Crowns of Flame and Ice - Book One

(14) The Ball

Standing in front of the brown and black doors gave me an awful sense of deja-vu. These doors were larger than those of the meeting room, did that mean the occasion was going to be worse? I shook my head, I was just being silly, the size of doors were not a representation of the people within. Well, I guess that was arguable, ruthless kings had large doors to their cold castles whereas innocent people had small, worn doors. Where was the sense in that? The people who made the kingdom were left unprotected behind little doors and the very people who prevented their protection had this giant monstrosity of wood and steel. Stop thinking about doors, you're getting funny looks. I smoothed out the dark fabric of my gown, squared my shoulders and lifted my chin prepared to face whatever came next as the doors swung open.

The second I stepped into the ballroom the crowd of green and yellow fell silent, faces of awe and terror. Some were confused too, rightfully so if I was being honest. It wasn't every day a princess, who rarely made an appearance, showed up to a ball supposedly representing new beginnings wearing black. Black was a colour of new beginnings too I reminded myself, where there was death and endings there was and would always be change. Glittering gold and orange decorations hung from one side of the room representing Vauxhavens colours while blue decorations hung on the other representing Calvain. I wasn't sure that that sent the right message as the colours were divided, but then again blue and orange together wasn't the best interior design choice. I doubted whoever decided the colours for the kingdoms was fretting over whether the colours would work well together, it was likely the intention was that they never would. The banquet table stood deserted against one wall and I noticed the piles of lavish foods and most importantly all sorts of chocolatey things, I made a mental note to go over there immediately. A dais stood proudly directly opposite me, five angry faces, one unreadable one and an empty seat sat on top of it. The fact that there had been a seat prepared for me startled me enough that I remembered to start walking.

I smiled at the crowd of adults and children as I walked past, in return, I just got startled gazes and blinking expressions. These people expected me to be like the people on the dais I reminded myself, cruel and cold. As I was halfway through the still silent crowd I noticed a little raven-haired girl brimming and buzzing with excitement. she was tittering from one foot to the next, clutching the pale brown buttons and staring at me with such joy in her eyes it made me want to smile a real smile. Clearly, the girl couldn't hold it in any longer as she tugged on the hem of a raven-haired woman's gown and screeched giddily "look mommy! She looks like a fallen star!" breaking the silence. I wasn't a star, and I hadn't really fallen I'd just sort of always been on the ground, but I couldn't deny the resemblance. "Hush now child" her mother hissed with a wary glance in my direction. I paused in front of them and crouched down on the floor so I could be eye-level with the little girl. I'm sure I'd hear about this later, I was not under any circumstances to talk to the guests. "What's your name?" I asked the little girl, keeping my tone light. She glanced up at her mother who gave her a worried nod. "Hope" the girl replied, "my name is Hope." I almost snorted at the irony, we could all do with a little hope right now. "Tell me hope, what would you like to be when you grow up?" I muse. Clearly, the girl was done caring whether she was allowed to answer or not when she didn't look up at her mother and replied "a princess like you! Pretty and strong." The mother flicked the girl in the back of the head and started mumbling "I'm sorry princess, I told her not to dream of such atrocious things but she wouldn't listen." How typical of parents to dismiss their children as atrocious, as nothing. I smiled up at the woman, glanced back down at the girl and assured her, "you dream what you want to dream, do not let others tell you otherwise." A collective gasp sounded through the room as I took the silver tiara from my head and placed it on Hope who looked as though she was about to topple over with excitement.

I stretch out my hand to the little girl and hesitantly she places her hand in mine, it was so small. We began walking toward the dais and I could feel my family's angry gaze on me but that wasn't where my attention was. I was watching hope as she waved and smiled at the crowd we passed and then would burst out into fits of giggles when she got a wave back. It was mesmerizing to watch and I doubted anyone had ever laughed so much in this room. As we reach the foot of the dais I lead Hope back into the front of the crowd so she can return to her mother but just as I turned I notice her snatch the tiara from her head and hand it back to me. "No keep it, it looks better on you anyway" I whisper and place the tiara back on her head. Hope gives an excited little squeal and runs back into the crowd.