The carriage stopped in front of a large castle with many towers. There were many guards, some carrying spears, while others carried swords. The man driving the carriage passed along some papers and they were eligible to enter.
The castle was made of stone with a large garden in the front. The man stopped the carriage in front of the castle's front door. Kerwin exited and extended a hand for her to hold. Kaie took it and got off the carriage. Giving him a warm smile, she said, "Thank you, Knight Kerwin."
The doors to the entrance were wide open, welcoming in the members for the banquet. Kaie unfolded the fan she held in her hands and walked into the castle.
Inside, there was a large, wooden staircase with a chandelier on the top. A butler stood in front of the doors and bowed. "Welcome, madam. I shall lead you to the banquet."
As Kaie followed the butler, she noticed many people walking about. Identifying people would be a problem for her. She entered the ballroom to see a shining wooden floor with some tables holding food. In the center was a dancing area.
When Kaie entered, some ladies immediately walked up to her. "Dear Lucille, you look beautiful today!"
"I'm glad you're here, Lucille!"
"Your mask and fan is beautiful!"
"The medicine you gave me last time for my husband was highly effective, thank you Lady Lucille!"
She forced a smile on and said, "Thank you." Kaie escaped from the crowd of woman and finally found a spot that was slightly quieter. Kerwin continued following her around with no means of stopping.
Kaie grabbed a non-alcoholic drink from one of the server and sat down. Taking a sip, she murmured, "Knight Kerwin, you may enjoy the banquet."
He continued standing there, watching over her. "It is my duty to watch over you, Lady Lucille."
She sighed and finished the drink, placing the cup on the ground. "Thank you for your hard work, Knight Kerwin. However, I do wish that you would enjoy your time at the banquet." Kaie flashed him a warm smile.
He didn't budge. "My apologies, Lady Lucille. I have been ordered by the duke to watch over you."
Kaie stood up and brushed her dress off. "If you say so, Knight Kerwin." She started heading towards the dancing area, when suddenly, someone stood in front of her.
It was a man in a blue suit. He had hazelnut hair with some dark blue eyes. "May I have your first dance, Lady Lucille?"
She racked her brain for his name, but couldn't come up with anything. 'I don't remember his name...Maybe he's just an extra?' Kaie took his hand and smiled. "Of course."
He led her to the dance area and whispered, "Lady Lucille, I know that you're a weak dancer, but I shall abide by you."
Kaie frowned. 'A weak dancer? Lucille might have been, but I'm not a weak dancer!' She started off with a slow, with a few twirls and spins.
However, she slowly got faster, making the dance more intense. Each step she took was precisely calculated and Kaie felt as if she was dodging strikes from someone. The man tightened his smile, slowly becoming unable to keep up with her.
Kaie started swirling all around him, moving her feet in an unpredictable pattern. On the outside, it looked graceful and flowing, but to the man, her movement was erratic. He lost the movement and stumbled forward, losing his balance.
She pretended to be worried and held a hand over her mouth. "Oh my, are you alright? I didn't think my weak dancing would make you stumble. I'll go slower next time." Kaie held up a hand for the man to take.
He had an infuriated expression on his face, clearly humiliated. He shoved off her hand and walked away, exiting the banquet hall. Kaie pretended to be even more worried as he went off. "Oh no, is he alright?"
Some ladies walked up to Kaie. "Don't worry about Lord Gershire. If he couldn't even dance with you, I doubt that he would dare come back."
She gave a tight smile. 'Are they indirectly insulting me by saying I'm a weak dancer? I really want to bash their head in...but that's something that Lucille wouldn't do.'
Kaie gave an anxious look towards the door. "Is that so...? I hope he's alright." The ladies brushed her off. "Of course he's alright, Lady Lucille. Why don't you have a drink with us?"
She shook her head and smiled. "Thank you for your generous offer, ladies, however, the prince is about to make his speech." That wasn't a lie. Prince Altair was heading towards a raised platform in the ballroom.
He cleared his throat out and said, "Welcome ladies, lords, dukes, and duchess! Thank you all for coming to my banquet, especially Lady Lucille. Lady Lucille has just caught a cold last week, but she spared some time to attend this small banquet. I am feeling blessed with your presence."
Prince Altair gave a small extravagant bow. Kaie frowned. He looked exactly as he was described in the novel. Blonde-brownish hair, with chestnut eyes. He was wearing a gray suit with a white cape clipped across his shoulders.
Some ladies beside Kaie made a small noise. "Do you think Prince Altair noticed me?"
"He's so dreamy, you should be glad he noticed you, Lady Lucille!"
She gave a tight smile. "Yes, I am truly graced with his attention."
Prince Altair continued his speech. "I wish you all to enjoy this masquerade banquet. Please enjoy it without holding back. Thank you."
With that, the banquet truly begun.