From Silver to Diamonds

Chapter 9

“Is that what I think it is?” I asked after Andrew opened his eyes.

“Yes and I decided to call it Le Temps Du Rêve, Dream time. Since we have no luck on other pieces we shall play this instead. Do you still remember what I taught you?”

I nodded spontaneously. It was a beautiful song and the name suit it perfectly because whenever I hear it, my body felt relaxed and be swept away into another world, a paradise with clear blue skies, rainbow dyed flower meadows, emerald green leaves and forever warm sunshine.

 Besides I almost knew how to play it off by heart without any score sheets spread out in front of me, it’s just the matter of fact if I could match up to Andrew’s level.

Back to the present, I feel the pressure rising. The ball was held in Italy in some luxurious hotel located in Rome. The crown prince, his spouse and I were to stay three days and two nights at another hotel nearby which was as good as the one where the ball will be held.

 Our first day wasn’t really a day because when we arrived from Genovia to Italy it was already night time and again, I feel relieved to be standing on ground again after a few hours flight and as for today, It’s the second night in Rome and tomorrow after the ball we will be back to our country. The thought of going back on the plane give me creeps, I just don’t understand why we couldn’t just take the train to here.

Basically, it was my first time coming to Italy and I was given the chance to explore the wonders of Rome. Sadly for my safety, two body guards were made to come and watch out for me. To make myself feel less miserable, I played a game with them by running around the capital, trying to ditch those annoying stalkers. I ended up having fun; running along the old bridge across the Tiber River, and hiding behind Venetian masks at stores set up along the bridge, played peek-a-boo at the coliseum, then final destination at the Trevi Fountain and scabbed few Euros off the body guards to do some coin tossing.  I guess my stay in Rome for a few days weren’t really a waste.

The doorbell rang. I quickly slipped my toes into a pointed toe late seventeenth Venetian inspired shoes. The leather soles felt cool against my skin and the vamp and sides did not rub as much as the pair of Miu Mius I had to wear for school which was too high for my comfort zone. I had to lift up my skirts to admire the beautiful embroidery and the expensive royal purple velvet that goes perfectly with the round purple silk clutch bag, and then wobbled to the door.

As I wrench open the heavy oak door, one of the body guards who was with me in the morning stood before me. He was on his little Bluetooth and muttered something to the other person at the other end then turned to face me.

“Good evening,” the guard said. “The princess is ready and the prince will like you to meet him at the atrium,”

“Alright, just give me a second,” I closed the door before he had the chance to approve my request.

I quickly went back to the table and shoved the key card and plenty of other necessary things such as phone and last of all my passport into the tiny bag just in case I somehow wounded myself up in a Italian police station. Then walked off to the elevator where the guard kept a close distance whenever someone passed by, he looked down at them behind his black shades.

The limo stretched alongside the grand entrance.  At the front of the car, there was a little Genovian flag fluttering in the cold air of the early autumn in Italy. I shuddered in the coldness, I hoped the snow won’t fall soon and the fichu that was given to me did no help in protecting me from the harsh weather tackling my thick clothing.

The footman was already there opening the door and revealed two royal couples dolled up in the fancy costumes that the Italian woman has chosen. They were both wore fine painted masks embossed with glitter, sequences and feathers.