Caspian

4

The overly decorated ballroom was covered from bottom to top with women of all sorts; it really looked like everyone from the kingdom had sold their daughters to the dark side. What can I say? Money is money, I guess.

I glided across the floor, trying to find a waiter or bottle person so that I could finally get some sort of drink in my system so that I could make it through the night. I guess I was going to have to start being a little more social before I just looked like the odd one out while everyone mingled and got to know each other.

It didn't take long to be served a glass of bubbly before I was swerving in and out of groups of ladies intermingling with each other. I had learned quite a lot from the women of Prothabia. One thing was very obvious: everyone wanted a piece of the royal life; every daughter wanted to be in the loving arms of Blaine Prothabia; and they were all so glad that he had finally decided to "settle down.".

"Do you think that he will go for one of you young ladies, or do you think he is going to want someone who he can have more intelligent conversations with, someone he can relate to?" One of the older ladies in this particular huddle of girls snarled as the others rolled their eyes or giggled at her remark.

I let out a chuckle. "Intelligent conversation?" I whispered, but I guess it caught one of the girls, and she questioned me back on what I meant, with the rest of the girls looking at me and waiting for me to entertain.

"Blaine wouldn't know an intellectual conversation if it hit him in the face...I mean, he looks like the type to not know." I corrected as their narrowed eyes relaxed as I rolled my eyes and threw back whatever was left in my flute.

-------

This man had been taking far too long to still be standing by the door that I had been standing in front of 20 minutes ago with him.

I was losing my patience, and I was also getting really tired and fed up listening to the girls reasons as to why they would make the perfect wife for old man Blaine. I was begging him at this point to put me out of my misery with this.

Just as I grabbed my second flute of the night, the doors to the side of the hall opened up, and in walked the Queen and King, dressed in there finest outfits. Not that I wanted to indulge in what they looked like; it was just what I thought were gold jewel-encrusted PJ's that all.

"Welcome all, Sorry for keeping all you beautiful daughters waiting. Thank you all for attending tonight for the beginning of our sons story and journey to find the love of his life, who is in this very room." Queen Elora demanded the attention of the room, which was met with silence before the king stepped forward "We now welcome in our son, Prince Blaine Henry Thomas, prince of Prothabia." King Draedon welcomed in his son as the room flooded with applause as the man of the hour walked in, chest puffed up and a gentle smile on his face.

Everyone watched with Hawkeyes as he kissed his mother on the cheek and shook his father's hand as they stepped backwards and then disappeared. Only the sound of the closed door allowed us to know they had left.

Prince Blaine stood in front of us all and thanked us for coming to the hands-down most important moment in his life, finding his soulmate and one true love. I left out a little chuckle, which I hid behind my third flute of the night, rolling my eyes.

"He is so dreamy." I heard a woman whisper to herself as she stood next to me. I looked over at her wide-eyed and forced on the man's every move, smile, and word; he really had women captivated by him, and I can remember 12 year old me being in awe of the 26 year old Blaine Prothabia, but that was somewhat long gone; he was part of the problem.

-------

The night had gotten louder and louder as the Prince wove himself between groups of women all trying to but in to each others conversations with him; they looked like they would rip every item of clothing off his body to get his attention, while I spent most of the night either exchanging looks while I raised up what number flute of champagne I was on towards him as he shook his head, or I was somewhat listening into some girl talk about a village that she lived in where they were still having issues building back their village due to the war.

I stepped outside for some fresh air, and so that I didn't drink myself into oblivion, I wasn't used to the party life that some of these people were used to, and I definitely didn't have anything to speak about that would make anyone interested in what I had to say.

"You aren't much of a social butterfly, I take it?" His voice caught my attention as I spun around to face him, he smiled warmly as I shrugged. "You could say I never really had those skills taught to me," I said as he frowned.

"You know they'll all notice you aren't in there quicker then you think, and then my peace will be destroyed," I said as he smirked and looked back into the ball, looking at all the girls who had started looking around "I am sure I have a few minutes; though I am more worried about you, I am not too sure you are here for the right reasons," he said as he stepped closer, crossing his arms.

My heart quickly dropped to my ass, and I chuckled, rolling my eyes. There was no way this man had sussed me out or anything that I was here for. He wasn't the dumbest, but he definitely wasn't the smartest, even for 40 years old.

"Why do you say that? Why am I here, your highness?" I asked as I crossed my own arms, raising an eyebrow up to him and lifting my head to look him in the eyes.

He chuckled and stepped closer, towering over me, our bodies loosely touching as we held eye contact with each other.

I wasn't intimidated by his stance; this man may be 6 feet, but I'm 6 foot of attitude; there was no way I was going to fall for this kind of gesture, no matter how physically attractive a person was.

"You're here to drink all my expensive champagne and have a man chase after your attention," he just about whispered as we held our eye contact for a little longer before he placed a hand on my waist, and I quickly averted my eyes to the ballroom doors where people were still talking and drinking.

A mischievous grin played on my lips as I glanced up at him, letting out a playful chuckle. "You caught me," I admitted, looking away briefly before meeting his gaze again with a coy smile. "I'm here to indulge, and trust me, it's quite the spectacle." 

I could feel his chest slowly picking up it's pace, This was going to be too easy if this is how he plans to react and behave in my presence.

I took hold of his hand, which was still placed on my hip, and dropped it to his side while not breaking eye contact. "Now if you would let me proceed back to the ball, you have some women waiting for you." I brushed a little past him as I walked back into the room, watching as everyone was indeed asking where the prince had vanished to.

------

The ball finished around about midnight, and as I made my way into the corridor to the main door, I saw the same guards from earlier, they would definitely notice me, they would see my dress and face; and then realise that I had snuck in and alert God knows who to my presence.

I slowly backed up, watching as more people started making their way out one by one. I was losing hope in that big group of girls leaving together. I sighed as I looked around. I could go back into that study room, but that would mean walking into the dark study room because a switch on of a light could bait me to The Queen and King or Prince Blaine.

I looked into the ballroom quickly and saw people in there, so I decided that the only way I was getting out was probably by jumping the wall. That was my plan; everyone would be too distracted to be looking at a woman in a green gown throw herself over a wall. 

I stormed into the ballroom and saw a group of girls—not the ones I had snuck in with previously but a different group—all swarming the prince—perfect! I was about to book it to the side door that leads to the outside when a voice called out, "Hey! Where are you going?" I closed my eyes tight and spun around to face the group of girls and Blaine just staring at me a mixture of dirty looks and confusion.

"I think I lost an...earring on the floor when I was out here earlier," I lied, and I quickly pulled off an earring, playing with my hair and trying to lodge it into a bunch of curls on my head.

Blaine ushered the girls away and made his way towards me. "Thank you for the evening, ladies, please get home safely," he said as the girls huffed and puffed but made their way to the door. "I'll help you find it; two eyes are better than one," he said as I sighed quickly, covering the sigh of defeat with a sigh of relief and giving him a smile as he walked towards me more, placing a hand on the lower part of my back as we walked outside.