Chapter 22:
(Hugo POV)
As we walked back into the castle we heard everyone from behind the ballroom doors. Sofia gripped my hand tighter, "You are not leaving my side tonight." I held her hand tightly, "Wouldn't think about it." She smiled and nodded breathing out. "Sofia, are you really that worried about tonight?" She looked up at me, "Name one good thing that happened to me at a Ball." I sighed, "Well, tonight we are coronated to be King and Queen, one day we are going to have kids and they will have Birthday Balls, and with that cycle one day we will be attending our child's Coronation Ball." She nodded, "Ok, but if something bad happens at this Ball then I think we need to look into if I'm cursed or not because it is becoming a pattern, not a coincidence." I laughed but, agreed.
The door then opened as a man bellowed, "Presenting King Hugo Gabriel Albridge I and Queen Sofia Marie Balthazar-Winslow Albridge I of the Kingdom of Albuquerque." That poor man who had to say all of Sofia's names. We walked in and saw everyone bow toward us as we looked out and saw our family and friends. but, I looked back over at Sofia and saw her smiling at me. We walked down the stairs and I guided Sofia to the center of the dance floor. We began to waltz and unlike in the gazebo when we just swayed back and forth the waltz was much more intricate. When the music stopped others made their way to the dance floor while Sofia and I began to talk with our guests.
(Sofia POV)
We walked over to Axel and his wife Crown Princess Astrid, "Congrats baby bro, looks like you King now." He joked shoving him in the shoulder. Astrid and I shared a laugh. As Hugo rolled his shoulder back, "Well Axel now that I am King you, an ambassador of Freezenburg, just assaulted the crown of Albuquerque without provocation. That is grounds for war." He looked serious for a moment and then he started laughing and we all joined in. "You had me for a moment," Axel began going into a deep bow, "You're Majesty." He exaggerated the title and it made us all laugh some more. "You look radiant Queen Sofia," Astrid began and I gave her a smile, "You are my sister-in-law please call me Sofia." She nodded and we looked at Axel and Hugo who were messing with each other, "Can you believe we said yes to those two?" She started. I laughed, "In moments like these no." I then looked over her, "Do you regret saying yes?" She looked at me, "Nah, we got ourselves some keepers. These Albridge men don't seem to give up on us." "No they really don't."
Once Axel and Hugo separated they saw us talking, "Axel they are conspiring against us." Hugo began and I rolled my eyes. I exchanged a glance with Astrid, "Do you think we should tell them?" I asked. She smirked, "No let them figure it out on their own." Axel then started to get concerned, "What did we do?" We just laughed leaving them confused and then I held my hand out to Hugo, "Come on King Hugo we need to continue with the rounds." We walked away and Hugo leaned in, "Seriously what did we do?" I laughed, "That is between my sister-in-law and myself." "This is the beginning of a very worrisome friendship for Axel and I isn't it," Hugo asked eyes wide. I shook my head when we heard a loud crash.
I then turned to look Hugo in the eye, "I told you so." We ran over and saw a broken champagne glass next to Amber who was staring at something in front of her. I then saw Desmond down on one knee with a ring in his hand. "Crown Princess Amber Adelaide Winslow will you marry me?" She nodded and as he stood up she rushed into his arms. Hugo then looked over at me, "You're sister getting engaged." I looked at him confused, "Good things that have happened at a Ball." I nodded, "Touché." As Amber and Desmond separated and he put the ring on her finger I went over to her. "I hear congratulations are in order," She smiled at me but, then went into a curtsey, "Queen Sofia." I laughed, "Amber please you are my sister." She stood up and I pulled her in for a hug and Hugo shook Desmond's hand. I then went over to Desmond, "Well it looks like you are going to be my brother-in-law." He blushed to himself, "I'm really happy for you." "Thanks Sofia. Congratulations on becoming Queen as well." We all chatted briefly before moving on and speaking to everyone else in the room.
(Hugo POV)
Sofia was charming everyone she spoke to and was the center of attention throughout the evening. We finally spoke with the last of our guests and I wanted to dance with my wife again. I took her hand in mine, "Yes, King Hugo." "May I have this dance my Queen." She nodded and we went out to the center of the dance floor. We began to dance amongst the different couples. I looked at the necklace I had given Sofia on our wedding day and looked back up at her, "What is it Hugo?" I just shook my head, "I am just unbelievably happy right now." She nodded. "Same here. Tonight has been great and tomorrow we begin to rule the kingdom." I twirled her and pulled her back in close, "You are going to be a great Queen." I whispered in her ear. She then whispered back, "Not as great as the King you will be."
We continued to dance when Sofia looked like she wanted to ask me something but was refraining from asking. "Sofia, is there something you want to ask me?" "I'm just worried, now that our training is over and we are going to be busy adjusting to our new lives and we are going to have more responsibilities" she was beginning to spiral. "Sofia breathe," she took a deep breath. "Can we still have date night?" I held in a laugh but it came out. She hit my shoulder, "I am being serious, we are not good at transitions, I want to have something in place please and... hey stop laughing at me." I stopped laughing, "Sofia we are going to have date night for the rest of our lives if that would make you happy. Look at us we have been married for a little over 2 years and have already had our first catastrophe and survived it. I think we can handle being King and Queen." She nodded, "Alright, but we are still having date night, right?" "Yes. I will put it in writing if it will put your mind at ease we will continue to have date night once a week on Thursday. If for whatever reason we can't do Thursday then we will move it to Friday or have two date nights the following week." I was laughing now and at some point Sofia joined in.
Our guests were beginning to leave and we had survived a Ball together without any incidents. We said goodbye to all our guests until Sofia and I were the only one's left in the ballroom. "Sofia, a Ball occurred and nothing bad happened," She rolled her eyes. "Alright fine." She then pulled me in close, "One last dance?" I nodded and then she began walking outside. "Sofia, we are already in the ballroom?" "We aren't dancing in here." She brought me back outside to the gazebo. "We had our first dance of the night here, I want our last one to be here too." We danced in the quiet of the night and at the end she pulled me in for a kiss and held me tightly in her arms. When we separated she spoke on my lips, "I think tonight is cause for some kind of celebration." I nodded in agreement pulling her back in for another kiss.
We had our entire futures in front of us and I couldn't wait to explore all the milestones that were yet to come. Knowing that I would face those milestones with Sofia made them all the more worth it. "Have I ever told you how happy I am you asked me to marry you?" she said breathlessly. I looked her in the eyes, "Have I ever told you how happy I am you said yes." I knew it on our wedding day, our life wouldn't be easy. It would be full of work and we would have bumps in the road but, at the end of it all, I knew I didn't want to do it with anyone else. "I love you," she whispered. "I love you too." I smiled and I felt her smile as well. It was another perfect moment in our lives that I would remember forever.