The dull thuds of wooden blades slamming into each other filled the air of the training grounds of the Night Court. It had been many years since the last time that Zeb had stepped foot within the familiar walls and now she was sparring against a pale skinned female fae who was pinned below her glaring at her with pale grey eyes.

"Zeb get off. This isn't a test of strength." The male's voice broke through the purple hued female's thoughts and she removed herself from her opponent who stood up cursing and dusted off her clothing. "We are here to show the Lord of the Night Court what the years of training have accomplished and he will be picking a guard for his heir." Zeb turned her cold gaze towards her keeper and nodded tucking a loose strand of her stark white hair behind her darkly colored ear. "Yes sir. It won't happen again."

The smiling, friendly child was long burried beneath years of training and pain to show a very bored looking young woman. Most of her long white hair was pulled back into a pony tail that danced with each step. Zeb stuck out even in her own group due to how dark her skin coloration was and the stark contrast between skin and hair. Out of the six contestors, three were female and 3 were male. Zeb was the tallest of the females and even taller than the shortest dark haired male who was now walking towards her. Kurle clapped a hand on her shoulder which earned him a swift slam up against the wall she was near with the wooden blade to his throat.

"Relax Zeb. I was coming to say good job." His voice was higher than some of the males she had grown up around but still flowed like a calm stream. "Sorry Kurle. Being here has me on edge. I never thought I would be setting foot in this place again." She offered a small smile as she released him and he rubbed his throat with a chuckle. "At least it wasn't a real blade this time."

Zeb was about to respond when their keeper called for their attention. "I need all of you to stand in line. The Lord and his heir will be walking by slowly to be introduced. I want you all on your best behavior." His eyes narrowed at the dark haired female that was still glaring towards Zeb when the taller fae moved to stand by her. They were all dressed in simple sparring clothing. Loose pants with a loose fitting shirt that allowed for easier movement. Light brown boots adorned all of their feet as well. Their clothing was meant as a simple cover to not take away from the skills that the individuals would be exhibiting.

"Well we can count Scar Face out...I heard the Night Court likes beautiful women." Zeb's jaw visibly clenched at the nickname that many that disliked her had given her. Instead of retorting to the light haired female named Niara, she folded her hands behind her back and stood up tall instead. "Sweetheart, that may be true but if I am remembering correctly, they also like oddities and out of all of us, I am quite the oddity." Niara huffed as she also assumed the same position as Zeb, followed by Kurle, Ceera, Lorn, and Syrol.

And Zeb wasn't bluffing. Her dark tone stuck out against the light coloring of the other five fae. Even her vibrant eyes captured the attention of many that would watch the group interacting. Zeb wasn't the strongest or even the quickest of the group but she seemed to be the one that wasn't easily distracted by their emotions. It was why she always appeared to be bored or unamuzed by those that she spent her time with.

Deep down though her heart was pounding in her chest. Fear of the Lord and what he would do now that she was back once again within his grasp. The thought of Faustian not recognizing her was also behind the racing of the young fae's heart but it soon stopped when the doors on the far end of the training area opened.

"My dear Lord and Heir Faustian, I proudly offer my top assassins for you to choose a personal protector from. We have brute strength to agility and even emotionless. They will happily execute any actions that you ask of them to do. If you want to see them battle, just give the command and they will. If you want to see them show their agility with running and obsticles, they will perform that as well."

Zeb's eyes were focused on the pair of respected fae acutely aware of what the keeper was saying but waiting to see what the Lord or even Faustian would order for them to do.

Hearing the older male’s voice sent an unnoticed shiver up the woman’s spine as she stood listening to him. Of course he would want male versus female, it would cause the most reaction and entertainment. Her eyes moved over the trio, finally noticing the female next to Fausty and she raised an incredulous eyebrow trying to put a name to the remembrance but it was brushed aside as she was paired with Syrol. Syrol was the tallest of the group and stood almost a foot taller than her. Of course brute strength wouldn’t win against the massive fae and she lowered herself into a defensive position as everyone waited for the command.

Their keeper looked towards those watching and then let out a high pitched whistle that signalled for the group to begin. Syrol may have been the most intimidating of the group based on his appearance but the male was the gentlest when it came to sparring against his female counterparts. Zeb ducked between his legs and sprung up to land on his back as her legs wrapped around his middle. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she pulled a little wooden blade from her belt, holding it to his neck. Granted that would have been too easy and Syrol pushed his back against one of the support beams, squishing the female between the hard wood and his body. A hiss left her frame as she bit her lip wishing her blade was metal and not wooden. Between the weight of the male and being compressed, the edge of her vision began to darken as her lungs fought for air. Her grip loosened slightly as her eyes closed, her head falling forward on his shoulder which caused the male to quickly step away and reach to make sure that she was alright.

His release was what she was waiting for, She gripped his hand as she released her legs and used his momentum as she dropped to pull him over the top of her, his back hitting the ground with a hard thud. Syrol was staring up blankly at the sky, shocked that Zeb had used such a dirty trick on his kindness. Zeb walked over and offered her hand wiping the small bit of blood away from her mouth where she had cut her lip. As Syrol went to grasp ahold of the female’s hand, the keeper’s whip wrapped firmly around her wrist and pulled it away from the male. “We are not friends here now Zebeythrae.” Vibrant purple hues flew to the male holding the end of the whip, anger burning wildly but controlled in the gaze. Syrol stood up on his own and dusted himself off giving an apologetic look towards Zeb as she unwrapped the leather from around her wrist. Her gaze never moved from the male until he ordered the group to line up against the wall while he picked up a bow.

It was time to test their agility and it was the one test that usually ended up with more than a couple of the participants injured. Zeb took her spot trying to keep the raging anger contained as she looked away noticing the familiar bird that she had gotten Fausty those many years ago for his birthday. A small smile formed on her lips only to be quickly hidden as her hand grasped the arrow just a few millimeters from her chest. Her eyes were now locked on the keeper as she twirled the arrow between slender fingers only to throw it back towards the older male as if she were throwing a dagger.

The arrow landed just shy of the keeper’s feet and a dark smile formed on his features. “See how even she doesn’t seem to forget her surroundings.” The sound of pained breathing to her left, pulled her gaze from the keeper to look over at both Niara and Lorn both separately holding hands near the entrypoint of the arrows. The keeper looked over his shoulder at the trio waiting to see if they wanted him to continue. In the few moments, Zeb had stepped out of line and over to Niara grabbing the shaft of the arrow and pulled it out before anything else could be said. Niara’s hatred burned through Zeb as she ripped her own shirt to press against the wound. Ceera and Syrol had helped Lorn remove his arrow and were walking him over to a bench to be treated. Kurle moved to stand beside Zeb and took Niara away before the two could start another spat. The keeper’s displeased snort caused Zeb to turn and as her arms folded her over chest, an eyebrow raised in defiance. “We can’t all be injured tonight and bleeding all over the fancy clothes that were gifted to us. You are a fool to think we would all stand for that indignation.”

Silence filled the air after she spoke, most of her comrades shocked that she had even dared to speak back to the man that was still holding the only weapon. Zeb could be quick but just how much defiance could the keeper take before embarrassment ruled his actions.

Zeb had moved on to helping with bandaging Lorn when she heard Fausty’s voice. Of course she didn’t immediately recognize the sound of him but she knew that it wasn’t his father speaking. He wasn’t the same either as what she had remembered though seeing the red haired female beside him tossed her stomach for a moment. In the years she had been gone, she had filled out in her womanly curves, which she was fully trained on how to manipulate with, and lean muscle covered most of her body. The shy girl that preferred to stay in the shadows, was now feigning confidence but still hid within her shadows. Her gaze met with his as he stated he would see them at supper. A false smile formed on her lips as she nodded and raised an eyebrow seeing how obvious the red haired female was making the fact that they were betrothed.

“Seems someone might already have a leg above us.” Kurle’s deep voice broke her attention watching the pair leave and Zeb shook her head. “If I am remembering right, like father like son, they like pretty things to look at.” The smile was gone from her features as she returned her attention to Lorn.

“I just don’t get why he was practically staring at you Scar Face. Ceera and I are far more attractive than you.” Niara hissed as Ceera applied the paste to her shoulder. Lorn and Kurle caught the tightening of Zeb’s jaws after Niara spoke and both cast a quick glance to each other before looking back at the female before them. Zeb’s eyes were focused on bandaging Lorn, never moving even when she began to speak.

“Because this was my home for a short while before I was sent away for training. I guess his father enjoyed the idea of me taking the blows for his precious son. I mean, how else did you think I gained this scar?” With her final words, an annoyed expression filled her features as she looked over at Niara and Ceera. “I know you both are more to the Lord’s liking but how we react and perform tonight delegates who will be staying here.” A small tremor moved through Lorn at the coldness in which that Zeb spoke. Zeb had never offered up why she had gained as many scars as she had before, let alone how she received the one that marred her face.

It wasn’t long before the group were in their private chambers changing into the outfits that they would be wearing for the dinner. The women were in one and the males were in the other section making sure not to appear comfortable around each other. Zeb was sliding the silky material of a dark grey dress up her legs to rest just at her hip line. Jewels covered the top of the skirt but it was loose enough to move about her legs freely. On her feet was just a basic loop of white lace that wrapped around her ankle and a toe, leaving the soles of her feet bare. Her top was a similar dark grey but had varying degrees of lighter greys around her chest and the straps that hung about her arms. This too was covered in matching jewels to the skirt and brought more attention to the top half of her body. Niara and Ceera had also gotten into similar styles of dresses and the trio were soon working on putting their hair up. Niara and Ceera put loose curls in their golden locks while Zeb braided the top half of her hair and then pulled it into a high ponytail. She also clipped in a few jewels that matched with her outfit and left a few tendrils to frame her face.

This outfit was not something Zeb would have worn when she was growing up. She was embarrassed about her body but now she was trained how to use the curves that she had been gifted with. After finishing up with their hair and makeup, the trio soon left their section of their quarters and stood outside of the door waiting for the males. They came out shortly after but not before the trio of females had gotten a few whistles and were currently being stared at by the guards.

Zeb slipped her arm into Syrol’s offered arm and the pair trailed behind the other four. “You didn’t have to come to this assignment.” He whispered, earning a puzzled then silent look from Zeb. “I did have to come back. I wanted to see my parents and...well the other thing isn’t important.” Syrol returned her puzzled look but soon went straight faced as they were the last to enter into the dining hall. Of course the keeper had wanted the tallest pair to be last as they would make the most commotion, Zeb with her dark skin and white hair and Syrol with his towering height and softer features. He of course was right as it seemed many in the hall quieted as the two stepped in. Many shocked faces appeared as they recognized the female but were shocked by her grown appearance.

Zeb’s parents were sitting next to the Lord and Fausty. Her father, being the advisor for the Lord, was watching his daughter’s every motion. He could still see his little owl hidden behind the mask but he was also wishing she had chosen to wear something not as revealing. Cailu looked over to his wife, Eletha, who was on the edge of her seat desperately wanting to go and hug their daughter. “Eletha dear, we will get to see her later. But for now we have to wait for our little owl to show that she deserves to be here.”

To say that Zeb was not the least bit surprised to be seated across from her childhood friend would be true. She took her seat after releasing Syrol's arm and folded her legs under the table as her arms folded across her chest. Her eyes looked over at Tessa, noticing the tension in the other female and offered a warm smile that dared defiance in her own eyes. Without any change of expression, Zeb moved her foot forward to gently brush against Fausty's leg partially as a way to get a reaction and partly to just make sure that it really was him.

When the food arrived, Zeb leaned forward after waiting for everything to be served. Her eyes moved over to her parents and the coldness in her features faded for a moment to reveal sadness and embarrassment, though it quickly changed back to the cold expression as she began to eat. Absent mindedly, her foot would periodically brush against Fausty's leg mainly due to her growing embarrassment at her clothing.

If one watched the six contestants closely, one would notice that Zeb and Kurle were scanning the room while eating less quickly than the others. Zeb set down her fork after a few moments and pushed back away from the table to stand up. A hand gripped her shoulder when she stood and the keeper smiled as he looked between the Lord, his family, and then Zeb.

"It seems Miss Zebeythrae is possibly wanting to step outside." The sickly sweet tone in his words narrowed the female's eyes as they moved from him to those across the table from her. "I was going to go and check the perimeter. It wouldn't be a surprise that anyone that wanted either the Lord or his Heir dead would try an attack now while everyone is distracted with eating."

Venom dripped from her words though they sounded professional. She caught the slight movement of her mother going to stand but her father's gentle hand on the arm stopped the older woman. Zeb focused her attention on Fausty before she spoke again. "Would your Lordship and Heir prefer for me to check for any disturbances during this beautiful meal or shall I stay here?" It was evident that the female wanted to be out of the line of sight of everyone in that room. She felt as though she was disrespecting her parents with the attire and everyone else was devouring what was left of her dignity.

The keeper released his grip on her shoulder and stepped to the side waiting to hear what the Lord or even his Heir would ask of her to do. He looked down at the other five that were sitting there, a few with expressed shock at the boldness of Zeb's actions, watching the scene before them playing out. Zeb's arms were crossed once more as a way to try and hide her body from those that wouldn't stop staring at the jewels and revealed skin.

All she wanted in that moment was to step outside and clear her head. Also calm her wildly beating heart that had only been spurred on by the slight touches she had given Fausty.

Zeb's skin crawled with the way his father looked between the two of them. Of course there had been a time that she would have happily accepted being Fausty's bride but that offer was off of the table in her mind. Her eyes slowly moved back towards Fausty when he asked to walk with her. "First off, I am not Tae and yes there were times I didn't think I would be one of the ones here."

She stepped from behind her seat and motioned for Fausty to lead the way. "Of course I would, dear heir." Her tone almost sickly sweet as she waited for him to walk ahead of her. Of course she would have preferred to walk alone for a few moments but maybe there wouldn't be as many eyes on them while they were alone.

Once the pair were outside, Zeb released the breath she appeared to have been holding and moved her hands to rest on the back of her neck for a moment before resting at her sides. Her eyes scanning the shadows for any movement or unwelcome guest.

"Your father is right Fausty...I am not with you yet. Honestly I could still fail whatever schemes your father could be thinking up." The female fae moved over to the railing and leaned against it letting the slight breeze dance across her skin. "And truth to be told Fausty, I almost didn't come back."

Truth with a hint of pain coated her words as she kept her back to him. It seemed to only last for a moment though before she was standing up straight again and began to follow the stone pathway. A part of her wondered if he would remember the nickname he had given her years ago, the memory longing to hear his voice say it one more time but the sensible part of her locked the memory away.

He is betrothed. All of the little flirtations between you two have only been that. Flirtations...nothing more.

The once bubbly speaker was walking beside her childhood friend quietly with her gaze occasionally looking towards him or rather through him as she kept her guard up. The light of the moon danced along her features almost enhancing the scar that graced her face. A scar earned from putting herself infront of her friend against his father.

A soft hum was soon filling the quiet of the air as Zeb moved to wrap her arms around herself once more, an attempt to hide the shiver that moved through her frame from the crisp coolness of the breeze. The humming stopped as a snarky smile formed on the corner of Zeb's lips.

"You had to choose Tessa? Do you remember how much she hated seeing me with you when we were children? I can't imagine the flames that I have ignited with my actions during dinner. I could tell she wasn't pleased...Even when you first appeared."

The teasing tone lightened the darkness of her features but it didn't reach the vibrant purple of her own irises. Most didn't notice the wall that was prevalent in the vibrant eyes unless they had gotten to know the fae. She took a few steps closer to Fausty and brushed her arm against his fighting the urge to take his hand.

Why were her emotions crashing over the walls she had built up with just the slightest of touches from her childhood friend. She looked up into his face watching the way the moon danced across his features and she moved to step away. "Sorry, I guess I am still a little clumsy."