Habdoul watched the final preparations as his brother standing beside him tapped on his phone.
- Little brother? Do you know the setting that puts the keyboard on silent? Probably yes...so use it!
Habdil smiled at his brother and after an "Aye, your majesty" he turned down the volume and pocketed his phone before watching an installer set up yet another camera.
- The ballroom is beautiful, big brother! I don't understand why you're so down on this ball...
- Yeah That's right!!! Remind me why I have to go to this dance again???
- Because it's your birthday and it's exactly for you.
He sighed as their mother's voice approached them...
- And because you have to choose a wife...You have to give me grandchildren in less than 5 years!!!
- Mom!
- I love you too sweetie...
She smiled at her children before looking at the work and saying as she walked over to the installer....
- No no, that chandelier would look better over there...
Habdoul looked at his mother. And at the same time, he had the impression of seeing the young woman from the beach... Will she come? The idea of the ball seemed less cumbersome to him at this thought. He smiled as his little brother left him while he answered a call...
- I'd better go over my speech...
Alicia and Sarah looked at each other in the large mirror and the young woman smiled with satisfaction. This cream caftan was beautiful... Sarah was also beautiful she had bought a red dress and sported a dark makeup but really highlighted her whitish complexion. As for Alicia, she had a rather simple make-up because it was not the birthday nor the ball which interested her but rather the tons of photo which she could
make in the royal museum. She took the two masks and gave the red one to her best friend then put hers in her bag near her camera:
- We are ok. Now, let's go!
- My makeup is flying off and my dress is too loose and... .
- Will you stop? You look great!
- Yeah yeah I'm your best friend so you probably tell me nice things. But I needed it... Let's go!!
They left their suite and took the elevators. Downstairs, in the reception, Sarah went to ask for the car they had requested in the morning but the staff told her:
- Are you Miss Sarah?
- Yes, I am Miss Sarah. I am Sarah.
- A limousine is waiting for you outside. The driver told us that Prince Habdil sent it to escort you to the ball.
- A limousine you say?
- Yes... And here's the driver...
Alicia, who had heard, turned with Sarah to see a man as well dressed as Coiffer with his mask advancing towards them
- Ladies... I am Garry, your driver for the evening. Prince Habdil has given me the task of getting you to the ball in one piece... Please follow me.
Sarah was excited, but Alicia thought it was too much for one night. But Sarah and the Prince both had expensive tastes so it was only natural. As she entered the limousine, the young woman felt that this evening would be a torture like the one of her feet in her expensive pumps which cost her the skin of the ass.
She winced and took the glass of wine that Sarah handed her. The limousine was most luxurious. The chairs looked like they were made of sponge and smelled fresh and nice. Everything glowed and shone in the dim light of the small bulb at the top of their heads. She felt uncomfortable. Before she left, she was afraid of ruining her dress now she was afraid her dress would ruin the perfection of the place. At her side, Sarah was talking so much and at every turn, she asked Garry, if they were coming soon... And every time it was the same answer: "We'll be there soon". The palace was a bit far from the hotel but it was worth it to come all the way to see these wonders. The young woman thought. When the car stopped and that the doors were opened, Alicia went down with her mouth half open. She was under the spell of this immense building built for more than 3 centuries but renewed every 5 years. When Sarah pushed a small cry at her side, she returned to normal to see her best friend going in the direction of the prince who was standing in front of the big door without a glance towards her. So much for friendship... She was going to have to spend the evening alone and really alone and she couldn't count on her best friend to help her when she took the pictures. Anyway, she was going to manage while Sarah gave her lover lots of kisses. She huffed and puffed and climbed the first few steps, feeling her feet not hold up. Walking in heels would be even harder than she thought...
The castle was beautiful... She didn't need a map or a guide to get to the ballroom because there were guards standing all the way to the ballroom where two guards held the door for her. When she appeared at the top, she looked at the immensity and beauty of the place... It was splendid... But huge. She felt dizzy. She swallowed and put on her mask before starting to descend the steps one by one, imagining all sorts of scenes where she found herself spread out like a sausage on the ground, some more humiliating than others. When she finally reached the last step, she blew and made the sign of the cross. A few glances turned her way but she made her way through the crowd to find a quiet place to spend the evening before her inclipsement which is scheduled for later in the evening. When she finally found an empty seat near a huge table with a ton of gifts, she sat down...
It was going to be a long, long evening...
For his part, Habdoul put on his royal outfit and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He imagined his brother playing his role to perfection but in less than 5mns, he would have to resume his role. It would soon be time for the speech and he was panicking a little... It was the first time... Had the young woman come? He couldn't help but ask... And that's what was stressing him. Already the young woman despised his immense wealth, she was probably going to hate him even more when he painstakingly read the prepared speech that he was supposed to memorize.
- Ladies and gentlemen...Please welcome our sovereign in his speech of circumstance.
As usual, he smiled a smile prepared and corrected as his speech then he kissed his mother and embraced his father and held his hand to his little brother and kissed the forehead of his two little sisters then he went in front of the microphone walked the room of the glance, looking for the young woman but when he realized that it was a masked ball, he looked at his family and began his speech under the shouts and the applause of the palace...
- Thank you for coming...
A true catastrophe... The young woman thought from where she was sitting. He's just a sheikh with a crown and fancy clothes. Why all the hysterics? A little pity for my eardrums... But nothing helped. She was the only one who wasn't that excited to be there.
When the deep voice of the Sheikh began the speech. Alicia finished her glass of wine and put it down and got up from her chair to raise an eye towards him. She knew that voice... It sounded like the voice of the man on the beach... But she thought she was dreaming because it was impossible. She could not identify him
because besides the mask, he was too far away from her... But the voice... It was deep and imposing.
When the speech ended, the ball continued and Alicia felt even more alone. She had not seen Sarah again. But she was sure she was having fun. She huffed and puffed and grabbed a small oven from a waiter's tray... She reached for her phone to film the scene. As she was filming someone appeared behind the camera...
- I know someone who wants to get caught...
Alicia in a clumsy gesture, deposited her cell phone in her bag before raising her head towards the unknown person.
- Good evening, I'm sorry. I was bored...
- Don't worry about it. I'm bored too, you know. Can I keep you company?
- Well... of course.
He was a very handsome man but with a less impressive build than the man on the beach and a half-mocking voice and blond hair. He wasn't wearing a mask, which allowed the young woman to see his sky blue eyes. He had some features of Prince Habdil and the Sheikh. Was he another brother?
- The evenings here are boring as hell. But no one can refuse my aunt, the former Sheikha, so I have to bear this burden every month.
- So you are related to the Sheikh?
- Yes, I'm the cousin of that thug... Let me introduce myself. I am the neighboring Prince Gerhardi Hansen. He said as he stood up and curtsied.
That scoundrel... They must not get along, those two. And what does one do in front of a gentleman of the royal court? Make a curtsy... She stood up and made a nearly perfect curtsy, but her heels made this curtsy a real fiasco.
- I am Alicia and as you can see I am not a princess. I am American and I am here for historical research.
- Nice to meet you Alicia. You have a sweet name!
-Thank you for that!
Wow... Alicia had butterflies in her stomach. Who could resist to so many charms? Nobody, not even her... The Prince Ghérardi had the reputation of a playboy and that, Alicia did not know it. Let's say not yet...
- Can I have this dance? Don't tell me no because even if you are going to hammer my toes and my foot I want to dance with you, even if you are null in dance I want to dance with you... So, will you dance with me? Tell me yes...
- Yes... Alicia answered, not containing her joy. Yes, okay. Let's dance!