“Princess Violet.”
Violet did her best to curtsy gracefully and glide to the far end of the room without tripping over herself. She noted the omission of a kingdom following her name, and she knew the others had too. The question of her lineage hung in the air around her and made her uncomfortable. Still, she couldn’t haveexpected the steward would announce her as Princess Violet of Cambria. She knew she should just be grateful he had called her a princess at all.
A moment later the king and queen moved toward the center of the room. They were magnificent together, moving with a grace and ease that Violet could never hope to achieve. The musicians began to play. King Charles and Queen Martha danced, spinning together around and around on the floor until Violet felt dizzy just watching them.
The dance ended, and then the king and queen invited others to join them as the music started for a new dance. Violet took a step back toward the wall as a wave of young men descended upon the group of princesses.
“What’s wrong?” Genevieve asked.
“I don’t know how to dance,” Violet said.
“That’s okay; neither do I,” a smiling man said, offering her his hand. “I am Roland, count of Argess.”
“Violet,” she responded. She took his hand, and he led her onto the dance floor. She lost track of how many times she stepped on his foot, but she was quick to notice that he was very kind and a much better dancer than he had let on. He just kept smiling and talking, never starting or making a comment that she was tripping all over him.
The next two men Violet danced with weren’t as gracious, grimacing every time she stepped on one of their feet, but they didn’t say a word about it either.
“You are going to leave some of them intact forthe rest of us, aren’t you?” Genevieve joked as they both sat out a dance.
“I don’t know. Depends on whether or not they get the warning and stay away.”
“Just do us all a favor and wait to dance with Richard until the rest of us have had a turn,” Genevieve said.
Violet looked at her suspiciously, and Genevieve just shrugged. “It isn’t every day a girl gets to dance with a prince, even if she is a princess.”
“Who is that girl?” Violet asked, pointing to the one dancing with Richard. She had skin so pale it almost seemed to glow, and her lovely face was crowned by silver white hair.
“That’s Arianna; she’s from Aster. They say her mother is a mermaid,” Genevieve added conspiratorially.
Violet couldn’t help but laugh. “A mermaid, really?”
“That’s what I’ve heard,” Genevieve said. “I can’t tell you if it’s true or not. That’s not even the strangest part.”
“Okay, what?” Violet asked.
“I hear Arianna’s in love with a prince who’s descended from werewolves.”
“You’re making that up!” Violet accused.
“No, I swear it’s true. Or at least that’s what I’ve heard.”
“If she’s in love with another man, then why is she here?” Violet asked, choosing for the moment not to dwell on the werewolf part.
“What are any of us doing here?” Genevieve asked. “Maybe her parents forced her to join the competition to strengthen her kingdom’s alliances, or maybe Arianna is trying to make her werewolf jealous.”
“Isn’t anyone here for love?” Violet said under her breath.
“Only you.”
Violet startled. “How do you know that?”
Genevieve rolled her eyes. “Please, it is so obvious. Everyone knows you love him.”
“Then why don’t they all leave?” she asked bitterly.
Genevieve patted Violet on the shoulder. “Like I said, some of us aren’t here by choice. Even still, though, Richard is an excellent catch. He’s strong, kind, and handsome. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t love him, but I’m sure I could learn to love him. Anyone could. Now smile—your prince is headed this way.”
As Prince Richard approached, he held out his hand to Violet. She took it and followed him onto
Violet did her best to curtsy gracefully and glide to the far end of the room without tripping over herself. She noted the omission of a kingdom following her name, and she knew the others had too. The question of her lineage hung in the air around her and made her uncomfortable. Still, she couldn’t haveexpected the steward would announce her as Princess Violet of Cambria. She knew she should just be grateful he had called her a princess at all.
A moment later the king and queen moved toward the center of the room. They were magnificent together, moving with a grace and ease that Violet could never hope to achieve. The musicians began to play. King Charles and Queen Martha danced, spinning together around and around on the floor until Violet felt dizzy just watching them.
The dance ended, and then the king and queen invited others to join them as the music started for a new dance. Violet took a step back toward the wall as a wave of young men descended upon the group of princesses.
“What’s wrong?” Genevieve asked.
“I don’t know how to dance,” Violet said.
“That’s okay; neither do I,” a smiling man said, offering her his hand. “I am Roland, count of Argess.”
“Violet,” she responded. She took his hand, and he led her onto the dance floor. She lost track of how many times she stepped on his foot, but she was quick to notice that he was very kind and a much better dancer than he had let on. He just kept smiling and talking, never starting or making a comment that she was tripping all over him.
The next two men Violet danced with weren’t as gracious, grimacing every time she stepped on one of their feet, but they didn’t say a word about it either.
“You are going to leave some of them intact forthe rest of us, aren’t you?” Genevieve joked as they both sat out a dance.
“I don’t know. Depends on whether or not they get the warning and stay away.”
“Just do us all a favor and wait to dance with Richard until the rest of us have had a turn,” Genevieve said.
Violet looked at her suspiciously, and Genevieve just shrugged. “It isn’t every day a girl gets to dance with a prince, even if she is a princess.”
“Who is that girl?” Violet asked, pointing to the one dancing with Richard. She had skin so pale it almost seemed to glow, and her lovely face was crowned by silver white hair.
“That’s Arianna; she’s from Aster. They say her mother is a mermaid,” Genevieve added conspiratorially.
Violet couldn’t help but laugh. “A mermaid, really?”
“That’s what I’ve heard,” Genevieve said. “I can’t tell you if it’s true or not. That’s not even the strangest part.”
“Okay, what?” Violet asked.
“I hear Arianna’s in love with a prince who’s descended from werewolves.”
“You’re making that up!” Violet accused.
“No, I swear it’s true. Or at least that’s what I’ve heard.”
“If she’s in love with another man, then why is she here?” Violet asked, choosing for the moment not to dwell on the werewolf part.
“What are any of us doing here?” Genevieve asked. “Maybe her parents forced her to join the competition to strengthen her kingdom’s alliances, or maybe Arianna is trying to make her werewolf jealous.”
“Isn’t anyone here for love?” Violet said under her breath.
“Only you.”
Violet startled. “How do you know that?”
Genevieve rolled her eyes. “Please, it is so obvious. Everyone knows you love him.”
“Then why don’t they all leave?” she asked bitterly.
Genevieve patted Violet on the shoulder. “Like I said, some of us aren’t here by choice. Even still, though, Richard is an excellent catch. He’s strong, kind, and handsome. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t love him, but I’m sure I could learn to love him. Anyone could. Now smile—your prince is headed this way.”
As Prince Richard approached, he held out his hand to Violet. She took it and followed him onto
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