Hanna considered not going to the ball. She looked down at the silver bracelet that her grandmother had insisted she wear. It was to keep her powers in check until she learned to control it properly. Her grandmother would expect her at the ball and she couldn't hope to match her grandmother's power with the bracelet on. She sighed, she was a princess and she had obligations.
She soon felt a low buzz and saw people coming in through the castle gates. It was almost time for the ball to commence. She backed away from the window and said a word in an ancient language. Bricks faded into view covering what had been the window. This had become necessary after two poison tipped arrows found their way in through the window, one barely missing her. The attackers were never captured despite her grandmother's best efforts. There had been no clues as to who had attacked. Those attacks had happened in just the last year. As a result the guests had to go through screening to make sure they didn't bring any weapons or poisons in.
There was a knock on her door and Hanna said "Enter!"
Alice opened the door and said "The guests for the ball are arriving Princess. It's time for you to make your way to the ballroom."
"I know Alice" Hanna said with a sigh. "Maybe this year will be different. Maybe no one will ask me out. One can hope."
"Indeed Princess" Alice said.
Hanna left her room and walked down the corridors of the castle. She briefly wondered who else of her family would be there. She figured that it would only be her and her grandmother like it always was. Her mother was on Olympus with the Greek gods and no one else seemed to be around when these things needed to be done. Well if they weren't around then she would be the only one that her grandmother would consider suitable to inherit the throne when the time came.
She found herself entering the grand ballroom where her grandmother waited. Her grandmother was shorter than she was, standing only three foot four. She had platinum blond hair but her's was straight instead of curly. She wore a green gown. Hanna knew that she had several daggers hidden underneath that she could easily access. Hanna also had a few daggers hidden underneath her own gown.
Her grandmother noticed her and she said "Well I'm glad you could make it. I thought that you might skip this ball."
"And risk your wrath" Hanna said smiling. "I'm too smart for that."
Her grandmother sighed and said "You seem to be the only one that has an interest in ruling other than your mother. Of course she's busy on Olympus so she isn't able to come to these functions."
A boy of about thirteen came up to them and said "Hello Queen Marla, Princess Hanna."
"Hello young one" Hanna's grandmother said. "What is your name?"
"It's Kevin" the boy said.
Hanna smiled and said "You don't seem to fear or hate us."
"Why should I?" Kevin asked.
"We are different" Hanna's grandmother said.
"That doesn't matter" Kevin said. "You've been kind and fair as far as I can see. That should be the only thing people should judge you on."
"That's very kind of you to say" Hanna said.
"You seem like a nice young man" Hanna's grandmother said smiling.
"You may not say that when I tell you that I snuck in" Kevin said. Now he was afraid.
"Well you're here now so you might as well enjoy yourself" Hanna's grandmother said.
"I snuck in to tell you that I've heard some things which lead me to believe that there's going to be an attack tonight" Kevin said in a rush. He had evidently thought that he was going to be carted off and he wanted to explain why he had snuck in. When he wasn't being carted off he looked surprised and asked "What did you say?"
"I had said that you might as well enjoy yourself since you were here" Hanna's grandmother said. "Now I want to hear what you know about a attack tonight."
"It's not much" Kevin said. "I've been hearing more and more grumblings about how you shouldn't be ruling over normal humans. It's been increasing the closer the ball came. Then a little earlier today I overheard a couple of men say that they were glad freaks wouldn't be making life hard for them after tonight. I did tell some guards but they didn't take me seriously."
"Well you seem to be very serious" Hanna's grandmother said. "Thank you for bringing it to our attention. I want you to stay with us."
"Thank you" Kevin said.
Hanna smiled and looked around. Kevin was nice and she thought that there could be a relationship there. Her smile grew bigger when she saw three figures coming over to them. She recognized them of course. The tall tan one with the white beard was Zeus and the one hanging on his arm was Hera. At least they were here together and that was a good sign. Zeus wouldn't try getting with any mortal women with Hera around. The other figure was Hanna's mother. She was half human half elf with the same curly platinum blond hair that Hanna had. She stood just a little taller than Hanna did herself.
As soon as they reached them Hanna's grandmother said "Zeus, Hera, Ella, this is a surprise. What brings you here?"
"We just wanted to come" Zeus said. "You did invite us."
"Well I'm glad that you're here" Hanna's grandmother said.
Kevin shifted slightly and Hanna's mother asked "Who is this?"
"This is Kevin" Hanna said. "He came to warn us of a possible plot to attack us tonight."
"Well I'm glad that he did" Hanna's mother said. "I'm glad you're looking out for my mother and daughter though you don't need to worry about that with Uncle Zeus and Aunt Hera here now."
Kevin's eyes got wide and he asked "You're related to the Greek gods?"
"Well yes" Hanna said.
"Oh wow" Kevin said. "To meet you is a great honor for me. My brother has told me all about you."
"Your brother would be Mark?" Hera asked. When Kevin nodded Hera said "I thought so. He's appealed to us more than once to help rebuild the lands."
Suddenly another figure caught Hanna's eye. He was wearing armor and carried a shield. She knew that it wasn't one of the guards. When he turned she immediately recognized Ares, the Greek God of War. "What's Ares doing here?" she asked. "I thought he was busy with the war between China and Korea."
"I thought he was too" Zeus said.
"I also see Eris" Hanna's grandmother said.
"Oh that's just great" Hanna said. She knew that Eris was the Goddess of Strife and Discord. She was also Ares' sister. If the two of them were here together then a battle was going to erupt soon.
"They wouldn't dare do anything with us here" Hera said confidently.
"Eris probably set things in motion days ago" Hanna's mother said.
"More than likely" Hanna's grandmother said. "Hanna, Kevin, I want you two to stay together no matter what. I may have to get a little nasty."
Hanna gulped and stood back a little bit pulling Kevin with her. She knew that her grandmother could get seriously pissed and the gods help those who crossed her. Now the question was what was going to set off the powder keg they now found themselves on.