Not Just A Pretense

Chapter 2 - A Magical Night

Edward's POV

-Flashback to a year ago-

The flowers will soon be in full bloom, and tonight the royal family is hosting a ball. Lovely, young maidens twirl around the floor in colorful gowns. I was born into this world of glittering jewels and titles. Tonight, the full moon casts her spell over the ballroom, but the effects have not overtaken me quite yet.

"Oh, Prince Edward," a lovely woman coos, "I was intrigued when the invitation arrived, and I have to say that this party is splendid!"

"I am pleased to hear that, madam," I take her hand and kiss it. "Please enjoy the evening to your heart's content." I bow as I leave. For some reason, I don't want to entertain anyone tonight. I wish to be alone in my study reading poems by Lord Byron.

My escape is only temporary as another maiden approaches me and asks for a dance. I smile and offer her my arm. We dance a simple gavotte, so we could not converse as if it were a slower dance. When the song ended, I managed to escape to the balcony, away from the guests.

The night air is cool against my skin, and I can almost feel the moonbeam's gentle kiss. As I breath in the scent of the garden that rests below, I can hear a soft voice drifting on the breeze.

"Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art-
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priestlike task
Of pure ablution round earth's human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors-
No- yet still steadfast, still unchangeable,
Pillow'd upon my fair love's ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake forever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever- or else swoon to death."

Opening my eyes, I catch the sight of a young woman walking alone in the garden. Her blonde hair is swept up into a high bun and she walks as if on air, her blue dress swirling around her. I've never seen such an ethereal being in my humble orchard before tonight. She must have been a guest at tonight's festivities, however, I cannot recall her name.

"Your highness," Louis, my butler, comes forward. "Your mother has been asking for you."

"Louis, who is that moon fairy princess," I ask, not taking my eyes from her. Have I seen her before? Surely not. I would have remembered her.

"I believe that is the Duchess of Bennet, Lady Arielle Laurent, sire. She is the niece of the Count and Countess of Crumpel," he explains with a mild surprise. "I was unaware she had begun attending formal events once again."

I turned to Louis, tearing my eyes from her. "Again?"

"Yes, sir. She was quite the social butterfly two years ago, but there was an incident and she wasn't seen for quite some time. As I understand it, she refused to leave her chateau in the countryside for a few months."

"What incident?" My gaze wandered back to her as she wandered through the roses that were only days away from blooming.

"I...do not know." Louis frowns. "There was never anything public. She was being courted by the second son of Lord Bartley at the time, but they ceased all contact. Within a week, she moved from her townhouse to the chateau. Her aunt acted as her liaison and cut off almost all communication," he sighs, "it was quite the mystery, but after two weeks, the gossip turned to other things. I had forgotten about it until tonight."

As I watched her stroll through the garden, I could only imagine the loneliness this moon maiden must have been feeling as she recited beautiful prose. Only one other thought crossed my mind as I reluctantly returned to the ball: I must meet her.

-End of Flashback-

A Year Later

I was relaxing in my garden with a new novel. The roses were blooming, and my mind wandered back to that lovely siren I saw so long ago. I have not seen her since that night, and I fear she was only a figment of my imagination.

Louis set a tea cup and saucer in front of me before addressing me. "Sir, I may have overheard something that might peak your interests."

"Oh?" I set my novel on the table.

"It seems a certain duchess is open to receiving suitors at this time." He shares a small smile. "Should I arrange something, your highness?"

I sipped my tea before replying, "I should like to meet her."

A Week Later

This is it. The day I finally meet my moon fairy princess face-to-face. I wait in one of the sitting rooms in my castle. She'll walk through the door at any moment. I feel both fear and excitement mingling within me. Perhaps she is not as wonderful as I have imagined. What if the poetry I heard her recite was purely the spell of the full moon and not truly her words. But what if she is as wonderful as a lover's dream? Is this possible?

I turn as the door slowly opens. This is it...

Thank you for reading!