A Ball {Part 2}

Anastasia stood before the large door and heard the people within the ball room talking in a dull roar. The music would not start until she entered, but she remained hesitant to enter the room. When she did enter there would be stares, and when people stared there was more pressure to be perfect. That feeling of perfection could be suffocating, but she had to continue on. She had to walk towards her people, her court, and perhaps even her future husband.

The doors opened and in an instant the crowd hushed. Anastasia stood on the top stairs of the ballroom, waiting to be announced to her people. The Harold at the top of the stairs cleared his throat before talking so load those in the back could hear.

"Now presenting, her Royal Highness Crowned Queen Anastasia." Silence persisted and was only broken by the shuffling of gowns as the entire room full of people bowed.

Anastasia sighed as she looked out at them. She had plastered on a smile and began her walk down the stairs, carefully counting them and watching to make sure she didn't fall. She looked down and saw that Grand Duke Denton stood at the base of the stair and waited for her to come all the way down.

When she finally had made her descent, she offers her hand to the Grand Duke Denton and he kisses the back it. He then leads her to the middle of the ballroom following the cleared path of people meant just for that purpose.

She scanned the room. One of her sisters, Princess Carletta, stood at the cusp of the crowd surrounding the dance floor. Eager to be dancing as well. When he gaze shifted she saw several of her potential suitors. One or two even had nudged their way to the front presumably to catch her attention.

She had to shift her focus as the Grand Duke stopped in the middle of the ballroom. He brought Queen Anastasia to in front of him and nodded to the orchestra. They played the first note of the melody called "Ode to Karthia." The lyrics, which would remain unsung tonight, had been a poem written many year ago by a prince of Karthia. It was a love story in the writing, and Karthia was the woman to whom the writer was in love. The poem had been found and inspired a composer to write the melody of "Ode to Karthia" and it had been sung and danced to ever since. There was a specific dance that went with "Ode to Karthia" however it was not all that complicated and was more about representing Karthia then anything else.

The Arch Duke danced somewhat stiffly, considerably so when compared to the agility of Anastasia, but the people watching were forgiving. They weren't there to watch him anyhow. It was her, the queen, that had them all of them in awe. Her grace and beauty filled every corner of the room, and the individuals could not help but press closer to each other so that they all could be held in awe of their queen.

The room stayed silent, save for the music, until the finale note was played. A round of applause went up as she bowed and the Arch Duke once more paid their respects to the other. Anastasia and the Arch Duke then bowed to the rest in the ball room and then moved away from the center of the ballroom so that others may take formation for the next dance. It would begin with a fast paced group dance.

A Harold came to the Queen and with a deep bow asked if she wished to dance and if so with whom. She thought for a moment as she surveyed her prospects one last time before deciding on Duke Phillip Vern.

She watched as the Harold scurried away and held her breath until she saw the smile that planted on the Duke's face as he made his way towards her. When he reached her he deeply bowed and took her hand a placed a kiss on the back of it. "Your Highness, would you do me the honor of dancing with me."

"Why of course Duke Vern."

He led her to the dance floor and parted from her, placing a few feet between them. She listened as the women on either side of her giggled at the fortune of having a partner for the first dance of the evening. Meanwhile, Anastasia grimaced as she heard the gossip already begin as people made various statements about Anastasia and Duke Vern.

Anastasia braced herself, for she there would be gossip about every person she danced with, no matter who they were. Anastasia turned her focus back on the Duke when. He gave her a reassuring smile, probably knowing exactly how she felt. He hated being the center of attention even more than she did. However, as a Duke he could escape for a majority of the year as he tended to the lands under him. As Queen, she was never really able to leave the court. Even if she did, she typically came back to things in shambles.

Karthia wasn't big enough to have a second system set up for incase of emergency. It was her or nothing, especially because she did not have a husband or child. Her sister, Princess Bryn was her heir, but she had little interest in ruling. Anastasia didn't blame her.

The music began and Anastasia was able to refocus her thoughts onto the dance and its movements. Although some couples attempted to talk, the Duke and Anastasia simply danced in quiet comfort until the end of the song. They bowed and he came near once more and in a near whisper that sent butterflies into her stomach said, "Thank you for choosing me as your first dance."

They parted as a Harold came scampering up to her once again. He asked who the next dance would go to and she requested that both Third Prince Denton and Lord Henry of Penal would accompany her and Lady Louisa for an upbeat group dance of four. Both men gladly and quickly accepted and soon Anastasia found herself traversing the ballroom four weaving in and out of other individuals.

Although she laughed and smiled towards her companions, there was little feeling with the men that she danced with. Although Lord Henry was a good man who would inherit a dukedom, he had yet to. Prince Denton was rather boring she confessed to herself, and although he made a fine dancing partner she was looking for more than that. Perhaps she was being to picky.

Deciding to take a break after the fast paced songs, she walked over to her designated seat and gladly took the wine offered her. It tasted sweet and eased the parched feeling that was slowly creeping over her. She looked out at her people and smiled as she watched the next dance begin.

She was not alone long as her sister, Princess Bryn, came to her. She bowed, however a bit less lowly as some others might.

"Good evening dearest sister." Bryn donned a wide smile for her sister, who authentically smiled in return. Although the two sisters found most of their time responding to their respective duties, they cared greatly for one another and cherished the other greatly.

"Good Evening. You did a marvelous job with the party." Anastasia responded as the Princess came to stand next to the Queen.

"Thank you. I want only the best for my sister's Courting Season."

"It is your Courting Season as well. You are of age."

"But I am not of the same station. My marriage will change the kingdom to some affect, but yours is it what will make it prosper. Speaking of which. Have any of the men caught you eye."

"No one in particular."

"You and Duke Vern seemed to get along nicely."

"We always have." Anastasia said somewhat dismissively.

"However,"

"However he would hate life as king."

"Have you asked him if he would hate it?

"No."

"Well you might want to. He decided to elect himself after all. That takes guts and must mean something."

"hmm." Anastasia numbly replied.

"What about the Prince."

"Prince Denton does not have enough prospect to justify his boredom."

Bryn laughed as she accepted her own glass of wine. "Not Prince Denton, Prince Taren of Dreterra."

Anastasia stiffened at his name. Although he had made an impressive appearance, his letter still haunted her and had yet to leave her mind even as she danced to the music in the ballroom.

"I do not know enough of Prince Taren's motives to be sure about anything other than distrust."

"Fair enough. However, I might suggest you leave some of your distrust for Marques Pierre. It's a good thing that Daisy does not come out this year or she might make the same mistake as some of our other debutantes. His flamboyancy does not begin and end with you I'm afraid."

"He was of little prospect anyhow."

As a lull in the conversation appeared, the Harold scampered up to Anastasia and did his normal routine asking the same question, "Would you like to join in the next dance."

Before Anastasia could speak, she heard a voice come from behind the Herold.

"She would, and with me." Duke Algear approached the Queen and Princess with a determined look in his eyes. The Harold waited for Anastasia to confirm or deny the Duke, and when she simply nodded her head, he scampered away.

Duke Algear took the Queen's hand and after bowing in introduction stated. "We have much to discuss your highness."