"THE PRINCESS HERSELF! ISN'T THAT EXTRAORDINARY?" Penelope Featherington was radiant with the news, she couldn't be more excited that night.

"I do not understand why you are so joyful because of a simple woman." Eloise rolled her eyes. "She is just as human as both of us, but the ton is enthusiastic with her appearance, especially Whistledown. "She holds the pamphlet in her hands. "She couldn't stop praising and admiring the princess, looks even like a fan of her. Which is strange, hence she keeps challenging the queen every time."

"Well, maybe Lady Whistledown just admired her performance." Penelope shrugged her shoulders as the two crossed their arms together and made their way through the ballroom.

Eloise shook her head as they avoided a collision with a couple that danced nearby, the soireé was full of life and energy as always, but even greater that night because of the recent news regarding the royalty. The decorations, the glamour, the food, everything was close enough to perfection.

"Or maybe, Whistledown is only waiting for an opportunity to strike the queen's power again." Eloise looked at Penelope, who tried not to show any vulnerability to her words. "She is playing nice, but once the princess commits a single mistake, she will go merciless on her." Eloise's correct guesses almost scared Penelope, who only smiled agreeing.

"Yes, maybe you are right. Well, for now, I only want to enjoy the ball, not a war." She chuckled nervously. "What about you? Looking for a suitor, I expect."

Eloise rolled her eyes and sighed. "That is the least I expect." She groaned frustrated. "And this dress is killing me, I can't wait for all of this to be over."

Penelope giggled at her friend's words, yet couldn't help but notice something across the saloon. "Looks like your brother is thinking the same as you."

The two look at Anthony with Violet, surrounded by a crowd of young debutants extremely eager to make the Viscount sign their dance cars and waiting for a proposal. The situation made the two girls laugh, Anthony seemed stuck in a fishbowl filled with sharks.

"What are you two gossiping about?" Benedict approached with a smile. "Do care to share."

"Our brother fell on Mama's trap and now is overwhelmed by a hysterical feminine attack," Eloise smirked pointing across the room, where Anthony tried his best to keep his charming composure.

"My, my, maybe tonight he will meet his future Viscountess after all." Benedict chuckled.

"But is he looking for a wife though?" Penelope asked discretely in search of more information. "After all according to the pamphlets regarding his reputation..."

"Miss Penelope Featherington, you shouldn't believe in everything Lady Whistledown says." Benedict defended his brother in a light-hearted way. "Anthony may be a prominent and intense lover of his carnal wishes, but he does not step away from his duty. He is the most responsible man I've ever met since our father."

"Aww, that is so sweet!" Eloise mocked her brother and he gave her a light push on her shoulder to make her quiet.

"I suppose you must be correct." Penelope nodded calmly. "But what about you, Mr.Bridgerton? Are you in search of a wife this season as well? You are of age."

"Penelope!" Eloise chuckled and tapped her shoulder. "What's with all these questions, do you seek to marry one of my brothers?" Penelope turned suddenly nervous and quickly glanced at Colin Bridgeton across the saloon.

"Of course not." The redheaded replied with a small smile. "I am just trying to keep a conversation."

"It is alright, my sister, I don't mind," Benedict said sweetly to Eloise. "As an answer to your question, Penelope, I am not in a hunt as my brother is, but who knows? I am always willing to keep my heart open for whatever new inspiration strikes me." He grinned charmingly.

Eloise nodded, her brother was reasonable after all. "If only Anthony had the same thought as you, sometimes I believe he sees women as birth-giving cows."

"Eloise!" Penelope laughed shocked at her friend's candid comment.

'"But it is true!"

"Have I told you about his list?" Benedict gives a mischievous grin. Eloise shook her head. "It is a list of requirements about his future wife. The items made me quite incredulous."

Penelope gave an excited smile "Oh, please do tell us."

Benedict chuckles "So, it goes this way..."

In the meantime, the queen takes in a deep breath as she enters accompanied by her ladies and her daughter. The saloon glistened around them, and soon they became the center of attention under the spotlight of a Diamond and the Queen gathered in the same place side by side.

Bellatrix was anxious in her dark ocean-blue dress while she analyzed the many potential husbands at her sight. She quantified them in categories inside her mind with an incredible speed as her eyes scanned through them. Her feet weren't as painful as yesterday, but still enough to remind her of the pain at each step she took across the saloon to meet the illustrious Lady Danbury.

"Your majesty. Your Highness." The woman politely bowed before them and the two greeted her.

"Lady Danbury, a delightful soiree, as expected." The queen said in a neutral but friendly tone. "Though my own the next week will be much more exclusive."

"Your majesty, I would not think to compare."

"And rightly so," Charlotte smirked.

Lady Danbury's eyes landed on Bellatrix, who flew under the lights and the mystic nights as a wild but sophisticated flower taken from her habitat.

"It is an honor to receive you both, and I must say, my dear, you've done impressively well yesterday." Lady Danbury said but could notice the girl's noticeable pain to bow or to walk. "Please feel comfortable and enjoy yourselves, would you like a fresh beverage?" She said with a bit of concern for the young woman's well-being.

"That won't be necessary, Lady Danbury, but thank you." The queen dismissed the offer discretely. "As you may see, my daughter now needs to make her presence noticeable."

Lady Danbury glanced around the saloon, where all their eyes were cast upon them as a spell. "I do believe she already has done that, my queen." She grinned and the other woman nodded with much pleasure.

Bellatrix took some steps back, noticing the silent Brimsley who resembled more as a shadow of his mother than a man who accompanied her by how silent he was. "Brimsley." She whispered to him. He ignored her at first. "Brimsley!" She called him while poking his arm.

The servant sighed and kept his composure, already knowing this would be a long night. "Yes, Your Highness?" He said, without taking his eyes from the queen sitting on a chair surrounded by other rladies, chatting lovely with the host.

"Please do share with me your information regarding the best bachelors in here." She asked. "I don't know where to start."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "You didn't study beforehand?" He said in a mix of surprise and frustration. "As far as I'm concerned the servants sent all the portraits and information regarding the suitors available in this season."

"Oh, yes I did receive it but..."She gave an awkward smile. "I got bored and forgot about them."

Brimsley rolled his eyes, but he expected this coming. "Fine. What do you wish to know?" He whispered back, always keeping an eye if the queen needed his services.

"Who is the man with the highest rank currently available?"

"That would be the Earl of Gelucester." He pointed to a middle-aged man across the room.

"What can you tell me about him?" Bellatrix followed Brimsley's eyes across the room, analyzing the man from head to toe. "For an Earl, his clothes are pretty average. Humble perhaps?"

"His wife recently passed away, hence he is not an eligible suitor." Brimsley quickly cut it off.

"What?" Bellatrix raised her eyebrows "Why not?"

"He was married and had no children in the meantime, he or his wife must've had some sort of problem regarding it, then he is not suitable for you. Your objective is providing an heir, a man that may not grant you that is a risk the Quern does not wish to take." He explained quickly.

"Then why did you tell me about him?!"

"Because you asked so, your highness."

Bella rolled her eyes and groaned. Her eyes wandered across the saloon again, making her rounds across all the boring men she did not have any will to talk with.

"Is there a duke in here? A market maybe?" She asked.

"The last Duke available recently was the Duke of Hastings who has now married since the last season." Brimsley sorted the details. "There is the Marquis of Ashdown. He is a bit young, but his lands are very known for their wealth and value." Bellatrix looked at the man he spoke about, close to her age and shy across the saloon, he did not seem very appealing by appearance. "But, there are rumors regarding the title he recently gained, he has over 5 brothers who wish to take his place, and the last thing the queen wishes is for you to marry someone about to suffer a riot."

Bella sighed again. The more Brimsley spoke, the worse those suitors appeared in her sight.

"Brimsley, this is awful." She complained to the servant. "How am I supposed to pick a husband within all these terrible choices?"

"I don't make the rules, Your Highness, I am only stating the men present on the occasion," Brimsley said calmly, but he did have to admit that she had very bad luck in that season. "The queen is in haste to make you marry, so we cannot delay the process and find someone within the available time."

"It will still take 9 months for me to give birth to a child if I come up with one, I don't see the reason to hush since the process takes that long." Bellatrix scoffed.

Brimsley almost laughed but kept his discrete smile. He admired the princess's audacity, it did not have a bad tone to it, just a playful, young one, that resembled much to her mother's in that sense. He did wish for her to find a proper match, but it was indeed difficult.

That was until he spotted a silhouette within the crowd. "Oh, what about the Viscount?" He gave a small smile. "He is an eligible match, his family is honorable and his profit is outstanding, only increasing each year. His sister was the previous Diamond of the Season."

"A viscount?" She asked a bit enthusiastic. "Well, do show me, where is he?"

Brimlseu pointed to a man dancing at the center of the room along with many couples, he had grace in his movements and elegance, but just then, when she spotted his face, her smile faded.

"The Viscount Anthony Bridgerton," Brimsley responded. "At the age of marriage, suitable enough to provide children."

"You mean the libertine?!" Bellatrix whispered outraged. "How is that a reasonable choice, Brimsley?"

He tilted his head in half agreement. "He does have candid rumors about his conduct toward women, but none of them were proven official." He said to her. "And even if they are true, as a bachelor of wealth, it is not a crime for him to do so."

Bellatrix furrowed her eyebrows and glanced at the charming man dancing while processing Brimsley's words.

"Wait. So he may go out with any woman he'd like, but me, as a woman, may have a relationship with only one man in my entire life?" She looked at him, and Brimsley gulped in surprise at that statement. "How is that fair?"

"I never said it was." He nodded in agreement with a secret whisper. "Unfortunately those are rumors we must obey, just as many others."

Anthony Bridgerton was aware of how required he was by the ladies present, he knew that his presence dazzled just as the candlelights and fireworks that would explode at the end of that evening, causing butterflies from young to even the oldest women in the room. And even while obligated to dance with just one of the many ladies he signed cards, he could notice when he was being observed.

He could notice her, those astounding brown eyes that met his within the crowd. It seemed like his whole being trembled by witnessing her again, and even while dancing with another woman, he could not stop staring at that breathtaking blue-dressed sight.

"It seems like you caught the Viscount's attention, Your Highness," Brimsley said, attempting not to blush at the explicit desire reflected in Anthony's eyes toward the princess. Maybe it would be easy for her to grant a child to the crown after all.

"Of course I did, any woman would to a man like him." She scoffed.

Anthony's dance ended and he took the opportunity to reject the other proposals in wait and make his way towards the princess.

"He is coming in our direction," Brimsley warned. "Maybe he will ask you to a dance."

"A dance? Oh please." Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "I will not dance with that man."

"Your Highness, it is not wise to reject a dance, you must take advantage of the situations in your favor."

"Brimsley," Bellatrix said fiercely. "If I wished to, I could dance with any man in this room." Some of the ladies next to them chuckled.

Brimsley noticed the princess' reaction toward the women, already predicting the worst. "Oh, no."

Bellatrix immediately went after the women in a secluded group, the Featheringtons, and the cowpers. They immediately bowed in her direction, and the young Penelope was the only one to give a genuine smile at Bellatrix.

The young girl turned her eyes to a blonde lady, a bit older but still single. A failure that disses others, she guessed. "May I know your name, my dear?" Bellatrix asked.

"Cressida Cowper, Your Highness." Cressida suddenly became overwhelmed with fear as she watched the fury plastered by Bellatrix's polite smile.

"Miss Cowper...may I know what were you laughing about?" She asked.

"I...well..." She gulped apprehensive. "We just found a comment funny, Your Highness."

"My comment, it seems." The statement makes Cressida shake and afraid. Brimsley watched from afar, seeing the scene develop terribly. If Bellatrix threw a scene he'd call the queen to interfere, but for now, he'd let it continue for the princess to impose her authority.

"No, no I-"

"We just found it intriguing, Your Highness," Penelope said in a different friendly tone, she was a born strategist willing to see a good moment transform itself in front of her. "We've never seen such grace and beauty as yours, so your statement made us even more excited to see who your first dance will be with."

Bellatrix acknowledged the girl's posture, she was wise. "I see." She nodded. "But I believe that's not the same Miss Cowper thought." Cressida refused to even dare to say a word. "What is your name, dearest?" She asked the redheaded.

"Penelope Featherington, Your Highness," She said.

"Penelope, may I call you this way?" The girl nodded. "Good. Penelope, I hate to be uncredited in my comments about disrespectful people of the ton who know nothing of what they speak about." she side-eyed Cressida. "But I believe you are an honest and wise woman, so let's make it this way." Penelope felt anxious about her request. "Choose any man in this room, and I shall make him dance with me."

"You will invite him?" Penelope's eyes gleamed on the bold initiative.

"Indeed. Is that daring enough for you, Miss Cowper?" She glanced at Cressida.

"I wouldn't dare to question your value, Princess." She said nervously. "Please, allow me to pick a match for you, certainly it will be much better than Penelope's." Cressida still attempted, in that single moment, to gain the princess' heart and trust.

But, to be honest, Bellatrix hated that girl at first sight and her first laugh. She wanted to see her disrespected within her circle of friends for what she did.

"No. I'd rather trust Miss Penelope Featherington's judgment." She snapped back, as Cressida felt her cheeks blush and the other ladies chuckled at her shame. "Penelope, go ahead."

This was an incredible opportunity to either create a scandalous situation or gain the princess' trust, she needed to be careful with her choice, after all, this choice would change their fates forever.

"That man." She pointed to a dark-haired man at the corner of the room, he had a bright smile and blue incandescent eyes. "What do you think, your highness?"

Bellatrix analyzed the man for a moment, his features were attractive indeed, and his smile seemed soft, she even wondered if his dance was just as graceful as his mannerisms.

"Alright." Bellatrix settled the challenge. "I believe that is an excellent choice, Penelope." She bowed politely. "Farewell."

"Farewell." Penelope grinned as Bellatrix made her way toward the gentleman.

"Why did you indicate to her a secondborn?" Cressida widened her eyes at the scene. "The princess looks for men of titles, it is obvious by now."

"She wanted a challenge, to be entertained." Penelope simply said. "Well, that is what I did to her. Now, excuse me."

The crowd did not stand in her way, and neither did destiny, as her eyes were glued on that new shiny toy in front of her, giving away soft smiles and laughs to other guests, but also secluded in the corner of the room, not being noticed by the most amusing ladies, yet kind enough to dance with the wall flower ones.

It was her perfume that made him notice her first, something that resembled lilies and blueberries that awakened him to a fresh sensation inside his lungs.

"Good evening, good sir." Her voice sounded like melodic music that seduced his ears.

He immediately shifted his head in her direction, and once his blue jewels met her brown ones, the whole room completely disappeared. There was just her, the same woman that made his senses numb at the debutant event, the diamond of the season, the fierce yet gracious spirit that took his breath away instantly, now there, is presented in front of him.

He was still shocked, amused at first by such beauty, as if a goddess herself greeted a mortal as him, not because of her title, but, because it was him. Who was him next to her? He thought.

He looked around for a moment, expecting her ears to deceive him. "A-Are you speaking to me?" The man asked politely in some sort of surprise.

"No, I'm talking to the wall behind you." She mocked with a playful smile that caused his own to show up on his face. "Yes, I am speaking to you."

"Oh, well then..."He chortled charmingly and bowed respectfully. "Your Highness..."

She analyzed the man's gestures and expressions, he was noble and wealthy enough due to his clothing, yet did not behave like an heir or high-ranking royal. And that made her even more hooked on that challenge.

That night could be fun, after all.

"Would you give me the honor of a dance?" She asked suddenly, and the man almost choked on his drink.

His hands were placed above his chest as he took in a deep breath and squinted his eyes at the offer, Bellatrix remained still, waiting for an answer, as he felt his face turn into a deep red shade like an apple's.

"You're inviting me to dance?" He raised his eyebrows surprised. "You? Me?"

She almost laughed at his sudden surprise. "What is the problem with that?"

"I do not mean to sound traditional or ancient, but it is not ordinary for a lady to ask a gentleman to dance" He established calmly. "Especially a princess, like yourself."

Bellatrix grinned and rolled her eyes, making his heartbeat speed as lightning. God, how was that woman even real? He thought to himself once again. Maybe he drank too much, maybe she was a mirage produced by his creative and torturing brain.

"To wait for a gentleman to ask me, doesn't that sound boring to you, sir?" She looked at him and he couldn't help but agree. "If I stood across the saloon and waited for you to invite me, would you have done it?"

He looked at her for a moment, blinking at her worse and thinking at the offer. Instead, he replied with another interrogation. "Would have accepted?"

"Isn't my invitation enough proof of my answer?"

The man chuckled. "Yes, I suppose it is, your highness."

"Then..." She extended her hand to him in a pattern-breaking demand that made him smirk with much enthusiasm. "...will you keep flushing and stuttering with doubts, or will you take me to the dance floor?"

"My apologies, your highness." He said in a playful tone and softly took her hand in his, kissing the soft layer of silk of her glove. "You do not need to ask it twice." He held his urge to wink, maybe that would be too risky. He only held her hand and led her to the dance floor. "Shall we?" She nodded and her objective was achieved.

It wasn't easy to walk, much less dance, but when she felt that man's skillful hands settling in a polite measured way on her back, the injuries seemed to disappear for that moment.

The way he looked at her with that incandescent blue was magical, yet somehow dangerous. It was her first dance, she would not simply be charmed by a stranger so quickly, no, Bellatrix knew better than to just give her heart away so fast to a man she did not even know the name of.

Know the name, my goodness, she didn't even know his title! What would her mother think? She was so eager to prove Cressida Copwer wrong, who now just stood in a corner covered in shame and excluded from her friend group, that she had forgotten completely her main goal that evening.

"Pardon me, sir, I believe I didn't ask your name yet," Bellatrix asked politely, as she attempted not to let the stranger's kind smile creep into her heart.

"Oh, right." He said, awakening to reality from the immensity peace of her eyes. "I am Benedict Bridgerton, Your Highness."

Her eyes widened in a sudden realization, and at the same time, a stern male that belonged to a certain viscount watched the couple with a nitid surprise just as hers.

"A Bridgerton?"