[center][h1][color=E77298]Anastasia[/color] & [color=olivedrab]Ezra[/color] & [color=ffce00] Munir[/color][/h1][/center]

[hr]

[color=lightgray]The hour was nearly up. Ezra had watched with glee as the three royals raced around the bar. Mayet and Roman were both quite occupied by dancing and flirting, and Nahir and Alden were unable to keep their hands off one another. The cowlicked blonde was busy fighting Zarai. That left the slutty Shezad, the hopeless wonder, the duchess’ dipshit son, and finally, his angel. He noticed a fellow couple unable to extricate themselves for a second of oxygen. They both had Douse The Thirst. Ezra drank his sip of water and spilled some on the floor beside himself when nobody was looking. Ezra then moved forward and slid on the floor convincingly as he grabbed onto the others for support.  His glass slipped from his hand across from him and surprised the couple enough for them to break away. [color=olivedrab]”Oh no!”[/color] He cried as he looked around in confusion. 

[color=pink]”Oh yikes! Are you okay, mister?”[/color] The brunette female asked with panic, her green eyes wide with shock.

[color=yellow]”Ariana,”[/color] The brown haired and blue-eyed man sighed with a smirk.  [color=olivedrab]”Did you spill your drink?”[/color]

[color=pink]”Oh, um, maybe. I’m sorry!”[/color] The girl sighed and helped him up. The woman excused herself, mumbling something about needing a moment. Ezra turned to the man now with a grin as he watched him eye the ladies. 

[color=olivedrab]”You, uh, you good?”[/color] Ezra inquired as he sat down beside the man.  

[color=yellow]”Sorry, I need to sit; I’ve been standing all night! This place is packed. Isn’t it crazy?”[/color] He laughed as if it were a joke.

The man nodded, only half hearing him.  [color=olivedrab]”Hey uh, that girl in the pink dress, she told me she wanted to talk to you.”[/color]

He turned to him with surprise. His brows creased but a blank look of shock seemed etched on his face. [color=yellow]”What?”[/color]

[color=olivedrab]”Yeah she wanted me to ask you herself but she’s too shy.”[/color] The man looked around for the girl but she was “missing”, courtesy of Linden. Ezra smiled at him and waved him on. [color=olivedrab]”Go on! She’s really friendly.”[/color] The man hesitated, but then nodded and approached Anastasia. Ezra leaned back as he watched the scenario play out while hiding a sly smirk on his face.

[color=yellow]“Hey dollface,”[/color]The man slid himself on the stool next to her and placed a hand on her back. [color=yellow]“Wanna look up and talk to me? Promise I don’t bite.”[/color] However, the blonde girl did not react to him and kept her arms around her head. He frowned and poked her arm. [color=yellow]”Are you okay, Miss?”[/color] He moved her hair away and stared with surprise. It was Princess Anastasia? 

Anastasia picked up her head and leaned it on her palm. Her face was tear-stained and she had a defeated look in her amber eyes. [color=E77298]“I just don’t feel good.”[/color] She managed quietly to the man.

[color=yellow]”Do you need me to do anything for you…? Maybe get you water and food?”[/color] This was odd. Why did she want to say hello to him?

[color=E77298]”No, no… Thank you. I just need to sit here a little while.”[/color] She clutched her chest with a pained expression.

[color=yellow]”Uh… Okay. Um, do you want me to ask your br-”[/color] He began to inquire when Ezra came over with a glare. The man’s expression contorted with confusion. What the hell was happening?

[color=olivedrab]”That’s enough, leave her alone.”[/color] His voice was colder than ice and he looked murderous enough to cause the man to move in front of Anna. This only infuriated the man but he was too wild-eyed from the drink. [color=olivedrab]”DID YOU HEAR ME?”[/color] The man jumped with fright and backed away with his hands up. [color=olivedrab]”Let her be!”[/color] The man scurried away with panic after realizing his girlfriend hadn’t returned. 

Ezra then sat beside Anastasia and couldn’t help but admire her beauty. [color=olivedrab]”Are you okay? Is it too loud and bright in here?”[/color] 

Anastasia had flinched at Ezra’s yelling and she stared at him in alarm. [color=E77298] “I d-don’t know. I can’t get my heart to stop racing…”[/color] She gave up trying to speak as she was feeling worse by the second. A groan escaped her lips and she laid her head back down on the table.

Ezra frowned, but the glee inside of him could barely be contained. [color=olivedrab]”Here, I’ll bring you to the back where it’s quieter. I can bring you some water, it might help you calm down. And this way, weirdos won’t bother you,”[/color] He gently began to sit her up and move her arm around his neck without waiting for a reply. 

[color=E77298]“No.”[/color] Anastasia answered, perhaps more sharply than she had intended, her arm falling off his neck. She felt on edge enough to recognize the potential this scenario had. Not to mention, she was starting to recall the bad feeling he had initially given her. [color=E77298] “I.. want to stay out here.”[/color]


Ezra’s expression morphed into amusement. No? She was telling him no? How adorable, as if she could do anything right now. A fire did kindle deep inside of him, but he contained it. [color=olivedrab]”You think you’re up to doing anything?”[/color] His voice became quiet as he leaned over to block her from others' view. [color=olivedrab]”Do you really think you want to say that, when I am one of the only sober people here?”[/color]

[color=E77298]“What?”[/color] She narrowed her eyes at him. After a moment of trying to mentally conceive what he was about, she mumbled, [color=E77298]“...Leave me alone.”[/color]

[color=olivedrab]”I don’t think so, Princess.”[/color] His voice became colder as he lowered his head to look her in the eyes. [color=olivedrab]”You see, I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment, little cello.”[/color] Ezra traced her jawline with his hand and grinned at her. Anastasia cringed, shrinking away from his hand. [color=olivedrab]”The side effects of all these drinks are horrible to deal with but two? You’ll be sicker than most of the others. You cannot fight back.”[/color]

There was something about this guy that would have sent Anastasia into fight or flight normally. He somehow knew she played the cello and had been waiting for her “a long time.” If she was only going to get sicker from here, then she needed to get away from him [i]now.[/i]It dawned on her then as she had been looking at him. [i]Something was familiar about him.[/i]She paused and asked with apprehension, [color=E77298]“…Who are you?”[/color]

Ezra’s smile faded at her glare but he allowed amusement to shine over his face again. Her realization though was quicker than he’d anticipated. Before Ezra could answer, Munir was at their side and leaning toward Anastasia, who lifted her head at the sudden pressure and sound of sobbing. 

She frowned and gently guided his head to her lap and began to run her fingers through his hair, petting him, though she did face-plant her own head into the bar after that with a groan. Petting the Alidasht prince was a comforting thought. Anastasia had always liked to pet or hug a teddy bear or pillow when stressed. He would do for now. She wondered why he was crying, but she was becoming so lethargic that the idea of speaking sounded as draining as taking a hike. 

Munir continued to sob. All the voices and accusatory thoughts flowed through his mind. He simply felt inadequate. He wasn’t the favorite son. He wasn’t the radiant prince worthy of the throne. Hewaisn’t the conquering womanizer he thought himself to be. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and just cry his heart out. He was so far from home, the comforts of their summer palace. He could not find the strength in himself to even lift his arms right now. All he could do is leave his head on Anastasia’s lap and sob.

[color=olivedrab][i]“Look at him. Being vulnerable and comforted by a foreign bitch. How unsightly. Crying like that in public, surely he had lost his manhood somewhere on the dance floor.”[/i][/color] Ezra stared at the man on Anastasia’s lap and shook his head with disgust. So much for this kingdom being intimidating. This was the weak link here. What a little bitch. Did losing his mommy make him a pathetic waste of space? 
He watched as Anastasia began to stroke his hair and all he saw was red. He grabbed Munir by the scruff and tossed him across the room like a frisbee towards the bar and over it. He laughed gleefully, his laughter cold and sadistic as if it were his birthday. [color=olivedrab]”There goes the Alidasht! SCORE!”[/color]. He then rounded on Anastasia and grabbed her by the hair and lifted her up. They were eye-to-eye now. [color=olivedrab]”We can do this the easy way or the hard way, princess,”[/color] He glared at her as he slammed her up against the wall and stared her down. 

Anastasia had inhaled and reached for Munir, only to see him being tossed aside. She tried to move herself off the stool after him, but exhaustion hit her like a train. She practically fell off the stool, but unluckily for her, her hair was caught by Ezra’s grasp. She cried out in pain as his grip was not a gentle one. There was so much chaos in the bar at this point that perhaps it had been overlooked. Her eyes had shut in fear on impulse and when they did open again, she found herself up against a wall. Terrified amber eyes met Ezra’s.

[color=olivedrab]”You come with me and not make a sound, or I kill your brother and that little bitch of a prince. What say you, Annie?”[/color] He stroked her cheek and waited with bated breath for her response. [color=olivedrab]”Tick tock goes the clock. You got ten seconds to respond or I’ll murder them. Wystan isn’t here for you now. Maybe he’ll get into an [i]accident[/i] on the way here. Who knows!”[/color] 

As her heart raced, she couldn’t help but start to cry at his words as panic wracked her body. The last thing she wanted was for Callum to get hurt or for even poor Munir, who was suffering so much tonight already. Then the mention of Wystan on top of it all made her heart shatter to pieces. She had no idea what Wystan felt about her truly but the idea of him getting hurt managed to make her feel more ill somehow. 

She had to agree to go with him. Even if she did not agree, it wasn’t like she could fight back.

The cries slowed as the heavy feeling of defeat set in. Anastasia understood very well what was happening. [i]Again[/i], she was going to be kidnapped and nobody would come for her this time. Why would they? All this was her fault tonight, really.  She had led everyone here. Her family was certainly tired of her anyway. She could imagine her father saying “good riddance” as he learned she did not return home. They’d all move on easily. Maybe even Auguste, who seemed to care about her most…But if he did not have her to stress about anymore, he would be better off. They all would. 

Maybe this was for the best then, that she just disappeared.

 [color=E77298]”... Please don’t hurt anyone. I won’t resist.”[/color] Anastasia finally whispered.

Munir was sobbing inconsolably, and he felt a person’s hands running their fingers through his hair. Normally, this would absolutely soothe him to the point of him nearly purring. Their touch was warm and most gentle. However, this sadness and anxiety he was feeling is unlike any he has felt before. This one was deep, it was as if someone dug up his deepest shames and insecurities and made them into a series of paintings and made Munir look at them without rest. He felt himself reach his arms up to embrace this person. Whoever it was, it didn’t matter at that moment. All he was trying to do was find any semblance of comfort and reprieve from whatever the fuck he was feeling.

Then, in a flash, he was jerked upwards. Some ungodly strength physically lifted him from how he was slumped. Without another word, from the source of the ungodly strength or Munir, Munir felt himself being flung aside like a ragdoll. His brain, in its current state, did not process what just happened. In fact, it was just blank as he was hurled into the bar.

[color=olivedrab]”There goes the Alidasht! SCORE!”[/color]

Those were the next words Munir heard, once the ringing in his ears cleared up somewhat. He stumbled to his feet, trying his damnedest to find his balance. Using whatever strength he had in his arms, he propped himself up against the bar counter. Faintly, he made out the gurgled mumbles of who would be his assailant. 

[color=olivedrab]”... or I kill your brother and that little bitch of a prince. What say you, Annie?”[/color] 

Munir, with a raging battle of both his fight-or-flight response and absolute fatigue going on in his own body, instinctively reached for his sash, the one that never left his side. The same one that had a golden hook normally used to secure the sash itself. He uncoiled it from his waist and clumsily cracked it to his right side, [color=ffce00] “Hey! You leb er go! You brute!” [/color] Munir then whipped his arm forward, sending the golden hook towards the pair at the wall. The hook itself whizzed past the right arm of the man who was currently holding Anastasia up by her hair. His vision was blurry and his aim was not true. Normally, the strike would have caused the hook to wrap around the man’s neck and began choking the air in which he breathed out of him. 

However, this time, the hook dug harmlessly into the wall. Munir, still seeing double, drew his arm back, causing the impromptu whip to come flying back towards himself. With another grunt of effort, he cracked his arm forward again, this time sending the hook curling past the man, digging into the wall behind Anastasia, the tip of the hook missing Anastasia’s neck by only a few inches.

Fatigue was winning out, Munir can feel himself crumbling towards the ground. But by the Sun Gods he would do whatever he could to unhand the man from Anastasia.

Ezra watched with elation as Annie processed the situation. Her terror was as delicious as a Thanksgiving feast, and her defeat was the icing on the cake. He laughed maniacally as he thought of the cake and looked into her eyes. [color=olivedrab]”WOW! You are SMARTER than you look aren't you? Got some sense in that tiny pea brain of yours!”[/color] He ruffled her hair with his free hand and grinned from ear to ear. [color=olivedrab]”Sounds good to me, PRINCESS!”[/color] His voice rose dramatically and loudly, as he hoped to add intimidation into the factor. Then, a gurgled and weakened voice filled his ears as he turned slightly to see the prince was back on his feet. What a show this was! The honor of embarrassing this piece of shit crybaby was too much to bear. However, his smile faded as he watched a hook fly next to them and narrowly missed. He watched as he cracked it back and tried again, this time narrowly missing Anastasia. He furiously turned to him and dropped Anastasia from the wall, but rolled her onto her back and stepped on her to stop her from leaving. 


[color=olivedrab]”Congratulations. You don’t have any weapons now.”[/color] He said coolly as he bent down and grabbed a nearby glass. He smashed it over her head to further scare her and picked up one of the shards as the glass rained down upon them. He pushed a large piece in his pocket momentarily, then grabbed Annie by the hair and took it back out. [color=olivedrab]”But I do, and if you or anyone, comes a step closer, [i]I will slit her throat; because if I can’t have her, NO ONE WILL!!”[/i][/color] [/color]