Fallen Queen

Chapter 11 - Past

"I would like to welcome our royal highness crown prince Thomas Hargreave and our future princess and queen Amelia Bloom!"

Thomas locked his glance with Amelia's one more time before he let her hand go. Slowly, once in a while looking to his left to make sure Amelia was still in the same rhythm as him on the other stairs, he walked down the marble stairs. His hand barely touched the cold stone and a smile spread across his face when he saw that Amelia started smiling too.

Most people in the room were staring at her. Some people because they were jealous that she was the one walking down that stairs, some relieved that she was the one who had to wear the crown.

When they had reached the floor Thomas slightly bent his head, his hands folded behind his back. When he looked up Amelia made a small and elegant reference and his heart skipped a beat in his chest. "Here we go..." He whispered, forming the words with his lips but not making any sound. He stretched out his hand.

"Here we go..." Amelia answered and after she had taken a deep breath she placed her trembling hand in his.

Thomas lead her to the middle of the dance floor, right under the chandelier with at least fifty candles. He carefully wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her a little closer towards him.

The silence was almost deafening and the pianist seemed to wait an awful long moment before he started playing.

As soon as Thomas locked his eyes with Amelia's though they both forgot the rest of the world. They forgot all the people staring. They forgot their parents. They forgot the royal ball. They forgot everything but the music and each other.

Amelia even seemed to forget how she hated this dress for being way too long. She also seemed to forget to not forget the steps the king had tried to teach her.

"Amelia..." Thomas leaned towards her, his lips almost touching her ear. "Why don't you show the people in this ballroom what dancing looks like?"

"Really?" She held her breath for a moment, her feet still following the steps carefully.

"They have seen this dance often enough already. I think it's time for something new." Thomas winked and he pushed Amelia away to twirl her back into his arms. He knew that his father would hate him for it. He knew that his father would curse loudly on his golden throne, but he was too far away to say something and to do something.

Amelia placed her hand on his chest and she leaned backwards and while they turned around her crown was like a ray of sunshine moving through the ballroom. She straightened her back again and she lifted his arm up, twirling around on the tips of her toes with nothing but his hand as an anchor.

How could anyone in this room not love her? How could anyone in this room doubt that she would make this kingdom happy? How could anyone in this room believe that she was not allowed to be here?

She stopped twirling and for a short moment she wrapped both her arms around his neck to steady herself. With a smile on her face however she waited until he placed his hands in her sides to lift her up.

Not one of those steps were part of the original dance, but traditions were there to be broken and limiting Amelia to the dance like it had been danced for a hundred years already, felt like asking a flower not to bloom brighter than any other flower had done before.

Thomas placed her feet safely on the ground again and while the piano softened he pressed his forehead to hers. "I'm sure they all loved it." He spoke softly, his arm sliding around her waist again so he could keep her close for a short moment.

"I don't know if your father loved it." Amelia let her chin rest on his shoulder. Even though she was doing better than fine, she was still trembling a little and he could feel how her hand was still sweating.

"My father will love it if the people love it." Thomas spoke softly while the music stopped playing. He could feel everyone staring at him, at them, but he wasn't ready to let her go yet. He just wanted to hold her for a few more seconds. He closed his eyes and the people around them applauded. His lips curled up into a smile and when he opened his eyes he saw that Amelia was blushing. "Keep a few dances free for me, will you?" He smiled at her and Amelia smiled back.

"As many as you want."

Thomas looked up when a young general tapped on his shoulder.

"May I claim a dance with my future queen?" He bent his head slightly and Thomas exchanged one more glance with Amelia.

"Of course." He nodded his head slightly and he placed her delicate hand in his. He knew that he was supposed to ask one of the many pretty ladies to dance with him, but he couldn't help staring at her.

Amelia seemed a little uncomfortable in the arms of the stranger. She had no reason to be uncomfortable, but he knew that no matter how often he would tell her that, she wouldn't believe him. Or maybe she couldn't believe him because he was simply blinded by the magic that had decided to bring them together.

Eventually Thomas forced himself to find a girl in the crowd he could ask for a dance. He bent down in front of a blonde girl and she giggled while he pulled her towards the dance floor.

She didn't fit into his arms like Amelia did. She didn't dance like Amelia did either and Thomas couldn't help looking over his shoulder once in a while so his eyes could meet Amelia's.

Maybe it was the magic that had brought them together. Maybe it was the magic that had made them fall in love with each other in the first place, but that didn't matter.

All that mattered was how she made him feel and how he wanted nothing but making her feel the same.