Niklaus feels better after killing someone. Goodness know what he would have done to Kristan, if that guard didn't just walk in.
He calls for Vatler immediately.
" Prepare for the ball, we'll have it at tomorrow at dawn ", Vatler bows and leaves to make arrangements.
He goes over to inform Elisa about the ceremony.
" Lady Elisa, we have a ball in your honour tomorrow at dawn. His Highness would be making you know to all of Avara. The royal dress maker would be coming by soon " he says and leaves.
" Ball . . . . In my honour ? " , she says to herself. She's been drafting up another plan if escape and now this ?
This time she intends on using a cloaking spell, so he wouldn't find her easily like he did the last time.
She spends her day taking measurements for her dress and the rest in the library. She moves to the dinning for dinner and the emptiness of the overly large table doesn't help her appetite.
She stares at her meal for a while and she's only able to take two bites.
Suddenly, she hears footsteps and turns towards the direction of the sound.
It's . . . . . . Niklaus ? - he has never sat at the table for a meal. She stares at him in shock and fear and wonder.
How did I end up with such a man ? Why did he have to choose me ? There are a thousand women and more out there. Who did I wrong that fate has decided to tie me up to such a monster.
" Why did you choose me ? " , she has a lot of questions in her mind, she mistakenly voices out one of them in a whisper.
She knows what she said but wishes he didn't hear her.
Of course he hears her, he has warewolf hearing. He looks at her and sees the pain and fear evident in her eyes and for some reason it disturbs him to see her that way.
When he doesn't say anything about it, she takes a breath of relief . They eat in silence - it's not like they had anything to talk about anyways.
" I'll be announcing you as my wife tomorrow . . . . . . Don't be late ", he says finally breaking the silence.
' Well that's one way to out it ', she says to herself.
" I won't " , is all she could muster courage to say.
He leaves after he's done with his dinner and so does she. She heads to her bedroom, sits on her bed. The bed is large but she's uncomfortable, she's never felt this lonely not even back home. She always felt a familiar presence while she was home but she doesn't feel it anymore.
It is the day of the ball, and Elisa wakes up early as usual. She enters the bath and she refuses the maids to wash her up, so she does it herself. She still can't get used to the feeling of being served.
She spends most of her morning time in the library searching for the perfect spell.
It's noon so she has her lunch and decides to take a shower and get ready for the ball.
When she gets out of the bath, the maids bring in her dress. They bring in an azure blue ball gown, designed with diamonds and white marbles. It goes perfectly with her silver balayage silky hair. The maids help her put on the ball gown as she has never worn one before. She looked at herself in the mirror with her hair packed in a heart shaped french braid.
They maids leave when they are done. She looks in the mirror practicing her smile, to try make it look more - not fake.
Niklaus is in his bedroom also getting ready. He can't help but think about Elisa and her fondness with Kristan ' I should have just killed him ' , he says to himself. ' Why did I let him go . Darn ! '. He couldn't stop thinking about it, how dare he touch what belongs to Him and today he's going to make her known so everyone could know she belongs to him, him alone - ' she's my property and no one else's '.
The sun has begun to set and the guests have started arriving. She already feels tensed as I head down the stairs. She tried not to draw attention to herself and it was not as difficult as she thought since no one knew her and no one cared to.
She sights her step sisters in the crowd and they have eye contact. But even they pretend not to know her and for that she's shocked but glad because they never miss an opportunity to embarrass her. She sits silently at a corner on the lookout for Kristan, she could really use the ball as an excuse to speak with him.
" Young Miss, a drink ", a servant pulls by and offers her a drink.
" No thanks ", she says politely.
" The Young Master over there asked me to get you a drink" , he says pointing at the other end of the room.
She looks closely but doesn't seem to recognize him. She collects the drink and smiles in his direction, signaling a ' Thank you ', even though she knew she wouldn't drink it. Soon, she sees him striding towards her with a bright smile. He has warm features, his caramel brown hair and green eyes making compliments the warmth of his features.
She sees herself smiling at him and doesn't feel a need to have run for it, unlike with Niklaus.
' What the Hell ! Why am I comparing him to Niklaus ' , she says to herself.