As the party goes on, I continued watching the guests from the deck.
Some nobles were dancing gracefully to the music that came from the orchestra and some of them were on their seats chatting and sipping a glass of wine.
"Was the ball too boring for you, Princess Victoria?" Prince Louis stood next to me, leaned his arms on the balustrade, his gaze wasn't focused on me instead he was looking downwards to the nobles in the hall. Do I look bored to him?
"No, not really... I just watching the guest having fun from here" and also I don't want to be asked again by a group of young nobles.
"I see... having asked by a group of young nobles again sounds troublesome, no?" I was startled as I heard him said the words from my mind. Is he an esper!?
I'd just laughed awkwardly and turned my gaze away from him. Maybe I was just too easy to read.
A moment of silence rose between us, we didn't say a single word instead, we continued to watch the nobles dancing gracefully. My father and King Noir were just talking to each other, surely it was related to their job as the king of each kingdom.
Now that I mentioned that, Prince Louis seems different from his father. As I continued watching him, he was more like an easygoing person than a responsible prince of a kingdom. I wondered what would happen to the kingdom after he seat on the throne, surely he would just slack off and wander everywhere.
"Is there something on my face?" he asked as he turned his body to face me, digging his face if there was something wrong with it.
"No... I just thought that you have the same hair color as your father"
"Indeed, I have the same hair as my father... however his braveness and the way he could lead hundreds of people in the kingdom can not compare to mine" his face went serious as he turned his gaze up in the chandeliers. "First of all, I wasn't the one who was supposed to be here" he said with a faint voice.
My forehead furrowed as I heard his confession. As far as I know, Louis was the only son and the only prince of their kingdom, I'd never about him having a brother or something else.
"It was supposed to be our kingdom's secret but if it is my future queen I don't mind telling you" he paused as looked at me as though he was asking for my permission.
"It's okay, It'll not bother me" and maybe this way, I could learn a thing about him.
"I wasn't certain of it, but I was told that I wasn't bear alone, I have a big brother who was half an hour older than me. Unfortunately, after the day we were born, our kingdom was assaulted by the other kingdom, which made the place where I and my big brother rested collapse. Later, they found me barely alive, however, my big brother was crushed by the rubble which leads him to death"
My eyes widened as he wore off his right gloves and undoes the few buttons of the sleeve on his right arm. From his arm into his hand, there was an unpleasant scar embedded, leaving only his thumb and index finger safe.
"Oh my..."
"Ever since that day, this scar was always been with me, made me force to wore gloves everywhere I go..." He immediately wore his glove on and button up his sleeve before someone else sees it. "Father doesn't have a gist that I know about it. First of all, I don't have any evidence that that story was true and not just to convince me that that was the reason why I bear this scar"
I keep my mouth shut, no words were coming into my mind perhaps I don't know what to say and it made me kept silent. For a moment I felt the atmosphere turned awkward. I don't want to feel sympathy for him 'cause it might hurt his pride as a prince of a kingdom.
"As the prince of the Freego kingdom, I shouldn't have shown you my sorry state, princess. I implore for your forgiveness" he bowed in front of me that made me startled. He must notice that I felt awkward earlier.
"A-ah no, It was nothing to me, no need to ask for my forgiveness" I stuttered. I reached my right hand to him, palm facing downwards. "More than that, shouldn't the prince and the princess are supposed to dance when there is a grand ball happening?" I can't comfort him or give him any advice, but this is all I could do for now.
"The prince should be the one who asks for a dance, no?" he slightly bent his right knee, let his left arm hung in the air as he reached his right hand towards me. "Can I have a dance with you, Princess Victoria?"
I gladly accepted his hand as he led me down the staircase and stood in the very center of the hall. I rested my right arm on top of his left arm that bent around the side of my body, while his right and my left hand holding each other.
"Here we go..."
I had danced with many nobles at my age but I was surprised as he started to lead our dance, unlike the other nobles I'd dance with before, his movements were so clean, you can't found a fault in his movements especially on his fine footwork.
"I'm surprised you're pretty good at dancing, I thought you all can do was to wander everywhere"
"Talking too much while dancing is prohibited, It could drain your energy faster..."
You're talking about that while saying a long sentence.
After our dance, we laughed at each other. I never thought that I'll encounter such a fine dancer as his. The nobles started to give us a round of applause, only I realized that we are the only ones dancing in the hall and the others were left as soon as they saw us dancing together. They must choose to watch.
"Ohohoho..." a loud laugh caught my attention. King Noir laughing as he walked down through the staircase with my father beside him. "What a lovely show we see"
"You both made a good pair, No? Should I pair you up as a dancer instead of being a Queen and King? I wonder" my father butted in as he stood in front of me.
"No... no, that wasn't a good idea. If that happened there was no future for our kingdoms, King Vester"
"Is that so... King Noir" then my father laughed. If they were that close, why did they had a war with each other? On the other hand, Prince Louis was just chuckling. I'd turned my back as I felt someone poked me, Auntie Isabella hugged me and looked at me as though she was so proud of me.
"Thank you for all, Auntie Isabella..." I muttered.
"Oh! Isabella, there you are after a few years that I did not see you" my father turned his gaze as he saw Auntie Isabella right beside me.
Auntie Isabella bowed before my father. "It's been a long time, King Vester..." she greeted.
I'd stepped back and let the adults talk as I heard Prince Louis called me on the very corner of the hall. When did he!?
I'd started to take steps and met him in front of the large door in the corner of the hall.
"How did you get here too fast?" I asked but he just opened the door and went outside.
"Forget about that let's enjoy the cold breeze of the night" he spread his arms open in the air. I left no choice but to follow him and went outside.