Chapter 3: The Banquet
"Anastasia, come, please. Your parents will worry if you don't show. Not to mention how it would affect the people who are coming, because they expect to see their only princess. Besides this banquet is for your return, so you must show," said Lucia, as Ana stood before her large dresser completely not ready for the approaching banquet. Her eyes were blank and cold as she looked upon her reflection. All she saw was a pale, chubby girl with ugly freckles. However, anyone else would have smacked her for degrading herself, because in truth her skin was smooth and beautiful with freckles that made her face cheerful. Secondly, she was definitely not fat at all, and that worried others that she thought herself so. Lucia had already dressed into a doe pink gown with bell sleeves, a yellow corset tightened against her chest, and her hair was falling in ringlets from a bob instead of the usual net. Beside her bounced Vivi, watching her underskirts inflate when she swiftly sat on the floor in glee. Matching her mother's dress except for color, Vivi's was a rich green with a pink corset ribbon while her hair was in darling pigtails.
"I suppose I should get ready…" said Ana standing up from her plush cushioned chair and lifting her blue gown off. It fell rejected to the floor as Lucia brought over the banquet gown. The gown was of light purple, and a draped V-cut that fit nicely on Ana. Happily Ana gripped the bell sleeves with her forefinger and thumb feeling nervous in such an outfit. Gently, Lucia began to brush Ana's hair gently until the red flames shone brilliantly and sat straight with not a single hair up. For a moment Ana looked at her reflection contentedly when Lucia inserted a pearl drop into her ear, but an earring hadn't been in the hole for awhile and a speck of blood dripped down her cheekbone. She breathed in sharply, but Lucia quickly wiped the blood away when Ana held her forehead softly.
"Ana, I'm sorry," Lucia said, eyes teary.
"Don't worry, Lucy," remarked Ana looking up at her with a smile.
"Do you want me to get you some pain reliever?" she asked.
"No, it's fine. Could you excuse me Lucia, I want to think by myself for a moment."
"Yes, Ana," replied Lucia as she picked up Vivi in her arms, leaving Ana's small bedroom. Outside she saw Kurando leaning against his door, dressed in his usual outfit except the design was more intricate.
"Is she ready?" asked Kurando as he saw Lucia approach him. What is wrong with her, he thought, she doesn't seem her cheerful self.
"Soon, she wanted to be alone," said Lucia gently, letting a squirming Vivi jump down. Slowly she flattened out the wrinkles on her dress.
"Is something wrong with her Lucia? I'm sorry for our last encounter, very much," said Kurando bowing his head softly waiting to hear her reply.
"Don't ask me that. If you want to know ask her. I will not tell you anything if she doesn't wish for you to know," replied Lucia, eyes a little hard as she looked upon the worried samurai. Suddenly she grabbed Vivi's outstretched hand and walked down the hallway to where the banquet was to begin.
I guess my job starts now, Kurando thought looking over at Ana's door. He sat down next to it, listening intently for sounds and if there were sounds. Nothing much could be heard, but her breathing and the shuffle of her gown. A few moments later he heard the click-clack of heels on the tile floor and quickly shot up to stand by his door. Ana opened the door and looked up at him, a bit surprised, and then accepting of his presence.
"Hello, Kurando, it has been awhile. Why are you waiting outside my door?" she questioned looking up at him skeptically.
"Lucia already has left to attend the banquet. I figured I'd wait for you," he remarked feeling defensive.
"Actually, why are you here? I don't mean in the hallway either," she said, beginning to walk down the hall stiffly.
"Just visiting the Czar Nicholas Romanov about our country relations," said Kurando walking behind her in what others might see as relaxed, but was actually quite stiff for Kurando. For another of many previous moments, it was silent until Anastasia responded.
"I doubt that greatly, Kurando. I don't know why you have come here. Obviously it must concern me because I can sense your unhappiness. Almost as if our friendship dissipated a long time ago. So, I must say, I did not wish this upon you, whatever it is. I know you must be upset to leave Sayori, to which I also wish I could say I know how you feel, but I admit I do not," Anastasia said with indifference, not angry or sarcastic.
"Ana…what happened to you?" he asked suddenly. She stumbled on her next step, but quickly regained composure.
"Nothing, I am just as I always was," she remarked giving him a fake smile. Yet, the frown on his face made her feel shame, because perhaps he felt she was making him feel pity even though she had really tried the fake smile. Ignoring his frown she continued on down the halls of beauty until they stood in the large hall containing the heir's bedroom behind it. Alexei had grown a bit older and stood only a bit shorter than his sister. The proud czar and his wife sat in their chairs already.
"Anastasia, prepare to walk out of Alexei's room for your grand entrance, the guests have been waiting outside for ten minutes already," remarked her mother, to which Ana responded swiftly to. Kurando followed her as the czar commented, "You can be her escort in."
Inside the room Ana and Kurando waited as the guests rushed into the hall and the musicians began to play. Suddenly she heard her father announce her return and as trumpets blared outside she grabbed Kurando's arm to act like a real escort before dragging him through the doors. Everyone 'ooed' and 'awwed' at the two, which seemed like a photogenic couple at that moment as Edward began to take pictures with Ana's old snapshot skill. Both walked slowly to the throne of the czar and his wife before stopping abruptly to stand in front of them. The entire room echoed with cries of joy at seeing their blooming, blossom of a princess. Suddenly as soon as everyone calmed down, a young man with golden blonde hair bowed before her. Kurando didn't understand as she yanked her arm from his and joined him. He realized then that Russian men bowed to other couples to dance with their partner. At that moment he felt a sudden surge of a new feeling. His eyes glazed a little and he stopped breathing when he saw the man hold her close and her gown swirling like a purple rose. Unable to identify the feeling he became nervous when a neighboring soldier leaned over to say, "Samurai, although many feel jealous of the young man dancing with Ana, it surprises me that you allow it to show through most." With that comment Kurando almost jumped in surprise, he had allowed his emotions to show!
"Excuse me, samurai, but would you dance with me?" asked a timid voice. Looking behind him quickly in surprise he saw the servant from earlier. She was almost an exact copy of Sayori, but green eyes with a sturdier frame. Still, she was quite beautiful in a flowing yellow dress. Without a single thought he accepted her invitation and took her tanned hand into his. Thinking very hard, he watched and copied the steps of the other dancing couples, not noticing that Ana had switched partners quite a few times and was now in the arms of a sickly pale, light blonde-haired man with grim features.
"I thought you left," said Ana trying not to panic. His cold eyes looked down upon her firmly and she wanted to throw up.
"I would never leave you, my love," he said in an oily, sadistic voice. Gently he patted her cheek when no one was looking or glaring from jealousy. Ana wished she could kill him right then and there.
"Don't touch me," she gritted through her teeth.
"I can, and will," he replied fingering the purple cloth on her shoulder hastily as another person looked towards them. Ana felt her cheeks flame hotly at his audacious reply. Grinning evilly she stomped on his foot with her purple pump. He groaned and then whispered in her ear, "You are the only one of them that ever made me groan that way, beauty." Paling considerably she almost lost complete composure and was tempted to shove him away, but she didn't want to ruin the people's happiness.
Throughout the night she danced with the disturbing young man as he made comments. Once she noticed Kurando was dancing with someone, too and realized it was the maid Opal, which looked almost exactly like Sayori. Clenching her already throbbing jaw she looked over his shoulder to the standing Alexei who sat in the nearby chair to the czar. For the rest of the night she watched them and did not pay attention to the frightening man and her painful love.
"Did you know her name is Opal?" asked Ana as Kurando once more escorted her to her room that night. Lucia had returned to bed earlier, worn from the boat ride and taking care of Vivi at the banquet.
"No," said Kurando knowing exactly whom she meant.
"I figured I'd tell you that in case you speak to her next time," Ana said, wishing she could burn her arms off from where the man had held her hands and touched her.
"Who did you dance with?" asked Kurando a little suspicious, but figured he had an excuse since she asked first.
"Gregor Finch and Vincent Penelope," she remarked without care.
"Wasn't there three, you missed one. Like the one you danced with most of the night?" he asked.
"Don't worry about him, it is none of your concern," she answered a bit unhappily, her fake smile still in place. Speedily she turned towards her door when she saw it, pushing it open, "Goodnight." Before he could reply she closed the door behind her.
"Ana…" he wondered before settling into his room. Lucia's snores could be heard next to his wall and he decided to sleep away from the wall, so he picked the comforter and pillows of his bed. Gently he placed them in the corner by Ana's room, next to the barely noticeable door etched to connect both rooms in case of emergency. Still, he couldn't sleep, remembering the faces she had shown through her fake mask that night. He would ask her tomorrow straight on. Outside he saw the snowflakes had begun to fall even faster and heavier.
Just in case anyone ignores that last sentence, it is a symbolic one, just so if you miss it I want you to think about it, or reread it. If you don't understand what it means, ask.
NEXT TIME: Ana's past revealed…A monster comes back…