CCIV

"I should have sent someone to fetch her," thought Illarion as he searched for Amanda among the hundreds of guests.

Illarion face lit up with a wide smile when he saw a figure with snow-white skin passing through the hall's main entrance where the dance party was being held.

All eyes once again followed the steps of Illarion Black, amazed by the physical perfection of the leader of the deadliest army in the entire Black Continent. Their breaths were caught as the Black Emperor knelt before a woman.

"Who is she?" "I heard she's the daughter of Duke Gree, but wasn't she sickly and had a child out of wedlock?" Question after question rolled in hushed tones, too afraid to voice out loud who the woman now offering her hand to the Black Emperor was. One wrong answer, and their heads might roll before they get a chance to find out.

After Illarion gently kissed the back of Amanda's hand, he stood tall and led the girl with pink tresses onto the dance floor, accompanied by beautiful music. The