Chosen Bride of the Seven Dark Princes

The two Princes were already seated at the table by the time Candi and Dante reached the table.

Leonardo stood up and pulled a chair out for Candi so she could sit next to Slate. Dante led her to the chair and helped her to sit and then moved over next to Leonardo.

He tried to be magnanimous about the fact that the woman he was officially escorting to the Royal Ball would be sitting between his two brothers.

Dante took a swift intake of air and squared his shoulders. Leonardo and Slate would not be here long so they could sit with her until they left.

Slate reached out and took Candi's hand, pulling her towards him. She leaned over and received a discrete kiss from Slate.

"You look like a vision from above." Slate murmured in her ear. "I can barely keep my heart from jumping around like a little bird."

"Thank you Sweetheart." Candi laughed gently. "You look amazing yourself."

"I normally don't even wear anything fancy to these balls, but for you, I will always get dressed up." Slate looked at her, blushing.

She looked at his crisp white outfit and suddenly realized that he mostly wore white shirts and his castle and transport pod were white within.

"I'm starting to notice that white is your favorite color." She laughed.

Slate shook his head.

"I'm a warrior and I have to go into the bloody grimy battlefield all the time. White is clean. It is the absence of color and it calms me down, but that's just for me."

He gazed at the colorful pink and orange gown on her.

"You are a different story. You bring so much color and joy into my bleak monochromatic life."

On her other side, Leonardo was pouring something into a goblet and placing it in front of her.

"I, on the other hand, wear white physician robes every day of my life. I'm so sick of wearing white." Leonardo laughed. "Jared and Jason insisted I wear this turquoise outfit to the ball."

"Because it matches your beautiful aqua blue eyes." Candi responded.

She picked up the goblet and took a sip. It was red grape juice without a hint of any alcohol, the same stuff Slate was drinking so that his medicine would not be interfered with.

"You really think so? You like my eyes?" Leonardo turned to her with joy.

Candi nodded. "I love your eyes! They remind me of a tropical beach, that perfect aquamarine shade of greenish blue."

As Leonardo beamed with delight, Dante, on the other side of Leonardo was scowling with a tinge of green vinegar.

So she preferred Leonardo's aqua blue eyes, did she. That was obvious since she never said anything nice about his emerald green eyes.

Emerald green was pretty too!

Dante reached up, about to ruffle his blue hair with frustration when he suddenly realized it had been slicked back and styled with care. He heaved a theatrical sigh, settling for popping his knuckles under the table to relieve his stress.

"I swear." He growled to no one in particular. "The crowd gets more and more rowdy each year. It didn't use to be this bad."

"There is a ball like this every year?" That caught his Candace's attention. She gave him a wide-eyed glance.

Dante nodded.

"Usually there are two balls, one at each of the Solstices. This year's summer solstice won't be here for another five weeks, but the Empress moved it forward so it would coincide better with the Avgo Events."

"Speaking of the Empress," Slate made a motion with the foot of his champagne flute. "Here she comes, with Father and Byron."

Candi turned to look and had to hold in a gasp.

The last time she saw the royal pair, they were sitting around eating lunch. As stately as they were at that casual setting, it paled in comparison to the couple dressed in their regal outfits walking through the grand entryway.

The Empress was tall and willowy and had the kind of body that super models strived for. Her long curly red hair was kept in check by the elegant jewel-studded crown she wore on her head.

Her pale blue eyes swept across the ballroom, making a note of the guests, attendants, and decorations. This was a woman who was a stickler for details, a true perfectionist.

Beside her was the lackadaisical jokester Emperor with the long raven hair and a face that looked so very much like an older version of Slate.

His crown was large and heavy, and his scepter was a morning star mace looking affair that was both decorative and weapon like.

He walked with a swagger and laughed at everything and everyone in a loud boisterous voice. He was larger than life, with a comedic clown exterior that belied a sharp calculating streak that ran through his violet eyes.

Following behind was the tall stately proud bearing of the Crown Prince. He also had red hair but that was the only thing he shared with his mother.

His straight thick hair was a much darker red, and he had a similar looking face to Slate since the two most closely resembled their father.

The Royal pair, along with the Crown Prince made their way in through the door amidst clamoring and loud announcements from the announcers.

The three wore white robes trimmed with gold tassels. Along with the traditional crowns of the Erenveil monarchy, they also wore signet seal rings on their fingers that symbolized their power to ratify, endorse, and create laws for the entire galaxy.

As they began their stately walk on the gold carpet, winding their way through the ballroom, majestic music began to swell up from the orchestra on the left side of the main stage, where the musicians were situated.

Empress Clarissa looked around and spotted Candi and the three Princes already seated at the Royal Banquet Table. She smiled at them as the Royal procession came closer.

"Oh thank goodness, it's you." She spoke up and held out her hand to Candi. "I was worried it might be the other Earth woman." She shivered with distaste.

She rose and kissed the Empress' outstretched hand before bowing to the Emperor.

To Byron, she was about to extend another bow when he leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"You are so beautiful.." He whispered into her ear before straightening back up and resuming his half-bored Crown Prince look.