48. Enchanted (12/5/20)

She told herself over and over again in the carriage that she would stick to the script. She wouldn't talk to anyone, unless they talked to her first, and she would nibble at the snacks from the refreshment table. She was just supposed to be another body in the crowd, so the ballroom would appear full. Even if she wanted to speak to the prince and princess, she wasn't allowed.

In the carriage, Victoria adjusted the skirt of her blue gown. It was the nicest article of clothing she owned, and her mother had designed it specifically for the event. Her mother was proud of her for receiving an invitation, but tried to mask her disappointment when she realized a certain number of peasants had been asked to the royal ball, Victoria included.

Victoria had heard all about the king and queen. They had ruled the kingdom for three decades, and were looking to pass the rule onto their eldest son, Prince Edward. They also had a daughter, Princess Posey, but she was still working on her education and etiquette training. For a moment, Victoria tried to picture herself as a princess. She had grown up in the kingdom with her parents and five siblings, and they never had nice things. The house was filled with hand-me-downs and simple meals. Leftovers were a go-to. It would be strange to see how the other half lived, especially because Victoria had watched Prince Edward and Princess Posey grow up.

The carriage, which was carrying her and a few other peasant girls to the ball, stopped at the front gates. Two footmen approached to escort the ladies inside.

"You look beautiful," the girl sitting next to Victoria whispered. She had scrounged up a lilac gown, and didn't look as nice as Victoria did. The girl's kindness brought a smile to Victoria's face.

The four girls in the carriage followed the footmen inside, and they seemed to suck the air out of the room upon entering. The ballroom was larger than they had imagined and was a sight to behold. Victoria took in the marble floors, which were spotless, and the glittering chandeliers that hung over her head. A long table of snacks and desserts sat up against the farthest wall, and servants were walking around the ballroom with trays of food.

Two of the girls from the carriage wandered off to socialize, and when Victoria turned around, she saw the girl in lilac waiting for her.

"Can I stay with you?" The girl asked. "My name is Lacey."

The girl must've been a few years younger than Victoria, but she recognized Lacey from dance lessons. The girls who were invited to the ball had been given weekly dance lessons to prepare them for the event.

"Of course," Victoria replied, looping her arm with Lacey's. "I was worried about spending the whole night by myself."

The two girls surveyed the room as they walked inside. The orchestra was tuning up their instruments, and the royal family had yet to arrive. Their thrones sat on a raised platform at the other side of the ballroom.

"What do you think they're like?" Victoria whispered to Lacey, her eyes on the thrones. "Do you suppose they're nice?"

"They have to be!" Lacey insisted with a smile. "They're in charge of the whole kingdom. If they were cruel, we'd all be starving."

Victoria and Lacey neared the refreshment table and picked at the snacks. Behind them, the orchestra started playing a spritely tune, and the king and queen walked out and sat on their thrones. Victoria shared a glance with her friend, as if to ask where the prince and princess were. Then she felt a tap on her shoulder.

Victoria looked behind her and nearly did a double take. Standing right behind her was Prince Edward, but he was severely dressed down compared to his outings. Usually he wore royal blue and was decorated in medals and a crown. But tonight, he was wearing a gray jacket and white trousers. He hardly looked like himself. But Victoria recognized the brown curls anywhere.

"I see you've met my sister," Edward said, gesturing to Lacey. Victoria cocked her head at his strange words, until she looked back at the girl in the worn lilac gown. There was something oddly familiar about her blue eyes.

"Oh my goodness, it is you!" Victoria hissed through gritted teeth. "You're Princess Posey! But I..."

"I snuck into the dance rehearsals. No one seemed to recognize me in these clothes." Posey chuckled, spinning around in her lilac dress. "I hope you're not angry with me. I was hoping to surprise a lucky girl tonight."

"Well, I'm certainly surprised!" Victoria said, her eyes switching between Posey and Edward. The siblings only laughed at her.

"Pardon my sister, miss," Edward said with a smile. "She is prone to trickery. When she told me she wanted to dress like a commoner and come to the ball, well...I hardly believed her."

"It worked!" Posey clapped her hands like a child. "She didn't recognize me."

Victoria felt silly, but the siblings' banter made her feel a bit better. She wasn't as embarrassed, but felt as if she was hanging around a group of kids who had known each other for years. She was lost when it came to their inside jokes and back and forth comments.

"Tell me, what is your name?" Edward asked Victoria as Posey wandered off to socialize and dance.

"Victoria, your majesty." She began to curtsy, but stopped when she noticed how peeved the prince looked.

"None of that. Care to join me on the balcony?" Edward gestured to a set of red curtains, which must've led to the balcony he was referring to. Victoria nodded, before holding on to the prince's arm and following his lead.

She could hardly believe what had just happened. First, Princess Posey was disguising herself as a commoner, and then Victoria was running into the prince himself, even when she promised herself that she wouldn't talk or even think about the royals. And now, here she was, spending some alone time with Prince Edward. She couldn't imagine what her mother would think.

"You're from town, I assume?" Edward asked, leaning over the iron bars that lined the edge of the balcony. "I heard a few young ladies had been invited."

"Yes," Victoria replied. "I live with my parents and brothers and sisters in town. I was invited a few weeks ago."

"Aren't you lucky?" Edward asked, looking down at her. He grabbed her chin with two fingers, tilting her head back so she would look at him. "I'm glad you're here."

Victoria blushed. Back in the ballroom, she could hear the orchestra starting to play music for a waltz. Before she knew what was happening, Edward was placing his hands on her waist and leading her around the balcony. When the dance came to an end, the two stood at the center of the balcony, wrapped in each other's arms. Edward tilted her head back again and kissed her on the lips. Victoria couldn't process the action, but joined in anyway. In that moment, Edward wasn't the prince; he was just another person she had met at the ball.

And on her way home, in the carriage, Victoria couldn't help but touch her lips with the pads of her fingers and blush.