A Royal Internship | Complete

Chapter Sixty-Three

I smoothed the skirt on my ball gown and looked at my new, sleek hairstyle in the mirror.

"Do you think I can do this?" I asked Marinette as she sat on my bed eating soup that was supposed to be my dinner.

"Yes, Genevieve," she said as she slurped down some of the soup and then wiped her face with a napkin. "Are you sure you've eaten enough?" she asked, walking over to me and sliding in my diamond earrings and hair barrette.

I nodded. "I mean, no, but I can't eat anymore or I might throw up, so let's just leave it at that."

She shook her head and giggled. "All right. Now, let's make sure this is all in order and get you out the door on time, shall we?" Marinette set about doing up buttons and trimming off loose threads and making sure it was exactly the right tightness.

"So it will stay up but not suffocate you." She smiled at me in the mirror as she tightened the corset back once again.

"Is this all some plot to get me to wear the dress longer?" I asked when she finally tucked the strings in and declared me ready to go.

"No! It's a real thing. You tighten it and then wear it for a while and it wiggles to your body and then you have to loosen it or tighten it to be just right. It's science or something."

I couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sure wiggles is the technical, scientific term."

She stuck her tongue out at me and returned to her soup. "Have a good time, Miss," she shouted as I left the room.

I picked up my skirt in my hand and asked the guards to open the door. On the other side of it, just as promised, was Clarence -- I mean, Prince Alexandre -- looking dashing as ever in a dark green suit that perfectly matched my dress with its accents.

But how could he have known what colour my dress was? Oh!

"Marinette?" I asked him, gesturing to his outfit.

His only reply was to nod as his eyes slid down my dress, following its dark green silhouette and golden accents where they naturally led the eye: my shoulders and my waist.

"You like?" I asked, but I didn't need to. His eyes were practically falling out of his face.

"I--" he stammered something out and then managed to compose himself.

Clearing his throat he answered, "Yes, I like it very much."

"Thank you." I smiled and picked up his arm. "Now can you focus and get us through this first dance, please?"

"Maybe." He laughed. "Hopefully."

We walked in silence until we reached the last corner before the grand staircase, a pair of guards standing nearby to ensure no one wandered too far away from the ball.

We stood there, silently, as the palace moved around us. People bustling from one area to another, carrying things to different rooms, preparing sleeping quarters from some of our farther off guests. It was enough to make my head spin.

"So," I said to Clarence, to try to lighten the mood. "You ready to start this ball?" I turned to face him and saw his face firmly trained on the wall in front of us. "Um, Clarence?"

"Sorry." He shook his head and looked at me squarely in the eyes. "I'm just nervous about getting the dance right, for some reason."

Some reason? I raised my eyebrow at him and pulled one side of my mouth into a smile. "Okay, I understand."

I took to asking a nearby guard about the weather and the number of guests until we were ready to go.

"They're ready for you," Janet said, appearing around the corner. "His Majesty has requested you enter last."

I looked at Clarence who looked like he might actually throw up. Something about him being a mess was oddly calming, though, so I sprang into action.

"We're opening the ball, remember?" I turned him to face me. "Look at me, please."

Reluctantly, he turned his head and looked into my eyes.

"What is it you're always telling me? Just look at me."

He nodded and took a deep breath, shaking his hands by his sides.

"This is a big deal, and I get that." I sighed, struggling to keep my breathing and voice even for him. "Believe me, I get it. But it's also going to be our first time opening a ball. No matter what happens, this is going to be a memory I at least will keep forever. So let's just forget about all those fancy people out there and have some fun, okay?"

I cannot believe those words just came out of my mouth.

He looked into my eyes, clearly struggling to say whatever it was he wanted to get out.

I waited for a moment and then kissed his cheek. "All right, then?" I asked him.

He turned and offered me his arm once again. "Yes." He nodded. "Let's do this."

I nudged him a little with my shoulder and my dress swished against the floor. Dancing in this was going to be a lot of fun.

With a nod to the guards, some music started playing and we began our descent down the grand staircase, through the entry hall, and into the grand ballroom arm-in-arm. The cameras clicked the whole way, but all I was focused on was getting us into that ball and through the first dance in one piece.

Thankfully, once we got onto the dance floor and into position for our dance, Clarence looked much calmer than he had at the top of the stairs.

"Ready?" I asked him.

"Yes." He nodded and his smile reached his big, brown eyes. "May I have the pleasure of this dance?" He held out his hand and I took a step towards him to accept. As soon as our hands met, the band struck up a waltz.

I curtseyed and picked up my skirt while he bowed before pulling me into him and starting the dance.

I don't even remember the music playing. I only remember swirling around the room with my forest green gown swishing every time Clarence spun me around, and the way his eyes locked onto mine like I was the only girl in that room.

It didn't matter that I wasn't. And in that very moment I realized it didn't matter what the king said. No matter what happens tomorrow, I thought, I'm going to fight for this.

No sooner had the dance ended than the floor filled with couples ready to partake in the next dance. With a bow, Clarence asked me for another dance.

How could I say no?