Princess Charming

Chapter 7: Elliot

"Lord Lebroski at your service," he said with a deep bow.

"I'm sorry," Elliot spluttered, trying to make his voice sound deeper than normal as he backed away. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance but I really must be going. Perhaps some other time..." Before his stepfather could detain him further, he dove into another part of the crowd.

When he pushed his way through to the side of the room, Elliot found himself only a few feet away from the queen's dais. He pulled a shaking hand through his hair, taking a deep breath of the stuffy ballroom air. He needed to cool down, but the balcony was on the opposite side of the room.

He didn't fancy pushing back through the masses in order to reach it. If only there was some way of parting the crowd.

As if by magic, the crowd did just that. But they weren't moving for him; they were parting ways for their princess, who was stalking towards him with a scowl on her face. She stomped up onto the dais, throwing herself down into her chair beside her mother, who could only sigh at her daughter's behaviour. When Charmaine caught sight of Elliot watching her, she beckoned him towards her with a curl of her finger. Her cheeks were flushed; her jaw was set with the stubbornness of a toddler; and her fists were clenching and unclenching in her lap. Every cell in Elliot's body was warning him to flee in the other direction. But he didn't. He never had. He mounted the dais and greeted the queen and her daughter with a low bow.

"I have crushed lesser men than you for far smaller crimes, you know," Charmaine told him, her voice low and poisonous.

"Charmaine!" her mother started, but Charmaine cut her off with a wave of her hand. "Did you know that Lord Remy du Chevroleta weighs as much as a baby elephant and moves with the grace of one on the dance floor? I am letting you keep your limbs because when I arrive at tomorrow's ball in a cast instead of heels as my right foot has swollen to twice its usual size, I shall be expecting you to carry me around on a chair above your head for the entire evening."

Elliot's lips twitched.

"Did something I said amuse you?" she asked, her voice laced with venom.

"Charmaine, be reasonable, please!" her mother pleaded, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"I offer my sincerest apologies, Princess," Elliot said, offering another low bow to conceal his growing smile. "I thought I was being chivalrous by leaving you to other partners, but I see now that I made a grave mistake. The next time someone approaches you to dance, I will gladly take a turn around the room with them first, to determine their suitability."

A moment of silence descended over the ballroom; even the musicians had halted their waltz to watch the show. Charmaine threw her head back against her chair and laughed. After exchanging confused glances, others in the area began to join in.

Charmaine wiped tears of laughter from her eyes before regarding Elliot once more. "I like you," she said, looking shocked by her own words. "You know mother, I don't think these balls are going to be quite so bad after all."

She rose from her chair and descended the dais, pausing beside Elliot so that he could offer her his arm. Still desperate for fresh air, and more eager than ever to get out of the ballroom and away from the curious gazes of everyone around him, Elliot led Charmaine out onto the balcony.

"You really have taken me by surprise," Charmaine said once the door was shut on curious onlookers.

"Why is that?" Elliot turned towards her, startled to discover her so close. Much too close.

"I held these balls expecting to find... something I had lost a long time ago. But I think I might have found something even better."

She really was too close. The scent of her jasmine perfume flooded Elliot's senses. He could see the rise and fall of her chest, feel the warmth of her breath against his cheek. Too close. Too complicated. His brain was telling him to move away, his body urging him towards her.

Maybe Elliot's fairy godfather was watching over the proceedings, because as Charmaine leaned in towards him, the castle clock began to toll.

Midnight.

Elliot jerked backwards.

"Forgive me," he spluttered as her eyes flew open. "I must leave you."

"What?" Shock and hurt flashed across her face. Elliot knew it would only take a moment before it simmered to a deadly fury.

"There's no time to explain. Please know that I am not leaving because I want to, but because I must. Charmaine, I'm sorry."

"Wait-" he didn't give her the opportunity to explain, already pushing through the crowded ballroom towards the exit.

The bell tolled for a fourth time as the ballroom door swung shut behind him.

By the twelfth toll, he had vanished through the gates, Elliot once more, ready for the long walk back to his bed by the fireplace.

{Thank you so much to everyone who has been commenting and messaging me to let me know how much you're enjoying this story. I hope this update was worth the wait. Please let me know what you think in the comments.}