It was around dusk when I realized that the ball was going to be starting in a bit.
I quickly stumbled over to the dress I bought earlier and grabbed it with my hands, stumbling even more into the bathroom.
I stripped away the dress blouse and black trousers, the clothes falling to the floor of my bathroom. I then ventured over to the circular container in the middle of the room. Beside it laid a bucket with water and a sponge.
I hopped into the bath container and soaked the sponge into the water, cleaning off the dirt from today.
~
After I knew it was okay to get out of the bath, I jumped out getting the floor a little wet. I quickly dried myself off and headed out the bathroom door.
I moved over to my dress, stepping into it and putting it onto my shoulders. I slipped my feet into my gold flat heels and started to run out my front door in a hurry when I noticed something glinting inside from the bag I stole.
It glowed gold as I walked closer, inspecting it.
I went to put my hand into the bag feeling something I hadn't felt in it when I stole the bag on the first day.
It felt hard. I covered my hand around the rock like object, pulling it out of the bag slowly.
My eyes widened in surprise. It was a gold pendant necklace, with a red jade crystal in the middle. It looked amazing.
(Photo reference in case, imagine it how you'd like though).
I gently put it around my neck, glancing down at it. I wanted to wear it to the ball tonight. It looked too pretty for me not to.
The moon started to form over the clouds, knowing it was time that I should head out.
~
It was a long walk but eventually I got to the castle. It was bigger than I imagined. I lived here for quite a long time but never caught sight of it. I saw various looking rich people entering as well as some other commoners. My legs suddenly straggled forward, causing me to force my way up the castle stairs.
I nearly bumped into someone before my legs skidded to a stop. I looked around noticing I was already inside now.
The ballroom was glistening brightly in rich colors. Gold lining and pillars along the sides of the room. What seems like thousand of chandeliers were hanging from the top and tables full of food trays and dessert trays on the left side. Throngs of people were hanging around the middle, even some kids swarming where the food was. I've never been in a surrounding like this. It was a different feeling.
(Pretend there's people, also don't know why the image is so small but okay).
My eyes looked among the people, searching for any I knew. My eyes caught sight of one familiar person.
I walked over to them, trying not to be too excited.
"Karl? Is that you?" My voice wasn't as loud as I expected it to be but I was quite nervous.
"Y/n?" He stood up from the table he was sitting at, glancing at me. His eyes widened with joy and he ran over to me devouring me into a hug.
"M'lady! I didn't know that you would be coming to the ball?" He said as he gestured me to follow him to the foods bar. I followed eagerly.
"I heard that everyone was able to join. Am I wrong?" I chuckled lightly standing shoulder to shoulder next to him looking at the desserts that were placed upon the counter.
He gave a chuckle back to me. "No of course not."
We stood in silence for a minute or two before I decided to say something again.
"Those desserts look delicious. I'm guessing you and Alex baked them?" I glanced my eyes at him, quirking my brow.
"Yes! We did! It took some time but after awhile we finally finished. Feels like it took forever though.." He sighed. Seemed like the stress finally lifted from his eyes..
"Oh. By the way..I forgot to ask. Where is Alex?" I asked with curiosity in my voice.
"Oh. He's talking to one of our friends. He should be around here somewhere. Let me go find him so he can see you again. He'll be so excited!" Karl giggled and ran off into another direction, my eyes already loosing him.
'Welp..so much for that' I huffed. I quickly grabbed a strawberry pastry, stuffing it into my mouth. I saw some people glancing at me with disgusted looks on their faces but I blew it off.
It was a peaceful silence around me until I heard another loud voice booming.
"Why hello beautiful women! Care to dance with me?"
I looked over to me right and saw a teenage boy with blond hair and a white tux with a red tie talking to some girls.
"We're good.." One of them said with a scrunched up face looking at him and shooing him away with her hands.
I saw his face drop to a pout. "O-okay. S-sorry." He quickly walked away mumbling. All I faintly heard from his mumbles were him saying that women loved him.
I felt bad for the kid but it was not my place to step in.
I was about to walk away from the dessert bar when I felt a tap on my shoulder.
I looked towards the tap, noticing it was Karl again. "I found Alex!" He exclaimed beaming with happiness as always.
"Hey hermosa." He smiled at me. "How are you?"
I felt heat starting to crawl up my neck but ignored it.
"I'm good Alex. Thank you for asking." I smiled back at both of them.
We stood around in a corner talking until I heard Karl clear his throat looking at me.
"May I have this dance with you y/n?" Karl asked with a hopeful look.
"Of course you can Karl." I said softly looking back at him.
He swiftly grabbed my hand and intertwined it into his own pulling me forward to the dance floor with the crowd of others dancing.
"Yeah guys! Just leave me here alone!" I heard Alex yell from behind us and giggled, with a small grin forming onto my face.
Karl then pulled me forward making me stumble almost falling onto him. He grabbed my waist startling me a bit.
"S-Sorry m'lady!" He retracted his hand but I stopped him, grabbing his hand and resting it back at my side.
I saw his face turn super red causing me to laugh.
"Why are you laughing?" He chuckled back at me.
"You're adorable." I said with a wider grin on my face, planting my hand on his shoulder with my face burried in his chest.
It felt like his body was heating up and his heart was thumping quickly in his chest and it made me realize that I probably made him blush even more.
We swayed in silence for a little, just listening to the calming music around us and the feeling of the crowd.
For what seemed like a long time, I started to hear whispers around us. I felt eyes on me and glanced up at Karl seeing as it wasn't him. My face turned puzzled and I couldn't tell who was staring at me.
"Karl? Why are people whispering?" I asked quietly in his ear so that he could only hear my faint low voice.
"The kings have arrived to the ballroom." He said in a steady voice. Much calmer than mine was.
"What do they look like? I've never seen the kings before.." My face still tucked into his chest.
"Actually they are right behind us if you want to check." Karl said.
I slowly got out of his grasp, turning my body towards where he said they were.
My breath hitched in my throat and I felt like throwing up then and there. It was them. The three men from the tavern. They can't be the kings. They can't be. Karl must be kidding.
"Karl stop joking around. It isn't funny." I said sternly with a hint of fear in my voice.
"I-I'm not, y/n.." He looked down at me. I know that he could tell I was scared out of my mind. His eyes looked from me to them. His grip tightened on me again and I gave a curious look to him as to why he just did.
"Hello Karl." A voice said.
"Hello King Dream. Pleasure to talk with you again." Karl calmly spoke.
"Like wise." His voice was monotoned, trying to get quick to the point.
"Why hello! I don't believe we've met before." A calmer voice exclaimed with more of an accent than the others was.
I turned my head to look at the new voice and looked at who said it. It was the brunette man from the tavern with the glasses tattoo.
"U-Um I don't think we have. I-I'm just a commoner so.." my voice starting to trail off quietly.
"Your dress is quite pretty for a commoner. You..are quite pretty for a commoner." Another voice said with a hint of flirtation in it.
"T-thank you.." I kept my distance, my eyes looking up every now and then.
"Care to dance with us? I'm sure Karl wouldn't mind. Would you..Karl..?" The brunette man said, looking directly at us.
"No. Of course not your majesty's." Karl spoke as he bowed. His grip loosened on my waist and he took a few steps back as he whispered into my ear.
"I'll see you in a few. I'll be talking with Alex. Just look for us after you're done with the Kings. You'll be okay. I promise."
I tried calming my nerves and sighed, relaxing a bit.
"I'll dance with her first." The masked man stepped forward as I took a step back.
"Don't worry I don't bite." He chuckled.
"I doubt that.." I murmured under my breath.
He took another step towards me and grabbed my wrist forcefully, putting his hand on my waist.
I felt shockwaves through my body. Some how his touch was forceful yet warm. I melted into it as he swayed me back and forth to the rhythm of the song.
I glanced over to the right, the other two watching close by.
"What's your name?" His voice was calm but something about him right now was off.
"M-my name is y/n". My voice was stuttering a ton. They could totally tell something was up and if they haven't by now then they surely will soon.
"You seem shy. Don't worry I only want to get to know you." He smirked but quickly replaced it with a 'kind' smile. I felt as though I could feel his eyes glaring right at me through his mask.
"Say, what happened to your leg? Did you get hurt?" He gestured down to my leg where the vines from a couple days ago burrowed into my skin.
"N-no..that's been there forever.." I mumbled, looking down at the floor. I couldn't look at him. I don't care if I can't see his eyes. I could feel them staring into my soul.
"Really? The wound seems new.." He spoke as he used his hand to grab my chin. He then grabbed my hand and twirled me around.
My eyes lost sight of him quicker than I thought they would as someone new grabbed me.
"Hello. Sorry about Dream. He's very..forceful with things, I guess is the right word. My apologies for his behavior. He doesn't act that way usually around everyone. I'm King George." I looked at him as he spoke with his firm accent, his smile genuine.
He grabbed my hand gently and ushered me to relax into his arms. It wasn't really dancing. It was more like hugging him as we were swaying.
"So, he just hates me I'm guessing?" I chuckled trying to relieve some of the tension.
He chucked but didn't answer me back.
"So..where'd you get that nice-looking necklace?" His head nodded towards my neck where the gold red crystal necklace laid.
"O-Oh! I got it from my ancestors..yeah." My voice trembled a bit but I tried steadying it, making sure he couldn't hear the tremble.
"I thought you were a commoner? Don't get me wrong but I thought only, well, the higher class have jewelry like that.." He looked like he knew he was correct but I answered just in time before he could speak again.
"I-I must be special then I guess.." I spoke not wanting to get into any more trouble with the kings. 'I just want to leave,'
Before I could let go of his grasp he twirled me around as Dream once did and I fell onto someone, my arms grabbing them as they caught me.
"Woah there, don't need someone pretty like you getting all scratched up." The deeper voice said.
I let go of his arms and stumbled back, looking directly up into his eyes. 'Him..the fire. Fuck..I really need to leave now-'
"Lost in thought or are you too troubled by my handsome face? I get it, I'm too hot." His smirk was as wide as you could imagine it and you could probably smell his ego from a mile away.
"I-" I began but he stopped my sentence.
"No no. You don't have to compliment me more. I get it." He laughed.
His laugh was cheery yet I caught a hint of lust in his voice.
I didn't realize he pulled me into his chest until I smelled pine needles and fire wood. 'It smells marvelous..' I needed to snap out of this dumb trance he put me in and get the hell out of this castle. I can just chat with Karl again another day.
I pushed out of his grasp, him looking down at me confused. "What's wrong? Am I that good of a dancer?"
"N-no. I just need to l-leave. I have to be somewhere. I-I'm sorry. I really had a nice time with your..majesty's. I should be on my w-way now though.."
I turned around trying to dash out the doors and down the stairs when something grabbed my forearm firmly.
"What's the rush? I'm sure you can stay for a few more minutes..RIGHT..?" His voice was getting louder by the second. More whispers and shadows started forming around us, people getting suspicious of what was happening.
"Please! Let me leave. I really n-need to go." I looked at him with pleading eyes.
He let go of my arm, hitting my elbow arm on 'accident' as he turned around and started back towards his friends.
I hissed at the sudden pain, swearing.
He turned back around, quirking his brow at me.
"Did..I hurt you?"
"U-um n-no you didn't. I should be on my way now.." I looked down at the floor again.
"Okay. One last thing though.." his voice trailing off quietly.
My voice was only above a whisper as I squeaked out: Y-yes..?"
"What happened to your elbow?"
♥
A/N ~ I hope you enjoyed this very long chapter and also the fluff and just a slight bit of angst in this but not as much! I wanted to write more but I didn't want it to get too long and I felt like a cliff hanger would be so very nice (:
wc: 2,565