Amanah studied her gown in the mirror. The form-fitting, strapless crimson gown radiated power. She pursed her pouty lips; the gleam of her matching lipstick dared people to take a look at it. Her hair was braided in an ancient Grecian updo. Everything from her makeup to her stiletto heels screamed money and privilege. She glanced at the figure of her silent maidservant behind her.
"Milenu, excellent work. Hand me the ruby earrings my father gifted me."
Milenu stepped forward, opening the velvet box to reveal the requested earrings. Amanah took them out and put them on. She turned her head both ways to make sure the earrings were perfect.
Satisfied with her appearance, she took her clutch from Milenu's hand. Humming happily, she went downstairs to the garage. She grinned when she spotted her father waiting for.
"Good evening, Father." She waited while his assessing gaze raked her from head to toe.
"You will definitely capture his heart, my daughter."
She laughed. "You know I always capture my prey. The chase for this one has been long, but success will be mine tonight."
Her father smirked. "I know. You are just like me in that regard."
Amanah smiled at his words. Inside, she rolled her eyes. Yes, she might be the most like him, but he should be wary of her. She was just as ambitious as her father and planned to take the throne sooner rather than later. That would have to wait. For now, she had a future consort to snag.
Her father opened the door, and she got, not a hair out of place.
"Have fun, my daughter. I look forward to your good news upon your return."
She nodded and tapped on the glass to get her chauffeur moving. She settled in, her excitement for the upcoming dinner filling her with anticipation. Her prey was nearly caught. Tonight would be a night to remember.
~***~
Ashtin's Heart was nestled at the top of a mountain in the Big Stone Gap area. The owners, Pika and Ruby Ashfur, were merchants with a noble rank of Count and Countess. In the old world, the upper nobility overlooked their status because they were merchants who got their title by buying it. Those from pureblood bloodlines scorned the nouveau riche. This didn't bother the Ashfurs, who were more interested in making money than worrying about snotty upper nobles.
They reveled in glee at getting ahead of such nobles on Earth because they couldn't adapt to a world that lacked the abundance of magic that made the pure bloodlines so dangerous. Though most of the nobility cursed Autem for sending them to Earth, the Ashfurs thanked him daily for the twist of fate that had elevated them. They were even more grateful when King Bayrel invested in their restaurant.
After a year, the profits they had accumulated were massive. People came from other states just to try their dishes. They had so many reservations that the waitlist was three years out. This suited them just fine. They had gotten the last laugh, as the Earthlings liked to say. Tonight, they had scored another coup. The Crown Princess would be visiting their establishment with her potential consort. Everything had to be perfect.
The king had given instructions that the crown princess be elevated to make her as appealing as possible to the human she was pursuing. They were also told to make sure that the younger princess, Serenah, should be shown in the worst light possible. They were to do their best to corner Serenah into voluntarily leaving the dinner, thus clearing the path for her sister's pursuit of the human. The king paid double the amount to ensure the crown princess's success this evening.
The Ashfurs never turned down a good thing. Any chance to cultivate goodwill with the royal family was a must for a merchant. They had gone all out: scented candles, pure silver for the silverware, even a small band to play romantic music. The mood was set. All that was left was for the players to arrive.
Count and Countess Ashfur grinned and left the private wing to go wait for their guests' arrivals.
~***~
Amanah finished checking the messages on her phone. She smiled, pleased at the report from the guards back home. Her sister and Alastar had left and were en route. The reason for her happiness was the pictures the guards had sent her of her twin. She had made the right call by having Lady Lilian dress her twin. Lady Lilian could always be counted on to sabotage those of the nobility and royal family for the appropriate compensation.
Checking the guards' texts once again, she laughed outright at the outfit Lady Lilian and her father had forced Serenah to wear. There was no way that Romeo would find her younger sister attractive in that dress. Tonight would be an easy victory for her. She could taste it.
The car slowed and turned onto the windy road that led to the top of the mountain and the restaurant. Amanah took the chance to gaze at the view. It was rather breathtaking. You could see the valley below and the constellations above. Once she graduated, she would conquer her enemies and take the throne from her father. It was her time to rule.
The greatest triumph, of course, would be having Romeo as her obedient consort. She licked her crimson lips at the thought. She would break his spirit and make him her plaything. That's where men like him belonged. She was dominant; he was just a male who was all brawn and not much brains. She was positive Romeo was like other males. They thought with the brain between their legs and not the one in their head.
She didn't believe that Romeo was smart. She was certain that anyone that athletic did not have the intellect to match her. After all, he was a mere human. They had no magic and few redeeming qualities. Romeo was eye candy. Soon, his training would start, and she'd have a lover tailored to fit her needs. The bragging rights for taking his virginity would be hers.
She found it laughable that a human male valued such a useless thing. It was better to rid him of it and move along.
"Your Highness, we're here," announced the chauffeur from the front.
Amanah blinked. She hadn't realized they had arrived, so engrossed in her thoughts of conquering Romeo. Time to make those dreams a reality.
"Very well. I'll call you when I'm ready to leave."
"Understood." The chauffeur got out, opened her door, and escorted her to the restaurant's entrance.
Amanah did one last quick check of her appearance before sauntering inside to meet her destiny.