Masquerade [BANG CHAN FF]

12. Apology

After Madeline saw Alissa out, she began constructing her plan on how to approach the prince. Christopher wasn't in the castle for the rest of the day and Madeline thought that it would be rude to pry and ask about the reason for his absence. Luckily, her curiosity didn't last long because Princess Hannah asked her mother about her brother's whereabouts during dinner. Pretending to eat her dinner, unaffected by their conversation, Madeline's hearing sharpened nonetheless and she learned that he was away for a business meeting with the best tailor in the kingdom, negotiating with him to make specially designed suits and dresses for the Friday's Halloween masquerade.

Young prince and princess sulked because they were too young for the masquerade but Madeline tried her best to hide the excitement - she loved holiday parties and now that Alissa was here, Madeline planned to attend this masquerade, already thinking of a Halloween costume. Since she didn't have to hide from the prince any longer and since her confidence and courage grew tenfold because of Alissa and her support, Madeline decided to continue attending these Friday masquerade balls and feed her love for dancing without worrying about him and his judgemental glare.

But first...

Apologizing and explaining her reasons to Christopher was impossible if he wasn't present in the castle and Madeline had spent a fair amount of night thinking and noting everything she wanted to tell him, reenacting all possible scenarios in her room, having a reply to his every statement. She won't let him dismiss her until she tells him everything, that much was sure.

But Prince Christopher didn't return home the next day either.

Madeline started worrying, doubting, but whenever she would second-guess herself and her plan, Alissa's face and words would flash in her mind and she would smile to herself again, determined to go through this trial and corner the prince as soon as she would see him, be it in the castle or that Halloween masquerade on Friday.

However, luck was on her side and she saw Christopher at dinner that night, listening all about how he and Changbin convinced the famous tailor to take on the task of making special Halloween masquerade masks, suits, and ballgowns with the help of all of his employees. It was October 29th and the Halloween masquerade was only two days away but reassured everyone that the tailor and his employees would make everything in time.

"They started working right away," Prince Christopher explained while slicing the juicy steak on his plate. "The sum of money they require for their services is not small but if they succeed, we'll have a business partner who will make our masquerade even more popular, and we will prosper from it because the tailor will give us a good percentage of his sales for every suit or dress the nobility purchases," he paused to take a bite and continued when he swallowed it, looking straight at his father. "Duke Armstrong has already taken interest in having his daughter wear only the dresses Mr. Flannel makes."

Princess Hannah grunted in the seat next to Madeline but didn't comment anything. Madeline glanced at the prince before returning to her food.

She remembered Lady Gwendolyn - she was a beautiful noblewoman with a vulgar personality and, taking Alissa's advice, Madeline intended to stay as far away from the young duchess as possible. After the masquerade she had attended, Madeline didn't hear more of that "engagement rumor" Alissa had talked about. To be honest, she forgot about it the very next day as she reminisced about the prince, his seductive eyes and voice, and his hold on her body as they danced.

Not that Madeline had time to fantasize about him now when all she had on her mind was her confrontation plan. However, Madeline had to think fast and think of perfect timing, a situation when she would be alone with him.

And there was no other and better time gap than the one after she read to the twins, tucked them to sleep, and went to bed herself.

Madeline carefully closed the door of the twins' bedroom, just as she did it every night, and breathed out, getting her mind and heart ready.