Finley's POV
We stepped into the magnificent ballroom through the giant doors, above us was a giant ceramic arch. The air was thick with the scent of lavender and spices, mingling with the subtle aroma of polished wood and fresh greenery that lined the walls. I had never ventured into this part of the castle before. Everything looked…perfect? Pretentious, without a doubt, but perfect.
I glanced at the prince, a calm mask on his face. As we stepped into the room, there was a ripple of surprise. We even elicited a few gasps. They were all looking at Edward. The prince did say he had not been seen in public for some time, his illness having kept him hidden away from the world, but I didn't expect it to be that big of a deal. Whispers spread across the length of the ballroom. Even the king seemed taken aback by the sight of his son. But he quickly recovered, composed as he raised his glass to toast Edward.
"To my son, Prince Edward," the king declared, his voice booming across the hall. "May tonight mark the beginning of many more joyous occasions to come." If I didn't know any better, I'd say the king was pleased with his son's presence. He's a great actor.
The guests raised their glasses in unison, their murmurs becoming more approving and their faces more gentle and friendly. Edward plastered a smile on his face, and we retreated to a quieter corner, away from the center of attention.
"Well, that was... a lot," Edward muttered, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I thought I was going to disappear. Now, what to do, kind sir?"
I laughed at his theatrics, scanning the room. The dances hadn't started yet, and people were just mingling. "They're all here for some reason or another. Shall we entertain ourselves by figuring out what those reasons are?"
Edward's eyes sparkled with amusement. "I suppose we should. Let's see if we can read their lips."
It became a game, distracting ourselves from the ball by observing other guests. We observed the guests together, trying to decipher snippets of conversation from across the room. We guessed at the motives behind the noblemen's practiced smiles and the noblewomen's subtle glances, trying to see who was here for business, who was here for pleasure, and who was simply here for a good time, sharing quiet laughter at the more absurd possibilities.
The lightness of the moment was interrupted when Anabella approached us. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement, and I could tell she was out of her element amidst all these people. I was surprised to see her, but I guess I shouldn't be. She was excited about my coming to the ball.
"Finley," she asked, her voice trembling slightly, "would you do me the honor of a dance?"
I hesitated a bit, but it took her a lot of courage to ask me, and I wouldn't want to turn her down. My gaze shifted to Edward, who simply nodded with a slight smile. With that, I took Anabella's hand and led her to the dance floor. The music swelled around us, and for the next two dances, I tried to focus on the rhythm and steps. I really did, but my thoughts kept drifting back to the prince.
"That was lovely, Anabella. You are a fabulous dancer. I should do the remaining gentlemen in attendance a favor by dancing with you," I said politely when the dances were over, excusing myself. Anabella smiled, looking away with a curtsey. I returned the gesture with a bow of my own, and we went our separate ways.
I returned to Edward, only to find him already dancing with someone else, an extremely pretty woman. My breath caught as I watched them, more specifically watched him. The prince moved with grace; he was very light on his feet, his pale complexion slightly flushed from the exertion. He looked simply… beautiful. I knew it had been a good decision to allow Edward to delay taking his herbs tonight. The prince seemed healthier, more alive, than I had ever seen him. A warm feeling stirred in my chest, but I pushed it aside quickly. Now wasn't the time.
When the dance ended, Edward returned to me, a contented smile on his face, his breathing slightly higher than normal. "I didn't realize how much I missed that," he admitted, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. "It's been so long since I've felt well enough to dance. Thank you, Finley. If it wouldn't scandalize the entire kingdom and be deemed an abomination, I'd ask you for a dance," he said teasingly.
I chuckled, though I held the prince's words close, my heart swelling at the thought. "Maybe another time," I replied jokingly.
The prince mentioned, almost offhandedly, that he'd like a drink. I offered to fetch one for him—I needed to gather my thoughts anyway. As I made my way to the refreshment table, I ran into the commander, who greeted me with a firm nod.
"Finley," the commander said, his tone a mixture of respect and curiosity. "How's the assignment going?"
"Everything is fine," I replied, forcing a casual tone. "The prince is in good spirits. Um, however, I realized that I never see the prince's healers. Initially, I thought they came early, but I realized I don't see them even in the early hours when I wake up to train." I tried to sound casual, but I'm sure I was failing. I also didn't want to put Anabella in trouble, so I needed to make it sound like I didn't know what was going on.
The commander studied me briefly before speaking. "They always have it delivered," he finally said. I nodded my head like I didn't already know that.
"Oh, so where are his healers?" I asked curiously, not wanting to sound imposing.
"Do not bother yourself with that," Lord Thorne replied. "Just make sure the prince is taking his medications."
I nodded and was about to make my way back to the prince when the commander asked, "He's taking it, right?" I nodded my head and answered affirmatively, then turned my back to leave.
The commander glanced at Edward, who was chatting somewhat energetically with someone, and looked like he didn't believe me. "I hope for your sake he is," he called out to me. I gave the commander a tight-lipped smile and made my way back to the prince.
As I got closer, I noticed that Edward's energy had not waned. Still, there was a certain exhaustion hidden behind his bright smile. I gently suggested it might be time to retire to the prince's chambers.
Edward regarded me with curiosity, but after a moment, he nodded. "You're probably right."
We made our way to Edward's chambers in comfortable silence. Once inside, Edward turned to me, concern etching his features. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes," I assured him. "I was just wondering if you enjoyed yourself tonight."
Edward's expression softened, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "I did. More than I expected. It's been so long since I've danced like that. My mother taught me when I was younger, before the illness…"
"We should dance." I don't know why I said that, but I just did, and it seemed right.
Edward blinked in surprise, thinking I was joking. But when he saw the sincerity in my eyes, he hesitated. "There's no music."
"We don't need music," I replied quietly.
For a moment, neither of us moved. Then, slowly, we stepped closer to each other, I gently placing my hand on Edward's waist. We began to sway to an imaginary melody, the silence of the room wrapping around us like a protective cloak. The world outside seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of us in that moment.
As we danced, our movements grew slower, more intimate. My heart pounded in my chest as we held each other, the space between us shrinking until it was almost nonexistent. Edward looked up at me, those blue, blue eyes…
Our gazes locked, and in that instant, I felt the world shift. Before I could second-guess myself, before I could talk myself out of it, I leaned in. Our lips met, a soft, tentative touch that sent a jolt through my entire being.