Elena walks out of the curtain revealing herself. She looks down beyond the grand stairs and everyone is doing their own thing, conversing with each other. These people are here to see her, it doesn't feel real.
"Everyone welcome Princess Elena Victoria Katherine Baron-Grant." The announcer announces and immediately he does they all turn their heads upward to take a look at the princess. Elena is taken aback a bit because the way they turn their heads is robotic in a way. Do they want to see the princess so badly?
It's her queue to walk down the grand stairs so she moves forward. She hopes she doesn't trip and fall because that will be so embarrassing so she will walk as slowly as possible. She's not tripping tonight she thinks. She's not slouching or putting her head down either. She will be her confident self, looking up, shoulders raised and a smile on her face.
She sees that her uncle Conrad is down there waiting for her to arrive. He's dressed more like a King than ever, he's dressed in a red suit and has a cape on him, and \ he has a crown on top of his head this time. When she gets down she takes her Uncle's hand.
"You look beautiful niece." He says to her.
"Thank you," she says blushing. "And you look dashing."
"Hmm?" He looks at himself and then shrugs. "I try" he puts on a smile and Elena giggles."Now, I know this is going to be a hard and long night but I'm going to introduce you to everyone here, they really want to see you."
Elena looks around at the people looking at her, most of them are smiling saying how pretty she is how much she looks like her mother and how she has her father's eyes.
She's going to be introduced to the people who want to see her, how hard could that be?
She's first introduced to the King of France who is too young to be King, he's nineteen and he's drunk already. He throws his hands in the air and hugs Elena, Elena is taken aback but she hugs him back.
"Oh, mademoiselle you are beautiful as ever. You should come to my parties you'll never regret it or leave bored." he winks at her.
"King Antoine throws the best parties in France." Uncle Conrad says to her.
"I do, I do oui." He says drinking from a bottle instead of a glass like everyone else. Elena smiles but gives him a look. More like a grimaced smile. She loves how enthusiastic he is but does he have to be drunk?
Next thing they know his wings pop up and he takes a girl by the hand and they're dancing in the air, well he's the only one dancing the girl just looks around in shock, confused as to what is happening. Elena laughs at him while admiring his wings.
"Come on Elena." Her uncle laughs. "Let's go meet the rest."
"Is he always this drunk?"
"I'm afraid so, he was spoiled by his parents before they got themselves killed by trolls. People are saying France won't have a ruler once Antoine dies and I pray that doesn't happen but it seems more likely."
"Wow." is all Elena can say.
So the night continues with Elena meeting Kings, Queens, Princes and Princess from different lands, she meets Dukes, Duchesses and Prime Ministers. The King and Queen of Spain are so nice and they give her loads of compliments in a way that makes her feel extra special.
She also meets actors, musicians and other entertainers and CEOs in the entertainment industry. She can't wait to watch their movies here and listen to their songs. To be engrossed in the pop culture here, she has to be educated every step of the way. But more importantly, she wants to know what the politics is like.
She's always wanted to meet the fashion designer who gifted her the dresses she had to choose from and there she is. A pretty pink-haired French woman who looks like she could be in her late twenties but is in her early thirties.
"Ah, there she is let me look at you." She spins Elena around and Elena does so with a smile, she feels more like a model now, a model who knows how to dress but it's all thanks to the talent of this fashion designer who wanted her to look her best.
"Ah, I knew you would look great in any of those gowns. Excellent choice." Josephine looks her up and down.
"Thank you so much for those gowns. I am so grateful." Elena says, cheeks flushed and hands clasped.
She clicks her tongue and waves her off. "No, thank you for making me feel good by looking good in my dress." she winks and they both laugh.
"You are an amazing designer."
"Ah, thank you you're so sweet dear." Elena loves her confidence too. She loves that she doesn't have to be humble. Not every woman has to be humble and she loves that this designer is unapologetically herself.
Oh and also, she's in her late forties not her early thirties. Elena has to know her skincare routine. Or does she even have one and it's all just the fairy genes because everyone here looks so good?
"Welcome to Euroix darling." She hugs her. And Elena thanks her. "Okay, if you'd excuse me I'm going to make good use of the wine. Your majesty." she takes a bow and then walks away. She and her uncle chuckle.
Elena has felt welcomed since she stepped into this world. Even the witches welcomed her in their evil way. They're reminding her that they're all evil and never to be trusted, and everyone here has made her feel extra special. Some even talked to her in pity. Because everyone in this room knows that her parents are dead. Everyone on this continent knows that her parents are dead.
It's very understandable but she doesn't just want to be known as the girl with the dead parents, she wants to be known as Elena who is here to grab anything by the horns and tame it.
She takes a look at every one. Some are still looking at her admiring her and are glad to the Gods for bringing her back to their world safely. Some go on with their business. Her little cousins are playing around with their dog. Her Aunts are approaching her and her uncle.
"Hello, niece have you captured the heart of any prince here yet?" Aunt Imogen blows smoke out of her mouth. "I see Prince Massimo wants you to be his bride." She winks and Elena grimaces.
"He's fifty," she says.
"So?" She simply says, like it's no big deal. Her Aunt Stella rolls her eyes but still has a smile on her face. She loves her sister-in-law but sometimes she can be a bit much.
"I'm just joking." Aunt Imogen laughs. "Besides he's a water fairy, he can't marry a light fairy."
Yes, Alex told Elena about that. Two fairies of different breeds cannot get married only if they're royals though. An earth fairy can get married to a fire fairy if they're not royals but royals are to get married to a fairy of the same breed. That means Elena is never to get married to anyone who isn't a light fairy.
It sucks, people should be allowed to love and get married to whoever they want. At least that's what she told Alex.
"How are you enjoying the ball dear?" Her Aunt Stella asks her and Elena nods.
"Everyone's been so welcoming, and I'm so happy to be in a ball for the first time." she giggles. "I've always wanted to attend a ball. But I am kind of flushed out with all the greetings though," she says that last part with a squeezed face.
"Ah." Aunt Stella says looking at her husband. They share a form of communication as if they're talking to each other with their mind. Uncle Conrad looks at Elena and then starts looking for something or someone. He does a nod that way and Elena looks around.
She sees a table full of snacks, but that's not who her uncle wants Elena to see. Next to the snack table are Alex and Pierre.
"Go meet your friends and I'm sure you're hungry."
"Ugh, thank you," she says disappearing like she was never there.
"I'm telling you there's no way a sprite can ever get sick, those creatures are too hyperactive for that," Alex says to Pierre.
"Hey, guys."
"Elena," Pierre says her name standing up straight and he looks like he's just witnessed a supreme being coming from the heavens.
"You look beautiful," he says to her and Elena blushes.
"Thank you."
"OMG! Look at you. Princess Elena has arrived." Alex hypes her up which is all he's ever done since they were kids. He's always been Elena's hype man.
"Thanks, guys. I just met the fashion designer who made this dress and can you believe she's forty? What is her skincare routine?"
"She has no skincare routine she's just French," Alex says shrugging. Elena blinks in surprise. Then turns to Pierre.
"Really?"
Pierre just shrugs. "I don't know about that," he says, and Elena just can't with his French accent mixed with his pitched-bass voice. It's so fucking cute.
"Oh, shut the bloody hell up you know what I'm talking about," Alex says and they all laugh.
"Uh, Princess Elena?" She hears someone say and the person who just called her is a beautiful young woman with long white hair, icy blue eyes, and a diamond-shaped face. She looks like a model but there's a crown on her head. She's a royal.
"Your majesty." Alex and Pierre say in unison bowing down before her. Elena doesn't know whether to do the same, she's too enamoured by this woman's beauty. Her beautiful golden brown skin glows under the lights.
"Oh, you don't have to do that guys." And she's Russian, yes all Snow fairies have white hair and are Russian. "Thank you," she says. And her smile is amazing.
"Elena this is Queen Sofia, the Queen of Russia."
"Queen? You look so young."
Queen Sofia chuckles. "I'm nineteen. That's what happens when your parents are killed by witches."
Elena's face shapes into sadness.
"I'm so sorry."
"It's fine. You didn't kill them," she says but it's not fine. Those witches are terrorists and Elena thinks they should be stopped why are they such murderers?
"Anyway, I just came to welcome you to Euroix as I had just arrived."
"Than- thank you," Elena says.
"You'll be going to Hollow Prep Academy right?" She asks. And Elena nods. "Good, I bet you and my sister Anastasia will be good friends." Queen Sofia looks away and puts a brief worried look on her face. "I hope." she looks back at Elena with a smile on her face.
"Welcome once again." she takes a bow and this time Elena does the same. The Queen walks away. And Elena waits for her to be far away before she can ask.
"Anastasia meaning."
"Yes, the wicked snow princess," Alex says.
"Oh, come on don't call her that," Pierre says and Alex shrugs and walks away. Elena is looking at Pierre wondering. Yes, Anastasia was his girlfriend but does he still have feelings for her? If he does then that will be a bumper, but she's not supposed to be disappointed. Maybe she won't be so disappointed when she has a strawberry cake. Which is where she's headed right now.