Rejected

Chapter 3

Prince Damian was leaning against the marble clad wall absorbed in his own thoughts when the loud chattering from the hallway below him broke the silence. Gradually the chattering reached a louder crescendo and Damian scowled in displeasure. He was standing in the balcony that overlooked the main entrance of the Palace which was the perfect vantage point to observe the guests. He could have easily been down there greeting the guests but he wasn't in the mood to socialize.

Damian might have announced the ball himself in the capital city but it wasn't because he wanted a wife; he needed a wife. His father was ill enough to be bedridden and not even the country's finest healers and chemists could find a solution to his illness. It was not a known fact to the rest of country but the rumours were beginning to travel about the King's absence from the Royal Court. Even an inkling of his father's illness could cause severe problems for Damian in the future especially because he was the only direct heir to the throne. Damian had no siblings who could take over the crown in case of his demise so it would be easy for any usurper to kill off the Royal family and establish his own dynasty. And that was why he needed a wife; to produce another heir.

Damian stalked the balcony as he listened to rather loud exclamations about his wealth and looks. Such effusions about oneself would have given anyone else's pride a boast but Damian was a harder man to please. He grew up surrounded by men and women who thought it was their duty to butter the Crown Prince up. Their words were always meaningless and their actions a farce; the prince didn't care for such mockery.

As much of the crowd made way to their respective suites the prince could hear the last few stragglers much more clearly.

An elderly woman advised her granddaughter to bow down 'low' in front of the Prince. A quick glance from the balcony proved how appropriately the granddaughter was dressed for such kind of low bowing. She looked like the corset was tight enough to disallow any kind of sudden movements. Damian almost wanted to jump out of a dark corner and scare her just to see how far she could run without falling.

Another family continued to argue about the shade of breeches the son of the family was wearing from one end of the corridor to the other.

The prince continued to listen to random babble still not in the clear state of mind to face his guests. He frowned as another pair of women entered the corridor with one of them gazing at the cavernous hallway with awe. The Prince knew instantly they were from the east side of the country. It was an agricultural area with a sparse population and little in terms of civilization. Even the nobility of that area would often gape at the towns and Palaces of the rest of the country looking every bit like the peasants they were accustomed to mingling with.

"Look at that wondrous ceiling, is it made of gold?" A red head asked as she tilted her head in all angles trying to absorb the Palace's beauty all at once.

"No, Cissy; haven't I told you all that glitters isn't always gold," The dark haired one lectured though she sounded amused. The redhead broke from the straight line they were walking and in a predictable fashion headed straight for the mirror placed in one of the alcoves.

"My hair, my hair, It's so utterly wretched. I look like a fright," The girl mourned and Damian was very amused by the predicament her companion was put in. The other girl was obviously the level headed one in the duo and she was already having a hard time keeping the other one focused. For a brief second Damian wondered where their family or guardians were.

"Cecilia, how many times have I told you that your hair isn't a fright and your freckles don't make you look sickly and your feet aren't too large either. Now don't waste your time in front of the mirror because you need to get ready for this evening's event and you certainly don't want to find your dancing card empty," The dark haired one gently led the other one back to their intended path.