The Unknown

Chapter Thirty

The next week is spent preparing the estate for the ball and myself. I spend all day with Liz cleaning room after room preparing for each guest, but then I spend all night with Victoria. She teaches me how to hold myself around people such as the Smiths, who currently are the richest people in the country right under the King himself. She teaches me how to hold my back straight, how to eat from a bowl, how to drink from a cup. But the most fun I had was the dancing lessons. How to waltz, all the different folk dances, the fast dances. Her and Stephen take turns teaching me each dance I might have to do at the ball. How Stephen knows all the dances, I'll have to find out. But for now, I enjoy the learning process. When I find myself cleaning alone in a room, I dance with any object I can find; a broom, mop, and once a curtain. I waltz through doorways and up staircases. Liz thinks I've lost my mind, but she doesn't have the slightest inclination as to what is actually happening.
But the best news of it all is that I haven't thought once about Lukas. His name has only touched the surface of my mind once or twice. My heartbreak is going to have to wait until after the ball because if I can't find my happy ending, then I will certainly make sure Stephen and Victoria do.
And that's another topic, Victoria has been a different person all together. She is nice and kind. She stops to listen to people and she thanks people after they help her. She's become my friend now, of sorts. After lessons we stay together and talk as if we were old pals. She tells me about growing up on the estate and I tell her about the orphanage. I stay away from Lukas as much as I can, but on occasion I can't help but mention him. One night I found myself sharing a story that I thought I could never bring myself to speak out loud.

"Now, tell me about this Lukas of yours. Have you seen him since?" Her head hangs off the side of her bed, letting her blonde curls waterfall down the side. I sit on the floor leaning against the wall massaging my feet from the heels. I laugh and try not to make eye contact.

"I actually have." She sits upright and leans forward to face me.

"Oh you have to tell me. What is he like all grown up? He must be so handsome!" She looks off into the distance dreamily, glad to see some of her old self isn't entirely gone. I immediately begin to shut down, but Lukas's voice rings in my head. Why do you run? I had to quit running from my past. I needed to accept that my past is and will always be apart of me. So what better way to start than now?

"Actually Victoria, Lukas is Alexander." Her mouth clamps shut and she looks at me in disbelief. "I know, it's hard to believe. But it's the truth. A lot happened while you were gone." And I explained it all to her, just like I did with Stephen. But this time, it felt easier. I felt more comfortable talking about it. I can't change anything that's been done or said. It was set in stone and I had to accept the fact that I will probably never see him again. This time, I include the letter I found inside my journal and tears spring to her eyes.

"Oh, Mae. I'm so sorry." She gets down off the bed and comes to sit next to me, her hand resting on my shoulder. I've discovered that's a very easy way to tell someone that you are there for them.

"It's okay. I've come to accept it." I let my fingers fold the fabric of my skirt.

"Come to accept what?"

"That I probably won't see him again. Now that you are going to marry Stephen, no one will be left here to marry. He won't have any reason to come back." I take a deep breath. The words are still hard to say.

"I wouldn't accept that so easily Mae." I look over at her and she has a crazy grin on her face. Her blue eyes sparkle in the moonlight that now filters through the windows.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Prince Alexander and the King himself were both invited to ball." My heart stops.

"He's going to be here?" I watch the smile grow even wider on her face.

"Oh, he will definitely be here Mae. He sent a letter reserving a room."