"The Princess Fredrica Eugenie de Ia Fontaine."
"M'amselle Augustina Dubois, the daughter of General Pierre Dubois."
The announcements went off one after another.
"Ah... the boy isn't cooperating." Yuzuru said.
"M'amselle Leanora Mercedes de la Torre, daughter of Colonel and Madam de la Torre."
"I can't understand it! There must be at Ieast one who'd make a suitable mother." Yuzuru said.
"Shhh! Sire!" Yoshio said.
"Uh... a suitable wife." Yuzuru said.
"The Mademoiselles Hinako and Chizuru Tremain, daughters of Lady Tremain.
"I give up!" Yuzuru said. "Even I couldnt expect the boy to-"
"Well, if I may say so, Your Majesty. I did try to warn you, but you, Sire, are incurably romantic. No doubt you saw the whole pretty picture in detail. The young Prince...bowing to the assembly. Suddenly, he stops. He Iooks up, for Io, there she stands, the girl of his dreams. Who she is, or whence she came...he knows not, nor does he care. But his heart tells him that here...here is the maid predestined to be his bride. A pretty plot for fairytales, Sire, but in real Life... oh, no... no. It was foredoomed to failure." Yoshio said.
"Failure, eh?" Yuzuru said. "Take a Iook at that, you pompous windbag!"
Haruhi came down the stairs.
"Who is she? You know her?" Yuzuru asked.
"No, Sire." Yoshio said. "I've never seen her before."
"That's one thing in her favour." Yuzuru said. "The waltz. Quick, the waltz! Soft Iights. The Iights! Aha! Failure, eh! Well...now for a good night's sleep."
"Quite so, Sire. I believe I too-" Yoshio said.
"You will stay right here." Yuzuru said. "See they're not disturbed. And when the boy proposes...notify me immediately! And remember...if anything goes wrong..."
"But who is she, Mother?" Chizuru said.
"Do we know her?" Hinako asked.
"I don't know," Benio said. "But I know I've never seen her."
"Nor I." Chizuru said.
"But she certainly is- Wait..." Hinako said.
They began to dance.
"Oh! Oh, my goodness!" Haruhi said.
"What's the matter?" Tamaki said.
"It's midnight." Haruhi said.
"Yes, so it is, but-" Tamaki said.
"Goodbye." Haruhi said.
"No, no, wait. You can't go now. It's only-" Tamaki said.
"Oh, I must, please. Please, I must." Haruhi said.
"But why?" Tamaki asked.
"Well, I...I..." Haruhi said. "Oh, the Prince. I haven't met the Prince."
"The Prince? But didn't you know-" Tamaki said.
"Goodbye!" Haruhi said.
'No, wait. Come back." Tamaki said. "Please come back! I don't even know your name. How will I find you? Wait! Please wait!"
"Goodbye." Haruhi said.
"Stop that coach! Close those gates!" Tamaki said. "Follow that coach! Open the gates!"
He stopped, finding a slipper. "Your slipper!"