The celebration

All the palace servants were busy all over the palace, and Miel helped by Elise and Anna was tending to Eleanor who was already tired from the preparation that began since morning.

"There, it is perfect!" Said Miel with an excited tone then Elise followed her and said,

"Waaaaaa you are so beautiful my lady."

"Yes no one will be better that you, you can trust us." Said Anna with a proud expression.

Meanwhile, Francis was sleeping in his room. He returned in the afternoon and after taking a bath, he fell in his bed. After a while, Sebastian intruded in his room in a hurry and said,

"Please wake up you majesty the celebration already began."

"....humm leave me alone for a bit longer."

"No, we can't, you have to prepare...."

"Sigh! Always nagging...okay I am up."

"Then I will call for the butler so be sure to be ready in ten minutes please."

Sebastian left the room and Francis went to wash his face. The butler helped and he quickly got ready for the party. He looked at the mirror, adjusted his tie and left his room.

Eleanor was nervious but after looking at herself in the mirror she was happy to feel so pretty, she thought, 'I wonder if it is okay to go to his party, I didn't see him since that day....and I don't want to see him but I have to talk to him.'

The maid opened the door to Alphonse who waiting for Eleanor and he stood by the door without saying anything for about five minut before coming to his sence and said,

"Forgive me Lea, for my lack of manner. It is just.....you were so marvelous that I didn't react for a moment."

"Ah....It is okay, and thank you Al."

"Then, shall we go? my princess."

She blushed and nodded without saying anything and they left to the party. As soon as they stepped in the party hall, Eleanor was stunned at the sight. The hall was really big and well decorated, all the nobles were prettily dressed and she didn't know why all the eyes were following them. 'Ah it is so embarrassing to have their eyes on us maybe I look weird after all.' She thought, but Alphonse sensed her worry and holded her hand. She looked at him and saw a smile and then relieved she looked up ahead dignified and elegant. Francis was talking to nobles that were all trying to gain his favor since the last incident they hear, they were all scared but didn't want to be on his bad side. He was getting annoyed by their incessant empty praise and ignored them to look at the place were there was a commotion. He went there to see what was going on and saw a beautiful woman in a sky blue dress that was shining and as you looked at the bottom of the dress you could see it becoming dark blue and looked like a night starry sky. He was bewitched by her in the instant he looked at her, but after he saw her escort he got irritated and went toward them.

"So you are the one making all this fuss at my birthday party."

"Hey there we were looking for you congratulation dear brother on your birthday."

"Yes yes I don't need that, where is my birthday present? he said while looking at her at the corner of his eyes.

"Well I think that I already gave you your present in advance, do you want me to remind it to you."

"tch....you are so stingy"

"How could you your majesty, I worked day and night for that. I am so hurt..."

"Yeah, I owe you one for that Al, you did great but stop playing around now will you..."

"Heh! Always so serious."

While they were talking Eleanor didn't look Francis in the eyes, she tried but couldn't. 'I feel angry and ashamed at the thought that he could be my one and only beloved person. Now I can't even look at him to at least congratulate him.' She thought and then she took a breath and said without looking at him,

"Hello your majesty, I congratulate you for your birthday.....and wish you healthy and

happiness."

"....humm thanks, the dress look good."

"You mean the one wearing it....as always you are not honest." replied Alphone as he laughed at Francis's behavior. He saw that Francis didn't leave his gaze from Eleanor and that expressed a lot of things.

"Stop spewing nonsense Alphonse, and come with me there are people we have to see."

"You can do that yourself, I will come later the party just began after all" replied Alphonse to Francis and then turned toward Eleanor and continued,

"May I have the pleasure to dance with you my lady."

"Yes, of course sir." She said as she still avoided Francis's intense gaze 'What does he want, if he want to say something he could just say it.' Deep down Eleanor wanted to face him and talk to him, and she wanted him to apologize for his constant behavior but at the same time she didn't want to have anything to do with him.

She danced with Alphonse and they looked so good together that as Francis was looking at them he hear the nobles gossip about them "they are so beautiful together, it is a shame to lose a person like the duke for another, but we must admit they look perfect for each other", "Oh my I thought so too."

He clenched the glass of wine he was drinking and went toward the terrace.

"Lea, come and try the delicious food, you seem to not have eat much since now."

"Yeah I was nervious since it is my first time being in a party."

"It is okay, my first party was a desaster to me too haha, I disappeared just after the party began."

"Hehe! you don't look like the kind of person who get nervious."

"It happen often, I am human after all."

Alphonse went to greet some of his friend and Eleanor quietly ate the food and chatted with the ladies that were curious about her. The party was going smootly and she became tired of all the man who wanted to dance with her. So, she went toward the terrace to get some fresh air.

When she came in the terrace she saw Val, Sebastian and Francis talking happily, then Eleanor spotted a woman in Francis's arms, she was beautiful with black long hair and red eyes. Francis saw Eleanor and deliberately took the woman's chin and gave her a kiss, by the corner of his eyes he saw Eleanor's reaction of surprise. She left the terrace in a hurry without turning back. He wanted to show her that he did it with anyone, 'Now she must understand that what I did to her didn't mean anything since she think of another man while been with me...but, why does it hurt me instead...' he thought as he pushed the woman away. Her name was Louis, she was in love with Francis since childhood, so after getting a kiss from him she thought that he was reciprocating her feeling, she said,

"Francis I am so happy to finally have your love,.....I want more." She wrapped her arms around his shoulder and tried to kiss him, but Francis who was still looking toward where Eleanor left pushed her back without seing the hurt face of Louis and followed Eleanor.