At exactly 6:00, Jacob and I got ready. The door knocked, and I looked out of the window to see the carriage waiting at the door. Jacob jumped with excitement, "They have come.... let's go, let's go Elara."
I chuckled, "Yeah yeah, you go open the door, I'll be down in seconds."
Jacob dashed downstairs, and you could hear him exclaiming as he opened the door. I headed to my room to give myself one final look in the mirror. My gown was a deep, rich blue, the silk shimmering as I moved.
I sighed, "It's just a party Elara..... nothing will happen.... just smile." I said to myself and then came out of my room.
Before I went downstairs, I knocked on my mother's room door. I knocked gently on the door. After a moment, I heard her call out, "Come in, dear."
I found her seated at her vanity, knitting Jacob's hat. She smiled as she saw me coming.
I walked in, "We are going, Mother."
"Oh, Elara, you look so beautiful," she said softly, her eyes welling up with pride and a touch of sadness.
I smiled, "Thanks..... we will be home soon."
I walked towards Mother and held her hand in mine as I kissed her knuckles, "Take care of yourself, okay?"
She nodded, her eyes misty as she held my hand. "I'll be fine, dear. Just be safe and have a wonderful time." She hugged me tightly, holding on for a moment longer than usual.
*******
As I descended the stairs, a sense of excitement and nervousness washed over me. I took a deep breath, smoothing out my gown as I made my way outside.
The cool evening air caressed my skin as I stepped out into the night. The sound of crickets and the distant music from the ball drifted through the air, setting my heart aflutter.
I walked towards the carriage, its elegant design and soft glow of the lanterns making it look like a magical chariot. Lily opened the door, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Sister, come here," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
I smiled, feeling like a princess in my beautiful gown. "Yeah."
As I approached the carriage, misses mathron leaned out, her eyes shining with admiration. "You look stunning, Elara! That color suits you perfectly." She scoots over, patting the seat beside her invitingly. "Come sit by me!"
I sat down beside her, feeling like I was on top of the world. I tugged Jacob onto my lap, feeling his excitement and energy infectious. "Yeah... thanks, you don't look less, don't you? At your age?" I teased, playfully.
Misses Mathron chuckled, fluttering her lashes dramatically. "Well, I am married now, you know. I have to keep up appearances." She winked mischievously, making me giggle.
Jacob chattered excitedly on my lap, telling me all about the decorations he'd seen on the way to the Ball. I listened, feeling happy and carefree for the first time in years.
As I looked out of the carriage window, the passing trees and buildings seemed to blur together in a colorful haze. The music and laughter from the ball grew louder, and I could feel my heart beating faster with excitement.
I took a deep breath, feeling like I was on the verge of a new adventure. I was smiling for no reason, feeling happy and alive. Like my soul have finally came back to life.
********
As we stepped out of the carriage, Jacob's eyes widened in awe, his voice barely above a whisper. "They are so big!" he exclaimed, his gaze fixed on the massive palace gates.
I smiled, feeling a sense of wonder myself. "Yeah..... I wonder, what is inside?" Lily spoke up, her voice filled with excitement.
Misses Mathron grinned, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Well, let's go find out, shall we?" She took Lily's hand, and we all followed her towards the palace entrance.
As we approached the massive palace doors, they swung open, revealing a grand foyer that took my breath away. The room was filled with glittering chandeliers, opulent decorations, and the soft music of an orchestra.
Jacob's eyes went wide, his voice full of wonder. "Wooooow."
The grand staircase swept upwards, lined with noblemen and ladies in their finest attire. They watched us with interest, their faces a blur of curiosity and politeness.
Footmen in livery stood at regular intervals, bearing trays laden with glasses of wine and hors d'oeuvres. The air was filled with the hum of conversation, the clinking of glasses, and the soft music of the orchestra.
I leaned in closer to Misses Mathron, whispering into her ear, "Do you even recognize anyone here?" I giggled as I knew that in this big, massive royal ballroom, there were so many noble men and women, but they were all from so many different states and kingdoms. We couldn't recognize anyone.
Misses Mathron leaned in close to me, whispering back, "Not a soul. But that's part of the fun, isn't it? Meeting new people and making connections." She straightened up, her eyes scanning the crowd with interest. "Shall we?"
I smiled, "Yeah, sure." Misses Mathron took my hand, leading me towards the grand staircase. Lily skipped alongside, chattering excitedly to Jacob as they followed behind.
As we ascended the stairs, Misses Mathron pointed out various nobles as she recognized them, her voice low and excited. "And there, the man in the green coat - that's the Duke of Westbridge. And beside him, oh! The Duchess of Ashford!"
She turned to me with a grin. "Hmm," I humbled, "We are finally seeing some people from our town." I said, as Misses Mathron shook her head.
"Ah, not only that, my dear... look over here." She turned to the crowd, where we saw the king and queen greeting some guests. "This is the king with the crown, and the queen... you see them?" she asked.
I narrowed my eyes and looked for a minute, then found them. "Oh yes... yes, the king." Misses Mathron nodded, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Indeed, the King and Queen themselves! Isn't this thrilling?" She squeezed my hand gently.
Suddenly, Jacob came rushing over, tugging at my skirt. "Look, sister! We found the sweet table!" Misses Mathron chuckled at Jacob's exuberance.
"Oh but we can't go there right now Jacob." I explained.
"Why not sister?" Lily pout grabbing my gown in her little hands she said "I want to go there."
"Lily.... Because it's still so early desert baby. You can play with Jacob till we meet with the guests okay?" Misses marthon smiled to her. Trying to convince her.
"Yeah lily, let's go. Sweats can wait." Jacob grabbed lily's arms as he spoke.
"Fine..... let's go." Lily surrender and I chuckled at her cuteness.
As they go to explore more of the ares of the ball room, we made our way through the crowd, we approached a group of people standing near the balcony. They were our neighbors, and they greeted us warmly.
A familiar voice called out, "Misses Mathron! What a pleasant surprise!" It was Lord Blackwood, our neighbor. He inclined his head respectfully. "And Elara, looking lovely as always."
I smiled politely and replied, "Thank you, Uncle."
Lady Blackwood noticed my distracted gaze and leaned in conspiratorially. "Don't fret over the little ones, my dear. They're delighting in the sweets and causing no harm, I assure you."
Just then, I spotted Jacob running around the noble ladies, and my heart sank. He slipped on one of the lady's gowns, and I quickly excused myself to intervene.
"Excuse me," I said, hurrying over to the commotion.
As I approached, I saw Jacob, his face flushed and eyes wide, trying to untangle himself from the silken folds of the lady's elaborate gown. The lady in question, a tall, beautiful girl with sharp features, looked amused as she gazed at Jacob.
"Oh my god!" she began, her voice sharp.
Jacob quickly stood up and bowed. "I am sorry, miss... it... it was my mistake."
I looked at the girl, concerned that she might scold Jacob further. But as I saw her angry face, I stepped in to intervene.
"What happened, Jacob?" I asked calmly, looking at my brother with a gentle tone.
The girl's eyes narrowed as I intervened, her expression twisting in annoyance. Jacob's lower lip trembled as he looked up at Princess Florence, his eyes welling up with tears.
"I-I tripped, and then my foot got caught on her dress..." He sniffled, his voice trailing off as he awaited her wrath.
I looked at the lady, taking in her noble appearance. Her gown was exquisite, but now it was marred by Jacob's footprints and a torn hem. Lily and Jacob had slipped on the delicate fabric, causing the damage.
I bowed my head, grabbing Jacob's arms to hold him steady. "I apologize, Princess. This won't happen again." I spoke with a respectful manner, trying to placate her.
But the princess's expression only darkened. She looked down at her torn gown and the footprint on the floor, her lips pursing in annoyance. "You ungrateful creatures," she spat, her voice dripping with venom.
And then, in a shocking move, she slapped me hard across the face. For the whole ten seconds, my mind shuts down.
It felt like I have just been thrown deep into the water.
Is this my fate?
Is this someone gets when they apologize for something which they haven't even done?
Is this how rich kids from rich families treats other people?
What did I do wrong?
Her handprint was red on my cheek as I took a shaky breath, still holding onto Jacob protectively.
I can hear the people whisper and stare at the confrontation, their faces a mixture of shock and curiosity. I felt my eyes flash with anger, but I maintained my composure for Jacob's sake. I wouldn't let him see me lose control, no matter how much I wanted to lash out at that lady.
I stood there, my gaze fixed on the ground, I couldn't help but think that this was exactly what I had been trying to avoid. My mother had been so insistent that I attend this ball, despite my reservations. And now, it seemed that her efforts had not worked on the way she wanted.
That girl's insult cut deep, but I was determined not to let it get to me. I had known that I didn't belong in this world of nobles and royalty, and I had been proven right.
But as I stood there, ready to accept whatever punishment the princess saw fit to mete out, a man intervened. He was tall and imposing, with broad shoulders and chiseled features. His piercing eyes seemed to bore into the princess, and his sharp jawline was set in a firm line.
He was dressed in a sleek black suit that accentuated his muscular physique, and his dark hair was perfectly styled. He looked every inch the powerful businessman, and yet, there was something about him that seemed...different.
"Florence!" he exclaimed, grabbing the princess's arm and stopping her from striking me again. "What the hell are you doing?"
That girl's face turned bright red with anger and embarrassment as she turned to face the man. But before she could speak, another man pushed his way through the crowd.
"What is happening, Florence?" he asked, his voice low and commanding.
I looked up at the man, and my eyes widened as I took in his handsome features and regal bearing. The crowd around us began to murmur, their voices filled with awe and reverence.
"Crown Prince," they whispered. "Oh my god, the Crown Prince."
I felt a shiver run down my spine as I realized who this man was. And as I looked at that girl back, I realized that her name was Florence. Which meant that she was...
But before I could complete the thought, princess Florence spoke up, her voice dripping with venom. "You two are nothing but worthless peasants," she spat. "You dare to ruin my dress and then have the audacity to apologize? You should be grateful I don't have you both thrown in the dungeon!"
I felt a surge of anger at her words, but I bit back my retort. I knew that I couldn't afford to antagonize the princess further. Not when Jacob was by my side, and I had to protect him.
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