Chapter 3 - Invited By The Prince

Buckingham Palace was bustling with the Christmas Ball in a few hours, and it was bustling with maids and a few commoners helping to decorate and make the Palace hall the best it could be.

The banquet of food and drinks is ready to be served when the guests, especially the women come.

Prince Theodoric's face lit up. He couldn't wait to see the faces of the women who would be his only choice in life.

"Hey, Theodoric!" Someone called his name. He already knew that it was his childhood friend who called him. Prince Harry.

On his white horse, Harry approached and got off of it. He smiled at his friend.

"Why did you suddenly add a wife selection event?"  Harry asked.

"The King wanted me to get married soon. He always said that he wanted to see his son married. Considering that his daughter was already married to Prince also," Theodoric explained.

"That's dramatic. I'll come, according to the letter you gave your guests, including me. Maybe I can get a Princess too?"

"Well, no problem."

"Come on, ride with me, Theo. Before your show starts, let's have some fun together," said Harry.

"Alright. But I'll take Wilo first," Theodoric said.

Harry waited for Theodoric at the gates of his Palace. Then before long, he came riding his horse named Wilo. The horse is dark brown, which from a distance looks shiny.

"Come on, let's go for a ride while the snow is starting to fall," said Harry.

"Alright."

"By the way, do you know which woman you want to marry?" Harry asked.

Theodoric just shook his head. "No. I have absolutely no idea who the woman is from. That's why in the letter I listed no matter who she was and where she came from, I'll keep marrying her if she gets my attention," explained Theodoric.

Harry chuckled. "You are wiser than the King. I don't mean to offend, but that's the truth," said Harry.

"Of course, you're telling the truth, Harry. I don't want to be like the King. Because someday I will take his place. And I have to be firm and wise to myself first and then my people."

As Theodoric and Harry were talking, a carriage passed by and the window of the carriage was slightly ajar.

Theodoric was unimpressed and bewitched after seeing the face of a woman inside.

"Did you see that woman?" Harry asked him. He elbowed the surprised Theodoric after that.

"Hmm ... yes. Who is she? Her face looks pretty and I just saw her."

"What if you stopped them, Your Majesty?"  Harry asked politely.

Without answering Harry, Theodoric mustered his horse to chase the carriage until they stopped.

The coachman was surprised and so were Rula and Ivy inside.

Out of respect for the surprised coachman, Theodoric apologized with a slight bow.

"I'm Prince Theodoric of Buckingham Palace. I'm sorry if I startled you because I was wondering, who is that woman inside?" asked Theodoric.

The driver's coachman got down from his seat and bowed respectfully to Theodoric. "Sincerely, Your Majesty, Prince Theodoric. I'm Quil, and inside are Maid Rula and Princess Ivy of Kensington Palace."

Theodoric was curious about the woman who had fascinated him just a moment earlier. He also asked Quil to open the carriage door for him.

"Princess Ivy, a Prince wants to see you," Quil told her.

Ivy opened her carriage window wide and turned to Theodoric. Instantly hee body was like being electrocuted, she was shocked because she didn't expect to meet Theodoric on her way.

The door opened and Rula got off the carriage first and helped Ivy down as well.

Ivy immediately bowed and smiled at Theodoric.  "Your Majesty, Prince Theodoric ... nice to meet you," Ivy said respectfully.

Theodoric took Ivy's hand and kissed it respectfully.  "How can you know me when I don't know you, Princess Ivy?"

Ivy smiled at him gently. She was rarely exposed by some princes or palace dwellers because she was a child from the lower class. Even though her mother has magic that only her father and a few trusted people know.

"With all due respect, I rarely go out, Your Majesty."

"And we meet here. Then you must have heard of this year's Christmas Ball, with the addition that I'm looking for women for marriage?"

Ivy nodded sweetly and bowed. "I heard it, Your Majesty."

"Come, Princess Ivy. I'll be waiting for you at my Palace."

***

The crowd at the Palace after Ivy returned from touring with Rula made her quite curious. Why was Lily so busy and what were they talking about? Her stepmother, Luis, smiled and laughed.

Ivy was a little jealous of Lily's completeness with her mother and father. If only her mother wanted to be in the palace with her and her father, it would be impossible for her father to remarry. Even her mother's degree will rise. But sadly, her mother always said, "by having magic, I'm already high enough, my daughter. So, don't feel that even marrying a king or prince will help. But if everything is fate, it will stay like that."

Ivy even wants to marry a prince who can raise her status. Seen and respected by the people. To show that not all the lower classes should be humiliated.

"Princess Ivy, where are you from?" Idriz asked when he saw his daughter come inside.

Lily and Queen Luis looked at them with displeased looks which of course, didn't show in front of Idriz.

"I wandered around. Father, I met Prince Theodoric by accident. He invited me to the Christmas Ball held at his Palace. Since I was invited in person, I don't need to ask your permission, do I?" Ivy said straight away. She couldn't help but finally say she would come to the event because Theodoric had invited her in person. At least it's all true.

"What? You met him in person?" Lily exclaimed.

Ivy nodded flatly. "Yes. And I will come."

Lily then looked at Idriz and hoped that their father would not allow Ivy to come.

"Come, my daughter. You are supposed to be in such things. Dress up nicely, for Prince Theodoric is looking for a woman to marry," said Idriz.

"My husband ... are you allowing her?"  Luis asked, not accepting what she had just heard.

Idriz's face immediately stiffened as he looked at Luis. "She's my first daughter from the woman I love, so ... I'll allow her. She deserves to be happy and feel like everyone else, Luis."

Ivy smiled and she bowed before her father.  "Thank you, King. I'll make the most of my time. I'll excuse myself, then."