The Lantern Festival (Part 6)

There was silence inside the room as each of us were assessing and processing what just happened. It took a few moments to gather ourselves and our thoughts together and I opted to be the first to break the silence.

"I'm sorry Chase, I ruined your plan today. I'm truly sorry." I spoke with sincerity.

"It's not your fault. . .Chris. . Ah uhm. . . your majesty..?" Chase was testing the waters.

"Oh no, no, no. . .you can call me Christie just plain old Christie. . That goes for you too Anthony." I tell them both.

Chase scratches his head while Anthony moved his head to the side like a questioning gesture. I guess he wasn't too keen on my request.

"I want us to stay good friends. I came here without the premise of my ruined family's title so I don't want it to define me now and change how you see me."

"But whatever you do you will always and forever be royalty whether you like it or not." Anthony points out. "I swear that I will always support and protect you." Anthony takes my hand and kisses it. "I will not make the same mistake again. . . You almost died because of my weakness but I swear from now on that I will get stronger and always protect you."

"Ahem!" Henry snaps Anthony out of his trans. "I must say that I appreciate the sentiment old buddy but. . .I will protect my own girl, thank you. . "

Henry's words made me blush. There is just something sexy and attractive about him being this arrogantly possessive about me though I am not saying that all women should look for possessive partners. I still think that we all have our choice of whom we love but ladies don't have to have possessive partners to find that they are wanted oh no, not all men are the same. There is a thin line between what is healthy and unhealthy traits of being possessive. My Nana always said that men will either objectify me, use me for my title or place me under the lines of a damsel but she has raised me to be a strong woman. So that I can decide, think and do things for myself.

"Boys, boys, boys. . . I really appreciate that you both want to protect me but I can protect myself. But I also recognize that there is strength in numbers that is why should the moment arrives that I am in dire need of help I shall not hesitate to ask from you lot. Is that now clear to everyone?"

"Wait!? What if Amelia spills the beans on you? Won't you be in trouble. If my short lived relationship with her has taught me anything, it's that Amelia may be sweet but she hates losing. She's bound to have something up her sleeve." Chase warns me.

"Trust me she won't tell on Christie. . She's too vain and proud to lose all her popularity now because she revealed the real heir to the throne is alive. But she might try something. . .that is guaranteed, like Chase said it's in her nature." Anthony seem to make a sound deduction.

"I hate to break this chitchat but I think it best that we wait for Amelia's next move before we worry about it and then we can make a counter attack based on her next move." Henry tells everyone. "I would like to think that I still hold power over her granted that she wants to make it into my father's good graces. So we needn't worry for now." Henry's resolution seem to calm me and convince the others as well.

"Spoken like a true politician's son . . Eh Henry. . . " Chase teases Henry.

"I see you can joke around now, I trust that you're okay?" Henry asks Chase.

"Yup, I'm a little bit good buddy. Thanks for worrying. I kind of came here with the expectation of rekindling what little love she has left for me but I guess there was no fire to rekindle to begin with. I never believed that people could really fall out of love but I think there is a first for everything. I loved her like the moon loves the sun but that was the mistake because no matter how romantic it sounds the sun and the moon would never meet in the sky so I think I doomed us by building our relationship from something so unreal. Still, I am thankful for all the stolen moments we ever had even if it only existed in the shadow and within the dark."

Chase's sudden maturity was shocking to me since he always plays the fool, the jester of the troupe but he is speaking from a mature yet broken heart. His friends didn't react the way I did. Maybe because they always knew this side of Chase to begin with.

"Well then, we best be on our way since you lot still have a practice to attend to." Henry urges everyone.

Henry pulled me by my waist and said, "I'll see you later." He then kisses my cheek which hurls me down the road of embarrassment as Chase and Anthony were clearly looking at us.

"Henry. . . " I gently hit his chest but he trapped my hand there with his hand and winked at me. This guy is really something. As if to silently declare his claim on me he does these things which has now resulted in both Anthony and Chase looking away from Henry and I.

Henry left due to some previous engagements he had. He has been notoriously busy these days because of his father's campaign. The three of us however proceed to the studio for our dance rehearsal before the practice in the private theater. I am a little nervous because I don't know if it was a good idea to go do that to Amelia. I mean expose myself to her like that then again she has no proof nor do I except the blood in my veins and my entire being that I am royalty. I just hope she doesn't do anything rash.

The atmosphere within the studio was just so intense, we are really feeling the pressure of the upcoming performance add to that the usual mood maker Chase is down in the dumps right now. I wonder how things could turn around for us. We only have a few days to go and we suddenly have to do all the choreography with me as the substitute lead. I know this must be eating the senior dancers right now. I cautiously warm up along with Anthony. He sees my worried face and tries to comfort me.

"Hey, your maj. relax we will do great trust Chase when it comes to the dance and I know you will do great." Anthony's version of comforting words.

"Maj.? What is that?" I ask

"Yeah, uhm. . .short for 'majesty' since I can't call you that with everyone might accidentally hear me plus I feel a bit uncomfortable calling you just by your name hehehe. . ." Anthony sheepishly admitted.

"You're silly, alright you can do that but don't wear it down too much okay? I don't want us to be so distant because of that." I reassure him.

Instead of answering me he just gestured to invisibly zipping his lips and then he made a cute okay sign and put it on his right eye then shrugged his shoulders up and down then pouted like a child. I laugh at his try hard cute gestures. He was trying so hard to cheer me up and he did, making everyone else look at me and him laughing they saw his face and some of the seniors were stifling a laugh because of Anthony's childish antics but just as quickly as they were about to laugh they guised their fleeting joy with stoic faces once again remembering that I took something away from them. I took away their opportunity to take the lead role. It goes to show that drama is not only on the stage but off it as well.

We gear up one by one and proceed to the normal routine of our practice only instead of me and Anthony dancing together its now Chase and I leading everyone. The practice went well if I say so myself but we can still polish things a bit more.

"Well, well, that was a good start." Mr. Michael stated. "Although , this is the first time your paired up with Chase, you managed to gel together unexpectedly well. Okay then, everyone to the private theatre we go for the practice with the Graceland Orchestra. We will only have them for until this afternoon because they also have their own performance to practice for." He added.

One by one we all tidied our things and proceeded to the private theatre. If I thought Anthony was such a hovering mother hen before now he is irritatingly more clingy and protective. He would walk just behind me remembering that only royals of equal rank can walk side by side as an ancient traditional rule would state, but when any member of the GABC is about to pass me by or might bump into me he immediately cuts them off. He would not let any of them near me in the slightest. He was way too obvious and a tad bit overboard with his gesture so I had to tell him off a bit.

"You know I'm not made of fine china right? So I won't break with the slightest bump from the members?" I told him rather irritated with what he was doing.

"I know, you are your maj. You can call it a desperate act by a fanatic but I just feel that people shouldn't be allowed to bump into you so easily." He retorted.

"It's not a crime, you know." I roll my eyes at him

Anthony's mouth was agape when he saw me roll my eyes at him. "Well it should be." He tried to hide his amusement.

"Whatever! But if you keep doing that, no one will ever want to get close to me. I don't want them to hate me any further than they do now and with you acting like that they might just hate me more. I hope you understand." I tried to sincerely explain what I really thought of what Anthony was doing.

"Okay, I understand very well your maj. but allow me to watch over you like a knight should to his princess."

"If you really must then do it subtly, please. . ." I pleaded.

"As you wish." He amicably agreed as we all peacefully headed to the private theatre.

There in the hall of the private theatre, we can all feel the immensity of what we were about to do. Add to that the Graceland Orchestra poised in their box and awaiting us. Everything is so sureal. Can this be real? Me finally stepping out of the shadows and dancing as the lead? This must be a dream.