The Princess and the stranger soon became the centre of attraction in the ballroom.
It was then the girl realised that they were the only ones wearing masks in the party.
And to top it all, they were dancing together as though they'd known each other for a long time.
"This should be your first official debut right?" The man who'd been quiet for about two minutes suddenly spoke startling Cecilia.
"I think so, it's not everyday I get a have a party like this in my honour." Cecilia said absent minded as she imagined what he'd look like without the mask.
"Then do you have a sword on your back, do you think there'll be an attack today?" The man asked in amusement tapping the scabbard twice.
"No I always carry it around, it's just something I do on impulse." Cecilia said seriously signalling to the man that she was dead serious.
"Wow, just like I carry my dagger around everywhere I go." He said still maintaining his amused grin tapping on the side of his pocket.
"Oh, I forgot to ask. What kingdom are you from, I in to much of a hurry to ask earlier." Cecilia asked with curiosity twinkling in her eyes.
"..." The man didn't respond, he just smirked at her and pulled her closer so much so that their bodies were only separated by the fabric of their clothes.
When he didn't answer the first time, she decided to ask another question instead.
"And why are you wearing a mask?" She asked looking pointedly at the man's mask.
"Same reason as you." Cecilia forehead wrinkled in a frown when the man answered plainly.
She looked at the man, again admiring his features. He had smooth jet black hair that was so tempting to touch, red eyes that brooded mistery in them, a sharp jawline, a tall and muscular build that couldn't be hidden even in the suit.
"Stop staring, it's like you're undressing me with your eyes." The man said while in fact, he too was doing the same.
She also had a tall figure but where the man stood, she could more or less be regarded as short.
She had obviously dyed her hair blonde considering that she had long white lashes fluttering underneath the mask which highlighting her beautifully crafted eyes.
She also had full breasts that were a little exposed due to the nature of her dress, thin waist which he was gripping onto and an wide hips which concluded the perfect hourglass shape debunking her slender figure.
"You're really a work of art Princess, the first ever of your kind." The man complemented as he twirled Cecilia around a few times before pulling her back to himself.
"And I could say the same about you." Cecilia smiled at him, tightening her grip on the back of his neck.
After what seemed like forever, Cecilia decided to ask the question that had been tormenting her since the moment she set her eyes on the man.
"Erm, may I please know your name." She asked politely but decided if the man refused to tell her his name, she would dig into his thoughts.
The man stiffened when she asked the question making Cecilia loose her balance. Fortunately, the man caught her just in time.
It seemed as though time had stopped as they stared into each other eyes. The man staring into her bright blue eyes and Cecilia staring into his red ones.
The man smiled once again snapping Cecilia back to reality. But before she could even think of reacting, the man lifted her off the ground and twirled Cecilia around a few times before dropping her down.
"Cecilia, darling!" A voice called out from behind her and she turned to see her father standing behind her.
She wanted to introduce her father to the man so he would have no other option than to reveal his name. But unfortunately, the man had vanished into thin air.
She looked around to find any traces of him, but there was none. It was like he was never there.
"Are you looking for someone, don't break my heart Cecilia." Her father said and no one would believe that these words were coming from the Greatest Emperor in Dallaire.
"No father, it's nothing." Cecilia said deciding to forget about the man and focus on her sulking father.
"So may I have your first dance of the evening?" The Emperor asked as he gave her a little bow and extended his hand as curtsey.
Cecilia gulped in guilt, afterwards feigning a smile before answering, "Of course."
The Emperor gently took her stretched out hand and lead her back to the middle of the ballroom.
Cecilia was dancing gracefully with the Emperor feeling guilty about giving out her first dance which rightfully belonged to her father.
But soon enough, her thoughts drifted back to the man. Then suddenly, an idea struck her and her eyes twinkled in excitement.
"Father, do you have knowledge of a man with red eyes and black hair?" Cecilia asked her father and the man who stiffened but instantly regained his composure.
"What man do you speak of. Those features are incredibly rare to find in Dallaire." The Emperor said solemnly affirming his obliviousness to her identification of the man.
"Really father. No noble, Duke, Marquis, Count or even Baron? Because I just saw a man with those features moments ago" Cecilia asked even more inquisitively than before hoarding the fact that the man in question stole her first dance.
"No dear, if I had known I would have informed you about it. And besides that, remember you were the one who decided the guests in attendance so I wouldn't even know what kingdom he heirs from." The Emperor said in a low brooding tone that showed to Cecilia he wasn't comfortable with the conversation they were having.
"I'm sorry father, I think I've asked too much. I didn't mean to put you in a foul mood." The Princess said guiltily and her father twirled her around twice.
When she was finally facing him again, he had a huge grin on his face. Cecilia hadn't realised it before, but the man seemed to be aging a little too quickly.
"Thank you father, for everything. I would've certainly been killed a long time ago if the goddess had fated a different father for me." Cecilia said with tears at the rim of her eyes.
--To be continued...