Part III
I Love You Too

The ball was already in full swing by the time Anneliese and Preminger entered the room. The princess instantly went to the side of her mother, politely ignoring all the looks and smiles she received from passing enthusiasts. Time for princes she didn't have. After all, she had a date to keep with her secret admirer.

"My! Don't you look lovely?" Queen Genevieve smiled brightly at her daughter as the red-clad beauty approached. "I knew that dress would look simply stunning on you. Didn't I tell you, Preminger? I knew that dress would look marvelous on our little princess."

"As you did, your highness." Preminger nodded.

Anneliese turned to the crowd. As she, everyone's face was hidden behind a mask. If not for her crown, Anneliese was sure she would blend right in with the remaining red dresses and black suits. It was a beautiful spectacle, though it always was. Her mother had really outdone herself selecting a variety of red and white roses, ribbon, and tulle. The ballroom looked like a valentine fantasist's dream.

"May I have this dance?"

Many young men approached her at once and she took liberty at promising each one a dance. After all, she didn't want to cheapen her chances at finding her secret admirer. She glanced at the clock as she passed by the old grandfather on her third dance of the night. Eight-thirty. She still had over three hours to wait before her admirer's unveiling. Her curiosity was at such a high peak now that she was finding it hard to concentrate.

She soon took a break from dancing as one of her favorite songs started up. She took a side seat and looked over at the small-assembled orchestra in the corner as the first notes of Camille Saint-Saëns's The Swan began to play. What a beautiful night. She sighed closing her eyes briefly to inhale deeply the smell of fragrant roses and decadent cakes. She could only imagine it getting even more lovely as the night progressed.

She opened her eyes again, taking a moment to look out the doors and onto the nearby balcony. She instantly spotted a dark figure, standing alone by the railing. He was wearing a suit; she figured he was one of the ball's guests getting a quick breath of fresh air, before returning to the crowds.

"Princess?"

She turned as someone addressed her. Another handsome gentleman towered above, offering her his hand. "May I have this dance?"

"Oh! Of course." She took his hand quickly and allowed him to lead her out onto the dance floor. For some reason, she soon found her eyes wandering back to the doors of the balcony. Who was out there? She couldn't help but wonder and anxiously watched as the figure in question came into view. She instantly took notice of his honey-blonde hair tied back to his neck with a thick red ribbon. He seemed very familiar to her somehow and she tried hard to place him.

Anneliese glanced up at the clock. Eleven fifteen. It wouldn't belong before midnight. She let the song carry her as the man danced with her through several songs. As midnight approached, she soon grew worried. Was she already dancing with her secret admirer, or had he yet to take her across the polished marble surface?

At eleven-fifty her questions were finally answered as a blonde man cut in and took his turn in dancing with her. She looked at him closely, and noticed he was the very man she had seen out on the balcony no more than an hour before.

"Who are you?" She found herself asking and he responded softly, with a riddle.

"Patience, patience, inquisitive you, for ten minutes off is our planned rendezvous."

He was telling her to wait. She couldn't help but feel a bit nervous as the music continued. Here was her secret admirer, she now danced in his arms, but who was he, and how long until she would find out? She looked at the clock, counting away the minutes. At eleven-fifty-nine, her mother called everyone's attention and made an announcement.

"As is custom at any masquerade ball, when the clock strikes twelve everyone is to remove their mask." Queen Genevieve smiled widely at her audience. "The party isn't over until one, so please, continue enjoying yourselves."

Just as soon as she finished, the large grandfather clock in the corner chimed twelve. Anneliese wasted no time in pulling off her own mask, wanting to be sure she could clearly see the face of her admirer.

What she saw surprised her. "Julian?"

"Anneliese."

She was too happy for words. Her heart told her to hug him instantly. Was it true? Was Julian truly her secret admirer? "You're the one that sent me all those letters?"

He seemed almost embarrassed when he answered. "Yes. I'm sorry. I'm afraid I'm not too good at poetry."

"I thought they were lovely."

Time seemed to stand still for a moment as Anneliese gazed into the eyes of her admirer and a chorus of surprised ooohs and ahhhs surrounded them as people discovered the identities of their own dancing partners. The emptiness in his eyes was no longer there. Now, lost in the deep pools of icicle blue were the feelings of a man deeply in love. Anneliese heart melted as she realized that she had been wrong all along. He truly did care.

"I love you Anneliese." Julian lifted his hand and caresses the cheek of his princess. "I always have and always will."

Anneliese own eyes glazed over as she looked back at him, hoping her eyes were telling him more then she knew these few simple words would do. "I love you too."