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The palace was flooded with people, but not as many as I anticipated. There were no princes but I kept calm because I was sure they would show up eventually. The ball would not stop without the visitors from Omarga, so there was loads of time. I had put on my best gown, a black slim dress with sparkles on it. It was not like the dresses princesses wore in books but I sure felt like one. I walked the palace and eyes of amaze followed me and I felt happy. Today is going to be perfect and I was certain that this is going to be the most fun that I will ever have! I ran the halls up and down practising my dance till my father came out of his room all dressed up for the special occasion. He gave me a small smile and it gave certainty that everything was just as it was supposed to be.
This was what I was trying to drill into my brain all evening but it seemed I did not have enough hope in me to last all evening. Me and Rafael sat beside the windowsill watching people make their way to the palace, but there were no carriages. No white horses. No princes. Rafael seemed intrigued by watching all the small people and they probably looked like little berries from this far up. "Oh life!" I sighted for another hour had passed and there was no sign of foreign visitors. Rafael gave a grave sad note watching the clouds darken in the horizon. "No travelling in this weather I suppose," I cried. sitting on the cold floor with my back to the window. Cold wrapper my bare shoulders and I could imagine a prince's warm hands on them any more. "No princes for me," I cried again and Rafael gave an agreeing crow. As I quieted down my hope I could hear the slow music dancing in the empty halls and the cluster of people who did find their way to the ball. I pitifully raised up and made my way to the ball, quietly hoping for a miracle.
My father sat on the throw talking to the people who came to him and he felt stronger than usual. The people were scarce but it still seemed joyful. My father noticed me in the corner and gave me a sorry gaze. There would be no visitors.
Someone reached for me from the back and I turned with a surprise: "May I have a dance, Princess?" A young man with beautiful, silky brown hair and a starry blue coat that was broad around his shoulders. He glowed in comparison to the surroundings and his blue gaze woke the child in me. He was a prince! I stuttered to raise my hand and the prince caught it and held it tight. He bowed, kissing my hand and guided me to the middle of the room with gasps forming from all around. "You look beautiful!" He said while twirling me in the dance. "You . .you too," I said between breaths. His gaze made my heart melt, realising that a prince had come. I stepped on his toe and stumbled into his arms. "So sorry! I'm a bit rusty," he said between laughs that made the room light up like magic. He was not a prince, he was the star blue wizard with his bright laugh! Erlan Dolos stood before me in fine clothes and I could not tell the difference between him and a prince. Oh how we stumbled and twirled and laughed the whole time and it was not what I had expected. It was not a carriage with white horses and it was not a white prince with elegant dances. But for some reason it seemed better. "I thought you do not go to balls," I said quietly. He shrugged: "Well, I could not leave a certain princess without a prince." My cheeks started glowing red and I noticed only now that Erlan's cheeks had been bright pink since we came eye to eye. He dressed up for me and he danced for me, although not as elegantly as a prince would, but a prince had not done any of it for me.
The memories danced in my mind till late as we both had in the big hall with all the lights and people. Crazy how my little mind had imagined something more grand and my little heart still wished for more. Between the books and balls and all my imagination where two starry blue eyes and I could not see my dreams in them.