Welcome Party III

After my cousins entered the hall, everything changed. The men seemed to be all requesting a chance to have a conversation with them. Hazel found herself a Viscount immediately. They seemed to be gross in the discussion. She was lucky.

The way he stared at her showed that he liked her. I opened the curtains wider and noticed that Ember was with a man now. He was not viscount. But I could not tell his status.

His back was all I could see. His arms seemed to have wielded strength. She was happy to have a conversation with him. I have never seen her this happy before. Whoever this man was, I knew he was lucky.

Ember was hard to please. She always wanted which was not hers or not within her reach. I was glad that this time, she chose something better.

From this window, I noticed his Raven hair. It was beautifully tied and brought to the back. The women with him who I suggested were his maids seemed to respect him.

I became interested in this young man. He turned around and his eyes caught my attention. I froze… those green eyes amazed me. They were the same as the ones I had dreamed of. If it was dark, they would glow.

The greenness of his eyes was bright. It made him stand out in the crowd. He was handsome. No wonder, Ember chose him first.

I watched them for some seconds. She was fortunate to get down there. She got the opportunity to interact with them. Being a princess was not pleasing to me at all.

I closed the curtains and leaned against the hall. I deserved happiness for once and I wished father could see that. Why did he allow my sisters down there while I stay locked up here?

I had many thoughts running through my mind. Maybe he had an answer to all these. He always does.

A silly thought came to me and I tried to shrug it off. When I gave it a chance, I saw more reasons to do it.

I called Hope. She came and I opened the curtains. There were maids out there serving. I could be out there in disguise. No one would know that it was me.

"Can we switch?" I asked but she was confused. She had no idea what I was talking about.

I sighed she looked at her "We need to exchange your clothes now."

"But why my lady?"

I want to go down there and see for myself" I said removing my gloves. I turned to hope and smiled "come on, hurry up."

"But my lady, your father requested…" Lyla began but I cut her off. She was scared of my father and I wasn't… at least for now. Wait until I get caught.

"That I stay in my room right?" I finished the line and got up. She nodded. I shook my head and took off my pieces of jewellery. "Unless one of you tell them, my secret will be safe. I will do my best out there not to get caught."

"As you wished my Lady" Hope said. She switched places with me. In less than two minutes, we were done. It was not easy for her to fit in my corset. However, I told her I will back before the agreed time.

Hope sat in the chair like me. She opened the curtains and my eyes behold the green-eyed guest. It would be better for me to hurry up. If anyone finds out that I disobey my father, it won't be funny. He would bring down the castle upon my head.

I opened the door and went down the hallway. The guards stared at me as if I was a intruder. I covered a veil. The only women who covered their faces with veils in the city were the pagans. The women of Akkad who lived before my father began his rule.

I received a culture shock when I learnt what happens on the altar. On the day of one's wedding, the groom would wait for three hours for the bride and when the rites are been performed by the high priest, the blood of a ram would be given to the couple to solemnise their marriage.

The thought of it gave me goosebumps. Who brought such ideas to these people? Why make them sin like this? I would never go through that process. It was not written in my destiny too.

I walked faster as I feared the last door. The guards stayed off. They all thought that I was Hope. It was not easy to walk like her. She was faster than me in that.

I strode down the stairs without getting caught. I thanked my lucky Stars. It was not easy to pass through these doors in disguised. There were so many people. But due to the event, everyone was a little busy. Also, I did my best to impersonate Hope.

The last door which I was going to open would lead me right to where the green-eyed man was. I was eager to see him closer. I wondered what he would do to me as a maid.

Whatever he does to Hope, I believed he would do to me if I become a maid later in life. But it was not possible. I was a princess of the people. Soon, I become the queen of Akkad ruling with my husband.

The thought of the green-eyed man gave me butterflies in my stomach. He was so handsome. I wondered what his voice will be like. What his touch will…

"Do not be stupid, Azrael" I stopped myself from sinning. Quickly, I did a sign of the cross and prayed a little. I touched the handle and my stepmother appeared from nowhere with her questions.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

I froze. She just caught me sneaking into the party. Queen Ivy was the type that does not keep things from her husband. She would tell him about me immediately to prove her innocence. If my father or aunt finds out later that she helped me to do something bad like this, she will be kicked out of the palace.