Samara gave Lady Brent a fake smile as she complimented her about how beautiful she looked. Even Samuel was standing stiff as their father patted Davis' back while talking to his father.

Samara had almost laughed when Samuel took another excuse to leave the conversation and went away somewhere she didn't care about. Her eyes roamed all around the crowd as the slow music had turned into loud. The pianist had started playing a dancing tune as people started leaving the groups with their partners to join the Prince who was swaying slowly with his wife.

"Samara, dear." She was startled by the fat lady's thick voice. She watched as Lady Brent looked at her son. "Davis, why don't you take Samara for the dance?"

She bit her lip and looked pleadingly at her father who didn't give her a reaction and nodded to the youngman. As the parents got aside, Davis stiffly came to her side and gave her a tight smile.

"So, may I have this dance with you, Samara?" He said each word slowly.

The way he called her name in his deep voice made her smile nervously. "Yes, why not."

She gulped and walked towards the stage slowly. Her steps halted when she saw Nathaniel dancing with Maria, Lord Benton's daughter. Her father supervised the trading of jewelleries in the castle and attended merchants.

She didn't know why within some hours, her Nathaniel had turned into a stranger. Was he scared of asking his father about their relation? Was he ignoring her knowingly so he won't have to handle her questions?

She lowered her eyes when she saw him holding her waist as sensually as a lover would do. Her gown was so shiny and expensive. Even her earrings were glittering like her aura. As if they both were dancing in their elegant shoes on her shrinking heart.

"Samara?"

She blinked and looked at Davis through blurry vision who immediately understood the environment. His eyes softened on her which was rare for her to see. Davis was a quiet man.

"If you don't want to, then it is fine. Would you want to leave the hall and have some air?" He suggested while squeezing her hand as she breathed softly.

She shook her head and looked back at Lady Brent who was watching them with a smile. She looked back at Davis.

"No. We will dance."

She walked towards the stage while Davis matched her steps. They both faced each other and finally began to sway along the music.

"He likes to talk to different people. You don't have to think about it." Samara smiled weakly and lowered her eyes at his chest. "He will come around."

"Have you healed properly?" She swallowed. "I have seen you tonight for the first time after the war."

She observed the gash under his chin and waited for his answer. In her mind, she was recalling how he was Rodwin's great friend. He was as good as Logan to him but completely different from both of them.

"Mostly. All the injuries are healed. Some are still left to. But I have some internal pain at places. It must be because of lack of my training. Once, I start again, all these wounds will be just a passed nightmare."

Samara smiled at his spirit and through his shoulder, her gaze fell on Rodwin who was narrowing his eyes at her.

She glared back while moving her hand slowly on Davis chest, reaching his shoulders. She bit her inner cheeks and to give the reaction, Rodwin blew her a kiss.

She was taken back and even shied away when she caught Davis staring at her.

"You are beautiful, Samara."

She smiled slowly at him and was immediately startled when she heard a loud tap. Davis turned his head to look back at Rodwin who had his partner in his arms.

The girl was moaning in pain. "You stepped on my toe, Sir."

Samara bit her lip to control the laughter as Rodwin widened his eyes. His ears turned red as he helped her in standing straight.

"Forgive me, I had my mind somewhere else." He said while glancing at Samara whose whole mood turned bright.

She clearly knew that Rodwin was jealous as he was giving Davis a forced smile.

Rodwin breathed heavily and walked quietly along the girl, letting her sit on the nearby chair. He asked a servant to bring something for her to eat so she would forget to pain, eventually making her blush.

Samara chewed on her lip and turned away her gaze from them.

"He was clearly jealous."

She giggled at Davis. "Yes, he is even now." She looked back at Rodwin and smirked when he was looking at them only.

"It's cruel how he is jealous, instead of someone else," he said while glancing at Nathaniel who was now twirling the girl.

Without even looking at their direction, Samara sighed. "There must be something misunderstood. I will talk to him," she confirmed.

"These boys are lazy lads, Samara. They don't care how a lady feels at certain moments."

Samara gulped as his hand lowered a little and he leaned his face closer to hers. "They don't care what amount of attention a lady needs." He glanced at Nathaniel, "Some don't even glance."

". . . Some just burns her out with those murderous stares." He smirked while nodding at his shoulder and Samara's eyes fell on a very angry Rodwin.

She watched as a young lady approached him for the dance and he didn't even look at her. Her eyes lowered as she felt her stomach churning. She could feel her whole face warming up.

Why did it feel like she was doing wrong? What it felt like she was letting Rodwin down?

Davis twirled her around and pulled back gently. His gaze was so stable on her that she felt uncomfortable all of a sudden.

What was she doing? She loved Nathaniel. Yes, Davis had just gotten able to walk and move but she knew her brother didn't like him.

She looked around the room and noticed her brother who was dancing with Ida. Just as her eyes met his, his smile dropped and she knew that she didn't look fine to much people in this hall while dancing with Davis.

But it wasn't an issue.

She breathed slowly and tried to make a conversation but before she could, she heard a familiar voice that had brought immense relief to her.

"Davis, can I have a word with my love?"

She smiled and stopped dancing as she looked at an expressionless Nathaniel.

Davis looked at both of them and nodded. He stepped back and Samara felt excited to hear from Nathaniel who held her hand just as it was free from Davis' hold.

She guessed that he was a little jealous. At least, something good came out by dancing with Davis.

She smiled at her beloved.

"Nathaniel," she squeezed his hands.

"Come with me," her eyebrows furrowed as he tugged on her hand and stepped away from dance floor.

Samara breathed slowly at feeling relaxed and excited. Finally, the best part of the evening had arrived.

He led her to one of the balconies of the hall which was isolated. Just as they reached, Samara had forgotten all her sadness.

"I am so happy for the post you received. You deserve it, Nathaniel. I knew you liked administering. . ." She watched as he leaned on the railing and didn't look at her. "You look handsome," she bit her lip while roaming her hand on his back, expecting some sweet reply from him.

"Not more than Rodwin." Samara couldn't help but raise her eyebrows at his words. Nathaniel turned his head and stared at her. "Or Davis."

Her eyebrows furrowed as she felt confused with his words. "What happened, Nathaniel? Are you jealous?"

Nathaniel let out a chuckle and smiled sadly at her. "Jealous of what? Them? That they had danced with one of my girls."

Samara opened her mouth in nervousness. "One of your girls?"

He laughed and stared at her. "What do you think? They don't have access to high Lords. They cannot dance with their daughters like me so they chose you. I hope, you were enjoying the attention."

Samara was utterly confused with his strange behavior. "I was craving yours, Nathaniel."

He gave her a blank look and stepped back from her. "I couldn't talk to my father about us."

"Why?" Her voice had turned low.

"He looked happy with my progress and what you were doing up there with Davis and crying for Rodwin, doesn't seem right to my father. Moreover, I had expected more from your brother."

Samara gasped. "What does that mean? What is the relation of our proposal with all these posts? It's all about love, Nathaniel. We want to spend our life together."

"I cannot talk to my father about this tonight." He whispered desperately.

Samara smiled and walked towards him. "It is alright. You can have the time you need," she cupped his cheeks and stared in his blue eyes, "If you want, I can talk to my brother and he will talk to my father about this."

Nathaniel shook his head while removing her hands. "It's not what you think, Samara. It is not that easy. I and your brother, he won't allow you with me."

Samara chuckled at seeing his face. "Don't be so worried. I will talk to my brother." She palmed his chest and roamed her hands on it. "My brother surely doesn't allow me mingling with anyone. But it is about the man I want to be with. He will then consider my wishes."

She cupped his cheeks again and moved her face upwards to steal a kiss when he held her wrists. "No. Stop. Someone might see. . ."

". . . You had been so apart the whole function. Now, let me have the kiss from my love, Nathaniel. If not the yes from your father, I will sleep peacefully at night remembering the taste of your lips." She smiled and noticed how troubled he looked. But she knew, he would eventually involve himself.

She pulled his face and touched her lips to his, but just as she tried to move, he pushed her by her shoulders.

"No."

Samara's foot twisted because of her high-heeled shoes, and winced in pain. She placed her hand on the railing to stable herself and looked at Nathaniel in shock. He had never been so rude to her before. It was as if he was someone else tonight.

"What happened, Nathaniel? Have I done something wrong?"

Nathaniel sighed deeply and stared at her. He gulped and wiped his lips as he could feel her color of lips on his. Shaking his head, he pursed his lips.

"You haven't done anything wrong, Samara. But this, this secret kiss was wrong. You are wrong. Why are you so desperate to have me? I have just won a post and I am already feeling the responsibilities, the burden of it. If my father would have seen me kissing you, he would have been so angry."

Samara narrowed her eyes. "He didn't see and pointed you, when you were dancing with that daughter of high lord. I see how your hands were feeling the curves of her."

Nathaniel curled his lip at her. "Lower class people doesn't know how high Lords dances. This is how a bachelor dances with a beautiful girl. There is nothing scandalous about it. . ."

Samara gulped shakily. "Then what was wrong with me dancing with Davis?"

Nathaniel smirked humorlessly. "That you claim to be my woman and you just say yes to him. You couldn't stop yourself. Could you? You seek attention. He couldn't ask a high Lord's daughter so he asked you-"

"His mother asked me to do that-"

"You danced with other man."

Samara wiped the first tear that fell from her eye. "How it is scandalous and not you dancing with her? Why are you trying to fight with me? I haven't done anything to upset you, Nathaniel."

Nathaniel laughed humorlessly.

"I don't want to waste more time here. I am the one administering so many things. I have to make contacts with the high Lords, and their daughters." He spat while stepping back.

"Nathaniel. What is wrong with you?"

He turned around and started walking. "Have a great evening, Samara."

"Nathan-" She gulped and looked away from his retreating back. Her eyes went up to the full moon who was watching everything.

So, she wept looking at it, sharing her sorrow and all those strange things that were happening around her.

People were changing. Nathaniel was changing.

"I don't know," she sobbed and lowered her eyes. "He was never like this. What did I do? What changed-" she stopped sobbing and felt chills running down her spine.

The beast is changing every moment.

Her mouth parted in shock at remembering the seer while the Prince standing behind the window watched her and smiled knowingly.

_______

The King roamed his eyes on every single soldier, all the younger ones. His royal knights were watching them too. Some were drunk, some were still making conversations.

He had to notice something different and he did. When his own son told that story.

It was clear that those soldiers might be the only one who had faced wolves during the war. That directly gave him the hint that this beast could be one of them.

He actioned quietly for his minister who leaned down to hear from him. "Ask your Prince personally on my command, if he recognizes all other soldiers at the time of his moment in time jungle. We all will have to keep the eyes on those six who beat the seventh one and those three too who saved him. Take that boy Erasmus with you too."

The minister nodded while going away from the stage when suddenly he stopped as they both caught the Prince talking to a young girl in the entrance of the balcony.

Samara shook her head as the Prince smiled at her.

"Alright, if that is what you say. But I am seriously concerned for such beautiful face, dear. Tears doesn't suit you."

Samara gulped and lowered her face as to hide more tears. She didn't know why this night had been cursed for her. She just wanted to go home.

"May I have a dance with you, Lady Hampton?"

She looked up at him wide-eyed. "My Prince?"

The Prince shrugged his shoulders faintly and smiled. "Let me make one memorable moment of this night for you. Will you dance with your Prince, then?"

Samara pursed her lips and breathed out. Wiping her face, she placed her hand in his as he walked her to the center of the room. She could feel so many gazes on her. Almost, all of them.

But just as her eyes net Nathaniel, she cringed mentally. His face showed what he was thinking. An attention-seeker?

"Ignore the hateful glares, Lady Hampton. They would be so many. But if you focus on just the sweet genuine smiles, believe me, your night will be lit." He faced her and held her waist as he slowly started dancing with her.

Samara didn't know what was going on with her. She couldn't conclude why the Prince was giving her so much attention. He was married and loved his children. He even looked happy with his wife.

Also that he wasn't giving her the looks of an admirer. Then, what did he want from her?

"People look different. But they are different from what they look, Lady Hampton." Samara shook her head while looking at him. Her hands were soft on his shoulders as he smiled at her. "Before anything, we must remember that we know their hearts. If they are big or black, small or soft."

She nodded while he twirled her around. "It is not about how someone looks or displays himself. It is about the heart, dear. That young man made you cry on the night he celebrates his own victory. Friends participates in happy and bad moments. He didn't," he nodded at Nathaniel.

Samara gulped and looked back at the Prince.

"How can someone make you cry and be happy?" He smiled at her. "Would you want the same thing to happen to someone? Would you want someone's night to be dull as yours?"

Samara chuckled in sadness. "Never, my Prince. Not even my enemies. It feels worst."

The Prince smiled and jerked his head so to the direction behind her. "Then, dance with him," he whispered.

Samara didn't know who he was pointing at until the Prince gestured for the person to arrive. She swallowed as Prince handed her hand to the big hand. Her jaw dropped at seeing his face and eyes narrowed as he himself wasn't looking happy.

"He doesn't want to dance with me," she whispered to the Prince who chuckled while rubbing her back gently.

"It is the only thing he wanted tonight, Dear Samara. Make your man happy. Celebrate his happiness." He murmured while disappearing back into the crowd while she helplessly turned to Rodwin who was looking at her with narrowed eyes.

"Um, Rodwin Lester?" She murmured teasingly.

Rodwin shrugged and held her waist tightly, bringing her closer to him than ever, making her breath hitch.

"Yes, Samara Hampton Lester."

She wanted to glare at him but ended up chuckling to him. She looked at him with soft eyes and smiled. "You won't change. Would you?"

Rodwin smiled back at her as he finally started swaying slowly, feeling lots of eyes on him.

"Unless this night wants me to."

_______

"What do you think?"

The full moon is greeting.
Soldiers, eating and cheating.
Some stories
they are repeating.
One of them is retreating,
As inner wolf is overheating,
See the night defeats him
or he will be defeating?
This soldier of sins and the moon
Will finally be meeting.

*Comes closer and whispers*

"Are your hearts fastly beating?"

Will be updating soon. 😉
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