Chapter 8 The Smart One

• “All my life, I have never been touched by a man. I’ve remained clean and chaste” – Ava Goodchild
• …
• As we assembled the floor, I looked around carefully, noting where everyone was.
• The beast was right at the center, on his throne.
• With a tight-lipped and stern expression, he watched each of us prudently.
• There were some men, standing just by his side.
• And one other, serving as a guard, who seemed terribly familiar.
• While at the top part of the mansion, were two other women. The first was Cicilia, the seductress. I couldn’t recognize the second cause I never remembered seeing her anywhere.
• But what I did know was that she definitely held a high rank.
• There was no doubt in that, from the way she was positioned, just beside Cicilia. She wore a really expensive attire, engrossed in an unknown conversation with her.
• One thing was quite obvious.
• She was indeed pretty.
• And she held a more visible aura of power, compared to Lady Cicilia.
• “Greedy expressions.”
• Emily suddenly remarked, as we made preparations to dance.
• On our toes, with our ankle jewelries, which clanked in sounding
• “Huh?”
• “The party guests on the other side, all wearing avaricious and greedy expressions…Their eyes searching, like we’re some prize to be caught.”
• She remarked.
• But my mind was far off from her words. I only nodded to the words she said, with my eyes on Lady Cicilia and the other female beside her.
• I noticed their respective assistants were also conversing with each other.
• I needed to talk to one of them, and investigate more.
• From how things looked, to have a conversation with one of them, I had to patiently wait for them to come down, to interact with their friends.
• One thing I knew was common in women, was we liked show offs.
• I planned on using it against them.
• “Lady Rook!”
• I called out loud the moment I noticed the second female that conversed with Bishop Cicilia, passed beside me.
• With her eyes, holding a surprised look, she narrowed them towards me, slowly stepping towards me in elegance.
• Her hair was a long and straight brunette, decorated with ancient pins and something that almost resembles a tiara. While her garment, was a peach colored one, with dark and gold embroidery on it.
• “Rook Francesca if that’s what you meant.” she dominantly stated.
• I smirked, knowing that was my intention.
• Guessing her rank from the chest pieces, with an aim that she’d say her true name.
• “My apologies, Rook Francesca,”
• I said, curtseying with a slight bow while I held my dress.
• “You look unfamiliar, are you new around here? Perhaps, one of the chosen?”
• “Yes, I am, milady. Under your mercy of course.”
• I expressed.
• I just had to spite her.
• I needed her to reveal something in order to protect her emotions.
• “My mercy? What do you mean?”
• She elegantly, asked. With her carefully constructing her words. She was definitely a smart and wise one, unlike Lady Cicilia, a bimbo.
• “I mean you have quite some reputation, as the obvious higher rank next to the beast. You didn’t even breed his child,”
• I rolled off my tongue, with a slight chuckle.
• “How in the world, did you do that?” I let out.
• “You must be a witch,”
• I whispered, this time with a clown expression.
• She fumed, closely staring at me.
• “I assure you that is being worked on. I mean, I was just this close before the choosing paused it all,”
• She said.
• “King Caspian had to go himself to get the girls, that’s why,”
• “Besides,”
• I watched as she swayed her fans towards her neckline.
• “This assures my protection, around here,”
• Some set of fangs immediately extended from her mouth. This made me gasp on my spot, and I took a step back.
• I now understood why she had extended the fan.
• She wasn’t human.
• Instead, something out of the ordinary.
• “W-What are y-you?”
• I breathed out, presently hyperventilating, and trying to keep up with the conversation.
• “Are you scared, pawn?”
• She mocked.
• “Even though I wasn’t turned fully but this is enough to scare you to…”
• She trailed on her words.
• “Stay the hell away from me.”
• “You’re probably like the rest of the girls and will end up dead anytime soon.”
• She added.
• “Unlike us the lucky ones,”
• I watched as Rook Francesca, swayed her hands, directing them to herself and Cicilia.
• My eyes immediately bolted in realization, as she walked away, gracefully and stylishly.
• T-They were both supernatural creatures, like the beast.
• This was definitely why they related so well.
• Question was…what were they?
• With curls of distress in my features, I looked around as everyone cackled, and drank.
• Anytime soon, the Great Dance would begin, and I was starting to get a cold-feet.
• I mean, what if the girls from 200 years ago, died because of these two people?
• “Pawns, assemble!”
• That brought me out of my daze immediately.
• It was Knight Lydia. And, she ordered standing up from where she was seated, with her head, high up in the air. She exhibited dominance.
• But not enough to intimidate me as before.
• At least I knew who controlled the strings now.
• “Remember this is your last chance to be among the Five. So, give in your very best,” she advised.
• “Yes, Lady Lydia,”
• We all chorused, together.
• Making our formation, my eyes searched the best place to position in. I knew getting his attention meant, doing something different. Since we were all humans, distinct things captivated us.
• We were also told the rules.
• All I needed to do was to get the beast to throw his piece of cloth towards me.
• Doing that, meant he chose to be with me, for the night.
• The bell dinged, with the orchestra playing the music we had rehearsed to.
• “Let’s do this, Ava,”
• Emily said.
• I nodded as we both partnered, with smiles on our faces.
• We twirled in our dance attires, which showed our bellies. I was definitely going to use it to my advantage, swaying like I saw harlots, do in my village.
• The instant we separated, our legs jingled our anklets, throwing our waists towards the beast. We did just as Lady Cicilia made us practice, doing the same with our shoulders.
• “To the middle, Ava,”
• I muttered to myself, knowing the dance was about to end. I did just that. However, there was something I had noticed while we were rehearsing. There was an end beat for about a minute and some seconds.
• And that beat included a seat of submission as we were told to do.
• The minute the dance ended, the remaining 24 girls, including Emily, laid in submission.
• But as the beat continued, I took a leap of fate to dance just from the middle.
• “This is your chance, give your all,” I told myself.
• Slowly, I twisted my belly, throwing my waist towards the beast’s direction and smiling. I looked directly into his eyes, with my hands running all over my collarbone to the middle of my breasts.
• Next, my legs widened and I slowly settled on my toe, like Cicilia had taught us. Coming back up, I turned back directing my feminine behind towards him. My hand came directly at the waist line of my dance skirt as I made an illusion of removal.
• When he smiled, I knew I had gained his attention.
• From the beats the orchestra made, which I had studied, I knew they were about to end.
• “I hope I make it,”
• I stated.
• Slowly, I connected to the floor just at the middle in submission.
• With my two hands outstretched, I got nothing from the beast. Rather, I only heard claps from the audience at the pawns’ performance.
• My heart thudded, knowing I was going to get in big trouble, if I didn’t gain his approval.
• Right now.
• I was almost giving up, when I felt the piece of cloth on my hands.
• My eyes widened.
• The beast had just thrown it to me.