Playing Princess

Playing Princess 1.9

“Is the dress necessary?”

“Since it's your first lesson on your terrible etiquette, yes.” Allegra shrugged nonchalantly, brushing out a nonexistent crease in her maid’s uniform and smiled like she hadn't just insulted me, not that I disagreed. “Come on, sit up straight, grab your knife and fork, don’t lean over just to make sure no food falls onto your lap.”

“That’s why you lean over,” I argued, trying to stretch my legs in the uncomfortably tight peach dress she’d forced on me somehow. “So that you don’t make a mess!”

“Royalty don’t make messes when they eat. All right that’s enough for today.” She clapped her hands twice and immediately, three maids and servants scuttled out and rolled the dining table away to make the room back into a ballroom.

I stood up, grateful to be able to move even the slightest bit and waddled over to Allegra. “What now?”

“You will change into this dress –” She held up a deep crimson-coloured dress in her hands. “And keep the shoes on. This is your dancing lesson as well.”

“I told you I already know how to dance.”

“Then this should be easy.” A man with olive skin and dark features sauntered into the room wearing black pressed trousers and a pressed shirt, a grin on his face. “This is the lovely Astrid, I presume?”

“Not so loud!” Allegra laughed as she thrust the dress into my hands and took the man’s hands into her own, letting him twirl her around playfully. “Astrid, this is Bennie. He is also someone you can trust which is why I didn’t give you the contacts today.”

“I’ve taught your twin sister to dance since the moment she could hop and skip,” he declared, wiggling his dark, thick eyebrows. “She wasn’t much of a dancer. I’d like to see where this train wreck may lead.”

“Train wreck?” I scoffed, slightly offended as I slipped the dress over the top of the one I wore then shimmied out of it from under easily. I was grateful that it was strapless, otherwise that would have been a bit of a struggle. “Please. Try me.”

“Will do.” He bowed low then held out a hand with a flourish, amusement twinkling in his deep brown eyes. “Ready, Princess?”

“Princess my arse,” I muttered, grabbing his hand and let him lead the way.

When the music turned on from the stereo Allegra had carried in with her, I recognised the quick tempo to be a Cha-Cha song. Immediately I grinned knowingly. This was one of my favourite dance styles I’d learned in ballroom and I was confident enough to say I wasn’t too shabby at it either. I suppose my mother's forceful intent to make me into a preppy little socialite princess may have paid off.

When the song had finished, I was mesmerised by the intricate dance moves that even I hadn’t learned which Bennie had guided me through so easily. I slowed my breathing, unable to help the smile crawling along my lips. “That was so much fun!”

“Not bad, Astrid. Better than Isabel, it is safe to say.” Bennie grinned, flashing his radiant pearly-whites.

“Okay next is the waltz,” Allegra announced, scrolling through her iPhone connected to the stereo then tapped the screen once. The music blared from the small set of speakers and slowly, Bennie counted me into the next dance.

By the time all the dancing had finished, I was admittedly tired but it had to be the most fun I’d had since arriving in Aldern. Breathlessly, I took a swig of water and shot Allegra a grateful smile while Bennie bowed to me and bid us adieu.

“Thanks a lot!” I called after him. He sashayed out the door, tossing a casual grin over his shoulder. He was truly a natural dancer. I had to give him props for that. “He’s amazing!”