The Swan Lake | [Prince Daniel X Reader]

eight

i'm so sorry for not updating ! i had a super busy weekend.

-

The royal palace, a grandiose structure of gleaming beige beton and glittering crystal, was ablaze with golden light and colour, its opulent halls and chambers thronged with the cream of society. The large ballroom, a majestic space of polished marble and gilded ornamentation, was a whirlwind of music and laughter, the fancily dressed guests twirling and spinning across the dance floor like a swirl of pastel colour and movement. The air was alive with the rustle of silks and satins, the soft chime of crystal and the sweet, lilting strains of the orchestra, all blending together in a heady, intoxicating mix of sound and sensation.

As the Queen, a statuesque figure of regal beauty and commanding presence, swept through the crowded ballroom, her eyes scanned the sea of faces with a keen, searching gaze. Her expression, a mask of polite, aristocratic courtesy, was tempered with a hint of concern, a faint, furrowed line between her dark brows that betrayed her growing unease. And then, as she pushed open the doors leading out into the palace gardens, she spotted Daniel, her son, pacing back and forth across the flagstones like a restless, caged animal. His eyes, normally bright and carefree, were clouded with a deep, introspective melancholy, his face set in a determined, resolute expression.

The Queen's voice, a low, musical contralto, was tinged with a hint of scolding, a gentle, maternal reproof that was tempered with a deep, abiding concern. "Daniel, the ball is beginning," she reminded him, her eyes searching his face with a keen, intuitive gaze. Prince Daniel's response, a low, hesitant murmur, was barely audible over the distant strains of the orchestra. "I'm... waiting for someone," he confessed, his eyes dropping to the ground as if in embarrassment. The Queen's expression was tempered with a hint of curiosity, a faint, inquiring line between her thin eyebrows that betrayed her growing interest.

The Queen's hazel eyes sparkled with a warm, maternal light as she gazed at Daniel, her voice dripping with a gentle, encouraging warmth. "A future bride, I hope!" she exclaimed, her words tumbling out in a joyful, effervescent rush. Daniel's laughter, a low, husky sound, was like music to her ears, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled. "Well, I guess so," he replied, his voice tinged with a hint of bashful, masculine modesty. The Queen's face, a mask of polite, aristocratic courtesy, was transformed by a warm, radiant smile, her eyes shining with a deep, abiding joy.

The Queen led Daniel back into the ballroom, the music and laughter seemed to swell around them, the colourful, whirling throng of dancers and guests a kaleidoscopic blur of colour and movement. Daniel's eyes, however, seemed fixed on some distant, invisible horizon, his gaze abstracted, his expression clouded with a deep, introspective worry. "If she arrives..." he murmured, his voice barely audible over the music and laughter. The Queen, oblivious to his concerns, smiled and nodded, her eyes shining with a warm, maternal light. But Daniel's words hung in the air like a faint, unsettling shadow, a hint of doubt and uncertainty that seemed to mar the perfect, glittering facade of the royal ball.

As the group reconvened in the heart of the Enchanted Forest, Erasmus' voice was a low, urgent whisper, his words tumbling out in a frantic bid to convey the gravity of Rothbart's plan. "...And then, Rothbart will use Odile to trick Prince Daniel!" he exclaimed, his tiny, worm-like form quivering with anger. Lila's voice was a swift, decisive protest, her words tumbling out in a frantic bid to refute Rothbart's plan. "No, no, no, it can't work like that," she exclaimed, her eyes flashing with a fierce, unyielding light.

Carlita's face was a mask of elegant, refined horror, her voice a low, despairing whisper. "The prince has to be in love with (Y/N)! Ooh, this is a catastrophe! Or worse! Oooh... Migraine…!" she moaned, her eyes closing in distress. Lila's voice was a swift, decisive offer, her words tumbling out in a frantic bid to help. "I'll go! I was there once!" she exclaimed, her eyes flashing with a fierce, unyielding light. But (Y/N)'s response was swift and decisive, her voice a calm, determined whisper. "No, I'll go."