Cinderella vs. the Fairy Godmother (sequel)

Chapter 24

            The room they stood in wasn’t really a room. More of a hall. The stone walls were adorned only by a few portraits and tapestries, all of them too far away to be easily recognizable. The focus of the room was the door. Over twice as big as even the tallest of them, its dark wood was ornately carved into twisting loops. On closer inspection, you could see the tiny scenes of Armith’s history carved in between the thick lines of the swirls.

Standing beside the door like the bullfrog king of a small pond was the herald. The wide green sash of his office cut across the uniform of severe black he wore. In front of him, chatting quietly to each other, were Darren’s parents. They harmonized with one another. Asterria wearing a gown of dusty pink and Brendis in shades of brown.

By contrast, Valerie and Darren blazed in opposition. She was wearing her ruby dress and Darren was wearing a blue that matched his eyes.

Behind them stood Erramun and Isaac, still acting as their guards. Err’s face was rapidly turning a shade to match Valerie’s gown. Isaac had been continuously making comments about his ‘date’ and what was likely to happen when the party was over. One of the Royal Guards nearest to that pair was having obvious difficulty in keeping a straight face. In another two minutes he’d be howling with laughter.

Val inhaled and exhaled rapidly. Her sweat damp hands again smoothed the pristine skirt of her gown. Darren caught sight of the movement and chuckled. He slid one arm around her waist and leaned in to whisper, “It’ll be fine. We’ve practiced this.”

            The look she sent him was halfway to becoming a glare. “It’s not making me feel any better. I don’t like being the bloody entertainment for large crowds of people. And I still only know three dances. I wish we’d had more time.”

            “It’s your welcome ball. It would normally have been held the week you arrived. We pushed it back another to give you time but any longer and rumours would have started. You did say you didn’t want to give people anymore to talk about.”

            “Yes. I just don’t want to be doing this,” she said, her hands again running down her skirt.

            He smiled. “Look on the bright side, you can only have one welcoming ball.”

            The sound of the door opening made Valerie snap her head in its direction. She watched as the herald slipped out. A moment later the soft hum, all that could be heard through the doors, died. A shallow thumping noise was the herald unnecessarily pounding his staff into the ground for attention.

            The guards on either side of the doors pushed them open and Darren’s parents glided forward. “Their Most Royal Majesties, Queen Asterria and King Brendis,” the herald cried, the capitals audible to everyone.

            Valerie had the chance to take one last deep breath before Darren swept her arm up into the crook of his elbow. She clutched his arm as he kept her beside him, gently pulling her along. “His Royal Highness Prince Darren, and Her Highness Lady Ruby Valerie.”

            A slight hiss escaped her. A combination of irritation of a name she could no longer escape and the sight of the ballroom. Darren had, wisely, kept her from the room so far. She’d never have agreed to go to the ball otherwise. She found herself at the top of a wide white marble stairs. As if they’d known how ridiculous it would make her feel, there was a red carpet running down the stairs to the floor.

            The rest of the room was white marble laid over the original pink stone so thinly that when the light hit it right, it seemed to blush. Sparkling overhead were two crystal chandeliers lit with candles. Glass and gold lanterns were spaced evenly around the room casting out more light to reflect off every shiny surface. And there were a lot.

            Like they were getting points for how much they glittered, the whole crowd of nobles seemed to be wearing as much jewellery they could. Every precious stone Valerie had ever heard of, and several she didn’t recognize, winked up at her as she tried to descend the stairs gracefully.

            The fabrics themselves were jewel-bright as well. Deep greens and bright oranges practically glowed beside rippling purple and blinding white. Calm blues mixed together with laughing yellows, and somber blacks. Valerie scanned the crowd and realized something very quickly. “Darren,” she said through the corpse of a smile she was holding on her face. “Why am I pretty much the only one in red? It had better not mean something horrible.”

            Darren’s own brilliant public smile didn’t falter. “It’s too heavily associated with Queen Merrit. People used to wear it to try and curry favour with her since she was the Fire Queen. She made her opinion on those kinds of people very clear and it’s been an unpopular colour ever since. But given your name, wearing red is natural. Most people will expect it.”

            “You couldn’t have told me that before?” She asked, still forcing a smile and scanning the crowds. She was already losing sight of some of the crowd as they had just made it to the halfway point on the stairs.

            “You’d never have worn it then. It’s a lovely dress and you look beautiful in it. Besides, those seamstresses put out some of their best work to make that to your specifications. It’d be an insult not to wear it.”

            “I’d have still worn it,” she muttered, resisting the urge to defensively drop her hand to the hilt of her sword.

            “Deep breath,” he warned as they approached the end of the stairs. “The real show starts now.”

            “I hate you so much,” she whispered back, face already only at half-colour.

            They reached the bottom of the stairs and followed Darren’s parents to the raised dais directly across from it. Courtiers parted in front of them, bowing and curtsying deeply as their little parade passed.

            The dais itself held four chairs. A loop design that echoed the door above was carved into all four chairs. The two at the highest point were slightly large and gilded at the edges in gold. Darren’s parents stood in front of those while Darren and Valerie stopped in front of the two on the step just below. Faced with the crowd again, she clutched his arm harder. His expression didn’t flicker even as he stopped himself from wincing.

            “I welcome you all!” The king said, his voice pitched to carry throughout the hall. The shape of the room and placement of the dais were no accident. They helped boost his voice so everyone could hear. “We hold this ball in honour of Lady Valerie in the hopes that she find our hospitality and welcome as warm as she would receive from her own family.” He bowed his head to her. Every courtier bowed or curtsied deeply as well.

            Valerie released Darren’s arm to return the gesture. Thanks to Sora’s lessons, she didn’t fall and managed a close approximation of the correct curtsy.

            “I declare this ball officially open!” Brendis called when everyone had straightened. “I ask that my son and Lady Valerie begin the first dance. If you would kindly take your places.”

            Valerie took Darren’s arm before he could say anything and followed him into the middle of the floor. “This had better be one of the dances I know or I’m about to step all over you and anyone who gets too close,” she told him, her fake smile still irritating the corner of her mouth.

            He smiled reassuringly. “It’s the first one I taught you. I made sure of it. Just relax. You know you dance better when you relax. Just forget everyone else is here and focus on me.”

            That made her smile falter then come back with an edge of realness. “I wonder if you’re a narcissist sometimes. You enjoy me staring at you while dancing far too much.”

            “It’s the only time I can be sure your eyes are only on me. I enjoy the experience.”

            A bit of colour hit her cheeks. “You’re impossible.”

            He grinned as the music started up.