On watching Prince Dante leave the balcony, Anastasia brought her hand to her chest and gently patted her beating heart. She breathed the words,
"Quiet now."
Anastasia didn't know why, but her heart didn't calm down for several minutes, and only after that did she leave the balcony in the same direction as the one the prince had disappeared to.
Upon reaching the main hall, her eyes fell on the many pillars that stood away from each other to form a circle. Thin golden curtains hung from the ceiling, which were fastened to the pillars to create a wall-like appearance.
"… to be blessed with such a loving family, subjects," Anastasia heard the loud and authoritative voice that belonged to King William. Passing the curtains, she stood at the back along with the other guests. At the centre of the room stood King William and his wife. He addressed her, "My dear Sophia, I wish you a happy birthday and on the same occasion, I have a present that might please you." He waved his hand for a minister who held a box in his hands.
All the guests, including Anastasia, as well as the other members of the Blackthorn family, who stood not far from the King and Lady Sophia, watched the minister step forward.
When the box was opened, and King William picked up the gift inside it, there was a murmur of appreciation around the hall when their eyes fell on the delicate golden crown with ruby stones.
"Is that a high crown?" Someone near Anastasia asked in a whisper.
"I thought only two crowns existed of that size until now," another person whispered. One was worn by the King and the other by the Mother Queen. "This one looks more than an inch or two higher, so it must be significant."
King William's words were proud as he said, "This crown was specially made for Lady Sophia as my lawfully wedded wife. I want to elevate her to a higher status as she has given birth to the heir who will lead Versailles."
Lady Sophia was more than impressed by her husband's words, and soon her thin crown of an inch was replaced by the three-inch crown. She murmured with a smile, "I never expected this gift, my King."
Slow and soft music began to play from one corner of the room, under the light of the chandelier candles hanging from the ceiling.
And while Lady Sophia, her two children, and the King were pleased, some members of the Blackthorn family had tight smiles, while a few faces were expressionless. It was because Lady Sophia's position was elevated to Queen Sophia, and she was no longer the same status as the other three women who had children with her husband. And with status came power.
King William then said, "Everyone can now enjoy the celebration!"
Some of the guests were quick to go to where the King and Queen stood to congratulate them and wish both of them a long life. The princes and princesses were the first ones to offer their wishes.
"How dramatic," the Mother Queen remarked when she noticed her son's two concubines leaving the main hall, as they were upset with the King's actions. "I should be the one who gets to be dramatic for not knowing about it," her lips setting in a thin line, while Dante accompanied her.
To Dante, his father's actions didn't come as a surprise. Since he had been unable to trigger his Crux, he and his mother had become unfavourable in his father's eyes.
The Mother Queen wasn't pleased that her son had not uttered a word about it and was changing traditions. She asked Dante, "How is your mother? I didn't find the opportunity to visit her."
"She's been doing better than yesterday. The physician's medicine is working well," Dante answered. It had been three days since Lady Lucretia had fallen sick and was resting in her room this evening.
"I am glad to hear that," the Mother Queen replied before they finally reached where the King and the Queen stood. "Happy birthday, Sophia," she wished her daughter-in-law.
"Happy birthday, Queen Sophia," Dante wished his father's wife, who raised her hand forward, and he kissed the back of her hand.
"Thank you," Queen Sophia smiled in pure joy, knowing that her and her children's future was secured.
"Queen Sophia," The Lumbard family came forward and wished, "Congratulations and happy birthday!"
"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Lumbard. Welcome to Versailles," Queen Sophia welcomed them. Her eyes then fell on their daughter, "You must be Amara. You look like a doll."
Amara had worn a blue gown as her mother had advised her. To cover the lower half of her face, she had worn a golden long tassel veil mask. She offered a deep bow to show her appreciation.
"Indeed, she has grown up," King William nodded and turned to Dante, "Isn't she beautiful?" His wife had already mentioned the hope of a potential alliance between Dante and the Lumbards, who were close relatives to one of the Kings in the East.
Amara hadn't been able to take her eyes off Prince Dante since she had caught sight of him. She was instantly smitten, and couldn't wait to gain his favour.
"Maybe if she chose another colour."
The young woman's face fell instantly on hearing Dante's words. Queen Sophia softly laughed and said, "Dante likes to joke."
"Joke by handing out the truth. My grandson is very honest with his words," the Mother Queen nodded, only to receive a look from Queen Sophia.
Amara fixed her fallen face and asked, "Prince Dante, if I may ask, what colour do you think would suit me?" Even though she was a young lady, she was raised to be able to handle such situations and move on gracefully.
But Amara had never met anyone like Prince Dante before, and he deadpanned,
"I would have chosen one if it existed, Lady Amara. Excuse me, I have to talk to the Vizier about something," offering a slight bow, he left.
King William laughed, and so did Queen Sophia with a little nervousness. The King said, "Don't mind Dante's words. Unlike his two brothers, he has spent most of his time on the battlefield or planning it, rather than learning how to speak to a beautiful lady like you, Amara."
Amara smiled softly, "I can understand, my King. I don't feel offended by the prince's words." She turned to look at where Prince Dante was, who was now talking to the Vizier.
Once the King and the Lumbards had left their side, Queen Sophia tried to keep her tone as polite as possible when she asked, "Mother Queen, may I know what that was?"
The older woman tucked a piece of red hair behind her ear, and with a look of obliviousness, asked, "What? Oh, you mean the Lumbards daughter? Yes, I decided not to go with her."
Queen Sophia pursed her lips before saying, "The marriage alliance with the Lumbard family will be beneficial. It will be good for Versailles, and the King agrees to it. The Lumbards agreed to come this far to cement the relationship."
The Mother Queen stopped a servant walking nearby with a tray of glasses and took one from him. She finally replied, "How unfortunate, as I found another suitable lady. I will let you know once I find her," she took a sip and walked away from her, leaving her daughter-in-law with a gobsmacked expression.
On the other side of the main hall, where the celebration continued, the curious eyes of the men and women followed Anastasia. Most of the young women attending the celebration had chosen to wear soft colours to make them look innocent and mild in nature.
But the green gown that Anastasia wore stood out from the rest, while the veil that covered the lower half of her face raised questions of who she was and where she had come from.
Having never been stared at this much, Anastasia wanted to cave in and leave. But she had come here to see her sister. When she caught sight of Marianne and Maxwell, she moved a little closer. Her sister looked happy, and the prince seemed to be giving her all his attention.
"Milady, would you like to drink something?" A servant asked her.
Anastasia had worked with the servant before, and she quickly took the glass from the tray, "Thank you." But when the servant didn't recognise her, she felt relieved.
Taking a sip from the glass, Anastasia took another step closer behind where Marianne was; she heard Prince Maxwell say to her sister,
"I think the crown will look beautiful on your head."
"I would not dare to dream of it," Marianne shook her head and pointed out, "Your glass is empty. Let me get you another one."
Prince Maxwell caught Marianne's hand to stop her from leaving and said, "You don't have to. A servant will come here. I want to spend my time with you," he offered her a smile. "So, have you decided your answer to my earlier question?"
Question? Anastasia asked herself, simultaneously finishing the drink in her glass.
Marianne smiled and said, "I am still thinking about it, Prince Maxwell."
When Anastasia caught sight of the Mother Queen moving near to where her sister stood, she quickly hid behind the pillar. At the same time, the empty glass in her hand slipped. It was about to fall to the floor, but was caught in time by someone else and given back to her.
"Lady, you should be careful with glasses, because it could hur—Tasia, is that you?!" Prince Aiden blinked when his hand touched her palms, staring at the young woman's face that was behind the green veil.
"Prince Aiden." Anastasia felt blood beginning to drain from her face, "I mean, Juan…"
This time even Prince Aiden's expression fell before a deep frown settled on his face. He exclaimed, "Oh my God! I thought you were a maid of some high-class family, but you are a lady of a privileged background and your family has been hurting you!"
What? Anastasia's speech had temporarily disappeared. She touched her veil in shock and whispered, "Was it my face?"
Aiden stared at her before he replied, "Your hands." Damn glass! He pulled her behind the curtains and a pillar. He said, "Wow, to think you have been hiding your beautiful face so well. And I thought I did it better! Do not tell anyone that you saw me outside the palace!"
"If you promise not to tell anyone about you seeing me out in the city," Anastasia wondered if she was hanging on a thin rope.
"I promise," Aiden nodded, and as his excitement settled down, he stared at the beautiful woman before him. He said, "I thought I was the only one who loved to escape the walls of my house and be a free bird. It is good to know that there's someone else apart from me who feels the same. Wait, what happened to the camels?"
Anastasia bowed at him and apologised, "Pardon me, Prince Aiden. My sister didn't want to ride a camel, so I accompanied her here."
"I see," Aiden gave a solemn nod. "Tasia, you can call me Aiden."
"I dare not," Anastasia nervously smiled. She had no wish to have her tongue severed from her mouth.
Aiden said thoughtfully, "I think it would be strange if someone saw you with me like this. We should go back to the celebration."
"You can go ahead, Prince Aiden. I will come in a while," Anastasia responded, urging the prince to walk back inside, but the young prince frowned.
"Your secret is safe with me, Tasia,' Aiden patted the pocket of his maroon shirt and then asked, "Wait, where have you been staying? In the palace?"
Anastasia quickly replied, "In Versailles. Let us get inside," she smiled before stepping back into the main hall. As if the looks she received earlier weren't enough, some of the guests turned to look at them. After all, Prince Aiden was the next in line to the throne.
Not too far from them, like many other princes and princesses who were surrounded by guests, so was Dante. Families with daughters spoke to him, waiting for the prince to ask them for a dance. And though he could feel a rising headache, he managed to wear a calm and poised expression.
"Prince Dante, I hear that you will be leading the war again? You are a really brave man!" One of the elderly male guests praised him.
"Indeed, Prince Dante. I always tell my daughter, Leilani, about it. To wage so many wars and flourish, it must be so difficult. The entire kingdom of Versailles knows about it," said an older female guest. She then added, "This is my daughter, Leilani. She has excelled in the art of dance and poetry. Come, Leilani, let Prince Dante hear your poetry," she pulled her daughter to the front.
Dante stared at the young woman, who was dressed in gold. As patient as he was in dealing with the guests by now, the prince didn't wear a smile and he remarked,
"That won't be necessary, Mrs. Sharman. I bet your daughter is well versed in it, but perhaps Mr. Gervile would be interested to hear it instead?" he turned to look at the man, who nodded.
"Prince Dante, are you busy tomorrow? I was thinking of taking a stroll in the garden. Would you like to join me?" a young lady eagerly asked him. Dante despised celebrations such as these, as his family thought they could send young women his way so that he could pick one of them for his wife. As if dealing with the concubines and courtesans wasn't enough, Dante thought in his mind.
Another man spoke on behalf of his daughter, "Isla would like to see all the inner gardens with you as you are knowledgeable."
Amara had made her way through the little crowd as she smiled and said, "Prince Dante will be busy strategizing for the upcoming war and doesn't have time for it now. Isn't that right, my Prince?"
Dante wasn't the least bit interested in the woman's words. When he looked away for the briefest moment, his eyes fell on the woman he had met on the garden balcony, who now stood next to his brother, Aiden.
At the same time, King William and Mr. Lumbard appeared. King William remarked, "Young Amara seems to be very thoughtful about my son." He then turned to look at Dante and said, "You should ask her for a dance, Dante."
Amara said, "Prince Dante, if not me, you should at least ask someone for a dance, no? I would be hurt if someone said you are only good at the battlefield and not adept at leading a lady for a dance."
Dante finished the drink in his hand, and handed the glass to the servant, before he said, "I should."
The King had already said what was needed, and Amara was confident with her beauty and status. Amara got ready to be asked but her face fell the second time for the evening, when he walked away from there.
Anastasia was discussing the Bazaar with Aiden when she sensed an intense gaze on her. When she turned to look in that direction, she met Dante's eyes, who now walked towards her.
Dante stopped his footsteps right in front of her, before which Aiden had taken a large sip from his drink and stared at his brother.
Captive under Dante's gaze, Anastasia felt her heart skip a beat. She softly gulped, not knowing what Dante wanted, until he brought his hand forward and requested with a slight bow,
"Dance with me, Tasia."
Aiden spat the liquid on a guest not far from him before coughing, as this behaviour was very unlike that of his brother.
Music Recommendation: Someone- TSS
—
When Anastasia had slipped into the emerald and beige gown, she had expected to stay in the corners of the main hall and not be asked for a dance. At least not by Prince Dante. But even though initially it sounded like a request, it was a demand.
She noted how the loud voices of people had reduced to a murmur, and she could feel people's eyes on them.
Aiden, who had finished coughing, said, "Brother Dante, I didn't know you knew Tasia."
"You don't mind if I borrow her, do you?" Dante's eyes briefly moved to look at his younger brother before his gaze fell back on the young woman.
Aiden was still wrapping his head around the situation, and he replied, "A—ah I guess not."
Even though many eyes were on them, Anastasia and Dante stared only at each other. She noticed him slightly tilt his head, which was when she finally raised her hand forward, placing her hand in his gloved one.
Anastasia felt Dante wrap his fingers around her hand before he led her across the marble floor and towards the centre of the hall.
Feeling the softness of the velvet glove on her hand, Anastasia realised that Prince Dante always wore his gloves. She was thankful for it because she didn't have to worry about him finding out about her calloused fingers and palms. Just because Aiden was gullible, she doubted Dante would be easy to fool, even though he hadn't figured out she was a maid. But then again, she was only a maid, one of many who worked in the Blackthorn palace.
Dante stopped right under the chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and he turned to look at Anastasia. There was nervousness in her brown, doe-like eyes. He questioned her,
"Do you know how to dance?"
Anxious about whether he was trying to catch her in a lie, Anastasia answered, "It would be considered a flaw if I didn't know, Your Highness."
"It seems like you have trouble only when it comes to tying the belt," Dante remarked, his midnight eyes moving to look at her waist.
Upon looking down, Anastasia noticed the belt she had earlier fixed had loosened. When she tried to pull her hand away from his to fasten it, the prince's grip around her hand tightened.
Anastasia's lowered eyes quickly looked up to meet Dante's eyes and heard him say, "Allow me." He tugged on her hand that he was holding, bringing her closer to him.
"Y—you don't have to do that."
Standing so close to him in front of everyone, blood rushed up Anastasia's neck and moved up to settle on her cheeks. She was slightly breathless, and her eyes had turned wide. If he wanted to help, he could have offered it when they were on the garden balcony. Why the sudden interest? She asked herself.
Dante took a step forward with their heads beside each other, and he spoke next to her ear,
"You said you were trying to evade the suitors with whom your family is trying to set you up. I will help you with it, provided you return the favour." His hand let go of hers, and he settled his hands on both sides of her waist. He continued, "While you are here, which I believe is for the remainder of the two days of the celebration, behave as if you are interested in me, and I will do the same so my family will stop sending women to me. It is a win-win for both of us."
Two days… Two days was too long, Anastasia thought to herself. Once the sun rose tomorrow, she would have to return to her work. It would be impossible to skip work and spend time with him.
"Ouch!" Anastasia's hand quickly fell on Dante's chest when she felt a pin prick her waist.
This man's hands were trained for the battlefield; she doubted he kne—her thoughts stopped when her brown eyes met his black ones, and she saw her reflection in them.
Dante's intense gaze was enough to tell her that the pinprick wasn't accidental and that it was meant to bring her attention back to him. This man… he wasn't what he appeared to be. She had spent eight years in this palace, and she had never seen this side of him. She softly gulped and answered,
"I don't think I will be staying until tomorrow, Prince Dante."
Dante unwound the soft belt from her waist and said, "If it is a matter of your stay, I will be happy to convince your parents to extend your time in the palace."
Anastasia wished she could disappear right this instant. This was what happened when a person lied! And if her lie was caught, neither she nor her sister would have their heads intact after that. She replied,
"I don't think they would object to my staying. But I already have plans in the morning till night—"
"Cancel whatever is there from the evening onwards tomorrow." Dante's words held no room for discussion, and he started to wrap the belt properly back around her waist.
Anastasia's mouth became dry when she felt Dante's fingers graze around her waist before he tightened the belt. A gasp escaped from her lips as he pulled the belt along with her, bringing her closer to him. Their eyes met again, and he asked in a low voice, "You will cancel it, won't you, Miss Flores?"
The people around the room watched Dante talk to a young woman from a wealthy family, helping her with her dress, which left most people's mouths hanging open in surprise. Princess Niyasa, who wasn't standing too far from them, said to her sister,
"I don't think I have seen her before. Who is that young woman?"
"She looks lovely, doesn't she?" Princess Emily, who was Lady Sophia's daughter, remarked with a smile as they watched their eldest brother share his space with a pretty woman. On noticing her younger brother Aiden make his way towards them from the corner, she asked him curiously, "Do you know who she is, Aiden?"
Aiden had taken some time to clean the front of his coat and apologise to the guest on whom he had spat his drink. He responded, "That's Tasia." Turning back to look at his brother and the woman he had befriended.
"What an unusual name," Emily said, smiling. "I wonder where she is from..."
"I wonder who invited her," Niyasa's eyes narrowed as she stared at the young woman in the emerald dress. "Isn't Brother Dante being a little too intimate with her?"
"It looks like he is smitten with her," Emily whispered to herself.
In the meantime, King William and Lady Sophia stared in the direction of the dance floor. King William asked his wife in a low voice,
"Do you know who Dante is dancing with?"
Lady Sophia shook her head, and said, "I am not sure. I don't know her. It must have been the Mother Queen who invited her and her family." The old queen liked to do things like this by inviting people without consulting her or her husband, whom they had never met before, and it wasn't the first time.
On the other hand, Mother Queen Ginger Blackthorn was standing and talking to Minister Aziel with her head turned away from the dance floor. She was on her second glass of wine, and she said,
"Every year around this time, I miss Johnathan more than I usually do. If only he hadn't gone hunting and been eaten by a tiger," she sighed and shook her head, "I told him not to. Of course, it is another matter that I hunted the tiger and had it hung in the bedroom." The Mother Queen said, "I should go find that girl, Aziel."
Aziel politely replied, "My Queen, we looked all around the hall, but haven't found her." Was she imagining people now?
The Mother Queen narrowed her eyes at him after noticing her minister's expression, "I don't believe in ghosts, and I know what I saw. She had beautiful, expressive eyes. My ears seem to have gotten better suddenly," she said thoughtfully, because she could hear the music being played better than before.
It was then that she noticed the minister's eyes transfixed elsewhere, and she turned her wise self to look in the direction, when her eyes widened. Her grandson was dancing with a woman, and not just any woman, but the one she was looking for!
"There she is…" The Mother Queen whispered, as a wide smile appeared on her lips. She said to her minister, "My grandson and I seem to have the same taste, Aziel. He found the young woman before I did!"
The minister's eyebrows rose in surprise. He then heard the Mother Queen murmur, "My son and Sophia did well by inviting the right attendees," and she nodded in approval.
Back at the dance floor, Anastasia's eyes fell on Dante's lips, which wrapped around the silver pin between his teeth. The one side of his hair that was tousled in front of one of his eyes created a shadow on his face while his eyes were on her belt.
"Have you decided?" Dante questioned as if he was giving her an option. He took the pin from his lips, and when he pushed the sharp end into the side of her belt, Anastasia quickly answered,
"Yes."
Dante brought the end of the pin through the fabric before he secured it, "Great. Then we have a deal."
'What have I gotten myself into…' Anastasia questioned herself, but the question quickly evaporated when Dante placed one of his hands on her waist and brought her near. When he took her other hand in his, she politely returned his earlier question,
"Do you know how to dance, Prince Dante? We could go slow…" Her eyes were on his, which looked right back at her. For a fleeting moment, she noticed a faint smile on his lips that disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, making her question if she had imagined it.
Instead of responding to Anastasia, when the music shifted from a slower to a faster tempo, Dante stepped forward, which had her step backwards. When he moved back, she followed him. Before she could step back, he stepped forward, bringing them closer to each other, and she had to crane her neck to not break eye contact with him.
The next moment, Dante took a swift step away from Anastasia before releasing her waist and having her twirl to return to his arms.
Anastasia's heart pounded, breathless over his actions. She heard Dante ask her, "Slow enough?"
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