With the kingdom's founding celebration just around the corner, the palace had been hectic all throughout the remaining days before the celebration.
There was no time for Christopher to seek out Rosaria when he was pulled to many meetings and assemble with the emperor and empress, Rosaria was also busy with her schedule. Yet his eyes would search for her silhouette amongst the people around.
The palace workers where usually assigned to different corners of the vast palace where now appearing more frequently in the hallways, rooms, gardens, kitchen, ballroom and all staircases and sleeping quarters, the busy movements of every person inside the palace walls would make a noble person forget the pending war outside the kingdoms border.
Everyone were so busy that they had no time to worry about the silver haired princess, their minds and hands were preoccupied to even noticed she would go missing from the palace grounds.
The unguarded princess would visit the forest and practice her archery for three consistent days, slipping away from her maids and the watchful eyes of the crown prince. When she arrived in the forest, Ilios was already waiting for the sound of hooves rushing towards his way. The tall mysterious man would be on his usual spot as he wait for her return, arms crossed as he leans on a tree, a dark hood covering half of his face, and eyes closed as if the man was listening to his surroundings like a trained mercenary.
Rosaria slows down and every time she arrived, Ilios would opening his eyes and look at her. Their eyes would meet and a silent greeting would pass between them with that.
There was no agreed arrangement between them as they meet in this forest for days but Rosaria didn't reject the idea of having a company around didn't seems bad.
Today was the third day of her meeting this mysterious man, if you didn't count the first time Rosaria had found this place and Ilios might be hiding somewhere as she was asleep.
" Good to see you here, Ilios " she nods at him as Minerva comes closer to the man, she greets him with a nudge on his arms, which Ilios didn't mind.
" Hello, Rosa " he replies back to the silver haired woman and then moved his hands away from his torso, lifting his right hand and touching the mare's forehead.
" Minerva " he greets the mare with a pat and then moved away.
Rosaria would easily unmount her horse like nothing and then let Minerva wander around knowing she wouldn't be too far from her at the end of her practice.
Ilios and Rosaria would converse from time to time during their time together, although it was awkward and very weird at first for Rosaria to be talking to a complete stranger, she manage to get used to Ilios. She already made sure he had no ties to the royal family nor any nobles close to the crown prince.
Also, Ilios seemed very familiar with weapons. Rosaria would see the sheath under the dark cloak his wearing, that means he had a sword and is a man knowledgeable when it comes to fighting.
Rosaria had learned he was also a good teacher during the past few days as he assisted her with her archery and stamina building.
The man would give her a few pointers when it comes to aim and stance, and would respectfully let her do her workout, even though it might have looked weird for a man in this era to see a woman dropping down and pushing up her body to thirty sweaty push and jumps.
Today was like any other day for them except Rosaria had change her target for a few more feet, exercising her precision and arm strength.
" I'm always surprise to see you here so early, I think I'm convince now that you lived in this forest " She smiles teasingly as she walks towards him and the man raised a brow before turning away, she didn't missed the small amused look on his face.
" I might start living here " he whispers to himself and Rosaria trails behind him, hearing him clearly. " Maybe I should start building a hut in the nearby stream since you seemed to like this place, seeing how you always return to this place " he teased back, footsteps slowly matching her pace as the petite woman walks besides him with a slightly worried look.
" That's... a really bad idea, this area is under the name of the imperial family, although we don't see anyone patrolling here, the emperor's knights stationed outside the palace would still inspect this place every end of the sixth moon "
Ilios stops his tracks and looks at the small woman, who had no idea what he is thinking. He had a serious look when he watched her return his gaze, seriously trying to convince him not to do what he was saying.
A small smile appeared in the corner of his lips, the serious look on his face vanished and his hand finds it way on her head. Rosaria was expecting for him to pat her but he stops halfway, far from further touching the crown of her hair, he realizing what he was about to do and retrieve his hand.
" I only said it in jest, Rosa " he moves away again and Rosaria wanted to tell him his face was too serious for such jokes.
" Your expression was too serious that I thought you were not joking, "
She would starts her practice and continues her conversation with Ilios, who would watched from the sidelines and was willingly listening to her every time she spoke. Eyes focused on her posture, gaze not leaving her figure as he finds any error of her aim.
" Now that were on talking about you I wanna know, how is a man with a heavy foreign accent able to come in here with no aide? I haven't heard of any news of foreign delegates around the towns people " she smiles as she release the arrow and it flew straight to the center target.
Ilios saw that expression and mirrored her expression, he nonchalantly grabbed a cigar from his breast pocket and cut the cap off with a small dagger with ease. Rosaria was on her second arrow when he lights up the foot before he takes a drag, white smoke it escapes his lips as he lift the corner of his lips.
" What about you Rosa, a woman who can come and go in an area owned by the Rosemond royalties themselves? " he looks at her dangerously with tone lowered, Rosaria sensed the heated gaze sent on her back but choose to ignore it.
She couldn't help but find their conversation funny, during the past few days together, there would be moments like this one where she would try to find out his identity and he would search for a way to return the questions.
The scent of wood and clean forest ground mixed with the man's cigar became familiar to Rosaria, and when she would go near him, she could pick up citrus and midnight flowers on him, he would smell both dangerous and serene.
Rosaria usually asked him and when he returns a question, they would both ignore their words and pretend to have never had that conversation, but this time Rosaria felt that saying a bit more might make Ilios also drop his identity.
She was not sure if it would work but she wants to try.
" What if I told you, I'm just sneaking away from my unfaithful husband and just found this place? " She says and continued her practice, drawing arrows and releasing them after.
The topic seemed to gained Ilios's interest as he didn't reply immediately and was starting to take a more longer drag on his cigar. His sharp brows furrow hearing her reply, eyes looking down on the forest floor after hearing her words.
Smokes dance in the air and his lips thinned in displeasure.
" husband?... you look young, Rosa, I was unaware that you're married... " those words left his mouth distastefully in his part, Ilios didn't understand why he was bothered by the woman's married status.
Rosaria didn't hear the tone of annoyance in his words and she continued to speak, her aim stayed accurate and her posture never slackened.
" I just recently married actually...." she says and didn't bother looking at his expression thinking he was standing there with the same usual look. " with a man who never returned his wife's affection, I was too blinded by love in the past that I ignored the signs of his infidelity "
At one point she told him about her messy marriage and didn't noticed his expression changing upon hearing her telling her story.
Eve made sure to tell only the parts that was not confidential, she made sure Rosaria's identity wasn't too obvious and even the names of the royal family and nobles weren't mentioned.
" --And that's the reason why I am here " She finished telling Rosaria's story, as she takes another arrow from the quiver and aimed at her target.
" I'm planning to leave the empire in a few days " Rosaria release another arrow and it flew past trees and hits it's target.
She then glance up to see him look at her with worry.
" You...don't love your husband? " Ilios had asked with a cigar between his two fingers.
The accent is still there, his deep voice almost lost how to pronounce the word Husband. Eve realized he must be from outside the kingdom, the neighboring one's.
"The question is, which one?" she thought
She didn't see how he started to his words had a hint of hostility at the person which Rosaria keeps talking.
Eve frowned at the question.
"Love? Rosaria had divorced Cristopher and found a lover. She finally had enough and realized she had suffered too much for a man who had taken her affection for granted"
"Yes, she did once loved him enough to marry him and bear his children, loved him to try and fight for their marriage and repair it, but once you keep broking a person's heart and wasted that love, things will change and will not be the same."
" No, I do not.. " Rosaria takes another arrow from her quiver and softly taps the feather on the man's arm.
" Well, the me before was different, if I could have the ability to turn back time again, I would have not married him " Rosaria laughed and this made Ilios look at her with a frown.
" I would have ripped my wedding dress and rushed back to my carriage, leaving him at the altar to save myself from the mess. He was such a red flag but I was too blind to see that " She added.
Ilios raises his brow, he was looking at her curiously.
" What's a... red flag?" He asked.
Eve had gotten too comfortable talking that she forgot to choose her words again. There was no such thing as slang during this era.
She relaxed her posture to look back at the man a few feet behind her, she casually laugh at her own self.
" Sorry I tend to speak weirdly do I? "
Ilios slightly shakes his head, disagreeing with her words. Rosaria smiled at how nice he was, thinking she wasn't weird.
She puts a finger on her chin, she closed her eyes and thinks on how to reply on his question. She then open her eyes and smiled.
" To put it simply, they are a dangerous person. In terms of relationship, marriage or dating, they are the type of partners that are problematic or just simply bad. When I said red flag, those are indicators and signs of a bad relationship, in my partner's case, he had a lot of them he could replace the tower flags on the castle walls"
Eve listed them using Rosaria's memory one by one, and counted with her fingers.
" The signs were there, he was rumored to have another woman for years and never tried to correct such rumors. When we were dating, there were times when he would be completely disappeared from my sight for months and I would find news from other ladies that he was out with a 'friend'. The letters he sends to me were written by his maids, his proposal letter was even worse, his parents made the maids write it for him. He ignores my concerns, he is insensitive and selfish, he lies about everything and makes it that I am being too suspicious of him. He isn't sorry about what he had done and continued to use me for his own gains. I basically have more to say but I guess the list goes on that I'm going to need more fingers for that "
She laughs as she counted them and Ilios who wasn't happy hearing how she was being treated by her current spouse, was frowning madly.
" Don't look so mad, I'm not letting him have the pleasure to do that again." She smiles.
He nods in understanding, his face slightly relaxed. Dark eyes looking at her in concern.
" Then what is the opposite of a red flag? " he asked, he looked genuinely curious, she wonder why he was so interested in knowing.
"Probably because the terms are unfamiliar to him? Hell I'm glad the system doesn't punish me anymore when I spoke unrelated topics of the current world."
" The opposite is called green flags, it means all the sign he had shown to you indicated that you can continue being in a relationship with that person. It should he the opposite of what I mentioned " Rosaria stops how Ilios was very interested in such topic.
" Do you like someone whose a green flag? " he genuinely asked.
Eve wanted to laugh. She likes where this was going.
" I do but" she brush her hair to the side while smiling casually.
" I'm somewhat of a little red flag myself... " Rosaria looks at his deep obsidian eyes and the back to her own silver hair which she had been twirling with her finger.
"I...can't be trusted. Always deceiving people with lies."
"I'm an illegal hacker on a run, I'm wanted all over the galaxy. who would like their partner to be a wanted criminal?"
"I can't trust people easily and I am too calculating, no one would appreciate that."
She looks down at her hair and with a sad smile, she was reminded of her lover.
"Even Alexander thought I was really the real Molina, not knowing another person had been using her body as her vessel."
" I really am....the worst"
She couldn't help but sigh, the thought of Alexander's face made her miss him.
Ilios closed his mouth and retreats his questions, Rosaria noticed the change of his expression as she glance at him.
Today she was sweating and found the heat more unbearable.
Although the forest shade lessen the heat that contacted her skin, the humid air still makes her skin sweat.
Rosaria looks at her companion and laughed lightly.
" How come you're not sweating under those dark and thick clothes? " Rosaria was already wearing light fabrics that could help her stay cool, unlike her, Ilios wore dark clothes from top to bottom. Now that she saw it closely, she realized something.
" Now that I think about it, your clothes don't look like it's from Rosemond, the patterns on your clock is different from the trends here " she says and wondered, her thoughts goes further as she thinks about Illios's identity.
Ilios doesn't talk much when the topic had been himself. The man would stay quiet, as if he has a hard time explaining his situation. She could tell, that this man is hard to approach when he wanted it to be like that.
Ilios closed his mouth and turn his gaze away, Rosaria didn't want to pry further and sighs.
If he wants his identity to be kept hidden then I have no choice but to respect his decisions.
She returns to practice her archery.
Rosaria didn't have time to train in the forest anymore.
As soon as the sun touched the horizon, she was woken up to prepare. Maids rush inside her quarters and assisted her from top to bottom. It was a hectic day and she was starting to wish, the day would end even though it just started.
Inside her room, was a warzone.
" His highness is matching his attire with the princess today!"
" Really?!!"
" Gold! bring out the golden silk and fabrics!"
" your highness please endure, this will be quick!"
It was noisy, not only in her quarters but also outside.
Today was the first day of the founding celebration, Rosaria knew people from the kingdom and even tourist were celebrating the event every year, a huge celebration in Rosemond that always attracts the foreigners and outsiders, making the celebration also good for tourist.
Rosaria couldn't help but snicker.
There's a war at the border and people are dying, but the nobles couldn't even postponed it
The maids move around the room in a frenzy, Rosaria tried to close her eyes and get a few minutes of sleep when they pated her face with make-up.
It took her more than a few hours to complete her look, thanks to the help of her maids, she was done and ready to leave the quarters.
" Oh my! " the maids gasp as Rosaria had opened her eyes as her few retouched was colored in her face.
With a round face and golden almond eyes, Rosaria looked enchanting and beautiful. The maids knew their royal highness was beautiful, with a face that was also dubbed in the social circle as a bewitching beauty, but the Rosaria today was even more bewitching and surreal today.
Draped with golden silk that matched their eyes, her looks unmatched.
The maids felt a sudden accomplishment but they knew even in rags, her royal highness would still look good.
They stare at her as if a spell was casted inside the room, unable to make their gaze break away from her figure.
A knock on the door had made them turn their heads all together..
Rosaria had looked at the person who had came to escort her to the large hall where the nobles had waited for the royal family to come out.
And surprisingly, Cristopher had came to collect the princess on his own, his steps falter upon seeing her. His eye's slightly shook, as if his entire body had been casted a spell.
Rosaria didn't waste any more time and wanted to get out there and finished this day already. She walked towards the crown prince and saw how he had looked at her, she didn't like the way his eye's had assessed her head to toe.
"....Shall we head out, dear? "Christopher says, extending his hand for the princess to take. Rosaria noticed that the palace knights that was with them. So she slightly feels better, because she doesn't want to be alone with the man, just being with him makes her tired already.
"...." she didn't reply, just politely smiled as she takes his hand.
It was a custom to always compliment a person's appearance every time you meet them, especially the noble ladies. Seeing that the crown prince was too busy with his own thoughts, she didn't talk.
They walked towards the long corridor accompanied by the palace knights and on their way to the ballroom.
The silence was broken off by the crown prince.
" Dear, I might be busy with greeting the citizens and nobles, especially when we have foreign delegates here today. I'll apologized for not making time for us " he lifts her hands toward his lips and kissed the back of her palm. Rosaria blink twice and tried to stop the disgust forming in her lips.
" I do not mind, your highness. Our people will always come first " She looks back to him with a smile and then returns her gaze in front. It wasn't long until they reached the back of the hall and noticed the two older couple had also arrived coming from the Emperor's palace.
The Emperor and the Empress also saw them walking towards the large door, and noticed how they both had slowly assess her appearance and gait. Rosaria saw how the empress and emperor had looked approvingly at her with a pleased smile.
" We greet your majesty and her majesty " The crown prince bowed and Rosaria curtsy, the Emperor gestures for them to rise.
" You both look excellent, especially you Princess Rosaria, it's no wonder why you matched well with my son, gold looks splendid on you. Choosing you was the best option for this marriage." The Empress smiles behind the hand fan that she was holding, blue eyes looking at her very happily.
Rosaria sighs mentally, but didn't let her inner feelings surfaced.
There was a hidden meaning in her words and looks. Behind that hand fan, covers a sarcastic smile.
You're just married to become a decoration next to my child and although you matched together perfectly, it's a pity that he is with another woman. We choose the right woman to use in order to birth the royal heirs.
Rosaria gave a smile and also compliments the Empress.
" Unlike me, your Majesty looks more and more beautiful and noble everyday, I have a lot to learn. " Giving a bland reply, Rosaria showed she didn't understand the hidden knife in her majesty's words and proceeds to act humbly.
Rosaria didn't want to fight with her yet, she was still powerless, a royal princess with a title but no definite influence to her subject.
The Empress didn't further pick on her and Rosaria settles next to the crown prince as the knights around guard them from any hidden danger.
It wasn't long when the door was finally opened for them.
" Announcing the Kingdom's rulers, His majesty, Emperor Corronard Philippe and Empress Valenetina Lux, with his royal highness, the crown prince and princess of Rosemond"
When the door opened wide, all eyes were on them and thundering applause greets their ears.
Rosaria would have faint if she wasn't used to such scene.
Down the hallway was a crowd of nobles and foreigners, looking up at them. She noticed many were wearing decorated mask and a few had not, she had guessed the theme judging the the people who hasn't worn them.
Many were assessing their appearance as they look at them, and many more had hidden intentions with their attendance.
As the king gave his speech, many had stopped their applause and listen to his words. Rosaria wasn't sure but it seems she found the Ronan family amongst the crowd.
A family that had slightly almost the same hair color as Rosaria was looking at her with practiced smiles.
"Oh? Are these her parents and siblings?"
Rosaria wasn't paying anymore attention to his Majesty speech until the end. After that, their first day of celebration starts, a masquerade ball.
Drinks were being distributed and groups gathered around, the music filled the large hall and people laughed and smile as if there was no war in the borders.
Rosaria just wants to end the night and rush back to the forest and train.
" Dear, won't you come down with me?"
She looks to the gloved hand in front of her and accepted it without replying. Rosaria knew what he wanted to dance his first with her. With Caroline and Christopher's relationship close to breaking, Rosaria had been the the first the prince would look after.
The crown prince and princess headed down the throne and greeted the heads that turned to look at them.
When they arrived near the crowd, Rosaria already noticed Caroline. whose expression was slightly ungraceful. Her anger must have rose seeing the two of them, holding hands as they walks down the stairs.
She was there with her group of friends, noble ladies who loved to gossip, looking at her direction with a rude look.
Rosaria noticed Caroline look slightly down and when Rosaria turn her gaze to his and Christopher's hands.
She understood.
And she almost laughed rudely.
" Hm. It seems you will be busy with the nobles, seeing as if everyone wanted to come near us"
Cristopher couldn't take off his eyes as he saw Rosaria today but Caroline had moved close until she was able to be near his family's sight.
Rosaria glanced at Caroline's direction to watch her. Seeing her wait for her lover's attention was pitiful but Eve knew she will get what she wanted and that is to be the crown prince's first dance.
" I'm sorry, I'll be heading somewhere " the crown prince said to Rosaria as he had noticed Caroline from the crowd coming closer and was displease seeing her presence at the hall, he had to excused himself and wanted to dragged the woman out of the hall but the he knew needed to act calmly with many eyes around looking at him.
Christopher leans his head as he was going to separate from Rosaria for a while but the silver haired woman had knew he was about to kiss her lips, so she tilted her head slightly, making sure her actions weren't too obvious to the rest of the crown watching, she held his shoulder and smiled.
She was not giving any of it to him.
"When will this man leave me alone?"
" That's fine, I understand " Rosaria really didn't care if he thought they shared a kiss but she gave him some fake reassurance, there were many ears listening and eyes watching.
Seeing Cristopher step out of her side and had slowly went to his lovers side, everyone thought it was a sweet reunion but many didn't know how strained the couples relationship was. Christopher just wanted to talk to Caroline and kick her out of the party, while Caroline wanted to show off to everyone on how the prince will still choose her over the ugly silver snake.
It was obvious to Rosaria that the prince was struggling to drag the woman away while everyone was having the wrong idea, it was painful to watch everyone smiling at the a couple in a verge of breaking up.
She grabs a wine glass at a passing server and slowly drinks the contents.
Rosaria was then greeted by her family, the Ronan couple from the earldom looked nothing like Rosaria. Their hair was slightly blonde and had looked silver from fair away, the siblings also inherited the same color.
When they chatted, Rosaria had noticed that they kept her gaze away from the crown prince and his lover. Although it failed since Rosaria had opened her system and was enjoying the backstabbing conversation those groups about her.
" How have you been sister? I hope you fulfill you duties as a wife and future ruler " one of her siblings curtsy.
" straightened your back Roy " the head of Ronan reprimanded his son. The brother was wearing a white masked decorated in small jewelries.
" And don't call her sister, you must have lost your mind calling her royal highness in that title" the father said.
Roy rolled his eyes and then straightened his back. Rosaria could feel the tension around the two but choose to ignore it.
" I've been well, as for fulfilling my duties, I made a great contribution to his Majesty the Emperor. " her father was pleased and asked no more question, both men in the family held no interest anymore in their conversation and taken her words as if she was just joking.
She already guessed that the family isn't too fond of Rosaria, Eve had to take a mental note.
" Princess, I hope your days are filled with happiness in his crown prince's arms. I heard he loved you dearly " Rosaria's mother said, and if it weren't for her insincere eyes, she would have fooled her with those words.
It wouldn't be a surprise if they never cared for her. Eve had thought.
She looks at the jewels decorated on the older woman's figure. She looked so happy with showing her wealth and beauty, rather than meeting with her child.
Rosaria already hated being here than she thought she would.
She talked with her mother, most of their conversation was about expecting a heir and being able to fulfill her duties as a woman and wife.
Eve was already sick and tired with playing nice and almost wanted to make a scene and leave, when she realized the main characters of the world had finally made a scene worthy enough for her time to be wasted.
Noticing a few murmurs and words floating around the groups of ladies at their side but Rosaria hears their conversation and looks at the dance that was going.
The crowd was thick enough to not let her see what was happening in the dance floor so she acted like she didn't know. She smiles though, and the people around her saw how she smiled as if she had been enjoying something.
Not known to those around that she is looking at the two main characters painfully trying to show their affections, especially Caroline who was desperate in showing their relationship and convincing everyone how they still love each other, Christopher on the other hand, had looked as if he just want the song to end.
Christopher had asking for Caroline to quietly leave the ballroom, He saved her face from being embarrassed if he didn't whispered it to her ear. She only agreed to his request if he let's her dance his first dance with her, if he declines, she was going to expose their relationship shamelessly in front of everyone and Rosaria.
Damn, Rosaria heard their conversation and wanted to grab a popcorn and watched the two bicker more but Christopher sneered at her threat and followed her silently.
At the moment, Rosaria was speaking with her family, and there were a few ladies around her, just as she imagined, they subtly ridicule her for being set aside by her husband as he openly court a woman in public, everyone thinking Rosaria was oblivious and dumb if she didn't know from how the two were acting.
She could hear the gossips at the loud hall and almost wanted to laughed loudly.
It was okay for a married man to ask for any woman to have his first dance, it was the same for engaged or married women to accept a request for a dance from a man other than her spouse but it was taboo in the high society and shouldn't be actively practiced by the ladies. Women should never give their first dance to any man other than their husband.
Caroline was already widowed, after marrying three times and had gotten divorce the third time. The crown prince was married but had his eyes on another woman for a long time.
Rosaria had requested for her empty glass to be filled with wine from the servant that was next to her and smiled at him.
" She's so dumb, she doesn't even know " one lady whispers and the rest laughed as they look at her.
" hey, maybe we shouldn't talk badly of her, she is the crown princess after all" one woman said.
" She's just a princess in name, if we stick close to lady Caroline, even if the princess gets mad at us, the prince will let this slide" another replied, shutting up the one that was worried.
Rosaria didn't care about their words. She didn't have no choice but to attend this event and accept their subtle insults but there is a limit to her kindness, especially when people talk as if they know the whole story.
" Even though their wrong as f*ck. " she mentally cursed at them.
Although there are nobles who wanted to get on her bad side, there were also those who were wishing for her to fight back
" It seems there are a few uneducated ladies that was able to be present in here, I wonder which family their from " Rosaria says and her mother look at the group of noble women. She didn't say anything but lady Ronan had sharp looking eyes, intimidating to be stared at.
" it would be a shame as a crown princess to not exercise my power from time to time " Rosaria lift the glass near her lips and then glance sharply on the women that frozen in their place.
" s-she heard? " they whispered worriedly now.
" I told you, it wasn't a good idea! " another whispered back quickly.
Seeing they were about to apologize, Rosaria lift her hand and gesture for them to stop speaking. Halting their words immediately as they saw how her eyes showed no compassion nor friendliness. This action garnered a few audience from the nearby crowd, but the music covered most of her words and the commotion caused by the group.
" spare me you excuses, tell that to your fathers and husband's when they receive a letter from me. Today is a good day, for you to cause a scene during the founding celebration isn't worth my time" she pushes her glass towards a passing servant that lowered their head, and Rosaria then turns to her family.
" y-your highness- please--" one lady tried to grab her attention but the princess only looked back, golden eyes cold and almost glowering from hostility.
" Do not make me repeat myself. " Rosaria says. The ladies had turn slightly fearful seeing her reaction, they realized their mistake too late.
" I'll excuse myself, it seems that I'm a bit tired. " Rosaria said and her mother only looked at the scene, with no hint of emotion as she watched her daughter and the ladies.
Rosaria planned to escaped the palace today, she didn't have a solid plan but wifh her system, nothing was impossible.
Rosaria was planning to leave the hall when she spotted a figure amongst the crowd, wearing a masked that covered his eyes and nose, only his thin lips could be seen and lower face was uncovered.
Rosaria couldn't see his eyes but it felt as if a burning gaze had been sent to her way.
" was that even possible to feel? " she thought
The man was impressively tall, huge, and was not alone, it seemed like he was accompanied by a few other aristocrats.
" his acquaintances, maybe? " She thought
Rosaria caught his attention and as if he had been waiting for her gaze to return to his own, he handed his glass to the person next to him and walked towards her direction in a confident manner.
The busy crowd didn't notice him at first as he had came out from a corner across the room, as everyone was either looking at the prince and his lover, dancing, or conversing in groups or pairs, but as soon as he was obviously walking towards the princess direction, there were a few heads that turned to asses him.
His dark hair was unusual yet it shone under the palace lights, his figure was obviously good, a broad shoulder and chest, long legs striding towards her imposingly and even if his face was covered by a masked, Rosaria knew he looked handsome. When he reached in front of her, it was clear to everyone how tall he was in front of the royal princess, the unidentified man had now captured half of the crowds attention.