“He might,” Prince Liam said cheerfully. “Especially if I do something like this. Let’s experiment.” He pulled me closer. My stomach jolted, not the fluttery response I’d always expected to experience when dancing so near my heart’s match.
“Please, Your Highness.” I tried to subtly wriggle away so a few inches existed between us, all while wondering just what about our proximately had bothered me. Prince Liam paid no attention, too busy looking over my shoulder. He smirked.
“Success. He reached for his sword. He didn’t draw it, but his hand is hovering over it rather threateningly. That was certainly interesting. I’d best be careful as I really don’t fancy an early death.” He flashed a bright smile. My heart fluttered. Finally, a response. It was truly a dazzling smile. “How are you acquainted with Guard Alastar?”
“We’re enemies,” I said. “He’s made it his permanent mission to ruffle me. But I suppose in a way we’re also friends.” I frowned, analyzing our relationship from all angles. “I’m not sure what we are, to be honest.”
Prince Liam cast Alastar another glance. “I think I have a pretty good take on the situation.” And he left it at that.
We chatted easily and several times Prince Liam got me to laugh with his wit, but despite our engaging conversation, it was difficult to concentrate when I could feel the heat of Alastar’s gaze following our every move. Soon I realized I hadn’t experienced the magical connection I’d been waiting for that should have occurred as we danced in one another’s arms. Disappointment rather than the flutters of true love filled my gut.
I glared at Alastar again, for he was certainly at fault. He always was. He merely cocked his eyebrow with a challenging look. I scowled. Yes, he’d undoubtedly done something to sabotage my first dance with my future husband on purpose. I wasn’t sure how, exactly, only that he had.
“Is Alastar troubling you again?” Prince Liam asked, a bit too cheerfully.
“Indeed. He’s rather…” I searched for an adequate word but couldn’t come up with one that fit him. So I merely sighed. Prince Liam’s smile widened.
“I see.”
“Do you?” Is this what I’d been waiting for? A connection so strong that two soul mates could sense one another’s thoughts?
“I do. Too bad Alastar’s on duty. I’m sure he envies me now.”
“Why would he?”
“And he’s certainly taking great risk ignoring Princess Eileen,” Prince Liam continued as if I hadn’t spoken, which was rather un-princely of him. “I suppose he can’t help it. You really are a lovely dancer, Miss Rosalina. I’m enjoying myself immensely.”
And I was, too, even though I was still anticipating more. Desperate, I latched on to the subject I knew would create stimulating conversation.
“Your Highness, I’ve heard you’re a lover of stories.”
“Certainly, particularly secrets. Would you care to hear some juicy ones about some of our esteemed guests?”
At my enthusiastic nod, Prince Liam launched into several humorous stories that had me laughing with each twirl on the dance floor. When he wasn’t entertaining me with his ridiculous tales, he asked me detailed questions about myself that left me no doubt of his interest.
All too soon, the last trills of the waltz faded, signaling the end of our dance. Prince Liam offered a deep bow, his startling blue eyes lingering. My heart leapt. Did we finally have a connection?
“Thank you for the pleasure of this dance, Miss Rosalina. It was a privilege to waltz with so lovely a partner.”
I curtsied with all the grace and propriety required of a princess and returned his smile, making sure to angle my head so my darling dimple was clearly visible.
“The pleasure was all mine, Your Highness.”
I rose from my curtsy, daintily took Prince Liam’s offered hand, and allowed him to escort me off the dance floor. I smiled and nodded at the regal couples we wove through, pleased when their gazes lingered on me. To think that I, Rosalina, was being escorted by a prince at a ball! Oh, this entire experience really was just like a dream.
All too soon we reached the edge of the ballroom. Prince Liam swept into another bow and placed a kiss lightly on the back of my hand. I analyzed how long his lips touched my skin. Did he linger?
He didn’t, and before I knew it, he’d released me. “I wish you a pleasant evening, Miss Rosalina. Enjoy the remainder of the ball.” And with that, he disappeared into the crowd.
I stared after him, my heart both soaring and sinking. Our first waltz seemed to have gone well enough, but his hasty departure was admittedly troubling, especially with no promise of another dance; indeed, his departing words hinted at farewell. But surely he meant to seek me out again for another dance?
“You do realize you can’t see His Highness anymore, don’t you?”
I gasped and spun around to glare at Alastar, who must have wandered over after my dance ended for the sole purpose of annoying me. “I wasn’t staring after Liam. I was merely…pondering.”
“You mean plotting?” Up went his eyebrow. “And first names with His Highness already? Things must have gone very well. Was your dance everything you’ve ever dreamed about?”
I analyzed our dance from every angle. While Prince Liam had been the most polished of partners and the dance itself had been extremely pleasant, I couldn’t help but feel it’d been missing something. But I certainly wasn’t going to tell him that.
“It was…a start.”
Alastar raised his eyebrow again. “How so? Feel any stirrings? He’s so enamored he’s already proposed?”
I scowled. “Now you’re just making fun of me.”
“No, I’m not.” As usual, his expression was entirely serious. “You were quite specific on our journey here about the power of dances to bring together true love. I’m curious if the event you’ve always dreamed about actually occurred as you’d planned. It didn’t appear as if anything romantic occurred, but as a bystander perhaps I simply missed it.”
He’d voiced the very worry niggling the back of my mind, one I refused to sit down to tea with in order to analyze it further. “You seemed to have been paying a lot of attention.”
“And you were paying a lot of attention to my attention. I’d even wager you watched me more than your perfect prince.”
Heat engulfed my cheeks. I hadn’t looked at him that often, had I? “You never answered why you were watching me so closely. You really shouldn’t have been. You’re not being a very good guard.”
Alastar actually startled and spun around to search the ballroom for Eileen, as if realizing he’d lost sight of her. He relaxed when he spotted her in Aiden’s arms on the dance floor.
His attention returned to me. “I’m performing my other duty of keeping you out of trouble. I also wanted to witness love at first sight. Unfortunately, I wasn’t at all impressed.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He frowned thoughtfully. “There didn’t seem to be any…spark.”
“Of course there was. Just because you failed to see our spark doesn’t mean I didn’t feel one.”
He leaned his elbow against the wall. “And what exactly did you supposedly feel, Miss Rosalina?”
“I—” Again I had no answer. “The dance was quite lovely.”
“I see. But the partner left a lot to be desired?”
“He’s a prince,” I said firmly.
“Is he really? Time to review my royal genealogies.”
I glared. “He’s handsome, charming, kind, funny, and a wonderful dancer…not to mention he entertained me with stories.”
“Ah, your beloved stories. Did you enjoy His Highness’s?”
“Immensely.” Yet while they’d been entertaining, something had been…missing.
Alastar must have sensed my hesitancy, for his look turned to pity. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out, but rest assured that—”
I cut him off with a gasp. “Are you suggesting we’re not meant to be togethe
r?”
He arched that eyebrow of his. “You mean it’s not obvious? Even if you were perfectly matched, you seem quite unenthusiastic about him.”
“I am not.” I folded my arms firmly across my chest, as if the act could protect my heart meant to be given to Prince Liam. “Our first dance might not have gone completely according to plan, but I refuse to give up so easily. True love is worth fighting for.”
“Indeed it is,” Alastar said solemnly. “So you’re still willing to pursue His Highness even after tonight’s disappointment?”
I sighed. “Well, there are other ways for my happily ever after to begin—being saved from an evil curse, or rescued from a fearsome beast…”
Alastar held up his hand. “You stay here; I’ll go fetch a dragon. With any luck, Prince Liam will rescue you before you’re eaten. If not, then at least it’ll make a spectacular show.”
A giggle escaped me before I could stop it. Serious expression not faltering, Alastar turned and strode away. I scampered after him and seized his sleeve to tug him to a stop. “Don’t disturb the dragon; can you imagine the havoc it would wreak at the ball?”
He glanced back at me, eyebrow lifted. “Good point. So you prefer the curse option? I can fetch my villainy textbook and look up something juicy. Would you prefer to fall into an eternal sleep, be turned into a frog, or be cursed with warts?”
Another giggle wriggled past my lips. “Ew, not warts. I can’t become ugly.”
“Isn’t true love supposed to see one’s inner beauty?”
I stared at Alastar as if seeing him for the first time. True, he wasn’t particularly handsome, but there was something strangely appealing about him all the same that made it difficult for me to look away, especially when he continuously surprised me with his quick banter.
“Are you secretly a romantic, Guard Alastar?”
A blush caressed his cheeks as he cleared his throat and stared at the floor. “One does think about these things from time to time.”
“You must have a lot of time to think, considering your position.” I looked across the ballroom where another dance was currently underway, a dance which, disappointingly, no one had asked me to join. “Are you bored now?”
“I’m rarely bored, especially now. Even if you weren’t so entertaining, I enjoy watching people.” He gazed out over the elegant couples, swirling and twirling across the intricate marble floor, their jewels glistening in the flickering candlelight of the chandeliers. “Have you ever considered what each person’s story is?”
I beamed. “Always. I love searching for clues to determine what each individual’s tale could possibly be.”
Alastar nodded towards an elderly couple shuffling a few feet away. “I’ve been watching that couple for most of the night. What story can you come up for them?”
“You mean you weren’t only watching me?”
His fading blush burst to life again. “Considering you’re a dear friend of Her Highness, I’m quite invested in your protection.” He nodded back towards the couple. “If you enjoy love stories, observe them for a moment.”
I did. The elderly man cradled his wife so tenderly while she gazed up at him as if he were the most handsome man in the world, despite age having robbed both of them of their beauty. The wrinkles marring their skin revealed their long life, likely filled with many magical experiences spent together. I sighed wistfully.
Behind them, Eileen spotted us from her place in Aiden’s arms on the dance floor. She tapped him on the shoulder and motioned towards us. He glanced over with a knowing smile before he winked at me. My heart lurched as I realized what those conspiring looks meant…they believed I had a connection with Alastar. My smile melted away.
“What’s wrong?” Alastar asked. “Have you spotted something dastardly?”
“I—” My face flared with heat and I found it difficult to look him in the eye. “It’s nothing.” Eileen and Aiden were wrong. Alastar was most certainly not my prince.
Luckily, I was spared any further explanation when the current dance ended and a dashing nobleman approached. “You’ve been standing here alone too long, lovely lady. Might I have this dance?” He offered his hand.
I wanted to point out that I hadn’t been alone; I’d been with Alastar, and even though we hadn’t been dancing it had been a rather pleasant interaction. But I really wanted to dance again. After all, this was a ball. I glanced uncertainly at Alastar. He smiled encouragingly.
“Have a good time,” he whispered low enough so only I could hear him. “Perhaps he will be the one?” He winked. My cheeks burned as I placed my hand in the gentleman’s clammy one.
Although the dance he swept me into was pleasant and he was a flawless partner, it wasn’t quite magical. Maybe balls weren’t all they were cracked up to be. I couldn’t help but cast frequent glances towards Alastar, who, as with my dance with Prince Liam, watched me the entire time.
I didn’t get a chance to visit with Alastar for the remainder of the ball, but thankfully I wasn’t without partners. While I danced with an unfortunate number of lords and counts who either had clammy hands, bad breath, or two left feet, most of the dances were enjoyable, although all of them lacked the spark I’d spent every dance I’d ever attended searching for.
Prince Liam never asked me for a second dance, although I couldn’t help noticing he did ask several other ladies more than once. A crushing feeling pressed against my chest at this disappointment. All hope was lost. My future now contained nothing more than spinsterhood and living out the remainder of my lonely, loveless days with a dozen or so cats.
I was just going over potential names for each of my future feline companions when Prince Liam approached me with his dazzling princely smile and proper bow. “Miss Rosalina, would you do me the honor of accompanying me into the midnight feast?”
I gaped at his extended hand, using every ounce of willpower to contain my ecstatic squeal. To think that the Crown Prince of Draceria had asked me, Rosalina, to sit with him at the feast! This was an honor far better than any second dance. My story was finally back on its proper course.
I beamed my adorable dimpled smile and curtsied. “I’d be honored, Your Highness.”
I placed my hand atop his and allowed him to lead me into the grand banquet hall, nodding to all the guests who bowed and curtsied as we walked by. Prince Liam helped me into my seat directly across from Eileen with the grace of the finest gentleman. I glanced around at those sitting at this end of the table and an excited thrill rippled over me when I realized I sat in the section of royals. How fitting I should sit amongst them, considering I was a future queen myself. Ah, bliss!
Prince Liam glanced further down the table to where Princess Lavena sat and smirked as he leaned towards my ear. “Naturally, I was expected to escort her, but you were a much better choice. Thank you for helping me avoid the thorn in my side.”
My imaginings about living my life in this spectacular palace after our grand wedding shattered and my elation faded. “Excuse me, Your Highness?”
“I was expected to escort Princess Lavena.” He pulled a face. “I’ll likely get scolded later for failing to do my duty, but that will be far easier to endure than a meal sitting next to her. Really, I can’t imagine a lifetime of being shackled to her.” He shuddered.
Oh, so it was like that. “I see,” I said coolly. “So that’s why you asked me?”
“You’re pleasant company, much more so than her. There has to be a way to wriggle out of that arrangement. Do let me know if you come up with any ideas.” He stirred our first course of soup with a pondering frown.
I tightened my jaw to keep from crying and sipped my own soup through pursed lips. It took several seething minutes to regain my composure. When I finally managed to do so, I raised my gaze to meet Alastar’s, where he stood in his usual place against the wall, his constant presence strangely comforting. He raised an inquiring brow, eyes concerned, and I hastily looked away. I didn’t need him mocking my
failure to capture my prince.
The feast progressed over multiple courses: soup, salad, cheese, meat—divine cuisine presented on the finest gold-trimmed dishes, their mouthwatering scents rising in the steam to tickle my nose. With each dish Prince Liam easily conversed with those sitting around us and made several friendly comments to me, but I did little to return his efforts, not when he’d used me merely to avoid his unappealing fiancée. The thought twisted my stomach, causing me to lose my appetite. I moodily picked at my citrus roast duck.
Eileen frequently cast me concerned glances. “Are you alright, Rosie dear?” she eventually asked.
I sighed and slumped in an unladylike manner in my seat. I glanced sideways at Prince Liam, currently telling Aiden an animated story as he twirled his fork between his fingers.
“Rosie?”
I couldn’t sit here a moment longer, not when I was on the brink of tears. “Do royals throw guests who leave feasts early into the dungeon?”
Understanding filled Eileen’s expression; she knew I was serious when I wanted to leave before dessert. “Of course not, Rosie. Are you unwell?”
I nodded. Eileen started to stand, as if she meant to escort me herself, before a sly look eclipsed the concern in her eyes. She glanced at Alastar and motioned him over. He obediently came.
“Dear Rosie is feeling ill,” Eileen whispered to him. “Would you kindly escort her to her room so that she may retire for the night?”
He nodded and bowed before walking around the table towards me. I straightened in my seat, my heart pounding with each step of his approach. “May I escort you to your room, Miss Rosalina?”
That captured Prince Liam’s attention. He glanced over, brows furrowed. “Goodness, Miss Rosalina, you’re looking a bit pale. Are you alright?”
I forced myself to smile. “No need to concern yourself, Your Highness.”
“Shall I escort you to your room?”
Why, so he had an excuse to leave the feast early? I suddenly didn’t want to be around him a moment longer, not until I’d had a chance to have a good cry and plot my next step after this unforeseen obstacle.
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