Chapter 5 Chapter 5

The celebration for Katrinetta's eighteenth birthday was the most elaborate affair she'd ever witnessed. Despite her mother's inability to otherwise show any sort of fondness for her daughter, she had seen that every last detail of both the dinner and the ball that followed were of the utmost regality in both luxury and lavishness.

The dinner had consisted of sixteen courses, including Kit's favorite, a roasted lamb chop that was the head chef's specialty, though Kit could hardly take more than a few bites by the time the eighth course was served. Likewise, her favorite chocolate mousse had nearly gone untasted. By the time the dancing began, she was quite certain her elegant blue gown, adorned with thousands of sapphires in various sizes, would burst at the seams, and she was considering ducking away for a few moments so that one of her ladies could loosen her corset.

That wouldn't do, however, so she tried to take more shallow breaths. The orchestra began playing the moment her slippers crossed the threshold into the opulent ballroom. Thousands of flowers in shades of light blue and gold, meant to match her gown, as well as a soft blush pink that she could only imagine matched the rosiness of her cheeks, stood in large golden vases around the perimeter of the dance floor while the tapestries that hung above them in matching shades might've stretched to the ocean, should they be laid end to end. Kit held her breath, which was easy to do now that her belly was full of food, and took everything in. It was certainly the loveliest room she'd ever been in.

"I take it the décor is to your liking?" her mother asked at her elbow.

"Yes, Mother," Kit confirmed. "You've really outdone yourself."

"Get used to it, darling. Once your Choosing begins, you will be attending dozens of balls, and each of them must be more elaborate than the last." When her mother smiled, her lips pressed together in a thin line that bowed up at the end, and one eyebrow raised slightly. That was the only indication that she was pleased, and it was so rare, Kit couldn't think of the last time she'd seen it.

"That sounds delightful, my Queen," Kit replied. She wasn't sure how her mother could outdo this particular event. Something told her she would find out in three years when her Choosing began.

The trumpeters sounded at her mother's signal, and the pair of them were announced to the crowd. Immediately, it seemed, a rush of young men were at her side, offering their hands. Some of them were familiar; others Kit was certain she'd never met before. She took the hand extended most closely to her own and began a waltz, thinking the others would just have to wait their turns, and soon the entire dance floor was full with courtiers swirling about, but it still seemed as if every eye was on her.

"You look radiant, my Princess." The man whose arm was currently around her was tall with dark blond hair that swept up in the front of his head. He wasn't unpleasant to look at, but Kit couldn't place him at all and felt a bit foolish asking his name, so she only thanked him and minded her steps. She wasn't particularly impressed with his physique either, and she decided fairly quickly that there was no reason to inquire further about him since he would certainly not do for her Exploration. Still, she continued with the dance, hoping not to be rude. But her eyes wandered.

She hadn't seen Eli at dinner. She supposed he was elsewhere preparing for this elaborate event. As the Commander of the Princess's Guard, there was much to attend to, Kit supposed, and much of what he was responsible for, she probably never even gave a thought to. Keeping her safe was his paramount duty, one she knew he took most seriously, and even though the ballroom was filled to the brim, she was certain none of these people could harm her even if they wanted to.

Glancing around, she saw several familiar gray and purple uniforms on the periphery, but her eyes could not find his familiar face, and she sighed, wishing she could locate him. Surely, he'd have time for just one dance.

"Is everything all right, my Princess?" her partner asked, his brown eyes narrowed slightly with concern.

"Oh, yes, thank you." She managed to flash him a smile. "It's just... there are a lot of people here, aren't there?"

"Yes, indeed there are. My mother began donating to the queen's charities months ago in hopes of receiving an invitation. We were lucky to have been chosen."

Kit raised an eyebrow, and his face shifted, as if he realized he likely wasn't supposed to give away such information. "How's that?"

"Well, it's just... so many noble families from across the realm wanted to come, and the ballroom only fits so many. That's all."

"I see." Kit's smile was still plastered to her face, but she wondered if her mother was taking bribes or if this was just this man's mother's way of ensuring her son would have an opportunity. "And what province are you from?"

"Metfirth, my Princess." He gave a little bow with his head when he said the name, and she could tell he must be proud of his province.

"Please, you may call me Katrinetta." She tired of the formalities so quickly. "And what is your name?" She decided she'd likely never met him before, so she may as well ask.

"Pierce de Lunge, at your service my... Katrinetta." An impish smile broke out with his correction, and Kit couldn't help but make her own smile more genuine. Perhaps he wasn't so awful after all.

"What do you do in Metfirth? That's quite some distance to travel for a ball."

"I wouldn't have missed it for anything. My mother is one of the town council members, and I am training to join the Royal Guard."

Realizing his stature must be important in his home province, Kit said, "Congratulations. I hope that you're able to do so. Are you my age then?" She imagined anyone older would've already been in the service, if he had a mind to be.

"Aye, just turned eighteen last month. I hope..." his voice faded as the musicians played the final refrains of the song, which happened to be one of Kit's favorite tunes. "I hope to see you again, when it is time for your Choosing. I would very much love to represent my province."

With the ending of the song, Pierce released her and gave a slight bow. Kit stared after him for a moment as he was swallowed up by the crowd, and at least a dozen hands were extended in her direction. She didn't take one at first, however; his words still hung in the air. Were most of these gentlemen here because they hoped to be Representatives during her Choosing? The idea changed the way she looked at each of them. The Exploration was all about having fun, getting to know what pleased her and what did not, but the Choosing was something else altogether. She'd be looking for a mate, someone to share her life with. Regardless of her mother's insistence that it was bodily pleasure that should come first and foremost, Kit had never ever accepted that notion, and now, as she looked at the faces around her, she chose more carefully.

The next hand she grasped belonged to a tall man with curly brown hair, and a lopsided grin. There was a sparkle in his green eyes that set her heart aflutter, and when he pulled her in closer and began to twirl her around the dance floor, Kit felt a stirring inside of her, something she'd only felt a few times before, but it was a sensation she welcomed, and she began to think perhaps this process wouldn't be so terrible after all.