As the night went on, the gentle footsteps of a certain princess could be heard heading toward the ballroom, the lively heart of the evening.
Even though she accidentally overslept, she still managed to get ready just in time, with the help of the maids Lex had assigned to her.
Once she finally arrived, the massive doors of the ballroom opened to let her in, and surely enough, the party had already begun.
She glanced around, taking in the sight of noblemen and royalty mingling with ease, exchanging small talk, sharing gossip, and even flirting with one another as they savored the finest wines and delicacies.
Kaari navigated through the crowd with expertise, grabbing very little attention from the crowd while she tried her best to look for a companion she could engage with during the party.
Her heart couldn't help but flutter at the thought of seeing Varen despite having spent almost the entire night with him.
So far, there was no signs of Lex anywhere, but she knew that she shouldn't interact with him even if she did.
Even though more of the immortals were starting to be neutral toward her kind, they were still looked down upon, and the last thing she wanted was to give anyone a reason to go after Lex jus for showing her some kindness.
She was so intent on spotting Lex in the crowd that she didn't notice the people around her, causing her to accidentally bump into someone and nearly losing her balance.
Thankfully, the stranger had rather quick reflexes, and managed to catch her before she fell, saving her from what could've been a lifetime of embarrassment.
"O-Oh dear!" She exclaimed nervously, a nervous blush creeping all across her face. "I'm so sorry-"
She looked up, expecting a snarky nobleman, but was taken aback to find a familiar face instead.
"Gabriel!" Kaari beamed at the dashing young man before embracing him warmly. "What a pleasant surprise to bump into you here of all places."
"Princess Kaari?" Gabriel responded with equal enthusiasm, quickly returning the embrace. "The honor is entirely mine, Your Highness. I trust you've been doing well since our last meeting."
"I've been quite alright, thank you for asking." Kaari replied with a fond smile before she looked around, looking for someone else. "By the way, I don't seem to see Sir Fredrick around, did you perhaps come alone?"
"Actually, it was originally just my father who was invited, but he had some personal matters to attend to, hence why I'm here as his replacement." Gabriel answered jokingly. "It was a hassle to get here under short notice, but at least I got to meet you again, Princess."
"Why, how nice of you to say that." She said fondly, glad to have met someone besides Lex that she could interact with comfortably.
Gabriel was the eldest of Sir Fredrick's five children and as a result, was expected to step into his father's role once he was to retire in the coming years.
His ginger hair was neatly slicked back, highlighting his clear green eyes that mirrored his father's, and he sported a sharp black suit perfectly suited for the grand occasion.
He was a few years younger than Kaari, the young man carried himself with a politeness and maturity far beyond his age, juggling many responsibilities despite being only twenty.
It didn't take long after their first meeting for Kaari to grow quite fond of him because she couldn't help but see herself in him when she was his age, especially in the efforts he's made to win his father's approval.
The time moved quickly as the pair fell into easy conversation, sharing updates about their lives since they'd last met.
Everything was going well when suddenly, a sharp pain jolted through her head in the middle of their conversation, making her wince.
'Ugh, not again.' She thought, grabbing her head. 'I thought I had gotten better.'
Her anxiety around large gatherings was still a reoccurring issue, and tonight it seemed to be raging against her in retaliation as punishment for ignoring it all this time.
Despite her attempts to hide it, Gabriel, always observant and considerate, quickly noticed and offered to walk her back to her chambers so she could rest.
"I'm sorry for causing you trouble, Gabriel." Kaari managed to apologize despite her head aching tremendously. "I... I thought I had gotten better, but I guess I was wrong."
"There is no need to apologize, Your Highness." He ensured, holding her hands as they made their way out of the ballroom. "I just hope that this isn't because of my boring rant about writing work reports. If so, then let me be the one to apologize."
His attempt to lift Kaari's spirits paid off, as his silly joke earned a soft chuckle from the princess.
The cold, midnight breeze was a welcome relief to her as they walked through the open corridors, with Kaari leaning on Gabriel for support.
She couldn't help but be disappointed in herself for not being able to stay long enough to see Lex, and the thought strangely made her heart ache.
'But what could I even do if I stayed?' She asked herself, closing her eyes in silent resignation. 'You'd only end up being a burden to him anyway.'
They were halfway to her room when she felt Gabriel come to an abrupt stop, prompting her to glance up to see what was wrong.
"Get behind me, Princess." Gabriel whispered, his eyes fixed on something large looming up ahead.
A deep, guttural growl from up ahead made Kaari flinch, but for some reason, she turned to face the creature—and there stood Nox, its jaws parted in a menacing snarl directed at Gabriel.
"N-Nox?" Kaari called out when she recognized the creature's eyes. "Is that you?"
At the sound of its name, Nox instantly relaxed, as though recognizing Kaari's voice, before shrinking back to its usual size.
Quickly, it slithered towards the princess, wrapping her in a tight embrace, the frightening creature from just a moment ago now nowhere in sight.
"Nox?" Gabriel repeated its name as he stared at it with offensive eyes.
"I-It's a long story." Kaari admitted with a small smile as she gave Nox a few scratches. "But it's not dangerous, I promise."
Just when Kaari thought Nox had calmed down, it abruptly stood guard against Gabriel yet again, positioning itself in between him and Kaari.
"It is alright, Nox. Gabriel is a friend of mine." Kaari reassured the creature, but it was still unconvinced. "He was just helping me get back to my room."
"... I think it is best that I make my way back on my own from here." Kaari stated once she realized why Nox may have been acting this way. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I get the sense Nox isn't too keen on me letting you near my personal room for... certain reasons."
At first, Gabriel seemed confused, but his pale face quickly flushed bright red when he caught on to what Kaari meant, before nodding his head vigorously.
"O-Of course, Your Highness. Please forgive me for my ignorance, I was only hoping to be of help-"
"I don't think so at all, Gabriel. You've already done more than enough for me today, and I truly appreciate it." Kaari said with a warm smile to reassure the nervous man. "I'll be sure to repay your kindness once I return to Imnolyn. I'm almost certain Sir Fredrick will be pleased with your conduct tonight."
"Of course." The nobleman replied with a polite bow. "Good night, Princess Kaari."
"Good night to you too, Gabriel."
=================
"He was simply helping me walk back to my room, Nox." Kaari explained to the shadow creature as they continued on their way to Kaari's quarters. "He's a kind young man, so there's no reason to be so hostile toward him next time."
"It is still advised to be careful, Your Highness." Nox warned, walking closely beside the princess, its eyes narrowed sternly. "It is for your own sake."
She was about to past one of the many guest rooms to get to her own when she heard a familiar voice from one of the dimly lit rooms.
Kaari froze in place, pausing to take in her surroundings, prompting Nox to follow suit, albeit with a puzzled look.
'That's strange... I could've sworn I heard-' Her thoughts stopped midway when she heard the voice again, and this time it was indisputable.
Before Nox could ask, Kaari was already heading toward the nearby room, keeping her back against the wall to conceal her shadow.
"Well, I do enjoy a good challenge."
'A woman's voice...' She thought, feeling her heart drop to her stomach. 'Could this be...'
"So, back to our conversation from earlier." The woman spoke in a sly voice, which made Kaari feel uncomfortable. "I can't help but be wary of your relationship with the princess, given how fiercely you defend her."
"She's not involved with me in the way you're thinking." Lex insisted, though Kaari wasn't quite sure what he meant by that.
"Then who is she to you?" The woman's voice turned sharp, and for a moment, there was silence.
"... Don't tell me... you actually have feelings for the princess?" The woman accused Lex, and for a moment, Kaari froze and held her breath, uncertain about what he would say.
"She means nothing to me." The firmness in his voice struck harder than she anticipated, and suddenly, her eyes began to blur against her will. "I keep her by my side simply because I haven't gotten tired of her yet."
'... How foolish of me.' She thought as she simply stood there, tears streaming down her cheeks. The full weight of the situation was finally sinking in. 'To think that I had a chance... when I was merely just a tool for him to use.'
"... Kaari?" Nox whispered to the distressed princess, and despite its monotonous voice, it was visibly concerned for the princess.
Nox's call went unanswered, as Kaari could only think of leaving before Lex were to see her in such a state, embarrassing herself even more than she had already did.
She had heard enough to understand what he meant.
Without another word, she turned and walked away, tears still streaming down her rosy cheeks.
For the first time in years, Kaari felt lonelier that night than she could ever remember, with no one to comfort her—not even herself.