The Runaway Princess and the Big Bad Wolf

THE ENGAGEMENT BALLI am Aurelia Rothchild. I've never been a disgrace to my family. I've never done a mistake. And I like it that way. My parents give me everything. What more could I ask for?What more?You see, I'm very drunk right now."Wooh! This is a night to get wasted! Milady, come and lift your gowns! Come on! Lift it!""No! Aurelia, please stop this! Your mother's gonna kill us!" One of my friends stopped me from lifting my gown, the other covering my mouth, the other snatching away the knife I'm holding, the other forcing me to sit instead of standing on the couch. My dear friends are wearing gowns, fighting me as if their life depends on it.Why are they wearing gowns if they want to fight me? Shouldn't they wear a pirate costume instead? We could stab each other!I suddenly felt a wave of dizziness making me slumped immediately on the couch. My cheeks are burning right now. The world is spinning like I'm on very fast carousel.What in the world did I just drink?"You were lucky we're on the second floor! No one noticed us." One of my friends slumped on the ground, panting heavily while trying to wipe the sweat off her forehead."Gosh, what in the world did you drink, Aurelia? And you weren't supposed to be drinking! You're supposed to greet the guests, how are you supposed to do that now? Gosh, if her mother saw her,"They all look at each other, slumped on the ground, gowns sprawled all over the floor, eyes widened."We're really dead!"Again, my dear friends are overreacting as if there's no tomorrow. I can't help but chuckle seeing the state they are in. They're all on the ground looking as if they lost all hope in humanity, wearing fancy gowns on top of that."Why are wou yall acting wike that? Sho funhny." I chuckled, my words can't even be understood. I don't know why the mere act of speaking is so hard right now. My tongue isn't working properly. Am I malfunctioning? Should I have it repaired?"We need to do whatever it takes to make her sober." Anastasia, my friend with thick eyeglasses stood up and lifted her chin like a brave warrior about to go to war. She fixed her tilted glasses and the others stood up like her, staring at a far distance, driven with motivation.What's with them? Have they finally lost their minds?"Cora," Anastasia looked at Cora with a determined to gaze. She held onto her shoulder and heaved a sigh. "You have to do it.""W-what? Are you sure?" Cora seems to be hesitating. She started to fidget with her fingers, cold sweat running down her forehead. The others hugged and wished her luck while Cora whimpers silently."What are wou dhoing ghuysh-""AURELIA!"Cora slapped her hands on my cheeks, making me snap back to reality. It was kind of blurry, but I could see her face looking intently at me,and from a far distance, I think I saw a woman staring at us from afar.Who was that?But more than that the pain coming from my cheeks was more than enough to make my mind draw blank.I held onto my head and groaned, leaning on the couch to avoid falling off the floor. My head is throbbing right now. And my cheeks! Are they still intact?! When did I freaking drink?! I don't even drink. Alcohol is bad for the body so I don't even dare have a sip of it."Hey, Prim go get makeup immediately. Cora's hands are all marked on her cheeks.""Oh, gosh! I'm sorry! I must have done it too strong!""Cora, go get her some water!""And Heather, grab some wet towel somewhere!"I could hear Anastasia ordering the others as if there was a huge operation ongoing right now. The others sprinted, holding onto their gowns so as to not trip along the way.Anastasia leaned and sniffed at me. I can't help but chuckle at her sight. Her nose was going larger then smaller and so on."Eek! You reeked of alcohol! Is that alcohol? I don't even know, I don't drink." She scratched her head as if thinking of something. "Right! Perfume! You have to hide the smell!" She held onto my shoulders and stared intently at me. "Don't go anywhere, all right? The Great Slap might have been enough to make you sober, right?""Y-yeah. Kind of." I held onto my head. It's still throbbing with pain."I'll be back in a minute. I'll just go grab a perfume or whatever to hide the smell. Wait for the others." And then she went scurrying somewhere.I could hear loud classical music playing from below. I sat backward on the couch and took a peek from the balcony. I could see people wearing gowns and suits with masks on, having their waltz on the dance floor.Right. It is the engagement ball.My engagement ball.I sat straight up on the couch and shook my head to sober up. If my parents see me in this state right now, I would be dead even before the dawn cracks.I've never been this careless! I'm Aurelia Rothchild the most respectable and sought-after daughter of the Rothchild family! So, who dared tried to make me drunk on such an important occasion?I stood up, trying to regain my balance amidst the throbbing of my head and the heavy fabric dressed on me right now. I lifted my chin, eyes unwavering, and started walking down the stairs. I have to go meet the guests. It is but impolite to stay hidden and go off-grid on my own engagement ball.Who knows, he might come as well?iii"Thank you for that wonderful dance, lady Aurelia. As always, you did excellently. Congratulations on your engagement." Mr. Thompson, the son of the mayor kissed my hand and bid me goodbye.I am in the middle of the dance floor, having a waltz with all the men who asked me to do so.They're all high-ranking people, so a no is not an eligible answer.I gave myself a good job silently, thanking I didn't step on someone's foot even though I was barely sober. Before I danced with them, I also took a bite of some sweets to hide the smell of alcohol."May I have the next dance?"I turned only to see a young handsome man smiling at me. Since I am so used to masquerade balls, I could tell right away who someone is even with a mask on,but this guy is a stranger to me.I wanted to stop for a moment and find my friends to help me sober up a bit but if I say no what if he turns out to be an important person? I can't dare make a mistake. So, I flashed a smile and nodded."That would be my pleasure."But ten minutes later, I felt the effect of whatever alcohol it is, kicked in again.Maybe I should've heeded Anastasia's word and waited for my friends to arrive. But right now, there's no turning back. Everyone's watching. One wrong move and I might get humiliated on my own engagement ball."Just want you to know that you look so beautiful tonight."Finally, the stranger said something. I thought he can't speak or something."Beautiful?" I asked, and I swear it was the alcohol talking. "Can't you use another word? That is so overrated for a word, mister."He chuckled and for a moment I was mesmerized with the sight of him. Even with a mask on he looks dashing. Far too unreal. He even has this kind of intoxicating scent I have been wanting to sniff but no! I'm Aurelia Rothchild! I'm with class and not a pervert!But as we danced, I noticed something on his wrist. A tattoo. I was confused but I tried not to show it. You know, once you put an ink on your skin, in nobilities, you are considered dirty. That's why we don't do tattoos. Perhaps, this guy is the rebel one in his family. Nothing new. Every clan had their own black sheep."Really? Are you already tired of hearing it?" He asked, making me snap out of my fantasies. "But it's true though. You look beautiful tonight," His lips, which are the only thing I could clearly see formed into a grin. He leaned closer and whispered."And appetizing."Is he aware of what could happen to him if I snap my fingers and told the people out here what he just said to me?"You do know this is my engagement party?" I narrowed my eyes, giving him my do-you-have-a-death-wish look. But he looks unperturbed. Gosh, is he drunk or crazy?"I know."I badly want to brush off that smirk running across his face."But do you like it?" He asked, his hand on my waist pulling me gently with a turn, the edges of my gown dancing along the flames on the candelabras around us."Like what?""This." He gazed at the guests dancing in the wide hall with us. "I mean, are you happy about this? People dancing, eating the food that comes out from your parents' money just to celebrate their daughter getting sold off to a stranger you've never even met. Is that supposed to make you happy?"I felt a cold wave of uneasiness brush past my shoulder. I knew I made it all obvious I felt tensed up. But I couldn't hide it. I'm supposed to act calm and composed but what he said was very... insulting."Don't get confused with the two," He shook his head. "Feeling insulted and being infuriated are two different things. Right now, you're feeling the latter,"He whispered again. "Because you know that somehow, what I said is right."I am Aurelia Rothchild. I've never been a disgrace to my family. I've never done a mistake. And I like it that way. My parents give me everything. What more could I ask for?What more?"Do you want to see what I see?" He asked again. And there was something with his smile that looks enticing. His voice was very inviting, like a moth drawn to a flame I wanted to know what else he could see that I haven't. What more do I have to ask for when what I have is more than enough; more than the word 'more'."See what?" I was already in a daze, but he held me on the waist tightly so as to not make me fall on the dance floor, my feet barely balanced but it wasn't obvious with the way he glided me through the dance floor. More than dancing, I felt like flying. Going somewhere far more magical, far more exciting."Some people here," He went closer, too close I could feel his warm breath passing through my bare skin. "Are no humans."What is he talking about?Is he drunk as well?I was about to let go of him but he held onto me tightly, unwilling to let me go, unwilling to stop the waltz.A playful smirk flashed across his face. "See it for yourself."As we waltz around the dance floor, as the sound of classical music hung heavily in my ears, I roamed my eyes around. The place was dimly lit, the large windows covered in dark burgundy curtains. And there were people watching us with a smile, some were dancing along with us. I saw my parents not too far staring at me proudly, champagne in their hands.My head throbbed in pain.I shut my eyes for a second; let it rest for a moment. But the second I flung my eyes open,I could see far more than that."W-what..."A cold lump in my throat made me unable to speak. My feet felt frozen and numb, but the stranger continuously guided me throughout the dance floor, taking me into a waltz where he is the only one in control."Do you see it now? Those things I am trying to protect you from?" He said but I find no right words to answer him.Is this the alcohol? I choked on my own breath. I could hear my heavy breathing. I'm definitely sober right now. But what is this? J-just what am I seeing?As soon as I opened my eyes, I could see something. There were other people who had claws beneath their suits, beneath the jewelry laced on their hands. They had fangs, sharp enough to instill fear in my system, they had golden slit eyes, and they are everywhere. They are around me, smiling, clapping, staring right at me!My body shuddered in fear. The whole dance floor seems to be so dark right now. The candelabras felt like candles placed on a grave. I'm a woman trapped in the monsters' den. There are so many of them. They are-My tracks stopped. My eyes stayed still in a certain direction. They were looking right at me, and I felt like I am walking on thin ice and with one wrong move, I'll fall.The parents of the man I am supposed to marry,why do they look like monsters, too?