"Can I have this dance?" he asks. He lifts his hand up for me to take a hold of. I place my hand on his large one gently. His skin is smooth and youthful. I look up from our hands into his eyes. His golden brown eyes dance with the firelight from the room. His pearly white teeth shine with his smile.
"Just one dance," I reply a little cockily. We begin to dance to the steady beat of the music. My dress flows along with every movement I make. His skin is warm to the touch and I find myself feeling safe with this stranger. I let myself enjoy it, this is the only time in my life I will do something like this.
We dance perfectly together, even with my previous lack of experience. When the song comes to an end I step away from him and meet his eyes once again.
"It's getting late," I tell him. The only excuse I could come up with at the moment to get away from his intense stare.
"You can't leave yet," he tells me softly. He sits back down in the couch he was sitting on when we barely got here. I follow his lead and sit across from him once again.
"Why not?" I ask him genuinely curious. I wonder what's going on inside his head. Who is he?
"I need to know who you are," he tells me. "Something tells me you're different," he looks straight ahead into the fireplace. My spine goes rigid. Was I really that bad of an actor that he caught along right away that I snuck in?
"If I tell you who I am, will you tell on me?" I ask him fiddling with my fingers nervously, but purposely keeping it out of his sight.
"Will you think of me differently once you find out who I truly am?" he asks me in rebuttal. Looks like we both had enjoyed the anonymity of our identities for tonight. I am hiding so much, but what is he hiding too?
"No." I reply. "I know what it's like to not be able to confide in others. To be worried of what will happen when people know your true identity." I speak to him during our little heart to heart conversation.
"Okay then on the count of three we will take off our masks," he finally turns his gaze away from the fireplace and looks at me.
"Deal," I smiled softly at him and raised my hand to my face. Ready to take off my beautiful mask in a few seconds. I couldn't understand why I felt the need to show him who I was or why I wanted to know who he was as well. It had to be the loneliness creeping in from the loss of my parents and a new environment with strangers.
"One," he starts counting. What if he's a killer? I ask myself. I don't know who this is.
"Two," he continues counting. What if he tells on me? He probably comes from a high status and won't bother to talk to me after he finds out i'm not royal.
"Three," he finishes counting. He takes his mask off in a quick motion and I do the same. My navy blue mask falls on the floor with a small delicate thud and I look up to his face.
"Im the crown prince of Zemira. My name is Nathaniel Raze," Nathaniel extends his hand over to me in a handshake. He was introducing himself to me because we technically never did.
I stand there shocked and dazed for a few moments. I needed a minute to catch my thoughts but, time was not on my side. I put my hand out and shake his hand.
"I am Cartia Reed," I say as I step away from him. Who knows what would become of me if he were to discover that I work as a maid. He's supposed to be looking for a wife at the ball! My brain reminds me suddenly.
"It was nice meeting you, I must go now." I tell Nathaniel briskly. He's the boy who stormed off in the dining room. He's the troubled prince. I should have just left the first time.
"You said you wouldn't care about who I was if I told you," he paces around the library angrily and hurt. His beautiful features I now recognize without his mask. He runs his hand angrily through his brown hair.
"I know," I say apologizing. I look down almost feeling bad for this stranger who turned out to be a prince.
"Sometimes, things are more complicated than that.." I say and turn around and leave the library. As soon as I step out of the library I start running. I just want to go be alone in my room. I can't trust him. I can't trust anyone here.
I turn around occasionally to make sure no one is following me as I run to safety. My long navy blue dress trails behind me in a daze. This night has been too much for me to comprehend. The night had unexpectedly come to an end.
Authors Note:
Sorry this chapter was a bit short but, the good stuff will start from now on!
Don't forget to vote and comment! :)
Xoxo Ellie Violet