As they waltzed around the small yet glamorous room, the dark music erupted from a small gramophone in the dim corner. Holding the fragile young woman before him he spun her from his arms and as she span away, the beautiful mahogany dress hit the side of the cupboard, letting a small bottle of perfume crash to the wooden floor, spilling over the already dark surface.
"Oh no…" She cried out as colour flushed back into her cheeks. She knew there would be a punishment for this. Hurrying to clean the mess up before "he" could see what she had done.
"Here, I'll get that." He said softly pulling her wrist back from the broken glass and spilled liquid.
"No, no…It's my fault, I'll do it…" She replied, flinching at his warm touch. Tears formed in her eyes.
"Please, don't tell anyone." She said not wanting to look into his eyes.
He lifted her back up, holding her elbows gently. "You go, I'll clean this up. I won't tell anybody, please do not fear. I will personally stop any punishment that may be sentenced to you." His eyes on hers were smouldering; she nodded slowly, thankfully, before turning to rush through the door and down the brightly lit corridor.
Reaching the safety of her candle lit room she wondered why the prince had called on her to be his dancing partner for the upcoming masquerade ball in early June. Every royal was meant to take a servant. But the only person who had taken up that demand was Xavier, prince of Salfron.
"God dammit, why me?" She thought. Shy as she was, she could never have said no to Xavier, she hated the punishments for her wrongdoings.
Willa knew that people whispered behind her back, she had the most beautiful crimson hair that fell in loose ringlets to the small of her back. A charming smile and beautiful grey eyes that held no secrets. Of course she had had many proposals of love but she had turned every one of them down. An experience from her childhood had never left her. Forbidden to remember, Terrified to forget. It was a difficult line to walk, not letting anybody get to close to her, this was the reason behind her shyness. It was fear.
A soft knock at the door made her fall off the tattered bed, leaving her free to cut her shoulder on the rickety bedside table. Slowly getting up, she stumbled to the door. Opening it slowly she saw Xavier leaning against the wall next to her doorway.
"Hi." She said softly, shyly.
"Hi…Willa." He said standing up and looking at her shoulder curiously.
Looking to her shoulder she saw the small droplets of red liquid.
"Ummm, can you hold on one second?" She asked embarrassedly.
"Sure, Do you need any help?" he asked kindly, stepping inside the doorframe as she rushed to the small basin to grab a towel.
"No no, it's fine…thanks." She said hurriedly before turning away from him to clean the cut.
After cleaning away the droplets, she turned to see what he was doing. Xavier paced slowly around her room. Willa watched him with curiosity, but when his eyes met hers, she dropped her gaze and span back around to bandage her arm.
"So, what was it that you needed my lord?" She said turning back to him.
"Just to say that we will have another practice tomorrow afternoon, in the rose garden. Is that fine with you Willa?"
"Yes, of course. Is that all you needed?" her face paled in the dim room, as she watched him walk towards the door slowly.
"Yes, yes…I should go and see to my horses anyway." He remarked. As he was walking out the door, he stalled.
Turning back around he said softly. "Willa, stay safe." Before shutting the door behind himself. Xavier's footsteps could be heard from the room.
Flopping down on her bed, the cold darkness enclosed around her as she fell into her dreams.