Chapter 4: Chapter 4: One Dance

"What are you doing?" I spoke through my fabricated smile, glancing around at all the eyes upon us.

"Come have this dance with me." He bowed ever so politely and raised my hand to his lips. I laughed nervously, glancing at everyone as he gently pulled me past them toward the dance floor. I caught a glimpse of Lady Syn.

"Help me!" I whispered loud enough for her to hear, but she just smiled.

"The Crown Prince has found his special lady to dance with!" People erupted with awkward cheers and murmurs. I glanced around, but Lady Syn was still standing in the same spot.

Wait, where's the prince? I glanced around the room to see if I could find him.

Then again, it wasn't like I knew what he looked like in the first place.

"Are you looking for someone?" Sir Talks-a-Lot asked as we approached the dance floor.

"The prince. I thought he was supposed to dance with Lady Syn." I was still turning my head, searching the room. He spun me, pulled me toward him and put his hand on my waist, pulling me closer to him, so close that I could feel the heat between us – so close that we practically shared one breath.

My heart quickened as he smiled, and leaned in next to my ear when the music started playing softly. "You're looking at him." My eyes widened in disbelief.

Am I really such a dunce that I didn't know? It definitely explained all the looks from everyone.

"But you said you were a knight?"

"Yes, I did. And yes, I am." He spun me around and caught my hip again.

"But you said you were the commander?" I cocked an eyebrow at him. This lying, pathetic loser.

"Yes, I am. What is the point of being a prince or a king if I can't even fend for myself? I refuse to be a worthless brat who can't do anything for himself."

"Good point." I grumble, searching for Lady Syn again, but she was nowhere in sight. I wanted to tell her that I was sorry, that I didn't know, that it was all my fault.

He moved me around the dance floor but I kept stepping on his feet. "Sorry – oops, sorry – sorry." I apologized.

"You've never danced before?" I shook my head. Our bodies were so close, it made me very uncomfortable. My whole body stiffened and wouldn't listen to me. "Well, I'm glad to have the honors of your first dance partner. It's okay, just relax and follow my lead."

Okay, okay, relax, it's just like fighting. I just have to move with my opponent's movements, that's easy enough.

I took a deep breath before moving.

"There you go." He whispered so close to my ear his breath sent electricity through my body, causing my neck to stiffen.

Slowly, pair by pair, more people joined us on the dance floor.

"I thought you were supposed to pick Lady Syn to dance?" I pushed him away a little to put if not just a little bit of distance between us.

"Who said that?"

"Everyone? They were all talking about the possibility of you two getting married."

"What does it matter what other people say?"

The music ended and people clapped and cheered. Another song immediately started and they resumed dancing and mingling.

"It should matter. You are going to be a future king, shouldn't the thoughts of your people matter?" I turned and walked towards the door. He grabbed my arm and stopped me.

"So I should risk my happiness for the sake of doing everything the kingdom wants me to do?"

"What kind of selfish king were you thinking of becoming? A king should always think of his people first." I shook him off and continued towards the door.

"That's like giving a bratty child everything they want." He followed me. "There's a difference between doing something for the betterment of the kingdom and spoiling the kingdom. What does one dance have anything to do with the betterment of the kingdom?"

I stopped abruptly and he came to a halt, almost running into me. "Yes, you're right." I turned back to look at him. "I'm sorry for taking out my frustration on you. It is just one dance, but that one dance was what my friend wanted, and I was the one that took it away from her."

"It's not your fault. You didn't even know?"

"Yes it was. If only I wasn't such a dunce to be tricked by someone like you. She's the noble lady, she's the beautiful one, she's the kind one who deserved this dance. Not someone like me."

"And why wouldn't you deserve this dance?" His voice was calm and collected, seemingly sincerely curious about my thoughts, about what was going on in my head.

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I just closed my mouth again like a fish fighting to breathe out of the water. I had not expected or anticipated the question and it threw me for a loop.

"She may be a nice person, a great one even, but this was a dance I wanted to share with you." He said, his voice husky as he took a step toward me.

It took everything in my power to not take a step back from him, to feel pressured by his presence.

"But – why me?" I couldn't think of a single reason why anyone would choose me over the beautiful Lady Syn.

"Why not?"

"Oh I can think of a million different reasons why not!" I shouted angrily. "First, I'm not a lady, I don't even behave like one, I didn't even want to come here in the first place –" I rambled on and on in my frustration. "and –" I looked up at him, he just looked so damned lost in thought like he wasn't even listening, as if he was staring into my soul with a huge annoying grin plastered on his face. "Why am I even explaining myself to you?" I threw my hands up into the air. "I don't even know you!" Even more upset with my idiocy, I growled and turned to exit the castle.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He laughed and held his hand up to hush himself.

"Is this some kind of joke to you?"

"No! Hem-hem." He put on a serious face. "No, of course not. I apologize, my lady."

"I told you! I'm not a lady! Stop calling me that!" My fists shook with anger.

"My apologies, Sir."

"I'm not a man!"

"Then what are you?" He laughed again, making me more angry.

I opened my mouth to retort, but nothing came out. "Well –" I hesitated, unsure of what I wanted to say. "I'm a woman, just not a noble lady so don't call me that."

"My apologies." He bowed. "I didn't mean to offend you in any way. If there is anything I can do to make up for it, please-"

"Dance with Lady Syn." I blurted.

"Pardon me?" He looked up from his bow.

"You said you want to make up for it. That's what I want. Dance with Lady Syn and we will call it even."

He let out a small chuckle. "As you wish my l-aah – hem-hem – As you wish."

"Thank you. I have to go find Lady Syn."

He bowed and returned to the ballroom.

I ran through the castle grounds and looked everywhere I could but I couldn't find her.

"Did Lady sin come through here?" I asked the coachman.

"No My Lady."

"Thank you."

***

"Lady Sin?" After searching nearly every corner of this stupidly overgrown castle, I finally found her hiding in the throne room. I sighed from relief and closed the door behind me. "Come on my lady. We should head back to the ballroom."

"I'm sorry Charli." She hung her head and twiddled her thumbs.

"For what my lady?"

She turned and smiled sadly. "For being such a spoiled brat."

"What are you talking about?"

"When I saw you dancing with the prince, only then, did I realize what a brat I was." I tilted my head in confusion. "I pushed you to come here, I pushed you to get dressed, I pushed you to the prince-"

"It's not like we knew he was the prince."

She bit her lip and her cheeks turned pink.

"You knew?" I was flabbergasted.

"I told him to ask you to dance, but when I saw how concerned you were and how uncomfortable you were, I felt responsible."

"Why did you tell him to ask me?"

"Because I was hoping to prove you wrong, that you can find love."

"Now that you know that's not possible, will you stop now? You know that I actually felt bad for taking the dance from you?" We both laughed. "Okay, so you feel bad, I feel bad – you're sorry, I'm sorry. Okay we've solved it!" We burst into laughter and I urged her back out the door. "Come on, let's go enjoy the rest of the night."

The ballroom was lively with music and laughter.

"Would you care to have this dance, my lady?" Sir Talks-a-Lot – or I should say 'Prince' Talks-a-Lot, held his hand out to Lady Syn.

She looked at me and smiled before taking his hand.

The way she was able to move with him on the dance floor was amazing. It was definitely better than me, tripping with every step. Though I do hope those toes of his are horribly bruised for the next few days at least.

Amongst the others on the dance floor, Lady Dee held Lord Ubo in her arms with his feet dangling in the air as they danced across the floor. I couldn't help but chuckle at their adorableness.

"Would you care to dance my lady?" Next to me, a young knight held his hand out to me.

I rubbed my forehead in frustration, I was so done dealing with knights and people for the night. "I think I've had enough dancing for today, thank you."

"Okay, good." He sighed.

I looked at him in surprise. Wasn't he the one that wanted to dance? Why is he relieved that I turned him down?'

"Do you mind if I sit?" His eyes were pleading for mercy as though I would gut him if I declined.

I opened my mouth to say no, but Lady Syn was on her way back and waved her arms wildly at me from the aisle behind him.

"Say yes!" She mouthed. I shook my head, but she gave me pleading puppy eyes. I narrowed my eyes and glared at her.

Oh, I am so going to slowly torture her at the training session. I pressed my lips together and exhaled loudly. "Yes, you may sit." I said blandly, gesturing to the seat next to me.

"Thank you, my lady. I'm sorry to have troubled you. You see those knights at the table behind me?" I took a quick glance. "You see, I just got knighted and they made a bet that I couldn't ask you to dance and that you probably wouldn't even allow me to sit with you."

Well, I wouldn't have if the ladyship wasn't such a constant pest!

But instead of saying that, I just smiled and nodded.

"May I say that you are very beautiful my lady." His innocent eyes sparkled.

Hell must definitely be freezing over, for I got two comments on my beauty today. I wonder if they will still say the same thing if they saw me in my tunic and trousers, scars and all.

"Thank you." I was more annoyed than anything. He talked on and on, as I just sat and nodded every so often. I continued to rub my forehead hoping that this night would end soon.

"Are you not feeling well My Lady?"

"No, I'm – I mean yes, I don't feel very well. I'm going to go get some fresh air." As I stood up, he shot straight into the air.

"Let me accompany you, my lady."

"N-no-no. I'll be fine, thank you." I waved my hands through the air.

"A lady should never travel anywhere alone. It's a dangerous world out there."

'Dangerous my foot. It's more dangerous in here right now, because I'm about to MURDER YOU!' I clenched my eyes and fists so tight, it felt like my nails pierced into my palms.

"Let me escort the lady." A voice came up behind him.