“Cheers!” the guests echoed loudly, promptly taking sips of their drinks.
“Now,” Father continued as he gestured toward me. I had no idea how he managed to pinpoint me and my hiding spot. “As is tradition, Princess Marina has the honor of asking a partner of her choosing to the first dance of the night.”
I inhaled slowly through the nose and tried not to look uncomfortable beneath everyone’s attention. I scanned the room to find someone to dance with. Most of the men here were already taken or too old for my liking. Mother gestured toward Alexander in the most indiscreet of fashions, but I pretended that I didn’t see.
Push come to shove, I could always ask Brandon to dance with me. He was standing by the dessert station, busy at work restocking display trays full of sweet treats. I supposed there weren’t any rules that said I couldn’t ask one of our house attendants. After all, I was the one who got to choose, and as my best friend, he’d probably be willing to do me a solid. I didn’t want to make him uncomfortable, though, and I knew how important running his own station was to him. It was probably best if I didn’t distract him from his work.
Somebody beside me cleared their throat, extending a white-gloved hand toward me. I turned slightly to get a better view. I hadn’t noticed anyone standing there, and now that I had a good look, I had to question if I must have been blind not to see him before. Standing before me was an incredibly handsome man dressed up in a shiny white suit of armor. The material looked surprisingly light, its edges lined with a brilliant teal that brought out the dazzling blue of his eyes. The man’s face was obscured by a masquerade mask—similar in design to the one I was wearing—but his sharp jaw, smooth lips, and the gentleness of his eyes were apparent.
“Princess Marina,” he said, voice as smooth as velvet and thick like honey. It was mesmerizing, really. Part of me wanted time to stand still so that I could savor the way my name rolled off his tongue, almost as if he’d rehearsed it a million times before. “If I may be so bold, might I have the honor of this dance?”
My heart momentarily skipped a beat. This guy really was bold to ask me for a dance. Was he a new politician I hadn’t met before? I didn’t even know his name. I was more than aware that people were staring, though, so I didn’t have time to ask. It was either this stranger or the Duke of Wilcher whom I could just barely tolerate.
I placed my hand in his, taking a second to admire how strong and big his palm was. The rest of the guests erupted into applause as the knight led me to the center of the room, which was now clear. My heels clicked against the polished marble tile beneath me as I easily placed my left hand on his shoulder and grasped his right with my other. My heartbeat picked up when we took our first steps to the flowing music of the waltz. His body was warm against mine, sturdy in a way I had difficulty describing. His frame was perfect, supporting me as his canvas with ease and grace.
A felt a smile stretch across my lips as we moved about. It was easy to follow his lead, easy to trust him with the next steps we’d take.
“Where did you learn to dance like this?” I asked, allowing myself to lean in a little closer to whisper in his ear. He smelled nice, like rosewood cologne. It wasn’t overbearing, just warm and pleasant and all-around delightful.
The knight chuckled. “My mother insisted I take lessons at an early age. She said all gentlemen should know how to sweep a woman off her feet.”
A giggle bubbled past my lips, a light sensation in my chest making me feel lighter than air. “Wise woman,” I hummed.
“I like to think so.”
A few more couples joined us on the dance floor, including the King and Queen. In my peripheral, I was made aware of Mother’s eyes on me and the stranger. I was too entranced by the knight’s sparkling baby blues to really focus on anything else.
“So, what are you supposed to be dressed up as?” I asked.
“Your white knight, of course.”
I giggled again, head a little dizzy with all the spinning we were doing. It was a good dizzy, an elated one. “My white knight? I don’t think I’ve ever had one before.”
The smile he wore was amazing, a little crooked but charming all the same. We continued to dance about the room, the tiles beneath my feet, transforming into delicate clouds as we allowed the soft violin music to drown out everything else.
“If I haven’t said so already, I really like your costume,” he said after a moment. “Marie Antoinette, right?”
“How did you know?”
“I stumbled across an old book about the fashion of the time period and saw a painting of her in something similar.”
If my pulse hadn’t already been racing, it was now. “You’re interested in historical fashion?”
“More history than fashion, but all aspects of the past interest me.”
“Why does a handsome young man like you have an interest in history of all things?”
“I think it’s important. How else are future generations going to learn from past mistakes?”
“Looks and smarts? You’re so full of surprises.”
“I aim to please.”
“I really must thank you for showing up when you did.”
“It’s my pleasure, Princess Marina. I wouldn’t want to dance with the Duke, either.”
The butterflies in my stomach were fluttering about, filling my core with rising heat. I hadn’t felt this excited in a long time. Every time I looked into his eyes, something sparked in my chest, threatening to set my whole body on fire. There was just something about his gaze, something familiar and warm, but I couldn’t quite place it. When he looked at me, I could ignore everyone else at the party. It was just he and I, dancing to the music while braced in each other’s hold. But that didn’t stop the quiet curiosity that was beginning to build up in the back of my mind.
Who exactly was this man? Was there something he wanted from me? If my suspicions were right and he really was a new politician serving under my father, I had no doubt in my mind that he would use our encounter to further his own agenda. Honest people were difficult to come across in the world that I lived in.
“Tell me,” I cleared my throat, tilting my head up to get a better look at him. His mask made it impossible to gather any more details, effectively disguising his identity from me. “What’s your name? I don’t think we’ve even been properly introduced.”
He chuckled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “You know who I am, Princess. We’ve known each other for a very long time.”
A sense of confusion briefly washed over my mind, a cold bucket of ice water against my warmer, hazier thoughts. “I really don’t,” I argued.
“No?”
“You’re costume’s too good.”
“Ah, you can thank our mutual friend Oliver for that.”
“You know Oliver?”
The knight nodded. “Yes. I actually invited him here tonight.”
“He’s here? I’ll be sure to say hello.”
“I think he’d like that. Though I think he’s preoccupied with that pâtissier over there.”
He spun us around so that I could take a glimpse over his shoulder. Standing next to Brandon was a tall man in a loud suit of the most audacious black and gold patterned fabric, along with a red ribbon to hold up his shoulder-length brown locks. Only Oliver Smith could pull off a look like that. We were too far away for me to overhear their conversation, but whatever they were discussing had brought a bright red hue to the tips of Brandon’s ears. He looked simultaneously amused and embarrassed, something I’d never seen before.
“They look like they’re hitting it off,” I quipped.
“Hopefully, they’re not the only ones,” he said, throwing me a quick wink through his mask.
I almost tripped because of it, too distracted at the fire pooling in my cheeks. Luckily, the knight had a very stable hold of my hand and the middle of my back, saving me from taking a humiliating tumble.
“You still haven’t told me what your name is,” I
protested just as the first song of the night was coming to an end.
We took a step apart to bow to one another. He dipped low, sweeping a hand before him before looking up to smirk at me. “You know my name.”
“Playing coy, are you? I could just order you to tell me.”
“Then why don’t you?”
“Because that’d be too easy.”
Someone tapped on my shoulder from behind. When I turned to find the Duke of Wilcher standing there, an expectant look in his eye, I almost took a step back to save my nose from his terrible body odor. Had he not showered before coming to the ball? Or was being around so many people making him sweat profusely, working up a stink before the night had even begun? I fought against the urge to crinkle my nose.
“I want the next dance,” he barked, more to the knight than me. Either way, it was hard not to feel indignant at his forceful tone.
The knight placed a gentle hand on the small of my back, sending a shiver slithering up my spine. “Princess Marina has just informed me she’s not feeling too well. Shall we get some fresh air on the veranda, Princess?”
The electric excitement that had been bottling up inside my chest since the start of the dance was about to burst. Was this knight in shining armor really saving me yet again? I could hardly believe my luck. It didn’t matter that I didn’t know his true identity yet. Anyone who was willing to save me from the clutches of the Duke was aces in my book.
I fanned myself dramatically with a hand and swallowed. “Oh, yes. Some fresh air would be lovely.”
The Duke of Wilcher opened his mouth to protest—his teeth stained yellow from years of plague buildup—but the knight quickly guided me away before he could get a word out. Much to my relief, Alexander had better sense than to follow.
It didn’t occur to me until after we arrived on the veranda that the knight knew exactly where he was going. I thought it a bit suspicious that he already knew his way around the palace. Granted, the veranda wasn’t too far off, easy to spot from the main reception hall. Perhaps he’d spotted it before and made a mental note of it.
There was nobody outside, the noise of the ball fading into the distance. The night sky was a wash of deep, dark blue, still and mysterious like the sea. The veranda looked out over the palace’s outdoor gardens, though there wasn’t much to look at thanks to the season. There was very little greenery save for a couple pine trees in stone-carved planters, as well as a few hedges here and there with a few leaves on skinny and naked branches. The palace’s gardeners had recently installed lights along every cobblestone path leading through the gardens, twinkling gently just like the stars above. The moon was full but hidden behind a few grey clouds.
I walked up to the railing and leaned against it, facing the knight as he joined me at my side. “Thank you again for saving me,” I giggled. “Are you going to catch me if I throw myself over the edge too?”
He laughed, booming and bright. There was an ease about him, something that made me feel calm and safe. I still didn’t know a thing about him, but there was something weirdly familiar about the way he spoke. I just couldn’t put my finger on it.
“Third time’s the charm,” he said, “but I wouldn’t want to risk it.”
“You weren’t really invited to the ball, were you.” I said this as a statement, not a question.
The corners of his mouth ticked upward. “What makes you say that, Princess?”
“Father only invites members of parliament and other officials.”
“I could be an official.”
“No. You’re too much fun.”
“Thank you?”
I giggled, nervously brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “It was a compliment.”
“I’m flattered,” he hummed gently, leaning in a bit closer. “There’s no need to worry, Princess. Crashing parties isn’t really my thing. I’ve got my invitation right here.” The knight reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the corner of the cream cardstock invite.
“I wasn’t worried,” I insisted.
“No? Are you normally this quick to trust strangers?”
I shook my head. “You’ve said we’ve known each other for a very long time. If that’s the case, we’re not strangers.”
“Very true, Princess. Very true.”
“Can you at least give me a hint?”
“That’d be cheating.”
“Cheating would be pulling off your mask,” I joked. “Come on. I see hundreds of different people in the run of the day.”
The knight gawked and gasped dramatically while placing a hand over his offended heart. “So you’re saying I don’t stand out from the rest?”
I laughed, placing a hand on his forearm. The cool metal of his costume made it impossible to really get a better sense of the man underneath. Even still, I liked being this close to him, even if he was only playing games. I’d normally never tolerate such behavior, but there was something fanciful about this man, something alive and exhilarating and not at all boring like the rest of the guests. He was wrong to say he didn’t stand out. He stood out too much, enrapturing me with his carefree attitude and mischievousness.
I wracked my brain long and hard, tried to come up with a list of young men in my life. Apart from Brandon and a few members of my security team, I really didn’t know that many, and this knight didn’t match any of their descriptions. The people who surrounded me were normally very serious, bordering on stuffy, which was why I was having such a hard time placing him.
“I give up,” I sighed. “I’m sorry. I have no idea who you are. Please don’t be offended.”
The knight leaned in slightly. We were standing less than a foot away, practically drawn together like magnets.
“You could never offend me,” he whispered, loud enough for only me to hear.
Because his face was obscured by his mask, I was only able to concentrate on the shape of his lips. They were perfectly plump and smooth, the curve of his cupid’s bow pronounced and beautiful. Part of me really wanted to reach up and run a finger down the line of his jaw, just to feel how sharp it truly was. The scent of his rosewood cologne filled my head, left me tingling all over. There really was something familiar about him, like I’d seen him in a dream long since forgotten and was just now pulling the memories of him back to the surface.
It was then, and only then, that I realized there was something hanging above our heads. I caught the red and green of fresh mistletoe out of the corner of my eye and looked up. The air caught in my lungs as the knight looked up as well, glancing back at me with one of those incredibly charming, irresistible smiles.
“Would you look at that?” He chuckled.
“This is turning out to be an incredibly wild night,” I said.
Very gently, he placed his hand on my cheek and leaned in. “Wouldn’t want to go against tradition,” he whispered, warm breath tickling my face.
I closed my eyes just as he pressed his lips to mine. He was every bit tender and sweet, our lips brushing against one another so gently I could have mistaken it happened altogether. It left me wanting more, inciting a flame of curiosity deep within my core. I allowed myself to rise onto my toes, pressing into him to get a better feel of his embrace. It was easy to melt into his grasp as he slowly wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me against him. My hands wandered upward as we deepened the kiss, the tips of our tongues teasing against one another. An invigorating fire within me grew stronger and stronger as we explored the shapes of each other’s mouths, my hands trailing upward to comb through his short brown hair.
I wanted to know who this mystery man was. I needed to know who was kissing me so passionately that it knocked the breath right out of my lungs. The edges of my fingers grazed against the knight’s mask, seconds away from lifting it off his face. But before I could get hold of it, he pulled back and chuckled.
“Now, now,” he said. “Don’t you know it’s rude to undress someone without their permission?”
&nb
sp; I giggled. “You’re right. I should have asked.”
To my disappointment, the knight took a single step back. He bowed to me, once again sweeping an arm before him. This time, however, he placed a single red rose in my palm. “I’m afraid I have to get going,” he explained.
“W-what?” I stammered. I swallowed at the lump in my throat, trying to keep my cool. “So soon? The ball’s supposed to keep going until well over midnight.”
“Are you going to miss me?”
I rolled my eyes but was unable to hide my amused grin. “What if I need saving again?”
“I’m sure you can stand up for yourself. You seem like a very capable woman.” He dipped his head out of respect, a few strands of his brown hair falling before his mask. “Goodnight, Princess Marina.”
As he turned on his heels to leave, I called after him, “W-wait!”
“Yes, Princess?”
“Tell me who you are,” I demanded. “How am I supposed to see you again?”
The knight smiled from ear to ear, eyes twinkling beneath the moonlight seeping past thin clouds. “We’ll meet again, Princess. I promise.”
And just like that, he was gone, leaving me with a single rose to sniff as I stood there alone, dazed, and dreamy.
CHAPTER THREE
Rodrigo
I loved the smell of paintballs in the morning.
Dashing behind a wooden plank, I narrowly avoided Oliver’s orange paint pellets as they splattered against the hard surface. I stayed in a crouched position behind the plank, attempting to peek around the corner to see if I had a clear shot. St. George’s Preparatory School for Boys had a wide variety of extracurricular activities for its students, and it just so happened to have a competitive paintball team—of which both Oliver and I were on. Since the weather was getting so cold, fewer people were signing up to use the old paintball course located in the east district. It had been a long time since we’d gone a couple of rounds, so it was a nice way to get the blood pumping at the crack of dawn. We even got a holiday discount on supplies because the owner of the range was in such a fantastic mood.
Royal Holiday Page 3
