In the month after the ceremony, the families of debutantes held balls to celebrate the occasion. Annalise, being important, was the first one to have hers. She originally hadn’t wanted to invite Catherine, but I convinced her otherwise. We were going to have our first battle sooner or later, and I would much rather have it on my playing field.

“Don’t let them say anything about the prince, focus on what a disgrace Catherine was, or maybe don’t talk about her at all. Don’t go all in yet, we don’t want people to think we’re judging her too harshly, and we need more evidence to drag her through the mud completely. Compliment Lady Bryant, not forgetting my contribution, obviously. And of course, talk about how well Annalise did in comparison. It’s like the swan and the ugly duckling!”

That had been yesterday, at the tea party we held for Annalise after her debutante, where she had spilled everything that had happened. The war council made up of us and our friends, but mainly me, had decided on this course of action, to be carried out immediately.

As such, I went to the ball full of the excitement of a hunter seeing a particularly intriguing target for the first time.

“Prince Oscar Stoneshire and Lady Valentina Avington have arrived!”

We stood on the interior balcony overlooking the ballroom, all the guests bowing and curtseying below us in greeting. The mesmerizing power this feeling held never failed to send a thrill through me, an addicting drug I would do anything to keep taking, and what I was ultimately after.

I held my fiance’s arm, sure that we looked like the perfect couple. I was the lovely future queen, beautiful in my dark red dress, luxurious jewellry, and flawless hair and makeup. He was the handsome crown prince, coldly gorgeous and dressed fittingly. I smiled as we descended the staircase, glancing over the crowd and searching for a face. I failed at the moment.

“Thank you, Your Highness and Lady Valentina, for gracing my humble ball with your presence.”

Annalise curtseyed in front of us, pretty and proper. I admired her self-control, for just yesterday she had been talking about strangling him. Oscar replied stoically, as usual.

“Please rise. Good evening, Lady Annalise, and you’re very welcome.”

“It’s a pleasure to be here. Congratulations on your debutante, Lady Annalise.”

Annalise thanked the both of us, and the greetings were soon over. Shortly, the music played, and the ball began.

Other than entertainment, the real purpose of balls was courtship and marriage. Ladies and gentlemen flaunted their dancing, meeting and conversing with possible partners. As for a betrothed couple like us, we were supposed to get to know each other better. We didn’t do that.

Assuredly, the crown prince was excellent at dancing, and so was I. We were the picture of sophistication and pure aristocracy, elegantly twirling around the dance floor, like the figurines of a music box Father had given me so long ago. I found the activity in itself enjoyable and fun, but my partner was a different matter, outside of his face, which was always nice to look at.

“I like this song.”

“That’s good.”

We were in each other’s arms, hand in hand, so close yet so far. I had given up expecting conversation many balls ago, but I still tried most of the time. Today, I was too focused on thinking about Catherine, so I didn’t bother. He didn’t complain, but I thought he looked at me rather curiously, though that might have just been my desperate imagination.

I showed off my dancing, making the best of this situation, so terribly lacking in romance. Our close proximity alone had ceased to be enough to interest me long ago, and I instead continued my surveillance for Catherine.

Across the room, I saw a girl that matched her description dancing with a boy I didn’t recognize, though it was too far for me to be sure. It was worth a shot, so I tracked her with my gaze. As the dance came to an end, she and her partner headed out the ballroom, likely to the refreshment room. I took Oscar’s arm.

“Will you escort me to the refreshment room?”

“Certainly.”

Normally, Oscar was the one who retreated to the refreshment room after one dance, while I kept dancing most of the night, and we didn’t see each other again until the ball was over and he escorted me home. If he found this unusual, I didn’t notice.

I lost sight of the couple until we reached the refreshment room, where I found them sitting in a corner, facing away from me. The girl turned her head, and stared right at my fiance. When I saw those large, sparkling, emerald eyes, I knew.

Unmistakably, she was Catherine Bryant, the one and only female lead. It had begun.

But first, I needed to get Oscar out of the way. He was looking right back at her like he was in a haunted trance, mesmerized, typical of a male lead. I couldn’t say I wasn’t disappointed, that I hadn’t held onto some delusional hope that he wouldn’t care for her at all, but regardless, I had a plan.

Slyly, I gestured to Delilah, who was also in the room for this exact purpose, to parade past us with a group of foreign ladies.

“Oscar, have you met these lovely young ladies from Flaesia? Their parents are ambassadors. Come, let’s greet them.”

“Huh? Ah, all right.”

The prince, out of pure politeness’s sake, tore his eyes away from his destined love. I kept myself from smirking as the entourage surrounded him.

“Lady Delilah is very familiar with them, so I’ll let her introduce you. You should get to know them, for diplomacy’s sake.”

Before he could react, the ladies bursted into greetings, and I was gone, forcing myself to not laugh. I trusted Delilah to keep him occupied, and the fact that no other lady could possibly pose a threat to me except the female lead, so I could rest easy throwing them in his way.

It seemed like she had wanted to meet the prince, for she and her companion were coming towards me. Oddly, I observed that her partner was my brother’s best friend. It didn’t change anything, so I smiled my best and sweetest and received them readily.

“Good evening, Lord Kyle. And who might this be?”

- - -

Catherine rubbed her eyes. She had barely been able to sleep the night before her first ball. She wasn’t very good at dancing yet, something that constantly upsetted Uncle. Father had also thought that she didn’t look good enough at her debutante, and had a fight with Lady Bryant. She felt horribly guilty about it, but couldn’t do anything, since she didn’t want to upset anyone.

In the end, Father had hired new stylists and dressmakers. Catherine thought the new ones made things as beautiful as the ones at the debutante, but as long as Father and Uncle were happy, it was fine.

At the ball, everything was so splendid. People were all dressed prettily, talking to each other and laughing happily. She tried to approach a group of girls she had seen at the debutante.

“Um, hello!”

“Oh, hello. Aren’t you Lady Catherine, that baron’s daughter?”

“Yes! Nice to meet you!”

“Mhm. Anyways, wasn’t Lady Annalise absolutely magnificent?”

Catherine tried to talk, but she didn’t know half of what they were discussing. It seemed like some of the ladies couldn’t quite hear her when she did try, but she didn’t want to raise her voice since that might be rude.

Suddenly, everyone curseyed. Catherine scrambled to follow, almost tripping over her dress. She snuck a glance to see what was going on.

Prince Oscar was walking down the staircase, and on his arm was the most beautiful girl Catherine had ever seen. Lady Valentina Avington, that was her name, and she was a perfect match for the handsome prince. Every step she took was dazzling, and Catherine gasped with admiration. How could someone so breathtaking exist?

Before Catherine could recover, the ball was already starting. She looked around, panicking without a partner.

“Could you be Lady Catherine Bryant?”

Catherine swirled around to see a young man a few years older than her. He looked kind.

“I am! What’s your name?”

“I’m Lord Kyle Whittle, and I would like to ask you for this dance.”

“I would love to! Thank you so much!”

Catherine smiled, relieved. If she couldn’t even find a partner for one dance, what would Uncle say? She didn’t want to know.

Almost immediately, she stepped on Lord Kyle’s foot.

“I’m so sorry! I’m really clumsy!”

“Don’t worry about it, I’m not very good at dancing either. I don’t go to balls often, in fact.”

“Eh? But you’re not stepping on my toes!”

Lord Kyle chuckled. Catherine couldn’t truthfully say she was interested in her partner, because Father had given her a specific goal, but Uncle had also taught her to always be good to everyone. She attempted to do both at once, surveying the ballroom for the prince that would one day be her husband and trying her best not to step on her partner’s foot again, which she failed at repeatedly and he was too kind to mention with her constant apologies.

“Actually, I’m here today for a friend. His sister thinks he plays around too much, so he’s promised not to attend any debutante balls. But he got curious, thinking that you sounded intriguing, so he sent me.”

“Sorry! For stepping on you again, and for disappointing. I’m not very interesting.”

“That’s fine, he’ll be over it, and anyhow you’re probably better off not knowing him.”

“Huh? Why?”

“He’s… let’s just say he’s not very gentle with hearts. If you hear Damian Avington coming, run away.”

“Avington? Like Lady Valentina Avington?”

“Oh, yeah, she’s his sister, and the only one he listens to. Makes me jealous.”

Lord Kyle began chattering about his work as a mage, complaining about his friend. Catherine replied politely, paying attention whenever she could. She searched the room for her real target… there!

Prince Oscar and Lady Valentina danced like a fairytale come to life. They looked so right together, like they were made for each other, so romantic and blissfully happy. It was fantastic and magical and wonderful.

“Do you want to go to the refreshment room when this is done? They have good food here.”

“Ooo, yes!”

Father had told her to try and talk to the prince, so she wanted to keep tracking him, but she was afraid to leave the only person willing to dance with her so far. Besides, Lord Kyle knew Damian Avington, who was the brother of Lady Valentina Avington, who was dancing with Prince Oscar. Maybe he could introduce her!

At the refreshment room, Catherine turned her head when she heard a sudden increase in conversation. Prince Oscar and Lady Valentina had entered, and being so close to such beauty made her forget to breathe for a second. Then, she met his eyes.

It happened again, that irresistible yet terrifying appeal. Catherine wanted to run from his freezing atmosphere, but Father’s command made her stay. She stood up and forced herself to go to him, Lord Kyle following behind her. But before she reached him, he was swept away in a crowd, and she was left staring at the equally terrifyingly beautiful Lady Valentina.

“Good evening, Lord Kyle. And who might this be?”

Her voice was so charming and sweet, Catherine felt instantly that she must be a very nice person. Catherine smiled brightly, wanting to make a good impression, and maybe they could be friends! She hadn’t had one in a long time, so she would really like that.

“I’m Lady Catherine Bryant! Nice to meet you!”