Page 6 of Glass Hearts

Balls are a nasty thorn in my side, especially when the events encompass making a spectacle of us.

Of course, we royal pawns have little of a choice to attend these things.

The council gets what the council wants, ultimately.

Including making a mockery of finding us wives.

The only reprieve is that I get to go through this with my brothers.

Brothers not by blood, not by duty, but by choice.

Koi and Archer are off to the side discussing their latest conquest they shared the previous night while Grayer shamelessly makes out with the brunette he just met twenty minutes ago.

Idiots, always thinking with their dicks.

We have all been rebelling in our own way after getting the order to marry, including finding random bed mates as a subtle ‘fuck you’ to the council.

Not that they would care. I, however, chose violence, fighting in fight clubs to feel the rush of adrenaline and pain.

The older woman doing my makeup to cover my shiner, tuts as she tries to cover the purpling bruise forming around my eye. That, or she is tutting at the sorry state of our group.

I feel sorry for the ladies who have to marry us.

The girl with Grayer makes performative moaning sounds.

I can tell that he knows this as well by the bored look on his face.

Grayer has always been the type to have multiple bed partners, not wanting to settle down.

They can’t say no to his psychotic charm, as Koi would say.

Koi is Grayer’s actual half-brother by blood.

Although they look alike, they are so different.

They could be twins, yet all of Koi’s golden and sunny features contrast with all of Grayer’s darkness.

“I think we should start saying goodbye to your guest, Grayer. We are due at the ball in thirty minutes, and you still need to get ready. Not sure your future bride would be pleased you had a woman down your throat right before meeting her,” I send through the bond mind link.

Since we were young boys, people shipped us off every summer to learn about being princes and what our duty means. This came with a powerful mage connecting us until death through a bond when we were only ten.

Back then, the council believed that a coalition of next-in-line royals, ruling together in harmony, would unite Velora and curb villainy.

More powerful together and all that. Even if the bond link wasn’t something the council imposed on us, I still think I would have wanted this connection to my brothers.

Meeting my brothers was the best thing to have come out of being shipped off from all that I knew and the connection with my magic.

With a flourish, the woman finishes my makeup. With a resounding slam of her materials into her bag, she leaves in haste.

I run my hands through our dog’s fur, a mix of browns and blacks, reveling in its softness.

Jett is a mutt we had all found outside the castle grounds, looking malnourished.

The council wasn’t too pleased when we brought him in as rowdy seventeen-year-olds, but we didn’t care.

He is part of our pack. He was just as lost as we were.

“Alright, it’s time for you to leave so I can get even prettier.” Grayer winks at the brunette. She looks disappointed yet melts when Grayer flashes his charming, dimpled smile.

“Save a dance for me, my prince?”

“He doesn’t dance, but I will save you one.” Koi jumps in, always defending and helping his brother.

Guests have long been arriving at the castle. The cool night air calms my nerves as I head onto my balcony, overlooking the oncoming carriages and escorts. My eye catches a peculiar pumpkin-shaped carriage with… an ogre coachman?

“Now, that is something you don’t see every day.” Koi joins me on the balcony as he buttons his dress shirt.

“Who could that be? I don’t think I have seen a carriage like that pull up for any of the prior balls?” Archer asks, joining us.

“Who cares!” We hear Gray shout from the bar cart, surely filling his drink back up.

The three of us try to catch who the mystery person is, though in this light and angle, we can’t quite tell. It appears to be a solo female. The two ogres wave at the person as they take off.

Buttoning up my dress shirt, my elemental glass heart peaks out.

To others, the glass looks like nothing more than a jewelry piece of precious stones incased in glass.

But it’s what makes us elemental princes.

I can feel its power subtly pulsing, connecting me to the magic of my home island.

Once we become kings, we will have full access to our power from any part of Velora.

Each of my brothers has one to their affinity as well, slinging low to get as close to our beating hearts as possible.

I dream of the day I can go back to my lands and feel the raw, natural power.

It’s been too long; I can hardly remember.

To just relax in a cabin, breathing in the crisp, clean air while overlooking the mountains.

Part of me yearns to go home, though I worry about what it means for the four of us, adding wives into the mix.

Our lives are sure to change. Just not sure if it’s for the better.

* * *

Entering the Masquerade Ball is an assault on my senses. Many noises of chatty society folk, smells of food, and expensive cologne. The loud orchestra plays off to the left side of the gold-decorated ballroom. Florals dance all around us, bringing me a modicum of peace to my Terra magic.

The sizable crowd goes silent, and all of their masked faces turn to us as we walk in.

“Well, it looks like we are the prey tonight and not the hunters, boys,” Grayer jokes through our bond link.

We have been to many balls, but it’s the first one that held us as the star attraction. The realization that we are among the only few not donning a mask makes it more apparent. As if to say, ‘Here they are, the prized princes!’’

A game of unwilling hearts. Lots of affluent parents gaze upon us for the chance to get their daughters married off to a rich prince. They should call it a ball of political opportunity and greed.

“Good evening, everyone. We welcome you to the first of its kind, ‘True Loves’ Masquerade Ball!’” The crowd joins in a polite round of applause for Councilor Mendez.

“Thank you, thank you. Now, quiet down, all. Our four princes, Sylas, Grayer, Koi and Archer, will each be looking for a wife to help us unite our lands. Only a select, lucky dozen of gals will have the honour of continuing to the next round of being invited to the castle, with the chance of being one of the future princesses! Now let the ball begin!”

The music plays anew as the guests mingle once more. Expecting ladies bat their eyelashes and wave their fans towards their chests, looking to see if we make a move for them; we stay in place.

Councilman Hendrickson is the first to approach us with a set of what seems to be quadruplets. Interestingly, each sister seems to also be wearing our affinity colors. As if we are already theirs and we just need to catch up.

“Good evening, Princes. I would love to introduce you to the Baudelaire sisters. Mia, Pia, Lia, and Zia. They would be the perfect match for you all; all of Velora would be extra united by a royal unity between siblings, if I do think so myself!” Hendrickson chuckles as he sips his beverage.

Already his cheeks are flushed from the alcohol.

“Pleasure to meet you. We will save a dance, yes? We would like a moment to grab a drink first. Excuse us.”

The sister’s giggle at my slight dismissal. I can feel my brothers tensing, but luckily, Hendrickson can tell we aren’t quite ready to mingle just yet. He escorts the sisters back to the table where an older lady, who must be their mother, scowls.

Grayer grabs my shoulder. “Brothers, I am going to go see if I can find a drink and a lovely lady to warm my bed tonight. I will leave it to you, Sy, to find us a final twelve. And if it wasn’t obvious, I am not dancing.” Responsibility always falls on me.

As Grayer removes his hand, he stills. I follow his gaze, along with my other brothers.

We all meet a set of blue eyes across the dance floor.

She wears what some may say is an inappropriate black dress for a high society ball.

Form-fitting with a slit right up the side, showing her gorgeous legs with a little peek of thick thighs.

The neckline of the dress drops almost to her navel, her breasts barely contained in that silky black fabric.

The shiny black fabric accentuates all her delicious curves.

Her lightly curled blonde hair falls over her shoulders, the mask hiding her nose and most of her features.

Her supple mouth expands into a knowing smirk at getting all four princes’ attention.

That smile goes straight to my dick. She winks and blows a kiss as she walks away from us.

Her wonderfully sizable ass sways as I wish that the dress was backless, so I could selfishly see even more of her gorgeous pale skin.

She is pure sin, and nothing good can come from a woman like that.

“Now, who is that? I think I just found my bed partner.” Grayer licks his lips, wiggling his pierced eyebrows.

Koi whispers, “I think I am going to pick her for one slot. I can foresee my head between those thick thighs.”

“Did she just walk away from us?” Archer adds in disbelief.

My attention goes to them. “I think we should each talk to her. I have a bad feeling about her. Good things don’t tend to come in such pretty packages.”

“Sylas, always the practical grump. Chill out, man, let loose. Maybe we can even convince the sexpot to take part in a group activity.” Grayer slinks away before I can admonish him.

If it were my guess, he was going to find the beauty haunting us in her wake.

Jealousy is not something I frequently feel with my brothers.

We have shared women before, but there is just something about that little vixen.

If we are to look for a wife, perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad if a little thing like herself was in my bed.

Before I can even set out to find her, another group of ladies joins us at the edge of the dance floor, impatient at our lack of movement. “My prince, I know it is forward, but seeing as how you haven’t moved from this spot, I was wondering if you would like to join me for a dance?”

Before I can decline, Councilman Mendez comes up behind me. “He would love to, Daria! And Sarah, dance with Koi here.” Archer has already slunk away, lucky bastard.

With a sigh, I offered my hand to Daria, and we navigated toward the crowded dance floor.

Koi looks just as displeased as he leads his dance partner to the ballroom floor.

She asks me questions, and I half-answer them.

She is a pretty girl, but I find myself looking for someone a little more unique, dressed in all black.