Paige frowned and blushed at Eric's still extended hand reached toward her hand. She took a step back from him and hit the wall behind her.
"Eric, what are you doing? I can't dance with you." Paige said clutching a hand to her bodice in an exasperating way. Eric stepped closer as someone tried to walk behind him. He smiled a goofy smile at Paige as she made her eyes wide.
"I like you hair, it makes you look like such a lady. Please, we must get you noticed by Prince Liam once he does he wont want any other dance partner this evening." Eric grinned, and took Paige's hand in his. Paige tried to get away without anyone noticing, but Eric held firm to her hand. She had no choice to follow him onto the ballroom floor. Paige would have to get Eric back for this somehow. She frowned as he turned back to her and they started the traditional dance.
"Eric, I'll get you for this. You know I hate dancing." Paige complained as Eric spun her gracefully on his finger. She spun into his arms and saw him smile again.
"Well, you see George was actually the one who thought I should dance with you. I personally knew that you would hate it, but I couldn't help myself from you either. Your beauty radiated off the walls and across the room to me. And you know me I can't keep myself for the pretty ones." Eric and Paige parted for a moment and came back together as the dance demanded. Paige was scowling and very red when she returned back into Eric's arms.
"Well, then I'll just have to get you and George back now wont I?" Paige said. The next few minuets of the dance were in silence. During this time Eric had made sure that they passed Liam at least 10 times. Paige had turned her face to and at one point he and her eyes had met. Eric had then, for some reason, swept her away quickly. At last the song ended and Paige was directed to the outside of the room to wait for Liam to come to her. Eric however stood right by her.
"Eric, for the hundredth time if you standing right by me he wont come up and ask me to dance." Paige said trying to explain to Eric who seemed not to be listening to anything she said. Then suddenly as she was still turned toward him his face became slightly annoyed over her head.
"Um, excuse my, but may I ask you for a dance?" A voice sounded behind Paige. She turned around to find Prince Liam looking very timid and red himself. Paige glanced back at Eric who had a sullen look on his face. He wasn't looking at them. She turned her attention back to Liam who offered her his hand. She took it gracefully. Liam led her onto the dancefloor. They started the dance.
"So, are you enjoying your celebration?" Paige asked Liam who was leading her around very nicely. HE shrugged.
"To be honest not really. I would much rather be reading right now." Liam said. Paige laughed softly. She nodded understanding what he meant.
"I would as well, but…" She stopped as she realized she was just about to say she would but she needed to be watching them. Fortunately, Liam took it the wrong way.
"Don't feel bad about not wanting to come, I'm just glad I'm not the only one." Liam smiled with relief a little. "So, what's your name?" Liam asked without any hesitation. Paige smiled.
"Paige of…Colville." She said she hadn't thought of how her real name might not be respected around royalty. Liam nodded seeming not to have noticed the break in her speaking.
"Isn't that man from Colville as well? Are you brother and sister?" Liam asked nodding to a man with curly blond hair and light blue eyes. HE stood in a corner drinking wine. Paige swallowed hard, she hadn't thought of what would come of this. She smiled at Liam hoping he had forgotten, but his face was curious. Paige nodded.
"That is my brother." Paige said lightly. They didn't speak anything after that. The dance ended soon, and Paige politely excused herself. She found George quickly. He saw her waiting by the door looking at him every so often. He casually walked over to her.
"George, where is Eric?" Paige asked looking around for Eric, but she didn't see him in sight. George looked ahead of him.
"He said he wasn't feeling well, he went to his room." George said out of the corner of his mouth to her. Paige sighed, perfect.
"Awe, well, um which room is he staying in? Do you know?" Paige asked tilting her head to the side. George grinned at someone who was passing by them.
"157, I believe." George said then like that he was walking across the room to a old man laughing and drinking something like beer. Paige walked out the doors and quickly to Eric's room.
She arrived at 157, her hair had come down by now. She knocked twice. No one answered. Paige tried to open the door, but found it locked. She cursed and walked back to her room. She went in and found no one. Again she headed down the hall, but this time she decided to look at the practice courts. Eric always got something out of him in the courts, but if he really wasn't feeling well he wouldn't go there. What drew her there she didn't know. She quickly walked down to the practice courts. Her shoes made it hard and this resulted in her taking them off altogether. Now she ran the rest of the way, and sure enough there was Eric a bow in hand and a lot of arrows grouped together on the ground. Paige watched him as he strung his bow, and shot the first one. It went through the air with silent ease and landed in the targets middle. Paige couldn't see Eric's face, but she could tell that he was mad.
"Eric." She said softly not wanting to disturb him too much. He didn't turn around.
"What do you want Paige? You should be inside watching Liam." Eric shot the next arrow. Paige was quiet for a few moments. It was she who he was mad at. She went through the gate and came up beside Eric. He turned away form her and dropped him bow. She sighed this had gone far enough. Without hesitation and in two swift movements she had Eric pinned to the ground and staring at her. He breathed heavily. She was frowning deeply.
"What is your problem?" Paige asked fiercely into Eric's face. HE tried to look away from her, but the way she held him he was unable.
"Let me up and maybe I'll tell you." Eric said evenly to her for the first time since she had come outside. She let him up and tried to wipe off her dress as best she could. Eric watched her and then she straightened to look at him.
"Well!" Paige demanded to Eric. HE ran a hand through his hair.
"Did you hear of the big tournament?" Eric asked helplessly. Paige shook her head about to ask why this was relevant.
"Well, I've entered it, and I'm going on a race around Tortall. I know a little extreme considering it only happens every 100 years and most people die during it." Eric said as if dieing was the least of his worries. Paige took a step closer to Eric.
"Are you mad! You could die. No, I wont let you go. Unless you can come up with a good reason for you to go." Paige said with a furious tone of voice. Eric smiled and took another step toward her closing the distance between them. Paige didn't step back like she usually would have.
"Because I will die if I stay here and watch you fall in love with Liam like I know you will." With that Eric bent down slightly and pressed his lips to Paige's. She gasped as he stepped back from her and ran from the Court and right outside the gate stood a horse saddled. He had been planning this. She breathed heavily and wanted to run after him, but she was glued to her spot watching him mount evenly. Once on he smiled and nodded to her once. Then like that he was speeding off toward the city. Paige began to cry still stuck to the spot Eric had left her in. Then like a true court lady she fainted over onto the ground.
What did you think of that chapter, huh! Well, I rather enjoyed writing it; I hope you enjoyed reading it. The romance begins. Yes that's right I said 'begins'. There will be more of it. But not with the expected people mind you. Yes, its true Eric is gone and isn't coming back for a while, but a while in the story and chapters could be different. Well, I hope you will review to tell me what you think of this new feeling stuff going on. Yes, Between2worlds you were right, but it may not be whom she ends up with. Oh I love the suspense. I don't know if its suspense for you, but it is for me! Well, love to all my faithful reviewers, you know who you are!