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Trumpets beside the stage precede my father. The ballroom falls to a silent hush as soon as he steps up to the microphone.
“Shit, that’s Rosalie,” Greyson hisses as I follow in the direction that he’s looking. She has her phone to her ear, a tight frown on her face as she is talking into her phone with her head down.
“What’s going on?” I turn to Greyson in a panic.
Grey shakes his head. “I’ll go see if I can find out.”
It doesn’t look good. She’s not having second thoughts, is she? I nod at him and watch as he disappears into the crowd. I run the conversation from the garden back through my mind. We made a deal in the darkness; she needs the money and help with the constitution, and we need her. We even kissed to seal the deal.
“Thank you all for coming to our annual Summer Ball,” my father starts, addressing the silent ballroom. “We appreciate everyone traveling so far to visit our great nation.” His voice booms across the room. It’s now so quiet all I can hear is my heart pumping in my ears. “This year’s ball is even more special due to my son …” My father turns to me and ushers me toward the microphone. “… choosing his future queen.”
Gasps can be heard throughout the ballroom.
All the women are looking around at each other, wondering who my chosen bride will be.
Will it be them?
Or someone that they know?
Did they do enough to gain my attention?
I can see all the anxious faces looking back at me.
I didnotthink this through.
“I will let Prince Augustine tell you all,” my father says, patting me on the shoulder and handing over the microphone. “I’m proud of you,” he whispers as he moves behind me.
My father never tells me he’s proud of me and now, here, he chooses this time to tell me something I’ve been so desperate to hear all my life. My stomach sinks as I stare out into the packed ballroom, all these expectant faces staring back up at me, wondering, wishing, hoping, that they have done enough to capture my attention. Hoping that their sister or friend didn’t do a better job.
“This has been a tough decision,” I start, looking out over the room of hopeful faces before continuing, “there are so many amazing, beautiful, and brilliant women in this room. It’s been a hard choice to find the perfect fit for me and my life.” I scan the room one last time looking to see if Greyson has found Rosalie, but I don’t see either of them.
“I would like to announce my bride-to-be is …”
You could hear a pin drop while everyone hopes and prays their name will be the one announced.
“Princess Rosalie fromAegina.”
There’s a collective gasp amongst the audience as I say Rosalie’s name, and I can see the confusion and the anger bubbling through the crowd.
Wow, these women are vicious. I’m guessing it’s because of Rosalie’s father’s reputation. I think it’s hypocritical of them to frown upon her name when I bet their fathers have attended his debauched get-togethers. I’ve heard some of my father’s friends mention it after one too many ports in the drawing room. Some of these families have done far worse under the guise of duty to their country.
My heart is thumping wildly in my chest as I scan the ballroom for Rosalie and Greyson.
“Where the hell is she?” my father hisses from behind me, obviously feeling slighted that Rosalie hasn’t appeared and fallen at his feet with graciousness for being chosen to join his family.
“Excuse me, Your Highness,” one of the footmen says, approaching me. “There’s been an emergency at the Aegina palace. Princess Rosalie and her sisters have had to leave, they wanted to inform you,” he informs me.
“Oh, no,” my mother gasps behind me.
I hadn’t realized my parents had joined in on the conversation.
“You need to choose someone else if she is not here. I willnotaccept this blatant disregard and embarrassment to my family,” my father angrily adds.
“Sweetheart, no.” My mother tries to calm down my father’s ego.
“No. She isthe one. And the fact that she left, which could have ruined her chances of saving her kingdom to help her family, speaks volumes to me,” I hiss heatedly at my father. “Look at all these women standing before me … do you think they would pack up and leave if something happened at home?” I question him. “No. They’re all too worried about the prize. The crown. The kingdom. That’s not what I want in a queen,” I tell my father angrily.
His blue eyes narrow on me before he grabs the microphone from my hand. “So sorry for my interruption. We are so incredibly happy that Augustine has found his bride. It is something his mother and I have dreamed of since he was born.” My father wraps his arm around my mother’s waist and pulls her to the front, both smiling and engaging the crowd. “There has been an emergency in Aegina, and the princesses have had to leave abruptly. We look forward to welcoming Princess Rosalie to the family at another time. Now, we have much to celebrate, so let us continue,” my father tells the crowd, then gestures for the band to start playing, changing up the mood.
