Chapter 4:
The week passed slowly and finally it was the day of the ball. It was happening in the evening. The doctor was coming today also, mother was still very sick which was strange. Philip and Jane had announced that they were staying for a whole month because they had a break from university. I didn't find Philip's presence strange anymore. After breakfast the doctor came in and mother had a check up.
"How is she doctor?" I asked him.
His eyebrows were furrowed. "I can't say anything. It seems like a regular cold, but if it was it should have passed or at least grown milder by now. I will check up on her in a week. Until then it is crucial she takes this medicine once every day." He handed me a prescription and I nodded at him. I thanked him as he left.
I looked down at the prescription. It was a medicine I had never heard of. An idea struck me; that would be my excuse. I would go and buy the medicine.
I entered mother's room. Thomas wasn't there and I was glad he wasn't. She smiled at me when I entered she was reading in her bed. It was then that I noticed she really did appear to be sick. She seemed very pale and frail.
"Mother? Are you alright?" I asked her. I didn't need to fake a concerned voice, I was in reality concerned.
She nodded at me, "what did the doctor say?"
I swallowed before I spoke. "Mother, I have to go into town to buy you the medicine. You need it."
"You're going now?"
I nodded. "Jane and Philip are working in the shop."
"Yes but, I'm sure Thomas could go. It will get dark soon."
"I'll be fine, don't worry. I might be a bit late though, don't worry." I hoped it was believable. Mother gave me an unsure look and then nodded.
"you should get some rest." I said as I blew out her lantern. Mother curled up in her bed and I shut the door behind me as I left. I walked into my attic and opened my dresser. What to wear?
I guess I didn't have to wear anything special because I was just playing piano. I pulled out a dark blue plain dress. I quickly changed into it and then stared at myself in the mirror. I re braided my hair and let the braid fall behind me. I thought about wearing some makeup. I didn't have any of my own but I could borrow some of Jane's or mother's but that would be too embarrassing.
Mother had offered to buy me makeup many times but I refused. It's not like makeup would change how I looked. I grabbed my hat off of the dresser and quickly made my way downstairs. I told Jane I was going to buy the medicine and that I might be late and then I left.
It was already getting dark outside, I wasn't afraid though. I found the darkness peaceful in a way, the darkness made me feel as if I was closer to the light. I knew the way to the theatre, even though I had never been. I walked as the sun began to set.
When I arrived at the theater, it was dark. Our house wasn't that far away but the sun didn't take it's time to set. A man stood in front of the theater. He was tall and intimidating. I looked up at him.
"Excuse me-"
"Do you have you ticket?" He asked cutting me off.
"No, I'm-"
"No ticket, no entry." He replied.
"Yes, but I'm the-"
"Didn't you hear me little girl? No ticket. No entry." He leaned in close to me as he spoke and I could smell his foul breath.
"I am seventeen years old and I am playing piano for the ball, when the royal family finds out you kicked out their pianist, I'm sure you'll get what you deserve!" I snapped at him. I turned around.
"Stop!"
I faced him once again; a small smile tugging at my lips.
"Why didn't you say so?" He asked as he pointed to the door to enter. I ignored his question and made my way inside. I didn't know where exactly I was, until a boy ran up to me.
"Are you the pianist?" He asked me. He looked one or so years younger than me and he had curly brown hair and green eyes. I gave him a small smile and nodded.
"Alright." He said as he began walking and motioned for me to follow, "here's the piano. The music sheets are there. You basically just play them till the ball is finished. You can look over the sheets now for a while, but don't play." He instructed me.
I nodded and looked over the sheets. It seemed easy enough. He leaned in next to me, "good luck and have fun."
I smiled at him. "Thank you, I will."
He left to deal with everything else. I was sitting in an enormous hall to the side of it all. I was sure no one would really notice me, but I didn't care. The hall was decorated from top to bottom with flowers and roses. It looked quite beautiful.
Guests starting coming in after a few minutes and I took a deep breath as the boy who I had met earlier motioned for me to start playing. I began playing, my fingers were tensed up but after a few minutes, they relaxed. I wasn't facing the people attending the ball so occasionally I looked over my shoulder to see how many people were there. Each time I looked, the number increased.
I played simple classical music that filled the room. I could tell it was a very expensive piano; it made me feel a guilty pleasure inside. I wondered when the royalty was coming. I turned around once again and watched men and women pair up and begin dancing with each other, no one looked my way.
After playing for an hour or so, I began to get tired. I saw the boy from earlier walk up to me.
"Hey, you okay?" He asked me.
I nodded. "Just a bit tired."
"Take a break, I'll take your spot for a while."
I don't look up at him, "Can you do that?"
"Play piano? Not as well as you, but I can play. Just get some air for a while. The royal family is arriving soon anyways."
I nod and slowly step away from the piano and he takes my spot. "Thank you." I whisper as I quickly straighten my dress and leave through the back door. The air outside is cool and refreshing. I take a deep breath. It is now completely dark outside.
I decide to walk around for a while. I stare at the sky as I'm walking. There are no stars in the sky. The moon shines brightly and I can feel the glow radiating off my skin. The moon kept the night eerily dark and light at the same time. I slow down even more to admire the moon for a longer period of time. People across the world were staring at the same moon as me.
I suddenly felt myself slam hard against something or someone. I fall to the ground and I hear a noise sounding like something between a gasp and a grunt. I get back up in an instance and dust of my dress. hear the voice speak. It was a someone.
"Watch where you're going!" It snaps. The voice is low and slightly raspy. The light from the moon outlines a face in front of me. A pale face stares back at me, his golden eyes flashing in the dark. The boy has raven black hair and he is taller than me. The feature that surprises me the most is a scar on his left eye. I narrow my eyes at him.
"Why don't you watch where you are going?" I snap back at him.
He stares intently at me in the dark and I feel a shiver run down my spine. I look away from his eyes and stare past him. "Do you know who I am?" The arrogance in his voice makes me cringe.
"No, I do not know who you are. If you were of any importance to me, I would most surely know who you are." I say to him daring to look into his eyes as I speak.
He laughs in a scornful tone and then he stares right into my eyes. I inch back slightly. "Well then you should learn." He whispers loud enough so I can hear. He then walks past me brushing my shoulder as he does. I tense up and I don't turn around to watch him leave.
He was even worse than Peter. I slowly make my way back to the ball. My cheeks feel warm as I walk back into the ballroom and take my seat once more.
"Thank you." I whisper once more to the boy whose name I still didn't know. He gives me a small smile and leans in close to me. "The royals have arrived."
I turn in my stool to face the front where the stage is. There is a man standing there. Was he the king? He looked just as I imagined him to look. He was wearing silk robes with a large fur collar. He had many rings on his fingers. He had a short and clean beard that connected with his moustache. He had golden eyes.
"Welcome! Welcome! We would like to thank you all for coming to attend this ball in honor of the Duchess and her daughter of Brugnure." He announces grandly.
A few more people walked onto the stage. A beautiful and tall woman, the queen. Then the princess entered. Lastly a boy entered. My eyes widened. I should have known. Standing on the stage smiling arrogantly was the rude boy I had bumped into earlier. He stood with pride wearing special robes. He was extremely handsome, just like how Aunt Josephine used to tell me. There is no point in good looks if you don't have a good attitude.
Next the Duchess and her daughter of Brugnure entered. The duchess was a large woman with her hair held up in a tall bun. She was wearing a fancy gown that contrasted with her blue eyes. The princess was a pretty girl, looking about my age. She had light brown hair and blue eyes like her mother. She had a small, shy smile planted on her face. She was wearing a light purple dress with large puffed sleeves.
The King began greeting with some ambassadors and the rest of the royals stood and smiled at the audience. I stared at the Prince. He suddenly turned and caught my eye. I saw his eyebrows inch up slightly and an amused smile cross his face. I quickly looked away.
After a few minutes, the boy signaled me to start playing piano once more. I wasn't playing as well because I kept turning to watch. The prince was taking turns dancing with about every girl in the ballroom Everyone had a partner, even the duchess. The boy came and stood next to me.
"You doing fine?" He asked me.
I smiled and nodded.
"By the way, my name is Aang." He said softly. It was only then that I realized he had a hint of a British accent in his voice.
"My name is Katara." I said replying to him.
"Beautiful name."
"Thank you." I played and tried to force myself to not look back at who the prince was dancing with for the rest of the night. The last dance was with the Prince and the Duchess's daughter. Finally, the ball came to an end. I said goodbye to Aang and I left.