Way down

The evening ball at the palace was Ariana's debut in social life. That's why the marchioness made sure her little daughter caught everyone's attention with her beauty.

Ariana wore a violet evening dress sewn with a sun-yellow petticoat and silver threads. Her hair was baked into girl waves and adorned with a silver headdress.

When Marcus saw him at the entrance for a moment he forgot to take a breath. It was their first dance together, to make the engagement official for the aristocratic world.

The red-haired, green-eyed boy was only half a year older than Ariana, yet one head taller. Luckily, they had a chance to practice, so the opening dance ended successfully.

The nobles of that age immediately surrounded the special newcomer, who had already had great success at the ceremony from day one.

The Vanderberg family returned home satisfied with the closing ball, and lay down to sleep with positive experiences. However, the next morning a series of unexpected events began.

"Sir, the Grosterning family has sent you a letter."

The butler handed a letter to the head of the family at breakfast.

"They must want more events together, since the kids looked so nice at the party yesterday!"

The marquis sipped happily into the tea.

"This…"

The father paled as he read the contents of the letter.

"What's wrong, Father?"

Ariana asked.

"The Grosternings… want to annul the marriage."

"How?"

"But why?"

She asked indignantly from the marquis.

"I don't know, it wasn't described."

"We need to talk to them!"

Ariana stood up to go for her horse.

"My little girl! I'll take care of this. "

Her father took her hand.

"Ah… okay."

Ariana sat back politely and continued breakfast in silence.

She spent the morning in her room waiting for her father's arrival with the developments.

"I don't understand what happened, because yesterday everything was so perfect. It is clear that Marcus likes me… it was written on his face, and there is no better catch in the country than me… I mean a more prestigious maiden is no more, just the fatty Lucrecia, but no one would take her… Penelope is a harpy… plus a princess here or there, our family is one of the wealthiest in the country. So what went wrong? Maybe I made a mistake? "

Then she heard the carriage return. She immediately ran down the stairs, leaving the butler behind, she opened the door for his father.

"What did they say?"

"Let's go to the study."

The marquis did pass by her not very cheerfully. From this, Ariana suspected that he had failed to dissuade the Grosterning family from the annulment.

"They got a better offer right after the ball."

"But there's no one better than me!"

"I know my treasure… not in this country…"

"Then?"

"But unfortunately there is in the neighboring kingdom."

"Is this a joke now?"

"Don't worry, the humiliation you had to suffer will be paid dearly. I told that arrogant Franco, I will sue him! "

Of course, Ariana was not interested in the humiliating situation, only hoping that the king would not try to make her to the prince using this situation.

'After all… 1 week and the army will leave, they can't get help from Dad anymore… He can no longer benefit from me. He seemed to understand last time that I didn't want to be the bride. '

The king made no offer of marriage to the Vanderbergs, but no one else either.

It had been two years, since no one wanted to tear off one of the most beautiful flower in the kingdom. Although the marquis sent offers to several promising husband candidates, all of them were rejected.

The most peculiar of the situation was that, at the balls Ariana was handed down hand by the dance partners, everyone wanted her as she was smart, beautiful and charming.

"What? What's wrong? Why doesn't anyone need me ?! "

Ariana cut a vase to the ground in rage when she heard that even a nameless baron had also rejected her father's offer of marriage.

"Calm down, sweetie!"

The marchioness hugged her.

But she couldn't calm down because she was ranning out of time.

'Jerome can return home from the victorious war at any moment… the king will fulfill any wish of his as a war hero… If I don't marry within two years… I avoided early engagement with him… but if it goes on like this…'

She dreaded from the thought of her ending up in the prince's arms.