Edward warmed up to Ray quickly and even came to my office after school just to talk to us today. The duke and duchess finally decided to leave, deciding if I found a spouse I would tell them. I probably wouldn't but they would find out anyway. Before they left, we threw a ball. I was laced up by a servant into a long blue dress which I changed out of as soon as she left and into a purple dress I had Edward tie up for me since he asked for help with his tie. He had to stand on a chair to reach the intricate string and he still couldn't understand it so he had to go get Ray, who had never been in my room before, to fix it. Edward ran off as soon as Ray came into the room.
Ray smiled at Edward's attempt at lacing up a dress, and quickly untied and retied it. I handed him a necklace my mother had worn to place around my neck. He moved my hair to the side gently and placed it around my neck, clasping it no problem. His hands lingered over the back of my neck for a moment. "Is your Aunt coming tonight?" I asked, knowing he had invited her and hoping she had gotten the dress I sent her. He nodded and moved his hands to my exposed shoulders giving them a gentle squeeze. "Yes. And she thanks her queen for sending a dress as lovely as she did." I nodded and smiled. His eyes met mine in the mirror as he moved my hair back into place. "You look gorgeous as always my queen." I shivered at his tone and kept his gaze in the mirror before turning around and looking at him directly. He looked up at me, my heels making me only an inch taller than him for the first time. He smiled. "I don't know why you wear heels when you know you're just going to take them off halfway through the ball." I shrugged and backed away from him. "Maybe I'll keep them on tonight. You don't know me that well."
He pursed his lips and went to say something before a servant knocked on my door and said that the guests were arriving. I told them we would be down in a moment and Raymond held his arm out for me to take. I gladly took his arm and we walked together downstairs. We waited for all of the guests to walk in before we walked in, everyone bowing to me as I did so. A few eyes followed me, and I recognized some suitors from coronation who were eyeing Raymond with a hint of jealousy. I shrugged it off and met the duke at the dance floor. He placed one hand on my waist, and held my hand in the other as we waltzed around the floor for the first dance of the night. Edward was next to dance with me, much more put together this time, and more happy to dance with me now that he and I had set aside our arguments. I danced with a few princes before I was allowed to sit and enjoy the music. After everyone finally left it was almost 1 am. Edward had left the dance around 9, claiming he had homework to do tomorrow, which I would hold him to since he left me with everyone. Raymond was swept off to dance with many women after he danced with his aunt and I felt a pang of jealousy run through me every time he smiled at them.
He came up to me after the ballroom was empty, and held his hand out to me. I took off my heels and took his hand, being immediately swept off to the dance floor again, only by choice this time. "How was your night my queen?" I smiled, placing my arms around his neck, his hands finding my waist, starting to dance. "It was tiring. And It's so late. But you still stayed and chose to dance with me now. Why?" "My queen I tried to tell you earlier. We were interrupted by the arriving guests. I wanted a dance with you tonight." I blushed and he brought one hand to my cheek, tightening his grip on my waist with the other, pulling me closer to him. He looked down at me and I remembered why the conversation from earlier had been started. I leaned into his hand that was still on my cheek. "Ray." My voice came out quiet, almost as a whisper. He hummed, beckoning me to speak. "We didn't eat dinner." He smiled. "Would you like me to cook for you then, my queen?" I nodded, looking down as we stepped back from each other. He took one of my hands and led me to the kitchen, quietly starting to cook as I hopped up on the counter, sitting there as if that was a normal thing. What do I have against chairs now?
Ray handed me a plate before standing next to me, leaning against the counter, and eating his own food. "Thank you Raymond." He nodded and I watched from the corner of my eye as a smile formed on his face. "Any time." I looked at him fully, and thought for a moment. It had only been a week and we were already what I would consider friends. Was that because I had never had friends before? Probably. I smiled to myself as I finished my food. I hopped off the counter and started washing the dishes, Ray joining me a moment later and rinsing the dishes for me. After the dishes were washed I curtseyed to him. "Goodnight Raymond." He bowed back to me, responding "Goodnight Maria." That was the first time he used my actual name.