📷-Photo credit (⇧): Dreams time

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Drama does find me everywhere I go, or else how can you explain waking up to your room filled with deadly scorpions.

By filled, I mean every inch of it.

One sting from these black monsters and that's a person's end.

Yelping, I stand on my bed, backing up against the wall and ready to fly out of the window if necessary.

The door flies open, revealing an excited Symphony, but the thrill is flushed away, leaving a look of utter horror.

She screams so loud, that it attracts Isaiah.

"What happened-"

He swears out so loud and his eyes fly to me. I'm scared out of my mind despite the cool facade I put up.

"Alanna, I need you to stay calm. Symphony, go and fetch the Royal Pest Catcher."

Nodding, Symphony scurries off. Samuel maintains a safe distance.

"The day will just get worse." I mutter.

He knows why. Seeing these kind of scorpions is a bad omen in Explodian culture.

And these scorpions appearing in my room on the day our Outing Ball will be held, only means one thing.

Danger.

They were a warning.

One which I wished I listened to.

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Regardless of the scorpion incident, preparations for tonight's ball proceeds in earnest.

Immediately after breakfast, as Lady Joanne instructed, our guards took us to our rooms and our maids would get us ready for the ball.

Symphony had arrived with the maid newly assigned to me, Danae. She has a bubbly personality, quite suited for me though. She wouldn't stop talking about virtually everything despite Symphony's frequent eye rolls.

I participate once in awhile in their talks but my mind is focused on something in the mirror.

My chest.

Where Rhoda's necklace usually stayed. Most times I forgot about it because it grew to be like a part of my body.

It's just like you forgetting you have fingernails until you look at them. They're always just there.

Rhoda.

She was the best friend and the sister I never had until the unfortunate incident that happened two years ago.

"Lady Alanna, are you okay?" Danae's soft voice pulls me back to the real world.

I frown. "Symphony will tell you about the things the things that I like and do not like. One of those things would be the title Lady."

A giant blush stains Danae's cheeks while Symphony chuckles.

"I'm sorry."

After convincing the girl I had no grudge against her, I ask Symphony to help me look for my necklace while Danae completes my look.

This time, I'm sensible enough to go for a pair of brown ballet flats under the lovely red ball gown that was delivered to my room earlier.

Once the clock chimes seven o'clock, Symphony returns with no necklace and after a promise to search harder later, she leads me outside into the corridor.

A burst of colourful gowns enter my line of vision. All the girls are beautifully dressed.

Isaiah assumes his position on my right side. "You look glamorous, Alan."

I shrug. "I'm awfully uncom-" Symphony elbows me and I jam my lips close.

My bodyguard eyes me suspiciously. "Is anything the matter."

"Nothing." I reply, glaring at Symphony.

Theresa is the last to emerge, blinding everyone with the glittering jewels on her silver gown. A tiara is balanced on the top of her hair which had been braided in elaborate patterns.

"Don't you think she's overdoing it?" Symphony asks me, snorting.

Theresa hears of course and aims a dirty look at us before walking ahead just as the herald starts announcing the arriving guests.

We need to be there in time for the time our names will be called.

Isaiah holds out his arm for me to put mine in but I reject it, subtly pointing at Harriet who's ahead of us. She seemed not to have noticed me or Isaiah.

Yet.

"Lady Bethany of Kenth!"

Bethany makes an entry through the large doors. Cheers rise up in the air.

"Lady Theresa of Eastwood."

She advances, careful to maintain a flawless posture.

One after another, each girl is announced, until I'm the only one left.

Symphony squeezes my fingers before letting go. "You'll do just fine, Alan."

I nod, but inwardly, my nerves are on a overdrive. Isaiah is the next to assure me with a small smile.

"Lady Alanna of Eaton!"

It's like ice cold water is poured upon me, but I manage to move forward, through the doors and coming face to face with a crowd of people I've never witnessed before in my life.

I move with caution down the steps leading to the ballroom, keeping my head high and spine straight. Guess those lessons paid off even though I wasn't paying attention to half of them.

(Photo of the ballroom attached at the top)

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We have brief time to mingle with the nobles. Few of them are nice enough to speak with me while the others snob me altogether. Not that I minded.

"I'm bored." Harriet says, hiding a yawn behind her fan. Beside me, Stella chuckles.

"It's eight already. I've got a book to get to." I murmur, watching the entrance for any signs of the Royalty.

I take a momentary look around us. Most of the girls are in comfortable discussions with some guests.

Theresa, Harriet, Bethany, Rosemary, Celeste, Beatrice, Hilda, Sarah, Violet,Oakley, Florence, Rosa, Maria, Stella and me. All fifteen girls present. All equally desperate for a moment to dance with the Prince.

A mixture of trumpets and drums sound, startling the thoughts out of me. It's the Royal fanfare, announcing the arrival of the Royals.

"All hear! Announcing the arrival of His Royal Majesty, our dearly beloved King Rufus Gregory-Mills and his beautiful wife, Queen Stella Gregory-Mills..."

The King and Queen walk hand in hand with dignified steps through the door, their expensive cloaks trailing on the floor behind them. Deafening cheers from the crowd follow their entry, all the way to the chairs on raised platform they'd be sitting in. Queen Stella waves smiling sweetly at us.

We laugh when she nudges her husband, and the serious expression he's wearing paves way for a friendly one.

"Awww... Isn't that sweet? I can't wait to be married to Prince Alek already." Theresa gushes.

I snort. "In your wildest dreams."

She turns to me in annoyance. "Once I become Queen, I'll make sure my husband banishes you to the outer lands."

"Wow, you are too kind." I wink, moving away from her.

"Announcing the arrival of the Royal children, our dear Crown Prince, Alek Rose Gregory-Mills and his sister, beautiful Princess Eleanor Sunny Gregory Mills, skilled at two dozen instruments!"

Another round of cheers erupt.

"Two dozen instruments?"

Next to me, Lady Joanne nods. "You should know this if you've been taking your classes seriously, Alanna."

Another jibe at me that sends the girls laughing.

Whatever.

My eyes are drawn to Finnegan who everyone thinks is the Crown Prince, his steps are intentional, firm and articulate. His face shows none of the usual mischief and his navy blue ceremonial uniform speaks of his status.

"He's so handsome, I think I'm going to faint." A young female, not part of our Choosing says, fanning herself dramatically. Theresa rolls her eyes at the girl's behaviour which I find highly amusing.

I'd tease Finnegan about this. As if I ran out of things to laugh about, I remember Alek's middle name, Rose.

This sends me into a fit of laughter.

Until...

The moment arrives. The moment each girl in the Choosing would be dancing with the Prince.

He approaches where we're standing and holds out a hand to the first girl.
Theresa.

She's the first he dances with, not that I care actually and not like I expected him to choose me first.

Everyone's entranced by how expertly Theresa and the Prince move around the large circle created in the middle of the ballroom.

Her moment comes to an end. I find the pout on her face comical when Finnegan escorts her back and picks the next girl.

Girl after girl, he danced with unfading vigour, crushing all my hopes that he would be exhausted by the time it reaches my turn and the dance would end.

Sadly, that was not to be, because he's standing in front of me with a bright smile and eyes fixed on mine.

"Lady Alanna, dance with me."

Despite the jealous eyes on my back, I return his smile. "I'd be honoured to dance with you, Your Highness." I curtsey with poise, before putting my hand in his warm clutch.

"You nearly fooled me for a second." He teases, walking with me to the center.

I laugh. "It's still me, the one and only."

Soon, the band starts a familiar tune. Fairy Lights by Erikson Viar, a renowned musician my mother and father loved listening to each time he came around Eaton on a tour as he does thrice a year.

"I'm afraid, your feet might need a massage after this dance with me." I joke, receiving an eyeroll.

"As long as you're the one to do that, I don't mind." Finnegan replies, slipping a hand around my waist, and supporting my right hand with his. As taught, I rest my left hand on his shoulder, thankful that I have dark skin or he would have caught me blushing.

"This song is one of my favourites." I say, subtly changing the topic.

Finnegan snorts. "As if you have time to do anything productive with all the hours you spend concocting mischief."

"Hey!" I protest, intentionally stepping on his foot. I wish I had on heels at the moment.

The Prince laughs. "Okay, I deserved that."

The frown on my face dissolves into a smirk. "So tell me, Alek Rose? Seriously?"

This is enough for him to start laughing again, and I join him. Next time I find the real Crown Prince, I'm going to tease him about his girly middle name.

"Meet me in the Library, an hour after this ball has ended, Alanna." Finnegan's eyes lose their humour and somehow, I'm afraid if he's offended at my joke.

Sadly, the music slows, warning us about our last sixty seconds as dance partners.

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