1 Chapter One: The Ball.

Wearing an exquisite pink, silky ball gown, Elizabeth stood alongside Aurora in a corner, closely surveying the ballroom. She wore an elegant ball gown that had an off-shoulder style with a low decolletage, embellished with shimmering sequins and completed with a long bouffant-skirt.

She wore an opera-length white glove and her neck was adorned with a vintage diamond necklace that sparkled even in low light.

The ballroom was captivated by stunning dresses, noble men and women, melodious tunes, and twirling couples. For male visitors, a designated area was set aside to store their hats, while female guests could use a cloak room with two maids at their disposal.

Elizabeth had the first dance of the night with her brother at the beginning of the evening, and did not partake in any more dancing afterwards. With a bored expression on her face, she quietly scanned her surroundings.

She had not encountered anyone or anything that caught her interest until now. All the dukes, princes, and earls who were invited from within and other kingdoms far and wide had tried aimlessly to dance with her to no avail.

She found some to be highly exaggerated, whereas others did not possess sufficient physical attractiveness or appeal to capture her attention. On the other hand, there were gentlemen with attractive appearances, however, their conceited and haughty demeanor did not appeal to her.

A particular prince from an outside kingdom hadn't taken her rejection well. "You'll live to regret this," he had said to her spitefully. "I promise you, princess."

Observing his outburst of fury, she pondered the intention behind his utterances. She swiftly removed him from her mind and focused on searching for an appropriate partner.

Elizabeth was determined to find and choose her husband herself. Despite the fact that she knew it was a tedious task, she was still willing to give it a shot. She risked stealing a glance her mother's way, and she wasn't shocked to see her mother's gaze concentrated on where she stood.

"So typical of Mother," she fussed inwardly. In fact, Elizabeth had it in the back of her mind that this particular ball was purposely hosted by the Queen for her to pick a suitable future husband amongst the noblemen, she was sure of it.

Elizabeth's mother wore a furious expression, indicating that she was well aware that Elizabeth had rejected numerous potential partners. Elizabeth remained unfazed, as she was aware that her mother would not reprimand her in this setting.

She was receiving a lot of attention from the gentlemen at the ball, which caused jealousy among some of the ladies present. Despite rejecting their advances, these ladies felt very upset and angered by her actions.

Also, Despite the fact that people were already spreading rumors about her in the ballroom, Elizabeth remained unbothered and resolute in her decision to refuse any pressure to marry a man she did not have feelings for.

She grew weary of remaining on her feet for an extended period of time, as evidenced by her uneasy movements from one foot to the other.

"Why don't you go sit down, my lady?" suggested Aurora, pointing at a seat in the far right corner. "I'll lead you there."

As Aurora was about to accompany her, she caught sight of an unfamiliar countenance, distinct and new to her. Looking tenderly at the young man, she experienced a moment of breathlessness.

She couldn't help but admire his height and blonde locks, and his perfectly toned body left her in awe. His face radiated brilliance, even from a distance. With an audible gasp, she was taken aback as he smiled, causing her slave girl, Aurora, to examine her with amazement.

"Are you OK, my lady?" she asked, glancing at her mistress suspiciously. "You look flustered."

"I'm alright. But pray tell , who that young..." She paused as she spotted a confused look and added, "Man is."

As Aurora followed her gaze, her eyes fixed on the prince, Arthur, who was engaged in a conversation with a handsome man, one she knew quite well.

"That's Nicholas, my lady," she explained nervously. "And he's the son of the Palace plumber."

Her announcement drew a loud "What!" from Elizabeth. "But he doesn't look like it," she remarked with a hint of frustration in her voice. She also wondered how Author, came to know the son of a plumber.

Certainly, Nicholas's appearance at the ball would have led anyone to believe that he was a member of the aristocracy. The ball was abuzz with talk about how his dignified demeanor, mannerism, and appearance were making quite an impression.

Elizabeth and her female counterparts were openly eyeing the attractive gentleman, the later devoid of knowledge about his social standing. They had become very fond of the young man, and his status might prove irrelevant at this juncture.

"What are they conversing about?" Elizabeth asked in an irritated tone. "It's been ages."

After some minutes, she watched as her brother made his way to where she stood, causing her to gasp as he had taken her unawares.

"Did he know she was stealing glances at the handsome young man?" she wondered aloud. "Or maybe the young man sent him to court me." She added, drawing an incredulous look from Aurora.

Elizabeth thought she had gone crazy; how did she expect the son of a plumber to speak to her brother, who was the prince, on her behalf. "Pathetic much?" She muttered to herself.

The prince finally reached her side. "Elizabeth, what's going on?" He inquired in a worried tone. "You don't seem to be enjoying it at all."

"Well, can you blame me, Arthur?" she wailed bitterly. "I haven't seen anything or anyone that tickles my fancy."

"Really?" Arthur asked, tilting his head to the side. "But I swear I saw a handful of young men approach you."

Elizabeth expressed her frustration with a nonverbal cue of eye-rolling. "They made attempts," she replied, "However, I am not inclined towards any of them."

"May I know who the young man you were conversing with is?" She asked with confidence, directing Arthur's attention towards Nicholas as they both gazed upon him.

Arthur glanced at her with a slight panic. "Oh no, sister," he warned. "Disembark from it," he pleaded through his voice as he held up one of her hands.

Elizabeth heaved a tired sigh, but she still pressed on, prompting her brother to review how he came to be acquainted with Nicholas.

He clarified that Nicholas was actually the son of the new palace's plumbing specialist and he was the one who invited him. Last week, while accompanying his father on a job to fix a burst pipe in the bathroom located within the prince's quarters, he had spotted him for the very first time.

After they had talked, the Prince had been delighted to discover the young man's impressive intelligence and sophistication in spite of his father's profession as a plumber.

"So he's not only handsome but smart," chipped in Elizabeth. "I'm liking him even more."

"Lizzy," he reprimanded softly, "You know they'll never approve, right?"

"Yes, I know." She nodded. "But I still want to meet him."

Arthur expressed disapproval through a head shake, but didn't take any concrete action to prevent Elizabeth from doing anything and moved away from her.

She observed as he briskly walked towards his fiancée, Emma, who was in the company of the queen. Emma was the daughter of the Prime minister. At a height of 5 feet 9 inches, she was rather tall and possessed a slender build, as well as blonde hair and a face that could be described as pretty.

Although she did not possess the same stunning beauty as Elizabeth, she had a warm and pleasant disposition. Elizabeth, who had developed a friendship with her, was among those who had an affectionate regard for her. Elizabeth was pleased that her brother was engaged to Emma.

Turning her eyes away from Arthur and Emma, she fixed her gaze back onto Nicholas. Her once broad smile quickly transformed into a gloomy countenance.

As soon as she caught sight of a stunning young woman standing next to Nicholas, an envious and unfamiliar fury started to brew deep within her stomach. Observing the woman brushing her hair with her hand every few moments, Elizabeth surmised that she was most probably flirting with him.

Elizabeth was feeling disturbed about seeing a stranger she had never conversed with before, talking to another girl, and couldn't comprehend the reason behind her discomfort. As she turned her face away from Nicholas and the lady, she dismissed the unfamiliar sensation with a quick brush.

It didn't last, though, because she was back at it, but this time he was alone. "Perfect," she thought as she gathered her dress in her hand and made to leave. "Stay here," she ordered Aurora softly. "I'll be back."