Masquerade

Ch 1

The night was warm, and the smell of roses and daylilies filled the air as she walked nervously through the front garden to the palace door. The ball had started an hour ago, but she was hoping to just slip in and blend with the crowd. She wasn't supposed to be there. Not only did her father and brother both tell her she shouldn't go, but she was also not technically allowed to be there.

The palace was bigger than she ever could have imagined. It was red and gold, the later of which shone brilliantly in the moonlight. It was a full moon that night, and not a cloud to be seen so all the stars were glimmering in the sky as though the gods had adorned it with glitter and diamonds. Against the indigo and dark violet sky they seemed, in the moment, brighter than she had ever seen them.

The garden was a patchwork of vibrantly coloured flowers. All of the scents complimented eachother perfectly, making the night smell sweet. There were elegant fountains scattered around, which collectively made a noise similar to a gentle rainfall. The soft noise calmed her, slowing her frantic heartbeat.

The clicking sound her two inch heels made on the cobblestone path beneath her echoed ever so slightly as she walked briskly to the golden doors. She could hear crickets over the soft rain of the fountains, and lightning bugs danced together in the moonlight flickering their messages of love to one another. She smiled slightly, stopping for just a few moments to look at all the beauty around her. Adjusting her mask to make sure it was on securely, she continued down the path and reached the door. After taking a deep breath she reached out and slowly opened it.

---

The ballroom was the biggest room she had ever seen. Everything was bright and ivory and gold. The room was alive with boisterous music and dancing couples. With everyone wearing masks, she couldn't tell which man was the prince, or if he was even there. Her simple royal blue gown wasn't nearly as nice as all the other dresses in the room. While the other women wore gowns that seemed to be overflowing with tulle and lace, hers was barely lifted away from her legs. The other's had long, flowing sleeves. Her's had thin straps that ended in a point on her chest which barely showed her cleavage. She did have something that set her apart from everyone else, though. Covering her chest and shoulders was a thin, glimmering layer of sugar.

She slowly walked into the room, checking one last time to make sure her mask was covering her face properly. She immediately caught the eye of several men, who watched her like hawks as she walked around the edge of the room. She looked around in wonder at the room and it's inhabitants. Everyone was so elegant and graceful. They all knew how to dance, like they were born dancing. Of course, most of them practically were. If you're born royal, you learn to dance.

She stood against the wall for a few minutes, just watching everyone dance. Deciding to try dancing herself, she took a step towards the crowd and was immediately surrounded by men fighting for a dance with her. They all seemed to want to dance because she was the only girl there with dark skin. Suddenly, she was pulled out of the mob by a strong hand and whisked away to the other end of the room.