UnMasked

"Tell me who you are," Castien breathed out roughly in her ear out of breath from their waltz.

"I can't do that," Elise drew back trying to catch her breath.

Her hand went up to the mask on her face making sure it was still in a perfect perch on her nose. It was an elaborate mask that covered everything above her cheek bones and came down to her chin on the left side of her face. It was something that she had looked for in a mask when first looking for one. Even now she was self conscious about her face even though she knew it was nearly completely covered.

"My mask does little to hide my identity from you. I fear the lack of knowledge yours gives me about your identity leaves too much to my imagination." Castien's eyes grew dark beneath his mask as he looked at her.

"When there are so many other things besides my face to explore," Elise laughed softly taking a step back when his dark gaze seemed to darken further. "I refer of course to my personality and my mind."

"I was pondering on your ability to waltz so gracefully in the midst of a crowd of people." Castien stepped forward grabbing her by the waist and pulling her back into proper dance position. "It felt more like we were dancing with the music leading us both rather than you following my lead."

"I find that if we ponder too much on what our physical bodies are doing we can't lose ourselves to the music." Elise sighed leaning into his touch even as she felt the need to turn and run away.

Pulling her closer he swept her up her skirts flying around her ankles brushing against them light as air. It was a perfect moment dancing with Castien was the perfect escape from her life. An escape from everything that she endured all her life the ridicule and torment.

The loud chime of the clock interrupted her thoughts making her skip a step faltering and falling further into Castiens arms. He stopped dancing helping her stand.

"I need to go," Elise gasped looking around.

"What," Castien tilted his head his lips turning down in a frown. "The ball goes longer than midnight. I can't let you leave without knowing who you are."

"I can't let you do that," Elise removed his hands from her waist turning away.

Stepping forward he grabbed her arm pulling her back. He reached for her mask and she pulled back hard tripping backwards over her skirts. Quickly pulling herself up to her feet she bolted stepping out her heels as she went. She needed to go faster than her heels were allowing her to go. Pushing past people standing around the edge of the dancers.

"Wait!" Castiens voice filled the ballroom. Echoing off the walls as the dancers began to stop dancing and looked in his direction in surprise. The musicians stopped their music and the room began to converge around Castien as confident eligible ladies began to flirt shamelessly with him and shy girls were shoved by their match making mothers in his direction.

It was late too late Elise shook her head as she ran further still. As everyone seemed to crowd around the Prince it became easier for her to leave without being caught. Turning around to see if she could spot him she missed an upturned carpet edge. Catching her foot on it she spiralled down the hall landing on her back her mask asque blocking her vision.

Stunned momentarily she sat up breathing hard she reached up to move her mask back in place but not before she heard a loud crash to her left. Quickly shoving it back across her face she glanced through the eye holes to where she heard the sound. A maid stood a hand covering her mouth as if to contain a shriek. Glassware and a tray scattered around her feet. Elise scrambled to her feet motioning for the maid to stay where she was.

"Your face," The maid gasped out her hand dropping to her side as her own face seemed to contort in horror. "Your face."

"Speak of it to no one," Elise begged closing her eyes against the sight as she again adjusted her mask to completely cover the left side of her face. Turning to run she cried out in pain as she stepped on glass shards. Looking around she spotted her shoe near the maid. Stepping in her direction Elise pointed to her as if to ask for assistance in attaining the shoe.

"Help," The maid cried out. "Someone help!"

Startled Elise drew back and turned around as the sound of people running down the hall sounded in her ear. She wouldn't be able to get the slipper back. Running through the pain Elise bolted to the door managing to escape through it without a guard catching her.

"Miss," A footman called to her in surprise at her running out. "Leaving?"

"Yes," Elise gasped out. "Is my carriage ready?"

"Not at the moment I'll send for your horses to be hitched immediately."

"There is no time where are they?"

"In the barn Miss,"

Elise ran in the direction of the barn even as the footman shouted after her to wait. She had no time to wait she burst through the barn and grabbed onto the mane of Reginald pulling herself awkwardly on his bare back. Her skirts seemed to pull against her in her straddling but she didn't have time to adjust them. Kicking her heels into his side she urged him into a gallop and he stormed out of the barn at full speed.

Ripping her mask off to see the road ahead she turned to look once more at the palace behind her. How magical a night it had seemed. A magical night with the prince. Shaking her head she tried to remove his image from her mind. She couldn't think about him. Not about his great skills of dancing, his engaging conversation, his stunning looks behind his onyx mask that did nothing to cover his dark green eyes and high imposing cheekbones.

No she would not think of him anymore. Elise let out a smooth breath from her nose only when she was sure they weren't followed did she let Reginald break from his galloping speed. Letting him go to a walk she brushed the sweat from his neck whispering soothing words in his ear to calm him. If only someone could do the same for her she thought as her heart raced from the night she had.

It was a night she would not soon forget. She thought back to everything that had led her to this moment. To what she thought was her lowest moment that turned out to be one of the best.