The Cow Dung's Annual Ball (2)

Cawden Academy's annual ball officially started that evening and the entire ballroom was abuzz with a crowd of students mingling with each other.

Everyone was already busy when the doors suddenly opened. Two beautiful masked strangers entered the ballroom and caught the eye of the crowd.

"I don't remember anyone looking like that." A hushed whisper came from a girl that found Nicholas' dark hair and amber eyes irresistible from underneath his mask.

"Can you recognize her?" A guy elbowed his friend and motioned to the beauty in her white mask and beautiful dress.

Both Sophie and Nicholas didn't pay any attention to them and instead simply paid attention to the sight of the ballroom. It was beautifully decorated and elegant as one might have recognized if they attended a lot of balls.

An accompaniment of violin, flutes, and other instruments played in the background as couples danced in the center of the room. Each one of their eyes only focused on their partners, if not for secretly glancing at the newcomers.

Nicholas once again offered his hand to Sophie and grinned. "Will you have this dance with me, my lady?"

"Of course," Sophie smiled back. "I didn't know that you also learned how to dance. Who did you dance with if you were taught by a private tutor?"

"Anybody, here and there. My tutor sometimes," Nicholas explained as the two of them joined hands together and set off into the ballroom. "Why? Does the thought of me dancing come off as strange?"

"Well, if you're curious about life in the academy, I'd say the same applies to me," Sophie replied. "I can't recall anyone ever wanting to be privately tutored. We live in a society where mingling is necessary and academies are a chance to experience it beforehand."

"Ah yes, talking with gallant young lords and successful merchants," Nicholas chuckled. "I suppose that is necessary. Unfortunately, my parents think that not everything can be taught properly unless the attention of the teacher was solely on me."

"They must care about you a lot," Sophie said.

"And I'm sure that yours did as well," Nicholas smiled gently. "They'd be proud to see a beautiful, intelligent daughter that's also quite brave. I'm overjoyed to see you again, Sophie."

"Overjoyed?" Sophie raised a brow as the man spun her around. She looked up at his face and teased him. "That is quite a lot for someone who you barely knew, Nicholas. This is only our second meeting. You must grow fond of people fast?"

"Well… it feels like I've already known you for quite a long time." Nicholas chuckled. "Kindred spirits. Pairs? Do you get what I mean?"

Contrary to what Sophie thought, Nicholas didn't grow fond of people fast, it was the opposite. He was a loner and didn't like people most of the time. His sunny disposition only came out when he was with the people he liked, and they were quite a few.

Sophie smiled at his words. "Ah, well, I have to admit that you're the only person around my age that I've met that I really get along with. I didn't think that you'd understand me."

"Well, everybody else must be a fool for not understanding you," Nicholas murmured. "Blinded by things like wealth, name and fame… they fail to see the beauty that is of knowing someone genuinely without those things."

"I can see that your tutor really must have taught you well," Sophie laughed a little.

Nicholas smiled sheepishly. "Well, the fact that you get what I mean is a sign that you're also quite intelligent. Your teachers must have taught you well too."

"I did end up self-learning most of it, but that is also true." Sophie nodded.

Nicholas smiled but then asked her seriously. "Is there really no one else here that understands you? Is everyone really a bunch of bullies here in the academy?"

"Even if they don't bully me, most choose not to approach to not get on my cousins' bad side," Sophie answered. "I'm sure that there are kind people here, but it's difficult getting on the bad side of someone powerful, right?"

"I know…" Nicholas frowned.

"Don't worry about it," Sophie smiled and decided to cheer Nicholas up. "It's not your problem. Instead, why don't we spend the rest of the evening having fun? Do you want to dance some more or to eat?"

Nicholas looked at Sophie carefully, before he gave her a twirl and then grinned back. "I think I'd like to dance with you more."

The night of the ball ended quickly for both Sophie and Nicholas. There was a good reason why Sophie needed to return home fast, and Nicholas didn't want to stay any longer if it meant that he couldn't be with her.

"I'm sorry, but if I stay here too long and my cousins go back and realize that I'm gone, I'd be a goner…" Sophie gulped for a moment. "I prefer not to get into any trouble with my birthday coming up. I want to leave their home and be independent without any trouble."

"There's no need to apologize, I understand," Nicholas said.

Even though he couldn't believe that there were people who were of the same flesh and blood that would torture them… but then again, Nicholas' father might kill him if the truth about his secret ever came out, so he wasn't that surprised either.

The two of them left together with Nicholas taking Sophie back to her home earlier than the rest of the students. Although it left many wondering as to who the two of them were, Nicholas who heard them gossip clearly with his superior hearing didn't care.

All he had his eyes on was the lady in front of him.

His savior. Sophie truly didn't remember him. Ahh… he shouldn't reveal everything to her now. This was not the time yet.

When the two of them arrived at Sophie's house, the two of them exchanged some more words. Sophie especially wanted to remind him of their deal.

Nicholas held Sophie's hand and bowed. "Thank you so much for accompanying me to the ball, my lady."

"You know I only did it for the money, right?" Sophie said. "You don't have to thank me for this much."

"Well, it'd be impossible for me to have fun if it weren't for you being around. So I consider it as something to be grateful for."

"I see… then if you're truly grateful, I suppose you could help me out as soon as you're ready, right?" Sophie said. "You'll probably need to send a letter to your contacts at the Rothschild's bank?"

Nicholas grinned. "Yes, you don't have to worry about it. You can trust me to do it as fast as I can."

Sophie wasn't really sure if she could trust his words. Now that she thought about it… if this young man wanted to leave Hastings without ever contacting her again, that was also possible.

A huge disappointment it would be, but Sophie would think of him as a clever bastard.

Nicholas seemed to read the doubt on her face so the man took off his mask and placed it on her hand. "Consider this as an item for you to hold onto until I return."

Sophie didn't want to admit it, but the mask looked especially well-made. The moonstone was quite expensive too. Even if Nicholas didn't return, she could also sell this, together with the ring. She narrowed her eyes. "So, you mean, I should keep this as collateral. If you don't return, I can sell this if I want to?"

Nicholas winced when he heard Sophie talk about selling another gift from him. This girl surely loved money, he thought.

"I really will come back, I promise." Nicholas insisted. If only Sophie stayed at Hauntingen back then, she would have known that he returned as he promised… However, she was already gone by then. Nicholas was only lucky to find her again, here in Hastings years later.

Sophie nodded. "Okay, I'll trust you."

"Thank you."

Nicholas wanted to make it up to her this time and the prince now knew how he was going to do it.

***

.

.

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

From Missrealitybites:

Does this scene remind you of Cinderella? XD

As I have mentioned some time ago, this book is a reverse harem and I am finding myself enjoying the process of writing it. The two men are quite the opposite of each other.

One is warm like the sun, the other is cold like ice, one would remind you of Cinderella story, and the other of Beauty and The Beast. But I promise you will like them both being their own self.