Chapter 8: The Ball
I'm now standing at the doors to the ballroom, waiting to be announced. All of the guests have arrived, and my father has been inside entertaining them until my arrival. I wish the girls could enter with me, but they had to go in with their parents. As far as I know, there are three main suitors here that my father has definitely approved of, but I'm sure all of the bachelors will try their hand at taking mine.
The doors swing open and I am faced with a couple hundred eyes staring at me. Here we go, let's get this over with.
"All hail Princess Estelle Joyce Windsor of Kingdom of Criba, and royal heir to the Criban throne!"
I made my way down the steps and to the throne next to my father. All of the eyes following me. I could hear the whispers of the guests as I went by.
"Wow, she is stunning."
"Look at how gorgeous she is!"
"I love her dress."
"She looks just like her mother."
"She is so beautiful, I wish I had half as much beauty as she does."
As I arrived at the front, I bowed to my father, "Your Majesty." He tilted his head in mutual respect, and I climbed the stairs to join him. He stood next to me as I reached the top, and addressed the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for attending," he began in his booming voice. "Today, we celebrate the eighteenth birthday of our dear Princess Estelle. Today is not only her birthday, but the day she will pick a suitor she decides is fitting for the throne beside her. Tonight, we dine, we dance, we celebrate and drink to the future of Criba!"
Everyone cheered and clapped when he finished. My father was always great at getting the masses excited. I can only hope I can live up to his reputation. We both sat down, and he leaned in next to me.
"Happy Birthday, my little gem. I hope it will be memorable, and I wish you good luck at finding a husband. There are quite a few gentlemen that I'm sure will catch your eye."
"Thank you, father, but how will I know if they are the right one?"
"I wish there was some secret I could let you in on, dear, but I'm afraid that's not the case. The only thing I can tell you is that you will just kind of know. I know it may not make sense right now, but when you find him, you will understand exactly what I mean."
"If you say so, father," I said with a smile.
We made our way to the table to eat, and I looked to the right of my father and saw my friends with their parents. We shared a smile and began to eat. It was all of my favorite foods. Venison, sweet ham, vegetables, and fruits. Instead of cake like most people would have, I preferred tarts. They were ornately designed in the form of different shapes. Today, they were in the shapes of stars and crowns. I wave over one of the servants, and tell them to send for the chefs.
Giddy like a child, I eat to my heart's content. As I am finishing up, the chefs approach.
"Your Highness. You sent for us? We hope everything is to your satisfaction." Chef Geoff greeted me.
"Oh chef, it's all so delicious. You and Beth should be proud of how well it all came out. You have made me the happiest birthday girl." I praised him.
He and Beth beamed with pride. "Thank you, your Highness. It was our honor to cook for your special day." Beth chimed in. "Thank you for the praises." We shared smiles and they took their leave, letting me finish the last bit of food before me.
***
-Unknown POV-
Leaving with the little gift in hand, I made my way back to the tailor. I was ecstatic about what I acquired. It was perfect. The joy was all over my face as I entered the shop.
"Good afternoon, sir! You are just on time. I just completed the alterations."
"Wonderful. I wish to get dressed now and make my way to the castle to do some socializing before the big event."
He helped me into the dashing suit, and I paid him a hefty amount with a generous tip for his hard work and availability. "I wish you good business, sir," and I left.
I took my time to reach the castle. As I made my way up the steps, the doorman greeted me.
"Good afternoon, sire. Are you here for the ball to celebrate our princess?"
"Yes, I wish to present myself as a potential suitor. I know I am quite early, but I wasn't sure if I needed an audience with the king before I did so."
"Let me ask, sir. May I ask what your name is?"
"Stetson Scott, I am a banker's son. I would have sent word sooner, but I just received word about the ball only a few days ago," I claimed. It was a half truth. I may have lied about my identity, but I did only find out about the ball two days ago.
"Alright, well, if you could wait here while I go inside and send for the headmaster. I'm sure he will want to ask you some questions before allowing you to come in and meet with the king."
"Very well, do as you must. I will wait."
It was a few minutes before he came back outside with who I am assuming to be the head master.
"You must be Mr. Scott. I understand you wish to seek an audience with the king?"
"Yes, as I told the doorman, I would have sent word, but I only heard about the ball a few days ago. I know I do not have an invitation, but I am only one man. I wish to present myself as a potential suitor to the princess if the king would allow. I am the son of a banker, and I come from great wealth."
"If what you say is true, then why has the royal court never known of your existance until now?" he questioned.
I knew he would be skeptical. That's why I spent the entire ride here coming up with a backstory. "Well, to simply put it, my family does not own any banks here in the great land of Criba. We do business with the supernatural."
"I see, and you human?"
"Would I be standing here if I wasn't? I was thoroughly questioned at the border, and I understand that it is certain death for any supernatural being that tries to enter."
"You understand correctly. One last question, sir, before I let you see the king. Why do you believe you could be a potential suitor, and why is it Princess Estelle that you seek to marry? If it is just for the crown, you may turn on your heels and go back to where you came from."
"Ah, I do believe that is two questions," I said with a smirk. The headmaster was not amused. I continued, "I wish to seek the princesses hand because I believe I could offer her a life of happiness. I believe my knowledge of the lands outside the kingdom could be of use to her. I do know she grew up ignorant to the supernatural world, and I do not wish to insult her or the king, but a ruler who has no knowledge of any and all of their possible threats has the potential to be the downfall of their kingdom."
He looked at me with scrutiny, eyes squinted, unsure whether to take offense or accept the reality of what I said. "I suppose you are correct, Mr. Scott. However, I advise that you choose your words more carefully when speaking to the king. He does not take the matter you spoke of lightly."
"I understand. Does this mean I am invited in?"
"Yes," he said, turning to the front doors, "you are welcome. Please, follow me."
I grinned. Everything was going according to plan.
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