The Prince
We spun around and around the ballroom, not really caring what music was playing so long as we were dancing to the beat. Her hand in mine felt so soft and delicate, but her firm hand on my shoulder and posture lead me to believe she was confident and could have danced all of this on her own.
Not that I would have wanted her to. We drifted closer and closer after every song until we seemed to be the same person, stepping and twirling and circling around. My dance teacher when I was younger tried to teach me about the five points of contact that happened when you were waltzing with someone correctly. As a young boy it always embarrassed me to be that close to someone but now that I was holding Lady E, I wanted to find a way to be closer.
After I saw the first drop of sweat appear on her neck I stopped dancing. "Would you care for a refreshment?" I asked.
"Oh, yes, I'm so thirsty I could drink a lake." She covered her mouth and blushed again. "Excuse me, I'm not accustomed to being in the company of Royalty."
I shrugged. "It's quite alright, I'm not used to being in the company of someone as beautiful as yourself." I winked and she blushed.
I grabbed two drinks from a passing waiter and handed one to her. I expected her to tilt the veil back, but she just slipped the drink under the veil and chugged.
"Wow you weren't kidding," I said, taking her empty glass.
She laughed. "No, sorry about that."
"Its alright." I finally took a moment to glance up at my father who was actually leaning over the edge of the balcony expectantly. He waved and pointed towards the doors to the garden. I nodded and turned back to this mysterious woman in blue.
"Would you like to see the gardens?" I asked, holding my arm out to her.
"Is there a fountain?"
"Yes."
"Sculpted hedges?"
"Only a few."
"Beautiful flowers?"
"Yes, but none quite as extravagant as you."
She blushed but this time stuck her tongue out at me. I gave a small surprise of shock and she stopped dead in her tracks.
"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry. I didn't mean anything by it! I was only making a joke and trying to tease-"
I held up a hand, laughing. "It's fine. Come with me."
Ella
Oh. My. God.
Georgie was the Prince! The stranger I had met in the square was the Prince! Oh my god I couldn't do it.
I was about to turn and walk out of the ballroom when a man in a palace uniform approached me and asked what my name was so he could introduce me to the Prince.
"Uh, Lady E. will suffice." I told him, standing up a little straighter.
"Do you have anyone to escort you?" I shook my head.
He held out his arm and I took it. I walked towards Georgie and I squeezed the guys arm, trying to even my breathing. I had to keep it cool, he had no idea who I was. No clue.
"-Lady E." The palace man said.
I smiled up at Georgie and he walked down the steps and I cursed myself. Why did I have to be so late?
"-Curtsy?" I heard him say out of my pity-daze.
"Wait, that's actually a thing?" I gave him one, but I had never been one to curtsy, I always seemed so stiff and awkward.
"Yes, that's actually a thing." he chuckled and smiled and blushed at the ground, throughly embarrased about how tonight was already turning. Then the band started to play music and people all around the room began to dance. Georgie looked at me and held out his hand, "Would you care to dance?"
I looked at it tentatively, bit my lip, and figured what the hell. What did I have to lose anyways? I took his hand gently and agreed.
Now I'm not really sure how I did it and how my feet managed not to be killing me, but by the end of the fifth song I think it was, I didn't want to stop. Dancing with Georgie was incredibly fun. But, I found out that sweating in this dress was not very fun, so we stopped. It was also then I realized how thirsty and hungry I was. In my rush to get ready and arrive on time, I had barely eaten anything all day.
"Would you care for a refreshment?" He asked.
"Oh, yes, I'm so thirsty I could drink a lake." I covered my mouth and blushed again. I can't believe I just said that in front of him! "Excuse me, I'm not accustomed to being in the company of Royalty." I mumbled.
He shrugged. "It's quite alright, I'm not used to being in company as beautiful as yours." Georgie winked and I blushed. Again. How could he be so damn smooth all the time?
He grabbed two drinks from a passing waiter and handed one a glass to me. I slipped the drink under my veil, tried a sip (it was sparkling apple cider), and chugged the rest of the glass, quenching my thirst.
"Wow you weren't kidding," he said, taking my empty glass.
I laughed. "No, sorry about that."
"Its alright." He looked away for a second and then back at me. "Would you like to see the gardens?" he asked, holding out his arm.
"Is there a fountain?"
"Yes."
"Sculpted hedges?"
"Only a few."
"Beautiful flowers?"
"Yes, but none quite as extravagant as you."
I blushed again and stuck my tongue out at him. I soon as I saw the surprised look on his face I instantly regretted it. What had I been thinking, sticking my tongue out at royalty?
"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry. I didn't mean anything by it! I was only making a joke and trying to tease-"
He held up a hand, laughing. "It's fine. Come with me."
I took his hand and smiled up at his as we walked out of the ballroom together, arm in arm.

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