First Encounter

The Emperor descended his throne, personally raising the head of the bowing Princess.

He sighed realising she was wearing a mask as always, he longed to see her face again.

"Greetings to the Brightest Sun of the Gastonian Empire!" The nobles chorused including the masked man baffling his subordinate.

"Mas... I mean, Sir. Why are you bowing before the Imperial family. You are well aware that you are bowing to the one who ceased our freedom." Judson said with disgust and rage in his eyes as he chided the masked man.

"Don't try to understand me Jud, you'll just end up getting even more confused." The man said nursing the wine glass in his hand before downing all its contents in one go.

After the arrival of the Princess, the party went on in full swing.

More guests were arriving but the Princess was yet to have her first dance. Originally, her first dance was ought to be taken by the Emperor, but the man was too busy to remember.

Cecilia sat on a chair at a corner of the ballroom staring mindlessly at the guests who were socialising with each another.

"God this party is extremely boring." Cecilia murmured softly in despair.

Unknown to her, a certain someone had been watching her every move.

"She's right, this party has gotten really boring, why don't we spice things up?" The man said to Judson who looked at him in confusion.

The masked man rose up from his seat and adjusted his black silk suit majestically before slowly approaching the Princess.

Cecilia who had asked Poppy to go get her a drink because she felt dehydrated gazed at the tall well built man elegantly walking towards her.

"Who's that man? And why does it feel like he's coming to me?" These thoughts flashed through Cecilia head spontaneously and the man continued to approach her.

She firmly gripped Winter's handle ready to release it from its scabbard.

While amusement kept dancing in the man's eyes and he knew exactly what was going on in her mind.

"My Lady, who's that man heading our direction?" Poppy whispered into Cecilia's ear as soon as she came back with a glass of wine.

"..." Cecilia was still giving the little maid the cold shoulder which by now didn't bother Poppy anymore as she knew she was still her mistress's favourite.

Just then, the shadow of two plump silhouettes covered their free vision of the man.

"Good day, Princess Cecilia. It's an honour to finally meet you." A short middle aged man said as a younger guy which seemed to be his son stood beside him as they were both wearing matching grey suits.

Their intentions were very clear to both Cecilia and Poppy who contoured her face in disapproval of the man's son.

"Oh brother, I'll have to deal with these two all alone! Father were are you!" Cecilia yelled in her head but kept a calm composure.

"Evening Baron Rodalt Cohen Harris if I'm not mistaken." Cecilia said politely but the disgust that flashed through her eyes while calling his name was evident. Luckily, the old fool couldn't see it.

"Is he blind or just pretending to be? Shooo creepy smelling guys, shooo!" Poppy antagonized internally literally twitching on the outside.

" And you are..." Cecilia asked giving the Baron's son the go-ahead to speak.

"Good evening my Princess, I'm Ronald Rodalt Harris. As you already know, I'm the first son of the Baron of Moher in Magenta." The overweight freakled faced man said as he grabbed her hand 'gently' and placed a wet kiss at the back of her hand.

Cecilia cringed in disgust and instantly retracted her hand as though the man was the plague.

"Please give the lady her personal space, she's a little ." Poppy said on behalf of the Princess and Cecilia was ready to give her all the fortune in the world when the man released her hand.

"Sorry about that, it's just that young men these days can't keep their arms off pretty ladies." A female voice said behind the Imperial pair.

It was the Baron's wife, who was surprisingly almost as young as Cecilia. Maybe in her early twenties.

"Good evening my Princess, my name is Erina Scarlet Harris. I'm this handsome Baron's wife." The woman said twirling the man's beard seductively.

Cecilia and Poppy were literally at the verge of puking seeing the 'perfect' couple.

"Excuse me, can I steal the beauty away from you for a moment?" A serene voice rang out calmly and Cecilia looked up to see the owner of the melodious voice.

It was the masked man who had been rooted to the place he stood when he locked gazes with the Princess.

Then these set of fools stole her attention and worst, the human mango had the audacity to kiss her arm.

"Of course, no problem!" Cecilia literally yelled gradually loosing her resolve.

She was ready to jump into the man's arms if she could get away from the weird family.

The man smirked and said, "Then may I steal your first dance?"

Cecilia couldn't see the deceit in his eyes when he took her stretched out hand leading her to the middle of the room were people dancing.

"Thank you for saving me from them." Cecilia said after the had reached the middle of the room.

"I don't do anything that won't profit me." The man said in between laughter. He was amused by the whole situation.

"Haha, so how will or did all this profit you." She questioned the stranger also getting amusement in the awkwardness of the situation.

"Well..." He said as he stepped back and stretched his hand out, "I get to dance with the infamous Worrior Princess of Gastonia."

Cecilia giggled at the words he spoke. It was the first time she would be dancing with someone apart from her father or Sir Tristan.

She scanned the man thoroughly and she had to admit the man before her was a masterpiece.

"That is a very terrible bargain, I don't think a dance is worth a favour." Cecilia said as she extended her hand, placing on top the man's who immediately pulled her to himself.

"That's for me to decide, dear Princess." The man said with a strange look in his eyes as he scanned the beauty from head to toe just like the way she had done with him.

"Breathtaking!" He said internally as he gazed longingly into the Princess's eyes beautiful blue eyes.

--To be continued...