The ball

"I want to be left alone" Gwen ordered the maidservants immediately she got into her room.

One of them stepped forward "but Princess, we are supposed to_" Gwen cut her off sharply.

"I said out! Now!" She yelled agitatedly. The maids shivered and scurried out of the room. It was surprising. This was the first time The Princess had risen her voice at them since the past few months.

Bang!

Gwendolyn didn't mind their surprised looks, she moved and shut the door immediately when she was all that was left alone. She leaned her back against the thick mahogany wooden door and slowly slides down to squatting on her knees. Tears poured out of her eyes like water from a broken tap. She buried her head in the knees. Her shoulders quivered and the room was soon filled with sounds of her soft sobs.

Just few minutes ago as she and Prince Arvcan walked down the aisle together to the entrance, he had suddenly whispered in her ear.

"You should smile and wave to them. You dared get married to me so you should know... this would be the last you ever get to smile. I would make your life a living hell, you would wish you never went through with this wedding but it's too late because you're mine now" he said with a smile.

Must he be cruel everytime? Must he keep reminding her that she had made the worst decision of her life?

Gwen sat there crying her eyes out. She hated him just as much as she feared him. He indeed was the monster people said he was.

A set of knocks resounded on the door.

"Princess we have to get you ready for the ball" Amelia, one of the Princess Maid in waiting, called out from outside the door. Haste and urgency in her tone.

Gwen muttered under her breath "go away" but all the people outside the door could hear was a muffled rumbling.

"I can't seem to hear you my Princess. If we don't get you ready for the ball in half an hour then my princess would turned out to look tardy. The Queen has made me promise that there would be no mishap this night" Amelia complained before the door.

Clank!

The door opens and a forlorn looking Gwen meets the eyes of the maids. Her face covered in tears and sweat and thick black line of eyeliner streaming down her eyes. She was a total mess.

"Mishap?" She snorted "this wedding is a mishap"

"My goodness! my princess, you look..." Amelia doesn't finish those words, she gently push Gwen back into the room and closed the door behind them.

Gwen walked to the bed and slump on it. "Miserable... I look miserable" just as I feel. She said the last part in her head.

"That's why I'm here my Princess, I'm going to have to make you look beautiful for the ball tonight" the girl smiled warmly. She had that kind of smile that warms up ones heart.

Gwen couldn't help but smile too. She had really made the right choice reinstating this maid of honour to her position. She always had a way of washing away ones worry with her warm and sincere personality.

"How would you feel going along with me to Rylica?" Gwen asked the young lady. She wasn't afraid to make her a friend. After wasn't there a popular saying that goes—the enemy of an enemy is ones friend?. She hated Queen Jordyn and Princess Guinevere and so did Amelia.

Amelia still maintained her smile. "Can I ask you something My princess?" Gwen nodded.

"you used to detest me, you only made me your maid of honor because you thought I looked down on you so what changed now? Why are you suddenly warmed up to me?" The girl was brave. She didn't seem to mind if spelling out her thoughts would get her into more troubles. She just did whatever she wanted to. Such a befit for a daughter of an Earl.

When Gwen came to the Palace newly, there were two other maids in waiting but those two were no different from the princess. Bitchy and arrogant, Gwen couldn't stand the sight of them talkless having them attend to her. Anyways thanks to them she heard of the maid of honour who was an archenemy to the princess. After hearing of Amelia and coming to understand the type of person she really was, she understood she was someone she could trust so she immediately reinstated her to her duties.

She was really not disappointed when Amelia began attending to her. The girl was no a brown-noser like the other two neither did she have a scheming personality. She was a straightforward person who was also sincere in her words and actions even if they were not up to people's liken. It's no wonder Princess Guinevere found her insulting.

"People change I guess" Gwen shrugged "you don't have to agree if you don't want to come, it's okay I'm not forcing you"

Amelia showed a conflicted look on her face, her hands reached out and touched the purple oval pendant hanging on the chain on her neck. She dropped her hand and made a slight bow "if that is what your Highness wants then I'm happy to comply"

Gwen nodded satisfied.

"now can I get my princess ready for the ball?" At the mention of the ball, the smile on Gwendolyn's face disappeared without a trace. She was reminded that she had to stick close to that douchebag all through the night. Could there be anything more torturous than that?.

...

Yep there definitely was. At this point in time, Gwen has made up her mind. Wearing a corset that squeezed your breath out was indeed more torturous than looking at the Seventh Prince of Rylica all through the night.

Gosh she felt like she was about to breath her last yet she couldn't say no. The Queen had personally handpicked the set of clothing. Who was she to say no to them.

...even if they would kill her.