Chapter 45 - Another Ball (1/2)

I walked around aimlessly for an indeterminate amount of time as I pondered my predicament.

One of my maids managed to track me down before Al did, shrieking about how there wouldn't be enough time to beautify me for the ball. Joy. More of the Barbie doll treatment.

My stare was blank and my expression emotionless as they stuffed me into an even larger cage than usual and an elaborate sky blue gown studded with jewels that trailed down the skirt from a large cl.u.s.ter around the bodice.

It was so heavy I could hardly breathe.

My hair was twisted into an intricate series of braids, leaving just enough space for the tiara that boasted a sapphire in the center that matched my dress.

I had never worn a real tiara before. Wearing a fake one and prancing around in a princess costume with Abby one Halloween as kids had never seemed farther away.

Mariela wouldn't look me in the eye when the royal family gathered together in front of the grand ballroom to make a dramatic entrance.

She pointedly clung to her husband's arm and ignored me. He noticed and shot me a confused look before smiling softly down at her as she gazed up at him.

Rosenia looked as excited as she was capable of—usually she had such a bored, disdainful expression. Of course. This was her chance to show off in front of everybody.

She stood near her husband but did not speak to him. I couldn't help but wonder if those two had any sort of relationship at all or if it was entirely political.

Al approached me hesitantly, looking every bit the dashing prince in a formal blue coat that went well with my dress.

”Are you alright? I haven't seen you much lately.”

”I'm not but now isn't the time or place to discuss it,” I sighed.

I didn't have an adequate explanation for why I had been so distant. At this point, I didn't know anything.

Should I just give up and accept my fate in this fantasy world? Could I afford to?

”But…you are willing to discuss it?” His gray eyes met mine earnestly and my heart sunk.

He looked so hopeful but that couldn't overshadow the same despair that radiated from him when we first met. How one pair of eyes could express so much at once was beyond comprehension.

”Yes,” I said quietly.

It wouldn't be so much of a stretch to put it down as nerves, would it? Didn't everyone get cold feet before they got married?

Especially since I was becoming a princess…that was a lot of pressure. Al would probably buy it.

My guilt increased. He didn't deserve to be lied to like this. He trusted me. Lying to someone who trusts you is worse in a way than lying to someone who doesn't.

Al gave me a sad sort of smile before offering me his arm. ”It's starting.”

I took a deep breath and placed my hand daintily on his inner elbow. Show time. The herald announced the king and queen first and descended by order of rank until it was our turn.

”His Highness, Prince Alpheus Randolph McLeod of Annalaias and Her Ladyship, Catherine Arabella du Pont, future princess of Annalaias.”

My grip on Al's arm tightened as we stepped onto the dais. Hundreds of eyes were on us. I got the vibe that he wanted to comfort me somehow but couldn't since he was frozen in position with everyone watching.

We descended the grand staircase slowly so I wouldn't trip in my many layers of skirts and high-heeled dancing slippers.

Everyone wanted a piece of us—it wasn't every day a ball was held in honor of a new princess—but thankfully a familiar face got to us first.

”Eddie!” I cried with delight, about to go in for a hug before I realized Madame Chalaise was probably watching from somewhere and would kill me for breaching etiquette in such a way at my very first outing as part of the royal family.

Instead I opted for reaching out and clasping his hands in my gloved ones. ”I thought you were at school!”

”Well,” he said with a teasing glint in his eye. ”When you get a letter that says your sister is about to become a princess certain exceptions get made. You should have seen the dean's face when I told him! You've been the talk of Calabaster Academy. I even got to miss exams for this!”

”Of course that's all you care about,” I said with a laugh.

Since I left Edmund honestly believing we would never meet again, this was unexpectedly nice.

”Oh, where are my manners. Eddie, this is my…fiancé…Alpheus. Al, my brother Edmund.”