Heta-Tale: Masked Parade (Franada)

Chapter One

Groups of people all of different ages, different cultures, all came together for this midnight ball. Couples danced, especially the known couple of Elizaveta and Roderich, they were always the first ones onto the dance floor at any event, most of the time leading the way. Though there was just one thing about this ball, everyone was hidden, hidden behind a mask of their choice that they had come in wearing. Masks of all shapes and sizes, ones that only covered their eyes, some that covered both their eyes and nose, some that were held on a stick only to use when wanted. Some were bright and flashy with feathers and jewels while others were a dark black or blank white to match with their suits. Either way, they all dressed up for the Midnight in Paris ball

The classical music played as the couples danced, whether they actually knew each other or not. As a bit on the poor side, Alfred and Matthew had no choice but to come in later simply because they had to walk instead of getting a horse-drawn carriage ride like the others, though he did say he could get his own horse to ride on; Matthew wouldn't let him do it. They managed to dress up nicely with their father's two old suits and white masks to cover their eyes and noses. Alfred smiled as they walked into the party, the beautiful room with the dome ceiling, covered by glass windows, and the shinning hardwood floor. The two brothers gazed in awe at the portraits and statues along the wall, the way the tables were placed throughout the room, the table full of upper class food cooked to perfection, they had never seen such fortune. Alfred wanted to immediately run to the food but he needed to act like a gentlemen, so he walked and took his time going around the tables, Matthew followed close behind. Alfred began making small talk with a group of people along the line for food, Matthew quietly stood next to him and didn't say a word. Not one person directed a conversation toward Matthew, they barely even looked at him as he stood there. "Oh don't mind him, he's a bit shy." Alfred would say when one of the people actually did ask about him, but to Alfred not himself. Matthew would give a soft smile and a slight nod when someone looked toward him or greeted him, but there was never any conversation after; they went right back to Alfred.

He pulled on his brother's sleeve and told him he was going to go sit down. Alfred nodded but it seems he didn't really hear a word Matthew had said. Matthew left it at that and made his way over to an empty table, sitting down and sighing. He put his elbow on the table and his hand under his chin, watching the other people dance so swiftly and smoothly; he felt embarrassed that he barely knew how to dance, and not anywhere close to these people.

"Would mon chérie like to dance?" A voice came about. Matthew looked up to a man with bright blonde hair, a few inches longer than his own, holding his hand out for Matthew to grab. He only blinked in surprise under his mask. "I'm sorry sir, you seem to have confused me with someone." He stated.

"Who would I confuse this beauty with?"

"A woman sir." he smiled a bit embarrassed.

"Non sense mon chérie," He grabbed onto Matthew's hand and pulled him up. He pulled the boy closer and whispered in his ear, "I happen to love ze younger men." He kissed Matthew's hand as he simply blushed. "Would you like to dance now mon chérie?"

"O-Okay…" Matthew first whispered, the man couldn't' hear him so he spoke a little louder. "Yes sir." The man smiled and pulled him across the dance floor but did not stop. Matthew gulped his nervousness down but his heart pounded as the man opened the door to the outside instead of leading him to a dance. "S-Sir?"

"Shh mon chérie," The man said softly. "Don't worry." he took the boy out into the night, onto the balcony that was lit only by the slight candle like hanging on the wall and the moon above them. The man let his hand go and allowed him to walk out a little more as he closed the door ever so slightly, leaving a crack open for the music to come through. Matthew looked over the tall balcony but only seeing darkness except for the slight light reflection on the trees and flowers of the garden below. He turned back to the masked stranger as he held out his hand for the boy. Matthew reached for it and the man grabbed it ever so lightly then covered the top of Matthew's hand with his other.

"My my, you are so beautiful." He raised Matthew's hand up, uncovered it, and kissed his hand. "I can only wonder what you look like under that mask."

"I can say the same to you sir." Matthew blushed a bit.

"Please, please, there's no need to be so formal mon chérie." He pulled him closer and put his hand around the boy's waist and his other hand in Matthew's hand.

"I-I must tell you, I cannot dance." Matthew stated. The masked stranger only smiled. "Oh mon chérie, that's completely fine." He said. "To be honest, neither can I." He laughed a bit as Matthew chuckled. "Mon chérie, shall we?" Matthew nodded. The man began to move his feet and Matthew tried his best to follow along. Before he knew it, his body was moving with the music and the stranger, he got along with it. He kept up easily, moving his feet with the stranger's and staying in rhythm. "You are beautiful mon chérie, one two three four, one two three four," he counted their dance as they simulated together. The man got a firm grasped on the boy and turned him around for a spin. Matthew felt a bit dizzy as he spun but once he fell back into the man's arms, he felt much better. The man had spun Matthew into his core, wrapping his arms around the boy's stomach and holding him close to him. Matthew blushes with a slight sense of pleasure in his core. His heart pounded as the man tightened his grip a bit. "So beautiful." Matthew couldn't help but smile and blush at the compliments, on one ever gave him so many compliments before.

Being held in this stranger's arms felt so warm and comfortable, he hadn't felt this… safe before. The feeling of the man's breath on the back of his neck actually sent a sense of pleasure through his body. "I want to see who are…" The man began to remove Matthew's mask, but it was cut short by the sudden sound of crashing plates and a table. The man quickly had to let go and let the mask fall back onto the boy's face and quickly hurried inside. Matthew gulped a bit and turned to look, he didn't like what he saw.

His brother seemed to get into bad fights when he was drunk, he would get involved into conversations he shouldn't and got tangled with the people he shouldn't; he always made people angry. He had fallen into a table, his jacket was ripped now and the table was split in half. A very large man with a long light brown coat and a scarf that reached down to his knees stood there in anger. Matthew gulped and acted either stupidly or bravely, he charged out in front of his brother. The music had stopped, the people were staring, and this angry man's sharp eyes sent shivers down his spine. "P-Please," He stuttered. The man held his unhappy frown but managed to stop himself from the temping fight. Matthew grabbed his brother's arm and pulled him up as the angry man and the other guests watched. Matthew apologized quietly to the guest as he tried pulling his brother out and away. He hurried his feet and dragged Alfred into a run towards the door, trying to save himself from any other embarrassment. The two ran out the main door as fast as they could to get away. But the string holding Matthew's mask snapped. It fell to the ground but Matthew ignored it and just ran with Alfred, not turning back to show them his real face.

They were gone in a flash.

The bright blonde man came out and stood at the entrance. He looked down at the blank mask on the ground and picked it up, wiping the dirt off it. He held it tightly in his hand and smiled a bit. He placed his hand to his chest. "Be still my beating heart, I believe I'm in love…."

Who… who was that young boy? That beautiful young boy? He wanted to find him.