Apples and Princesses (The Tales and Princesses Series Book 2) Read online

  As I continued to take in the scene around me, I started to make eye contact with one person after another. Once it happened around five times, and the various people began whispering to their companions and pointing at me, I felt like something was amiss.

  “Is it just me, or is everyone staring at me?” I whispered to Nick, feeling nervous for the first time.

  “Why not?”

  I nudged him in the arm slightly. “What is that supposed to mean? I’m serious, Nick.”

  “Look at you, Snow!” he hissed. “You’re the prettiest one here!”

  I hushed him, then noticed a lady with a towering powdered wig and a little too much rouge glaring at me from a few feet away. When we made eye contact, she turned her nose up at me and rolled her eyes.

  It didn’t seem like people were staring at me with suspicion, but was Nick right? Were my looks really that extraordinary to these people?

  “You’ve had to have noticed it yourself,” Nick continued. “There’s no way you don’t know.”

  Nick was also staring at me, and I began to shuffle my feet uncomfortably.

  “Let’s just focus on why we’re here,” I said.

  A crippled, old nobleman directly in front of us was continuously pulling a shining, gold pocket watch from his vest.

  “This is taking too long!” he croaked. “I have to leave not a second past ten! That’s in an hour!”

  He seemed easy.

  “Follow my lead,” I whispered to Nick.

  I strode up to the man and ran the tips of my fingers along his shoulder. His eyes bulged out of his head as he watched my figure move to stand in front of him.

  “It is taking long, isn’t it?” I sighed. “My brother, Lord Charmont, and I are bored out of our wits!” I shook my head dramatically, angling my face away and fluttering my eyelashes. “Isn’t that right, brother?”

  “Yes,” Nick squeaked.

  I giggled. “My brother is so shy.”

  The man was grinning at me, which curled his thick, white moustache up to his nose. “Maybe we can help each other to pass the time.” He leaned forward and kissed my hand with his wet lips. “May I ask for a name?”

  “Lady Isabella.” I curtsied. “And—”

  “Count Percival,” he interrupted.

  The line began to move a lot quicker than before.

  “Oh!” the Count cried. “Looks like we’re finally getting somewhere!” He gave me another eager look. “If you are not otherwise engaged, may I ask for the first dance?”

  I smiled. The closeness of a dance was just what I needed to get to that pocket watch.

  “Of course.”

  “It is a pleasure to meet you, Queen Dalia.”

  Dalia watched, speechless, as Prince Frederik bent down to kiss her gloved hand. His thick, dark hair fell halfway over his forehead, and his deep blue eyes never left hers as he bowed. She realized with a shock that she never expected him to be so handsome.

  The Prince rose again, towering well over a foot higher than Dalia, and nodded to Lord Magnus in respect.

  “This is wonderful!” King Alfred, the Prince’s father, bellowed louder than necessary. “You two make a handsome couple!”

  Dalia flushed and shrunk even smaller than she was.

  The King gently pushed the Prince aside and kissed the Queen’s hand in turn. He was much shorter than his son, and his bald head made it hard for Dalia to recognize any similarities between the two. The jovial, plump man turned his attention to Lord Magnus.

  “And you must be the Lord Magnus that helped me with creating this arrangement.” He enthusiastically grabbed the Lord’s hands in his and shook them.

  Lord Magnus gave a curt nod, not making any effort to match the Wilaldan King’s excitement.

  “Why isn’t anyone dancing?” The King placed his hands on his hips and surveyed the room. “How drab!”

  Lord Magnus cleared his throat. “We were waiting for you. The engagement still needs to be announced.”

  The King guffawed, shaking his son’s shoulder. “Did you hear that, Frederik? They still haven’t announced the engagement. I swear, everyone in Wilaldan knew before my son here did. Attention!” The King moved to the center of the large ballroom, his voice echoing loudly.

  Lord Magnus paled. “That’s not how this is typically done, Sire.”

  King Alfred waved the Lord’s words away. “Prince Frederik of Wilaldan and your dear Queen Dalia here are engaged to be married! Now let’s dance!”

  The room fell silent, all jaws hanging open. Dalia caught sight of the announcer at the front of the room. His fists were clenched, and he huffed away, obviously having anticipated his one job for that entire night and angry to have it ripped away so fleetingly.

  “Uh…” Prince Frederik chuckled nervously. “May I have this dance, Queen Dalia?” He outstretched his hand, and she took it, avoiding eye contact.

  The long line of nobles started to disperse, and the rest of the guests began piling in as the musicians started playing a light tune.

  “I’m sorry about my father,” Prince Frederik said as he pulled the Queen close to him.

  Dalia rested her shaking hand on his shoulder as he placed his on her waist. She tried to force her trembling feet to follow the Prince as he led her to the music.

  Everyone was staring at them. The announcement, especially the way it had been announced, was probably quite a shock. The people of Edristan didn’t just have a new Queen, now they had to come to terms with a prince, of whom they knew nothing about, becoming their King.

  “Are you okay, Your Majesty?”

  Dalia shook her head and laughed. “I’m so sorry. I’m really nervous.”

  He laughed along with her. “Trust me, I am, too.”

  As he smiled at her, Dalia felt her heart flutter. This might not be so bad, after all.

  The crowd started to get bored watching the two dance, and many couples joined them on the floor. Others began perusing the food tables and gossiping in corners.

  “Who is that?”

  Dalia craned her neck to follow the Prince’s gaze. Entering among the masses was a tall, slender woman with divinely dark hair twisted around her head. Her red dress hugged her enviable figure, and the skirts flowed beautifully along with her graceful steps. The Queen knew her from somewhere. Where had that been?

  Dalia felt her eyes grow wider as realization struck her. The girl from the mirror.

  “She’s beautiful,” he whispered.

  Realizing what he said, the Prince shifted his gaze away from the guest and to the floor, a slight blush on his high cheekbones.

  Dalia felt a pang of jealousy course through her body, but then she shook it off. She and Prince Frederik had not known each other for more than a few minutes. Dalia didn’t expect him to instantly fall in love with her and keep his eyes off of other women. It’s not like she felt romantically towards him… At least not yet. Dalia felt her own cheeks grow hot as she thought about her desire for love to blossom between them. That was nothing but wishful thinking. Arranged marriages rarely led to such things.

  Dalia glanced back at the woman. She didn’t seem much older than Dalia but was definitely taller. The Queen couldn’t help but wonder at what the odds were “the fairest in all the land” would show up in Edristan at her ball?

  And I thought the ballroom of White Manor was big. I found myself catching my breath as I entered the room, overwhelmed by the dazzling diamonds of the chandeliers, and the exciting noise of hundreds of voices chattering with one another. Shimmering tapestries of blue and white stretched from the high ceiling all the way to the floor, their fabric adorning the strong tree, the symbol of the Edristan Kingdom.

  “Isabella, you’re blocking the path.”

  It took me a minute to realize Nick was talking to me. I started at the touch of Nick’s hand on my lower back as he moved me out of the entryway.

  “It’s amazing,” I breathed.

  I stared, captivated, at the beaut
iful colors upon the upper-class’s clothing and smiled as one couple after another swept into elegant dances in the middle of the floor.

  “Is that the Queen?” I pointed to the small body in the middle of all the dancing couples, fiery hair sticking out like a sore thumb. Not to mention the large crown on her head.

  “I would assume so,” Nick replied.

  The tall man she was dancing with gracefully led the Queen in the steps with the music, but I quickly turned away, heart pounding, as I realized the man was staring at me.

  “Who’s that she’s dancing with?”

  Nick squinted his eyes a little to see better past the hordes of party-goers. “I don’t know.”

  “That’s Prince Frederik, the Queen’s betrothed.”

  Nick and I jumped at the revolting sound of Count Percival’s raspy voice. How had he gotten back to me so fast?

  “Apparently the engagement was announced just before we came in,” the Count continued.

  “Where’s he from?” Nick asked.

  “I heard someone say the Wilaldan Kingdom. Far west of us.” The old man quickly changed the subject. “I believe you owe me a dance, Lady Isabella.”

  The look of eagerness swimming in the Count’s gray eyes made my stomach hurt, but I smiled prettily.

  “Of course, Count Percival.”

  Nick gave me a frantic look as the Count, and I sailed past. He mouthed, “What am I supposed to do?”

  I ignored Nick’s panic and didn’t falter as the short man escorted me to the dance floor.

  “Let’s see if your dancing lives up to those looks of yours.”

  The Count giggled, and it took everything in me not to crinkle my nose in disgust.

  Just as the Count and I got into position, the musicians switched from a light song to a slow ballad.

  “Ah, I love this song!” he crooned.

  The boys gave me a few lessons in dancing. Which was a good thing, considering my father neglected to provide me with many opportunities for such things in my childhood. But I was apparently good at it because the boys constantly asked, “Are you sure you’ve never done this before?”

  The one thing I was not good at when it came to couples’ dancing was allowing the man to lead. It took everything in me not to push the Count in the direction I wanted to go. I took a deep breath and relaxed my body, allowing the clumsy man to direct our steps, even though he was failing miserably.

  The golden chain of the man’s pocket watch glinted in front of my eyes. I smiled even bigger than before and pushed my body closer to the Count’s. I flinched slightly as I felt his fingers on my waist dig deeper into my skin.

  “You dance well, m’lady.” He took a deep breath of my perfume then pulled me even closer.

  Arnold and his brothers told me that my beauty and femininity was a vital tool to use to my advantage. I tried to remember that as I felt the man’s breath tickle the hairs on my neck.

  I started drawing circles on his vest with my fingernail, keeping up the flirtatious façade, and slowly slid my fingers around the cold chain. The Count didn’t notice as he held his eyes closed, enjoying the music and definitely my company. With one swift movement, I pulled the watch out entirely and pushed it into one of the hidden pockets Larry had sewn into the billowing skirts of my dress.

  “Ah.”

  I jumped as the Count moved away from me, but he just grinned. I blinked, realizing the song had ended.

  “It was a pleasure. Truly a pleasure.” He bowed, nearly touching his nose to the wooden floor.

  “Likewise,” I said with a curtsy.

  I watched Count Percival giddily skip away, pleased to see he wasn’t checking for the time. And by the time he did, he would have danced and socialized with many people— the culprit could be anyone.

  I bit my lip to suppress an excited squeal. I was good at this. Like, really good at this. And it was the most fun I had in my entire life. I winked at Nick as I glided back to where he was standing and nervously wringing his hands.

  “Well?” he asked.

  I nodded.

  He whistled. “This is insane.”

  I replied with only a chuckle.

  A noblewoman with larger skirts than mine strode past us, giving Nick an alluring gaze and giggling behind her fan. Nick paled slightly and grew stiff. As she moved away, I saw something shiny fall from her ear and bounce against the floor.

  Before I could move to inspect it, Nick cried, “My lady, I think you—”

  I elbowed him in the ribs before the woman turned to look at us with a questioning, penciled eyebrow raised.

  “My brother is shy,” I said, trying to think quickly. “But I do think he was trying to ask you for a dance.”

  She smiled, making bits of her lip stain crack. “I’d love to!”

  Nick’s jaw fell open, almost grazing the floor.

  “Close your mouth,” I said, then nudged him towards the plump woman.

  As she dragged him onto the dance floor, Nick turned to shoot me a glare. I shrugged, scooping up the dropped jewel. It was a large earring studded with sapphires. A shadow crossed Nick’s face as he watched me slide the earring into a hidden pocket. I shook my head, a subtle movement, considering the masses of people in the room, but he understood the message all the same.

  I began to stroll by myself along the edges of the ballroom, scanning my whereabouts and absorbing the warmth and energy of the party. Just as I made it to a table piled with a variety of cheeses, I felt the sense that some eyes were boring into me. I whipped my head around in search of the eyes, and there he was. Standing directly in front of me almost all the way across the room was the Prince— the Queen’s betrothed. Why did he seem so interested in me?

  Realizing I had been staring back for too long, I quickly directed my attention back to the food. But within my peripherals, I could see him begin a slow approach in my direction. Fear gripped at my heart. Did he suspect me? Did he see me stealing the pocket watch or the earring? Was he coming to confront me?

  Without any second thought, I briskly stepped behind the table and towards a small hallway. I didn’t know where it would lead, but maybe I could lose him. I dared a look behind my shoulder and saw that he sped his own pace to catch up with me. I veered sharply to the left and found an open door. I rushed in but was too slow. The Prince caught up and ran into the room after me.

  “Why did you run away from me?” His breathing was ragged, and he moved his dark bangs out of his face.

  I gulped. “Uh…”

  He chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. Sometimes I forget that being a prince can intimidate people.” He outstretched his hand. “Prince Frederik. And you are?”

  I still felt confused as to why he had taken so much interest in me. He cleared his throat, retracting his hand. I shook my head, realizing I hadn’t answered his question.

  “Lady Isabella.”

  “I’m really sorry if my following you caused a scare. I just had to come talk to you.”

  I cocked an eyebrow, inching away from him. “Why?”

  He shuffled his feet a bit and chuckled as he nervously ran his fingers through his locks. His smile was bright and deepened the dimples on his angular face. He actually was quite handsome. I quickly chastised myself for thinking such things about a prince— a betrothed prince.

  “This might sound really silly,” he said, “but I have never seen someone as beautiful as you. Especially with your particular beauty. Your coloring and the black hair is all so…”

  I raised an eyebrow, and he laughed at himself again, shifting his gaze to the floor.

  “I’m sorry,” he continued. “I don’t know what’s come over me.”

  I reached the end of the room as I inched away and felt the spine of a book press against my lower back. For the first time, I scanned the room. We were in a small library— a study maybe— but there were still more books piled around us than what we had in White Manor. Continuing to take in my surroundings, I saw that m
any of the books could be worth a lot of money. There were even a variety of small items and décor that I could easily get away with… if I wasn’t in the room with a prince.

  “I was hoping I could ask you for a dance.”

  It took me a moment to process his words, making him feel even more uncomfortable for being so forward. He twiddled his thumbs awkwardly, avoiding my eyes. Suddenly my nervousness left me, and I felt giddy as I realized what was actually happening. How many chances would I get in my life to dance with a prince? Besides, that’s what Lady Isabella would do.

  I took a deep breath and smiled, once again adopting the flirtatiousness and confidence that one Lady Isabella possessed.

  “Why not?”

  Chapter 13

  He was so handsome. That thought kept running through my head as the Prince’s steady hand rested on my waist. Why was that the only thing I could think about? I wasn’t nervous about being in the presence of a prince anymore— I was amazed and even a little excited about it. Prince Frederik’s eyes bore into mine intensely, and I found it challenging to keep his gaze.

  All the other couples stopped dancing to watch. Actually, the entire crowd was watching us. I could hear the whisperings as we gracefully glided across the floor. He was an incredible dancer and was easy to follow. I could understand why people were staring: in addition to the fact that the Prince of Wilaldan was before them, the two of us must have looked very striking as a couple, and I found I enjoyed the attention.

  “You dance extremely well,” I said, finally mustering up the courage to start a conversation.

  The Prince’s eyes still hadn’t left my face, and he smiled. It was so charming I felt a shudder through my entire body.

  “And you as well, my lady. Tell me, where are you from?”

  I paused, almost having forgotten where Lady Isabella was meant to be from. The Prince’s closeness was intoxicating and quite distracting. He noticed my hesitation and cocked his head.