The upper echelon of society buzzed with activity as the day for the prince's birthday arrived. It was a day of celebration for the royals, while the guests found it to be a great opportunity to create new connections. Anyway, that was life. Not all people celebrated for the same cause. The pale moon hung beautifully in the skies, and the stars came out to celebrate with them. Ely stared at herself for one last time in the mirror, and if mirrors could talk, it would retort about this being the twentieth time she had checked herself 'for the last time'. Thankfully, the mirror didn't have to crack in annoyance as she stepped out of her chamber. Her heart throbbed nervously in her chest as she descended the grand staircase towards the ballroom. Even though it was not her birthday, she felt nervous. "Princess Ely, do you need me to fetch you a fan?" Her handmaid questioned. Ely flinched a bit before she stared at the petite maid who trailed behind her. "Rose? What are you doing here?" Rose blinked twice before answering, "I am doing my job, Princess." "I know you're doing your job." Ely's voice was laden with frustration. "Anyway, just go. Go and rest for the night." The maid seemed reluctant to leave but eventually she left the anxious Princess alone. "This is all his fault, damn it," Ely murmured under her breath; she exhaled loudly. "Who had the nerve to bother this beautiful princess here?" A husky voice resounded behind Ely, and she flinched again. This was the second time she had flinched that night, while she was not even doing anything bad. The voice...she recognized it. That devilish voice. She turned slowly and caught sight of him in front of her. His devilishly handsome face was in full view accompanied by that sinister smirk. It was all his fault. Her mind glided to the kiss she received on her hand yesterday. Just the thought was enough to send shivers down her spine. "Princess?" "Oh, yeah, yeah. What's up? Huh? No... I meant what were you saying?" Ely stuttered and spoke nonsense. She was so embarrassed that she just wanted to run and hide somewhere. She didn't know what was wrong with her, but she was sure that it all started yesterday when she saw him for the first time, and he kissed her hand. Her mind started to go mushy whenever she thought of him, and that was a problem. Silveria smiled a small, harmless smile. "Well, I was asking who bothered you so much that you look all flushed up." "Oh, nobody. I guess the room is hot, right?" Ely forced a smile as she began to fan herself with her hand while also trying to count how many stones were used to make the ceiling. "Then why don't we go to the garden for a bit, Princess?" Silveria suggested. "Okay." Ely followed him to the garden, and truly as he said, the heat she felt, all went down in a flash. "I didn't know Elyptis had such a beautiful Queen," Silveria praised as he stared at her side profile. On a normal day, Ely would have just smiled and thanked the person since she knew they were all trying to bootlick her, but Silveria's own felt genuine. Nevertheless, she smiled and thanked him. "You are not bad yourself." Silveria chuckled as he stared at the skies. "Well, I have been getting that a lot." Ah, there goes my opinion about him. Ely smiled as they walked in absolute silence. "So if I may be bold to ask; what do you talk about with my father every year?" Ely questioned. This particular question had been on her mind for a very long time, but she never got the opportunity to ask, so she thought to ask it today. There was a moment of silence before the response arrived. "My father was the one who used to speak to him. He was the Duke of Silveria." He responded with a solemn tone. "Oh! I thought it was you." Ely replied. "Yeah. He died last year, so I came in his stead this year." He replied again, but this time, his voice sounded calmer and clearer than it had been before. "My condolences, Duke Silveria." Ely replied apologetically. "It's okay, but what I am not okay with is you calling me by my title." He said with an upset tone. Ely chuckled before answering, "While I am okay with that, don't you think it is too soon for us to start calling each other by our names?" She asked with a smirk on her face. "I don't think so, and why should friends call each other by their titles?" Ely stopped in her tracks and stared at him with narrowed eyes. "I don't remember agreeing to be your friend." Silveria also stopped in his tracks and looked behind him. There, the beauty stared back at him. Her dark blue eyes glinted in the darkness, and her hair, which she had let free, flew with the wind. She wore a beautiful blue gown which accentuated her alluring curves. It was a high-collared gown sewn with precious diamonds with no shoulders, a transparent laze tailored to her forearm, from which the laze covered her beautiful hands till it dropped on the floor. Her face exuded a sense of innocent maturity, and her face was delicate and small. "Well, you did. Just now." He replied after admiring her again for the umpteenth time today. His black eyes appeared even more hypnotizing under the moonlight. He turned away and began walking. Ely scoffed and followed behind him. She wanted to say something, but she kept it in and just enjoyed the night with this fellow
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