So, mice are incredible creatures, as Louis has decided. They can sew and drive. Remarkable.
Louis stepped out of the carriage once they reached the main entrance. Louis really hadn’t thought this through. What if anyone recognizes him? Especially Verna and the boys? How on earth is he going to meet the prince?
Louis nervously walked inside. There were rich people everywhere, and Louis felt like he should be serving them. A young man walked up to him and offered him champagne, which he thankfully took. He walked down to the ballroom where a dance was currently taking place.
There were so many eyes looking at him, he could tell. Was it because he was alone? Was it because they recognized him? He attempted to look as natural as possible before gliding down the stairs and onto the floor. Louis joined in on the dance, just trying to have fun. He didn’t see the prince yet, though he wasn’t really sure what he looked like anyway.
The exciting dance slowed down and everyone coupled into partners and started to dance in circles. Louis started to back away.
“Excuse me?” someone caught Louis’ arm. He turned to meet the eyes of a tall, gorgeous man. Everyone at this ball was gorgeous, but he was by far the most beautiful Louis had seen yet.
“Hi.” Louis said simply, because his mind was elsewhere. The dazzling man had brought him to another world. But finally, Louis had come back to his senses. “Oops, I mean… How can I help you?”
The man laughed (and it was a glorious sound. His laugh could be worked into the most beautiful symphony with its velvety folds and musical tones.) and took Louis’ hand, slightly bowing.
“I was actually wondering if you’d like to have this dance?” The man looked up at Louis through his eyelashes, and to be that beautiful and nervous at the same time seemed impossible to Louis, but the nerves only seemed to enhance the stranger’s beauty.
“Me?” Louis asked stupidly, but he just wanted to make sure the man was talking to him.
“If you’d like.” The gentleman kindly offered again. People were starting to gather, paying little to no attention to Louis, but more observing the man opposite him. Louis sheepishly nodded his head and they walked to the dancefloor.
The man was obviously not a natural dancer, with his giraffe-like limbs that made him teeter when he lost his balance and his incapability to focus on the beat when he seemed to get lost in Louis’ eyes. After silently drooling over this boy for three consecutive songs, Louis had to make conversation.
“You’re a terrible dancer.” is what Louis chose to say. He mentally smacked himself for insulting the nice (and beautiful) man.
The man only smirked as they continued to spin in circles. “Well you’re wonderful, so maybe it evens out.”
“I don’t think that’s how it works.” Louis chuckled. As awkward as Louis tended to be, conversation with this man seemed to flow naturally. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure you can.” He smiled.
“Why did you ask me to dance with you?” Louis asked. “Just curious.”
“Well, I’m required to dance with all possible spouses tonight, and I just wanted to give everyone a chance. I’m positive we haven’t danced before this.”
“Right you are.” Louis agreed. “But… you’re looking for a spouse? Does that mean-”
“Yes. I’m sorry, I never introduced myself. I’m Prince Harry.”
Louis’ mouth dropped. His jaw was on the floor only for a second before he recovered himself, thankfully.
“Don’t worry, there’s no need to bow.” Harry, Prince Harry, chortled and pulled Louis the tiniest bit closer to him.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware. I’m quite surprised.” Louis rambled.
“What’s surprising?” Harry asked.
“You just- I didn’t know what to expect.” Louis blushed.
“Are you pleased?” Harry asked, unsure.
“Yes, very.” Louis smiled, and Harry lit up. He was quite nervous for a prince. Not that Louis was a prince expert or anything, he just expected a proper, rich snob.
They continued to dance, conversation dying down for a brief moment before Louis asked: “Has everyone had their chance to dance with you, your highness?”
“Call me Harry, please.” Harry laughed. “And yes, I believe so.”
“And you had to dance with me, because it is required.” Louis stated.
“Technically, yes.” Harry answered, still smiling at Louis.
Louis huffed, knowing he wasn’t special. “So, did you find anyone special?”
“Yes.” Harry replied. “Only one.”
“Well, I don’t want to keep you from them.” Louis started to let go, but Harry grabbed his wrists and held them around his neck.
“Don’t be oblivious.” Harry ordered, and Louis wasn’t sure what the prince meant by that, and he didn’t think Harry was going to go into detail, so he let it slide.
“Okay.” They continued to dance. They had separated from the party, somewhat, dancing out into the garden.
“I swear I know you somehow.” Harry said randomly as their dancing morphed into a relaxed stroll around the garden. Louis looked up to the taller man.
“You must be mistaken. You wouldn’t know me.” Louis replied, though he wished they previously knew each other.
“No, we have definitely met. I couldn’t forget a face like yours.” He smiled at Louis, who was blushing deeply.
“I’m sure I would remember meeting the prince.” Louis laughed.
“I’ll figure it out eventually.” Harry said, brushing it off.
Louis smiled and looked up at the stars. He couldn’t believe his luck. He was strolling through the royal gardens with the prince himself. And because the prince wanted to be with him. This had to be part of the magic. The magic that would wear off by midnight.
“Where are you from?” Harry asked as they walked.
“Not far, but far enough.” Louis sighed.
“From another kingdom?” the prince asked. Louis shook his head nervously.
“Harry, I’m afraid you won’t like me if I tell you the truth.” Louis said, honestly. “I’m afraid you’ll lose interest in someone like me.”
“Nonsense. I already like you.” He smirked, kicking a pebble. Louis sighed again.
“Well, I’m from this village, actually. But I’m not royal, at all.” Louis explained.
“Where in the village?” Harry asked, as if the royalty didn’t matter.
“Right near the Crescent Forest.”
“I’m familiar with that area. It’s nice.” Harry nodded.
“It is. I’ve lived there all my life.”
“And I’ve lived here all my life.” Harry joked. “I’m not sure what to call you, and it bothers me. What’s your name?”
Louis knew this wouldn’t last, and he didn’t want the prince getting so attached if they wouldn’t advance.
“Just call me whatever you’d like.”
“Do you not have a name?” Harry asked.
“I do.” Louis said, and smiled at the prince. “But I won’t tell you.”
“Why not?” Harry asked. “It’s my right to know, isn’t it?”
“Perhaps.” Louis skipped ahead of Harry. “Maybe you’ll have to guess it.”
“Hmmm…” Harry chuckled as he caught up to Louis. He grabbed Louis’ hands lightly and clasped them behind Louis’ back. “You’re going to make this hard for me?”
“I’ll be fair. If you guess it, I’ll be honest.” Louis smiled.
“Okay… give me a clue at least?”
“No way, curly.” Louis said, cautiously, but Harry laughed at the new nickname.
“Fine.” Harry smirked. He leaned his chin on Louis’ shoulder. For having just met, Harry was very clingy, but Louis liked it. “I’m gonna guess… Charles?”
“No.” Louis smiled, and it seemed impossible to stop smiling in the presence of Harry.
“William?”
“Nope.”
“James? Henry? Edward?” Louis shook his head. “I give up, just tell me.”
“No, you can only guess it.” Louis turned around to face the prince. He couldn’t believe the beauty of the prince, standing right there in front of him.
A familiar beauty. Perhaps they have met before.
They seemed to have realized at the same time, but Harry was first to speak.
“I remember you!” He shouted, excitedly. “You’re the lad from the forest. We met when I was hunting. That was the first time I ever hit my target.”
“In the forest?” Louis remembered. With his eyes as green as the forest leaves.
“Yes, of course. Right near where you live!” Harry was bursting at this realization. “Don’t you remember?”
“Yes, I do. You look different than you did then.” Louis observed.
“Bad different?” Harry asked, worriedly. It was as if the prince was afraid of not being good enough for Louis.
“No, good different. Absolutely. It’s nice to see how people can alter from one look to another.” Louis explained.
“You look different, too.” Harry said. “You looked sad in the forest.”
Harry didn’t mention his clothes. Harry noticed his face, Harry saw how he felt. As if the clothes didn’t matter.
“I was visiting my mother, actually. And she is deceased, so it was quite sad.” Louis looked up to see Harry genuinely concerned. “I’m sorry; I shouldn’t be talking about this.”
“No, don’t apologize. You can tell me if you want.” Harry sat them down on a stone bench off the side of the path they were walking on.
“Well, I was just having a rough day, I guess. So I went out to my mum’s grave to cool off.” Harry held Louis’ right hand in his left.
“I’m sorry about your mum.” Harry said, softly.
“It is what it is.” Louis shrugged.
“What was she like?” Harry asked, as if he knew that Louis had always wanted to rave about his late mother. As if he knew Louis needed someone to talk to.
“My mum was… incredible. She died when I was very young, from an illness, but I remember her so clearly. She reminds me of sunshine.” Louis thought back to the times he spent with his mother, finding nothing but good memories that seemed like his sweetest dreams.
“What about your father?” Harry questioned. This hit Louis a little harder, being more recent, but still long ago.
“He was amazing, but kind of a pushover. He died at war a while ago.” Louis explained.
“Oh, no. Have you been on your own?”
“No. Just before my father left for the war, he married my step-mother. She’s attending this ball tonight, actually. And my step-brothers are also here, hoping to steal your heart.” Louis chuckled. Harry held Louis’ hand a little tighter and Louis would be lying if he said he didn’t have butterflies in his stomach in the middle of this depressing conversation.
“Well, I’m glad you’re not alone.” Harry said, referring to Louis’ “family”. As if.
“My step-mother actually was forbidding me to come to the ball tonight. I’m not supposed to be here.”
“Why would she say that?” Harry asked.
“It’s a long story…” Louis shrugged.
“I have time.”
Just as Harry said that, the clock tower began to ring. It was midnight.
“Oh, no.” Louis stood, suddenly, remembering the magic spell.
“What’s the matter?” Harry stood as well. Louis started running out of the garden and back to the palace.
“I have to go!” He shouted. Harry was close behind him.
“Why so soon? Will I see you again?” Harry called back.
“I’m certain you won’t.” Louis said, breaking into the busy ballroom.
“I don’t even know your name!” Harry grabbed after Louis, but could never reach him.
“It’s better this way.” Louis said to himself more so than to Harry. Harry the prince.
“Please!” Harry grabbed Louis by the arm at the top of the staircase. “I need to know I’ll see you again.”
“I’m sorry, Prince Harry.” Louis sniffled. “I will not make a promise to you that I cannot keep.” Louis forced himself to rip himself away from Harry’s clutch and run out the main entrance. He knew Harry was still behind him and tried to run faster. He felt sparkly again.
Louis tripped on the way to his carriage, losing one of his shoes while falling. Harry was too close behind him to worry about the golden shoe, so he stood up and jumped in his carriage before Harry could reach him. He looked out the back of the carriage and saw Harry pick up the shoe and continue chasing Louis, until he was out of sight.
Louis took a deep breath to relax, but as he did that, the ride became turbulent and the horses began to shrink and Louis’ clothes began to tear. Louis jumped out of the melon before he got trapped inside and rolled to the side of the road.
He sat in the mud, dressed in his scraps once again and surrounded by mice. What a great night.
He forced himself up and let the mice cling to his baggy clothes as they headed home. They weren’t too far, but with only one shoe the walk was torturous.
One shoe. One golden shoe. Louis stared down at his shoe as he walked, wondering when the magic would take away the last bit of proof that the entire night was real.