Chapter 23: The Ball
Part 2: Suitors?

Two hours have passed, and the introduction has finished. King Duncan excused the guests to their guest quarters, so they would get ready for the ball. Then King Duncan has too excused both of his nieces and their guardians, so they too would get ready for the ball.

A Night to Remember
Inspired by: High School Musical 3 ~ Senior Year

In the rooms, the girls and the boys of high ranks are getting ready for the ball.

Sons of Dukes, Duchesses, Count, and Countesses #1:
Guess now it's official

(All) Sons of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
Can't back out, can't back out, no

(All) Daughters of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
Getting ready for the night of nights
The night of nights, alright

The children begin to feel overwhelmed as if they are having their proms or birthdays all over again. While the girls felt flushed and excited.

Sons of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses #2:
Don't panic

(All) Sons of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
Panic

Sons of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses #1:
Now do we have to dress up for the ball?

Sons of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses #2:
Dude, I don't think we have the choice

Daughters of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses #1:
Yeah it's the night of all nights
Gotta look just right

Daughters of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses #2:
Dressing to impress the boys

Each of the children is trying to decide on clothing for the night.

Sons of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses #3:
Do I want classic or vintage or plaid?

Sons of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses #2:
Where's the mirror?

Sons of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses #1:
I think this tux is too baggy
Too tight, it makes me look weird

Daughters of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses #1:
Should I go movie star, glamorous

Daughters of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses #3:
Sassy or sweet?

Daughters of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses #1:
Don't know, but no one better wear the same dress as me

Slowly, the feelings that the children have bottled up have begun to explode.

(All) Sons of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
It's the night of our nightmares

(All) Daughters of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
It's the night of our dreams

(All) Sons of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
It's too late to back out of it

(All) Daughters of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
Hey, makeovers, massages

(All) Sons of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
Don't know what a corsage is

(All) Daughters of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
Been waiting all our lives for this

With feelings flowing, the children began to dance around.

Children of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
It's gonna be a night (can't wait)
To remember (oh, man)
Come on now, big fun (alright)
It's gonna be the night (I guess)
To last forever (lucky us)
We'll never ever ever forget

The children from the high class are still getting ready for the night.

Children of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
Gettin' ready, get, gettin' ready
Gettin' ready, get, gettin' ready, go

Daughters of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses #4:
So, what should I do with my hair?

Sons of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses #4:
Where's my shaver?

Daughters of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses #4:
Oh, I love it

Sons of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses #4:
I look like a waiter

Daughters of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses #4:
Should I fluff it?

Sons and Daughters of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses #4:
It's getting later already should be there

Slowly, the boys began to pick up their partners for the night.

(All) Sons of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
Her mother stands her ground, I'm shakin' inside

(All) Daughters of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
He's here, it's time, the hours arrived

(All) Sons of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
Don't know why her father's staring me down

(All) Daughters of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
Where's my purse? Lip gloss?
Now I'm really freaking out

The girls came out of the dressing room...

(All) Sons of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
Then something changes my world
The most beautiful girl
Right in front of my eyes

Together, the children went to the ballroom.

Children of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
It's gonna be a night (oh yeah)
To remember (that's for sure)
Come on now, big fun (alright)
It's gonna be the night (yeah tonight)
To last forever (forever more)
We'll never ever ever forget

Who's that girl? (She's so fine)
Who's that guy? (I don't recognize)
Who's that girl? (She looks so good, yeah)

As the music blazes through the room, the children pair up.

Children of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
Guess you'll never really notice, but you probably should
Big fun, on the night of nights (alright)
The night of nights, tonight

(All) Sons of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
Let's dance

(All) Daughters of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
On the night of nights
You know we're gonna do it right

In excitement, the children began to dance freely.

Children of Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, and Countesses:
It's gonna be a night to remember
It's gonna be the night to last forever
It's gonna be a night to remember
It's gonna be the night to last forever (last forever)

It's gonna be a night (you know it)
To remember (all time)

Come on now, big fun (big fun)
It's gonna be the night (live it)
To last forever (the rest of our lives)
We'll never ever ever forget

It's gonna be our night (oh yeah)
All together (Say it loud)
Come on now, everyone (that's right)
It's gonna be a night (yeah tonight)
To remember (hear the crowd)
And never ever ever, never ever ever, never ever, never ever ever forget

§§§§§

The children begin to cheer as they all are companied by friends and family as they all wait in the ballroom. Without realizing that some people have other plans outside of the groups.

Within the hallway that leads to the East wing, entering Violet's room, Keith, Aurora, the Altean Mice and Violet are standing quietly. Before Violet could get dressed, something fully hit her head. "Oh umm, Keith," Violet spoke.
"Yes?" Keith replied.
"Would you answer the door or either stand guard at the entrance while I'm getting dressed?" Violet asked, "So they would know that I don't want to be disturbed."
"Oh, right." Aurora almost hit her head. "Your annoying suitors."
"Suitors?" Keith tilted his head.
"Well," Aurora rubbed the back of her neck. "Every time...whenever we are having the ball, some guys that are from noble families or and sometimes girls. They like to sneak into either Violet's or Twilight's room, so they could watch them dressed or irritate them to death."
"I have always felt dirty whenever they keep on doing that," Violet shake in fear. "It made me feel unsafe whenever a ball appears in the palace."
Keith held his growl. Now that's a bunch of sense. Keith thought. Those bunch of perv' berts, sound a lot worse than Lance. Keith took a breath for a moment, "Alright, I'll do that." Keith replied, "I'll stand guard at the entrance that is outside of this room, and I'll make sure that I'll knock first before I re-enter your room, Violet."
"Thank you, Keith," Violet nervously smiled.
Keith bowed as he walked out and closed the door behind him. Beginning to stand guard, both the girls and the mice are alone.

While Keith is outside of Violet's room, Aurora, the Altean Mice, and Violet are now alone. Violet sighed in relief as she looks at her friend. "That was nice of him to do..." Violet nearly stuttered.
"Wasn't expecting him to be that respect for those passed of days," Aurora crossed her arms. "Wonder what he's up to now."
"Aurora," Violet scolded her.
"Alright," Aurora surrendered. "Alright, I've promised that I would do anything stupid."
"Thank you," Violet cools down.
"Now you go wash up and get yourself ready," Aurora spoke. "I'll stand guard at the balcony; four eyes are better than two. Just on the safe side."
"Alright," Violet nodded. "Just don't make any loud noises."
"Oh, don't worry, I won't." Aurora shook her head as she went to the balcony.
On the balcony of Violet's room, Aurora stands guard quietly as the balcony doors are closed behind her. Knowing that she left the mice in the room with Violet, she knows that they won't be a bother to Violet. But hoping that Violet could finish up fast before anything could happen before the ball.

A few dobashes had passed, Keith have been standing guard patiently as he stands in front of the door. Twitching his ears carefully as he listens to his surroundings. Suddenly, his right ear twitched. Keith sniffed the air; he smelled the scent of body lotion and licorice. Keith turned to his right and found a teenage boy that is no more than eighteen years old. The boy has African American skin, a pair of bright hazel-brown eyes, pinkish peach lips, and black-curly hair as night. The boy is wearing a black and white royal tuxedo, a teal-blue bow tie, a black belt, black jeans, a crest that is stitched onto the tuxedo's suit, and solid black dancing shoes.
As Keith finished examining the boy, he still doesn't recognize the crest that the boy is wearing. But he does remember the introduction where he saw the boy's face. The boy is De' Montrae Lemaire, the second son of the Duke Butch of Lemaire-South. Keith does not like one of the brothers looking at Violet or him, and he wasn't expected to be him. De' Montrae snared at Keith as he saw him at the door. "Excuse me," De' Montrae spoke. "Why would a filth like you would be near the door of the Princess's room."
"I've been ordered to stand guard for her before the ball begins," Keith replied.
"That so," De' Montrae rubbed his chin. "So, you're that Galra filth that our Heir Princess has found and has hired you to be her special bodyguard. Right?"
"Yes, I am." Keith nodded, "What about it?"
"Nothing much," De' Montrae shrugged. "I was just expecting you to be...taller."
"Born as a half-breed, so there's such thing as a difference between height and other stuff." Keith almost crossed his arms.
"I see," De' Montrae's left eyebrow twitched. "Well, now excuse me. I'm going to see the princess."
"Well, I'm sorry to be a bother." Keith replied, "But I cannot allow you to enter."
"Why not?" De' Montrae slightly retorted.
"The princess does not want to be disturbed while she's getting ready. Not until she attends to the ball."
"Preposterous," De' Montrae protested. "She always allows me to enter. Why have a blockade now?"
"I'm sorry," Keith lightly flatten his ears. "I was ordered to not let anyone enter without either the princess or Aurora's permission to enter."
"How outrages?!" De' Montrae began to feel steam coming out of his ears.
"What's going on?" a familiar female voice spoke. Both De' Montrae and Keith turned, seeing Twilight is fully dressed for the ball. Keith wasn't expecting to see Twilight fully dressed differently and in fancy style. Keith examines her, he sees that Twilight's long dark brown hair is up in a ponytail with a tiara to stable the length of her hair and is passed to her shoulder blades. A glow against her tiara is her Celestial fifth wing a galaxy color mix at the tips of the feathers. Twilight wears dark make-up while her eyes are slightly red and white with dark mascara and black eyeliner and silvery-black eyeshadow. She also wears a black shirt that has no sleeves, with a blood-red rose attached to it. The shirt reveals her shoulders and stomach. However, she is now wearing a pair of charcoal-silver bracelets around her upper arms to hold red glimmer fabric and a pair of silver bracelets are around both of her wrists. A royal red galaxy cape is attached to her black shirt; the length is from her back to her thighs. She also wears a flowing blood-red skirt; at the front has a length from her waist to her knees and the back of the skirt's length is from the waist to her ankles, and now she wears a pair of black high heels. Twilight still wears her black choker with a ruby attached to the bottom. Right behind her cape are her other four wings at full size that has the galaxy mix color at the tips of her wings.
As Keith had finished examining Twilight, he straightens up and held his growl of irritation and embarrassment. Oh, this is going to be good. De' Montrae thought as he hid his smile. Looking back and forth between Twilight and Keith.
"Princess Twilight," Keith replied. This gentleman wants to enter Violet's room and see your sister."
De' Montrae jumped. What the...? De' Montrae thought in shock.
"However," Keith continued. "Violet wishes that she does not want to be disturbed while she is getting ready for the ball. And the man here claims that he has her permission to enter her quarters. But I have witnessed no such evidence that has ever occurred before now."
"That's a lie," De' Montrae shouted. "The princess did..."
"Bite your tongue, De' Montrae," Twilight ordered as her eyes turned fully red.
De' Montrae jumped in fright.
"You know the rules," she crept up to De' Montrae. "No entry to either my quarters or my sisters' quarters without either of our proper permission from either my sister or me before the ball. So, don't you ever dare to lie to me again? If so, I'll use the shadows to make you pay. Is that clear?"
"Yes, your highness." De' Montrae nodded in shame.
"Good, now go." Twilight's eyes turned white and red. "Before I summon Luther to deal with you."
De' Montrae bowed and left the hallway in a hurry.

As De' Montrae left, Twilight and Keith are now alone. Keith sighed in relief, "Thanks for the help," Keith spoke. "That kid is irritating."
"No problem," Twilight spoke as her eyes turned slightly white and yellow. "De' Montrae have had always done that to everybody, including to the guard. So he could be able to have a peep into one of our rooms without one of the guards even looking."
"Creep," Keith slightly growled as his ears flattened.
"I know," Twilight nodded as the door to Violet's room opened. Aurora peeked out of the opening.
"Is he gone?" Aurora asked.
"Yes, he is gone." Twilight nodded.
"Oh, good." Aurora smiled as she stepped out of the door.
"Did anyone try to get to the other side of Violet's room?" Keith asked.
"Yes, De' Montrae's older brother. Bayamon," Aurora answered. "He tried to get in from the balcony, but luckily I caught him before he landed. So, he retreated to the ballroom before I locked the door."
"Oh, why does that guy have to be more annoying than his brother?" Twilight flared up as her eyes turned fully red.
"I honestly don't know Twilight," Aurora shrugged. "I don't know."
Great stars... Twilight thought. Why does my sister have to get some men following her around while I'm getting none?!
"Is it safe to come out now?" Violet's voice asked as she was behind the door to her room.
"Yes," Keith answered. "It's safe to come out, just only me, your sister, and Aurora are out here. There's no need to hide now."
"Alright," Violet replied as she stepped out of her room. In awe of both Twilight and Keith. Keith's face started to turn red as he saw the sight of Violet now fully dressed for the ball. Keith noticed that Violet's caramel-blond hair is down, but some are pulled back with a different style of a bun and it is stabilized by roses that are around the circumference of the bun. But the rest of her hair, the length is too passed from her shoulder blades but flowing with curls to bring out the body. Violet wears light make-up while she wears mascara and golden-brown eyeliner, and silvery-white eyeshadow. She also wears a silver and white dress with a small light silver bow at her side, and a turquoise stone attached to the silver edge that is lying on her breast. Violet is also wearing a pair of silver bracelets around her upper arms to hold her silvery-white cape and a pair of golden bracelets are around both of her wrists. The capes' length is from her back to her legs; halfway past the knees and above her ankles. Violet's skirt is two-layered with a silver top and white at the bottom. However, the front of her skirt is lengthened from the waist to her knees and the back of her skirt shows the length from the waist to her ankles, and she also wears a pair of silvery-glass slippers. Violet still wears her white choker with her amulet and Violet is also wearing her mask. Right behind her cape are her four wings at full size that is white and silver at the tips of her wings.
As Keith has fully finished examining Violet, Violet nervously smiled. "So, umm…" Violet spoke as she lightly blushes. "How do I look?" Keith has snapped from his trance and begun to focus once again.
"Umm…you look great," Keith replied.
"I agree," Aurora nodded.
The Altean Mice squeak in delight.
"That's my sister for you," Twilight smirked as her eyes turned slightly copper against the yellow. "Wearing something nice and full of grace that would get everyone's attention. It has always reminded me of France."
"Twilight," Violet scolded her sister.
"You've been to France?" Keith asked, "As in Paris France that lives on Earth?"
"Yup," Twilight nodded as she shrugged. "I've only gone there just once, but that's a long time ago."
"How long ago are you talking about?" Keith arched a brow.
"You don't even want to know," Twilight turned her head away as her eyes turned blue.
"Well," Aurora spoke. "Since you two are fully ready, let's get you two to the ballroom. Everyone is waiting for your appearance."
"Alright," both Violet and Twilight (who have their eyes turned white) have replied. Then both Violet and Twilight have begun to head towards the ballroom.
"Keith," Aurora turn to him as the Altean Mice went to her purse. "Eyes and ears open."
Keith nodded as he and Aurora began to follow their princesses to the ballroom.