"Oh, of course prince Charming!" an annoying voice said, interrupting my scouting and forcing me to scurry behind a bush before a trio of much to sparkly humans rounded the corner. I quietly observed as who I assumed to be the prince and two pampered ladies sauntered to a stop in front of my hiding place. How coincidental, I thought. They could have stopped anywhere, but no, they stop right here.

"We'd do anything for you!" the other lady said. Fluttering her baby blue fan that matched her dress which had way too much lace and frills for my taste.

"I do agree with Abigail," the first one agreed. In contrast to the now named Abigail, she had on a bright orange dress with a disgustingly low neckline and a giant hairdo. I hated both of them immediately.

"I do appreciate it ladies. I do always love the help," the prince said in a pampered voice, confirming the group in front of me as three hundred percent awful.

"You're completely welcome," the ladies said together, curtsying so deep I thought they would fall, not that I wouldn't have enjoyed it.

They all paused for a second. Then the two ladies exchanged a quick look. I could see the prince sweating. Just as Abigail opened her mouth, the prince cut in.

"You two ladies are attending the ball, correct?"

"Oh yes!" the two exclaimed.

"I'll give your payment there then," the prince said, taking a step away from the women, but before he could get more then a few steps, Abigail had rushed in front of him.

She hurriedly said, "Oh, we thought you could pay us now."She fluttered her eyelashes. I suddenly figured out exactly what was coming and did not want any part in it.

"But I don't have the coins with me…" Could he really be that oblivious? Abigail and her friend seemed a little perplexed at first too, but they quickly hide it.

"But I will have the proper amount by the ball! Goodbye Abigail, Emilia!" he said, beaming at the two women and taking another step back.

Seeing her opportunity beginning to slip away, Abigail pushed the now named Emilia out of the way, and ended up very close to the prince's face.

"Oh I didn't mean that kind of payment," she said in a dreamy voice, leaning in for a kiss.

Emilia and I both held our breath. Probably for completely different reasons. Abigail closed in, just an inch away from the beet red cheeks of the prince's face.

Then, the prince tripped, falling flat on his butt.

"S-so sorry. I think I hear my father calling. D-duty calls you know, or something like that," he stuttered as he fled the scene.

Emilia giggled, and Abigail reddened then laughed along with her. Then they walked away, tittering all the way. They were probably talking about just how much trouble they could get the prince into if they spread the rumor that he was kissing girls in the royal gardens. I just rolled my eyes. I had heard the prince was an oblivious fool, but not quite like what I had just witnessed. At least he had enough sense to flee. I waited until the ladies had walked off towards the castle before continuing my observation of the castle and gardens.

I was preparing myself for the event that I would have to flee the ball. Already, I had found quite a few exits out of the ballroom and scouted out the best routes through the garden to the forests surrounding the castle. It was quite routine for me to do this, though I had rarely done it with the castle as most of the missions there I declined. I always let other people take the suicide tasks. At least, until now.

I decided that I had scouted as much as I could with the little time I had and began heading back to the manor.

It was time to find a disguise.

xxxxxxxx

Pulling the string, I emitted a grunt of pain. I hated corsets, but I would have to wear them if I was going to blend in at the ball.

Though it shames me to admit it, I like dresses. At least, looking at them and feeling them, not wearing them. I could just see the value floating off the dresses that surrounded me in my tiny room. That red velvet bodice, this satin skirt, the lace trimming, it all taunted me in its beauty. I would never be as beautiful as her in these dresses…

I quickly shook the thought off before it consumed me and focused myself on my goal: to find a dress that would be pretty enough to not make people question my presence, but not so pretty to bring unwanted attention to myself. It would be hard enough with those perimeters in just any old dress shop, but no, I had to settle for my mother's chest of her best dresses which I had hidden away before the new land owners could throw it out. I had also swiped a few other dresses over the years from some wealthy ladies when I just couldn't pass them by when stealing something else. Making me stuck. I didn't have a 'in-between' dress like I was looking for! I had either rags or diamonds. I had destroyed all the 'in-between' dresses I had ever bought in the process of fleeing a theft.

The biggest problem was I didn't dare go out to buy a new dress tonight. When I had stolen the crown, one of the first places any logical police would go was to the dress shops to see if someone had seen me. No way was I taking that kind of risk. Besides, I barely had enough time to get ready as it. Stupid time consuming scouting and chores. I would just have to pick one of these dresses, though it pained me to think that I might, actually almost inevitably, ruin them.

I sighed as I turned to my last resort.

"Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, catch a tiger by the toe, if he hollers, let him go, my mother says to pick the very best one and you are it," I recited, finger landing on a glimmering silver dress. Groaning, I thought, At least it wasn't that diamond one over there.

Slipping into the dress and its matching shoes I quickly did up the back. Then I rushed over to my tiny dresser and did up my hair in a nice bun with some blonde curls hanging down my back and around my ears with a few razor sharp hairpins stuck in for good measure. I lightly dusted my cheeks with rogue and painted my eyelids with silvery blue and lips red. I found a silver mask that covered half my face, deciding that if anyone asked, I was dressing up as the moon for the masquerade. Then I stuck in sharp things wherever they could fit, even going as far as cutting a hole into the inside of my dress to fit my favorite dagger in. For a final touch, I clipped a silver locket around my neck, glad that I'd have at least one good luck charm with me.

I glanced once more at the mirror before flinging the door open.

"I'm ready."

A/N: I am so sorry everyone! The procrastination monster came and trapped me in his castle. Only when my friend came and valiantly rescued me from its awful dungeons have I been able to get back to writing!

Please feel free to comment and question my story! (A review a day keep the procrastination monster away!) Follows and favorites are appreciated too!