Fated Love- A Collection of Short Stories

A Waltz in an Abandoned Castle

1... 2... 3...

1... 2... 3...

1... 2... 3...

1... 2... 3...

The moves were as simple as that. Though to you, they had a much deeper meaning. As the 13th Princess of the Empire, your presence was often forgotten within the halls of the Palace as you fell out of favour with the king. Left alone to fend for yourself you didn't even realize that it was the day you were finally waiting for until the fire began burning in your room that night.

You dashed out of your room in a panic, knowing that it was the only choice if you wanted to survive.

And you were going to survive this ordeal.

You felt your cold sweat drip down your back as the morning dew clung to your soft golden locks of hair. The moonlight, still shining bright in the night sky shone onto your pale skin, emmenating a soft glow. Behind you were flames and chaos, a world where everyone was running for their lives. But you left everything behind you as you ran away towards the trees for shelter. The peaceful days were over as the rebellion began.

Sitting on top of a tree and dangling your legs off of the branch, you watched as your favourite ballroom and garden burst into flames and destruction. The gold lining of the hall was torn down and charred into dust. The beautiful crimson curtains were all scorched into ashes.

The garden plants all dried up in the intense heat and the trees nearby crushed and demolished those beautiful blooms.

It was in that very same place where you had your first dance, a dance where you found who you thought to be your true love.

As a hostage prince from a faraway land, he was the symbol of a treaty and also the soon-to-be fiancee of your eldest sister... half sister anyways.

Being as young as you were, you didn't know who he was until he finally revealed his identity.

But for the first time in your life, you actually enjoyed your dance.

For the royal women, dancing is a must in etiquette, so things naturally became boring as they were mandatory. You were forced to dance with people who you were later sold off to in order to benefit the royal empire... or at least just the king. It was a simple 1... 2... 3... a simple rhythm and beat. But it never carried much meaning, until you danced with him.

He had a light and soft touch as he held your small waist with a nervous smile.

Thinking that he was some low-noble person who didn't know who you were, you engaged in small-talk and learned about each other's interests. He was quite wobbly and had poor balance during the dance, but you found guiding him throughout the song entertaining. It was a pleasant feeling. As the song came to a close, you gave a small curstie, feeling a strange sensation overcome you as you realized that this was the end. 

He laughed,"Let's meet again tomorrow. The Banquet is still happening tomorrow."

Looking back up at him in surprise at his words, you abruptly noticed how handsome he was. To think that this whole time you were dancing and guiding such a stunning person. At that moment, you felt a bit dumbstruck as you stared at his bright green eyes and warm brown hair with slight traces of a golden tone. He had a sharp jawline and elegant brows, someone who you would never expect to see in real life. His tanned and flawless skin made him look like someone who was an ancient god descending onto the human realm.

For the past few minutes you were too busy talking with him that you never really thought about his appearance.

As if reading your thoughts, he laughed, "Why are you suddenly staring now?"