One week. One week until the dance. She thought with happiness. One week until I can give Ben my gift.
Ada's mother was helping Ada make her dress for the dance. Whilst they were making it, they took peeks outside to where the men were setting up the dance floor. There was going to be cakes and lanterns and beautiful music. The king and queen would be there, as well as Mrs Potts, their maid who will sing some songs. Everything would be perfect.
Even more perfect, Ada thought that Ben will be there.
Ada's mother announced a break time, and Ada rushed to the 'tinker room' to continue painting her music box. She was painting the words 'I love you' on it in a fancy font, but she didn't put the name on it yet. If her parents found it with the name on it, she'd be in a world of shame.
Not yet. Not now. She thought. No matter how much she wanted to scream out that she was in love, she couldn't. Not until the dance. Then she would tell everyone. Then she would tell Ben.
But right now, she would focus on actually being at the dance. In a beautiful dress. It was a beautiful pastel pink, no sleeves on the shoulders, only on the sides of her arms. She was to have a halo of pink flowers on her head, to match the pink of the dress.
She hoped Ben would like it.
Ben was rushing around his room, trying to find the perfect outfit. He needed to, if he wanted to tell Ada how he felt. He needed to look his best.
Do I look good in red? Maybe I should go scarlet. Or maybe navy? ARGHHHH!
He gave up and took a break. He went to the window and leaned against the window sill. He looked out over the forest and if he really strained his eyes, he could just see the village roofs in the distance.
He smiled softly at the idea of being at the dance with her. Dancing with Ada.
The thought made him feel giddy inside. He stared at the sky, with its puffy clouds and light blue canvas.
He suddenly remembered Chip. His light blue wedding outfit. The one he wore when he wed Eloise.
Maybe, just maybe, he'd let him borrow it. Just for tonight.
Ben found himself running through the castle in excitement. He found Chip in his room that he shared with his wife and his young daughter.
Eloise, Chip's heavily pregnant wife, answered the door, holding young Minette. Eloise invited him in and Chip got up from his chair, where he was reading a book.
Chip shook Ben's hand and asked what he needed.
"Chip, I was going to ask you…if I could borrow your wedding outfit? Just for tonight! I just want to impress Ada that's all." He asked cautiously.
Chip and Eloise, who had come to stand beside him, looked at each other, deep in thought.
As if they shared a silent conversation that Ben didn't understand, they nodded at each other and looked back at Ben.
"Ok Ben. You can use it, but just for tonight. You must promise to try to keep it clean. Chip will be at the dance as well, so he can keep an eye on you." Eloise said with a small, 'you'd better be good' smile.
Ben was practically bursting at the seams with happiness. "THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I won't let you down!" he shouted. He was basically jumping off the walls.
After countless thank you's, Ben walked out the door with a smile that he could not keep down. He headed down the hallway to his bedroom and closed the door.
He locked it and went to his desk, pulling out a package carefully wrapped in a handkerchief.
It was a music box.
He smiled as he opened the box and listened to the tune his grandfather helped him memorise. Ben owed it to him who taught him how to make music boxes. Thanks grandfather.
If Maurice hadn't accidentally left his door open to his workshop, Ben's curiosity wouldn't have gotten the best of him, and he wouldn't be here making this music box for Ada.
Ada.
With a love-sick smile written all over his face, Ben wrapped up the music box and put it back in his desk. He unlocked his door and walked over to his bed, flopping onto it lazily. As Ben lay on his back, his thoughts running back to her, a sleepy, un-prince-like sigh escaped his lips. But he didn't care in the slightest. When he was with or thinking of Ada, he wasn't Prince Benjamin.
He was Ben.