Kaida

Chapter 3 - Daydream To Safety

Taking a deep breath, I straighten my back with my head held high before putting my mask in place and walking into the banquet hall. I nod and smile as I pass by the nobility of our court, heading to the table where my siblings are sitting. As I take up my seat next to my younger brother and eldest sister, I gaze around the hall. As if with a magnet, my eyes are drawn straight to the young prince from one of the bordering kingdoms. Blushing as my eyes meet his and he smiles slightly at me, I smile back shyly before pulling my gaze away in order to continue taking in the party around me.

Had it been up to me, this event would look very different. Closing my eyes I let myself imagine it for a second. The soft chatter of my family around me. My friends from the village outside the castle crowded around the table full of treats. The sound of uptempo music and laughter surrounded me like a warm embrace. I am broken from my imagination by the clinking of glass. My eyes immediately fly open and find the source of the sound, my nerves taking a deep breath when I see where it had come from. Placing my practiced courtly smile back in place, I make eye contact with the king. My father, King Colin is a large man both in height and muscles. My mum once told me a story of when I was born and how when I first saw my father I thought him to be a monster and immediately threw up on him. Yet I know now that he is nothing even remotely similar to a monster. He is kind and fair, always looking out for those below us in rank. "They often hold more power over the kingdom than we do," he once told me as we visited the village surrounding us. He was also known within his closest circle to be an absolute love sick puppy when it came to my mother. They fell in love when they were only children, yet that love never faded. He was so scared to propose to her that in the end she did it herself, which he has never lived down when it has come to his brothers. Now the king, the man I know as my safest of places, stands at the head of the banquet hall toasting to me. I can't help but want to shrink away from the attention but I know better and instead smile a well practiced smile with just the right amount of teeth and lift my glass at the right time.

With the toast out of the way the true celebration begins with lots of music, dancing, and chatting consuming the usually silent hall. Quietly I watch the festivities around me, enjoying the occasional sweet treat that my favorite of our workers, Ercilia, smuggles my way. Ercilia is one of the only workers who will treat me as any other person, instead of some delicate princess who can't handle a few negative words. We became friends while I was still in dance lessons. She once found me practicing in the very hall we now occupy, and without so much as a greeting she told me of everything I was doing wrong. Within minutes we were giggling under the chandeliers as she showed me the correct ways to execute the moves. I smile at her as she passes by again, counting down the minutes until we are both free from this party so we can sneak out of the castle grounds and celebrate with our friends.

While daydreaming of the true party to come later that night I didn't notice the prince, who I caught looking at me earlier, had snuck up on me. He now stands on the other side of the table I am sitting at with my family. Nodding respectfully to him, I wait for him to introduce himself and explain what he is doing. My heart beats uncontrollably the longer I look at him, unable to stop myself from taking in his beauty up close. Dark brown hair which someone had recently attempted to style back and control the mass of curls, beautiful and vibrant green eyes, and a beautiful smile that was infectious to say the least. Holding out his hand to me he says "Hello, my name is Prince Cadmus of the Kingdom of Hollis. I was wondering if you would like to dance?" Normally everything within me would be screaming at me to find an excuse to do anything but dance. Yet for once my mind was clear, so on instinct alone I nodded and took his outstretched hand and let him lead me to the full dance floor. I could feel everyone's eyes watching us, but it felt like there was an invisible barrier between the two of us and everyone else.