Lies Dressed In Lace

A Night I Wont Remember

I force myself to walk all the way to the ballroom not stopping for anything even to breath for a moment because if I do I'll let myself be weak. The men at the door announce me and I smile graciously and curtsy as confidently as possible closing off my emotions for the night. I make my way though the crowd to my mother seated by my father as my sisters dance. I sit beside her and she grabs my hand.

"I wanted to talk to you before you got here but you never came to my chambers." She accuses.

"I just came from your chambers, you weren't there." I tell her taking my hand out of her cold tight grasp.

"Then you should have come sooner."

"Maybe you should have sent your servant sooner." I snap and stand up knowing sitting beside her was a bad idea. A young man comes up holding out his hand to me.

"May I have this dance?" I nod barely glancing at his face just wanting to get away from my mother. I take his hand as he leads me out to the dance floor and we fall into step with the other couples spinning around the floor. "I couldn't help but notice your mother is a little rude." I bark out a laugh.

"You don't know the half of it the Queen is a hard woman to live with, thankfully it's a big castle." He chuckles as we turn.

"You looked like you needed saving, sorry if I was a little late."

"I don't need saving I just need an escape that isn't marriage." I finally look up to his face noticing he's quite a bit taller then I am and obviously a noble or at least a son of one. His dark brown hair curls into a sweet mess on his head and his bright blue eyes look welcoming.

"Well, theres goes my plan." He winks.

"I don't think you'd want to marry me, most men are looking for undamaged goods." He steps back opening our arms wide looking at me then stepping back in as if its part of the dance.

"I don't see anything damaged, in fact I see a beautiful princess that could have any man she could possible want." I roll my eyes.

"Until they find out I cant give them an heir." His expression doesn't change in the slightest like most men would.

"How perfect cause I cant give myself an heir either."

"Perhaps it is perfect, the 2 people who cant have heirs find each other instead of ruining someone else's lineage." He smiles.

"What if we find a third person?"

"Hmm that would be interesting, what if we found them a fourth?"

"That will be very lucky, maybe we should just start a kingdom, we can call it 'Unable to fuck up another's lineage' how does that sound?" I laugh so hard I mess up the dance be he laughs along just as messily as I do.

"That sounds perfect!" I look around at the ballroom, it sparkles with diamonds and gowns all of it so beautifully intoxicating while I dance with this perfect stranger actually having a good time for once. "You know I don't believe I know your name." I say wonderingly.

"I don't think you'd know me by my name Princess, I am only a duke of a small bit of land." He says graciously.

"I don't know, I know most dukes." I say pressing for a name.

"Plus I'm not from your kingdom and I'd hate to ruin this dance with my long winded explanation of my lands, honestly you would not know me." I nod.

"Can I still have your name, or something to call you?" He blushes.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry, of course I am Duke Alark but please call me Leon." I smile.

"Its wonderful to meet you Leon, call me Sylenia." We dance the rest of the night talking about absolutely nothing, drinking our weigh in wine, and having a wonderful time of it. But soon enough he has to leave bidding me a goodnight with a bow almost too drunk to walk straight, I decide to take a seat next to my father where Annika usually sits but she's dancing slowly with her newly healed husband in the corner unlikely to let him go for another few hours. Father pats me hand affectionately even though I only sat here so I don't fall over.