[August 10, 1788 – 8:00 p.m.]
“Cheer to tears and all other sparkling things” - Quill

The Duchess smiled happily as she entered the ballroom, while she smoothed the skirt of her dress with her hands in a nervous gesture. After staring for a few moments at the crowd in front of him, she silently entered the mixture of flowing skirts and shiny shoes. Music filled the exquisite hall, and the cheerful rhythm quickly infected the young woman's already smiling mood.

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"It was ball night at Versailles, and she wasn't going to leave anytime soon.
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The girl had been preparing for tonight for weeks and everything around her was exactly as she had imagined. She had asked the couturiers to prepare her finest dress for the occasion. The white bodice opened into a U-shaped neckline above her breasts, before ending in a delicate lace that opened into a light lilac skirt, which rose pompously around her, enough to leave only the tips of her white heels visible. The sleeves reached a little further than his elbows, ending in bouffant white lace. Her normally wavy hair was tied to the top of her head, with numerous golden curls that framed her thin chin, a trait inherited from her Habsburg lineage.

Her figure stood out in the middle of the hall, since she was not wearing one of the elaborate wigs that were worn by the people around her. The lady showed elegance, but despite her graceful manner as she almost floated across the ballroom, she was still visible as the 15-year-old she had become a short time ago.

Leonard had done a great job taming her unruly hair, she thought, still numb from finally being at such a longed-for ball. She knew it was not one of the most lavish balls ever held in that same hall, because of the political situation in his beloved France. The people revolted against the monarchy, and exaggerations were condemned as terrible crimes. But the small festivity of 400 guests was a delight for the young woman who lived incarcerated within that luxury, spending little time with other people, only the nobles who would lick her shoes if she asked.

She didn't need sycophants, she just wanted to have fun for one night.

And she knew that the best perfumes were in the smallest bottles.

Normally, she was expected to follow court etiquette, greet guests to whom she was introduced, and stand next to her mother, waiting for one of the gentlemen to ask her to dance. The king would approve or not the choice of the pair and she would go to the middle of the track, while the other nobles would make room for her. They would dance to the sound of Mozart, or maybe Bach! If she was allowed a choice, she would love to dance to "Winter", composed by Vivaldi.

He would complement her and make some comment about her appearance, to which she would have to smile and behave sweetly. He would return to his family after his waltz and dance with countless others. If any gentleman enjoyed her company, he would accompany her to dinner. If not, she would be placed between two nobles conducive to marriage or next to her brothers. But of course, if her mom was the one to decide, she could dance with the gentleman of her choice and sit next to her friends.

Sometimes she wishes her mother would take control more often.

She held the edge of her skirt as she walked across the hall, skirting the crowd. Standing in one of the far corners, a gentleman was talking to a tall man with a pointed beard. A small brooch with a branch of white Lathyrus odoratus was in his waistcoat pocket, along with a handkerchief of the same color, perhaps an unusual choice for a flower. The lady decided to try her luck, approaching slowly as he ended his conversation, separating herself from his company.                                                                                                                            
"My Lord." She stretched one foot across from the other, bowing her body in a respectful bow, which was reciprocated by the gentleman before they both looked at each other, their faces hidden behind cloth and feathers. "Did Milady appreciate the Gugelhupf I sent you for your birthday?"                                                                                                                                                         
"Oh yes, so great was your delight at having received a present from the lady that you asked me to send it to you as a little souvenir." He nodded before handing her the Lathyrus odoratus with a respectful smile. "She asked me to invite you to pay a visit to our lovely cottage. The gardens are lovely this time of the year. I’m sure you would enjoy a walk there, Duchess."                                                                                                                                                                       
The lady smiled as the flowers were placed lightly on the palm of her hand. The gentleman closed his fingers on the flowers before withdrawing his hand, flashing a sweet smile underneath the mask. "Are you enjoying the party, Milord?" She gave a small laugh, holding his fingers with her other hand. "You didn't wait for me long, right?"

"Not at all. Just enough time to start  wondering if you had given up on coming."

"I would never give up coming, it seems like you don't know me. All of this is so exciting! You do think so, or else I'll think you're lying!" She retorted, to which the young man only gave a small laugh.

The orchestra had begun to play a slower song, and the girl was looking impatiently at the couples who were beginning to organize themselves for the waltz. A woman passed by her amid laughter, her arm entwined with that of an elegant young man. The girl looked at the room a little melancholy, after all she couldn't deny that she was without a partner. Lifting her chin, she looked from the corner at Louis, who didn't notice, focused on observing the masked pairs that moved around him.

"My Lord? Would you do me the honor of accompanying you in this dance?" The lady smiled, holding out her hand to the gentleman who held it, a little surprised by the invitation.

"But with the rumors of the court, you must know that I cannot dance as elegantly as the other nobles." The Count bowed politely with his head. "And as a foreigner in your country, I don't know if it's proper for me to dance with your grace."

"Why, we're wearing masks, they won't recognize us!" The Duchess rested her other hand on his. "And I'm sure you've heard the comments that I'm not a good dancer."

The gentleman sighed. He knew that he should not dance with the girl, especially considering her noble position, however he could not deny that they were at a masquerade ball, the chances that people would recognize her were minimal. And he was aware that his companion would not give up until she danced, so it was better that he put an end to this inconvenience once and for all.

"All right, but just this waltz." The boy replied briefly before she dragged him into the middle of the room, holding tightly onto his hand, her heels hitting the floor.

"Excellent!" She laughed, resting her right hand on her partner's shoulder. He was a few inches taller, which allowed her to observe the well-defined features of his face. The boy placed his hands on her waist, lightly grasping the lady's left hand as he extended his arm to the side. They began to dance softly; it was not difficult to keep up with the slow pace and the gentleman was an excellent dancing partner.   

"Apparently, you've been taking dance lessons with the madams of the castle, now you don't even step on my feet so much." He whispered in her ear, giving her a mocking smile before turning her around. She brought a hand to her chest, pretending to be offended.

"But that's an outrage! Everyone knows I'm the best dancer in this room!" She said as she purposely stepped on top of the boy's foot. He gave a small chuckle making her smile. The song was already over, but the two remained in place, in mutual agreement, waiting for another waltz. The lady raised her eyebrows, silently asking her partner if he hadn't said he would dance to just one song.

He shrugged lightly and pulled her close to him, whispering in her ear. "All for you, Ma Chérie." Leading her again in the dance, this time in a faster gait.

Their hands joined together in a perfect fit during the time they whirled around the room. The two were like the sun and moon, two stars colliding. The purple dress swirled as the sun swirled the moon across the hall, a few golden curls of the hairstyle framed her face, like rays of light amidst the pale moonlit face. Her eyes lit up as they danced in silent harmony. They were not contrasts, but rather two parts of the same thing that complemented each other and formed something completely new when put together.

The girl stared into the deep brown of his, oblivious to everything around her, before bumping into another person who was dancing next to them. Her ankle turned abruptly, and her heel broke on impact, which caused her to tumble towards the ground, interrupting the magic. The gentleman held her by the waist, a deathly silence settling between them, surrounded by the hubbub of conversation and the last notes of the symphony.

The lady blushed, embarrassed, quickly composing herself as she distanced herself from the boy.  She squinted at the gentleman in front of her, who just giggled and held her hand gently.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He whispered, leading her out of the dances before they stopped in a corner. The lady lifted the edge of her skirt before letting out a moan, staring at the broken shoe.

"Oh... I don't think I'll be able to dance anymore, unfortunately." With a sigh she looked up at her partner who had averted his face in embarrassment. With a mischievous smile, she lowered her skirt again, resting one hand on his waist. "It's just my foot, Milord, you don't have to feel so embarrassed."

"We're in a public hall, if you don't mind, Duchess." The gentleman muttered, looking at her again. "You should behave more elegantly."

"No one is looking at us, My Lord. If I may, I would enjoy our moments more if you weren't so serious all the time."

"I didn't give you the right to address me like that, madam, and I'm not serious, that's just etiquette." The Count looked her reproachfully before she looked him up and down. "You should learn how to behave; you're a lady and you should act like one."

"Take off your boots."

"Excuse me?"

"I'd like to dance with you, but my heels are broken. Since apparently you're too much of a prude to look at my ankles and help me fix my heel, that is our only solution." The lady sighed, pointing vaguely to her feet. "If I take off my shoe, you'll be too tall for me to dance, dear."

"It's a foolish request to even consider the likelihood of me taking off my boots in the middle of this hall, Duchess." The gentleman stared at her, pursing his mouth. The audacity of the girl to make such a request! Although he knew she didn't care, he couldn't ignore where they were and who they were! Besides, the other nobles could recognize them.

"Well, if you won't grant my request, at least accompany me to my room so I can change my shoes. It would be a waste to have only two dances with you, my lord." Before she could get an answer, she clasped her arm around his and dragged the gasping gentleman with her, the two of them withdrawing from the ballroom.

"You're a terrible person, Duchess."

"Thank you very much, My Lord."

The young woman smiled softly, leading him through the palace. It wasn't completely empty, but there weren't as many people wandering the aisles as they'd expect. This made it easy for the Duchess and the Count to walk through the floor without prying eyes in their direction.

The two walked in silence, their arms still intertwined. The gentleman did not know where he was being led, but the path seemed endless.

"Are you leading me to some room in Versailles, or do you want to take me to London on foot?" He sneered, getting a mocking smile from the girl.

"We're almost there, I didn't know Milord was so impatient." The girl laughed, letting go of his arm. "Maybe you'd rather find your way on your own, if you can." She smiled mischievously before abruptly changing her path and starting down a flight of stairs.

The Count stared at her in confusion before realizing that he would be lost in the middle of that corridor and start following her. But when he reached the last flight of stairs, he could no longer see the girl. As he looked from one side to the other, she was not in that corridor.

"Duchess?" 

The gentleman made his way down the left aisle before coming face to face with a wall. Furrowing his brows, he looked at the closed doors around him. It wasn't safe to risk entering the rooms.

Before he could turn around again, a hand grabbed him from behind, pulling him into a room. The door closed in front of him, and he felt his body being held in delicate hands before feeling a warm breath on his neck and the sweet voice of a lady in his ear.

"Don't be so impatient, Louis..."

He smiled through the darkness, lightly holding the face that rose in front of him and kissing her lips, parting only when he couldn't take it anymore, gasping for air.

"You're maddening, Svea..."

The lady laughed and kissed his hand, before opening the door again. "Come, accompany me to my room, Count."

"With all pleasure, Duchess~"