A Royal Rebellion

Chapter four

Gradually the six of us went our separate ways; Sophia to talk with her parents and the rest to flirt and flounce, leaving me dangerously alone. I tried to stay away from the crowds, sticking to the corners of the room and never staying in one spot for to long, watching the people dance instead of joining in. Throughout the ball I would occasionally be met by a suitor that would try and flirt with me, but they'd always be whisked away by a woman or friend.

When the ball was about half-way in I began to relax. The General was no where to be found and I began to think that he'd gone home or even better, been called out of town on an invasion. I even began to dance, maybe even enjoying myself a bit.

The candlelight was dimming, the chandelier lighting sent a rosy wash over the ballroom, and the gorgeous pillars that seemed to rocket into the sky glimmered in the starlight that spilled through the windows, causing the golden floors to shimmer. And despite my discomfort at being at Sophia's, I wasn't the center of attention and the room was just so gorgeous.

Forgetting all about my worries I stepped from the corners of the room and into the center of the ballroom, letting my lavender dress trail behind me as I began to dance with the nearest person. As I was whisked from man to man I didn't dwell on them at all; in fact, I was merely dancing with them for the sake of dancing.

I was feeling lighter than air; my feet gliding over the floor, my heart pounding to the beat of the violin, right when my current partner led me towards the roaring cheer that started in the corner of the room. My partner abandoned me to join in the toasting to Britain, and curious to what was going on I peered into the tight circle to see, to my horror, the General, surrounded by admiring men and cooing women.

Quickly I backed out of the circle, dread pounding in my stomach, but not before he saw me. I tried to run away, but felt someone grab my hand, and I turned to see the very person I was dreading to see. "There you are Rose! I've been looking for you," Charlie said, his eyes glimmering with satisfaction.

"Hello Charlie, such a pleasure to see you again," I said weakly. Charlie pulled me into an enchanting dance, pulling me all around the room and smugly looking on the other couples in the room, as if saying I'm the best. He clapped his hands and the candlelight dimmed even more, the music slowed, and suddenly we were surrounded by other couples spinning around the ballroom.

We didn't talk; instead we just danced, every second bringing me closer to the fate that loomed in front of me. I didn't look in his eyes; I didn't dare fall again. But I was soon realizing that was impossible. All eyes were on Charlie and I, and I could hear the whispers of the jealous women. No one expected the famous General to dance with the "lower class" Rose Indenza, and I could hear Sophia's soft muttering to the royals, and could almost picture her eyebrows raising in that surprised way that drove me crazy.

Charlie gleamed in the moonlight; his crisp general uniform pressed to perfection, gloved hand perfectly imprinted in mine, his movements easy and graceful, whisking me along to the song. "Everyone's staring at us," Charlie finally said as a romantic jazz song began to play, and I avoided looking at him.

"It is an odd match isn't it; you being as higher class as royalty and me being, well, on the lower side." I said, hoping to stop him from trying to swoon me. "Oh well. Rose I wouldn't want to be with any other woman." He said, and I could feel his stare fall on me, hot and blazing. "I know we just met, but I feel like I've known you forever." I wanted to scream at him that we'd barely said more than a paragraph to each other, but instead he decided to speak again.

"Rose, all the other suitors wouldn't treat you like I would. I'll treat you right, I promise. I saw your eyes in the market, when those men died. You don't like seeing others get hurt. I don't either, but some how that's my job. I wouldn't do that to you." He said, and I felt my eyes land on his chin, ever so close to his eyes.