The Queen of Dawn

Chapter 15

Azora rolled her eyes and sighed in annoyance at the leaf of paper that she held in her hand. It was another invitation to another party. This time it was a Masquerade party

She knew her mother in law was not amused, and they both knew that if the King would listen to them, he would realise he was spendimg the countries taxes on lavish parties and they did not like that.

She placed it down on a small table beside her and turned to adress her ladies in waiting who waited in anticipation for her answer. She had to dissapoint them all.
"I am not going."

An audible groan was heard throughout the group of Ladies amd they all sighed in annoyance.
"You must go! Why would you not go!"

"I do not wish to use my peoples money for another party that has no purpose."
Azora replied sternly, and the Ladies left it at that.
***
That night as she was getting ready for bed, Azora heard a knock on the door. The maid opened it and to her surprise, Elaynor stood there, not yet ready for bed.

"My Lady I was no-"
"You must go to the party."
Azora stood there in a stunned silence.

"I have a costume for you already, it is in that wooden trunk-"
She motioned towards where it was sitting.
"-and I expect to see you there tomorrow night."

Azora stood there with her mouth wife opened, stunned. Her mother in law was more crafty than she thought!
"But my Lady, if I go, the people will revolt! I am the only reason my husband is still on the throne, and not rotting in a dungeon wasiting to be hung drawn and quatered!"

"And the only way you can keep the throne is if you get closer to him! You will never be able to influence his descisions if you stay a mile away from him at all times!"
The dowager princess was not changing her mind on the matter, and did not let Azora protest.
"And besides, no one will be able to recognise you in your costume."
She smiled cheekily.
***
Azora made her way towards the giant wooden double doors, her hands shaking, and her breathing, fast.

She was dressed in the Masquerade costume her mother in law gave her, and it was just gorgeous. Azora had to admit that the dowager princess definitely had an eye for clothing.

She wore a white, off the shoulder, tulle dress, with the embroidered fabric around her shoulders being a sparkly silver that ombréd to white around her waist. The rest of the dress was shapeless, and when she walked, the tulle made her look as if she was floating. The sleeves were like bell sleeves, but they tapered in at the ends, around her wrist. She had small, translucent gossamer wings sprouting from the small of her back, and a thin silver circlet was placed atop her snowy white wig.

There was no guessing that she was an angel, and she had smiled in the mirror when she first put the whole ensemble on, but as she made her way towards the party, she was second guessing her descision to come.

She placed her white Masquerade mask over her eyes, and she was ready. Well, as ready as she could be. She curtseyed to the soldiers guarding the doors to the party, and the bowed back to her as the doors swung open to reveal the banquet.

The room was warm with the heat of many bodies, dancing and laughing in a drunken trance. The string quartet played a lively jig, that people skipped around to, or they stumbled and tripped too.

Azora walked around the edges of the room watching the scene in amusement, and studying the different costumes of each guest. She started to feel a gaze on her,and she twitched uncomfortably, and shifted her gaze towards the cause of her discomfort.

It was Kalian, and he was decked out in a red demon costume, with elements of his costume matching Azoras own angle costume. She sighed a little inside. Her mother in law had done this on purpose.

Kalian held his mask in one hand, as if he wanted everyone to know who he was, and he lounged lazily on his throne, a crowd of ladies following him as usual.

He noticed Azora looking at him and flashed her a seductive smile, which cause her to blush and turn away. She moved towards a chair and sat down.

Before long, she had offers to dance, and she accepted each offer as well as a couple offers of a mug of beer or ale. She was twirling around with her newest dance partner, and laughing with him at his jokes, when her partner was tapped on the shoulder by a certain red-clad man.

"Excuse me, may I intervene?" He asked politely. The courtier had no choice but to bow and say
"Yes my Lord."

Azora curtseyed nervously and they continued to dance around. Soon the music stopped and Azora curtseyed once again, intending to move on to the next partner, but she was stopped by Kalians arm wrapping aroumd her waist.

"Please let me go your highness." She whimpered.

"Im sorry, my Queen, I did not mean to hurt you."
His voice sounded apologetic but he teased her for knowing her secret identity.

She gasped.
"How did you know!"

He caressed her check, and her lip began to quiver as tears threatened to spill.

"Who could forget those eyes." He sounded like he was half talking to himself and half answering the question.
Azora managed to twist out of his grip before she dashed out of the room.

It was a mistake ever coming to this party. Why did she ever come?