A/N – Yeah, sorry about the super short chapter last time. And sorry this took so long. I hope the rose-plot makes sense, as it will be put into action, um, right about now. Many things will change here at the ball, so let's find out, shall we? ~Emma

The Ball

            Evelyn and Ivy reached the ballroom just in time to see the orchestra begin to play. The room was filled with twinkling lights; the festive decorations gave the room a cheery glow. The chandelier hung majestically from the ceiling, and the innumerous nobles waltzed gaily across the floor. Julius soon came over and claimed Evelyn, and so Ivy stood alone. There were so many people… she caught a glimpse of the princess and Adrian standing next to the king and queen. The princess actually looked quite distant, and Adrian seemed not as glossy as usual…but that may have been her imagination.

            The night went on, and Ivy was asked to dance several times. She saw little of Evelyn, but every so often she caught a glimpse of her waltzing with Julius. She was standing at the top of the stairs when she saw the prince at the bottom, waving up at her.  She walked down to him, trying to breathe calmly.

***

            The shroud over Adrian's mind was beginning to fade. The princess, although kind and gentle at first, had been distancing herself from him the past few days. He was beginning to realize that while her beauty stayed all the time, her witty charm did not. He longed to have a substantial conversation with her, but all she seemed to be able to talk about was the ball.

            He stood next to her and his parents, looking out over the sea of nobles. His eyes fell on a figure at the top of the stairs, dressed in a stunning emerald gown.

            "Scarlett," he said softly to himself.

            "What was that dear?" his mother asked.

            "Oh, nothing, Mother," he said quickly. He looked back over at Scarlett. What was he doing? He had been wasting all this time with Violet when he could have been spending time with her. The shroud crashed into a million pieces. There was only one person he wanted to be with tonight.

            He excused himself and hurried over to the stairs.

***     

            "Hello, Adrian," Ivy said, curtsying.

            "Hello, Miss Scarlett," he said, sounding choked. "You look… lovely."

            "Thank you. How is everything going?" she asked, cocking her head in the direction of the princess.

            "Oh…fine, I suppose. Say, would you care to dance?"

            "Of course," she said, and she let him lead her out onto the dance floor. They waltzed around for a while, chatting when they could. She told him about how her lilies had come up.

            "I am so sorry I have not come to the garden," he said at this. "I meant to, but my parents had other plans."

            "Completely understandable," she said.

            "I miss it, though. Getting dirty… and our talks… I suppose I just miss you," he said, his eyes yearning, right before he was swept off into the arms of another partner.  Ivy spun around with her new partner as she thought about what he said. She had an answer all ready for him, but he was taken out of the dance by his mother.  Ivy's heart fell; she had had the determination right at that moment, and now it broke. She sighed, and left the dance as well.  She went outside to get a breath of fresh air.

            "I wished to speak with you, but I couldn't even hear myself think in that ballroom." It was the princess' voice. Ivy panicked, and opened a servant door and hid behind it.

            "What did you wish to tell me?" It was Adrian.

            "Well, Adrian, I've had a wonderful time here in your country. It's really beautiful, and the people are just lovely."

            "But?" he said, sounding as if he knew the answer.

            "But I want to marry for love, more than anything in the world. And I know that marrying you would be a wonderful opportunity for our countries, but I just can't let my dream go. I just don't feel that way about you."

            There was a silence.

            "I understand," Adrian said. "I would not want to bring you pain."

            "It's not that I don't like you, it's just I don't…love you."

            "Well, I suppose it's time we said goodbye then."

            "Yes, I suppose so."    

            "Well then, goodbye Violet. Good luck."

            "Goodbye Adrian." Her dress rustled as she walked away.  There was silence again, unless you counted Ivy's wheezing noises as she tried not to breathe loudly.

            "Scarlett, can you come out now?" 

            She stamped her foot and opened the door to meet him.

            "That's just creepy, you know," she said.

            "Well, you're terrible at breathing quietly."

            "Sorry."

            "No, I'm glad you heard it. Ecastatic, actually."

            She walked closer to him. He was actually calmer than she had expected, leaning against the balcony's rail.  He looked awfully handsome as well, with his black hair falling into his face, and his brown eyes lit by the moonlight, staring imploringly at her.  She leaned onto the rail as well.

            There was an odd silence.

            "So," she said.

            "Yes."  They both stood there, unsure of what to say. Other people were coming onto the balcony, trying to escape the stuffiness of the ballroom.

            "Scarlett, I wanted to tell you something earlier, when we were dancing," he said.

            "And what was that?"

            "Well, I did miss you. A lot. And I thought a lot, as well. And I think, I mean, I know, I mean…I think I came to the realization that…" he trailed off.

            "What?" she said.

            "Well, that I lo-"

            "Ivy?" a clear, cold voice rang through the air. Ivy froze, and her insides turned to stone. A panic flooded through her, but she bit her lip very hard and turned around.

            It was her stepmother.  She stood there, staring at Ivy were her icy blue eyes, making Ivy feel as if she had turned into a statue.

            "Duchess Catalina, what a pleasure," Adrian said. "Miss Scarlett, I don't know if you've met-"

            "Oh, she knows me, your highness." She focused her attention on Ivy. "How dare you! Taking off like that, coming to the city, pretending to be a courtier of all the absurd nonsense!" The duchess began to circle Ivy, laughing maliciously.

            "Duchess, I think you have made a mistake. This is Lady Scarlett."

            "This is no lady, your highness. My daughter is a lady. I am a lady. But this," she pointed a long finger at Ivy, "this is just a servant. A servant who is no better than the dirt under my shoe. A servant who has deceived you, and apparently everyone in your home, your highness, and I am ashamed to call her her father's daughter."

            Ivy felt the ice be melted away by anger.

            "She works for me, she ran away, and now I see where she has been."

            "You told me to leave! You told me to get out of your house! I was never any good to you and I never will be! My father was a good man, and you are the one who should be ashamed! My father may have been deceived in you, but I know who you are! You are a cold, wicked, evil witch!" Ivy yelled, tears beginning to pour down her face.

            "So it's true?" the small, hurt voice of Adrian came from behind her.  She turned around, blinded by her tears and by her anger.

            "Yes, alright?" she said, her anger getting the better of her. "My name is Ivy, your highness, but my father was a duke, and I was treated like a duke's daughter, until she," she pointed at the duchess, "came and bewitched him! I'm fine being a servant, I really am, but I cannot stand to see my father's memory be torn to shreds by her horrible, selfish tricks!" She stopped, breathing heavily.

            "The pastries…" he said.

            "Was me," Ivy finished.

            "And you're a servant."

            She nodded. The duchess smiled wickedly.

            "And you lied to me this whole time."

            "Your highness, I-"

            Something seemed to break inside him. "I poured my heart out to you! And there you were, just trying to see if you could trick me into marrying you! I thought I loved you!" he yelled.

            Angry, Ivy said bitterly, "You can't love someone who doesn't exist."

            He stopped short. He looked into her eyes for a moment, but then said, "I've had enough." Then he turned, and left.

            Ivy stood there, watching his retreating back, instantly regretting everything she had said, until she felt an icy hand on her shoulder.

            "Well, you insolent wretch. I have plans for you. Come."  The duchess steered her around and they walked to where their carriage was.  Ivy had the strangest feeling; as if she was being forced to walk, as if by some magic. She slumped into the carriage, and they drove off.  The carriage was completely silent, and Ivy wiped the tears from her eyes.

            After what seemed like two hours, Ivy finally broke out of her remorseful reverie and looked out the window.

            "We're not going the right way," she exclaimed.

            "Yes we are," the duchess said, her blue eyes glinting eerily.

            After another hour, Ivy watched as a great, massive castle came into view, standing tall on an island in an enormous lake. It was the most horrible castle she had ever seen. It was black, and was shining sinisterly in the moonlight. But clouds soon covered up the moon, and thunder was heard in the distance.  By the time the carriage got to the castle, rain was pouring, and lightning was flashing, giving the castle an even creepier look than before.

            "Well, here we are," the duchess said.

***Uh-oh! What will happen next! I promise that the next chapter will be faster. Really, I do! In the meantime, however, you can go check out my new fairy tale! And review! ~Emma