Okay, let's keep going. And say hello to another RR cameo! Oh yes, and the steampunk singer/violinist I mention is Emilie Autumn. Gwen's kind of music is whatever everyone else isn't into, so I figured she'd be into a lesser known singer with music that takes some getting used to (but once you do, it proves to be amazing). Also, yes, I realize I referenced Disney, but I decided to cut out all references to this movie and chose another song – lesser loved, but still beautiful. Thanks for reviewing, Gage the Hedgehog and Bloodylilcorpse.

Geoff, DJ and Gwen were shocked at the change in both their employer and his captive. It seemed as if Courtney had been a wonderful influence on Duncan. He didn't just want to make her happy, but in general, he was gentler and kinder than he'd ever been before. But although they didn't know that the rose was starting to shed its petals, they were aware that they were fast running out of time.

"I know that Courtney likes him," Gwen confided to the two guys, "But she doesn't love him yet."

"Maybe we should get him to do something really romantic." DJ suggested.

Geoff spoke up. "Like what? I think what's really romantic is getting a tattoo of someone's name."

Gwen raised an eyebrow at him. "Geoff, maybe you should stay out of the way until we let you know what to do."

As a matter of fact, they asked around the castle for everyone's ideas.

The winning idea came from a surprising source, actually. Two of the servants were tailors and dressmakers – they made clothes for all the residents, and Lindsay inspected them before handing them out to Duncan, Courtney, or any of the other servants. However, most people avoided the French-Canadian tailors. They were definitely needed, but they weren't well-liked at all.

It was well known among the castle that Josee, the younger tailor, had a temper straight from hell, and only Jacques, her partner in dressmaking, knew how to calm her down. No one wanted to brave that, especially since they weren't very friendly. They were huge on smiling, but after seven years of being stuck in the same place, every other servant in the castle knew that their smiles only hid Josee's psychotic behaviour and the sly, sneaky natures of both of them.

But when DJ braved the risks and asked them for help with the romantic scene, Josee tossed her ponytail and said in a superior tone "It's obvious. The best way to sweep a girl off her feet is at a ball. Duncan knows how to dance, right? Hold a private ball for just him and Courtney."

"You could even choose a particular playlist to make sure it works." Jacques suggested. He was the one who paid more attention to detail. Usually, Josee had the ideas and Jacques refined them. That's what made them able to stand each other, while no one else in the castle seemed to like them.
DJ smiled. "Thanks, guys!" He paused. "Um...any chance you could make something specially for it?"

The two tailors beamed their fake smiles. "Of course!"

They designed and made a ball dress for Courtney within a week, and Lindsay came up to inspect it. She smiled at the two of them. "This is gorgeous! I'll go and put it in Courtney's closet!"

It was harder to design an outfit for Duncan. It wasn't that he'd wouldn't look good in a regular suit, but more that he would refuse to do so. Eventually, they just embroidered skulls on a tie, and made the suit all black. Lindsay deemed the suit "Perfect" and also put it in Duncan's wardrobe.

DJ discussed the idea with Duncan the night it was suggested. It was true that he could dance well, and he knew an old-fashioned idea like a ball would appeal to Courtney, who clearly liked his most gentlemanly qualities (although he didn't know that she was sort of attracted to his careless side at times).

"Long as we've got a good song to slow-dance to at the end of the night." he joked.

They decided to keep it as a surprise for Courtney. Everyone who knew her was sure she'd love it. While the outfits were made and approved, Gwen did some work and discovered that Courtney's favourite music was violin, even picking out some of her own favourites – steampunk music that no one else knew from a musician who was both a talented singer and violinist, putting in both instrumental compositions like "Manic Depression", along with some of her more gentle songs, like "What If", "Shalott" and "Rapunzel". Finally, to give Duncan the chance to make a proper move on Courtney, she added in some more popular slow songs, specifically a few Disney ones. No matter what she thought, Disney knew romantic songs, and that was what was needed.

On the night, Gwen advised Lindsay to send someone else up to show Courtney her dress, knowing full well that the brunette found the wardrobe consultant irritating. "Someone that she doesn't know so well. One of the women, though." She could tell Lindsay was about to say "Tyler", the name of a clumsy stable boy who spent all of his time inside either trying to impress Lindsay, or cuddling her close like he only had an hour left to spend with her.

Lindsay paused, and finally said "I guess I could send Sierra up..."

Gwen nodded. Sierra was one of the many cleaners of the castle...

"Yes, I'm in it!" the girl squealed.

The narrator glared at her. "Stop interrupting, Sierra! A third interruption and you're leaving. Anyway..."

She'd originally worked in the kitchen, but after a few mishaps, she was reassigned. She'd developed an obsessive crush on Cody and had to be restrained. But she and Courtney had met, and so far, Courtney hadn't found her irritating.

Three hours before the ball was set to start, Courtney was sitting in her room. She'd been told about the ball at breakfast time, and had spent the whole day stressing about everything. She hadn't been shown the dress yet, since she'd barely even opened her wardrobe and didn't realize there was one made for the occasion.

Anyway, at that moment, there came a knock on the door. "Who is it?" Courtney called.

"It's Sierra!" called back the little-girly voice. "I wanted to help you get ready for tonight."

Courtney sighed and got up to let Sierra in. "I'm glad you're offering," she began, "But I'm not sure I can go."

Sierra gasped. "But you simply have to go! This is all for you! Why wouldn't you want to go?"

"Well, for a start," Courtney said, "I don't know what to wear!"

"Oh, didn't you know? There's a gorgeous ballgown in your wardrobe. Didn't you see it?" Sierra opened Courtney's wardrobe and pulled out the purple princess dress made for the occasion. "See? This will look totes beautiful on you!"

"But..." Courtney struggled. She did want to go to the private ball, and she knew Duncan wanted her to be there. But she was also nervous. She liked hanging out with him now, but this would be in a romantic setting, and it scared her. But she couldn't admit that, and she couldn't find another good excuse.

Sierra was good company. Once Courtney was dressed in her princess gown with matching shoes (not glass), Sierra offered to do her makeup and hair. By the end, the brunette looked stunning. Even her hair looked amazing, straightened so it reached just passed her shoulders and looked glossy and thick, with a small silvery tiara on top.

Meanwhile, Duncan was undergoing all the same terrors that Courtney was. It was easy to flirt with her in a setting where there was no pressure. Now, he had to be a gentleman to her in a highly romantic setting. Geoff tried to get him to calm down and remind him that he could do this. Just because he chose to be a bit of a jerk sometimes...most of the time...it didn't mean he didn't know how to be nice. And tonight, he would do that.

The moment they saw each other and their eyes met, that was when it was sealed. The night was bound to be successful. They didn't really talk as they danced, although Courtney wasn't sure of her abilities.

Duncan was surprisingly graceful, and Courtney relaxed as he led most of the dances. However, in the fourth song, he broke the silences. "Balls aren't just for dancing." he remarked. "It's getting tiring. Wanna get some refreshments?"
Courtney giggled the abruptness and said "Okay." They still didn't feel the need to talk, not really. They smiled at each other a lot, though, and by the soft look on both guy and girl's faces, they were really enjoying each other's company when they weren't arguing.

It was midnight when Duncan knew it was time to make his move. The gentle music began to play, and the song from Disney floated out.

Duncan drew Courtney close as the redone version of the song played out. "This is the night, it's a beautiful night, and we call it bella notte.

Look at the skies, they have stars in their eyes, on this lovely bella notte..."

As the song played and the two swayed, clinging closely to each other, Duncan thought for a moment that it was true. This was the night. This was the key.

He waited until the end of the song. "...the heavens are right...on this lovely bel...la not-te..."

Then, as the strains of the music faded, he gently guided Courtney out to the balcony. There were a few things he wanted to say.

We'll pick up again in the next chapter. That's when the climax is officially near!