PeaceMaker

Antonio was anxious, especially even more so after telling Justin whom he felt feelings for one of his sisters. He was anxious and nervous at the same time, wondering what was going to happen next. How was he going to react when I stood in front of her? Will he draw a line after?

Justin's reply had been quite blank to Antonio's confession. He wasn't surprised, neither did he seem not taken aback at the situation. It was like he knew what he was going to say, but simply didn't expect him to do it. The gaze that he gave Antonio seemed to have changed. It was more intense. 

That was normal as he was the sister's brother. If he didn't get protective over her, then did Antonio even confess to him about her? There was this hint of annoyance in his gaze that Antonio couldn't understand. It was barely noticeable but whenever he tapped him to say something, a glint of that same annoyance would shine through. 

Antonio was right about that. Justin was annoyed. 

'Ah… why did this have to happen?' he rolled his eyes. He didn't like the fact that Antonio confessed. He felt this sense of arrogance rolling off Antonio now. Like he was someone who was so confident that they felt like they could confess to the brother of the sister like some warning that they were coming to take away their sister. He clenched his jaw. 

'Why did he even like her to begin ?' Justin thought to himself, 'because he saw her dance? What's he going to make her do, dance for him every day like she's some ballerina?' His eyes glistened with anger. The more he thought, the more Antoni's image in his head was ruined. The more it was ruined, the harsher his gaze grew when he turned to Antonio. 

Justin could see a little gleam of challenge in Antonio's whenever he looked at him. He looked like he was trying to tell him to engage with him in a fight, like a 'let's-see-who-will-win' if-this-were-to-happen' gaze. In his eyes, Antonio was giving him a condescending side glance.

It was only in his eyes. 

Outside of them, Antonio was panicking. Sweat rolling off his forehead and everything. He could only take little peeks of him out the corner of his eyes. He felt like if he was caught in his gaze, he would wither like flowers in spring. Concerned was just one of the many ways to describe the emotion on his face. 

Justin didn't even turn to look at him, frightening Antonio more. 

'I messed up didn't I?' Antonio thought to himself. He scratched his hair making it more scattered than before. 'Ugh! see you idiot, that's what happens when you try to be brave! Did you really think he was only going to tap you on the back and say 'oh ok man, let's see how much I can help'? Your IQ must have dropped 65 levels because that's the only way you would have thought this would turn out otherwise.'

He looked at Justin again but this time his stare was caught. He sucked in his breath immediately, terrified of Justin. 

"What is it?" Justin hissed, his voice so low, it rattled in Antonio's brain. 

He could only squeak out a mere, "No… nothing… haha."

Justin's face seemed to curl up in more annoyance after that comment. Antonio flinched, hitting himself inside his mind. 

'Gosh how arrogant,' Justin thought to himself as he looked down on Antonio. 'Haha? Does he think this is funny? Let's see if he still does that when I rip up his marriage proposal before it even reaches her. It's a good thing I didn't get too close to him yet. It would have been a mistake.' 

Antonio was sweating. He wanted to say something, to clarify something but the announcer had stepped onto the performance grounds, ready to introduce the next woman. 

"Do you think it's going to be the last Crowly sister?" Addison muttered excitedly, "omg we'll have all three going right after each other. Did they plan this for maximum fun for the audience?���

There was a very visible excitement in the room as they watched the girl who stood in the shadows and their eyes switched from her to the announcer and back. The anticipation took the form of silence. The silence was deafening.

Antonio's eyes were transfixed on the girl. His eyes stared her down for a moment before he looked away in slightly saddened eyes. It wasn't her. From her hair to her choice of outfit to the way she carried herself, hiding behind the announcer to her aura, it wasn't her. He could tell.

"Ahem! Everyone, we have another performer up tonight who has worked very hard on her piece to present to you all," The announcer called out. "From a very big and influential riyal influence, welcome to the stage Princess Lusinda Clav, the beauty of her kingdom"

The excitement in the room died down at the mention of her name. The room seemed to remain in silence, one that was less tense as before as the woman stepped out of the shadows and into the room. The tension returned when they caught sight of her face. 

She was beautiful.

Her face was sculpted so beautifully and her skin as white as jade. Her hair, a vibrant brown-red shade was pulled back into a ponytail that flowed down her back in beautiful waves. She had piercing honey-hazel eyes with long eyelashes the same shade as her hair. Her lips were painted with red rouge and her eye makeup simply accentuated her beautifully shaped eyes. 

Her dress was 'beautiful' at the least. She looked stunning. 

Antonio's eyes widened as the girl stepped out of the shadow. He had been wrong about her demeanor, completely wrong. From the moment she stepped out from behind him, there was a complete switch in her mood. Her gaze, her walk, her eyes, her mood was simply intimidating and so elegant it seemed like a lie. 

Her outfit was just as luxurious as the woman seemed. With high puffy sleeves, a big bow was wrapped around her upper arm, right below her shoulders and from the bow rose long leaf-like separate pieces of clothing that were layered on top of each other. On her neck was a long choker that covered almost the whole of her neck and a beautiful bow sat right in the middle of it. 

Her detached puffy serves were attached to straps coming off the choker and its side was sewn to the dress. Her dresslike part of her outfit was heart-shaped with ruffles lining the heart design that covered her chest. A long line of designs that looked like down-facing arrows was right below the heart-shaped line and in the middle of the line of arrows was a large bow with a golden pearl in the middle and beautiful pieces of fabric forming the bow. Underneath that was the string crossing in the front of the dress to signify it being a corset. 

At her waist was a stiff dress belt that was right above the pieces of clothing that flowed out of it like a waterfall. The middle of her outfit was left open and there were her trousers for the outfit, purposely left out in the open. The pieces of clothing coming out of the belt on either side of her waist flowed down to the ground and was dragged behind her like a trail. 

Finally on her ears were pearl earrings.

The vibrant red from the outfit matched well with the red from her hair and the touches of gold seemed to be an amazing addition to the mix. On her feet were white flat shoes made for dancing. 

The woman stood in front of the king and took a deep bow. "It's a pleasure, your graciousness," Lusinda greeted. 

The king peered down at her for a second before smiling. "It's a pleasure Princess Lusinda."

"Greetings to your highnesses," Lusinda bowed to the princes and princess that sat up there with the king. 

Theodore's eyes gave her a piercing gaze, a hint of hostility shown in his eyes. His lips curl into a condescending smirk. "Greetings your highness," he returned, his voice notably annoyed. 

Adria looked up at Theodore and gave him a glare of warning. He replied with a pout but listened to her. 

"Greetings Lady Adria," Lusinda bowed, her eyes locking gazes with Adria's. Adria gave a nod. 

"Greetings to you too," she responded. 

Lusinda noticed the lack of formal titles but that was expected. She had done it first after all. 

"What piece do you have to present for us today, princess Lusinda," The king smiled.

Lusinda's eyebrows raised charmingly. "Shall we see, your graciousness?"

The king gave an approving smile to which Lusinda nodded. 

She stepped to the middle of the room where every eye could see her and then sunk into the starting position of her dance, her arm curved high in the sky and the other curved in the opposite direction right over her stomach. 

A strum of a zither could be heard and with a swift turn, Lusinda began her dance.