Ash felt as if it was taking most of the night for all the guests to arrive for the ball. Since there didn't seem to be any real order to when the guests were announced, he didn't know how much longer it would be before the last guest entered and he could have the bandleader start the music. He began to bounce from foot to foot between announcements and fidgeting with his mask. He wondered to himself if he was this nervous now, how much more nervous would he be tomorrow at the coronation? Brenna was across the room, talking to a representative of one of the earls from the northernmost area of his kingdom, but this didn't keep her from noticing his nervous behavior. She caught his eye and bounced her hand, with the palm down, a couple times at her waist level to indicate that he should calm down.

Ash fidgeted with his mask once more, earning a stern look from his friend as the trumpets announcing the next set of guests. As it turned out, this was to be the last set of guests to arrive to the party. This last group arrived in sets of two. First King Wendell and his wife followed by their daughter, Bianca, who was escorted by their captain of the guard. Next was Lord Wolf and Lady Virginia followed closely by their son, Warren and Lady Virginia's father, Lord Antony. Last to enter was the only lone member of the group, a young woman in a lovely golden gown that flowed gracefully around her ankles and trailed on the stairs as the slowly descended to the main floor of the room. Her mask was similar in color to her gown and a section of hair fell over the side of her mask, caressing her cheek seductively.

He didn't know why, but he felt drawn to this woman as if she held the key to all the mysteries in the world, including who she was. Although he knew that she was the eldest daughter of Wolf and Virginia, her name escaped his notice. He decided that he didn't need to know, at least not yet, let it add to the air of mystery that surrounded this young woman. She silently made her way to join her family, carried on the soft, golden cloud that was the skirts of her gown. He caught his eyes following the young woman and barely was able to stop himself from following her. Catching the band leader's attention, he welcomed all his guests and nodded to the band leader to start the music for the evening.

Having promised the first dance to Brenna, he set off in search of his friend knowing that no matter who he danced with, the whole night would likely be in pursuit of the mysterious woman in the gold dress. He soon found Brenna in a corner casually flirting with some of his cousins on his father's side. "Ash, why didn't you tell me your cousins were so funny?" She asked him, here eye twinkling behind her mask.

"I forgot?" He shrugged, smiling at the private joke between them before holding out his hand in a silent request for her to join him on the dance floor.

"You know, at some point, that answer is not going to work so well." She smiled back, placing her hand in his, allowing him to lead her onto the floor.