Hi, author here, I'm just making a music recommendation. please listen to pretty baby by alex sampson and her by jake, while reading this chapter, thank you.
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The last of the debutantes was ushered in when the king signalled the musicians to stop.
Stopping the musicians with a gesture, the king reached out and took a wine glass handed to him by his trusted aide.
He stood up, "Thank you all for honouring our invitations, may goddess andressa bless you all." He looked at both his sons.
They stood upright. Taking their own wine glasses, "Let the ball commence." The king cheered before drinking from his wine glass, and everyone else followed.
The musicians began to play a slow song, the ball always started with the prince opening it with a dance with the partner of their choice.
Not wanting to let Jameson be the first one on the dance floor, Randolph gave his wine glass to one of the servants by his side.
He straightened the sash on his suit and approached Lillian, who quietly hoped to be left alone.
However, since her arrival, attention had shifted to her, and now she was firmly in the spotlight.
"May I have the opening dance with you?" Randolph asked, his voice smooth.
Lillian's hands shook, the wine in the glass slightly pouring out, "Sorry, clumsy me, uh, sure," she replied.
Randolph smiled, his heart settling into ease. He didn't want to mess this up.
Randolph took the wine glass from her hands and placed it on the table behind Lillian.
Taking her right hand, he led her to the middle of the ballroom floor.
Jameson had already gotten a partner and joined Randolph.
The lights dimmed, making the other parts of the ballroom dark, while a soft white light fell on both princes and their partners.
Randolph took Lillian's hands into his as the musicians began to play a slow song.
He spun Lillian on the fourth beat and held her waist in his hands firmly. She stepped on his foot.
"You're really clumsy," Randolph remarked.
Lillian blushed, "I'm not that good on my feet," she murmured, turning her head away.
Her eyes fell on Jameson, and she sucked in her breath. She couldn't take them off Jameson, as she danced and swayed with Randolph.
Jameson didn't slow down for his partner. Still playing the role of an injured prince, he managed to settle his weight on his right leg, making the ploy believable.
The person he had picked out was the woman who had complained about being mixed with commoners.
She had said her name was Darla Draven of the house Draven, but Jameson wasn't paying much attention to her.
Wanting to get the first dance over so that he could find this ally or supposed enemy.
Jameson spun Darla on key with the music, at the same time Randolph spun Lillian.
Jameson's eyes met Lillian's own, holding each other in that moment, like a forbidden lullaby.
Time seemed to slow down; his irises deepened into the colour of her gown, the same midnight blue she wore, and his heart beat increased.
It felt like he could see her very soul. As Lillian danced and swayed with Randolph, she held eye contact with Jameson.
Lillian felt like Jameson caressed her through his eyes, her breath hitching, as her heart beat increased, she licked her lips as they began to dry out, 'him,' she heard in her head.
Jameson couldn't take his eyes off Lillian, his focus solely on her; 'Her,' he heard in his hands, suddenly like he was possessed, he spun Darla the moment Randolph spun Lillian again.
He reached out for Lillian's hand as she reached out for his. He lifted her and spun round, her dress billowing in the air, as it carried the lights around, making the butterflies on her dress flutter.
This caught the eyes of everyone in the audience, mesmerised by Lillian's gown and Jameson's skilful move as he dropped her lightly on the floor, preventing her from slipping.
Jameson's arm wrapped around Lillian's waist with ease, drawing her closer to him, while she slid her hands on his shoulder and held him tight.
His mint-fresh breath brushed past her ear as he bent closer to her, "Want to get out of here?" he asked.
Randolph's eyes widened in panic, but he couldn't break his performance.
He followed Jameson's lead and held onto Darla, spinning her round and holding her firmly; their bodies didn't touch, holding her at a respectable distance.
Randolph's lips set in a straight line, not showing his displeasure, as he fumed within himself, his grip tightening on Darla.
Darla's face contorted in pain, "ouch," she whispered.
Randolph looked down at her, "Sorry," he murmured, easing his facial features.
Lillian nodded, in a daze, following his lead, she let him take her out of the ballroom. Other participants had joined them on the ballroom floor, making it easy for them to slip out in the moment.
Randolph looked up from Darla when he noticed Jameson was missing from the dance floor, and so was Lillian. He gritted his teeth.
The one chance that he had to get in Lord Harold's good books just slipped out of his hands.
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Castella had seen the interaction between Jameson and Lillian.
Knowing fully well what her brother was thinking she went to Jameson's chair, where his walking stick rested against the chair, excusing herself silently.
She hid behind the curtains, taking one of the patio doors linking to the garden.
She got to the garden, taking a left turn, and she made her way to the entrance of the maze. She looked around, making sure she wasn't being followed, and she slipped into the maze.
She headed towards the fountain hidden in the inner part of the maze, which she had well memorised at the back of her mind like a visible map.
Jameson and Lillian had successfully made it out. Jameson still held onto Lillian's hands as he led her towards the maze, taking a less-known path, making sure to avoid wandering eyes.
Jameson had gotten to the fountain with Lillian when he let her hand go.
This snapped Lillian back to reality; her hand felt devoid of the earlier warmth Jameson's hand had given her.
_______________________________________________________________________
The last of the debutantes was ushered in when the king signalled the musicians to stop.
Stopping the musicians with a gesture, the king reached out and took a wine glass handed to him by his trusted aide.
He stood up, "Thank you all for honouring our invitations, may goddess andressa bless you all." He looked at both his sons.
They stood upright. Taking their own wine glasses, "Let the ball commence." The king cheered before drinking from his wine glass, and everyone else followed.
The musicians began to play a slow song, the ball always started with the prince opening it with a dance with the partner of their choice.
Not wanting to let Jameson be the first one on the dance floor, Randolph gave his wine glass to one of the servants by his side.
He straightened the sash on his suit and approached Lillian, who quietly hoped to be left alone.
However, since her arrival, attention had shifted to her, and now she was firmly in the spotlight.
"May I have the opening dance with you?" Randolph asked, his voice smooth.
Lillian's hands shook, the wine in the glass slightly pouring out, "Sorry, clumsy me, uh, sure," she replied.
Randolph smiled, his heart settling into ease. He didn't want to mess this up.
Randolph took the wine glass from her hands and placed it on the table behind Lillian.
Taking her right hand, he led her to the middle of the ballroom floor.
Jameson had already gotten a partner and joined Randolph.
The lights dimmed, making the other parts of the ballroom dark, while a soft white light fell on both princes and their partners.
Randolph took Lillian's hands into his as the musicians began to play a slow song.
He spun Lillian on the fourth beat and held her waist in his hands firmly. She stepped on his foot.
"You're really clumsy," Randolph remarked.
Lillian blushed, "I'm not that good on my feet," she murmured, turning her head away.
Her eyes fell on Jameson, and she sucked in her breath. She couldn't take them off Jameson, as she danced and swayed with Randolph.
Jameson didn't slow down for his partner. Still playing the role of an injured prince, he managed to settle his weight on his right leg, making the ploy believable.
The person he had picked out was the woman who had complained about being mixed with commoners.
She had said her name was Darla Draven of the house Draven, but Jameson wasn't paying much attention to her.
Wanting to get the first dance over so that he could find this ally or supposed enemy.
Jameson spun Darla on key with the music, at the same time Randolph spun Lillian.
Jameson's eyes met Lillian's own, holding each other in that moment, like a forbidden lullaby.
Time seemed to slow down; his irises deepened into the colour of her gown, the same midnight blue she wore, and his heart beat increased.
It felt like he could see her very soul. As Lillian danced and swayed with Randolph, she held eye contact with Jameson.
Lillian felt like Jameson caressed her through his eyes, her breath hitching, as her heart beat increased, she licked her lips as they began to dry out, 'him,' she heard in her head.
Jameson couldn't take his eyes off Lillian, his focus solely on her; 'Her,' he heard in his hands, suddenly like he was possessed, he spun Darla the moment Randolph spun Lillian again.
He reached out for Lillian's hand as she reached out for his. He lifted her and spun round, her dress billowing in the air, as it carried the lights around, making the butterflies on her dress flutter.
This caught the eyes of everyone in the audience, mesmerised by Lillian's gown and Jameson's skilful move as he dropped her lightly on the floor, preventing her from slipping.
Jameson's arm wrapped around Lillian's waist with ease, drawing her closer to him, while she slid her hands on his shoulder and held him tight.
His mint-fresh breath brushed past her ear as he bent closer to her, "Want to get out of here?" he asked.
Randolph's eyes widened in panic, but he couldn't break his performance.
He followed Jameson's lead and held onto Darla, spinning her round and holding her firmly; their bodies didn't touch, holding her at a respectable distance.
Randolph's lips set in a straight line, not showing his displeasure, as he fumed within himself, his grip tightening on Darla.
Darla's face contorted in pain, "ouch," she whispered.
Randolph looked down at her, "Sorry," he murmured, easing his facial features.
Lillian nodded, in a daze, following his lead, she let him take her out of the ballroom. Other participants had joined them on the ballroom floor, making it easy for them to slip out in the moment.
Randolph looked up from Darla when he noticed Jameson was missing from the dance floor, and so was Lillian. He gritted his teeth.
The one chance that he had to get in Lord Harold's good books just slipped out of his hands.
___________________________________________________________________
Castella had seen the interaction between Jameson and Lillian.
Knowing fully well what her brother was thinking she went to Jameson's chair, where his walking stick rested against the chair, excusing herself silently.
She hid behind the curtains, taking one of the patio doors linking to the garden.
She got to the garden, taking a left turn, and she made her way to the entrance of the maze. She looked around, making sure she wasn't being followed, and she slipped into the maze.
She headed towards the fountain hidden in the inner part of the maze, which she had well memorised at the back of her mind like a visible map.
Jameson and Lillian had successfully made it out. Jameson still held onto Lillian's hands as he led her towards the maze, taking a less-known path, making sure to avoid wandering eyes.
Jameson had gotten to the fountain with Lillian when he let her hand go.
This snapped Lillian back to reality; her hand felt devoid of the earlier warmth Jameson's hand had given her.