Aeralie draped a shawl over her shoulders, picked up her notebook and pen and cursed the land that she had to leave her rooms that morning. She wanted to curl up in bed and stay there.

Actually, she wanted to curl up in her own bed back home under the water and sleep for a week and eat nothing but Glimmer Ice – Kazimir would never approve.

But no, she was stuck on land.

Hell, she was going to have to spend a long – long – time making this up to Kazimir when they finally went home. At least she was still interested in the lives of humans even if she didn't want to be in their world anymore.

Kazimir didn't even like humans and he's begrudgingly stayed with her. How was she ever going to make that up to him?

She wasn't sure she would have made it in the palace without him and his easy lies. Now that she thought about it, how he had so easily navigated the introductions and mannerisms and conversations, it didn't surprise her that he'd spent at least part of his childhood on land.

The human world was already engrained in him and his way of thinking.

Yet he still hated humans and, he said so himself, that was because his mother had pressed that hatred on him.

Making him learn about the world above and yet warn him off it was contradictory at best but it was good that he knew how to use his powers affectively. They'd spent most of their youth learning how to use their individual gifts.

No one could lure a ship's crew to destructions as easily as Aeralie.

No one could play with water as easily as Kazimir.

No one could sing the sea to sleep like Aeralie.

No one could sing life back into the dying like Kazimir.

And no one loved humans like Aeralie while no one hated humans like Kazimir.

"And one, two, three. And one, two, three. And one, two, three. Mind your posture, Your Highness, you're focusing too much on the routine. Don't forget yourself!"

Aeralie glanced through a partially open door she was passing at the words and stopped.

It was a ballroom.

Well, no, maybe not, it was too small for a proper ballroom, but it was something similar. Possibly where dancing lessons were held for the royal children – seeing as there was a royal child learning to dance in there at that moment.

The human Kazimir didn't hate.

Princess Mai was in there with a formidable looking woman who was dressed in a sleek gown and her hair locked in a bun so tight at the back of her head the could have been the reason behind the skin being stretched over her bones.

Mai was dressed in... what in the world was that?

She looked like she was wearing a dinner plate made out of fabric, sticking straight out from her hips. It floated around her as she stepped back, then she lifted an arm, stepped forwards and... she was dancing.

That was what she was doing right?

It was dancing but she was standing on the tips of her toes, stepping up until she stood on points, her shoes somehow supporting her as she whirled around the dance floor, turn after turn after turn in count to the other woman's voice.

It looks so... unnatural.

And yet perfectly naturally at the same time.

Maybe it was the way Mai moved, everything flowing with grace and ease.

Was this common? She had never seen it before.

She jumped, her legs split and she was so high it was like she flew for just a moment.

"Princess!" the other woman snapped, "I was expecting a Grand Jeté! What was that jump, do tell?"

"Sorry, Madam," Mai said, as she turned around then looked towards the door.

Aeralie jumped and the other woman looked around.

She let out a breath then pulled a golden pocket watch from a hidden pocket.

"Well, I suppose that will do for this morning, you are supposed to be here as a representative, not an entertainer. Stretch and I shall see you later."

Mai turned to her instructor and gave a curtsy as thanks. In turn, the woman gave a lower curtsy in respect and walked out, bowing her head to Aeralie as she passed.

"Good morning, Princess," Mai called.

Aeralie looked around again.

"How do you find yourself this morning?"

Oh, all the answers she could give to that.

She settled for a nod.

"Sorry you had to see a somewhat sloppy practice; I must not be in top form today," Mai said as she folded herself down to the floor flattened her torso against her legs, hands holding her shoes.

Aeralie stared at her.

"Do you like ballet?" Mai asked, her voice muffled against her legs.

She turned her head slightly to catch Aeralie's reply but Aeralie didn't give one. She had never seen ballet.

Catching her blank look, Mai looked momentarily puzzled.

"Do you not have ballet in your home country?" she asked.

Aeralie shook her head.

"Ah," Mai muttered, then smiled. "Well, I suppose it's still slowly spreading across the world. I'm sure it will catch on soon enough."

Aeralie looked at her as she continued to stretch, then flipped open her notebook and scrawled out 'Can Kazimir dance like that?' before walking over and showing her the page.

Mai looked at it then shook her head.

"Not that I know of," she said, smiling, "he was always more for waltzing. But ice skating is his passion. We had to wrestle him off the ice as children! Can you imagine?" she said laughing. "No, he would have made a wonderful dance partner but he was always more of a lone wolf type, preferring to dance alone."

She smiled at Aeralie's expression.

"Just because I taught him to dance does not mean I was his favourite dance partner," she said, "Otherwise I would have forced him to stay. It's near impossible to find a dancer who can keep up with me – if I do say so myself. Him on the other hand, well as we said, not natural."

She glanced at Aeralie then gave her a softer smile.

"He said he would have loved to dance with you though," she said.

Aeralie looked at her in surprise and she nodded.

"I still remember him saying that, if he could have skated back home, he would have taught you."

Aeralie looked at her for a moment, then smiled.

"Do you enjoy dancing?" Mai asked.

Aeralie penned out, 'I don't really dance.'

"Really?" Mai said, surprised, "Strange for a princess... though I suppose differently cultures... oh, I didn't mean anything dramatic like ballet or ice skating, just waltzing."

Aeralie shook her head still.

"Oh," was Mai's reply.

Clearly this idea did not make sense in Mai's brain but then dance seemed to be a core part of her being.

"Are you going to join Kazimir now?" Mai asked, reaching forwards and untying her shoes, Aeralie listening the heavy cluck of the shoes as she set them aside. Without thinking, she reached forwards and picked up on, feeling the toe.

It felt like there was wood in there.

She stood on wooden blocks?

Aeralie shivered at the idea. Using her feet when they were flat was hard enough. Walking around in small heels was harder.

Walking on wooden tiptoes? Was the woman mad?

She shrugged at Mai's question, then looked up to find the princess watching her.

She quickly put the shoe down and Mai smiled at her.

"I need to get changed," Mai said, getting to her feet, "Would you like to join me for tea once I'm back?"

Aeralie raised an eyebrow, eyeing her for a moment, then nodding. Why not?

She was pleasant enough and she knew something of Kazimir's life that Aeralie didn't.

"I'll meet you in the tea rooms then," Mai said. She then reached back and unbuttoned the back of the dinner plate skirt, taking it off.

Aeralie looked at her in shock and Mai grinned.

"I can hardly be showing my legs off like that when walking around the palace," she said, walking to the side and picking up a length of fabric, which turned out to be a full-length skirt. She stepped into it and buttoned it at the back before draping a shawl over her arms and walking to the door, opening it and holding it open for Aeralie.

Aeralie quickly walked out and Mai smiled.

"I'll join you soon," she said and walked in the opposite direction, leaving Aeralie to make her own way to the tearooms to wait.

The tearooms was a long hall that looked out over the snow covered gardens, sunlight streaming through the towering window to illuminate the dozens of tables, chairs and sofas that were scattered throughout the hall, almost all of them full with people of the court, everyone talking over each other as they sipped on tea and crammed in finger sandwiches and miniature cakes.

Kazimir was already in the tearooms, sat alone in one of the corner sofas, a low coffee table between him and the opposite sofa, his teacup sat untouched before him. His had the side of his head resting against his knuckles as he kept his eyes closed, concentrating through the din.

He was trying to sense another Heart.

If someone had been gifted a Heart, perhaps they were wearing or, even if they weren't, a presence may have been left on the skin, like a residue.

At the same time, he was trying to poke around inside the minds of everyone in the hall. Implanting the idea of a particularly attractive jewel and seeing if anyone reacted with more than mild curiosity or greedy desire.

It was long, tiring work, going through one or two minds at a time.

And it was not rewarding because no one reacted the way he wanted them too.

A headache was blooming and the fingers that slid through his hair, over his shoulders and down his chest, towards the open neck of his shirt did not help.

His eyes snapped open and he tilted his head back.

Lady Shalay smiled down at him and he narrowed his eyes at her.

"That's not an attractive face, Kazimir," she purred with too much familiarity. "You look like Dalton when he's annoyed – which is all the time."

"And this is not appropriate behaviour to be displaying in public," Kazimir shot back.

"Would you be more open to it in private?"

"Yes, but not with you," he shot back and Lady Shalay's smile twitched.

She removed her hands, glided around the sofa and sat down beside him, not waiting for the invitation he would not have extended.

"You remind me of Dalton in more ways than one, apparently," she said.

"You flatter me," Kazimir said, his voice flat.

"So how is it you know our young prince?"

"Must we make polite conversation?" Kazimir sighed and the lady raised an eyebrow at him.

"Your manners are found to be lacking, Dalton has you there," she said.

"Thankfully I'm not competing against him."

"Fair. And yes, we must make polite conversation."

"Because you expect to be queen one day?" he asked.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes. "And when that happens, I expect people to entertain me. You may as well get used to it."

Kazimir dared roll his eyes at her and she flushed. "How old are you?" he asked, resting his cheek on his knuckles and adjusting the book that was open and forgotten on his lap.

She bristled at the question. "Nineteen," she said.

"And unmarried? What's wrong with you?"

Her face went so red he thought she might explode. "How dare you?" she growled and Kazimir shook his head in pity at her.

"If you can't spot when I'm purposely trying to rile you up, you're not going to survive as a queen," he said, "I actually thought you older than me but nineteen explains your naive hopes and dreams."

"You're horrid!" she snapped.

"I don't try to be anything that I'm not," Kazimir said. He glanced at her. "If you so desire to be queen, why not go after Dalton? He'll be a king one day."

"Have you seen him with Princess Daphne?" she sneered.

"I have noticed."

"What am I supposed to do against that?"

"Get rid of Princess Daphne, one would assume," he said simply.

He could feel Lady Shalay stare at him, aghast by the idea and he scolded himself. That was a little too ruthless for garden-variety human, he had to admit. He wasn't speaking to Aeralie and he had told her off when she had suggested removing Daphne from the equation.

Of course he didn't actually mean it.

He didn't want Dalton to lose Daphne.

He didn't want to see him hurt.

That thought jarred him so much he completely missed whatever Lady Shalay said. He didn't come back to focus until she ran fingers through his hair and he smacked her hand.

"Stop touching," he ordered, turning his glare on her.

"You can't order me around like that," she snapped.

"Stop touching," a voice said behind them and they both looked up to see Dalton stood behind them, frowning down at her.

Kazimir blinked. Dalton's hair had changed again. It was no longer blonde with black tips; it was a startling white-blonde, swept back from his face to display his look of annoyance. It had been years since he'd seen it bleached so extreme.

"Didn't I ask you leave my guests alone?" he asked, leaning down and folding his arms on the back of the sofa, shooting an unimpressed look her way.

Lady Shalay pursed her lips, then pointed at Kazimir.

"You realise your company is talking about 'removing' Princess Daphne?" she asked.

Kazimir glared at her. "That's completely out of context," he said.

"Did you say that?" Dalton asked, looking at him.

"I said something along those lines but I am no threat to your princess," Kazimir said.

"I believe you," Dalton said simply and Kazimir looked at him in surprise as Lady Shalay spluttered.

"Wh... you take a stranger's word for it? This man? You snap at anyone else who even looks at Daphne wrong! He says he'll kill her and you're fine with it?"

She was now catching the attention of those around them.

Dalton glanced at the prying eyes and his eyes narrowed.

"Stop listening," he ordered and, as one, everyone looked away, falling back into conversation and stopped listening.

Kazimir looked at him in surprise, he hadn't though Dalton carried that much command over these people.

Returning his attention to Lady Shalay and Kazimir, he straightened and walked around the sofa, taking a seat between them and forcing Lady Shalay back to the other side, putting himself between her and Kazimir before looking at her.

"I trust him," he said simply. Kazimir avoided raising an eyebrow and pretended this was not a surprise. What? Did he think that, just because they shared a lousy past, they had some type of camaraderie?

Or was he really just watching out for his guests in the eyes of prying courtiers?

Before Lady Shalay could say anything in response, Dalton turned to Kazimir.

"What are you reading?" he asked, looking down at the book in his lap.

"Dalton!"

"I found it on one of my bookshelves, have you read it?"

"Don't ignore me!"

"No, I haven't seen this one before, can I look?"

"Dalton!"

"Of course."

Lady Shalay shot to her feet, glaring at the two men as Kazimir passed his book over to Dalton and Dalton settled his arm over the back of the sofa, his torso turned toward Kazimir and dismissing her from their conversation.

All but hissing at them, she stormed away; throwing herself into a vacant seat with a group of ladies who did not looked impressed by their sudden new company.

"Sorry about her," Dalton said, flipping through the book.

"Not for you to say," Kazimir said, picking up his tea. He finally noticed that it had gone cold and, after a quick look to make sure Dalton was distracted, he focused on the cup and a moment later, steam began to rise from it again. He took a sip and set the cup down.

"Thank you for coming to my rescue," he said instead.

Dalton shrugged. "Sometimes – a lot of the time – these people can be unbearable company," he said simply.

"You keep a very select company, don't you?" Kazimir said.

"I do."

"So what do you do when Cole isn't around? It's been – what? – two years since you last met?"

Dalton glanced at him. "Did I tell you that?" he asked.

Kazimir slowly blinked. "No, Cole mentioned it in passing," he said – in passing when Kazimir had still be stuck in that tank. That type of slip-up was unlike him. He was becoming complacent.

Dalton seemed to accept it as he looked back at the book and nodded. "I keep much to myself as court will allow."

Kazimir looked at him. "You're very closed off to the world, aren't you?"

"I don't really like the world," Dalton admitted simply and Kazimir didn't question it.

Knowing what he knew of Dalton's life, it didn't surprise him.

"Sire."

Both men looked back as a servant stopped behind the sofa.

"Sorry to disturb you, Sire, just to inform you that the last of the ships have been anchored and secured. If Captain De Val intends to leave, he has less than forty-eight hours to do so – at most."

"Thank you," Dalton said, the servant bowing as moving away.

Kazimir looked at him.

"Have you ever seen War Tides?" Dalton asked, looking at him.

Of course but not from the surface – but Kazimir naturally didn't say that. He just shook his head.

"They're waves that can easy destroy any ships left anchored out on the open sea. Every year, all ships without our harbours are brought down the river and into the city where the force of the waves can't destroy them completely. Don't worry, the palace is specially designed to handle the waves but it's a little shocking if you haven't seen them before."

"Wait, what?" Kazimir said, "The waves reach up to the palace? Up the cliffs?"

He knew they were huge waves but... he hadn't known that.

"Like I said, don't worry, the palace can handle it," Dalton said, running a hand through his pale hair.

Kazimir glanced at it. "Quite a change in hair," he commented.

Dalton's hand stopped, then smoothed his hair back and pulled his hand away. "I... get bored of it... I guess," he said.

"You change it often?"

"More than I like."

Kazimir looked at him in confusion but Dalton waved it off.

Kazimir's attention was drawn away a moment later when Aeralie walked in. He raised a hand to catch her attention and she swept through the tables to join them, writing in her notebook as she approached, looking up only when she was upon them and freezing.

She blinked, staring at Dalton.

Her wide eyes swung to Kazimir then back to Dalton and Dalton gave her an apologetic smile.

"It's a dramatic change, I know," he said.

"But nothing unusual," Kazimir thought at Aeralie.

She glanced at him, looking between them, almost nodded then quickly finished what she was writing and turned the pad around. The two men leant forwards to read that she was joining Princess Mai for tea.

Kazimir's smile was telling. He was relieved they were making acquaintances.

"I'll leave you to it then," Dalton said, getting to his feet.

"It's alright, if you wanted to join us," Kazimir found himself saying.

Dalton smiled but shook his head, turning away with a grimace as someone called him.

~~~~

Next up: Thursday

Art By: GIF of the principal dancer Uliana Lopatkina

ALSO! 

I have a present for you guys. At least for fans of BATB. 

I hadn't planned to upload this for