The First Ball

The Letter

  Some days had passed since the ball happened. The Romanian Royal Family went away today morning, but my sister Tatiana heard behind our father's office door, that the Crown Prince Carol, before leave for his country, chatted with our father and asked his permission to marry me. When she told me it, I thought that I would faint! I felt butterflies in my stomach, weakness in my legs and a great nervous came over me. I didn't wanted it for my life, I'm certain that I don't love the Prince! This wedding would bring me a great suffering. But for my happiness, Tatiana also told me that our father said to him that a wedding for me, for now, was out of question. The reason: I'm too young to marry. I thank God for my father's decision; I want Carol far away from me.

  I was at the garden playing with Ortipo, Tatiana's dog, when Anastasia called me:

-- Maska! where are you? she screamed

-- I'm here! What happened? I asked

-- It arrived for you she said

  My sister gave me a letter and a small box made of blue velvet.

-- And since when it arrived?

-- Since yesterday said Anastasia

-- If it arrived yesterday, why I don't received before?

-- Well... a maid received the correspondence yesterday morning, and it was in the middle of the correspondence. She asked me to give you the letter and the box but I forgot. Sorry Maria.

-- Oh, that's all right I said. 

  My sister started to walk slowly in direction of our palace, then I looked at my letter and I perceived that the envelope had been violated. 

-- Nastia! I called the letter is opened. Tell me: was you who did it? I asked

-- Maska sorry, I was curious to know what was written on the letter. It came from our cousin Louis she said

-- From cousin Louis? I asked with a smile

-- Yes, our aunt Victoria's son said Anastasia

-- Yes, I know who he is. Now, could you leave me alone? I want to read my letter. I said

-- Of course sister. And Maska, I promise that I will not tell what he wrote to you to anybody said Anastasia with a mischievous smile. I will see our mother now, she is knitting and I will help her.

  My sister ran and left me alone. I first opened the blue box, curious to know what I would find in it's interior, and I saw a pretty locket inside of it. After, I started to read the letter:

" Dear cousin Maria,

  How are you? and my aunt Alix and uncle Nicholas and my cousins? I hope that everything is going fine. I recently read in the newspapers that your family gave a dinner for the Romanian royals, more especially, for Prince Carol, and that you utilized the occasion to make your first official appearence before the society. I imagine how proud your parents should have been of you in that night! I saw your pictures in the newspapers, I have to say that you were very beautiful! I also imagine how many boys danced with you. I would give everything that I have just to have the joy to be with you in the ball and to have the honor to dance with the most charming girl that I ever knew. I know that your mother wanted us to be with you all for the dinner, but as we live far away and with so many things to do here in England, where we live, we couldn't attend the invitation, even knowing that your first official ball would be an important moment for the entire family. We all, my parents, my siblings and I, were with you in our thoughts. 

  Now I have to finish the letter, but first I have to say that I concluded my studies at the Royal Naval College and I'm now making part of the Royal Navy. I'm very proud of myself, for everything that is happening in my life now. I participated, with other boys, of a ceremony to celebrate our acceptance in the Navy. I have to say that I thought about you during the ceremony and I wished you could be there to see me in a so important moment of my life; I just want you to know that you are a very special person to me. Wish me luck in this new phase of my life, I know that some difficulties will come in my way, especially with the war that we are facing now.

   It's all that I have to say. Send my embrace to all the family.

  P.S: Beyond the letter I decided to send a gift, so I bought a pretty locket for you. It's inside a blue box; I myself chose and I hope you like it. As you know, when someone gives a locket to another person, the person who gave shall put the own photo inside the locket and so I did it. When you open the locket you will see my photo inside of it. I hope you can carry it in every part you go.

  A kiss from someone that likes you a lot

Louis

  After read the letter, I caught the blue box and took off my locket from it. The locket had shape of heart and was made of gold. When I opened the small heart I saw Louis's photo inside of it. I have to say that he was more beautiful than ever!

  I put the letter inside the envelope. Louis always is so gentle with me, sometimes I think that... maybe he feels something for me; but I also know that is almost impossible for me to marry him, because Louis is my first cousin and my religion don't accept weddings between first cousins and as my father is a very religious man, I don't think he would accept this wedding. So, if Louis loves me, he will have to forget me and I will do the same.

  About the letter, it's something that I will keep with me till the day I die, and also the locket that is so pretty.

  Now I have to go, my mother will call me in any moment for the tea.