In the soldier's quarters on the day of the ball, it was busier and clankier. young soldiers were clothing themselves in silvery armors, dressing up for the grand annual ball. Among the clanking of heavy metal and noises of responsible men, someone was thinking of seeing me, their wife, all dolled up today.
"I wanna have a dance with her", he thought to himself. His complexion already betraying him and turning him into a blooming peony. Argyeon was the handsomest of all. His blushing face could make a singing canary fall in love. Today he took extra care of his looks. His armor was shining and could put the moon to shame. He stayed up late at night cleaning it of course. His sword was as honest as his heart, increasing him in masculine beauty. He especially took care of how he smelled. He wanted to smell like a royal you see, to match his dear wife's standards. His genius gave him the idea of hiding flowers in his clothing to give him that flowery scent that women swooned over. He took a few jasmine's out of his secret pocket that he stitched himself and rubbed their poor petals on his face until they lost all their firmness to his face. Well, he certainly smelled good and the lively pink in his face made him look all the royal he wanted to look.
At early in the morning, the maids in the my room were busy. One was by my said waiting to serve me, one was preparing my bath, one was adorning my vanity with everything that'll be put on me. I got up and sat on my bed. Breakfast readily served. Today it was a lighter breakfast, very less meat, fit for a soldier turning princess on her birthday.
After I took my grand princessy bath, I sat in front of the mirror to be dressed for the ball. My dress was a shade of pinkish blue, maybe lavender. It sure was as soft as lavender. My maids made my eyes look like shimmering sun light that shines on a lake, I admired their talent for it. They made my lips look like morning dew on pink roses and my cheeks like fresh moist snow. I looked like a nature's elegant royal nymph dressed in lavender. I chuckled to myself at the thought of it.
I missed my daily schedule on days like these. Meeting Aro was one of the things I looked forward to in a day. Today I had a different day planned out for me. Come to think of it, the troop of soldiers responsible for guarding our family will also have Aro in it. I don't know how that marriage maniac will react to his "wife's" engagement. I guess he'd be fine, he's a grown man after all. It's all for the greater good of Orrome and all the other kingdoms.
At later in the day the ball began. Royal families and important guests started to show up in the palace. It was quickly getting lively. The hard work of all the maids started to pay off. As almost half the royals were welcomed into the palace of Orrome and as everything was coming to life in the ball, the royal family awaited the Maldoian guests to come.
Soon enough our special guests had arrived. The regal caravan from Maldoia was as splendid as the tales of Maldoia were. Everything was in black and gold. The horses, the soldiers, the member's of the Maldoian court were all dressed in black velvet with gold embellishments. It looked as though a glamourous assembly was here from times more advanced and more glorious that the one the rest of the world was living in. On the highest point of the foreign royal march was the most sturdy and shiny black horse. It was a stallion. Mounting the horse was a young tall man wearing black silk with the most gold adornments in the entire troop. He was the most likely suspect of being Zaurus Maldonne, the heir to the kingdom of Maldoia.
My family and I welcomed all the Maldoian guests into the birthday ball, perhaps our grand ball could match Maldoia in it's glamour.
Everyone including Aro, were curious as to who these guests were and soon their curiosity was served when the announcement of their arrival declared all the necessary details as to who they were and where they came from. The man on the black stallion, wearing black silk was indeed Zaurus Maldonne. The guests at the ball were thrilled to have seen the Maldoian people and it's royalty with their own eyes. Everybody was excited to be in their presence.
One of the many tales about Maldoia was of that of it's heir. It is said that the heir of Maldoia doesn't necessarily has to be from the royal lineage, it could even be a capable commoner. The Maldoian people were less subjects of the kingdom and more equal participants, everybody was equally taught and trained and one of them would be chosen to be the kingdom's next monarch. It was a fair system to be honest, maybe that's how they achieved their extraordinary glory in the land. This Zaurus Maldonne seems to be from the royal lineage, he carries the royal family's name. This means that he is the most suitable one among thousands of Maldoian people to be the next king. I wonder what made him so capable.
As the aristocratic audience filled the hall, it was noon now. It was finally the time for the birthday banquet to begin and after the feast, a pleasing display of dancing and waltzing was to come. Everybody had their seats occupied. Aro was some distance behind me in his duty of being a royal guard. I could only see half of his face without turning and I guess it was the same for him. I was satisfied to have him somewhere near me if not with me. And the feast began.
It was the Orromean tradition to give a toast once the starters were eaten, like at this banquet it was a lovely roasted fish in a bowl full of vegetables. After everyone's bowls were a carcass of fish and vegetables, the king of Orrome made a call for a toast.
"Dear friends of importance! From all the kingdoms beloved to Orrome! I want to thank you all for coming together to celebrate our daughter, Elora Orromeen's 24th birthday with us. We are immensely joyed by the great support and adoration you all are bestowing upon our kingdom and it's heiress. We expect you all to have your best time here at this ball. Let the feast begin!"
My father seemed to be satisfied with how the ball turned out. After the king's hearty invite to enjoy the event, the joy in the air doubled and the royal delicacies kept pouring in one after the other. The food of orrome was one to be envied.
I looked at Aro to find his familiar face, he was already looking at me as if inspecting everything I wore. This was one day that I looked like a proper princess and every year he couldn't get his eyes off of me. I didn't mind it, I like his introspective expression when he looks at me like that as if lost in busy thought. I wish we could sit at the same table, we would talk, laugh and eat this delicious food. When I turned back to my table, I noticed Zaurus, who was now sitting in front of me was looking at me. He gave me a smile as if out of courtesy to a stranger, my manners had me returning his smile. I remembered that he was to be my fiancé, for some reason looking at Aro any further seemed wrong. Maybe it was because of our shared romances on multiple occasions. It felt weird to not be able to do what I wanted to do.
Zaurus had asked me to dance after the feast. I accepted. We were the first couple to initiate the dancing. He was a tall man, taller than most men. He was good at dancing too, I held on to his black silk robes as he lead me through the floor waltzing and spinning. It seemed like our dance was strictly political too, as if to declare it to the audience that our kingdoms favor each other. It wasn't fun. It was too grown up. Maybe I spent too much time with Aro that a normal person now seems too grown up. I sighed and tried to spot Aro in the crowd. He was far away beyond the crowd by the walls. His gaze was fixated on me and he did seem a little confused. I laughed lightly at his confused face.
"Having fun my lady?" a sharp awakening voice asked. It was Zaurus speaking to me.
I was startled. "Yes. Your highness. Are you?" I quickly replied.
"The prettiest lady is in my arms, and the ball was thrown in her honor. I am dancing here with the heroine herself. Will I not be enjoying this?" he asked.
"I didn't know they taught flattery in Maldoia, your highness" I said, fixating my gaze on him.
"What else do you not know of my home, princess? let me unlock Maldoia for you" He said.
"Why did you choose us for your alliance, your highness? May I know that?" I inquired with genuine curiosity.
"How political of you princess Elora. Haha. Well...maybe it's because you have all the skills to be a great queen, like dancing." he said, seemingly more interested in me than before. "Tell me princess" he swirled me in the dance, "With your beauty and charm... do you not have any pining lovers?". His interest in me seemed to grow beyond the politics of this alliance. It put me on guard.
"I expect to have pining lovers with my beauty and charm your highness, and if do, I don't know of any. Sorry to disappoint you." I didn't like this conversation. His gaze was fixated on me as if trying to see past my skin and flesh into my soul, he was so good at this gaze that only the one experiencing it could be made to see it, others would pass it as a usual gaze. Thank heavens the dance came to an end. The other eager dancers were swarming to the floor and I fled from there. Finding a spot outside of the hall I stopped to take a deep breath.
I absolutely hated the guy Zaurus. Maybe I am too quick to judge but there was something about him that seemed like he was belittling me. His hovering above me, his perfect black robe, his political smile...everything made me uneasy in my chest. A few more deep breaths should do me good. I went in the direction of my room to relax a bit.
"Hi", said a low voice as I was entering my room. It was Aro!
I hugged him rushedly as if escaping the remnants of Zaurus's presence. How come in a palace full of people, only he gives me the comfort I need? Is that what friends do? Not knowing what to do next I pulled back. Aro looked gloomy. I remembered that I hadn't replied.
"Hi Aro." I said.
He kissed me on the cheek. It was a weak kiss. "Aro..."
He kissed me on the other cheek. "You are looking beautiful today", he said in the same low, weak voice.
"Don't marry anybody Elora. I'll be capable of you... I'll work really hard from now on and I'll become the military general, my princess. Please just wait for me and don't marry him or anybody else. You are MY wife, MY wife Elora." he said pleading to me with a face that was about to break down.
"Not here Aro, come into my room, everybody is out tending to the ball, my room is empty and safe." I took him into my room.
As soon as I closed the door, Aro hugged me from behind. I let him. Maybe I didn't love him like that but I did adore him, he was my only friend, my only comfort in the kingdom to be honest. His hug felt warm and loving.
"You smell good Aro." I said, trying to wake him from his hug.
He turned me towards him. I was now relaxed and let his hands guide me to facing him. "Thank you princess" he said a little better sounding than before.
He put his hand behind my waist, came closer to me slowly. And my feet started to involuntarily danced with his. I loved the fragrant clothes of my fake husband than the repulsive black silk of that grand prince. I took in the touch of his clothes as much as I could. We were dancing in my room, from door to bed to windows to everywhere, tracing every inch of the walls of my room. I felt at home and completely myself. Unlike everyday where I would fight Aro's advances, today I gave into them because I wanted the comfort he gave me by just being.
We made ten or twelve laps of the room, waltzing to our own music. I would cover up of the steps he'd mess up. It was the harmony I gravitated towards. Today especially I felt like being engulfed into Aro's presence, maybe my discomfort from Zaurus was so great.
We both stopped. Stopped by the mirror in my room. It perfectly reflected our figures holding each other. Aro kissed my neck, I leaned into his kiss by laying my neck on his shoulder which was the perfect height. He held me firmly by my waist. Looking at him embrace me in the mirror, put me in a haze. Something was hot in my chest.
My hand reached out to hold Aro's face as he was continuing to peck at my neck. He held my hand that was touching his face. He turned me around. It was like my mind was too tired to think and just wanted to drown in Aro's presence, I drew closer to his face trying to get his breaths. Instead of feeding his wife his breaths, who was in a haze, he put his lips on mine. Before he could, I engulfed his touching lip. I was kissing him. I pulled him closer towards me as if trying to fit him somewhere inside me. He welcomed my eagerness and kissed me back. His kiss got hungry as mine was beginning to draw out. I was about to fall on the ground as my knees seemed to give up, Aro held me upright and continued to steal my breaths from me.
Right here, it got a little hard for me to breath, I started to pull back and Aro stopped his romances with me realizing my struggle.
"I will be your only husband, Elora Orromeen." he said decidedly. I looked at him trying to understand his words. I had nothing more to say or do anymore on this crazy 24th ball of mine. I just hugged him, I felt dizzy.