FIFTEEN

[LADY SULTAN]

Another ball of the year, Spectacular in so many ways, is not a type you would like to miss. By Old Hughes, a ball is the best option for a Prince to get his mind off a troubled princess, [SIGHS] Well, for now... Dancing! Chattering with other ladies will save him from the hook, tied up in his hands..."

[WOMEN CHUCKLING]

"We are invited to the ball, by the Hughes!" My mother squeaked.

Too many balls in one year, get me so tired of wearing dresses and dancing with so many men. Rashida giggles, she has always been a lover of attention but, balls have never been my thing.

"The seamstress will be arriving soon to deliver your dresses, my daughters, so do not get all worried about your outfits for the ball."

My father seats by the bookshelf, meditating on the words in his papers. Seating by the window, staring at the flowers in tedium.

"Kleo! Rashida! go get dressed for we have a ball to attend."

"KLEO!"

"KLEO! I believe you heard me do not just seat there staring at the glass, run up and get dressed" I scramble out of my thoughts, dragging my feet out of the study room to my room.

👸🏾~

Walking down the stairs, my father stare at me in awe, my mother kept a smile on her face like every lady was thought to do, and Rashida kept a straight face.

"The carriage is ready!"

********************************

[INDISTINCT CHATTERING]

[ORCHESTRAL MAKING]

"Your Grace!"

"How lovely to see you, Lady Dalrymple..." Charles takes the lady's hands in his, kissing them.

"My pleasure, your grace."

After the different dances, with the twelve ladies, he is still not satisfied, for none of them is like Kleopatra. His heart sinks at the thought of the princess.

"This is my night, why am I still thinking of her." He looked around at the ladies by his side.

"Good Evening, Your Grace!" A lady in a coral-white flower dress, walked up to me, her smile looked forced.

"Evening, My lady! May I have this dance?" She giggles like a child. What got her laughing, I made no jokes and I kept a straight face. I take her to the dance floor, twirling her, like every other dancer in the hall.

"My lady, tell me your name?"

"My name?"

"Rashida Sultan, your grace. The daughter of the King of Egypt."

Now she was giving me information, I never asked for. Ladies are too forward, even at the slightest things.

"Pardon me, miss, thank you for the dance!" He said walking out of the dance, to the open air of the balcony. The fresh smell of earth filled his nose, but the sound of a person panting got his attention.

"Who is out there?" He said, walking towards the sound.

[SILENCE]

"Who is... [SIGHS]" It was a lady of petite height breathing in and out by the edge of the railings.

"Sorry Miss, Why are you out here in the cold... alone?" He asked and then Kleo turned to see the man that had spoken, a man with a familiar voice. They both freeze in a spot.

"You!" [BOTH GROWLED]

"What are you doing here?" He asked in confusion.

"I should be asking the same question, Archer!"

"You are one of the guests, how come I did not know..."

"Still you haven't answered my question, Archer, what are you doing in a royal ball, dressed in royal sheets?"

[INHALES]

"I am a Prince!"

"Prince! What? That's a lie! What Prince... Archer, the prince invited the sultans to his ball."

[AKWARD SILENCE]

"I only speak of the truth Kleo, truly, I am a Prince, the Prince who invited you to the ball."

Kleopatra looks confused, staring at the ground and then at his face.

"Archer, I do not believe this, so you lied to me that you are a town boy, who stays by the orphan home...." He doesn't speak.

[KLEO GROANS]

"Archer, what did you gain from lying to me and keeping it a secret the whole time, even after you found out that I am a princess, you walked out in anger, I sent letters apologizing for the betrayal and still you spoke nothing of your regency... Archer!"

[SOBBING]

"Kleo... I am sorry."

"No you are not, you accused me of betrayal but you commit the same sin... How am I to believe anything from you, is your name even Archer or Prince, whatever." She sobbed

"No... Charles Hughes" He swallowed. "I am so sorry, I didn't know, you will find out this way."

"Of course, you wouldn't, even if I hadn't seen you like this, you will still lie to me." She picked up the hem of her dress, running for the doors as tears filled her eyes.

"Kleo!"

"Kleo!"

She spots her family seated by the Baron and Baroness of Windsor.

"I wish to go home immediately!" She ordered.

"Is everything alright, Dearest?"

"Yes, indeed, I am totally fine Mother." She says holding the tears from dropping.

"I will send for the carriage at once."

***********************

"Kleopatra, You have been quiet the whole night, has something terrible happened, that you do not wish to talk about?" My mother asked, opposite me in the carriage, while Rashida sat by my side. Father was still at the ball, with other successors.

"Nothing mother, I said I am fine!"

[SIGHS]

"Kleopatra, I do wonder, what you were doing all alone on the balcony, with a man"

Kleopatra's teary eyes shot up in anger, her mother stared at them both in confusion.

"And what do you mean by that Rashida?" Mother asked.

"I purpose I say the truth, Mother, Where was she while we were with the Baron and baroness? Oh yes, alone with someone."

"How dare you, Rashida! [SOBBBING] You have no proof and if I were to ask, how did you come up with those lies of yours...."

"You pretty con artist, why do you deny the truth or are you afraid to be grounded again?" [RASHIDA LAUGHED IN MOCKERY]

"Enough! Both of you, for I am tired of your animosities this night, well, we had a long dreadful- pleasant night at the ball and I believe this attitude will be forgotten."

[SILENCE]

Their drive back to the palace was quiet and melancholy for the little princess, being called a liar is too much to handle, but being betrayed by the only friend she has, has made matter worse for the poor girl.

[LADY SULTAN]

"For those who didn't attend the Hughes Ball, you missed the most important detail of the season. The concealed secrets have been open to the world's hearing... Our dear Princess has been deceived by our Prince's disguise.

This didn't go well for the princess...."

"What will I say about our Prince? [INHALES] Your disguise was bound to be found, indirectly by the Princess or later in the open, but oops, our Dearest, Princess Kleopatra is exasperated by the disclosed news... Poor Kleopatra.

for it is said, whatever has a beginning, surely has an ending and whatever is hidden in the dark is bound to be found in the light..."