The Shoes

Brandt and Gene arrive at the ball fashionably late. They greet the king and queen, then the prince guides his partner through the crowd.

"Would you like to have a drink?" he asks, close enough for his breath to tickle her ear.

"I would love to."

They both walk to the table where a couple of butlers are serving drinks. In the ten meters between where they were and the refreshment table, they must have greeted about thirty people. Gene's face is already hurting from smiling.

The prince offers her a glass of champagne and she takes a generous gulp. She looks around the ballroom and notices that many eyes are on them. Mostly women. They're either staring at her companion with lustful eyes or glaring at her with hateful ones.

"Shall we dance?" Gene asks, quickly finishing her drink. The prince bows to her and kisses her hand.

"Would you do me the honor, Lady Siv?"

"It would be my pleasure, Your Highness."

They head to the middle of the dancing area to get into position. Gene feels the prince's hand squeeze her waist.

"Be gentle with my feet, my lady," he teases with a grin.

"I can't promise you anything," she answers with a smile. 

The prince chuckles and pulls her body closer to his. Gene's heart beats so loud she is afraid he will be able to hear it.

When the music starts, they glide through the dancing floor like two swans majestically floating on a lake. Their movements are perfectly in sync.

Gene is sure that if Mrs. Gustavson saw them, she wouldn't believe that she is the same Siv who injured her dancer earlier today. 

The excitement of the dance and the proximity with the prince are driving her heart crazy. His smell is intoxicating. But suddenly, Gene feels a squeeze in both feet.

"What's wrong?" The prince raises a brow.

"I think the size of the shoes you sent me is a little too small."

"Shoes?" He considers for a few seconds. "My gift was the necklace and earrings, I did not send any shoes."

'Huh? He didn't get me the shoes? Then who did?'

After the music stops, Brandt escorts Gene away from the couples waiting for the next dance. They are stopped every two steps by officials and nobles until they finally reach a corner. They are almost hiding behind one of the decorated columns.

"Are your feet alright?"

"Yes, it's not that bad. Thank you for asking." She smiles.

"So do you have any idea who sent you the shoes?"

"I have no—"

"Your Highness," a female voice interrupts. 

When Gene turns around and finds herself facing the princess of Vanta and Minister Beck.

'I thought they returned to their country.'

"Lady Holmen," the man greets her with a kiss on the back of the hand. "Would you do me the honor of dancing with me?"

Gene can tell what the princess is doing, trying to get rid of her to be alone with the prince. 

'That is not going to—'

"Actually, I am Lady Siv's dancing partner for the whole night," the prince comments before Gene could think of an answer.

The look on the princess' face is priceless. An involuntary grin pulls on Gene's lips.

"Of course, Your Highness." The minister bows with a slight blush.

"Shall we?" Brandt asks Gene with his head tilted to the side. All she can do is nod with a wide smile.

They find themselves in the middle of the dance floor once again. Gene did not mind, she loved being in the prince's arms. But she is starting to feel uncomfortable with all the people staring at them.

"Look at me," her partner's voice comes so low a chill runs down her back.

When she complies, she finds herself enticed by his hazel pools. She can't look away. It is like the hundreds of people in the ballroom have all disappeared and the only people dancing are the prince and her.

"You have beautiful eyes," she hears herself say.

"You have complimented my eyes before." He smirks.

'I have?'

"On your house's roof," he adds. 

'God, what else have I said that night?' Gene feels her face heat up. 

"Well, at least you know that it is my honest opinion." She tries to save face.

"You flatter me, my lady." He pulls closer to her face. "As for your eyes, they are so mesmerizing, they haunt me day and night." 

The combination of the words and his breath on her neck does something to Gene 

"Thank you, Your Highness," she whispers shyly.

"Call me Brandt when it is just the two of us," the prince says, locking eyes with her again.

"I don't think it's appropriate, Your—" Gene gasps. 

A sharp pain shoots from her heels all the way to her lower back. She would have lost her footing if not for the prince's sturdy arm around her waist.

"What happened? Are you alright?" he asks with a worried voice.

"I am not sure, I think the shoes are smaller than I thought."

"Let's have a seat."

"No, let's finish the dance first. I don't want to make a scene."

"Fine, but lean on me more." She does as asked.

'Did someone send me these small shoes on purpose, pretending that it was from the prince?'

Gene looks around the room as they swirl to the almost finished song. She locks eyes with princess Hella who wears a disgusting look on her face. Then with Siv's stepmother who is laughing while whispering something to another woman next to her.

'Did she just say shoes? Come on, I couldn't possibly read her lips from this distance.' She shakes her head. 'You're being paranoid right now, Gene.'

Her body spasms when a more painful shock races through it. Gene squeezes her eyes shut and bites on her lip to prevent a yelp from escaping. She felt like what an electric shock with a high voltage would feel like. Her legs almost give in when Brandt wraps her in his arms.

"That's it—"

"Please don't stop," she pleads against his chest. "It is almost over." The prince continues to dance after a brief stop.

'This is not normal. How can small shoes cause this much pain?'

When the musicians finally finish their piece, Brandt slowly walks Gene out of the ballroom while supporting half of her weight, if not more.

"I'll take you to your room so you can change your shoes," he announces.

"Are you sure? Any servant can help me to my room, isn't it inappropriate for you to disappear in the middle of your mother's ball?"

"It is fine, Siv," he answers with clenched teeth. "Let's just hurry."

They don't even take two steps before another pain shoots through Gene's body. She cries in agony as the pain of hundreds of knives stabbing her spreads everywhere. Her body stiffens and she falls in the prince's arms.

The last thing she hears is Brandt calling her name, before it all goes dark.

*********

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