M E R E D I T H is a princess without a country. Her family, formerly the royal family of Borgavia, has been exiled from their home, forced to live under the rule of the Empire of Astoria.
A N T O N Y is a prince who doesn't want a crown. Soon to be...
Meredith smiled as the door to the servants' entrance opened and Kade entered, holding the door open for Isabella.
"You two are running late!" she said. "I was afraid I was going to have to give you up as a lost cause and go off to the dance myself!"
"We're not that late," said Kade, grinning. "You're just impatient!"
"Am not!" she said, giving Kade a playful shove to the arm.
"Oh come on you two!" said Isabella, her laughter ringing through the small corridor. "We've got a party to go to!"
The three hurried down the hallway, excitement building as they grew nearer to King's Palace's smallest ballroom.
It may be the smallest that the palace has to offer, but it's the most welcoming and cheerful place that anyone could ask for. She smiled as she entered the room. She spotted Evan and John in the far corner, along with the girl that Evan had kissed during spin the bottle at the last party.
With Isabella and Kade preoccupied with immediately joining in the dancing, she crossed the floor to meet the girl that had so obviously captured her brother's interest.
She sneaked up behind Evan and covered his eyes with her hands. "Guess who!" she exclaimed, happily.
"Mer?" he said, turning around and facing her, his smile lighting his face. "I have someone I want you to meet!" He gestured to the pretty, slightly plump blonde next to him. "This is Jane!"
Jane smiled at Meredith. "Evan talks about you all the time," she said.
Meredith couldn't help but smile back at the girl. "I hope he tells you good things about me! It really is nice to meet you, Jane."
"Meredith?"
She turned and smiled at John. "Hello," she said, not quite sure of how to act around him.
"May I...have a dance?" he asked, offering her an arm.
She hesitated a moment, before nodding and allowing him to sweep her onto the dance floor.
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Antony had returned to his study once the portrait sitting was finished. The painter had finally seemed satisfied with the beginnings of the painting and had pronounced the sitting done for the day. Antony had left with great relief for even piles of paperwork sounded better than sitting in the throne room, stiff and posed in his throne.
However, he had really wanted to escape the thoughts that were invading his mind. Thoughts about the state of the kingdom and how deep the effects of his uncle and grandfather's reigns had actually gone. And, occasionally, beneath those, thoughts of Meredith. These he tried to push away for, although he regretted it, they would help nothing.
He sorted the piles of charters into stacks of those that he accepted and signed, those he felt the need to look into, and those he simply denied.
Once done, he sat back in his chair, feeling the thoughts and worries of earlier start to creep into his consciousness once more. Needing a distraction, he pulled out the map from earlier and rang the bell that would alert Fulton that he needed a servant. Moments later, a footman appeared at the door.
