The Lady Ambrose

FIVE

All my life I never imagined I would ever meet the Montecroix's let alone recieve a kiss on the hand from their future king or even be engaged to him.

Having finished his greeting, Eros stands up straight and looks into my eyes. I'm shocked to discover butterflies in the pit of my stomach. Felix and Warren always made sure that boys stayed clear away from me, so this kind of attention is new and foreign to me.

"She blushes like a school girl." Ellumina whispers to her mother.

Eros cracked a smirk at that and I flushed with embarrassment. "Ella, it's rude to embarrass the princess." He says as he lowers his hand, still gently holding on to mine. "She doesn't mean any harm." He says softly to me.

"Of course." I smile politely.

King and Queen Ambrose continue to talk with King and Queen Montecroix while I stand there in a daze holding Eros's hand.

Then the song playing changed and Eros spoke, "How about a dance?" He asks me.

That's when reality caught up to me. I'd watched Eunoia learning dances before but I never deigned to learn them msyelf; whereas the princess was quite skilled at dancing. But I hold the refuse him.

"What a splendid idea!" Queen Montecroix gasped with joy. "Our son Eros is a most wonderful dancer."

The Queen Ambrose looked at me worriedly and I gave an awkward smile.

"I'm afraid my skill is not quite up to par with yours, your highness." I say shyly looking down, mentally kicking myself for not putting in more effort to these girly lady-like things.

"Really?" He says. "That's not what I was told." He gives his mother a pointed look to which she looks at Queen Ambrose.

"My mother gives me too much credit." I chuckle in defense linking arms with my new mother. "I am a decent dancer, and I would be delighted to dance with you Prince Eros."

He smirks again, extending his hand to take mine. I smile back and place my hand in his, he leads me to the center of the dance floor. "I apologize in advance if I step on your toes."

"I would advise you to take extra care not to step on my feet, my shoes are rather expensive and I'd like them to remain new looking." He replied twirling me around before pulling me into his chest. "I'll go easy on you this time, but I'll have you know that dancing is a love of mine; you'll have to get better at it for me, Princess."

His arrogance struck a cord in me, I almost twisted my face in disgust. How pompous. I neither agree nor disagree with his statement and simply put my hands to position. Something about his actions and words felt off, but I couldn't yet place why.

He hooks his arm around my waist, his fingers splayed out over my side, and takes my right hand up his arm to rest on his neck. "You have short arms." He remarks softly, taking my right hand into his left; like a bird perched on a branch.

I chuckle. "I am a rather short woman, I'm sure you've noticed." I reply coyly looking up at him confidently.

He leans forward and whispers in my ear, "Just relax. It's only a dance."

I swallow hard at that, he's making me even more nervous and he knows it. He leans back a little with a satisfied smirk and begins a dance that thankfully I know.

It was one of the most popular dances of my grandparents generation, The Embassy Waltz. Eunoia's grandparents insisted that she and I learn it together, and I'm so thankful now that we did.

The dance progressed smoothly, I was remembering all the steps with perfect mastery. Every left, right, back, and together in perfect time with the music.