Mist on the Moon

The coming of the prince

She had a good vantage point, and could look out on the people. Almost immediately, the servers came to attend to them. Cara took the opportunity to survey the crowd. Certainly there were more royalty present than she had ever seen in her father's great hall. Was there someone there she would be happy to take her hand?

"Look at him," said Evie, pointing toward a quite young man at the table to the right.

"Handsome, I admit with his fitted forest green vest and shock of dark hair, but hardly old enough to be a knight."

"Yes, but one of the two men next to him could be his father."

Cara barely glanced at them. "Both look too old for me," she said, shaking her head.

The stewards brought their food, taking any requests for special preferences, and soon nobles as well as knights and their ladies were enjoying the repast. During the dinner, Cara had seen men looking at her in what could only be called interest. She tried not to return their gaze, but instead wanted to give the impression that in her enjoyment of the dinner and her family she didn't notice their lingering glances. Nevertheless, she was growing a bit uneasy knowing she would soon be sought at the upcoming dance.

In time, the feast was over. Her father made one more announcement, and immediately afterwards the stewards moved the tables to the back and brought forward the chairs. The dining hall was quickly changed to a dancing hall. The musicians, who had been quietly warming up, burst into a special song requested by her father. Cara knew that the first dance was to be with him. He took her hand and led her proudly to the dance floor.

Of course she knew the song, it was his favorite, and she had danced it with him before. This time, she knew all eyes would be on her. She took courage in looking into her father's eyes. He seemed so proud of her, and as he led her in the waltz, she suddenly lost her self-consciousness. She was a girl dancing with her father, and she allowed herself to move unrestrained and free. Her father enjoyed it. He had a big smile on his face, and when the song ended he put his arm around her shoulder and told her, "My little girl is so all grown up, and how well you dance!"

"Father, you are the best," she told him.

"I'll go back, but stay," he told her, "for a knight or even a prince will come for you."

A new song was begun by the musicians, and people began moving to the dance floor. Cara stood there, wondering if her father were right, but only for a moment as a regally attired man came across the floor directly to where she stood. "My lady," he said, bowing. "I am Count Alexander von Stauffenberg of the Duchy of Swabia. "May I have the honor of this dance?"

She took a moment to study him before answering. Not young, but not bad looking either. He gave every appearance of being gentlemanly and polished. On second thought, he should be; he could be as much as twice her age. "Of course," she answered, taking his hand.

By now, the floor was filling up with people all stepping to the music. For her part, Cara found the count to be an excellent dancer, though his smile was starting to get to her. Why was he smiling so much? Finally, he spoke.

"My lady, do you know of Swabia?"

She had some knowledge of the place, to be sure. "Yes, I know something of it though I have not been there."

He continued to dance with her while talking, not missing a step. "Then you know that we are not far in distance, and that though not a vast, powerful kingdom, we have a large number of knights, a strong wall, and fertile lands."

Cara thought she could see immediately where this was going. "I see," she said, as if she were interested. What she really wanted to know, but was afraid to ask, was why he had waited so long, if he was indeed thinking of her in the marriage way. Or, had perhaps his first wife died?