Chapter 3 The Ball

The next morning there came a knock on our cottage door. When I answered the door there standing in the doorway was a messenger sent from the palace with a package in his hands. "Mrs. Aurora, I presume," He asked. "Yes, I am Aurora," I answered confused at the package being handed to me. "A gift from the palace," The messenger said with a bow before he turned to leave. "Um, Thank you," I said as he walked down the path. "A gift from the castle," Mom smiled in amazement. " I know, I wonder what it could be," I said bewildered as I stood there still holding the box in my hands. Mom chuckled "Well dear the only way to find out is to open it," I slowly and carefully sat the package on the table as if whatever was inside was fragile, who knew what was inside of the box, all I knew was that it was from the palace. As I carefully untie the pink ribbon and lift the lid I see the most beautiful blue dress with lace. Along with the dress was also a beautiful blue headpiece to match. "Who would send me this beautiful dress," I ask mom spinning around holding the dress," Mom takes the dress from me and folds it back up "I don't know maybe a sweet young man who asked you to the ball perhaps," "I don't know maybe, but look at this dress you can tell he spent a lot of coin on it if it was him," "Well you're never going to find out if we don't get you ready to go, so go down to the river and wash, while I get supper going," "You know that they are going to have food there," "Ladies do not stuff their faces in front of suitors let alone Royalty, now go," Mom orders as she pushes me out the door. As I am disrobing by the river bank I can't help but feel like I am being watched. "Hello, Is someone there," I called out before taking off my undergarments, nothing but the birds singing and the breeze through the trees. I stepped into the cool water mindful of where I stepped so as not to fall. I wash up then just relax in the water until the feeling of being watched comes over me again. I climbed out of the water, wrapped my dress around myself, and headed for home. When I made it to the clearing the feeling was gone. "What am I thinking it was my brain playing tricks on me there was no one there," As I walked into the house mom sat me down at the table and started brushing my hair, braiding it, while telling me that I need to hurry up and eat. Finally, I slipped into my beautiful new ball gown. It fits perfectly. Just as someone knocked at the door. Mom opens the door as I catch a glimpse of a well-dressed man standing in the doorway "I am here to pick up Miss Aurora," The driver says with a bow. "I'm Aurora," I said, rounding the corner. "I thought my date Bra' dan was coming for me," The driver bows again "Yes my lady he was, but he got a bit behind and sent me to pick you up," It didn’t take us long to arrive at the ball. The Prince's Valet was waiting in front of the palace as we pulled up. "Come with me please Miss,” As he offers his hand to help me out of the carriage. "Where are you taking me," I ask nervously as we head down a long hallway. "I'm sorry Miss I have orders not to tell you," He replies as we stop at a door at the very end of the hallway. He knocked on the door "Miss Aurora for you," The Valet announced. "Please let her in," Comes a male voice on the other side of the door. As the Valet opens the door my heart skips a beat as I see Bra'dan standing in front of me dressed as the Prince. "Bra' dan, why are you dressed like that," I questioned him. Bra'dan reaches over and takes my hand then leads me to a chair. "Please sit," He pleaded as he gestured toward the chair. I complied nervously as he continued. "My name isn't Bra'dan," He stopped and took a deep breath. "It is Prince Ardan," He stopped again waiting for me to say something, but I didn't. Again he continued. "Aurora, I've wanted to tell you from the moment I met you in the woods that day I saw you picking berries," Prince Ardan stopped again hoping I would say something, but I still did not speak. I just sat there in shock at what this man that I had trusted was telling me. "Please, Aurora, please say something," Prince Ardan begged. When I still wouldn't reply he pulls out a beautiful diamond ring with a gold band and presents it to me as he gets down on one knee. "Miss Aurora, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife," He asked. As if the fog had lifted off of my head I heard his proposal. "Are you serious," I yelled at him. "You want me to marry you after you spent months lying to me about who you were," I turned and ran out of his chambers. Instead of taking the buggy home, I decided to walk home. I haven't been scared of the dark since my mage's sight kicked in. Ever since then I have enjoyed walking at night. It's quite peaceful. I walk around in the still of the night letting myself calm down before heading home. About an hour later I made it home. Unfortunately, as I walked in I saw that mom was still up waiting for me. "My dear is everything alright," She asks. "Yes mom I'm alright, it's just been a long night," I answered faking a yawn. "I only ask because Prince Ardan came by looking for you," Mom said questionably. "Oh, he did, did he," I snapped not really at her but at the fact that he had the nerve to come to my house. "Did he tell you that he lied to me, then had the nerve to ask me to marry him," Mom reached for my hand and guided me to the table? "Yes he did mention it and," She then put her finger up to shut me up knowing I was fixing to say something. "I also know why he didn't tell you who he really was, foolish yes, but I understand why he did it, you see Aurora, what you didn't let him explain to you was that he didn't want to marry someone who didn't love him for who he is. He wanted to marry someone who loved him as much as he loved them," Mom explained only as a mother could do. I sat there for a while taking in what mom had said. "CRAP," I moaned. I felt as small as a grain of sand. She was right. I hadn't allowed Prince Ardan to explain himself. "It's late right now so I'll go and see if he will talk to me in the morning," I tell her. "Alright just don't wait too long," Mom warned me. Before I had even gotten out of bed the next morning word of the Prince's engagement to Isabel Adams. "Oh mom," I cried, "How could he choose her after he had asked me to marry him first? I didn't even get a chance to go apologize to him for storming out and now it's too late," I cried, throwing myself on my bed. After a while, I finally calmed down. Mom had already left for the bakery. I knew I had to do something before the Prince married Isabel.