The Second Queen

Chapter 23

Isabella Victoria

Brodie leaves my side and disappears in the crowd of people. I walk along the row of Corinthian pillars until I reach the tables of food. I stand next to the last pillar in the row, waiting for nobles to begin dancing. A woman with a three foot tall wig and the largest hooped skirt I have ever seen is led onto the dance floor by a nobleman dressed as a simple soldier. More nobles pair up and waltz onto the dance floor. A woman, standing a few pillars away from me, dressed as the ancient goddess, Orleia, declines the hand of a nobleman asking her to dance. A hand taps my shoulder. I turn around and see a nobleman with a gold vest and one shoulder cape waiting. His hand is resting on the hilt of the rapier at his side. He bows, extending his arms both sides as he bows. After he rises from his bow, a small smirk rests on his face. His left hand returns to the hilt of the report that rests on his hip. "Goddess of the night, may I have the great honor of a waltz with you?"

"That depends on one thing my dear."

"And what is that, my queen of darkness?"

"What are you?"

"I am the Lord of Light, fair queen."

"I see, and so the Lord of Light decided to ask the 'queen of darkness' to dance?"

"You are correct, as always."

"Flattery will get you nowhere."

"Ah, you may be right, but it has gotten me a conversation with you."

"I see."

He holds out his hand to me, "Shall we?"

I place my hand into the man's, and we walk out onto the dance floor. A slow waltz begins to play when we reach the dance floor. The noble man places his hand on the middle of my back and I place my hand on his shoulder. He extends our arms to the side and we begin to dance around in the circle with the rest of the dancing pairs. "My queen, I must ask, how did you come up with the idea of the queen of darkness?"

"Well, Lord of Light, I am supposed to be the night sky. But, I came up with the idea because of my family and one of my favorite things to do."

"Stargazing?"

"Guilty as charged."

"I believe tonight will be a wonderful night to go stargazing. The sky is quite clear."

"And I believe that tonight the king will be sending many women home."

"Why do you say that my queen?"

"It is a two part ball, and balls reveal many true colors of people."

"I see, well we shall see if His Royal Majesty does indeed send some of the contestants home."

"Yes, yes we shall."

"Lord of Light, how were you as a child? An angel according to your mother and heathen to your father and tutors?"

The beat of the music shifts as he twirls me, "It would depend on who you asked, my queen. Yes, my mother thought that I was an angel, my tutors despised me because I was always trying to work ahead or learn about something else, and my father, well, my father was somewhere in between."

"As they always are with their sons."

"You have a brother?"

"No, but many cousins that drove my uncles up a wall."

"As young boys often do."

"Indeed. Now it is my turn to ask upon the reason for disguising yourself as the lord of light?"