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“Oh no, sir, it isn’t that. A gentleman such as the Maestro isn’t the least bit challenging in that regard. No, sir, he’s just an eccentric fellow, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Yes he is, and very keen on himself and the impact his art makes on the world, I would say. Enough of that. I am sure you are very busy with all the details for tomorrow’s event. I trust everything is in hand?”
Cogsworth looked positively proud, almost beaming. “Oh yes, everything is running like clockwork, sir. It’s going to be a perfect evening.”
“And Gaston, have you any word from him? He all but insisted I have this party and then took off to places unknown, leaving me here to dawdle my time away.”
Cogsworth smirked. “Yes, sir, he sent word this morning ensuring he would be back tomorrow morning. In the meantime, I’ve asked the gamekeeper to ready for a day of stalking. I thought with the house in such a state you would be eager to get out of doors.”
“Brilliant idea, Cogsworth! Thank you!”
On the following evening the castle was aglow with gold flickering light, which was dancing in the hedge maze, making the animal topiaries seem to come to life. Everyone would be arriving within the hour, but the Prince was finding a moment of quiet in one of his favorite places on the castle grounds.
The tranquility was shattered by Gaston’s booming voice calling for him from the arched entryway covered in tiny pink blossoming roses.
“Are you in this damnable maze again, Prince?”
The Prince didn’t answer his friend. He just sat there wondering what the night would bring. He had also been thinking of Circe and wondering if it was possible ever to find another girl who loved him as much as she had. There had been times he thought Circe was a dream and her sisters some sort of nightmare he had conjured in his own fevered imagination. He’d lost so much time already, it didn’t seem reasonable to waste much more with thoughts of Circe, her harpy sisters, or curses.
“Your guests will be arriving any moment,” Gaston shouted, “and though he wouldn’t admit it, I think Cogsworth will blow a gasket if you’re not there to greet them as they enter the great hall!”
The Prince sighed. “I’ll be right there.”
Gaston turned the corner, seeing his friend sitting near a towering topiary of a winged lion. “What’s the matter? I thought this would liven your spirits! Every girl in three kingdoms is said to attend! It’s going to be magnificent!”
The Prince stood, straightening his velvet frock coat, and said, “Yes, it will be. Let’s not keep the girls waiting.”
The girls filed in by the hundreds. So many of them! He didn’t know there could be so many in all the world. All of them were decked out for the occasion. There were stunning brunettes with dark haunting eyes, pale and lovely blondes with perfect ringlets, striking redheads with jade colored eyes, and everything in between. They all paraded past him, some hiding behind their fans and giggling, while others tried not to look the least bit interested in whether he glanced in their direction. Some seemed too nervous to keep from trembling, sometimes so violently they lost composure altogether and spilled their drinks.
There was one girl with auburn hair he didn’t manage to see properly. She seemed always to have her back turned. She must have been very beautiful, because he caught the dirty glances she received from the other ladies as they passed her, and quite unlike the others, she didn’t travel in a swarm of girls. She stood off—apart from most everyone—seeming not the least bit interested in the idle chatter of the fairer sex.
“Gaston, who is that girl? The one in the blue dress I saw you talking with earlier? What’s her name?” Gaston pretended he didn’t recall, annoying the Prince. “You know very well to whom I’m referring, man! Bring her over here and introduce me.”
“You wouldn’t be interested in her, trust me!”
The Prince raised an eyebrow.
“Wouldn’t I? And why is that, my good friend?”
Gaston lowered his voice so those nearby wouldn’t hear. “She’s the daughter of Cuckoo! Oh, she’s lovely, yes, but her father is the laughingstock of the village! He’s harmless enough, but fancies himself a great inventor! He’s always building contraptions that clank, rattle, and explode! She isn’t the sort you’d like to get mixed up with, good friend.”
“Perhaps you’re right, but nevertheless, I would like to meet her.”
“I daresay you would find her very tedious with her endless talk of literature, fairy tales, and poetry.”
“You seem to know quite a bit about her, Gaston,” the Prince said with a comical, knowing nod.
“I fear I do! In the few moments we spoke just now, she prattled on of nothing else. No, dear friend, we need to find you a proper lady. A princess! Someone like the princess Morningstar over there. Now, she is a delight! No talk of books from her! I bet she’s never read even a single book or had a thought of her own!”
The Prince thought that was a very good quality in a woman. He could do enough thinking for both himself and his future wife.
“Yes, bring over the princess Morningstar. I’d very much like to meet her.”
Princess Tulip Morningstar had long golden locks, with a milk and honey complexion and light sky-blue eyes. She looked like a doll draped in diamonds and pink silks.
She was remarkably beautiful—radiant, in fact. Everything about her sparkled, with one exception: her personality. But that didn’t bother the Prince. He had enough personality for both of them. It wouldn’t do to have a wife who took attention away from him.
Morningstar had a charming little habit of giggling when she didn’t have something to contribute on a subject, which was most of the time. This made him feel like the best of tutors. Honestly, he could talk about anything and her attentions were never diverted from him; she just giggled.
