Rosalind walked across the carpet that stretched all the way to the throne, and she could feel everyone's eyes burning into her from every corner of the ballroom, but she kept every bit of her composure and refused to look their way until she had finally arrived before Alaric.
"Greetings, Your Majesty," she said with a graceful curtsy.
Alaric's lips slowly curved into a pleased smile. "My beautiful rose," he murmured, stretching his hand forward for her to kiss, and slowly Rosalind ascended the few steps leading to the throne and pressed her lips against the ruby ring there glinting beneath the chandelier light.
"I feel as though the entire party has only just come alive," he said, his voice low enough for only her to hear. "Until you arrived, everything was darkness. You brought your light into it."
