, sapphire blue would look better, since it matches the color of her eyes," Ileus' voice made Anastasia's blood rush to her cheeks, imparting her a faint blush. She was surprised at the way he studied her… all the time… learnt her… 

"Oh, m'lord, you are absolutely right!" said the seamstress and darted to fetch a fabric, the shade of her eyes. She picked up a chiffon fabric and brought it to her. She started removing all the pins of the earlier dress and Anastasia knew that the dress's fabric would fall soon, rendering her naked. Gods, this was going to be acutely embarrassing. 

Suddenly a voice boomed from the back, "And what are you doing here, Ileus? Unshackle her wings and begone!" Adrianna walked to the center from the corner where she had appeared. 

"Mother!" Ileus smiled. "I will do as you wish, but you have to allow me to join you for dinner with all of you." That was enough time to figure out where his wife was by tearing his mother's magical maze. And then he would simply shackle her again for the next bargain. A gleeful grin spread on his lips. The plan was perfect. 

Anastasia raised her eyebrow and said, "Okay." She simply said 'okay'. 

Ileus literally stared at her for a long moment. Darla gaped at the queen. She had said that Anastasia was supposed to join them for dinner alone and now? 

At first, he couldn't understand, but then he let his mother's words sink in. He got up from his place, walked to Anastasia and stroked her back. Her wings flared wide open and there was a collective gasp amongst the audience. Their princess was… stunning. 

"Great!" came Adrianna's voice and then a flick of fingers. 

Ileus found himself ported back to his bedchamber. "Motheeeeeerrrrr!" a roar filled with fury emanated from the east wing of the Eynsworth Palace. 

Kaizan hadn't even finished one book. He raised his eyes from the book and scratched his chin and said, "It seems my trick didn't last long." 

"Get out of here!" Ileus stomped in the room. 

--- 

In the morning, when Anastasia woke up in her bedchamber, she missed the warmth of her husband. Last night the dinner went smoothly. She wore the light blue dress for it, which Mrs. Babette had stitched in less than an hour. Anastasia had left her to design according to it. She was surprised to see that the lady had brought a mannequin with her. She draped the mannequin with the fabric and slowly set it in motion. The mannequin rotated on its axis using its hands to cut the fabric, sew it and drape it around her. Rest of the dresses were made exactly like that after Anastasia had given her measurements.

The dinner was a private one and went very nicely. Adrianna had called Cora and Dmitri and there were more guests whom she introduced as Nate, Ookashi, Liam, Fleur and Howard. Of course, Isidorus was there. After initial awkwardness, Cora had conveyed that she was sorry for her behavior to which Anastasia bowed and acknowledged. 

Anastasia yawned and stretched her limbs. She turned to see that the fire in the hearth was reduced to glowing embers and wondered what Ileus must be doing. She got up from the bed and wrapped a shawl over her chemise, she walked to the window. She opened the glass and a smile wormed its way on her lips. It was dawn, but it was a dawn that brought new freshness to her life. Her world was about to be upgraded to a higher definition. She was to become the official princess of Draoidh. After that as Adrianna had promised, she would seek the freedom of her people and her parents. Her eyes went to the sky, which was now a million pure eyes of light that stretched towards the darkness, pushing it away. It was such a lovely moment that her body trembled. "Thank you, Ileus," she whispered. Her eyes stung with tears and she wished that her parents were there with her. "This is for you, father and mother," she said and blew a kiss to them in the air. 

The maids poured in her room with Darla who was barking orders at them. They batched her, scraped her and scrubbed her until her skin was alabaster. They dressed her in a pale-yellow gown. Her hair was neatly braided and a gold tiara studded with diamonds sat atop. In the end when she was slipping her feet in the satin sandals, Darla said in a breathless voice, "Anastasia, you look like the sun of Draoidh!" 

Anastasia chuckled as a pale blush spread on her cheeks. Darla held her hand and said, "The king is going to give you away." 

Anastasia's eyes became wide. "Really?" 

Darla nodded. "It was decided long back, my dear. The king would give you away as he would give his daughter." 

And Anastasia's tears rolled out. "I don't know how to—" 

"Hush. Don't cry. They all are waiting for you eagerly in the temple. Let's get you married fast!" Then she lowered her voice and said, "Ileus is like a petulant child at the moment." They came to step in front of a portal.

When they stepped out, Dmitri was waiting for her. He offered his hand to her and she put her hand in the crook of his arm. "Thank you Father."