Motheaten Memories [Yandere Prince x Enemy Princess Reader]

16. The Ball.

"Good evening lady Cascia," A deep voice said, and the two women turned to see a strongly built older gentleman adorned with many medals and wearing a fine captain's hat. "Be sure to give your father my regards," he told her with a smile.

"Of course Admiral Danvi!!" Cascia said with a cheerful grin, confirming Y/N's suspensions that he was a man of the sea. "He'll be excited to talk to you after all this time!!"

"And who might you be, pretty little lady?" He asked, turning his wrinkled smile to Y/N.

"Y/N my lord, I am lady Cascia's handmaiden," she curtsied, bowing her head low, for the first time in her life grateful for all of the etiquette lessons Enicia had made her suffer through as a child. "Welcome home from your voyage as well," she added, guessing by Cascia's previous statements that he had been away for a while.

"By Luccia!" He exclaimed the name of the goddess in shock. "How did you know that I only just returned to Bocio?!" He asked.

Y/N smiled while her head remained bowed, smug that she had guessed right. "It was merely a lucky guess, my lord."

"She certainly is intelligent, I never would have thought that she was just a lady-in-waiting," The Admiral told Cascia in a flattering tone before he began to walk off. "Treat her well lady Cascia, good help is hard to find."

"Don't worry!" She called after him with a large grin. "I will!" She was all smiles as she watched him go, basking in the glow of social pleasantries.

"You're a natural at this Y/N," She turned her smiling face to Y/N both amazement and pride clear to be seen on her face. "Are you sure you're not secretly a noble or something, you certainly look and act the part?!" She asked in a joking tone.

"I'm sure," Y/N forced a smile to keep from crying at Cascia's question. She was more than a noble, she was royal, but what did it mean when both her country and her throne no longer even existed? "I'm just... Just an orphan..."

"You're an orphan?!" Cascia gasped, pity consuming her. "I'm so sorry to hear that!"

"It's alright," Y/N said, keeping her forced grin in place. "You're not to blame." Lady Cascia was only nine when Y/N's country had been destroyed, and even if a woman could have political influence in Luccia, Lady Cascia was nothing more than a child then.

"You look so beautiful Y/N!" Cascia quickly changed the subject to try and cheer up her friend, pointing to a gilded mirror that hung on the wall near where they stood, reflecting the two of them on its silver surface. Y/N said nothing and froze, her face turning pale.

It was her first time seeing her reflection in the borrowed dress and gloves and she got quite the surprise when she saw herself in the mirror. The crimson dress flowed elegantly over her feminine figure, the jet gloves accentuating the graceful curve of her arms. Her H/C hair was pinned atop her head in a slightly messy configuration with several small strands hanging loose and framing her face, curled by the humidity.

Momma...? She thought in incredulous bewilderment as she stared at the reflection of a beautiful young woman who resembled the late Queen almost completely. No, that's not her, that's me! She recoiled in shock at the realization of how much she had come to resemble her mother in the past ten years. It was a painful reminder of everything that had been ripped away from her by the Luccian Royal Family.

"Y/N?!" Cascia asked, alarmed by the presence of tears on her friend's face as she stared at her reflection. "Is something wrong?!"

"I-I suddenly don't feel well," Y/N said, struggling to maintain her composure, but the tears wouldn't stop. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, that's alright!" Cascia gushed, grabbing Y/N by the hand and pulling her out to the large terrace that offered a lovely view of the sunset over the bay. "Come on! I'm sure that some fresh air will have you feeling good as new in no time!!!"

The two women stepped out onto the balcony and Y/N leaned over the railing, breathing in the sea air and admiring the glimmering waves fathoms below them. "Thank you, Cascia," Y/N sighed after a few minutes of silence.

"Of course," Cascia said. She leaned her head around so she could meet Y/N's gaze. "Soooooo, are you feeling better yet - Just teasing don't worry, take all the time you need!" Y/N nodded, grateful to her friend for her patience.

After several more minutes, they were distracted by the tapping sound of approaching footsteps. "Good evening ladies-" a velvety voice greeted.

"ABELIIIII!!!" Cascia squealed as she turned around and flung herself at the handsome prince while Y/N felt her heart sink and her anxiety spike. "I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU!!!"

"Hem," he cleared his throat awkwardly, Cascia's violent embrace having skewed the golden circlet, which was a new addition, sitting on his brow. "Well technically it's Crown Prince 'Abeli' now, so you should show me more respect."

"No!" She giggled, sticking out her tongue at him playfully.

"If you weren't my favorite cousin I could have you flogged for insubordination you know," He gave her cheek a pinch before he turned his attention to Y/N and his blue eyes sparked. "Oh, good evening to you as well Y/N, what a pleasant surprise to see you again."

"Good evening your Highness," Y/N greeted him, curtsying low. He was the Crown Prince now, so she had to be even more careful in his presence. "Congratulations on your ascension to Crown Prince," she praised him hoping that would be the end of the conversation.

"Thank you," he smiled warmly at her. "I must confess that I have heard that countless times this evening, but it sounds the sweetest from your lips," he added, copying a phrase that he had read in a romance novel somewhere in hopes of seducing Y/N into giving him the answers that he craved.

"Well, since you two are getting along so well," Cascia piped up, an evil grin stretching her face as she mistook the tension between the two others as flirting. "I'll go and get us some refreshments."

Cascia no! Don't leave me alone with him! Y/N thought as her friend abandoned her alone with the last person she wanted to be with.

A/N

CASCIA! WHY?!

Until next time I'll see you on the other side

~J. C. Coltt.~