The Place To Lose Your Fears *A Ziall AU*

CHAPTER 10

OMFG doesn't Niall Look like Prince Charming? I wish he were my Prince Charming! Plz check the link below to find more!

CHAPTER 10

<<Zayn's POV>>

We finally arrived at the palace. It was just like I remembered from when I was a young laddie. Liam couldn't come though and I felt guilty going out with Louis without him. I felt as if I were cheating with Louis. But Louis assured me the Liam was okay with it. We were late and the dinner was already being served. Louis and I grabbed a seat near the doorway, where there was still two vacant seats. I was kind of sad that we weren't able to be there for the intro and meet the prince. I guessed I posed as Louis' wife or something. Thankfully, Lady Trisha and the two twats were on the entire other side of the ballroom.

We were served some pasta which I think was Italian. Then for the main course, it was lamb and potatoes and rich gravy and spicy vegetables. It had been so long since I had such a rich fare. It was also weird since I didn't cook this and I was unaware of all the ingredients. It was so delicious. I smiled as the rich flavours mixed with intoxicating savoury gravies. There was beer, but I wasn't really a fond o' beer so I only took small sips.

"So how should we get too the prince?" I whispered to Louis. There were three other older folks at our table who mainly kept to themselves.

"Dance with him, but don't throw yerself, let him come to ye." Louis advised.

"Oh, okay, so how's the food?" I asked

"Well, the appetizer is very exotic, I presume it is Italian, and the main course is very savoury and thick."

"I think it is wonderful! It's been so long since I've had anything this rich." I commented, shoving down another huge mouthful of potato, still remembering me etiquettes. I chewed slowly, but it soon went doon.

"I wonder if we could get more food?" I asked

"Probably not, but there is dessert." Louis said. I looked around. There was no dessert, but I was aghast at how much the people ate. It was barley anything at all. I was appalled at the wastefulness of perfectly scrumptious food. I eyed at Lady Trisha. She was making a fool o' herself with two fat, old and hairy men. I rolled me eyes. How embarrassing. The stepsisters were doing the same. They were obviously drunk. But overall, I really didn't give a shit because all I cared was for them not to notice me, but I don't think so with me disguise and the fact that they were drunk.

After about thirty minutes, the plates were cleared, with plates still half full of potatoes and greens. At least Louis cleaned his plates. Then small plates of a sticky casserole or cobbler came around to all of us. The dessert was weird. It tasted like whiskey or brandy, but in a sweet and good way.

"What is this stuff?" I asked Louis

"The tan gooey filling is a toffee mixed with whiskey and incorporated with a lot of crème and sugar." He explained "The bark on top is a mix of coffee and chocolate with crème. The white topping with the red cherries is whipped heavy sweet crème. "

"That's a lot o' crème." I commented

"Yeah, do ye like it, Zayn?" he asked. I took a big bite. It was so sweet and creamy. It stuck everywhere in me mouth but I loved this.

"Oh, I love it, it's better than anything I could whip up." I said. A frothy drink was passed around in crystal glasses. I sipped it and it tasted like a liquid form of the dessert. I was much better than the beer, but there was some kind o' alcohol.

"Is this rum?"

"Yeah, it's Irish coffee or a frappe mixed in with distilled rum." Louis answered.

"I think I like it better without the rum," I criticized.

"It won't be the same though, I like rum, but it's really exotic and Mr. Carrisford only likes mild alcohols." Louis said, taking a swig of the frappe or whatever. It had a thick syrup made of pure chocolate. I wished if Liam was here so badly. I wished if me father were here. I missed him badly.

Then I heard a clinking noise and the room's chattering vanished. We all looked at where it came from and I saw that the same servant lad that delivered the invite was responsible for it. Harry, I think his name was. Next to him was the prince. I almost gasped. He has changed so much. His hair was blonde now and was so tall. I could feel me heart beating like a drum. Boom-da-boom-da-boom-da-boom. Me heart was beating away. He seemed to glow in his white coat and cravat.

"Hello, may I have yer attentions folks?" Harry declared. "Please give yer respects to his majesty, Prince Niall James Horan, son o' Bobby Horan, heir to the throne,"

"Okay, Harry, enough o' the dramatics," Niall chuckled, "Anyways, I have to pick out a bride for tonight." Then he paused because there was shrill screaming. All of the young lassies that were there were screaming, none louder than Doniya, I covered me ears. So did everyone else not screaming. More embarrassing was the Lady Trisha was screaming and she's like, twenty years older. I don't know how I'd feel about having a cougar for a stepmother. But Niall wouldn't choose her will he?

"Okay, folks, keep eating if ye all want, but the dance is on!" declared Harry. About ten lassies already were running to Niall in their credulously wide crinolines, tight corsets and impractical shoes. About half o' them fell over before getting to him. Waliyah literally leapt onto a bunch of girls, I could hear crinolines cracking from as far as I was. I could hear Louis laughing off his arse.

"It's funny how desperate some can be!" reasoned Louis. The older people at our table had already started dancing with each other. Some were doing traditional Irish daces that looked more like they were jumping barefoot in coals.

I wanted to desperately see Niall and beg for his love, but no way was I going to fight in that massacre. So I did the only thing I could, wait. I danced with Louis, dancing to the harmonious music. Soon, both stepsisters were done dancing with the prince and were running off to the guest rooms with some older men, looks like barons and lords. Even Lady Trisha was being carried by the fat duke o' Wales. I was disgusted, but at least they didn't notice me when they passed me. Louis and I continued dancing, talking about how to get the prince's heart. We switched partners with an older couple but then returned to each other.

"Remember not to reveal yerself until yer ready, Zayn." Louis warned

"I won't I hope he sees me heart and how I need him so desperately." I hoped out loud.

"If he sees what opportunity, he will take it, what a rescuer he can be, he will." Louis assured with a smile as we danced into the night. "Also I think the prince is almost done with dancin' with all the lassies soon." He added.

We had gotten some wine, something I like a lot better, I think this is also Italian. It tasted much better than any beer. It was rich and silky, but also coarse on me tongue. That's when the prince approached me. Prince Niall, me former best mate, now the man o' me dreams, possibly me knight in shining armour. He came up ta me! Fianally. I didn't have to look to know that Louis was smiling, because me heartbeat was running away again.