When Donovan was done with his suit, he left it on and went to the ballroom where people were coming in. It was nothing big since it was the last one until a holiday or a festival of sorts. Most of the people who came in were dressed in green for the flags theme. It was a royals ball, and the one before it was a class ball.
"I announce the king!" An announcer said quickly because he was a little late to notice. Everyone clapped, and music began.
"Dance with her." Edith walked up to her son. He was standing in the same place as usual, scanning the room.
"I rather not."
"I will have the blacksmith mold your sword into a new necklace for me if you don't. Donovan's eyes widened.
"You don't mean that, right?" Edith showed him her ring. It was plain silver with a topaz.
"I did the same thing with your father." She let her son look at the ring closer. It was a ring she always wore in her right hand, middle finger.
"I told your father I'd mold the tip of his sword into a ring I'd always wear. I did after he died to honor him and all he's done for Cudamacci." She gave a sigh.
"So...that's why his funeral service provided his sword with out part of its blade." Donovan recalled the day he mourned his father, but realize the sword didn't have all of itself when it went on the casket.
"Bellona!" Arlo called her from the door.
"Hey!" She walked over to him.
"You look lovely."
"I'm wearing a fancier version of my uniform Arlo, not a ball gown like these woman." Bellona gesture to the royals dancing; the men were crisply attired and the woman's dresses flowed with elegance. Arlo smiled at her.
"I think you're far more beautiful than any of these snobby princess."
"Oh, ha, thanks." She blushed. Arlo grabbed Bellona's hand and twirled her gently.
"If you aren't busy, I'd like the next dance." A handsome stranger said. His hair was pale and short and his eyes were light green. He had a strong build, but not like king Donovan...Why am I comparing him to the king? Bellona thought to herself. Arlo stepped aside and walked off before Bellona could stop him.
"You're friend seems nice. But not very social." He said. He had a thick accent...Russian.
"He's not a fan of men stealing you away I guess." He continued.
"I guess not." Bellona shrugged.
"I'd like to have a dance if you don't mind." He smiled charmingly.
"I better no-"
"No, you better not indeed. Prince Vladimir...good to see you."
"King Donovan." Vladimir bowed.
"Yes. King now."
"It fits you as well as that suit."
"I'd say." Bellona added in. She felt left out so she had to say something.
"Thank you. But you need to get back to work." Donovan didn't meet her eyes. She curtsied to the two men and took and tray to offer drinks.
"She's pretty." Vladimir smiled to himself.
"She's working for me until she gets money to save her bakery." Donovan said coldly
"I didn't know you cared about your people."
"It was my mothers idea."
"Yes...of course it was." Vladimir gave a suspicious look.
"What?"
"Why did you pick then to talk to me? It seems like you don't want to talk, but you don't want me to talk to that girl..."
"I don't care what you do with the girl, she needed to get back to work." Donovan darkly stated.
"Her work? You mean walking around with a tray? No ones drinking Nova-"
"I told you not to call me that."
"Whatever. My claim is that she needs people to drink to do her job, and no one is drinking, so I'm going to dance with her." Vladimir put up his hands and walked off.
Donovan watched Vladimir strut right towards Bellona and take the tray from her. She laughed with him and he asked her to dance, which she hesitantly accepted, but not without looking at Donovan. He nodded permission.
"I'm sorry, I'm not a very practiced dancer." Bellona smiled shyly.
"So I guess an 8 step dance isn't up your ally?" Vladimir smiled at her. She laughed and they got smoother in step. She fumbled here and there, but she was getting better. They stopped dancing and went to the food table, got some pastries and went out to walk around the castle. The castle was large and symmetrical looking from every angle.
The castle was large and had 4 respective wings as the first 3 floors. 8 wings for the second 3 floors, and 16 sections as the last 3. It was a wider castle than it was tall, and there were many bay windows and 4 towers along the square wall surrounding the castle. There was a back garden Vladimir took Bellona to. They ate and walked along.
"Ok, so I got a question." Bellona took a bite of a chocolate covered strawberry.
"And I have an answer." Vladimir smiled.
"So how do you know the king? I mean, what's the relation?" His smile faded.
"We were friends growing up. Well, we talked, but it was friendly conversation. Donovan took himself too seriously to have much friends. The only games we played were either chess, or if we were feeling childish, hide and seek."
"I couldn't imagine him playing that." Bellona couldn't hide a smile.
"Haha, the castle here was so big that we agreed to a certain wing and floor to narrow it down. I always lost because Donovan was so hard to find." Vladimir chuckled.
"Where were his hiding spots?"
"Well, he never hid." Bellona looked confused, so Vladimir explained, "He always blended in. He'd hide in a closet wearing the suits or even dresses. He would leap into a armor suit or replace a hall guard, so he would always be in plain sight, I wouldn't see him."
"That sounds smart."
"He's the smartest guy I know." Vladimir factly stated.
"He didn't seem friendly earlier towards you..."
"He's not the 'leap into your arms with affection' kind of man. I didn't expect anything."
"Not even a smile?"
"That man has never smiled in the time I've known him. He's given some small ones or a smirk, but not a heart warming smile."
"Why not?"
"As I said, he takes himself too seriously." Vladimir shrugged. "Let's not talk about him, he's just as boring in person as he is to talk about."
"Shh, he might pop up again." Bellona giggled. Vladimir couldn't help but laugh. That night was a wonderful night, and Bellona would never forget the white-haired, green-eyed prince.
