Prologue
**Nadia's Crowning Jewel**
"You took your mask off" the man says delicately moving his hand to my bare back, his finger tips tapping the rhythm of the song.
I blush as he pulls me closer to where he can whisper in my ear.
"Is curiosity really worth death my dear?". His breath tickles my ear, sending goosebumps down my arm and me resisting the urge to shudder.
He twirls me around, careful not to step on the trail of my summers dress. Without warning he picks me up and spins around, and stupidly like I am, I spread my arms open and the wind kisses my bare back.
For a second I feel like I'm flying and the world is just this one big field of openness that I own. The galaxy is my kingdom and the planets are my crown but then reality hits and Im back on the ball room floor.
The mystery man smiles at me and takes my hand in his again, and this time we move around each other in circles before we both bow.
On his uniform three medals: gold, bronze, and silver clatter against one another. I seen those medals before. I step closer and he notices me looking. Swiftly he turns us and I'm sweeping across the floor into a spin where he runs and catches me.
Ignoring the urge to hit him in his perfect face, and amazing cheek bones I turn away from his gaze. Out the corner of my eye he lifts a hand to move my hair away from my face.
"Yes" I murmur as his hand drops back onto my waist. "Pretty girls like you get hung for taking your mask off." He pauses. "For breaking the law".
It got hot sometimes wearing my emerald mask, and it flushed my complexion, but I was never one for breaking the rules until now.
In the kingdom of Morale beauty was temptation. It was breaking the law to not wear a mask.
"And pretty boys like you can get in trouble for not reporting me" I mumbled causing him to stumble at the sound of my voice.
My comment just have knocked him off balance because all he could do was look away from me. And this was my time to shine.
Quick to smirk but quicker to let go of his embrace, I hurriedly make my exit to the bronze doors when he glides across the floors in a seconds time and twirls me around.
"You won't report me" I say as soon as I'm placed on the ground and out of his reach.
He takes a step forward and steps on my
dress. "You don't know me sweetheart".
I don't know anyone I wanted to say but the look in his eyes said otherwise. He was intent on making me fear him, I could see it in the way he confidently held his shoulders up and the way he walked.
"Not a damn thing" he winks causing a sneer to form on my lips.
He carefully maneuvered around my dress, picking up speed as we waltzed across the floor: masked and unmasked.
If it wasn't for him seeing me without my mask off he never would have stopped or even came by me and for that I curse my self.
He gently leans over and dips me, our bodies masked with energy but cautiousness. He looks me over and raises me closer to him, his breathing matching my own.
We were like to eagles in the sky fighting for territory and no one was backing down until the last breath.
I close my eyes waiting for him to kiss me but it never came. Somehow throughout the dance he had managed to grab my mask and now as he stood over me he placed it on my face.
With a smug look he says "wear it or I will report you". He brings us up and let's go of me.
All the confidence goes out of me and drains my cheeks to a pale white. "Who pee'd in your cereal?" I mumble as he walks away, his sword hanging by his thigh and the music still playing: a steady beat that never wavered.
~Nadia's Crowning Jewel
