The Runaway Princess

Chapter 11

"So, how can you see what your life is worth, or where your value lies? You can never see through the eyes of man, you must look at your life, look at your life through heaven's eyes." Stephen Schwartz, Through Heaven's Eyes

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Chapter Eleven

“It is a lovely evening, is it not, Master David?” asked Miss Anne Green, a lady that David had danced with a time or two over the summer.

David smiled politely. “Yes, it is,” he agreed. Anne was a sweet girl, but she was entirely controlled by her mother. Mrs Green lurked a few feet behind her daughter, eavesdropping on their conversation, wanting to hear if a courtship was forming. Sadly, one too many women in his acquaintance were controlled by their mothers like Anne was. He could not blame them for seeking a husband of good fortune but David did not want to be the man they set their sights on.

“Oh, she is beautiful!” exclaimed Anne, her blue eyes settling on Princess Gabriela who had just descended the stairs into the ballroom on the arm of her husband.

“Yes,” murmured David, “the Princess is very lovely.” Gabriela did look very fetching in her royal blue ensemble. As usual, she was draped in an excessive and expensive jewellery pieces, reminding every guest that she was royal.

“Not the Princess,” replied Anne, “her!”

David’s stopped breathing. The whole ballroom disappeared as he saw Elena descend the stairs behind her mistress. She nervously held her skirts, oblivious to the two hundred pairs of eyes on her in that moment. She was literally breathtaking. David was unable to breathe.

Elena wore a stunning crimson gown, the exact shade of her plump lips. In her dark hair, she wore a golden comb, a peineta he recalled from when Gabriela had described her headpiece to his sisters. Over the peineta she wore a sheer, red lace veil. The veil hung down to her waist. The colours matched her beautiful, olive skin perfectly. Her torso and waist were wrapped in a red silk bodice, embellished with beads and embroidery. Elena’s arms were temptingly exposed. Through the sheer veil, he could see that only a strip of silk was wrapped around her shoulders.

This woman, this goddess, was meant for him. He would thank God every day for bringing him Elena. This was no infatuation, this was undeniable, irrefutable love. It was as if his eyes had changed and all he could see was her. All he wanted to see was Elena.

When Elena reached the bottom of the stairs, she looked up and frightfully noticed the people watching her. Her dark eyes travelled around the room nervously. In her hands, she fiddled with a dance card. David noticed that he was not the only man to see her dance card, nor was he the only man to start towards her.

David pushed his way through the crowd, determined to reach her first. As soon as Elena saw him coming towards her, she smiled. Her smile was so comforting. David reached her first and he took the dance card from her. Confidently, and to spite the other young men, he wrote his name down beside every dance.

“Excuse us, Princess,” David said to Gabriela, knowing that she would not be able to understand him. He did not care, though. Gabriela was merely smiling, watching Elena happily. David seized Elena’s hand before she could translate and he pulled her towards the dance floor.

David could not wait to hold her in his arms. He knew she would fit perfectly. Elena laughed lightly as she held her veil on top of her head, the speed at which they were moving was causing it to blow backwards.