<a class="link link--external" href="http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i39/Karinina/Acala.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">Alva mar va Myrian</a>was sitting in her home in the gypsy encampment resting in the third ring of the great city of Riwer.  She had a home in the first ring, as the King's best dancer, but she tried to visit the encampment at least once a day because her newest charge was living with her parents learning the art of the gypsies.  Whyrher was currently working on a new dancing skirt for Alva as she sat across the table when one of the fellow gypsies was heard shouting outside.  Whyrher had taken some interest in the noise but continued to work on the deep blue material.  The shirt that now lay on the table being closely expected by Alva's dear mother, who treated Whyrher as one of her own, was made to end just a half inch under Alva's cleavage leaving her toned stomach exposed for the view pleasure of the king as she danced.  The blue cloth was cut to end just under the top of her breasts, leaving her shoulders bare with the exception of the gold trim that loosely hung to the top of the deep blue material that would cling to her shoulders and upper torso to act as the sleeves of the outfit.  A see-through material hung from the gold that would cling to her arms.  The loose deep blue material would give her an air of mystery as she danced.  The gold adorning the dress gave her an air nobility, whether recognized by true noble's or not.  Alva's mother, Taleera mar va Myrian, gave an approving nod just before the door to their hut was thrown open, revealing Alva's second in command of the Riwer branch of the Myst Guard.<br/><br/>"Lady Alva, Lady Alva, we have news from the castle!"  Asmal shouted as she kneeled at the entrance of the hut.  She awaited for an invitation to enter any further into the domain of one of her people's most respected families.  When Alva and Taleera nodded and smiled she raised briefly to run to her commander before dropping to her knees once more.  She awaited the command to speak though she knew that Alva would not have minded her speaking freely.  She, nor any other members of the Riwer branch of the Myst Guard, ever wanted to give the appearance of disrespect.<br/><br/>"Out with it Asmal.  You look like the gossiping women at the well.  What in all Riwer has you so excited."  Alva asked with a kind but authoritative voice.<br/><br/>"His highness has announced a contest."  Asmal said waiting for the reaction of those around her.  Asmal was known for her abilities as a story teller and her usage of illusions while doing so. She and Alva had combined their abilities many a time in the court of the king to put on great shows, while telling old tales through illusions and Alva's master dancing.  She smiled coyly as she noticed Alva roll her eyes at this.<br/><br/>"And what is this to me?"<br/><br/>"It is a contest for the king to find a new bride, and the perfect opportunity to outwit that damned elf witch."  Asmal said with a great deal of excitement as she saw Alva's face light up.<br/><br/>"And the perfect opportunity to get you a moment with your father."  Alva said as she turned her attention to Whyrher, or Alydia as all the gypsies called her.  Asmal knew of Alydia's heritage, but she and Alva had agreed that it may be best to keep it quiet until they could find a way to get the girl alone, without the accompaniment of the elf witch.  Asmal also knew that this would give Alva an opportunity to become closer to the king, and perhaps undermined the elf witch that Alva had developed a rivalry with.<br/><br/>Whyrher's eyes grew wide at what had just been said.  "Oh no, I can't possibly join a competition to become the King's wife."<br/><br/>"And why not Lydia?"  Taleera asked as she inspected the now finished dancing skirt.  Adorned with a belt of gold, the loose deep blue material was just right for a woman of Alva's occupation.  With a slit that started at the upper thigh, her beautiful legs would be shown perfectly as she danced, giving her incredibly flexible daughter just the flair she would need to impress the men of the court.<br/><br/>"Well first of all, there's not much I can do to compete with other women.  I'm a courtesan, and a fighter, but I couldn't hold a candle to someone like Alva, and I'm sure that plenty of women far prettier and more talented than I will be joining this competition."  She said with a sigh.  Alva's father had practically had to beat the other men off of Alydia with a stick when she came to live in the gypsy encampment two years ago, but she was still very humble about the way she looked.  "But most importantly, the man is my father.  What happens if he<b>does</b>choose me by some odd fluke?"<br/><br/>"Well dear you are the spitting image of your mother, and he apparently had more than just one encounter with her before you were born, according to my intelligence.  I'm sure he'd adore you, and all you need is one moment alone with him, away from the witch to convince him of who you are.  Then you can drop out of the contest."  Alva said with a smile that resembled that of a cheshire cat.<br/><br/>"What if something goes wrong?  What if the Blue Claw are there searching for me.  I know that we've done a good job evading them thus far, but I can't hide forever."  Whyrher was simply trying to find an excuse to get out of this outlandish plan that Alva had concocted.<br/><br/>"I'll be there amongst the king's court to protect you at all times.  I'll make sure that you are accompanied by a member of the Myst Guard at all times, except when you are with the king.  You'll be completely safe."  Alva said with a great deal of assurance.  The next thing that left Whyrher's mouth invoked a sadness in the other women around her.<br/><br/>"But even if I get a moment alone with him, what will I do when he asks me to remove the cloth from my face?"  She said gesturing to the deep forest green cloth that was positioned over Whyrher's right eye.  "Who would want someone with an eye like this?"  Whyrher's voice took a saddened tone at this.  She was so used to being hunted for her eye that she felt that it made her a monster, while the people she lived amongst viewed it as a sign of beauty.<br/><br/>"Alydia, the proper question to ask is, who wouldn't want a beautiful woman like you with an eye like that?"  Alva said with a smile, bringing back a bit of the joy to Whyrher's face with her comment.  Whyrher sighed and Alva knew she had won this argument, but wasn't expecting what she heard next.<br/><br/>"Alright, I'll join this contest."  Whyrher said with a bit of defeat in her voice.  "But only if you join as well."  She finished, while taking a moment to look at Alva's face, which was plastered with shock.  Alva had not considered entering the contest, but as she thought it over she realized that it would give her a better opportunity to protect both the king and his daughter.  Gypsies were the masters of the art of seduction after all.<br/><br/>"Alright, then it's settled.  We shall both join the contest.  We'll head back to my home in the first ring for the night, and present ourselves as contestants tomorrow morning."  Alva said as she and Asmal began to help Alydia pack some clothing for the next few days.  She grabbed her new dancer's outfit on the way out the door and waved to her mother and father as the three women made their way to the first ring.  As they entered the castle to make their way towards the dancer's quarters, they were given some very approving stares from the men that they passed.  when they entered the quarter's the other dancers flocked to the beautiful blonde woman that they all referred to as Alva's 'little sister'.  "Give her some room to breathe.  I need to help her get settled so she can rest.  We're presenting ourselves to the king tomorrow as contestants."  Alva said as she shooed the other dancers away.<br/><br/>"That's if he doesn't call for you tonight Alva."  One of her fellow Guard members joked with her.  She gave a laugh but helped Whyrher get situated.  She decided to take a walk around the castle though, to help calm her nerves.  She knew what this contest would mean.  It was a perfect shot at the king, and now his daughter.  Of course few people knew that the king had a daughter, and even though it was a well known fact that the king was immortal that didn't stop the assassination attempts.  She was deep in her thoughts as she walked through the castle, not paying attention to much else, though she was well aware of those around her, and she had no real notice that she was about to pass by the king's throne room.