FIVE

(CANDLE'S LIGHTENING)

(INSTRUMENTS PLAYING)

(PLATES, CUPS AND CUTLERY JIGGLING)

(GOLDEN LAMPS AND CHANDELIERS)

(LADY SULTAN)

"The AannualEve ball at the sultan's palace opens and allows the invitees in. Indeed, it is highly known among the kingdoms of the universe. Be sure not to miss it.

The huge crowd of people, some linked with their partners only a few are single. It would be extreme luck for each spinster or bachelor to find a companion.

Tons of long buffet-style tables lined the outskirts of the giant hall, a plenitude of food set on the table neatly. There were also golden cups filled with the best wine of the kingdom stacked up like a fountain.

The smell of fresh earth and citrus mixed with cinnamon filled the room, The scent lingers in the nostrils of humans. This Author would say, I could name a single thing in my life that smelled better than this."

[Rendition of "Oh, pretty woman" by Roy Orbison and Bill Dee's strings playing]

"Elegant, Ambitious, chaste and Naive, this is how she has been trained since birth, Tonight we shall see, which Maiden is lucky to be matched with their Prince"

"Can I have this dance with you, My Lady?"

"Oh, I do love to dance"

(SOFT CHUCKLES)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

"His royal highness, King Horus Sultan and his Queen, Queen Hatshepsut!

(SCATTERED GASPS)

"With his Lovely Daughters, Princess Rashida and Princess Kleopatra"

(CROWD APPLAUSE)

[WALTZ PLAYING]

"Lady Elizabeth, good evening" Kleopatra bows as she greets the duchess of Savoy.

"Miss Sultan, you look rather Exquisite this evening" The princess bows with a charming smile.

"Excuse me" Lady Elizabeth walks to the dance floor, leaving Kleopatra alone.

"My lady, please may I have this dance with you" The princess turns to see a young man dressed in a top hat, white collar shirt and purple suede morning coat, she could see the rumpled lines of his chinos, chuckling could do the trick.

"Uhm, yeah, why not" He takes her hand and walks her to the dance circle, swaying her to the left and then to the right. A lot of spinning, tilting, swaying and talking made her head spin in a nauseous way. Needing to excuse herself from the gentleman's grip, then she has to do it quickly before she empties her stomach on him. That won't be a pleasant sight, right, Yeah!

At the second round of the dance, she scurries off to the balcony of the palace. Her extremely long, silk-black hair, was curled in large ringlets and flowed down her back in a pool of melted chocolate. Her eyes resembled the sun that raised at midday, they looked lighter than she had ever remembered them. Her lips were bare but had some shine from enough rubbing of cherries she had applied.

"This night is not meant for me at all... I can not stand the insane dances tonight."

"Kleopatra, I believe Lord Weston is looking for you to dance" My mother called out for me through the curtains.

"Is he?" She asked with disgust.

"Yes, indeed, he has asked for two or more dances with you but you seem to be in your world"

(MURMURING)

"What are you saying, young lady?" She tilted her brows up.

"If only it weren't time for me to retire to bed"

"You look anything but weary, so let's go"

The princess believes her mother has a hand in this one, but she is not interested in any man's desires.

[LADY SULTAN]

"The most appealing Young prince of England walks into the hall with so much esteem written on his shoulders. Meanwhile, his mind still settles on the feelings of the young commoner. His appearance in the ball is nothing but honesty.

Most will say he is dignified but he is rather striking and level-headed. Seated by the corner of the palace through the whole night, surrounded by ladies, not to his taste. The uneasy feeling the prince made him wonder what the reason was all about.

Do you think the Prince will know the lady he longs for is no other place but close to him..."

👸🏾~

The princess lays in her bed trying everything she can do to sleep peacefully but the thought of being the next after her Sister to get married off to a man. Not a thought she would like to have on her mind the whole night.

[DOOR OPENS]

"Oh, Princess, you are already awakened!"

"Yes, I am Miriam and I keep trying to sleep but it doesn't seem to come." The maid girl sits by the laid princess looking at her worried face.

"What's wrong, have you found yourself a partner?"

"Oh no, I am not interested in the desires of men"

"Oh I see, but did you enjoy yourself at the ball?"

[SIGH]

"Not, the spinning, the uhh, titling, the side chatterings made me so uncomfortable, that's why I do not go to balls"

(WHIMPERING)

"Princess, I feel you should rest, it's going to make you feel better tomorrow morning. I should leave you to rest"

[DOOR CLOSES]

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

[DOOR OPENS]

"My only sister I have ever known... I would like to tell you something"

The princess looks up to see her sister smiling like a sheepish fox.

"What is it again, Rashida?"

"Oh yeah, Lord Wilson, Lord Corner and Lord Hawkesbury danced with me, it felt so romantic and believe me when I say I felt a connection between Lord Hawkesbury and me. He said he has an army,gold, silver and Emerald stones... So what do you think, he is so rich and Handsome."

The older Sultan keeps babbling about her experience at the ball but the young sultan looks with so much distressed about the ignited topic of the ball.

"Why are you not talking?" Rashida tugs the bed covers away from Kleopatra's face.

"Maybe because I want to sleep and someone decided to stop that from happening, look, Rashida, I am not interested in whatever tonight's ball has brought, I just want to sleep and forget about it, ok!"

Rashida is taken aback by the tone of her sister.

"Ok! But if I may ask, what makes you so hotheaded..."

[AWKWARD SILENCE]

"Nothing Shida, I just want to sleep"

The older sultan leaves the Young princess to sleep in peace, still wondering what had stung her and made her this frustrated.

[LADY SULTAN]

Like I said before, Eve's ball is for those that are smitten by love, but for those who have other choices the ball is not where they should attend..."