Crystal did not like parties. They were always so closed in and too loud. And the human musicians playing onstage with their void expressions were flat. Crystal stood against the wall, watching the activities around the room. Queen Mab stood talking with another Winter noble, the Duke of Frostfell, Crystal thought she heard Mab address him.

Her mother weaved in and out of small crowds, flirting with handsome nobles and then leaving them to swoon. She didn't see Ash anywhere but she did spot Sage and his wolf over by the food table.

Crystal took a deep breath, which was considerably difficult in the cruel contraption they called a corset she wore. Her dress would be considered exquisite by any who laid eyes upon it. She, however, hated it. Yes, the color being a deep sapphire blue was divine, but the constricting bodice squeezed her insides and gave her an impressive decolletage. The skirt flowed down around her ankles and moved with her, making it easy to dance in.

However, Crystal, unlike her mother, could not dance. Couples swirled around the dance floor in an elaborate array of color. She sighed again and blew a stray lock of white hair from her eyes. Her hair was pinned up elaborately atop her head and her lips coated in a glossy sheen of pink. All right, she had to admit she did look rather stunning.

She sensed a presence beside her and tensed, hoping it wasn't him. "You look magnificent, Lady Crystal," a familiar voice said lowly.

Crystal turned with relief and met the deep green eyes of Thistle, the guard. He'd taken the loss of his brother hard, cooping himself up in his chambers and drinking himself unconscious. Tonight, though, by Mab's request, he cleaned up well.

"Thistle, it's good to see you," she said, giving him a small smile. "How are you faring?" she tested him. Emotions were a weakness, and if he felt so trusting of her to share them, she would be happy to laugh in his face. Or would she?

"Fine," he replied. Dark circles lined his eyes. But, at least his silver hair was neatly groomed and his coat of black and silver sparkling under the blue candlelight. "You?"

"Quite well. Although I don't understand why my mother insists on making me wear this horrid thing," she complained, gesturing to her dress. She took another deep breath, which made her breasts press against the tight bodice.

Thistle's eyes automatically flicked downward, his jaw tightening visibly.
"Hey! My face is here," she snapped, catching his chin and making him look at her face. She smiled. "Better."

"My apologies, Lady Crystal," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "I actually came over to...ask something of you," he said, hiding his hands behind his back.

Crystal raised an eyebrow.

"Will you...dance with me?" he murmured, not meeting her eyes.

She smiled. She found his shyness quite amusing and rather cute. "Of course, Thistle," she said, taking his hand and pulling him onto the dance floor. He placed his hands on her waist and her hands on his shoulders. They danced around, dodging more wild couples. She took his lead, never once stepping on one of his feet, like she'd feared. "I'll have to apologize; I'm not the best dancer in Faery," she said, smiling.

"Neither am I," he replied. They twirled for a while more and Crystal found herself actually enjoying this.

"You're a better dancer than you give yourself credit for," Thistle told her, smiling warmly. His green eyes bored into hers.

She opened her mouth to say something in return but suddenly Thistle stopped. Someone stood beside them, his hands behind his back, patiently waiting. The song had also changed to something a little more slow and sensual. Crystal clenched her teeth.

"May I cut in?" Rowan asked, practically shoving Thistle away from Crystal. Thistle bowed his head respectfully and stepped back. Before Crystal could protest or snap Rowan's neck in half, he'd pulled her into his arms and hers automatically went to his shoulders.

"I hear you're a good dancer," he purred, pulling her closer. Their faces were inches apart. Crystal would be sure to kill the maid who'd helped her dress (by her mother's command) and had cinched her corset too tight.

"I...a little," she replied. Damn, it was quite warm in the room for a Winter palace. Rowan smiled, his blue eyes a sharp contrast to his attire of snow white.

"Well, you haven't stepped on my feet yet, so I'll give you some credit," he joked.

"Would you like me to?" Crystal shot back, finding herself smirking. She would certainly like to. Among other things...

Rowan laughed, spinning her outward and then back in expertly. She blushed harder as he pulled her back to his chest. "I hear rumors of Summer planning to strike against one of our camps near the Wyldwood," he said, changing the subject.

"Oh? And from whom did you hear this?" she asked. If Summer attacked a Winter camp, it would be a declaration of war between the courts. As much as Crystal would love to tear into a Summer pixie, the thought of Rowan possibly lying on the ground dead made her head spin and her throat close up.

She pushed the feeling down with a vengeance. "Is everything all right?" Rowan asked, his smile fading as he took in her expression.

"Yes, I...just need some air," she said, giving him a reassuring smile. The song ended, anyway, and it was getting a bit stuffy in the room.

"My compliments to the sidhe who claimed she couldn't dance," Rowan drawled, taking her hand and kissing it, taking much more time than he needed to, meeting her eyes as he did.

She swallowed and felt her cheeks heat. She couldn't say anything for fear of what would come out of her mouth.

He began to walk away but leaned back to whisper in her ear. "You're rather cute when you blush." She shivered and cursed her wild heart as his soft lips brushed the tip of her ear.

Without another glance back to where he'd one, Crystal escaped out into the courtyard, welcoming the brutal chill as it hit her. Several redcaps were playing cards under a fountain and other nobles stood around sharing gossip. A few couples had also found it fitting to sneak out into the trees for a bit of fun.

Crystal leaned against the fountain and spotted Ash over by the wall, apparently cornered by a faery with sleek black hair, green streaks running through it. She was lithe and sharply graceful, dressed in a sky blue dress that was two sizes too small for her and glittery silver shoes. She seemed to be trying to get Ash to do something - probably dance. Apparently her methods of taking his hand and leaning closer to him, practically sitting on him, weren't working.

He looked as if he were struggling between shoving her away and vomiting. Thankfully, he did neither. He met Crystal's eyes and she smirked. She sent a bit of chill toward the female sidhe's throat and she suddenly coughed, pulling away from Ash and grabbing her throat.

Crystal held on a bit longer before letting the girl go. The spell wasn't draining, thankfully. Ash approached her, taking the escape. "You didn't have to do that," he said, leaning against the fountain beside her.

"She was going to swallow you if I hadn't," Crystal replied.

Ash smirked. "Snowberry would swallow anyone if they let her," he said. "She just wants attention, that's all." He paused for a moment. "And besides which, how did you ever escape my brother when he was practically going to swallow you?" Ash tried not to laugh.

Crystal rolled her eyes and lightly smacked his arm. "Don't speak of it," she said, but a smile pulled at her lips. "I told him that I was having a crisis,"she said.

Ash was silent for a few moments. "So Rowan then?" he asked, finally letting a devious smile pull at his lips.

This time, Crystal blushed even harder and kicked snow at the prince's boot.