Prologue: Brighter Days

It was a beautiful night. The chandeliers glowed iridescently, the golden, glittering wallpaper superbly exploiting the light. Stars twinkled in the night sky outside, but within, not a creature slept: the kings, queens, princes, princesses, all the nobility of a dozen kingdoms had been brought together to dine on the finest meals, and enjoy each other's company.

Beside a dining table off to the side of the hall, three girls stood together, chatting. They were, each of them, lifelong friends: The exuberant Katherine, the compassionate Elizabeth, and the shy, quiet Vanessa.

"It's so lovely, isn't it?" Katherine said, in awe at the lights. "Why, I'd say this is the greatest ball I've been to."

"Yes, I would say so." Elizabeth nodded. "Although I don't like how some of the young men look at me. I can read them like books ….. Dirty books."

Katherine looked about, something catching her eye. She raised an eyebrow. "Speaking of which…."

She smiled at Vanessa.

"... What?" Vanessa asked, after some silence.

Katherine pointed slyly across the room. Vanessa turned around, and saw someone quickly look away.

"... Y-you can't be serious." Vanessa turned back to Katherine. "He c-couldn't have been looking at me."

"Why is that?" Katherine asked. "You need to have more confidence, dear. I don't doubt the boys find you stunning."

Vanessa blushed. "W-well, I never-"

Katherine threw back her head and laughed. "Forgive me, Vanessa, I've had a little too much to drink. Go talk to him! You need to get out of your family's castle anyway! You've been cooped up these days, haven't you?"

"Uhh…" Vanessa looked down at her drink, blushing. "I… I need to speak with the Queen first."

"Why do you call your mother that?" Elizabeth interjected. "And you shouldn't need her permission to talk to boys, you're your own person."

Vanessa forced a chuckle. "D-don't be silly, of course I do…"

She walked off. "Of course I do…"

The Queen of Subcon was talking with several diplomats when her daughter approached. "What is it, Child?"

"M-mother, I… think we should discuss this alone."

The Queen sighed, exasperated, and turned to her guests. "Excuse me a moment."

She grabbed Vanessa's arm - a little too tightly - and dragged her to a side room. "What is it? I'm in the middle of a very important business deal with an Avian film company, and I don't need you dragging me aside."

"Mother, I… I saw a… a prince, looking at me." Vanessa said. "He looked away when I turned to him."

There was a moment of silence. The Queen's eyes were narrowed, steely, emotionless.

Then she smiled warmly. "My dear, that is great news. But also…." as quickly as it had come, the smile vanished. "Problematic."

Vanessa nodded. 'Y-yes, I know, but-"

"You know what is at stake, don't you?" Her mother asked in the same steely tone. "What everyone will think if you fail to woo a prince? You, my daughter, my heir?"

"Of course, of course, mother." Vanessa gulped. "I remember you're lessons-"

"I know you do, you damned fool, my daughter's no amnesiac." The queen nearly snarled. "Take time to observe him at a distance, but subtly. Invent a flirtatious opening line. Be conversational. And do. Not. Stutter. Do not fail to please him."

The Queen tilted her head to one side, leaning uncomfortably close to her daughter. "Or would you want to end up like me?"

Vanessa … wasn't sure how to answer that, "W-well, you've done rather well for us, even without fath-"

The Queen smacked Vanessa across the face. "When a Queen asks you to say 'no,' you say it. Now get wooing, I have work to do."

"Yes mother." Vanssa nodded, feeling at her face. The Queen walked out, leaving her child alone.

"Okay…. Okay." Vanessa breathed, washing her face - again. "You can do this, just…. Just focus. Don't mess up, you can do it." She took a deep breath. "Alright… here we go."

She re-entered the ballroom. Some people were still chatting, but most people were dancing. They were playing a fast, celebratory piece, which Vanessa knew they did before the waltz each year. She gulped. She didn't have much time to work with.

Great.

Katherine gave her a smile and a nod from across the way, as Vanessa walked toward the buffet table. The one who had looked at her was helping himself to the pasta bar. He had a red robe on with purple patterns on the shoulders. Brown hair, golden eyes - golden eyes. They gleamed like coins. They were probably just as precious….

The prince heard her and turned his head. When he saw it was her he nearly choked on the pasta he was eating. Gulping it down, he cleared his throat and stood seemingly at attention. The music slowed at that moment. A waltz had begun.

Vanessa smiled. "Good eveni-"

"Do you want to dance?" The prince blurted out, before suddenly shutting his mouth, going red in the face.

"I-I…" Vanessa stammered. They both stood there in shy silence for a moment. "... Yes, I would."

She held out her hand. "Princess Vanessa."

The prince took her hand tentatively. "... Prince Peter."

Vanessa smiled shyly as they made their way to the floor. Arms interlocked, they began to dance. One, two, three, one, two, three…

For two awkward royals, they danced rather well. The people would note how they glided across the floor, the rhythm of their movements, as if they were celestial bodies, locked in each other's orbit, bound by the forces of nature itself…

Vanessa felt that way too. It was almost as if destiny had brought them together. She felt her emotions starting to get the better of her, so she did what she could to control them. But she couldn't shake the feeling that they were doing more than dancing. That they danced a pattern of destiny, like two cogs in the clockwork of Time itself.

When they stopped dancing, they were both smiling. They didn't know each other, not at all, but they were excited to get to. They both were.

In the rotting ruins of a ballroom, a queen of cold and darkness was dancing. Dancing to music only she could hear.

She danced alone.