no i never saw ever after, but i think i have it planned out pretty well anyway...and as a hint, this is only the first ball...hehehehehehe
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Elenia pranced by, clad in a red satin gown, her hair in waist long braids. "But not nearly as well done as Terah fixed ours," her sister whispered. Turning to look at the other two, waiting for their carriage, her reddened lips opened with shock.
"Well, I never!" she exclaimed, regaining her composure. Her sharp blue eyes, hawklike in their scrutiny, traversed their silk gowns, bejeweled hair, wrists, and neck, even glancing at the dainty, matching dancing slippers. "Hmph! Well, have fun walking there, my escort Lord Ermer shall be here shortly." Turning her nose, the girl sniffed and ignored them after her harangue.
Selene stifled a giggle. "Does she know?" she asked Elenia, for once delighted in showing up the wicked stepsister. "I know its wrong to take so much joy in this, but..."
Elesia shook her auburn braids, their length falling past her hips. "I think under these circumstances," she replied, her eyes merry, "we have a perfect right."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Four minutes later, a cream colored carriage was seen from the road, pulled by four lovely white mares with flowing rose and gold ribbons woven into their long, silky manes. Real blossoms, no doubt plucked that day from the rose garden, adorned the doors and windows of the small carriage.
Elenia made a small, scornful cough, quite ladylike in even her distain. "I suppose that is my conveyance," she said airly, lifting the edge of her satin skirt.
The rose and gold door opened to reveal the slightly tousled head of Corren. "You're there?" he said, looking up, annoyed, as a thornless branch poked him in the head. "Aagh."
Selene laughed and even Elesia smiled at the Prince's obvious discomfort in social activities. "We're here," she replied, walking past the staring Elenia without a backwards glance. Helping first one, and then the other, into the small courtly carriage, they settled themselves comfortably across from one another.
"Sel- Ella, Elesia," Corren said tiredly, as if the whole procedure terribly bored him, "This is my cousin Trenel. Trenel, this is Ella and Elesia."
The boy, around the same age as Corren himself, grinned. "Hey," he said, his grey eyes lighting up. "I'm the cousin of this mismatched, unsociable bloke." Trenel's hair, quite fairer than his reletive's, swept back from his forehead and dangled neatly yet still giving the laid-back appearance. He wore a tasteful blue and grey outfit, matching Elesia's nicely.
"Trouble maker, that one is," Corren grumbled to Selene.
Trenel looked up from his good-natured but teasingly exaggerated dismay of Elesia, who had pressed herself as far away from him in the double seat as possible. "Nay, I'm not a trouble maker, just someone who finds himself in strange and unusual situations."
Coren made a choking noise. "Yes, sure. And who poured that abominable mixture of- of I don't know what to call it! Oil? Molasses? And that shoe is still stuck to the floor! I can't tell Mother, she'll flay me, and the servants will tell her, and Terah would kill me! I can't even use that room anymo-"
"It was a joke," Trenel said mildly. "You got me back by pouring juice down my back, while I was trying to study for my exam..."
Elesia looked across at Selene, her eyes twinkling with mirth. She bit her lip, trying to supress the giggle that was escaping her, but failed. Trenel watched her, a curious look in his grey eyes that was a mixture between surprise and preference.
"I think they're getting along well," Corren whispered, his golden eyes sparkling with humor as Trenel's face flushed first red, then white. "He's actually nervous."
"Thats a good sign?" she breathed, trying to remain quiet.
He grinned. "Surprisingly, yes. He's only worried when he truly cares." Corren smoothed his shirt sleeves, white silk under a green and gold tunic. "We shall be there soon," he remarked to the others.
Selene swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. In the distance, the castle sparkled with lights, a gilded beacon in the darkening sky.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Corren led Selene out of the carriage and up the long, pale marble stairs. The sound of genteel conversation and swishing silk skirts increased in intensity as they slowly walked closer to the crowd.
The musicians, sitting close to the thrones, struck a tune, their four stringed instruments ringing with the sound. Couples broke off and entered the shining gold center of the ballroom, twirling joyously in a riot of colors.
"Corren," Selene breathed, her hand tight on his arm, "I cannot dance! Whatever should i do?"
He sighed with relief. "I'm glad, I really don't want to go out there." Pausing in the throng of watchers, he cocked his head. "But don't you wish to try?"
"Of course!" she exclaimed, "But i don't want to make a fool of either of us, surrounded by spinning nobles and such! Dancing is not training for a doctor," she reminded him. As it was, she barely remembered the lessons she had taken as a young girl, quickly discarded for the rounds and medicine of her father's occupation.
His green eyes sparkled. "I think I have an idea." Taking her hand, he tugged on it gently. "Come on."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
copyright sorka robinton 2001