All I Need ✔️

Chapter 39

Safania's POV

As the announcement was made, we stepped forward together. Everyone's heads snapped to get a look at us. I hadn't encountered any of the villagers since my scene in the throne room, and none of them had known I was from Eir, a fact that undoubtedly increased their curiosity.

"Shall we get something to drink?" the prince asked me, distracting me from the stares. I nodded and followed him.

As we walked, a path seemed to clear for us. We reached a punchbowl where a maid handed us both drinks. The drink was fruity and sweet, but clearly full of alcohol. I would have to be careful not to have too much of that, I thought.

The orchestra finished the number they were playing. "May I have this dance?" Cassius asked before the next song began.

I extended my hand, and he led me to the dancefloor. The music began to play, a cheerful waltz, and I let the prince lead me around the ballroom. I may not have known the exact style, but I had always been a fairly good dancer, so I was able to easily follow along. And Cassius was a great leader. He guided me firmly but gently, twirling me, lifting me. It was like we were speaking to each other without words, like all the other people disappeared and it was just me and him, moving together in perfect harmony.

I realized towards the end of the song that the steps Cassius was doing were becoming increasingly complex. After the song ended, I turned to him accusatorily. "Are you testing me?"

"Just curious how good you actually are," he said.

"Better than you," I replied boldly.

He smiled. "We'll see about that."

After that, another slower, more sensual song began to play. Cassius immediately drew me close to him, picking up the intensity and intricacy of the steps even more. We were doing elaborate moves that I couldn't even recognize them – I had to operate on instinct and Cassius's guidance.

When the song hit its final note, Cassius and I stayed frozen for a moment, electricity flowing between us. We were fixated on each other's eyes – in that moment no one else existed. Then I heard applause and realized the rest of the crowd was gathered around the dancefloor just watching us, and that we were the only ones on the floor. I had gotten so caught up in the dancing that I didn't even notice.

Cassius led me off the dancefloor. "I had no idea you could dance like that," he told me.

"I had no idea you could dance like that either," I replied.

"Safania, can we..." Cassius began.

At that moment, Prince Alterius and Princess Celine approached us.

"Well you two certainly know how to make an entrance," Prince Alterius said to me, smiling. Princess Celine, however, looked at us as though she had smelled something terrible.

Prince Alterius was wearing the same attire as Cassius, but Princess Celine was decked in a huge, ruffled light pink gown. Even though the gown was enormous, it was still easy to make out her extremely pregnant belly. She had her blond hair down, curled, with a small tiara on her head.

"It's nice to see you both again. Sometimes I wonder what you two could possibly be up to, spending so much time alone together," Alterius said, surveying us both. I wondered if Orphasius had told him too.

"Safania is actually extremely well-read, so we spend a lot of our time reading and talking. Have you two read anything interesting lately?"

"Reading is for ugly people," Princess Celine responded in her condescending voice, while staring at me. "I know better than to fill my mind with foolish things. Best to focus on important life skills for women, like cooking, cleaning, decorating, keeping myself looking nice, and of course, finding out new ways to please my husband. Besides, MY husband is so smart that there's nothing I could possibly say to interest him even if I were to read what he is reading."