Author's note: I don't claim anything. Elbert tells the story of his meeting with his wife Eleanora

Our Dance

Elbert looked into the mirror and sighed when Marcus walked in the room

"Lord Elbert, why the long sigh?" Marcus asked in his always serious voice.

"Marcus, please don't call me lord. I consider you a friend, you may call my dad lord, but not me."

"Sorry lord Elbert."

Elbert smiled and out his hand to his head. "Oh Marcus you will never change. Anyway I am nervous because I am supposed to meet my bride to be tonight. My parents arranged this marriage without me having a word in it. I don't want to marry someone I don't even know."

Marcus put his hand on Elbert's shoulder "Lord Elbert, I don't know much about love but I sure know how royalty and arranged marriages work."

Elbert sulked. "Is it as bad as it seems?"

"You never know, you might actually like this young lady. I hear she is a looker."

Elbert sighed once again. "Well I better get down there or my parents will scold me again."

They walked to the ballroom together. When they come into the ballroom Elbert sees his parents sitting in their seats. He starts to walk towards them but is stopped by the most beautiful girl he has ever seen.

"Excuse me sir, would you like to dance?"

Elbert was at a loss for words. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had pale skin with long violet hair. Her voice was even lovely. As far as he was concerned she was perfection.

"Uhhhh….I…uhh" Elbert stammered not knowing how to act.

The girl looked around and then laughed. "Haha I will take that as a yes."

She pulled him onto the dance floor and placed his hands where they should be for the dance.

"I'm not a dancer, milady. I'll disgrace you with my dreadful dancing."

She leaned in close and whispered in his ear. "Don't worry, just follow my lead."

Elbert blushed as the musicians started to play. They started to dance and Elbert stumbled and bumped into her a few times, but all she did was smile or laugh.

Elbert kept thinking why is this girl putting up with me?

Just has he was getting the hang of the dance the music stopped and they parted.

She bowed out of courtesy. "Thanks for dancing with me kind sir; may I ask your name?"

Elbert returned the bow. "I am Elbert. May I ask your name as well?"

"My friends call me Ellie."

"That is a beautiful name Ellie. I really enjoyed dancing with you. If you don't mind me asking who did you accompany to the party?"

Ellie began to look nervous and a little flustered. "Oh umm well, I work for a noble and they were kind enough to bring me. Why are you here?"

"Honestly I live here. I am the prince of Pherae. My parents set this party up so I could meet my future bride to be. It is arranged and I don't even know her. All I know is that her name is Eleanora."

Ellie lit up. "Oh I know who she is."

Elbert grabbed her hands. "You do! Tell me what she is like before I meet her."

"Well she is a bit of a snob sometimes."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah, she's awful."

"She sounds like it. Well I am glad you told me what to expect."

"I have a feeling you will come to like her."

"Maybe so, hey maybe we can talk more sometime."

"That sounds good. It was nice to meet you Elbert."

"Yes it was a pleasure to meet you Ellie."

Their hands parted and Ellie walked away.

Marcus came up behind Elbert. "Who was that my lord?"

Elbert was staring at her still. "Possibly the most perfect girl in the world for me."

"Get those thoughts out of your head or you will only end up hurting yourself. Your parents want you to take your place with them."

Marcus and Elbert walk toward where his parents are.

Elbert's father sat up in his chair. "Elbert my son, we were just talking about you."

His mother joined in as well. "Yes son, we were talking about how great you and Eleanora will be together."

Elbert looked at the floor gathering the courage. "Mother about that…."

Elbert's father became stern. "Son, we have been through this before. This marriage has been planned so that our two houses can live in peace. Now mind your parents and get ready for the meeting."

"Yes father and mother, I am sorry for bringing it up."

The family decided to convene in one of the chambers. Elbert nervously waited for Eleanora and her family to walk in. The door opens and three people walk in. Ellie is the last one to walk in. She is dressed more elegantly this time.

"Ellie? What are you doing here?"

Elbert's parents look at him with a surprised look.

"You two already know each other?" Elbert's mother asked surprised.

"Yes we danced just a few minutes ago, she works for Eleanora."

"Elbert, I lied to you. I am Eleanora." Ellie looked ashamed.

"Why did you lie to me?"

"Well I don't get to enjoy the things the commoner's do at balls. I have to sit in my royal dresses and look pretty for everyone. I just wanted to dance and have a good time for once. When I met you I had to lie about who I was. When I found out about whom you were I couldn't tell you I just lied. I feel so foolish."

Elbert took her hands into his. "I don't care that you lied I am just happy that I get to see you again."

Elbert and Ellie's parents slip out of the room realizing they need time to talk about everything.

Elbert and Ellie talked and talked for hours about everything. They talked about what they liked to do, their dreams, everything they could think of. They fell in love that day and have been in love ever since. Their wedding was the happiest day for the people of Pherae. They had never seen such a couple that was so in love.

In a jail cell many years later

Ninian sighed with dreamy eyes. "That was such a wonderful story Elbert. Thanks for telling it to us."

Nils loved hearing happy stories. "Yes thank you very much it cheered me up."

"It seems like so long ago. I can still remember what she looked like when she asked me to dance. I will cherish that moment for my whole life. That one dance changed my life forever."

"Can you tell us about your son now?" Nils asked excitedly.

"Nils don't be rude. He just got done telling us that story." Ninian said with a stern voice.

Elbert chuckled "Sure I can tell you about my son. I will never forget the first time I saw him."