As Aria greeted and continued to flirt with the King of the Sluagh, he kept his hand on the blade, though backing off to gain a better perspective of those surrounding the Princess.  Adham knew it better to be prepared for anything than to be caught off guard, and with the Sluagh and Goblins in attendance, anything indeed was possible.  Finally, he pushed his emotions away, knowing they were useless now.  Aria was the Princess, and she was required to be jovial and inviting to all, especially those the guard thought less of.<br/><br/>Watching the entire room, the Seelie caught the eye of Adham.  Princess Cerridwyn looked as if she embodied purity, flowing from here to there, her smile infectious.  He would have loved nothing more than to greet her, yet her affiliations caused his stomach to turn over, remembering the fate of his father, victim of a Seelie ambush.<br/><br/>Looking past the princess, Guard Connal caught his eyes, the expression on his face standing out.  Had Connal allowed his emotions to get the best of him.  Adham could see he was disgusted with something, and madly in love with the Seelie princess.  So, the great Connal was finding himself in the same predicament the Unseelie guard was in.  In a way, Adham felt a bit of vindication, knowing he was not the only who felt the way he had.<br/><br/>Looking back to Aria, he watched as she asked King Cernunnos to dance.  Whatever the reason behind it, Adham would keep his emotions clear, not only for his sake, but so Aria would not be bothered by what he felt.  The emotional bond they shared was a blessing and a curse.  It gave Adham the ability to know if she was safe or in danger, and where, yet it also caused him to feel her other emotions, such as anger, happiness, hatred and love, even for those other than him, which caused his stomach to turn.  Shaking those thoughts from his head, he continued to keep watch of the ballroom, making sure no danger came to the precious princess's head.