"May I have the next dance, Princess Aurora?" Henry wouldn't simply step away and make it easy for his best friend, so he offered his hand to take Aurora to the dance floor.
Amelia was flustered about the sudden offer from a man she had just met but accepted. They went to the center of the room, where other couples were dancing, and started swaying to the music.
She was a little stiff, but Henry was a good dancer and easily led her across the dancefloor. "You can relax, princess."
"I wish I could. You see, I am not a very good dancer and don't want to step on your feet." She awkwardly smiled at him - they were too close for her taste.
They kept going with small talk, and while talking with Henry, she didn't realize that Nathaniel had chosen another lady to dance with him in the meantime.
After Henry took her onto the dancefloor, he decided to stop this nonsense immediately and change his focal point to finding a suitable wife. He had to deviate from his interests; otherwise, he knew he would get caught up in Aurora's allure which was the last thing he wanted. He should ignore her from now on.
Another person Amelia had been unaware of was Lucia. Lucia had never told anyone before, but she had fancied Henry for a long time. Him asking Amelia for a dance upset her. Although Amelia knew nothing of her feelings, she was sad about Henry not paying attention to her at all.
She thought that after some time, Henry would realize she was not a little girl anymore but a woman. To her dismay, he seemed blind, and she didn't know how to change that. Maybe she would tell Amelia and ask her for help.
A couple of songs later, Henry let go of Amelia, who joined Lucia and the other girls. She had seen that Nathaniel was occupied talking to the same blonde girl who had asked her so many questions before.
She scolded herself that she couldn't get annoyed at that site because she knew she had no right to. She would get hurt if she didn't stop this folly, so she compelled herself to target her attention back at her mission.
Much food was eaten, many drinks were drunk, and the dance floor was continuously full, making the night successful. Long after midnight, Amelia and Lucia finally decided to leave the crowd behind and go to their beds.
Amelia had drunk a couple of glasses of wine which made her drowsy. Lying in her bed, her thoughts went back to Nathaniel.
It was so difficult to figure him out and understand his intentions. They were engaged, and he had been polite and friendly to her, but that was out of courtesy and directed at Aurora, not Amelia. It didn't mean he had any more interest in her. Furthermore, she felt he didn't like the fact that their relationship was forced upon them, which she understood.
Nonetheless, he confused her because sometimes she felt as if he was attracted to her. He would smile at her sweetly or say nice things to her.
She shook her head - no, she must withstand his charisma. She lied to him about her identity, and her main goal was revenge, not love. They could never be together, and it was clear that he only did his duty but preferred the company of other women. With those negative thoughts, Amelia finally fell asleep.
In one of the courtyards, Nathaniel was sitting on a bench together with Henry, drinking and smoking. They both had enough to drink, so they felt the effects of the alcohol and were in a fantastic mood.
"I am surprised you didn't take Sarah to bed," Henry commented after a while of silence.
"Hmm, she is too easy, and I don't like blondes. How was dancing with Aurora?"
"It was pleasant. I know what you meant about a shy demeanor but a headstrong character. She is genuine about what she does and says even if it is out of her comfort zone – very remarkable." Henry could sense some tension coming from Nathaniel and looked at him, waiting for a comment.
To Henry's surprise, Nathaniel got up and left him behind without saying another word. Nathaniel had decided not to pursue Aurora and focus back on what had been important to him. If his friend was so fond of her and she liked him back, he would not stand in their way even if it bothered him.
--
The following days were filled with visits from various nobles who wanted an audience with Princess Aurora. They tried to get into her good graces to ensure their success in the future.
Thanks to Lucia's help, Amelia was doing well during those meetings.
Letting herself fall on one of the sofas, Amelia spoke to Lucia. "I don't know what I would have done without your support. Who would have thought being a royal would mean so much work?"
Lucia giggled. "Imagine being queen. My mother finds these meetings incredibly tiring and hates the fake kindness from people."
"Yes, most didn't mean what they said to me. Especially the young daughters looked at me rather hateful."
"Well, you are gorgeous and engaged to Nate," Lucia remembered the moment when Amelia was dancing with Henry, and her expression changed, which didn't go unnoticed by Amelia.
"What is it, Lucia? You seem upset about something."
"I have been meaning to tell you, but I didn't know how."
"Yes?"
"I have been in love with Henry ever since we were little. You didn't know about this, but I was hurt when you danced with him."
Amelia's eyes widened in surprise. She didn't expect this. "Oh no, Lucia, I am so sorry about that. Listen, I am not interested in him at all. Please believe me. My only goal is to get revenge for Aurora and leave this all behind. I am not here to find love and wouldn't dare to go after someone you like either way." Lucia smiled, relieved.
"Alright, I trust you Amelia and thank you for understanding. Then could I ask you for your help to gain his favor?"
"I don't know if I can because I don't have much experience myself, Lucia." They both laughed and spoke for a while about men.