Amelia walked outside on the balcony and leaned on the railing, peering out at the activities of the palace. Below her room, servants scurried back and forth, preparing the gardens for a party to be held that evening. Her nineteenth birthday had finally arrived. Now the serious search for a suitor began. Ame couldn't be less pleased.
Phil hated giving his daughter ultimatums, but this was a necessary case. As second in line to the throne of Seyruun, the princess had her duties to uphold. One of these is to produce an heir, as her child would succeed her someday. Therefore, he told Amelia that unless she found a fiancé by her twentieth birthday, he would choose one for her.
Amelia already had someone in mind. The problem, however, was that it was that person. He would never agree to marrying her. Hell, she'd probably never hear that he even loved her. She didn't even know herself anymore if she thought he might be capable of returning her feelings.
His eyes, his hair, his body...perfection. His personality...well, that could use some tinkering, but it did have an endearing quality to it. Over the years, the princess had come to understand in a way why he acted the ways he did. It was necessary to hold up everything he lived for. Unfortunately, that mask also seemed to hold her out; keep her away. That she couldn't understand. If he truly did feel the same, why hide it? Why make both of them miserable?
Or maybe he didn't feel the same. That idea had been making a lot more sense lately. A few drops of salty rain fell onto the railing as she stooped over it, looking out with mournful eyes. If he didn't feel this way, if he didn't care at all about her, Ame didn't know what she'd do. She wanted to marry for love, not convenience. But if that were to happen, it had to be arranged very soon, within the next 364 days, even.
In just a short time, dozens of young noblemen from the surrounding dukedoms and kingdoms would arrive. They would stay at the palace that night, and court her both off and on the dance floor well into the early morning hours. They would try their luck at capturing the fair princess's heart with their grace, knowledge, and whatever other talents each held under their belts. But none would be her lover. He would not come to court, sweep her off her feet and give her a nineteenth birthday to remember. He would not spend the night beneath her roof, knocking at the door to her apartments, or at her balcony. He would not attend.
The celebration began as the sun set below the horizon, basking Seyruun in a red glow. The carriages dropped off their passengers, male and female alike, before heading off to their stables for the night. Music drifted softly from the large ballroom into the gardens and hallways of the palace. As Amelia made her entrance, arm in arm with Philionel, her blue eyes scanned the room for any sign of her beloved. She found none, and her heart made its final descent into hell as the two of them processed down the stairs, across the dance floor and onto their pedestal thrones.
People came up to the dais and presented Ame with gifts, some extravagant, some plainer but still befitting of royalty. She accepted all with the same amount of gratitude, thanking each person. Some of the young men gave her hungry looks, staring more at her royal bosom than her royal face, which Amelia in turn repaid them for by denying each a dance with her. The dancing commenced soon after the gift-giving, and immediately the justice paladin was set to the dance floor.
Her father took her first dance, the two making their way around the entire ballroom. Ame felt like a prize being showcased, but could not blame her father for doing so. He wanted her to have a good husband as much as she did, but he wanted everyone to get at least one glimpse of her this night. As she spun about the room, she tried to catch as many faces as possible. She received more hungry stares, some fond ones, and a few of disdain. The last seemed to be prodded by older women to even bother looking at her, and it made her almost chuckle. The boys were barely out of puberty and their mothers were trying to marry them off to a princess simply because time was running short for all involved.
The song ended, and Phil relinquished her to her first suitor for the evening. He was tall, but not exceedingly so, perhaps a little shorter than Zangulas without his hat. The man had a firm build, reddish-brown hair and green eyes. His clothes marked him as a member of the Zefilian royal family, but she didn't know his name. The pair danced almost mechanically, each holding the other at a proper distance and with perfect hand placement.
This method went on for several more songs thereafter, until the orchestra finally began a group dance. Amelia closed her eyes after she and her partner had gotten into formation. The princess had danced this dance many times before, and relished in the thought that the ability to dance with your eyes closed meant you could ignore everyone you danced with. She merely swept herself from partner to partner as the song continued, gloved hands brushing gloved hands as the people reeled and promenaded. She pretended she was dancing with him, that each partner was just another him, coming up, making the small bows, twirling her lightly across the floor then relinquishing his hold on her as he caught her hands once more as another person.
The dance ended as it had begun, with the final sets of partners practically nose to nose, hands clasped at the sides of their heads. She opened her eyes once more and gasped as she came face to face with his eyes. HIS eyes. The two pulled back slightly and he bowed, kissing the princess's hand as he did so. She remained speechless as he rose, then drew her back into position for another waltz. The movements were as mechanical as ever, but more out of Amelia's shock than anything else. She couldn't believe he was actually here. Here! Dancing with her! In front of everyone! Amelia blushed as bright as her ruby necklace and earrings when she finally realized he was talking to her.
"Hmm?"
"I asked if you wanted to sit down. You do look a bit out of it, and we wouldn't want you tripping up in front of everyone, right?"
"Oh, sure."
And so the two sat at one of the tables surrounding the dance floor. There they talked for the rest of the night, catching up on their lives and reminiscing about old memories, occasionally interrupting the conversation with a courtesy dance. Phil grinned as they slipped out into the gardens a few hours before dawn, then announced that the party was over, officially ending the celebration.
Outside, Amelia and the man strolled through the private gardens, the princess with her shoes in one hand and he with his tuxedo jacket in his.
"Thank you for coming tonight," she started. "I honestly didn't think you would."
"And why wouldn't I? It is your birthday, after all."
"I know, it's just -- oh I'm just glad you came!" she cried, breaking down pretenses and hugging him gently.
He returned her embrace, smoothing her hair with his unused hand, the jacket fallen away. "I would've brought a present, but I only heard about the party very recently."
"I don't mind. But, would you answer me something? That could be your present to me."
"I can try," he replied.
Amelia snuggled in closer to him, taking in his scent. "Do, do you love me at all?" she whispered.
He brought his chin down upon her head, nodding. "Of course I do. I wouldn't have come otherwise."
"But, is that love as a friend, or love as a lover? Please, I really need to know."
"Both, but I think the second one wins out. Let's see." With that, he pulled up her chin and kissed her.
To Amelia, it felt like someone had just set off fireworks in her body. She pulled him tightly against her slender frame, deepening the embrace to astronomical levels. The two remained that way for what seemed like eternity, until they finally had to resurface from paradise to catch some mundane air. The princess gazed into his eyes, seeing her own emotions reflected in them.
"I think," she shakily started, "that I'd have to agree with you. The second one definitely wins."
He smiled widely, a smile she had never before seen stretched across his face. He nodded slightly as the two pulled apart, then turned his eyes to the setting moon. "The night's sun descends."
"Mmm..."
"I suppose that means I must make my own exit from this place."
"Why?"
He blinked at that, confusing the princess. "Why?" he echoed. Closing his eyes and bowing his head, he finished his thought. "Because I cannot stay here. To stay would be to commit either mental or physical suicide. As much as I wish otherwise, we cannot be unless things change."
Ame gasped, stunned. He just said they couldn't be together! Tears welled up in her eyes as a thousand questions filled her floundering mind. While reeling, he came back and caught her in a final embrace.
"I am sorry Amelia. I doubt either of us meant for it to happen, and while I'm glad it did, it's simply impossible now. Tell me you understand."
"I-I can't do that. I need you. I don't want to be married off to someone because it was my father's choice; I want it to be mine, and I want you!"
He turned his back to her, head bowed in a resolved manner. "I'm sorry, but it just can't happen. Goodbye, princess." With that, he slipped back into the shadows from which he had come, leaving her alone as the sun peaked out from the horizon.