Chapter 2

The prince, who's name she had learned was Prince George, slowly lead her through the dance floor with one hand around her waist and the other in hers, spinning her around with a bright smile on his face.

He looked like a kind enough man. Arya knew that his kingdom was one of the richer ones near them, and if she were to marry him her family would be set for many generations. With his dark brown hair, piercing blue eyes, and tall, strong body, he was handsome as well. At least if she was married off to him they would have beautiful children.

"You look beautiful Princess" he said, looking her up and down, his gaze stopping for a few seconds too long at her breasts. She didn't like being ogled by men at these parties, but if she said anything to them, she would get in trouble for making a fuss. She smiled and nodded to bring his attention away from her body.

"Thank you Prince George" she responded.

She continued dancing with various nobles and commoners throughout the night. She counted twelve different men before she lost count. Each one spun her around and tried to get her to laugh or smile, but she couldn't force herself to give more than a small, forced smile. Song after song played and eventually she was dancing with Prince George again.

"Hello again Your highness" he said with a smile,

"Hello Prince George. I hope you have had a good night so far" Arya replied with a forced smile.

"I have. I wish you the same" he quickly twirled her around and they continued dancing.

After a few minutes the song died down and a new one was about to start and another noble asked her to dance. As she took his hand and the music began to play, she looked up at her father. He looked sickly. He was pale and looked like he was sweating. She furrowed her brow in confusion just as her partner twirled her around the other way. She tried to get another look at her father but between her partners twirling and all of the people between them, she couldn't catch another glimpse. Not wanting to cause a scene, she continued dancing with the man in front of her, but strained her neck trying to find her father again. Finally after another few minutes of the torture of not being able to find her father, the song ended, and she found his eyes just in time for him to collapse in his throne.

"Father!" She yelled as she hastily lifted the bottom of her dress and ran up to the thrones to help her father. Her brother and his wife were already there, and were trying to wake him up. Her brother held his head up and Annalise had a cold rag to his forehead. All Arya could do was sit and watch her father and pray that he would be alright.

"We need a healer! Where is the healer?" Her brother said. A maid that she didn't know the name of ran off to go find him. After about ten agonizingly long minutes, the family healer ran into the room. He was an average sized older man with light brown hair and gray scattered throughout and lots of wrinkles on his face. He was accompanied by the maid who had left to get him, a young girl with tan skin and dark eyes, and a young woman, who looked to be a bit older than Arya herself. She had blonde hair and beautiful hazel eyes. She was tall and thin and wore a simple nurses dress, which was similar to a maids dress, but in blue and with more pockets for holding herbs and medicine. The man and the nurse ran up to the thrones and pushed them all out of the way.

"Move out of the way your Highnesses, I need to get to your father." He said calmly as he rushed to her fathers side. Arya and Gabriel quickly backed up, but Annalise continued to hold the rag against his head until the healer waved her away. She stepped back and held her husbands hand tightly. He felt his forehead for his temperature and shook his head.

"He has a terrible fever, we need to get him to the infirmary right away.

"Is he going to be okay?" Arya asked, worry evident on her face as she tried to hold back tears. The healer looked at her with sympathy evident on his old wrinkled face.

"I'm afraid I don't know enough to say"