Stolen

3. The Secret is Out

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters from Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper. I'm not making money from this story.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Anneliese backed away from the mirror looking at the elegant gown on her body. It was a pale pink ball gown, as always, with thin, white lace accents that shimmered in the light. The sleeves hung slightly off her shoulders and stopped around her forearms. The bodice of the dress was tight fitting; however, not tight enough to show Anneliese's slight bump. It was still too small for anyone to notice, unless they were told. However, the princess was still adamant about no one knowing or finding out her and Julian's surprise until the end of the ball. The skirt was full and, like the top, had lace to cover the infinite layers of tule underneath. She twirled in her dress and watched the white lace lift to reveal the pink material. Then, she leaned into the mirror to check her hair and makeup.

Charlotte had done a magnificent job on her hair. The blonde hair held perfect ringlets, as usual. "This is your ball. No one is going to look better," she had said. She turned the princess away from the mirror as she added numerous gems throughout her hair. When Anneliese turned back around, her blonde hair shimmered, and she was speechless. "Wow," she stated, "It looks beautiful, Charlotte! Thank you!"

Anneliese was taking a last look at her face in the mirror when she heard a knock on the door.
"Come in," she called, while still fixated on the mirror. This time she backed away and turned to view her profile. It was essential that her slight baby bump was hidden from view. She sucked in, sufficiently hiding the bump, and nodded, satisfied. Suddenly, there was another person in the reflection: Julian.
"Looks like I'll be sucking in all night," Anneliese said giggling. "I still can't believe there is a baby growing in me!"
"I can believe it," Julian said and grabbed Anneliese's hands. "He or she is going to have the best mother." He gave her a small peck on the cheek. Anneliese blushed.
"And he or she will have the smartest father," she responded with a smile. Anneliese was about to speak again when Charlotte entered the room.
"Excuse me, milady, but the ball will be starting very shortly and the guests cannot be left waiting. After all, you two are the main event tonight." They nodded in response, while Julian offered his arm to Anneliese. She happily intertwined her arm and they were escorted out of their room.
~*~*~*~*~*~
As they were walking through the corridors on the way to the dining hall, Anneliese was giving last minute tips and etiquette, most of which she learned as a young princess. "Remember, we are starting with dinner, so no loud side conversations or controversial conversations. We want to keep this as neutral as possible." She continued on about everything. From table manners to appropriate topics during dinner to correct ways to address the guests, Anneliese covered almost all of it by the time they entered the dining hall. Julian stared ahead, not showing any emotion. Seeing around thirty royals and nobles made Julian queasy. Anneliese squeezed his hand, "Don't worry, you got this," she whispered. 'Yeah, right,' he thought. He has very limited experience on dinners and balls, especially ones this size. He took a deep breath as two men opened the doors.

He could feel all the eyes on him. The room was silent except a few mumbles. The guests were watching like hawks, judging this new royal as he escorted Anneliese to her place at the table next to Erika and Dominick and pulled out her chair for her. It made a loud screech sound. His face turned red. Anneliese just smiled, but her eyes showed just how much she wanted to laugh. Not being raised in royalty caused Julian much distress. His emotions are always plastered on his face like it is transparent. Anneliese, on the other hand, has had years to perfect hidden emotions, so she held her composure during an awkward and embarrassing moment as this one. He quickly sat in his chair and said nothing until dinner was served.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"That was quite an entrance you made there, Julian," Erika joked.
Julian just rolled his eyes. "The first real public event, and I have already made a fool of myself."
Dominick laughed. "Don't worry, my first real ball, I tripped over a rug and pulled down the tablecloth." He sighed, "It only gets better from here."
"You're kidding, right?" Julian asked, "Weren't you raised for the dinner and ball scene?"
"Hey, everyone can make a mistake when they're nervous," Dominick shrugged.
Anneliese put a hand on his shoulder and turned to him. "Seriously, Julian. It wasn't that bad. Loud? Yes. Humiliating? No," she reassured him. While Julian felt the pressure, the guests chattered amongst themselves.