Yifan had the decency to wait until Tora came out of the restroom before pinning her to the wall with an icy stare. “Why are you doing this?” he hissed. Tora blinked the tiny flecks of saliva from her eyes and returned his chilly gaze with her own neutral one.

“I am simply doing what you expect of me: making polite conversation with the guests and being the glittering trophy on your mantelpiece.” she replied smoothly. Yifan snarled wordlessly and slammed one of his large hands against the wall, beside her head. Tora didn’t flinch.

“Are you not happy with what I offer you?” His teeth were becoming elongated and reptilian, “Are you not satisfied with the life I am returning you to?” His eyes slowly became slitted, and tiny embers danced out of his nostrils with each snort of breath he took. Tora remained impassive to his temper, managing to evenly meet his gaze with her own.

He would not intimidate her.

He would not own her.

“I am not a painting to be bought and sold, Yifan. I am not a statue to put in your garden for aesthetics. I am a living, breathing creature with real emotion and thought, and as such I deserve to be treated as one.” She placed her hands on his shoulders and, with all her strength, pushed his larger body away from hers. Yifan stumbled as he regained his footing, his shocked eyes snapping up to meet the slitted golden ones of his chosen bride. She was clearly displeased, but aside from her eye change there was nothing in her body posture that suggested her emotions at all. Tora dusted off the ornate dress his parents had forced her into wearing and blinked twice, her eyes returning to human.

“I’ll leave you to cool yourself before you return,” she stated tonelessly, turning her back to him, “Some of your noble acquaintances have been near-begging me for a dance this evening, and I would hate to disappoint them.”

“Tora!” She ignored his cry and blended into the crowd near the doorway, disappearing from his view.

Author's Note: Nobody puts Tora in a corner. *hangs head in shame*

On a completely unrelated note, the second semester of university has started again, so if you thought I was slow with updates before...