2. Invitation

The music changed to a lively one. Everyone stands and dance with the beat of drums, it's not a wild party because after all, they are nobles. On a corner of the room, Caelum is with five noble ladies. He didn't ask their names but he can differentiate them by their bosoms'

Caelum smiled and toast with a lady in white dress.

"How's your night, Prince Caelum?", ask the maiden with a flirty tone. She badly wanted to touch this young man but she can't because he's still a prince.

Caelum drink his wine before answering. "I am enjoying. With this crowd and friendly ladies like you, this is beyond perfect.", he said that flattered this young ladies.

"I apologize for my rudeness but I didn't expect that your looks is beyond my imagination.", the other lady said with the blush on her face.

Caelum, then again, smiled.

'I'm tired of this. They look great but not my desire.', Caelum said in his mind and excuse himself from them. The ladies are disappointed but he just ignore it.

He decided to walk towards to his chair but stop when he heard about the name of the nameless princess.

"How can she ignore a royal ball like this? She is a princess yet acts like a queen. What a disgrace!", a girl murmured to the ladies on a round table.

A noble lady raise her mirror and look at her reflection. "Maybe she realize that there's someone beautiful than her.", everyone in the table laugh with grace.

"I heard she never attended any ball their Kingdom received.", the other lady said after the laughter.

"What a shame.", the other commented.

"I never thought our empire will let this impudence."

"Someone like her doesn't deserve this princes."

"Oh, and another thing, they said she is not that a princess."

"What do you mean?"

"What she meant to say is, we are all better than her."

Caelum left in the middle of their merriment. He doesn't really care but he didn't expect that the unknown princess was a topic of the nobles.

'Who is she?', the curiosity is killing him.

He realized that the setting of the rhythm change into romance.

'I need to ask this princesses.'

He walk towards Viola who's talking with a servant.

"This is nice. Thank you.", Viola gave her gratitude for a servant who attend in her needs. She doesn't like wines so she can't just stare at them and apologize in every rejections she says.

The servant smile and bow before leaving. Viola sip on her juice and was startled when he saw that Prince Caelum is right there in front of her.

Caelum felt her shocked. "I apologize, Princess Viola. Did I interrupt something?", he asked politely.

Viola was amazed by the godly image of the prince and forgot to respond. When she realized that the prince is still waiting, she got embarrassed because of her rudeness.

"Oh! I-I apologize. No. No. You didn't interrupt anything.", she said while staring at the prince forehead. She can't look into his eyes and this is a technique she learned from a friend.

Caelum thinks that this princess is too innocent to be his play toys. 'She looks precious.', he said then asked for Viola's hand. "Well then, can I have the honour to dance with you, Princess Viola?", he offered his hand and Viola accept it wholeheartedly.

He guide her in the middle where a bunch of eyes are watching them. The lady knows the proper manner in dancing that makes Caelum enjoy the whole dance.

Viola, on the other hand, is nervous because they aren't even talking and she's anxious about how do she look like.

"Princess Viola, Can I ask something?", Caelum never hesitated to ask.

Viola was scared and prepare a lot of answers in her mind. "Y-Yes."

Caelum look around before he talk. "What do you think about this nameless princess? I mean, everyone is talking about her.", he sound like a nosy prince but his curiousness is killing him.

Viola doesn't expect his question but on the other hand, like everybody else, she's curious. "Mhm... My father told me no one really knows what she looks like. The King of Scarlet Kingdom has a lot of secrets and he said that no one knows if he has a son nor a daughter but one day, when this festival was set on a certain year, their King announced that he have a daughter same age as us. Eighteen.", she paused when she needed to swirl. "Rumours began to arise because of the sudden revelations and because people got curious, Scarlet Kingdom became famous. Travellers, nobles and mercenaries are spreading stories about Princess Leonthera but no one knows the truth. Her name is not in the Royal Book of their land and her face is not on any portrait. Other kingdom thought, she is just an illusion of the King to fool its people, but when everyone saw her carriage earlier, no one— oh! I-I-I apologize. I said too much!", Viola realized how long she's talking which is not a lady's proper manner in the book she read.

Caelum laugh and smile. "Thank you, Princess Viola. What you said are the things I really need to hear. I didn't expect her story to be this messy."

Viola got embarrassed but relieved that the prince doesn't find her annoying. She was too comfortable with this prince that she even forgot to limit her talking.

They continue to dance and talk about how everything is beautiful and complimented each other for their attire. Caelum told her about his Land and so Viola did. While dancing, the prince notice the sudden increase of knights, they looked troubled and looking for something anxiously. As the music stop, Caelum bow and lead the princess on her chair.

Viola was pleased by the prince's gesture. "Thank you, Prince Caelum.", she smiled with faint of embarrassment.

The prince bowed. "My pleasure.", he then, excuse himself.

When Caelum sit down, the ladies are started to come into his way but he's still bothered by the knights who silently patrolling in a middle of an important event. He remembered the servant he flirt with.

'What if they are looking for her?', he asked to himself and got worried that his frivolity could be a death of someone. The prince stand and immediately ask the knights.

"Is everything alright?", he asked casually that startled the armored men. They look at each other before answering his question.

The knights bow before they talk. "Pardon, but you don't have to worry, Prince Caelum.", their head are still lowered.

"Mhmm... You didn't answer my question.", Caelum argued. He may know that something is going on but he needs to know what it is about.

The knights became anxious. "I apologize for disturbing your delight but it is not a serious matter.", the man said with politeness.

Caelum realize that these knights aren't ordinary. 'Well, if it is about the maid, they wouldn't use this high ranking knights.', he conceded. "Sorry for interrupting your patrol. Well, then, I'll excuse myself.", he didn't wait for their response and go back to the ballroom.

He doesn't know what's happening but he was sure that he is bored. When he takes his seat, he noticed the young lady with smooth and milky skin. The maiden is wearing a dress that reveals her shoulder and a little glimpse of bosom. Unexpectedly, she looks at Caelum's direction and their eyes met. The lady smiled and remove her pin, letting her hair down.

Caelum smiled. 'An invitation.'

He stand and walk towards the balcony. The lady knew his intentions, making her follow him. Caelum waited for a minute and felt the excitement he always enjoy.

"Good evening, Prince Caelum.", the lady greeted him with such loveliness.

The prince know what kind of lady she is. The way she give the invitation, understand his intention and dressing, he knew at one glance that she is somehow who wants playing but never bet to the ending.

"I didn't know I could met a lady like you in such event.", Caelum said with amusement.

The lady laugh. "And I didn't know you love this things.", she said casually. He witnessed how the lady closed her Abaniko. As the lady start to approach him, he lean towards her and touch her waist. When their lips are going to touch, the bell on the highest tower rang. A signal that the ball inside the castle is finished. "I'm disappointed.", the lady said with so much sadness on her eyes.

Caelum felt the rage when he realized he was rejected twice. "Any way?", he said that made the lady laugh.

"How about a cabin?", the lady said with a playful smile. Caelum doesn't have an intention to refuse.

"Give me the destination.", he said.

WHEN the ball was over and everyone seems to rest, Caelum decided to sneak out at the back gate. He use his gem to prove his title to the knights. A carriage is waiting for him, like what the maiden plan.

As he arrived in the town, he was delighted by the noisiness and bright atmosphere exuding from the people. Caelum doesn't know that such festival is celebrated with no titles and pure willingness.

He decided to cover himself with a cloak before coming out in the carriage but when he set his foot at the ground, he was pulled and caught off to the dancing crowd. He look at the girl holding his hand, she smiled under her thin veil at the shocked prince and said,

"Move that shit of yours and fucking enjoy."