3 Not Impressed

Suddenly a soft hand filled hers.

"Harriet?" Freya laughed and the music began.

Harriet took Freya's hand and her left hand wrapped around the princess's waist.

"I couldn't leave you to dance alone," Harriet smirked.

Freya rolled her eyes and tried to shake her silly smile as her shorter friend attempted to lead her in the dance.

"Oops," Harriet said biting her lip when she accidentally stepped on Freya's green dress.

Freya giggled and removed Harriet's hand from her waist, instead placing her own hand on her friend's.

"Here, let me lead."

"I'm sorry," Harriet whispered and relinquished control, "I'm not used to leading... I don't know how men do it. It must take a lot of skill to move so gracefully and still maintain a respectful aura."

"Mhmm..." Freya nodded and looked past Harriet's shoulder.

Freya's eyes scanned the crowd and as the girls moved in a pattern of steps and spins in circular motions across the wide floor, surrounded by couples, Freya began to frown slightly.

"What's wrong?" Harriet asked and blinked her big brown eyes innocently.

"Strange..." Freya commented.

Freya watched as every man she looked at seemed to avoid her gaze.

Except one.

"Who is he?" Freya whispered and span her friend around.

"Who?" Harriet said in her ear.

"Some old guy, kind of big... white beard, pinkish complexion..."

"Ah yes," Harriet nodded when she noticed the old man whisper to another guest.

"Never seen him before."

"I think I have though," Freya said, gripping Harriet's small waist and switching her back around again.

"I don't know why, but I get the feeling like I know him... I wonder why he's here?"

Harriet shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

Harriet relaxed slightly and just when she was about to really enjoy the dance with Freya, the Princess dropped her friend's hand and left the floor.

"Screeech!!!" the musical instruments stopped abruptly when the Princess left the floor unannounced.

The crowd of couples looked around bewildered and confused.

The maestro coughed and the musicians started back up.

...

Freya moved between the crowd, passing the men drinking in groups, bumping into elbows, searching for that old man.

She caught a glimpse of his blue cloak disappearing towards the east wing.

She walked quicker, "You there!" she called, "I command you to greet your princess!"

"Princess!" said a voice and Freya felt Tristan's hand grab her arm.

"Looking to escape this boring party? Why don't we go for a ride under the stars? I can have the horses ready-"

"I can't now Tris," Freya said biting her lower lip.

She couldn't see any sign of the man.

Tristan's light complexion flushed slightly and he ran his hands through his short sandy brown hair.

"I'm looking for a man, a well-dressed old guy. He came this way. Did you see him?" Freya asked.

A hint of annoyance showed on Tristan's baby face.

"A man? No Freya... I didn't see any man coming this way," he sighed and kicked a small pebble on the stone floor.

Freya sighed and crossed her arms.

Her fair skin was speckled with red patches from running after that mysterious guest.

"Don't you think it rather absurd, that this festival is essentially celebrating my readiness for marriage and no man wishes to dance with me?"

Tristan looked shocked, "No man? Freya, EVERY man wants to dance with you!"

Freya smiled and patted Tristan's shoulder, "Thanks Tris, you always make me smile."

"THERE you are!" Freya's mother bellowed down the empty stone corridor.

"Really Freya, sneaking off to go run in the fields with THIS one again? What WILL the people say?!"

"Mother I-" Freya tried explaining but her mother's cold but firm grip enclosed on her wrist and began pulling her back to the ballroom.

"You will speak politely, answer any questions with short responses, smile, don't stare too much, bend your knees so as not to appear taller than them..."

Freya looked at her mother like she was out of her mind, but before she could put forth any kind of counter-argument she was thrust into a group of well dressed men.

"Princess," they all said simultaneously and bowed at her presence.

Queen Thea smiled and adjusted the sleeve that had slipped off her daughter's fair shoulder.

"Princess Freya is well versed in song," she announced to the group of young men, "Please," she gestured with the flick of her wrist.

Freya caught her mother glaring at her, so she cleared her throat and tried to contain her face from showing any kind of disdain.

"Sing," her mother ordered.

Freya began to sing.

It was extremely awkward and she clasped her hands together to try to stop from shaking.

"Rivers flow and carry herrrr-" she sang and her legs shook from bending her knees for an extended period of time.

Beneath her long gown it wasn't obvious, but the strange position caused her voice to shake.

"Tiii... ahem! time goes by aaa...and seasons chaa-ange-" Freya stopped and coughed when her voice cracked.

"That's enough..." said the Queen looking disappointed.

"Quite beautiful," said one man.

"Exquisite, like an angel," said another.

"Thank you..." Freya shrugged and exhaled a breath.

She was just glad to be done.

"Freya has many other accomplishments," the Queen mentioned, "She arranges a beautiful display of flowers and as you have seen, she dances quite beautifully... albeit with a girl but..."

"And she rides like a knight, with a fearless heart like her father," said a deep voice and Freya's attention was sparked.

She looked up and saw the old man from before smiling proudly, while the other young men looked confused.

"Rides?" said one young man with a sneer on his pompous face.

"Who are you?" Freya said directly to the old man.

"Forgive me," he chuckled and bowed, "I am Sir Langdon."

Freya's brows were knitted firmly and she stared at the old man.

"You knew my father?"

"Indeed," he said bowing his head.

"Well, that's quite enough for tonight," the Queen forced a smile and excused herself from the group.

She pulled Freya along with her while the men spoke quietly amongst eachother.

"How did he know father?" Freya asked her mother and the Queen looked annoyed.

"Freya not tonight. This isn't the time.

I told you to behave yourself. You were supposed to impress them but instead you sang like a choking goat and began interrogating one."

"I..." Freya stuttered.

Her mother led her down the hall and pushed her towards a guard.

"Take the Princess to her quarters."

"But mother I was just-"

"Enough!" the Queen snapped, "I will do this alone. Just get some sleep and we'll talk in the morning."

Freya felt like her tongue was in a clamp, she didn't know what to say.

The guard walked behind her all the way up to her chamber and Freya closed the door behind her.

"Worst festival ever..." Freya said pulling the flowers from her hair and throwing them onto the floor.

A shy chambermaid helped her undress and blew out the oil lamp beside the princess's bed.

Freya fought with the wool blanket that covered her, feeling quite disappointed but also annoyed.

What did her mother want?

For her to sing and dance like a puppet for those men, when they were all too cowardly to even dance with her!

They even seemed disgusted when they heard that she rode. Freya scratched her head and lay back in the bed; refusing to cry a tear.

"Good," she told herself, "I hope no one is interested. Like I would want an arrogant, empty headed man sitting on my father's throne anyway."

She huffed a loud breath and closed her eyes.

...