ARIELLE:
I am dressed into a scarlet silk gown. I wonder why my mother would do such a thing to me. She knows how much I hate balls and parties. She wants me to be presented to some guests downstairs. I have been here and there for a while now as the maids set me into the ball gown. I stand for hours till dawn waiting for my turn to slope down the steps of the hall.
"Mi lady! Time to go now," the head maid says to me.
I hold up the hems of my dress and walk through the passageway to the ballroom. I am quivering with fear, and I don't know how to control myself. We step at the head of the stairs of the ballroom. I can see the various guests and Amazons talking and jiving as usual. I notice my mother seated at her usual throne; her eyes are on me. She smiles once in a while at me. I see the creature called 'MAN' seated around the High Table close to my mother. The announcer coughs and everyone turns to my direction. He is wearing a black shirt and trousers and looks rather dashing compared to before. He looks like royalty. His clothes have gold on them like on ours as royals.
"Presenting, Hennesia Arielle White. The third in line for the throne of Khavena. Daughter of Astrea and Hestia. Princess Royalty," the announcer shouts out. The crowd claps for me. The MAN stands up and looks at me with a smolder of amazement. I wonder what to do next. I take the decision to go down the stairs and look around the people. I take the first step, then the second and the third. The creature also comes up to me and stands at the foot of the stairs. IT puts out its hand for me to hold in and I do so as to look friendly. It leads me to my mother and I curtsy as usual as a sign of respect.
"So, now, the Prince of Darkness will choose a partner amongst the many," my mother announces.
All the young damsels of Khavena gather in a straight file. I stay where my mother and sisters are standing. This Prince of Darkness turns to the young damsels and starts to look through eave and every one of them. He then turns to our direction and walks up to me and my sisters. He circulates around Arianna first, then Azriel and then he comes to me. He circulates around me for a while before standing before me.
"I see my master is rather attracted to your daughter. Arielle Hennesia," one of the creatures says.
"I see that myself, Mr. Dingle. But he has to decide, not we," my mother says.
I look up into the smoldering intensity this Prince gives me. I feel shaken and afraid. There is silence in the room and I can only hear my heart beat fast in my chest. Slowly, he bends low to my fore head and plants a sort of peck on it.
"Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!" the creatures shout out in joy.
I wonder what this actually means. I stand confused. I look up into the only fear I have, this Prince's eyes. I see nothing but emptiness and hollow hell. I see darkness in these misty blue eyes. I feel afraid.
"The Prince and his Princess."
How can I be his Princess? How does this work for me? How do I become his all of a sudden?
I wonder what to do for now. How come I have become somebody's property in only a few minutes. I wonder what to do?
"Dear, come with me," my mother asks me.