The Royal Spare (COMPLETED)

49-Of A Royal Engagement

Engagement parties are major events in Reidonia. So it was expected that the royal engagement between our beloved Princess Maiena and the dauphin of Etazuré Prince Philippe would be the grandest the country has seen in recent years.

Because of the size of the occasion, the engagement party was to be held in the grand courtyard of the palace which was built hundreds of years ago to receive the entire royal military forces by the tens of thousands. For the celebration, however, the massive area that has witnessed the roughness of war was transformed into an opulent hall. It was decorated with soft colors of pink and peach, exquisite flowers and delicate crystals. The cobblestone floor was covered with a gigantic plush red carpet and a colossal white tent sheltered the elegant fairytale-like setup.

Over eight hundred guests were welcomed into the venue including influential celebrities, billionaires, nobles, foreign dignitaries and royalties. Thousands of Reidonians were gathered outside the palace gates and millions of people worldwide watched from their television sets and devices via live internet streaming. It was safe to say that whatever should happen during the party, the whole world would know it. It was like the Crown Prince and the dauphin who planned everything for the royal occasion didn't give the Princess any chance to reject the engagement without dragging down the Reidonian royalty's reputation in front of the entire planet unless she gave a just and irrefutable reason to do so.

I didn't know exactly what happened to the dauphin and the Princess last night. I just knew that they both missed dinner and didn't meet anyone for the entire evening. That fact didn't go unnoticed to the entire palace. I also knew that my cousin Desmond and my brother Aidan were both inexplicably missing as well.

Although they all appeared this morning as if nothing was amiss, I knew that everything was not like it seemed. Something was definitely going on and for some reason, the people closest to me chose to keep me out of their secret. But the thing about living in silence was that I have the luxury of watching all of them and discovering hidden stories behind their facades while remaining unnoticed.

The venue was already full when the couple arrived. The dauphin's parents, King Antoine and Queen Claude of Etazuré, and Crown Prince Nikolai were seated in their tables in front of the stage after they had welcomed the last guests. Everyone's attention was now focused on the entrance where the beautiful pair stood.

Prince Philippe looked very handsome and dignified in his deep blue royal uniform with the lovely Princess Maiena beside him. She was wearing an intricately beaded velvet tube ball gown in midnight blue to match the dauphin's suit. She wore her royal sash with her Montealta crest brooch over one shoulder and a tiara on her head that was neatly perched over her dainty bun. She was breathtaking as always and she had a charming smile on her face as she held on to the dauphin's arm.

She could've fooled everyone else with that smile but not me. I have been watching her since she was a little girl. I knew every speckle of light in her eyes and what they meant. She could pretend to have the brightest mood in front of everyone but I always knew what was in her heart.

Loud applause matched with admiring and envious eyes greeted them as they made their way to the stage. As they passed me, I held Maiena's gaze and smiled, she courteously nodded then quickly turned away. It confirmed my thoughts. All I needed to do was wait and be prepared for whatever she had in store.

The program started and went on as usual. Dinner was served and entertainment was provided by the best singers, musicians and dancers of the country. The entire atmosphere was joyous. The dauphin's happiness could not be more obvious as he leaned to whisper in the Princess's ear and affectionately touched her cheek. She didn't seem to reject his actions and even smiled at him softly but the hint of defiance in her eyes told me there was more to the show.