Dreamer's Dance

It's quite normal to be seen as who ever someone sees you to be. You see, I'm a princess and I a horrible dancer. What if I told you my family has a thousand year old tradition where all great dancing royalty always get the thrown because it's common belief to think a great dancer would have a great marriage, thus leading to a valiant rule over one of the most powerful kingdoms in the world. However, ever since I can remember, I'm a horrible dancer plus an only child. The Waltz? Beware

I hate dancing lessons. Yet, here I am with the lousiest instructor in the whole entire world. I have to take his class everyday. That's how much my parents worry about my dancing. Don't worry, sometimes I skip class when no one's looking and dig around town. The village isn't a great place to be, nothing fancy and high class like my home, but people around here aren't so stuck up and they're quite generous- even if they don't have a lot. Yeah, I do have those small moments where I'm running for my life because someone notices I'm a princess, but that only happened nine times.

My favorite spot around town is this huge oak tree that's probably older than my great grandfather. The tree reminds me of a big green mushroom hiding me from the summer heat, after all, I am wearing a dozen skirts and a sticky corset. I love to daydream about what my life could be like in a fantasy. I wish life wasn't so strict. Then again, only one in a million win the royal lottery. What would it be like to be that one? I smiled and let my thoughts trail away into a world of supernatural wander as the sweet breeze brushed my face. What would it be like to have to sit here and watch the world for hundreds of years and see it slowly engulf itself into people's expectations? My eyes slowly shut the lush green meadows out of sight and I started drifting into a light slumber.

" Pardon me." someone whispered. I ignored it, probably my imagination.

" I said 'pardon me', ma'am" someone said again.

I opened my eyes and found myself a few inches away from a Greek god. His face was delicate and feminine with a soft sprinkle of six freckles or so on his fixed nose. His eyes were ocean blue with long dark eyelashes. His dark brown eyebrows were arched. It was hard to tell whether or not his hair was brown or black. He had a boyish body and his voice reminded me of foreign royalties. This man didn't look royal, though; he had on dark brown pants and a saggy white shirt under a brown vest. The lace that tied the chest area of the shirt was loose and exposed his clean dark tan a bit. When I realized I was staring at his shaded chest, I quickly looked away.

" I was wandering if you could tell me where I could find King Lonae." He asked.

I knew where to find King Lonae. King Lonae is my father.

" Um… just look for a big castle, you can't miss it." I told him.

The young man laughed, " I know that! Is it the castle up ahead?"

I nodded, bringing my gaze back to his face.

" Thank you, um… what is your name?" he asked.

Yes! He wants my name! " Mineral."

He crossed his arms and grinned, " You look of royalty, Mineral."

Aw, he knows I'm a princess. " Don't tell my father I'm out here, please."

The man raised an eyebrow, " So you're not suppose to be out here?"

" Thieves might try to hold me ransom… or probably kill me, you know."

" Someone as adorable as you?"

I blushed. " I'm not 'adorable'. I'm a princess. That's all they'll ever see." I reminded him.

" I beg to differ." He winked at me and got on his beige horse. " See you around, Princess Mineral."

He winked at me! I'm so excited! I thought quickly of something witty to say as he trotted towards town. I got nothing.

My father was conversating with the young man I met earlier. I didn't want my father to catch me. I tip toed around his throne room so he couldn't catch me. My sly getaway was ruined when my mother's favorite maid caught me.

" Princess Mineral! Where have you been? You missed your dancing lessons again!" Tell me something I don't know. " Now go to King Lonae and apologies for cutting class again!" she ordered. Oooh, wait till I'm queen…

I dragged my feet to my father's throne in anguish. That anguish quickly burned out when the young man from earlier today. My father soon turned to me.

" Princess Mineral! You've missed dance class again! Do you know how much money it is to higher that teacher to help you dance?" he complained. " And now you interrupt my conversation with this messenger from Dreamer's Kingdom?"

" But father, he's a horrible teacher and he only knows French! I don't speak French and I can't dance!" I retorted, my arms grabbing my skirts incase I wanted to make a dramatic flee.

" Wait, you dance?" asked the young man.

" Me?" I asked, " No, I can't dance. Didn't you here me the first time?"

The young man smiled and turned to my father.

" Sire, I am an excellent dancer. Number one in my kingdom, actually. I would be more than happy to teach your daughter how to dance and for half the cost." He said.

My father laughed and clapped in joy. " Well, for half the cost! I'd be delighted!"

" Thank you very much, Sire. You won't be disappointed." He bowed.

Did my ears hear correctly? I don't even know this man and he's going to teach me how to dance?

" Father! You're going to higher someone who can easily lie to you at no cost to teach me how to dance?" I protested in surprise. Father laughed.

" It's okay, darling," my father reassured me, " he's number one in his kingdom."

I couldn't believe this!

" And if he told you that he was a prince from, like, England, you'd believe that too?"

The young man frowned, " Do I look like a prince, ma'am?"

" Of course he's no prince! He's in messenger clothes!" my father laughed.

Now is my queue to dramatically get away. I gasped and darted out the room.

" I'm going to my room!" I yelled, passing the dining room and coming to a halt. " After dinner!"

The next day, I slept in. One of my favorite maids, her name is Safi, picked out a pretty dress for me and hung it on my canopy rod. She doesn't push me to wake up. She's my age so she understands what it's like to have to wake up early as a sixteen year old.

By the time I was dressed and had breakfast, the clock hit noon. Dance lessons. I had a sick feeling in my stomach as I walked up the stairs. It felt like I ate something deadly and it was tearing up my insides. The dance class was the second to last door on the left at the end of the hall. The words that spelled "Dance" were faded and what looked like to be a gold bar was a rustic copper color. The last family member ever to need dancing lessons died four hundred years ago. Sighing, I turned the knob and made my way inside.

I was surprised. Everything was lit up. The sun beamed through the stained glass windows with such force that it felt like the sun was actually in the room with us. The dusty couches and broken three legged table was polished and patted to their original crimson colors and figure. The scraped floor boards were covered with a huge Turkish rug and the brick walls were hidden by the many candle rods that perfected them. A springy bed on the other side of the room was neatly brushed and bare. The cabinets beside it was closed as if full of clothes and other accessories. The young man from before held a cup of tea in his hands and was sitting poised on the couch.

" I like what you've done with the place." I smiled. " I didn't know you were a decorator too."

He gently laughed to himself. " Thank you, Princess. Do you want to have a seat?"

He patted to the cushion next to him on the couch.

I nodded and closed the door. I made my way over to the sofa across him, instead.

" About my dancing-"

"- Nothing to worry about." He smiled. " First we must get to know each other."

I agreed. There was no way I was going to have a (handsome) stranger touch me as I made a fool out of myself while dancing. I grabbed a warm cup of tea and made myself comfortable.

" Well, I'm Mineral, you know that. But please don't call me princess. I hate that. I prefer Mineral and that's all. What's you're name?" I started.

" Nick- um, Green." He said.

" Like the fungus green?" I laughed.

" Mineral, do you always use sarcasm with strangers?"

" No! That would be rude!" I said, shocked at his accusation.

He put his tea down and crossed his arms. "Then stop." He murmured.

" What?!" I said, appalled that someone like him told me to stop.

" You heard me, Mineral. Ever since I met you, you've been quite a comic."

" Do you want me to treat you like a king or something!?"

" No. Treat me like a real person."

" This is how I treat real people."

" You don't understand."

" What do you want me to do then?"

He sighed," Ma'am- Emerald, how would you address royalty?"

" I don't know. Um, ' it's a pleasure to meet you'." I shrugged.

He got up and walked over to an empty space. " Please some here."

I gathered my skirts and followed, now standing right in front of him.

" This time, add action." He said.

I curtsied, " Good evening, sir. My name is Princess Mineral Lonae. It is a pleasure to meet you." I smiled at my perfect effort.

He hung his head, one hand on his hip and the other rubbing his forehead. He sighed again.

" Okay, one more time and when you curtsy, do it gracefully- like a swan." He said.

" Do I look like a swan to you?" I said.

He glared at me, " Please, Mineral."

He's so good looking. I repeated my move, with more grace.

Green smiled, " Well done. Now, how do you greet a commoner?"

Is this a joke? " Um… I don't know." I admitted.

Even if I do go around town a lot, I never actually had to introduce myself to anyone.

Green put both hands on his hip. " The same as a royal member."

" What? Why?" I'm confused.

" A commoner is like a royal member." He explained.

" Now I'm even more confused." I said.

He looked at me blankly," But you got it right."

I guess he could tell from my face that I had no idea what he was saying.

He took a step closer to me. " I am a commoner and you addressed me like royalty because it doesn't matter who I am at first sight, once you get to know me I might as well be royalty. Right?"

" I got the first part." I said.

He smiled, " Don't worry. Greetings like that take time."

I smiled, " I don't think you're a commoner."

He froze up, I have no clue why he did but I continued.

" I think you're a handsome man who knows he's handsome and uses that to his advantage with royal party members." I said. He laughed. It wasn't a small delicate laugh like before; it was a big, hungry laugh. Infact, it was such a shocking laugh that I started laughing like that, too.

" You really know how to point me out." He said.

I shrugged, " It's a talent."

" What else can you tell about me by just looking at me?" he smiled.

That's you're handsome and gorgeous and that I wish I could have you.

" You're elusive, smart, and funny." I said.

He clapped his hands. " Amazing! Most girls just say I'm handsome, gorgeous, and that they wish they could have me."

I laughed, " Well then, they're idiots!"

I feel so stupid right now. He folded his arms and smirked, " Well, one of those girls is now the Queen of Egypt. She knows about five languages. Cleo-something."

I mimicked his movement, " What can you tell about me?"

He shrugged, " You are very… er…unusual."

" 'Unusual'?" my mouth dropped. " That's the only thing you can come up with!?"

His voice raised to my level. " Well nothing smart comes to mind!"

" That's right. Because you're such a moron that even calling you an idiot would be an insult to all the stupid people!" I was far more serious now.

" I'm not the blind one here." His temper was rising, I could tell.