As Time Goes By

Chapter 3 - A Dance with a Knight Princess

Calliope was very happy to see Elena now known as Melissa once again. She reverts back to her alias as Diana and begins working on the unfinished sword again. Partially using her magic. She restarts the furnace and places the metal blade in it. No one in town knows that she is really a Greek goddess. All they know is that Calliope is Diana a cheerful, kind neighbor to all of them. What they don't know is that she uses her powers secretly whenever they ask for help from the Greek deity disguised as a human.

Everything seems to be going to what Calliope planned. She's living quietly without much fun fare in a small town. She intends to keep it that way. As she continues to work on the sword she's forging. Calliope can't get the smile off her as she is able to see Helena again. Though her name and appearance has changed. She knows that Helena is the woman she fell in love with when they were still in Greece. As soon as Calliope finishes forging the sword she created. She puts her foster father's patented seal on the hilt of the sword.

Moments later a Town's Crier is coming to the center of the village with a special announcement from the Royal Palace.

Town's Crier: Hear ye! Hear ye! Princess Melissa is having a special banquet next week! Special invitations will be handed out to worthy individuals that our dear princess wants to be part of!

After delivering his message the Town's Crier immediately rides his horse and proceeds to another town. The villagers immediately start talking about the party. For them it is always a rarity to get invited to a grand party hosted by the nobles. Some of them are not expecting anything. While the young girls immediately pray of being invited to the party. Diana is unfazed by the news and instead proceeds to work on a new sword. Diana carefully uses her magic so that she won't be accused of being a witch. Witches, warlocks, sorcerers, and sorceresses are very much common in this era.

There are those who help the sick and injured. While others use their magic for fighting. Although some of them use their magic for evil purposes. They're the ones sought after by kings and bandits who want to gain more power. The ones who use their magic for healing and protection are sought after by men of honor. As Diana finishes up on the sword she's crafting. The beautiful women of the village begin to go to different clothes shops for dresses that they will wear just in case they're given an invitation. Diana uses her magic powers to create her own beautiful dress. But before she uses it, Diana closes the windows and locks the doors so that her neighbors won't find out who she really is. As soon as she's done locking up. Diana reverts back to being Calliope. One of the nine daughters of Zeus. She begins to weave her hands and starts making a dress out of thin air. She meticulously works on the small details of her dress. Calliope wants to make sure that her knight princess will immediately notice her at the party. And not another beautifully dressed woman from her village. Or coming from another village in the kingdom.

A week has passed after the Town's Crier made the announcement. Almost every beautiful maiden from Calliope's village came. Other women from the other kingdoms also came to party. The Greek goddess herself also showed up in the castle grounds. All of the invited guests are stunned by her appearance and are awed at the dress she's wearing. They are amazed at how she introduces herself as Diana Sinclair. The daughter of a blacksmith from the town of Allestaire. Instead of showing any form of mockery at Diana for being a simple commoner. The guests praise her for being honest and showing grace and elegance under pressure.

All of the male and female guests soon showed interest in her. With some of them asking her to be their dance partner. Before she can even answer them. The royal butler comes out of from one of the hallways on the castle's second floor. He makes a brief announcement to the guests inside the royal banquet hall. Which made them focus their attention towards the center staircase of the castle.

Royal Butler: Ladies and gentlemen! I now present to you! Our future queen, Melissa Edinburgh!

All of the guests, including Diana clap their hands as Melissa walks slowly down the stairs. While the other women scream their hearts out asking the knight princess to dance with them. Her eyes shifts its focus on Diana as she comes to a halt a the center of the ballroom. Afterwards she speaks her gratitude towards her guests for coming to the party.

Melissa: Ladies and gentlemen! I would like to sincerely thank you all for coming to this banquet. Please don't be shy in enjoying the food. Fill yourselves to your hearts content. There's also plenty of wine for everybody. But before that I know all the lovely ladies want to dance with me. I'm sorry to decline your request to dance with me. I have already someone in mind to be my partner for the dance. (Looks at Diana and walks towards her.) Diana Sinclair, may I have the honor of dancing with you?

Diana: Yes milady. It will be an honor and a privilege to dance with you.

The blacksmith's daughter accepts the knight princess's request for a dance much to the delight of the crowd. Normally, female guests from influential families in and around the kingdom would refuse her. And state various reasons for declining her request to dance with them. Melissa took it all in stride. As there were other guests who granted her request to dance with them. Especially from the commoners within the kingdom. But tonight it is a different scenario. She is the one who declined all of those who requested the knight princess to dance with her. Because her father is well known for making the best swords for the Royal Guards of the Red Camelia. Nobody mocked or insulted Diana. Because Princess Melissa invited her to the party too.

They know that she is an important guest of the future ruler of the kingdom. Meanwhile the other women decided to go and dance with her two childhood friends. All of them are swept off their feet by the knight princess's friends and confidants. While Charlotte and Elaine continue to dance with the other female guests. Melissa remained focus on dancing with Diana. She decides to strike up a conversation as they dance to the music provided by the Royal Minstrels inside Edinburgh castle.

Melissa: I'm glad that you accepted my invitation Diana.

Diana: Who am I to refuse an invitation from the beautiful knight princess? Of course I would definitely come here.

Melissa: You know, I think I have seen you before in another lifetime.

Diana: Really now? Do you think that we are soulmates?

Melissa: I'm not discounting that possibility.

Diana: If we did meet in the past. Does this mean we could meet up again in our next lives?

Melissa: It's possible. Please don't speak about us not going to be with each other anymore. It will make me feel sad while thinking about you.

Diana: Alright I'll stop talking about it. But I want you to court me first like a man would court a woman.

Melissa: If that is what you want. Then so be it. My love for you is sincere and I don't have any ulterior motives.

Diana: Then it's settled. I shall be your betrothed lover once you have successfully won my love.

The knight princess couldn't believe what she heard from the blacksmith's daughter. Her heartbeat raced to a notch higher as Diana told her about being her betrothed lover. The Royal Minstrels stopped playing the music to take a break. Melissa takes Diana to her table where a vacant seat is actually reserved for the most important guest of the knight princess. Meanwhile Charlotte and Elaine are surrounded by the other female guests as they sit in their table. The party is a success as those who can't or aren't allowed inside the castle enjoy their meals and drinks prepared by Melissa's Royal Chefs and served by the maids. However evil is lurking in the shadows as a group of men with vested interests discuss about assassinating Melissa.