Waltzing Back

While waking up to the smell of lilacs and a handful of the blankets draped beside his resting body, Dominic opened his bonny eyes to the heavenly lighting of his bedroom. He sensed that it would be a ravishing day to take the dear Ophelia to the theatre. She had stayed on the brink of his mind all last night, and how she had not cowered in fear of his status. Dominic felt, as he sat up in his bed, that perhaps she had not known of his existence prior to their meeting the day before. Ophelia had vaguely said that she was a former serf, but he was so greatly assured that her lord had mentioned of his family's royalty to her sometime...

Allowing his toes to crack and the blossom of a quaint smile flaunt his face, he stood to make a start of his day. His outfit had been devised accordingly from yesterday and it was of no hassle to beckon his advisor to clad himself in his sartorial. The youthful advisor scuttled into the room, eyes down, and looked ever so shamefully jealous of his Majesty's lean torso, for he was growing on the appearance of a pear.

Dominic watched with a presumptuous smirk as the young man mentally scorned himself of his thoughts. The eerie pressure that Dominic had sent upon his advisor had made him self conscious and the break of sweat onto the young man's forehead was that of amusing to the prince.

However, when the young man was placing the crown upon his Lord's head, Dominic washed away all signs of his gratification and replaced it with a look of apathy. The young man let out a breath that to Dominic smelt of garlic as he lowered his hands and turned to leave the room.

With the satisfactory of finally being alone in his room again, he moved to the mirror to take in his profile. He examined the fine materials of clothing he was cloaked in, and the way his blonde hair looked lighter in the hue brought in from the sun. The color of his hair had reminded him of his fiancé, Cordelia, though, which had then made him very angry. It was almost as if he stubbed his toe that demonstrated at how calm he was at first and then next second how bewildered he had turned.

He hated Cordelia with a passion. She was only his fiancé because of the whole pact between his and her family. There was to be an arranged marriage. He could not admit that she was not beautiful, but he surpassed her looks and saw how appalling her personality was, and that is how he began to act very distant from her. Luckily she hadn't the brains to notice his remote motives towards her and therefore he could relax frequently.

Leaving his quarters, Dominic wandered into the main hall of the castle, his cape following suitably behind his tall figure. He came across the painting he chose at the art display and couldn't help but sojourn towards it. It seemed to be yelling out "Ophelia" for it had been in her presence the day before. There was an inferior lady painted on the canvas though not as half beautiful as his fiancé or the young former serf, but he liked the display of such a horrid appearance from a feminine model.

Hearing a throat being cleared purposely for attention, Dominic turned on his heel to face the pursuant. It had been Lady Cordelia wearing a well unflattering face as she inspected her gloves closely...

"Dominic, darling, I find it rather appealing of you to be so entranced by that painting. Am I not good enough for you?" her voice rang in mockery.

The prince stood tall and simply lied his accusable blue eyes upon her face. Her eyes had then reached his when she had not heard a response. Dominic enjoyed that fact that she had looked taken aback for half a second instead of always keeping a steel look amongst her features.

"Of course, she does not compare to your beauty, Cordelia." he began and then moved onto the more vital of topics. "Be a dear, will you?, and tell my father and mother that I will be attending a play this evening. I will be leaving momentarily to a meeting with a very famous musician and therefore I cannot find the time to tell them of this."

Dominic relished her saddened face as she slowly approached him. She took a glove off of her hand and brandished her palm against her cheek. It made the prince feel morbidly sickened on the inside and it was a very hard struggle to not avert his face from her hold. Could she not let matters be sometimes?

"I will do so, but this play you are to see... may I accompany you?" Cordelia adjusted her hand so that it slithered around his nape and she brought her head to his neck.

The breath that shallowly blew at his skin felt like toxic seeping into his pores. All Dominic deeply desired at this moment was to push her off and break the engagement. He could not stand her coy ways of persuasion and her mild curiosity that further threw people away from her interaction. Unlike Cordelia, Ophelia had a much more amusing regard which had reaped of the benefits.

"As much as I would love to," he swallowed bitterly. "I have overheard that my parents have plans for dinner that concern of your presence. You must be there, Cordelia."

"Oh, they are no fun!" she had pouted as she took her face away to examine the prince's facial expression.

"I do know that, but you must follow orders if you would still like our engagement to go on, my dear."

It was torturous to Dominic to call his parents tedious and make himself sound arrogant and rather aloof. Though he made sure to sound convincable even after the displeasure that was brought to him by the way she clung to his neck beforehand. He had also made sure to have concealed of the sneer just itching to come out...

"Very well, but you will have to spend some time with me eventually no matter the plans."

She then strutted in the direction of where she came and the prince let out a frustrated sigh before continuing into the dining room to be waited on. Again the light had followed him and had enlightened the red carpets and walls that adorned the room. It made him feel refreshed as he thought of the way Ophelia may appear under the moonlight that evening...



Waking up in dry, scratchy grass, Ophelia turned on her side to observe the clean and pure water of the stream just above her head. She had traveled a ways from the art display- after attaining the brie cheese of course- and found a stream to bathe in. She would have scorned herself if she had not cleansed herself before seeing the attractive man, who she had now known as the Prince of England.

So as she lie there now, she felt rejuvenated and almost ready to be taken out for a wondrous experience. She felt it was a shame, however, that she had awoken so early in the day. The sky was still bright and the sun hardly yellow enough to signify the afternoon. Then again she had a long way to walk back into town and into many peoples perspective again, which she dreaded.

She stared longingly at the sky and thought of what the Prince would wear. He was dressed in bright colors the day before, with a dark square cap. He had taken her breath away at first sight, which was something she would have possibly perceived in only her imagination. She reminisced the way that he had adored her features as she tried to smile at him. Not only did it make her feel worthy, but it had been the first time that someone had ever gazed at her in a sense of intrigue. She was feeling flattered and therefore she could not keep the smile off of her face.

When first arriving in town, she was immensely disappointed because it was not like her fellow serfs had described it to be. Petals were not thrown down at her advent and a parade was not of scene. Ophelia had known now that it was all just a fantasy of theirs... or perhaps they had gone insane while working for so many years and their minds have turned into stew.

The next day when she had come across the Prince, however, was a new spark to her life. With the curiosity she had, she knew she could not have let him go without at least sharing a word or two in his presence. When she had succeeded she let her worries wash away and let life take her as it is, whether she were to see the man again, which was the case, or for her to explore things on her own means.

Finally coming to a standing position, Ophelia smiled at the trees that were dancing, and the stream that was jogging steadily. She was ready to go back into the wild city.



Dominic left the wealthy musician at the building, who was a bit dull in the head if he could say so himself, and proceeded into his carriage. There was a box branded with cheese sat across from him into which he ate silently on his ride to the art gallery. He was suddenly feeling a pit of anxiety weave in his stomach and not even his favorite food could steady his behavior. It was an odd predicament for him to overcome by the time he stepped out of his coach. He even said to himself that the pit was still remaining no matter the forced confidence.

When lying his eyes upon the frail girl, he almost choked on his breath. It was just as he imagined it to be... Her hair now much cleaner and sleek from the glaze brought on from the moonlight. He did not mind that she was dressed in the same attire for she still looked beautiful in it. For a second when he thought about his fiancé he knew that his thoughts were wrong, but Ophelia was just a new friend, so Cordelia had nothing to worry about.

Ophelia had reacted in the same way that the Prince had except perhaps more so. In comparison to Dominic, his heart was beating quite steadily, but her heart was a road runner. All of the suspense that had built in over night had finally gotten to her and she could not believe that she was there standing before him.

Dominic had looked ever so pleasantly diverse from the day before. Instead of glowing in the dark with a white suit, he was a dark knight just silhouetting in the background. There was a complete contrast which had then made Ophelia more assured of her fascination with the young man. His face was still pretty, but with opposite-colored clothing, it had made a new aurora around him which had made Ophelia feel almost giddy.

"Ophelia, it so great to see you once more. The light from the sky surely brings out the beauty of your hair", the prince had said walking towards her.

"Oh, thank you, your highness," she bowed with a smile. "You look very handsome yourself..."

At her words, the young man frowned. He did not like to be addressed by his royalty and coming from her, it had made him even more disappointing.

Taking the lady's hand with both of his he retorted, "Call me Dominic, please."

With his words said, the two went back to the Prince's carriage and off they went to the theatre. It was not a long ride seeming it had been only a few streets down. The people without homes were getting ready to sleep, bringing their small drinking basin along in hand. They walked slowly- almost like zombies- with the same long face and eerie frown.

Ophelia had to shake away her sympathy for them and the depression that had made her esteem lower. She was considered one of them, she thought to herself, and nothing more. She had no where to go, no one to rely on. The young lady was only dependent on herself, which had turned her more pitiful.

Sensing that his date was feeling somber and uncomfortable staring out the window, he spoke his mind on the situation. "Ophelia, as I may seem to understand it... are you feeling alright? I am gaining the sense that you are not well as you are staring at those people..."

"Don't patronize me sorrow, Dominic."

His eyes flickered between hers and he brought a small smile upon his face.

"As you wish, milady."

The rest of the ride was silent, but Ophelia had attained happiness when she saw the big building that they had stopped at. From what she could see, it was of three stories tall and with the fancy and bold designs painted and carved into the building, she was feeling rather aloof. She nearly had to close her hanging jaw with her hand and hide away her goofy grin when she realized Dominic was still in her presence.

"We have the grandest seats of the whole place... Top notch in The Lord's Room that is only reserved for four wealthy individuals. Though you are my date, it does not concern your status."

If it hadn't been for his moving and beauteous appearance, Ophelia would have taken that as an insult, but she was in such awe of every aspect that she simply just entered the building with the young man without a thought about it.

Together they enjoyed the play, and the lady learned of a few things, such as the female characters of the play were even acted as by males dressed up. They had laughed when the lowly crowd began throwing rotten vegetables at the actors, and it surprised them both. Ophelia could not have felt even more honored and worthy to spend such an evening with the Prince. And when he asked her to come to his castle for the following day, she did not hesitate to say, "yes"!

Ophelia was finally experiencing what it was like to be appreciated by a man, and Dominic was learning what it was like to not be treated as royalty...