The Ball

Ball day arrived and Mia was a nervous wreck. At least the Grand Duke didn't continue visiting after handing over the invitation, giving her a few days to breathe easy.

“Oh, Mia! It's terrible!" Lily said, walking out of her room with a towel on her head.

“What happened, my dear?” Mia asked, looking at the towel. "Lily..."

"It was an accident!" Lily said and her eyes glistened with the tears she was trying to hold back. For Lily to cry over something related to her appearance meant that whatever had happened, was serious.

"Let me take a look at that." Mia asked, taking a step forward, but Lily shook her head tearfully and walked away.

“I can't go to the Ball looking like this! can't!" She ran into hert room and locked herself in there. Mia took a deep breath.

She stopped in front of Lily's door, raised her hand, took another breath, and knocked twice.

“Lily, my love, let me see it. Maybe it can be fixed!”

"No!" was Lily's rude reply.

“Lily Chapman, open that door right now!” Mia commanded, hands on her hips.

“Please Mia… let me stay here!”

Mia pinched the bridge of her thin nose with her index finger and thumb.

"Okay, I'll ask the coachman to go to sleep."

"What you mean?" Lily yelled from inside the room.

“What do I mean, Lily? If you won't go, I don't have any business to attend to at this ball."

“You need to represent us! The Grand Duke came here personally to invite our family! It would be a terrible offense, sister.”

Mia rolled her eyes. Yes, it would indeed.

“The gentlemen will be very disappointed. They just see me as society's diamond sister. They see me and they know you're around.”

"I do not agree! Now, finish getting ready and go pretty for both of us!”

Mia sensed there was something wrong there, but she nodded when the clock registered that she was already late.

Mia's dress was gorgeous, beige with gold accents. The V-neckline, coming off the shoulders, with the slim waist well defined in a beautiful bodice and the silk skirt, with small glitter stones, shimmering the lights around it.

When Mia got out of the carriage, everyone around stopped talking to appreciate her beauty.

Radna was on the balcony of the Royal Hall on the second floor, watching the carriages. He wanted to see when Lily would arrive. He needed to have an heir with her as soon as possible. No, he had nothing to do with the Kingdom or the crown. He didn't want to be king. He just wanted to be free.

As the Chapmans' carriage pulled up, Radna felt his throat go dry. However, the first person he thought of wasn't Lily, but Mia.

The carriage door opened and a delicate hand, wearing white gloves trimmed in gold, appeared. She took the coachman's hand and he knew it was Mia, for her hair was brown, almost reddish, unlike her sister's blond locks.

The sight of Mia made his heart beat faster. He followed Mia with his gaze until she disappeared from sight below him. Only then did he remember Lily, but when he looked at where the carriage had been, there was only an empty space. Mia Chapman went to the Ball alone. He growled under his breath and backed away from the railing, down the stairs, furious.

The hall was filled with people, dressed in expensive silks and fabrics, jewels covering the ladies' necks, wrists, hair and ears. All were impeccably groomed.

The place was huge, with enough space so that, even though it was full of nobles, there was no crowd and no tightness for people to walk. The decor was all red, gold and yellow, the colors of the kingdom.

Mia was surrounded by men wanting to talk to her and that made Radna even angrier. He approached and the other men made room for him.

"Your Majesty." Mia greeted him with a bow.

"Miss Chapman, it's an honor to welcome you." He said, but even though the others could only hear the warmth in his voice, Mia could make out irritation. She looked up at him, looked into those eyes that were distinct from each other, and saw the most obvious question: Where is Lily?

“The honor is all mine to have received an invitation from Your Majesty. And I must first apologize for my sister's absence. She was feeling unwell to attend the ball, but she insisted that I come so as not to offend you.” Mia explained, ducking her head.

“I wish her a fast recovery, then.” He said, and smiled falsely. Mia knew he was being fake.

Mia talked to a few Lords and when the King entered, they all bowed. The King and Queen opened the ball, and Mia walked away from the crowd. She didn't want to dance. In fact, she wanted to leave.

In order to get rid of all those people, Mia tried to dodge away from there, however, she ended up bumping into the person she least wanted to see: Radna.

“Pardon, Your Majesty.” She said and lowered her head. Then, in front of her face, an outstretched hand. She looked at the handsome dark-haired man.

"Grant me this dance, Miss Chapman."

"Oh, I don't..." She started to refuse, but he raised an eyebrow and she looked around. Gossipers were paying attention. Refusing to dance with a royal would be disastrous for the Chapman family's reputation. Mia took a deep breath and smiled. “Of course, Your Majesty. It is an honor."

The two went to the middle of the room and Radna couldn't help but notice how translucent her skin was, so beautiful. Her lips felt soft and he felt like he needed to taste them. Her eyes were looking down and her long eyelashes were perfect. She looked up at him and her amber eyes like melted gold.. it was like he had to lick all of her.

‘Concentrate, Radna!” He scolded himself. 'She's not the sister you want!'

“Miss Chapman, tell me, what is the real reason your sister hasn’t come?”

Mia knew he would ask about Lily. That was so irritating!

"Apparently, some mishap with her hair." Mia said and he looked at her in disbelief.

“Would you mind being more specific, please?”

"I'm afraid I can't be more specific than that, Your Majesty." Mia said, before Radna spun her around and then put a hand on her waist. This time, he pulled her a little closer to him, in order to speak more in her ear. Mia could feel the heat of his body and she swallowed hard. But Radna was also shaken by their proximity. 

"Don't even think about cheating, my dear." His voice penetrated Mia in a way that made her heart skip a beat.

"I..." She cleared her throat. “I'm not cheating. Lily wouldn't let me see her hair, but she was crying."

“So why did you come?” He asked. “You know that my invitation was extended to you only as a courtesy.”

Those rude words hurt Mia more than she cared to admit.

'Royal Education!' she thought, scornfully.

“Lily insisted. Said it would be an offense after Your Majesty has been so kind to invite us in person.”

“Oh, I see. Since it was Lily's decision, I will forgive you this time." He said softly.

The music finally ended and Mia walked away from him, curtsying and exiting the room.

She breathed in the night air, trying to calm her heart.

'Damn you, you bloody cursed man!' she cussed the Grand Duke, or rather The Devil.

"I know I'm cursed." The devil spaidand Mia jumped, looking around, her hand on her chest. Radna couldn't help but look at her hand, just above her cleavage. Mia had a much larger bust than Lily. In fact, he couldn't even remember Lily very well...

"It's not polite to invade other people's thoughts." She said, turning her back to him.

"And it's also not polite to meddle in other people's affairs."

"Why..." She turned to him. "What you mean?"

"I know you convinced Lily not to come."

"This is not true!" Mia defended herself. Radna took another step forward and she went backwards, hitting the railing and losing her balance. On impulse, he held her and their faces were very close.

He noticed when Mia opened her mouth, leaving a small space between one lip and the other.

'Enough space for my tongue to pass through and taste the inside of her mouth.'

Mia sighed and placed her hands on his chest, pushing him away. Something that bothered Radna.

He was used to having the woman he wanted if he just charmed her. At least the woman would show sympathy for him. But not Mia Chapman!

"I... I'm leaving, Your Majesty." She said and he nodded in agreement.

"Great. I came here just to suggest this. Without Lily, you have no business here.”

“Oh, excuse me.” A man slightly shorter than Radna stood behind him and looked at Mia. “Miss Chapman, I was looking for you.”

"For me?" she asked worriedly.

"Yes. Would you do me the honor of this dance?” He asked. “I am Ewald Gallahan, Marquis of Graiko, at your service.”

"Unfortunately Miss Chapman is on her way out." Radna said, "She just said goodbye to me."

"Oh..." Ewald said, looking sadly at Mia. "Miss Chapman, would you mind if I visited you tomorrow?"

Radna clenched his fists angrily.

"Oh, sure, My Lord." She said and bowed. “I'm on my way out now. Excuse me."

"I’ll accompany you."

"Oh, that's very kind of you." Mia said and turned to Radna, surprising herself with the death glare he was giving The Marquis. “Good night, Your Majesty.”

"Goodnight!" He said through clenched teeth and watched as Mia retreated into the Marquis' arms.

Mia figured that the Marquis wanted to visit on behalf of Lily and that's why the Grand Duke was so angry.

Upon arriving home, Mia walked into the living room and her eyes lit up.

“Lily Chapman!”