Nethermost Realm: Prisoner of Arlunn

Chapter 17

Please note: I am updating this draft of The Prisoner of Arlunn. The most important change is that the main character's name has been changed from Philip to Rian.

17

Without Shaz there on Chuness, the weeks crawled by slowly. Anya caught herself daydreaming out the window more than once, with the prince in mind. She smiled secretly to herself and stole glances at the necklace he'd given her, which she kept in a small silver locket that she always attached to a belt or button on her outfit.

Aldena had said nothing more about Shaz since the boat ride that afternoon. When the invitations arrived for the ball that coincided with Anya's birthday, she feared that her Mother would forbid her to go.

"That scamp. He did this deliberately, setting it on your birthday," scowled Aldena.

"Oh, please, mother!" she begged. "I've never been to a ball! If you don't let me go, I'll just die!"

"I doubt that," said Aldena sourly.

For days, Aldena refused to say whether Anya could go. "It will serve only as a distraction," she said. "You should be focussing on your studies."

So, Anya studied all the more, twice as long every day with the strange woman in the Northeast tower. Gradually, she got better and better at both speaking and reading Vassi, though she still wore her hat, which she called "The Universal Translator."

Three days later, she accosted Aldena. "Can I go to the ball? Please?" She'd been on her very best behavior.

"Well, I suppose it won't hurt you at all."

Anya danced up and and down. "Yes! Thank you!" She gave Aldena a big kiss.

"But—" said Aldena firmly. "I don't want you to only dance with Shaz. There are plenty of other young men you can dance with. So, don't you let him monopolize you."

"I won't."

"And anyway, it's not fair to the other ladies. He still isn't spoken for and perhaps he should be. After the Challenge ends, anyway," said Aldena.

"You won't regret it," said Anya. And she studied all the harder and made herself useful in every way. And she learned to dance.

First, she had Aldena teach her to dance. Her mother consented, somewhat unwillingly. But Anya reminded her that all the other boys would want to dance with Anya, not just the prince. At this, Aldena laughed. "No doubt."

She badgered Leeza to teach her more about dancing. She was easier to convince than Aldena. She herself was planning to enjoy the Ball. Anya even bothered Merewyn to teach her some dancing. "You don't want me to be an embarrassment to the Kingdom, do you?"

"True," admitted the flighty teacher. And so the time passed.

Vainly, Anya tried to get Aldena to take her shopping for a new dress.

"I just bought you ten outfits. Make use of what's in your closet, girl."

So, she carefully selected the dress she wanted for the ball. It was the green dress, alternating light and dark green swaths that cascaded around her like a waterfall. And the full skirt twirled nicely when she danced. She couldn't wait for the night of the ball to arrive.

* * * * * * * * *

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the day of the ball arrived and Anya bounced out of bed. She admired herself in the mirror that morning.