The Hundredth Suitor

Chapter 4

"You look ravishing in pink, my dear."

I stood in front of the large mirror in my mother's chamber as she looked on, a jovial expression on her face.

I smiled and lightly ran my hands along the smooth fabric. "Thank you, Mother. And thank you again for the dresses. I really do love them," I said sincerely.

She shook her head lightly. "There is absolutely no need to thank me, you know how much I enjoy spoiling you. It was my pleasure," she said, walking over to the sitting area and signaling for someone. "Speaking of spoiling you, I've had a selection of the crown jewels sent up for you to choose from."

Three men, who were dressed exactly the same, walked in holding purple velvet pillows. On each pillow sat an ornate, sparkling tiara.

I gasped when I saw them all together; each one was stunning, and far too extravagant for me to even think about wearing. "Oh, Mother," I said softly, staring in awe at the beautiful crowns. "I couldn't..."

She walked over to me and touched my arm lightly. "You can, and you will," she said, brushing a lock of hair behind my ear. "I had only the best of them sent up, because you deserve the best, Violet."

I knew she wasn't only talking about the tiaras. I turned to her with tears in my eyes and wrapped my arms around her. "Thank you, Mother."

She kissed the top of my head and smoothed my hair. "Anything for you, Dear."

Mother pulled away, then turned my shoulders to face the men holding the pillows. "Now chose which crown will have the honor," she said, wiping a tear from her eye discreetly.

I stepped forward and looked at each tiara. The first one had a series of points and sharp edges, adorned with gems of all sizes and shapes. The next one was larger than the first, and was made of gold. When I reached the last crown, I noticed that it was smaller, and simpler than the others. At first glance, it seemed almost insignificant when placed next to the other two. However, as I looked at it more carefully, I noticed that the small diamonds reflected light in a beautiful way, creating different colors depending on which way you turned.

I stepped back and turned to my mother, who was watching me with an eager expression.

"I like this one," I said, gesturing toward the last crown.

She looked surprised. "Are you certain?" she asked.

I nodded. "I'm certain."

Mother smiled. "Alright, if it's what you want." She dismissed the other two men and the man holding my crown stepped forward. My mother took it gingerly in her hands, and I bowed slightly as she placed it on my head. She stepped back and rearranged my hair a bit before tearing up.

"You look beautiful, darling. Positively beautiful," she said, clasping her hands together.

There was a sharp knocking at the door. "Yes?" Mother called out, looking away from me.

"I mean not to rush you your majesty, but the men and the other guests are already in the ballroom, and the king requests that you and the princess arrive at the ball with him," a young boy's voice called.

My mother sniffed and rubbed a tear from her cheek before answering. "Very well, we will meet him very soon," she called.

I heard the footsteps of the young messenger hurrying away to my father.

"I suppose we should go," Mother said, composing herself.

I nodded. "I suppose."

Mother and I walked together to meet my father in the hall that led to the stairs in the ballroom. As we approached him, I saw that he looked solemn and lost in thought as he stood near the banister. When he noticed my mother and me, he seemed to snap out of his trance and offered a small smile.

"You both look divine," he said, reaching for Mother's hand and kissing it lightly.

Mother laughed daintily. "As do you, my dear," she replied, smiling.

Father smiled back genuinely and pulled her close to his side. My mother looked up at him and held his arm affectionately.

I hadn't really recognized it before, but in that moment I could see that my parents were very much in love. Though they hadn't spoken much, I could tell. Their eyes shone with what I could only describe as pure, undying adoration. The way they looked at each other, it seemed like they were oblivious to the world around them. I suddenly realized that I had never asked my mother how she and Father had met.

"Well we shan't keep the guests waiting any longer," Father said, gesturing toward the stairs.

Mother nodded and glanced at be briefly before Father escorted her to the top of the staircase.

"Announcing, his majesty King Rupert Archibald Romero IV,  and Queen Josephine Ninette Rinaldi Romero."

The musicians started playing softly, and a hush fell over the entire room as the guests stopped to watch my parents. My father walked with confidence, his eyes surveying the ballroom. Mother was so graceful I was envious; her shoulders were back and her head was held high, but not so high that she looked arrogant.

As they neared the last few marble steps, I subconsciously clasped my hands together and took a nervous breath. When my parents reached the bottom, they stepped off to the side and looked up at me, signaling for everyone else to do so as well.

"Announcing, Violetta Liliana Romero, crown princess of Anglia."

I brushed a stray curl out of my eyes and stepped forward. I placed one hand on the banister delicately, and tried to keep a pleasant look on my face, despite the fact that my stomach was in knots.

As I took my first step down, I could feel all eyes on me. I looked out over the large crowd, and recognized a few of my suitors. Just their gazes gave me an idea of who they were; some looked at me with admiration, others with greed, and lust.

I turned my focus to my parents, who stood proudly at the foot of the stairs. I sighed silently with relief when I finally reached the last step.

Everyone focused on my father as he promptly walked to the front of the room and cleared his throat. "I welcome you all to this joyous celebration, in honor of my daughter Princess Violetta," he began. "Tomorrow morning, one hundred gentlemen from far and wide shall participate in the competition for my eldest's hand in marriage. I assure you the tests shall not be easy, and they will be physically as well as mentally challenging. I have invited you all here tonight in hopes that these brave men can enjoy one more night of merriment before the competition begins. Best of luck to all, and may the best man prevail!" he finished, a jovial smile on his lips. He gestured toward the musicians who began to play a happy sounding waltz.

People began to dance and the sounds of laughter and light-hearted conversation filled the enormous ballroom. Women in dresses of all colors and sizes spun and waltzed with their partners in the middle of the room as many others stood around the perimeter chatting and gossiping. Every so often, one of my suitors would catch my eye as he strolled about the room, striking up conversation. I tried not to draw attention to myself as I stood near my mother.

"Am I expected to dance with every one of my suitors?" I asked her quietly, already knowing the answer.

She nodded slightly. "If they ask, you are obligated to dance."

I shifted my weight, suddenly wishing I had worn more comfortable shoes. "I think I'll find Adeline," I said, already looking for her face in the sea of people. My mother nodded, and was soon swept up in political discussions with nobles and members of parliament.

I walked cautiously across the swirled marble floor, trying my best to stay unnoticed by my suitors. I occasionally stopped to make conversation, not wanting to seem cold, but I was looking over their shoulders the whole time, searching for Juliana or Adeline. I was speaking with the Duchess of Fairmont when I spotted Valentin in the masses, weaving through the tightly packed crowd. I could tell his eyes were searching for someone in particular.

Hoping to avoid more of his "urges," I hastily bade the duchess farewell and ducked behind a nearby pillar. I rested my back against it as I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths. I knew I couldn't avoid Valentin all night, but I could at least try.

I heard a soft chuckle to my left. I quickly opened my eyes and stood up straight, startled. A tall, handsome man with dark hair and chiseled features was looking down at me, amused.

"Prince Nicolas," I breathed, embarrassed I had been caught hiding from Valentin. "I was just... er..."

"Hiding from your suitors?" he guessed, smirking. "Well obviously you haven't done a very efficient job."

I rolled my eyes in a very unladylike fashion. "I wasn't hiding," I said indignantly.

The prince chuckled at me again. "Of course you weren't, Princess," he said, "You merely ran back here because you wanted to keep me company, and might I say that it is very considerate of you."

I raised an eyebrow. He was teasing me. "And why, might I ask, would I want to keep you company?" I asked, folding my arms.

He looked surprised at my forwardness. "Well I'm handsome, I'm charming, and most of all, I am future king of Anglia. And might I say, Princess, you are much bolder than I had accredited you," he said casually, leaning against the pillar.

My mouth dropped open. The nerve of this man! "How dare you! You have no more right to say you are future king of Anglia than any other man here. You are truly more arrogant than I had accredited you," I retorted angrily.

Nicolas smirked at my outburst. "You may be the first girl I've ever met that has ever called me arrogant. I suppose you'll need to get used to it considering you will be my wife soon," he said as he walked away.

I shook my head in disgust. My hands clenched into fists. I couldn't believe he was the same man that had so greatly enchanted me only a few hours before.

After collecting myself, I was about to continue looking for Adeline and my sister when I heard a loud voice behind me.

"Violetta! I've found you, my love!"

I cringed and turned around reluctantly. "Valentin," I said, trying to control my voice, "How lovely to see you."

He rushed toward me, taking my hand and kissing it dramatically. "I have searched for you all night, fair Princess," he said, his accent making him difficult to understand. "And now, we dance!"

Before I could say a word, I was dragged onto the ballroom floor and pressed against Valentin's chest. To my disdain, the musicians started to play what sounded like a tango.

As I tried to keep up with the prince's somewhat spastic movements as he twirled us around the floor, I spotted Prince Nicolas standing in the corner, surrounded by maidens who were laughing at something he'd said. Our eyes met briefly, and I felt the same butterflies I had felt earlier in the throne room. I pushed the feeling aside quickly, disgusted.

"Is something wrong, Princessa?" Valentin asked.

"Not at all," I replied weakly, dizzy from the number of turns we'd been making.

Valentin stopped abruptly and threw my back into a dip, and I struggled to control my spinning head.

"May I?"

I was pulled back up to see a smiling Lord Christian standing next to an annoyed looking Valentin. I could see that Valentin was about to protest, and I groaned internally.

Before the prince had the chance though, Lord Christian had already taken my hand and pulled me closer to him. Valentin sighed and nodded reluctantly. "We will dance again Princessa, fret not!"

Christian chuckled as he pulled me away from a pouting Valentin. A slow waltz began to play, and I discovered that Lord Christian was a very good dancer. We glided across the floor gracefully, and I was grateful for the change of pace.

I looked up to see him smiling at me. "Thank you," I said quietly, blushing.

He chuckled softly. "As much fun as it was to watch, I was afraid Valentin would exhaust you before I got the chance to dance with you, Princess," he said.

I laughed. I could tell that Lord Christian would be easy to be friends with. "You can call me Violet."

He nodded. "Violet. A beautiful flower and a beautiful princess," he remarked.

I smiled coyly. "So I've been told."

We continued to dance for the duration of the song, but when it ended we parted for the night. Song after song I danced with a different suitor. Number 39 stepped on my feet five times, Number 16 kept pinching me, and of course Valentin had found me again for another Latin dance number. By the end of the night I certainly knew which men were pleasant to be around and which ones most definitely weren't.

After the last song had played, I was completely exhausted. My feet were numb and my legs felt like jelly, but I managed to walk with poise to the front of the room with my parents. My father again  addressed the party.

"Thank you all for attending, it is my greatest hope that everyone enjoyed themselves tonight. I would like to again wish the hundred men luck in the games tomorrow, and let God bless them in their endeavors. Goodnight to all."

And with that, my parents and I walked back up the stairs, which was torture to my feet, and up to the hall.

I could hear murmurs from the ballroom traveling upstairs as everyone began filing out. Mother took my hand and squeezed it lightly. "You did marvelously my dear," she said softly.

I nodded a thank you. "If you don't mind, Father, I think I will just go straight to bed. I'm rather tired from all the dancing," I said, my eyelids already drooping.

He chuckled. "Of course, dear. I hope you had fun tonight," he said, kissing the top of my head.

"I did. Thank you, Father," I said as we parted ways at the corridor.

I hobbled down the wide hallway to my room, trying not to think of what would happen tomorrow. I stopped halfway to my room and pulled my shoes off, sighing in relief. I finally reached my room at the end of the hall, and limped inside. Tossing my shoes in the corner, I flopped onto my bed, poufy dress and all. I closed my eyes and wiggled my toes, trying to regain the feeling.

"Tough night?" I heard Penelope say as she came out of my sitting area.

"Mmhmm," I mumbled, eyes still closed.

I heard her laugh as her footsteps came closer.

"I'm sure you had at least a little fun," she said, sitting on the edge of my bed. I felt the mattress dip slightly. I rolled over and put my head in her lap like I did when I was younger. I felt her begin picking the pins out of my hair and gently removing my tiara.

"Penelope?" I mumbled.

"Yes?"

"One of those men downstairs is going to be my husband. What if he's arrogant and condescending? What if I think he's unfit to rule the kingdom?" I asked, thinking of Nicolas.

Penelope sighed, combing through my hair with her fingers. "I've told you time and time again, Violet. Your father would never let you marry a man who wasn't qualified to run the kingdom, or to take care of you," she said, trying to reassure me.

I tried to convince myself that she was right, but if I had to spend the rest of my life married to Valentin or Nicolas, I wasn't sure what I would do. I mentally scolded myself for being such a child.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, followed by a fit of giggles. I pulled myself into a sitting position, rubbing my eyes.

"Who is it?" Penelope called, walking to the door.

"It's us."

Penelope pulled the door open and Juliana and Adeline ran in.

I smiled as they threw themselves onto my bed.

"Now just where were you two all night?" I asked.

Adeline smiled widely. "Oh just here and there. Close enough to see you dancing with Valentin. Twice!" she teased.

Juliana laughed, throwing her head back. "Now Violet, you shouldn't be playing favorites like that."

I rolled my eyes, but smiled at their absurdity. "You know I wasn't dancing with him by choice. Or dancing with any of them by choice, for that matter," I said, taking my earrings off.

"I know, but it was highly entertaining," Adeline said, leaning against my pillows.

"Did you two dance with anyone?" I asked.

They gave each other knowing looks and burst into giggles.

"Who?!" I asked, eager to know.

Adeline sat back up. "Oh I don't know, just a few men here and there..."

I shook my head. If Adeline wasn't a flirt, I didn't know who was.

Juliana folded her arms and rolled her eyes at Adeline. "She danced with Prince Nicolas. And flirted with him the rest of the night doubt."

Just the mention of his name made my blood boil. I was also surprised to hear that Adeline would flirt with one of my suitors, but then again, it was just her charming personality that drew people to her.

Adeline gasped and shoved Juliana playfully. "I did not! Well I did dance with him, but I hardly flirted!" she said, smiling. "And how would you know, Juliana? You were too busy dancing with Lord Christian to even pay attention to anyone else in the room!" she teased.

Juliana blushed scarlet. "I was not!" she replied, looking away smiling.  She turned back to me. "I wouldn't try to take any of your suitors' attention away from you, Violet," she said seriously.

I grinned at her. "It's okay to have a crush on Christian, Juliana," I said, patting her hand.

"But I don't!" she said, still blushing.

"Yes, you do," Adeline said, standing up.

Juliana huffed stood up with her. "I don't..." she muttered, sounding more like she was trying to convince herself than me.

Adeline yawned and stretched her arms. "We should let you sleep. You have a big day tomorrow," she said gently.

I nodded, knowing she was right. I stood up and hugged them both. "You'll both definitely be there at the first game, right?" I asked.

Juliana touched my arm comfortingly. "Of course we will."

I smiled. "Thank you. Now get to bed, I'm about to faint with exhaustion," I said, guiding them toward the door. They laughed lightly and we exchanged goodnights before they went back to their rooms.

I closed my door and walked back to my bed, even more tired than I had been before.

Penelope came over and chuckled, pulling my covers down. "Those girls really are something," she said as she helped me dress for bed.

I shook my head, smiling. "They really are," I yawned, pulling my bracelet off. I turned to Penelope and hugged her tightly. "Goodnight, Penelope."

"Goodnight, Violet."

I climbed into bed and pulled the covers over myself, snuggling into my pillows. I drifted off to sleep as my thoughts raced through my mind.

Tomorrow, the games to decide my husband and future king would begin, and I had no way of knowing who it would be. I tried to comfort myself with Penelope's words, but my doubts wouldn't be hidden. The thought of love popped into my mind. Would I never experience true love because of this? I pushed that aside quickly. I had never considered love, and now was definitely not the time to start. I knew that this was not about finding love, but finding the best possible man to rule Anglia at my side. I was doing this not for myself, but for my kingdom.

So let the games begin.

 

 

I AM SO, SO, SO, SO, INCREDIBLY SORRY.

I know I just kinda dropped off the face of the earth for like a month, and I am really sorry to keep you guys waiting for so long. My laptop got fixed a few days ago, but school's been keeping me insanely busy and again I'm just really sorry! I know a lot of people have probably given up on me and stopped reading this story, and I understand that completely, but THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who's still with me :) I'll try my hardest to update more often and make them longer/better... Sorry if this chapter is complete rubbish :P

My that was a long author's note. So what do you think? Love it? Hate it? Tell me!

Thank you, thank you,

xoxo Kate