Author's Note: Thank you so much for your reviews:

EquestrianPunk1992, Phoenix Feather Queens and musafa!!

Here is your update. You have to tell me if this is too fast paced. I have a horrid feeling it is! So if you don't mind, in your reviews tell me if I just 'hit the spot', 'made it a little too slow', or you can tell me to, 'hold your horses! take it easy!'

I really need your opinions on the flow of the story but I promise if anything's wrong, you can always tell me through your suggestions on how to improve!

Thanks again!

nascar-freak

Chapter 8: Masked

Giovane peeked around the corner of the main staircase to the ballroom. She backed away again and breathed, "You'll be fine," she told herself, "This isn't the first time you were invited to a ball," she looked down at her gown, "Not a masquerade one, though."

Giovane slowly descended the stairs. She looked around the ballroom behind her mask. She descended the last step and guests nearest to her gasped and complimented her on her gown. Giovane smiled, I can't believe they recognize me even behind the mask! she thought. Someone tapped her on the shoulder from behind. Giovane spun around to come face-to-face with a silvery gray mask. She squinted to see the eyes of the man in front of her and giggled when she realized it was Peter, "My king, thou could have given me thy name!"

Peter smiled and kissed her gently, "I thought you'd recognize me at once!" he said. Giovane shrugged, "Speaking if which, I can't believe how easily recognized I am," she said. Peter winked at her through his mask, "That is simple, we just have to look for the beautiful woman in the elegant gown and know she is Princess Giovane of Celestia," he grinned. Giovane smirked, "Oh really?" she asked. Peter nodded. Earlier on when he noticed someone descending the stairs, he froze in his tracks. Giovane's gown was too beautiful. She had on a midnight blue overdress with something silver underneath. Her sleeves chiffon, long and split in the middle to reveal silver lining. The cloak was of silver as well, to match the embroidery of the gown's bodice, and the unique thing of the cloak, was midnight blue embroidery. Giovane's mask matched her gown perfectly, with shimmering silver vines and flowers in the corner of the eyes. Her crown of golden royalty looked that of dewdrops on her wavy brown hair, which she had tied elegantly into a complicated bun with diamonds pressed into it. Lucy ran up to the young couple. She was easy to recognize for she was the only little girl in the ballroom tonight. The spirited queen's eyes sparkled behind her purple mask. Her gown was simple but really beautiful, with its metallic colors of dark and light purple. The design was similar to Giovane's gown, a dark purple overdress with a lighter shade underneath. But instead of chiffon sleeves, the seamstresses chose something more of a child's age: sleeves puffed from shoulder to elbow, and tightened from elbow to wrist. The dark overdress was given silver shots of embroidery. Lucy's cloak was matching as well, and her purple mask was decorated with silver dew, which Peter suspected was an addition from the Nymphs and Dryads. Lucy hugged Giovane's waist, "You are always so beautiful, Giovane!" she squealed. Giovane laughed and patted the girl's head, "And as are you, my queen!"

Lucy looked from Peter to Giovane and giggled, "Now you've just made Peter fall even more madly- I mean- insanely in love with you!"

Peter blushed and cleared his throat, "Wait until you grow up into a young lady, Lu," he said and smiled. Lucy hugged his waist, "That will be forever," she giggled. Peter hugged his little sister and she pulled away to mock dance with Mr. Tumnus. Peter took Giovane's hand, "Shall we?"

"We shall," Giovane smiled and Peter twirled her onto the floor. The Fauns started another lively Bergomask.

Aravinia gracefully descended the stairs. She looked around and smiled when she saw the High King and Celstian Princess on the dance floor, This is too easy, she thought delightfully and unconsciously walked behind one of the guests. The man backed away and bumped into the Argouran, "Oh, apologies, milady!" he said quickly and bowed to Aravinia. The princess stared at him. She noticed his royal and elegant clothes, and his tunic bearing the symbol of the Archenland royal family. Aravinia curtsied, "Good evening, Your Highness," she said. The prince looked at her, "Are you a Nymph?" he asked absentmindedly. Aravinia giggled, "Dear, no. What makes thee think thus?"

"Oh, it's just-" the princes stared at Aravinia, "You're very beautiful," he said shyly. Aravinia bit her lip, "Thank you, Your Highness," she smiled. The prince smiled back, "What'd be your name? And where do you hail?"

"I am Princess Aravinia of Argour, Your Highness," Aravinia smiled. The prince bowed and held out his hand, "And I am Prince James of Archenland. It is a pleasure to be of your acquaintance, Princess Aravinia!"

Aravinia laid her hand on James's and the prince kissed it gently. Aravinia hummed, How courteous, she thought, And charming. James straightened up and smiled. Aravinia smiled back, I could use you, she thought smugly to the young man.

The night wore on quickly but merrily as the stars shone through the great windows of the ballroom. Giovane had played the grand piano again and she played the Riverdance of the Black Shield. It was the piece she would always remember as the one that brought her true happiness and joy, for had she not played it in the past, perhaps she would not be here. And had Peter not helped her find it, they would never have been. In the middle of the piece the orchestra played with her and soon there was a dance. Giovane could never have felt happier as she swayed on the piano stool. Soon she felt someone take her hands from the keyboard and it was nobody else but Peter. He pulled her from the chair and they dance the rest of the Riverdance with the orchestra taking over the music. Peter felt bliss as he held closely in his arms the woman he loved. He grinned at her and whispered in her ear phrases of compassion throughout the dance. Phrases she never would have dreamed she would ever hear, let alone from the High King himself. And for now I shall end the description of their joy for we must leave them to their privacy…

Peter laughed as he dragged Giovane from the floor. They had been dancing for hours at a time, and were now sweat-patched and exhausted. Peter took Giovane to a wall beside one of the Christmas trees and pressed her against it, "Goodness, Giovane!" he laughed as he kissed her hard, long, and passionate. Giovane giggled under her breath and pushed Peter away, "Goodness, Peter!" she smiled and caught her breath. Peter leaned on the wall beside her and took of his mask to wipe his eyes with his sleeve. Giovane pulled out a handkerchief from her cloak and did the same thing. Peter kissed her cheek, "Fancy a drink?" he asked. Giovane smiled, "I'll come with you!"

James twirled Aravinia to the beat of the music, "How is it like in Argour?" he asked. Aravinia grinned, "It is beautiful, and our trees are lush. The people are a little hard, though,"

"What doth thy mean?"

"For instance, the father chooses a suitor for his child but she listens not, and so she is sentenced to death."

James lost a step at what Aravinia said and he accidentally stepped on her foot, "Pardon me," he blushed. Aravinia gritted her teeth, "No ado," she grinned. James sighed, "Has your father found you a suitor?"

Aravinia did not wish to answer the question and so she pretended she had not heard. She smiled as James twirled her around and bowed to end the Bergomask. At the same time she noticed the Peter and Giovane walk to out of the dance floor. She grinned, "It is warm here," she said musically, "Would you fancy refreshment?"

James smiled, "Let's," he offered his arm and led Aravinia to the refreshments.

Peter walked off to the drinks when he bumped into the Archendlander prince, "Your Highness, my apologies!" he chuckled. The prince held up his hands, "No ado, Your Majesty!" he replied. As the royals filled goblets of drink for them and their partners, Peter asked, "How is your family, Prince James?"

"Very well, King Peter," James replied, "And you and your siblings?"

"We see fit!" Peter said, "Speaking of which, I see Queen Susan and your brother making merriment," he looked to the dance floor. James laughed, "Yes. Merriment indeed!"

The royals watched the dance. Prince Jonathan, James's younger brother, twirled Queen Susan and laid a light hand on Susan's delicate back. He was beaming at her and she was smiling back. Peter smirked when we saw his sister's face turn red when Jonathan quickly whispered something in her ear before twirling her again. Peter and James stood rooted to the spot when the prince remembered Aravinia, "I must go, High King," he said, "Surely, I will see you later."

James and Peter exchanged bows and blessings and departed.

Giovane waited patiently for Peter when she saw Prince James coming her way, "Good evening, Prince James!" she greeted. The prince smiled, "A pleasant evening to you as well, Your Highness," he said and looked back, "King Peter was there a while ago. Perhaps he still getting your drink," he said. Giovane waved her hand, "I will wait for him," she smiled. James walked passed her and found Aravinia. The princess smiled at him as she took her goblet, "Thank you, Prince James," she said sweetly. She looked around to see Giovane speaking with a Dryad, who was drinking from his goblet. Aravinia quickly but daintily finished her drink and excused herself. She walked gracefully to the two. She passed quietly behind the Dryad and bumped him, muttering a hurried sorry and disappearing through the crowd. The Dryad let out a blessing as the contents of his goblet spilled on Giovane's gown. The princess let out a gasp as the cold liquid touched her skin, "Oh, Celestia!" she exclaimed. The Dryad did not want to be impolite by brushing off the liquid from a woman's gown so he said even more blessings and apologies, "By the Lion's Mane, princess, I apologize for my being clumsy!"

Giovane nodded her head as she stared down at her stained skirt, "No harm done, just a few blotches is all," she smiled. The Dryad let out a long, 'Oh'. Peter arrived and was about to say something when he noticed Giovane's gown, "By Aslan," he said worriedly, "What happened?"

The Dryad's leafy face turned into a pale green, "Your Majesty, I apologize! I was so clumsy!"

Peter stared at the Dryad and then at Giovane. The princess smiled up at him and gave off a look of longing. Peter nodded and looked back at the Dryad, "Everything is fine, and there is no harm done," he said heartily. The Dryad looked at Peter, "Oh, but Your Majesty, we can fix this in minutes!" the poor creature exclaimed. Giovane held up her hands, "I pray thee well, Dryad, but I do not make ado out of nothing but a stain," she smiled. Peter smiled at her and nodded to the Dryad. The creature bowed several times and dismissed himself to the privacy of the couple. Peter walked to Giovane and put an arm around her waist as she took her goblet from him, "What happened?" he asked. Giovane smiled as she drank, "Someone must have bumped him from behind and he spilled his drink on me," she said. Peter smirked as he drank. The couple watched dancers on the floor when Giovane felt her skin feel sticky and hard from the liquid, "Peter," she said. Peter looked at her instantly, as if she said something urgent, "Yes?"

"I need to change," Giovane blushed. Peter smiled and kissed her softly, "Meet me in the gardens, will you?" he said gently. Giovane smiled, "Why?"

"I just want to be with you,"

"You'll wait for me there?"

"No where else."

Aravinia walked from behind the Christmas tree. She grinned as Giovane left to change in her chambers and Peter departed for the gardens. Aravinia hid behind the tree again. The ruby on her chest flamed fiercely, "Not yet, my friend," she whispered gently, "But soon," Aravinia couldn't help but giggle softly, "Very soon."

Author's Note: Yes! Please tell me! I really feel there's something wrong but I don't know what! Maybe I just got too excited and paced the story 200mph! Please reassure me or criticize me! I don't care! Do something!!

(Oh… and review! haha! Please dahlings, I beg you!)