The month passed far quicker than Cecelia would have liked. It didn't surprise her, though, for time always forged ahead when the future was daunting. The masquerade was tonight, after the sun had fully set in the sky and carriages had been arriving all day. Cecelia had avoided her windows and had not left her rooms, not even to dine. She had no desire to run into any of their visitors.
Her outfit for the masquerade tonight was laid out on a chair, her mother had ordered the gown for her and her valet had prepared it for her. Cecelia had ignored all efforts her mother had made to get her excited for the upcoming days and now that it was finally here, she still ignored every aspect of it.
Soon, she would have no choice, though. In an hour, she would be dressed and descending into their grand ballroom where she would forgo making an entrance. JJ had promised her that once she was mingling with their guests, she would find herself curious to get to know them all and by the end of the week, she would choose one.
Cecelia believed otherwise but had learned to keep her doubts to herself. Her parents didn't listen to her anyway.
Instead, she opened a book in
her room where she had folded and stored a map. She had marked it with ink, a star for every country she wished to visit and a dot for every place she had been. The stars outnumbered the dots a hundred to one. Cecelia had seen very little of the world but now that she was finally an adult in the eyes of the law and had her own income to a certain degree, she was able to travel.
Of course, she would have to leave under the cover of night and leave a note for her parents to find. They would be furious at her actions and try to bring her back home but she would at least view some of the world before that happened. And if they decided they were angry enough to disinherit her, then she really would see every inch of the world that she could for home would have nothing for her anymore.
She would see everything she could and she would see it alone. Cecelia had always valued privacy and time alone. It was difficult enough growing up in the nursery, surrounded by her noisy brother and nannies. She had finally asked politely enough for her own rooms and had been granted them. She was sure the fact that she was Crown Princess had something to do with it but she hadn't argued. She valued her private time and she couldn't imagine a world in where she always had somebody by her side.
For better or for worse, and it would surely always be worse.
Such thoughts remained in her mind as the hour slowly passed. She watched the grains of sand trickle through the hour glass, falling and falling until it was empty and her valet was knocking on the door. It was time to get ready and put on her mask. It was time to pretend to be somebody she was not. The whole idea made her feel incredibly ill.
"I feel like a fool," Cecelia muttered as she stood in the hallway behind the tapestry. She was dressed in a blood red gown that plunged lower than she had ever worn before. Her throat dripped with royal jewels and she wore one of her tiaras on her head. Despite the glittering mask that covered her eyes, it was most obvious to almost all that she was a Jones princess and she was seeking a spouse.
"You look fine," her younger brother, Flynn, said. He fiddled with the lace cuffs on his shirt once more, the Spanish lace was itchy against his skin and he looked as though he was already impatient to tear it off. Not that anyone could blame him.
"You look... um, available," she said, unsure of how to be tactful to the fact that her brother was bordering adulthood. "Hoping to find a princess?"
"It's insulting that they're pushing for you to be married before me," Flynn said icily. "You may be the eldest child, but I would make a great king. They should be focused on finding me a rich princess to marry."
"I agree," Cecelia said sullenly, adjusting the mask on her face. It was already bothering her and she was tempted to pull it off. However, she would rather be uncomfortable than have everyone staring at her or worse - approaching her. "Trust me, this is no great grand design of my own. I would be perfectly happy to not marry for years."
"You're crazy," Flynn muttered, "Wish me luck."
"Make good choices," Cecelia said weakly as he pushed the curtain to the side and strutted out to the dance floor. She slipped out behind the curtain in his trail, letting everyone stare at him and she did her best to melt into the background.
A new dance began and she saw several different women approach Flynn before he finally chose one. She swept into a low curtsy in front and allowed him to put his arms around her and lead her in the dance. She shook her head as she watched the scene in front of her. She really wished her parents would get Flynn married already so he could be a respectable prince. This sort of behavior was very borderline, even though it was a masquerade.
"You should have a drink in your hand," an accented voice suddenly said beside her and Cecelia turned to see a taller figure, the man's blonde hair slicked back and spiked up and a black mask decorated his face, obscuring his features from Cecelia's view. He had a drink in each hand and he offered one to her with a small smile. "It's champagne, I promise it's safe."
"Um, thanks, I could kind of use a drink right now," She admitted, reaching out to take the goblet by the stem and she took a small sip. She wasn't a big drinker, but given how pressured she was feeling tonight, she thought it would be okay to indulge a little. She had to restrain herself though, the last thing she needed was to drink so much that she woke up married or something.
"Yeah, kind of a big night," the stranger remarked, slouching against the wall and he crossed one ankle over the other, wearing black boots that came up to his knees and looked extremely expensive. "We're all supposed to be wooing this princess but she hasn't shown up yet."
"Oh, yeah that," Cecelia said, her heart sinking. "I suppose - "
"Personally, I could care less," the man continued speaking and Cecelia snapped her mouth shut so hard her teeth clicked. If the man hadn't detected yet that Cecelia was the princess, then she saw no reason to clue him in. "I think the whole idea of winning somebody's favor for marriage of all things is a bit ridiculous. Marriage is hard work."
"I agree with you," Cecelia said vehemently, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. "My parents forced me to come tonight and look for my own prince, I had no desire to. I can't imagine being married to somebody that I hardly know!"
"I came for the free alcohol," the man admitted with a grin. "And to accompany my twin sister to her first ball. She's on the floor somewhere with what she called her Prince Charming. I'm Gunther, by the way. I didn't catch your name."
"Oh," Cecelia said, her mouth drying. She couldn't give her name because Gunther would immediately know she was the Crown Princess that he was supposed to be courting. "I'm... CeCe," she said in a fit of desperation. CeCe had been a childhood nickname from her nanny and it wasn't something that was common knowledge to people outside of the palace.
"Well, I'm pleased to meet you, CeCe," Gunther said with a little smile on his face and he tipped her glass forward until he could clink it with Cecelia's. "I have to admit. I came over here because I thought you were cute."
"I'm wearing a mask!" Cecelia protested. She could feel her cheeks turning as red as her hair and knew that her embarrassment was visible on her face where her mask didn't cover. She glanced down at the floor and twisted the stem of her glass between her fingers. "You're just saying that. You're probably drunk."
"Most definitely not drunk because otherwise I would be trying to kiss you," Gunther said, dead-panned before he gave a loud shout of laughter that caused several heads to turn their way. He ignored them completely, something Cecelia didn't understand. She could never handle it when attention was directed her way.
She was a terrible Crown Princess, no wonder her parents were so eager to get her married off and produce heirs.
"Oh my gosh," Cecelia laughed and shook her head. "You've clearly had too much to drink if you're saying things like that."
"I'm serious," Gunther argued before he shrugged his shoulders. "If you won't make out with me, do you want to at least dance?"
"Oh, I'm a terrible dancer," Cecelia said quickly, knowing it was a lie. She had grown up her entire life taking dance lessons and she could perform any step required of her and she absolutely loved it. But dancing with Gunther now would be giving into her parents' wishes.
"Oh please, you're nobility," Gunther brushed away her excuses and instead grabbed Cecelia by the wrist and began to lead her towards the dance floor.
Cecelia, whose body was sacred and not to be touched without permission, simply followed him. She was too stunned to argue anything and before she knew it, Gunther had his arm around Cecelia's waist and was prompting her into the first step. Thankfully, her feet worked quicker than her mind and she began to move.
"See, you're a fine dancer," Gunther said before he spun Cecelia out and then pulled her back in, closer than she had originally been. Closer than what was proper and she felt herself blushing again.
"You've clearly had some practice."
"A little," Cecelia muttered as she let herself slide a hand up around Gunther's bicep. She could feel the muscle even under the layer of clothing. "My parents wanted to ensure that I had an idea of what I was doing."
"Hopefully your education isn't too expansive," Gunther said and it took her a minute to realize that he was actually being a little inappropriate with her. She willed herself not to blush for a third time but it was useless. "You get embarrassed really easily, don't you?" Gunther remarked, ducking his head down closer to whisper in her ear.
"Only around you, it would seem," Cecelia said even though that wasn't the truth at all. She just thought maybe she should reciprocate some of the flirting because it was nice to know that somebody was interested in who she was, and not her title.
"Then it appears like I am doing something right," Gunther said without a trace of laughter in his voice and something in Cecelia's stomach flipped.
After the dance, Gunther cocked an eyebrow above his mask and his mouth quirked into a smile. "Should I force you into another dance or would you like to get another drink?"
"Oh, um, drink please," Cecelia said quickly. "It's bad enough that I'm expected to dance with a variety of people. Let me have peace while I can!"
Gunther laughed and caught her by the wrist once more, leading her away from the crowd of moving bodies and straight to a balcony that overlooked the large gardens at the castle. A servant appeared in the doorway with a tray and Gunther took two drinks from it and passed one to Cecelia, the servant fading away.
"So, tell me a little bit about yourself," Gunther said as he leaned against the stone and took a sip of his drink, the rim on his glass bumping against his mask. "What are you hoping to get out of this trip to the Jones kingdom?"
"Oh, um, I don't know," Cecelia stuttered. There was only so much she was willing to deflect before she would come clean about who she was. She didn't want to though. She was having such an easy time talking to Gunther and if the man knew she was the princess, it would change their friendship. "I just want to survive, I guess."
"Wow, that sounds incredibly depressing for somebody as good looking as you."
"I'm wearing a mask!" Cecelia protested for the second time. "You need to stop complimenting me because you haven't even seen me. I could be a hideous troll for all you know!"
"I would suggest you take off that mask to prove me right but then we probably would end up kissing," Gunther said with a good natured grin and Cecelia couldn't help but giggle a little.
She had never met somebody as... relaxed as Gunther. Everyone she met, whether they be older than her or her age, were so stiff and full of rules and formality. Gunther didn't appear to care about any of that and for the first time since this all began, Cecelia was a little glad that Gunther had come all this way.
"I've never been kissed before," she admitted and then immediately felt horrified that she had shared such a private (and embarrassing) fact about herself. "I mean, I haven't really had any opportunity for it."
"That doesn't surprise me. You're a noble and I'm sure your parents are trying to keep you on their leash for as long as they can. However, you'll have to break free of them eventually. Trust me," Gunther said with a smirk. "It's extremely liberating. I mean, I don't advise you to go around sleeping with anyone because there is a certain emotional draw when it comes to sex but - "
"Oh my gosh," Cecelia hissed, turning completely red underneath her mask. "What the heck, Gunther? We barely know each other!"
"I like what I know so far," Gunther said as if it was the most obvious and natural thing in the world. "Your parents really did a number on you, didn't they? You're incredibly uptight, probably more so than the actual Princess who is trying to find a spouse."
"Oh, gosh, well," Cecelia spluttered and then stared miserably down at her feet.
"No way," Gunther breathed out, taking a step closer. "Are you telling me that I'm in the actual presence of Princess Cecelia?"
"Don't say that, please," Cecelia said quickly, her stomach churning. It was all ruined now. Gunther would now have expectations of her and they wouldn't be able to talk as freely as they had been. Even if it had been completely embarrassing, it was still refreshing to be spoken to a like normal young woman.
"Shit, that's cool," Gunther said before he took another drink. "However, that totally enforces my point about you being on a leash. You're going to get married soon, apparently. You need to live a little before you're forced to settle down."
"My parents would never let me live a little," Cecelia said, looking out over the gardens. "It's fine though. I don't want to speak ill of them."
"No, I get it. Parents can be rough," Gunther said, nudging her shoulder gently and the fact that he still didn't respect her body despite knowing she was the princess was startling. Who was this guy? "My own parents urge me to marry but I just can't be bothered."
"Free alcohol was the big draw, wasn't it?" Cecelia said with a little laugh.
"Absolutely," Gunther grinned down at her and Cecelia suddenly wanted to know what he looked like without his mask on. And maybe his shirt too. Oh gosh. "But hey, your company isn't bad either. I honestly had no idea who you were."
"Trust me, I know you didn't. Unless you thrive on being socially inappropriate!"
"Well..." Gunther trailed off before letting out another one of his booming, hearty laughs. "No, I'm kind of horrified at myself for being so forward with you but you haven't called the cavalry yet."
"You're kind of funny. And charming," she added before blushing for what seemed like the tenth time. "Oh my gosh! I shouldn't have said that!"
"And you're absolutely hilarious," Gunther said, reaching out to brush Cecelia's hair off of her forehead.
She suddenly realized just how close their bodies were to each other and how Gunther was staring at her with vivid light eyes. If she leaned up, just a little, she could probably kiss him and see if his smile tasted as good as it looked.
"I'm sorry," Cecelia whispered before she took a couple steps back and broke their gaze. "I should probably go back inside and circulate the room a little."
"Yeah, sure," Gunther said, clearing his throat. "Although, tell me if I'm completely off base here, but did you feel a connection? Or is just me?"
"I'm sorry, I've got to go," She said before she turned and hurried back inside of the room that was brimming with people she had no desire to speak to. But she had even less desire to face the emotions swirling inside of her chest and so she went.