Ella brought the book of poems back to her room. She borrowed it temporarily from the library while fantasizing about meeting and even marrying the prince.
However, Ella couldn't forget Cindy's facial expression when she stated that she wanted the prince. It was a mix of annoyance and rage, hidden behind a strained smile.
"So, I'll be Cindy's competitor, huh? Doesn't sound so bad," Ella smiled as she clutched the book tighter in her chest like a valuable item. "It is rather… exciting!"
Ella grinned widely. She never had a playmate before, and the thought of her and Cindy competing for a single man made her adrenaline skyrocket. She liked the thrill it brought without giving it much thought.
Ella closed her door with a soft click, the sound echoing faintly in the quiet place. She leaned back against it, her heartbeat fluttering like a bird trapped in a gilded cage.
She crossed the room and sat on her bed, drawing her knees up as she opened the book again. The delicate handwriting sprawled across each page like strokes of emotion. Like every line carried the prince's voice, soft, thoughtful, distant yet close enough for her to imagine.
"I wonder… what he would sound like if he read these to me?" Ella whispered, her eyes twinkling with yearning, to a person he hadn't met yet.
Then, Ella's mind began to drift.
Ella imagined herself standing in the royal ballroom, but not as she was now. No. In her mind, she was glowing. Her dark, black hair cascaded in soft curls, her dress flowing like a moonlit water across the polished marbled floor.
Music filled the air, low and seductive. The nobles around Ella faded into nothing, but mere background characters in a blur.
Then, he appeared.
The prince walked towards her, taller than Ella had expected, and his expression was soft as he met her eyes. As if he was yearning for her attention.
"May I have this dance?" The prince asked, offering his hand.
Ella's breath hitched in delight. She nodded and nervously placed her hand in his, imagining the warmth of his touch, along with his gentleness.
The prince pulled Ella close to have a decent space between them, but enough for her heart to skip a beat.
They moved together. Her feet floated rather than stepped as his hand brushed the small of her back, guiding her with grace.
Ella imagined the way the prince would speak to her, low enough that only she could hear.
"You're different from the others," the prince said. "There's something about you that I find interesting."
"Oh?" Ella would answer, blushed on her cheeks. "And what is that supposed to mean, Your Highness?"
"That you look at me. I can see that you love me, Ella," the prince whispered. "And I love you too."
"Ahhh!" Ella squealed loudly as she clutched the pillow over her face, slumped on the bed, and rolled around as she couldn't take the tingling emotions she felt after what she had daydreamed.
It took over a couple of minutes before Ella's heart finally calmed. She threw the pillow away as her eyes drifted back to the book.
"I'll make him fall in love… with me," Ella muttered, a mischievous smile appeared on her lips.
Ella pressed the book against her chest. She felt as if the poetry was a secret language passed between her and the prince alone, never thought that she had never seen him, nor that countless others had read the same words.
To Ella, each line was a soft, sweet whisper meant for her ears only.
She traced her fingers over the ink as if touching the prince's skin.
"This is fate," Ella breathed. "He wrote this… for me. He just doesn't know it yet."
Ella's grin faded when she remembered what Anna had stated before. "Cindy wants the prince," Ella muttered softly, swinging her legs off the bed. "Well… I want him too!"
Ella couldn't help, but felt competitive against her sister. After all, she was consumed with the idea of being a future princess.
"I need to know what the prince wanted from his future wife… which is me, hehe," Ella giggled as her eyes rolled back amusingly. She opened the book again and read another line.
"The moon hides her face when she's shy on her own glow."
Ella inhaled sharply.
"That's me. I am shy," Ella whispered as she covered her face with a pillow. "See! He wrote this for someone like me."
Ella's imagination was quick— too quick.
In her mind, the prince must have been waiting for someone gentle, someone sweet, someone who would look at him not as royalty, but as a man.
"Surely, I am the only capable person who understands your heart, my prince. Not Cindy. Not the other girls… But me, only me," Ella whispered as she smiled maniacally.
Ella stood up abruptly, the room spinning slightly from her excitement. She walked to her mirror and stared at her reflection. Her cheeks were flushed a soft pink, her lips curved in a smile that was a tad bit wicked.
"What if he sees me at the ball?" Ella said to herself. "What if he reads one look in my eyes and just—falls?"
Ella cupped her burning cheeks, and she moved her body like a worm drenched in salt. Swaying left and right, pretending she was dancing with the prince.
She imagined the prince leaning close… so close that she could feel his breath brushing her skin. His lips only an inch apart, reaching for a kiss.
"Kyah!" Ella squealed as butterflies in her stomach erupted. Then she tiptoed and kissed the air, thinking the prince was in front of her.
"Mwuah!"
Ella turned around, embarrassed at her own thoughts. "That would be fun… if it's real," Ella whispered, a soft laugh escaping her lips.
Suddenly, a loud thunder escaped the sky. However, it didn't surprise Ella. Rather, she turned her head toward the window where the rain was getting stronger. Her mischievous smile deepened.
"I'll make the prince fall in love with me," Ella whispered again, firmer this time.
"And Cindy won't stand a chance."