Three weeks later, Alanna rode up to the gates of the Palace in Tyra. She introduced herself as Lady Mariah of Tortall, and was accepted into the list of young ladies to be presented at the ball that night. Kara, the useful apprentice had agreed to be her lady's maid. When she descended into the Great Hall, Alanna knew that she was equal in beauty and grace to any of the other ladies present. The music started and she was approached by several lords.
"May I have this dance?" all of them asked. Alanna nodded to each and was led onto the dance floor by her partner for dance after dance. Eventually each blurred into the next, all except one. Prince Robert of Tyra was captivated by her unique beauty and had danced with her twice and promised to invite her to many parties and outings. She returned to her maid, less than content with herself and didn't fall asleep until well into the night. The months passed in a blur of finery and frivolity with little news from home. Alanna welcomed the rush of activities and, quite to her astonishment, even developed feelings for her new friends. Rob, as the prince had asked her to call him, was very persistent in his devotion to her and after knowing her for almost a year, he proposed. Knowing that she didn't love him, Alanna accepted his proposal and stepped into the shoes of Princess.
The weeks leading up to the engagement were filled with fittings and meetings. The Queen was testing Alanna, seeing if she could handle the pressure of royalty. When the engagement ended without a hitch, all involved breathed deeply in relief, but none deeper than Alanna. It had been her future being tested. Unbeknownst to Alanna, an invitation to the coronation of Prince Jonathan of Tortall had arrived while she was busy. The King knew that his heir would need to meet his fellow rulers, and replied that the Prince and his fiancée would attend the coronation. Upon hearing the news, Alanna was noticed to have paled visibly, but those watching put it down to nerves.