Part VII

The masquerade ball was beautiful. Adelle was quite impressed. The ballroom had been decorated in many soft blues and delicate white lilies. It was the picture of perfection. If not for her dark hair, in the pale blue gown, she blended right in.

A man at the door greeted her when she arrived and gave her a friendly smile. She returned it continued to get such glances as the evening progressed. The men couldn't seem to be able to take their eyes off of her. She wondered what their problem was. Hadn't they ever seen a girl before? Not that she didn't enjoy the attention. She had never gotten any back home.

She asked the very first man she danced with if he could point out the princess. The man had been reluctant at first, seeing as this was a masquerade ball, but after her delicate he opened up to her and pointed to an empty throne at the front of the room. He told her that the princess usually sat there during such events. Adelle had thanked him and was sure to keep her eyes glued to that very chair the entire night, hoping to get a glimpse of the princess. She didn't have to wait long, and just as soon as she saw a blue clad figure sit down in the chair, she knew that she had found the princess.

* * *

Antoine tried to enjoy the ball, but something still bothered him. Actually, now he had two things bothering him. The first still pertained to the lost of his mermaid princess, and his second involved the mysterious girl he had caught breaking into the castle.

This second bother was quite a bother indeed. She, after all, had hit him over the head! He was sour about that. She was obviously a criminal and had panicked when he had found her. He thought back to her last comment:

"I'm sorry, Antoine. It wasn't supposed to turn out like this."

Antoine. She had called him, addressing him by name. Did that mean he knew her? She obviously knew who he was. Who was she? Where had they met? Such questions swirled around in his brain until it almost hurt to think. He hastily shook his head to clear it and tried to concentrate on the dancers. He tried, but his mind kept wandering back to the mysterious girl. That is, until he spotted something very mysterious out on the dancing floor.

There was a girl, with black hair, dancing with a gentleman Antoine didn't recognize. But the man didn't matter, neither did the girl, what interested him most was the dress she wore. It was pale blue and gauzy with lots of lace and minimum frills. He had only seen that dress once before and doubted there were another one like it in all the world.

It was one of the dresses his wife had had made especially for the little mermaid. He remembered, for he was there when they had first arrived. The mermaid never had gotten to wear them, however, for she was gone by the time they were finished.

But this woman was wearing one. He wasn't sure where she had gotten it. His wife had put them away in storage not long after they arrived seeing as they upset him. But it upset him more now seeing this unknown maiden wearing one of the precious garments. She hadn't the right, as far as he was concerned. He decided to ask her about it and quickly crossed the ballroom, over to the mysterious girl whom he asked to dance.

* * *

The mermaid was excited about the masquerade. She still wasn't entirely sure what a masquerade was, but she knew it somehow involved the prince and how much she wanted to see him! It had been four years since she had seen him last and she was almost bursting at the seems.

When it came the time to leave for the ball, the witch took her by the hand and led her frantically through town. The mermaid wasn't sure why they were rushing and she didn't much like running for it had always hurt to run. It even hurt her to walk. That is why she always gracefully walked on her toes as the witch had told her when she had first become human.

They ended their mad dash not far from the castle. The witch slowed their pace and in a royal stride approached the palace entrance. Nobody stopped them when they entered and a footman led them to the ballroom. He entered with them and the little mermaid's eyes grew in amazement at the beautiful scene. She was sure this was the most beautiful ball she had even been to!

"Come on, dear." The witch took her by the hand and led her through the crowd of spectators who conversed and watched the dancing couples on the floor.

It didn't take long for the mermaid to spot the prince, who was dancing with a blue clad figure with black hair. The mermaid couldn't help but think there was something familiar about her.

The witch stopped walking and turned to her smiling. "Well! Now go and have fun, but don't leave the room and don't talk to the prince or princess unless I tell you to."

"Why not?"

"Don't ask me that. Just don't do it!"

The mermaid didn't want to make the witch angry, so she nodded and stood standing, watching the dancers fly by. She wanted to join them, but the witch had told her to stay away from the prince.

"Pardon me?"

The mermaid turned when she was addressed and saw a tall and seemingly handsome gentlemen (she couldn't really tell, he was wearing a mask) standing before her. He smiled at her with his beautiful smile and offered her his hand.

"I couldn't help but notice your interest in the dancers. I was wondering if you'd like to dance with me?" He smiled again, which made the mermaid nervous. She had never known anyone but a mean knight she once knew to smile so much. She hoped this wasn't him because last time he had taken her away from the ball.

"No, thank you." She replied in her small voice and looked down at her feet, somewhat ashamed. She wished she wouldn't be penalized for saying such things.

"Hold on. Say it again please?"

She looked up at him again. Their eyes met and it is then she noticed they were a brilliant shade of blue. There was something very familiar about those eyes and that voice… she was sure they had met at one time. But where? She didn't know many humans.

"Please." He repeated. "Say it again?"

"No, thank you." She replied in answer to his plea.

That now familiar grin spread out on his face. "It's you." He whispered. "I must speak to you alone."

"I'm not allowed to leave the room." Replied the mermaid, remembering the witch's instructions, though she was very curious.

"No?" He removed something from his pocket and pressed it into her hand. The little mermaid looked the forgotten necklace and then all too quickly her memories returned.

She looked up at him and he was smiling. "Go ahead, put it on. It is yours after all. I was only returning it to you."

Her friend. It was her friend. The boy she had met when Knight Reynold had kidnapped her and taken her to his kingdom. He was the boy who had dropped the apples and who had rescued her from death. But, as she looked up into his eyes again, she realized he wasn't a boy anymore. Like her, he had grown up in the last four years.

"Aren't you going to put it on?"

"Ahem!"

She and the boy turned at the same moment to see the witch looking at them. The mermaid hastily pushed the necklace towards her. "Look, look!" She said and the witch did look. Her eyes got big and she looked at the boy suspiciously.

"Who are you?"

"Jim Crewe, ma'am. I met both of you about four years ago at Marnsdale. I was a nobody then, but well…" His voice trailed off, "You probably don't remember me."

The witch nodded. "You're right. I don't."

Jim frowned and the mermaid felt sorry for you. "I remember you." She said. "You're the boy that had the apples. You dropped them and I picked them up." She smiled at him and he smiled back.

"Huh." Huffed the witch and she pocketed the necklace. "Well, just be warned that I have my eye on you, Mr. Crewe. Anything happens to her and you'll wish it hadn't."

"Yes, ma'am."

Both the mermaid and Jim watched as she walked away and then turned to each other. "Are you sure you don't want to dance?"

She smiled at him, but then her smile faded. "I can't."

"Sure you can. Everyone can dance."

"No. I can't go out there. The witch told me I couldn't go near the prince without her permission."

Jim seemed thoughtful. "Why is that?"

"I don't know."

"Well…" Said Jim. "What if we stay on the opposite side of the dance floor as the prince? Would you dance with me then?"

The mermaid thought for a moment and then readily nodded.

"Alright, then. Let's go." He offered her his arm and she took it as he led her out onto the dance floor. Jim Crewe. Her friend. Perhaps she knew more humans than she thought.

* * *

Adelle could tell the prince was smitten. He couldn't take his eyes off her as they danced and he hardly said a word. She could tell he was studying her, why she wasn't sure for he surely couldn't recognize her with her mask on and with her ebony hair. She had looked so much different when they had met before. He wouldn't remember. No. He'd have to see her complete face to place her.

"What is your name?" He said at last. Four songs had already gotten away from them and she was sure there would be more, but she'd have to disguise herself, she couldn't give out her real name.

"Elleda." She said, putting her name backwards. She knew it wasn't the most original of aliases, but it was the best she could do on such short notice. Actually, now that she thought of it, there were other names she would have preferred like Elisabeth or Isabella.

"What an unusual name." Said the prince. "Is it Latin?"

"Greek." She lied and he nodded, thinking it was the truth. After all, he had every reason to believe her.

She smiled. Oh, he was still so handsome. Even with his masquerade mask on Adelle was spellbound. She didn't doubt her sister's reasons now. Though her own memories were foggy, everything made sense.

"And where do you come from?"

Here was another question she wasn't prepared for. "Far away." She replied somewhat awkwardly, scolding herself afterwards for her unoriginality.

But Antoine didn't seem to mind her mistake. He seemed to be rolling the answer over in his mind: examining it closely.

This made Adelle nervous. "Tell me." She said. "How long have you lived here in this beautiful palace?"

"About four years now I do believe." He said plainly and she knew his mind was still elsewhere. He was still studying her, but now in his own mind. He knew her. He was trying to place her. She only hoped her wouldn't put her in any castles or by any beaches. Such things could prove disastrous for poor Adelle.

"I see. Do you like it here?"

"That is an odd question." He sort of smiled at her when he said this. 'Why do you ask this?"

"Please forgive me. I'm only naturally curious."

"I've noticed."

His smile would have melted her, but she had to keep calm. After all, she reminded herself, I'm not here to fall in love. I'm here to avenge my sister's death. A death that was every bit the princess's fault.

"Now really. Where do you come from?"

He asked her that question again. She knew there were few ways out of it and then decided to humor him. "Why, prince." She said laughing melodically. "Why so many questions? Isn't this, after all, supposed to be a masquerade ball?"