Chapter 3: The grand ball

When Veronica was done with her meal, her mind still pondered on why her stepmother would suddenly allow her to go to the grand ball with them tonight. The grand ball was a huge event that was held by the king or the dukes of the land, people came either to appreciate the king or to meet people and socialize more while some would go there to catch one of the gentlemen's attention, but it was none for Veronica as she was forced. Veronica got her activities rounded up and got herself treated up by the sorcerers and soon it was sunset the time they were supposed to leave. Veronica got dressed in a red sparkling gown that had no sleeve, but it had a black transparent collar that showed a cropped view of her plumped chest, she packed her hair into a messy bun that complemented the cloth and came down from her room and soon the carriage appeared, and they were all off.

When the carriage appeared in front of the palace that looked beautifully decorated, Veronica became nervous as her palms turned sweaty, she tried to control her nervousness, but it was just useless as her nervousness grew bigger by the time, they approached the venue. She breathed in a huge sum of air as she got down the carriage, from what she heard Veronica knew that the ball was held because it was the King's second wife's birthday. Soon she approached the palace and entered inside, she saw various kinds of dishes being served and varieties of drinks that the waiters carried on their trays, instantly her stomach growled as her mouth watered as she remembered she had not eaten last night. The food became so tempting that Veronica reached out to pick up the bun that was placed on the round table but before she could reach it her stepmother grabbed her by her wrist.

"Control yourself this is not the dining room where you can reach out and grab anything as you wish this is the royal palace with few strangers around us so you don't know who might be watching." Veronica knew that what she did was embarrassing but what could she do when a certain someone starved her, it was not her fault but partly her stepmother's fault too.

Soon some people got themselves busy dancing with one another while Veronica stood by the side of the massive room with a glass of wine in her hands, she looked around to see her sister talking to a man, he wore a green suit and vest, and he had a blonde hair that was all brushed backward. As Veronica was looking around the room, a man bumped into her making her wine spill on her dress,

"Hey, don't you know where you're going?" Veronica asked the man, but the man didn't answer her but just looked frightened as the man kept turning his head sideways to check whether he was the one she was talking to.

"I'm talking to you! Why are you turning your head sideways?" the man looked scared as he backed away slowly before running away.

"Hey!" Veronica shouted as she had a worried expression on her face how was she going to remove the stench of the red wine? Before Veronica could reason anything further her stepmother dragged her by her hand to an empty corner of the room,

"Have you run this mad that you talking to yourself and to even add to it you spilled wine on your dress?"

"I'm sorry" Veronica apologized as she didn't want to disgrace herself with a slap on her cheek.

"Forget it just go out there and try to get someone's attention at least," she said making Veronica nod her head, and her stepmother left. One thing Veronica couldn't get was, why her mother said she was talking to herself and why she was talking to a man that bumped into her without apologizing. Before Veronica's thought could ponder further, she heard a sweet voice call her.

"Veronica"

"Lady Lucy" Veronica was embarrassed to meet her eyes as she knew what had happened in the tea party.

"Lady Veronica, you don't need to be embarrassed to talk to me after what happened in the tea party, I know very well that you didn't mean to spill the wine on the vampiress gown, you're not that mean."

"Thanks, at least someone understands that I didn't mean to do it purposely," Veronica said in a very low voice but Lucy still heard it. She laughed a little before she continued.

"The young vampiress is just so short tempered but her father had personally given her that dress as a gift as her father rarely visits her that was why she flared up and didn't want to listen to you." Veronica felt bad as she knew how it felt when a certain stranger just spoils a special gift given to you by a special someone.

"Oh, I feel bad I wish I could send my apology to her," Veronica said with a sad voice.

"You don't need to feel that bad, I already talked to her on your behalf, so I think she has already partly forgiven you." On hearing this Veronica felt a little bit alright but she still wanted to see her in person and apologize.

"Lady Lucy is there any way I can still meet her I would want to apologize to her in person."

"Okay, if you still want to apologize to her in person, you can, but, unfortunately, she couldn't make it to the ball you can still go and visit her in her palace."

"Okay I will see whether I will pay her a visit tomorrow," Veronica said before flashing her a small smile.

"Hmm, you seem not to have had a reason to make it to the ball you look less interested."

"Nothing I just didn't want to come I was forced after all I can't stay at home alone" Lucy gave out a little laughter before she said.

"Why don't I be your entertainer for the day."

"That would mean so much to me thanks at least I know I have someone to talk to" Veronica flashed her a little smile which was rare, but it was a beautiful one. The two kept on talking about the different events and circumstances that they faced until a young man who looked like a butler because of the clothes he wore interrupted them.

"Would you please excuse me I would like to borrow madam for a moment." The man spoke first before whispering something into Lucy's ear which changed her expression as she stood up.

"Lady Veronica it was really pleasant talking to you today but some troubles arose so I would have to go attend to them."

"I think you should go it was also nice talking to you too."

"Hmm see you sometime later," she said before she took her leave. Great she was now alone she thought to herself.

After a while of staying at the corner of the room watching people dance and spine around the ball room. Veronica saw a man approaching her, he wore a red suit and black vest, his hair was all brushed back bringing out the gentleman's features in him.

"How are you? I have been watching from the side of the crowd and I was thinking whether you were bored I hope you wouldn't have a problem if I occupy you?" the man asked as he flashed her a gentle smile.

"No, I wouldn't mind if you could, I am bored anyways."

"Okay then. My name is Gabriel, and you might be Lady…?" he asked waiting for her to complete the sentence with her name.

"Lady Veronica"

"Veronica you really do have such a nice name" Veronica gave out a little blush as her cheeks were slightly red. She knew this man was really flirting with her which gave her a slight feeling of unsettlement.

"Thanks, your name is also pleasant." She said which made him to laugh a little before he said.

"Why don't you keep pronouncing since is so pleasant."

"I would certainly do that" she said as she let out a little laughter. From the side of the room Evelyn was watching how the two seemed to be laughing with each other which made her mad she wanted to be the one that all the wealthy men would be eyeing throughout the ball celebration.

Veronica felt like the feeling of unsettlement she was feeling a while ago had vanished completely as she kept on talking to Gabriel, he was just a very carefree person who could say anything at any time.

"You know that pretty woman you were talking to a while back."

"Lady Lucy?"

"Yeah, Lucy that pretty damsel is my sister when I saw you guys were conversing so freely, I knew instantly that you were one of her close friends" Veronica didn't know whether she should reject or accept whether they were friends or not, that word really felt weird to her as she, herself had lived life as an island in a very vase water body with no one by her side. Even though they shared the same interest did that mean that they were friends.

When Veronica was still dealing on with her thoughts, Evelyn came out of nowhere and started talking to him.

"Hey Gabriel, you know it has been long since we've ever had good chat" she said shifting Veronica to the side which seemed like a disapproval to him.

"Yeah, I do agree that it has been long but I'm already having a beautiful chat with this damsel here already." He said trying to shoo her out.

"You really haven't changed at all you, you're still the same old flirt I know."

"Who said I was being flirty I am really saying the truth is she not really a damsel." He said as he flashed Veronica a warm smile but it seemed the opposite for Evelyn as she stayed daggers at her.

"Haven't you not heard that this pretty damsel here is my sister."

"Your sister? she really doesn't look like your sister; she gives this kind of innocent feeling but yours is a whole new level."

"Well thank you for such a nice complement mister, Gabriel."

"No problem I just have a honey kind of mouth that can make anyone fall for me instantly."

"You're such a narcissist. I would like to borrow you for a moment I hope Veronica would not mind."

"No, I wouldn't" Veronica said, but she did mind because, she wanted to talk to him for some more time, and get rid of the boredom that swallowed her whole. But now that he had gone the boredom really did swallow her whole.

After much time had passed the ball finally came to an end, but no one asked Veronica to a dance, when they reached the palace. In the dark night a man was looking outside the window it was George.

"Honey, you look tensed what happened?"

"Why are you telling me what happened, when you and I already know very well that nobody in the ballroom asked for a dance or even gave a dance to Veronica how do you expect a marriage proposal to come so suddenly."

"Don't you think I know; I would wait for one day and see whether by luck a proposal would come and if after one day and no proposal, I would send out a proposal from her, even a low-ranking knight would do from there."