6Things like this weren't supposed to happen on a magical night.
As a little girl, she spent hours poring over fairy tale books, dreamily awaiting the day she herself would be taken away in a magnificent carriage, looking beautiful from head to toe in a diamond tiara and shimmering ball gown. By her side would be the handsome prince, ready to whisk her away to his castle to live happily ever after.
Tonight, she had almost lived that fantasy. With ruby red lips, hair cascading over her shoulders in soft dark curls, and a floor-grazing, sparkling dress, she truly felt like a princess. Her prince had arrived in the long, luxurious white carriage, a red rose in hand. Lightly kissing her cheek, he took hold of her delicate fingers and pulled her towards him in order to tie the blossom around her wrist.
Arriving at the ball, she had been in awe of the heavenly atmosphere. Moonlight streamed in through the skylight ceiling and for a moment, all she wanted to do was gaze up at the masses of stars. But her attention was quickly transferred to the stage, where a blue-eyed singer hummed the last few bars of an enchanting ballad while his band played along. She felt her prince's arms encircle her waist, and she reached up to let her arms wrap around his shoulders. Together they swayed gently to the final notes of the song.
The princess closed her eyes, losing herself in the moment. Slowly she raised herself onto her toes, bringing her face closer to his. She waited for a few moments before opening her eyes. Her prince was looking away, seemingly distracted. His arms fell from her waist and her heart sank.
I have to go, he told her, but not for long. At her questioning stare, he felt the need to reassure: I'll be here with you for the last dance, I promise you that. She nodded, and turning away, he didn't see the hurt in her dark eyes. She watched him go, weaving his way through the dancing couples and finally walking out the door.
Glancing around, she saw familiar faces, and familiar emotions: contentment, joy, excitement, love… all around the room she found proof that pure bliss could be found in the arms of another.
She was alone, though. In the centre of the room she waited. Her prince should be returning soon. She had been standing, waiting, watching as patiently as possible for a long while now.
Knowing the final dance was coming, every couple was soon moving to the music. There wasn't a single soul sitting at the side. Feeling uncomfortable, the princess moved to the front and stood before the stage.
Glancing up, she locked eyes with the blue-eyed singer. He continued singing his tune, but his eyes never strayed from hers. She felt her heart beat faster and she suddenly thought that she should go and look for her prince. But she remained transfixed beneath the stage. It seemed as if his soulful lyrics were directed to her and her only. Still gazing at her, the singer murmured the last line. She closed her eyes, hearing it echo inside of her. Her cheeks went rosy, and her eyes fluttered open. Not giving the singer another glance, she fled the ballroom.
Realizing that the last song of the night would be played in a matter of minutes, panic rose within her. Where had her prince gone? Would she find him in time? He was nowhere in sight. Holding her dress above her feet, she rushed up the stairs.
Reaching the second floor, she had no idea where to look. There were several rooms on either side of the hall. Standing still for a moment, she wondered what to do.
All of a sudden, she heard a noise coming from behind the door just across from her. Then, muffled voices. She didn't have time to react before the door swung open.
Standing before her was her prince, his white shirt half unbuttoned and his black coat hanging over the arm of an unfamiliar girl. She was giggling, her arm around his neck as he playfully tried to grab the coat from her.
The princess stood frozen in place, staring at the scene in front of her with emotionless eyes. Then her prince looked at her. He jerked backward, almost knocking the other girl to the floor. She stopped giggling and looked away.
For a moment prince and princess stared at each other. Then, slowly, a small tear rolled down the princess's cheek. She turned away before the rest came streaming down.
She ran down the stairs, forgetting to hold up her skirt and nearly tearing it. As she went out through the doors she heard her prince calling to her, but she continued running clumsily, trying to navigate her way down the street through a storm of tears.
When she reached the park, she was out of breath. She sat down on the bench under the willow tree. There, she closed her eyes and let the tears fall freely. When she opened them to finally wipe her eyes, she could see a lanky figure approaching the park from the street. Leaning forward to get a better look, she instantly recognized his deep blue eyes.
She gathered her skirt together to make more room for him on the small bench. She didn't know how long they sat together in silence. After a long while, she turned to face him. He looked at her uncertainly, as if to ask her if he should leave. She quickly touched a hand to his chest, motioning him to stay. As the soft rain began to trickle down, she moved closer to him. Looking into his blue eyes, she lowered her head until it was resting against his heart. The steady beat calmed her, and the warmth of his body was comforting. He rested his arms around her waist and just barely brushed his lips against her forehead. Closing her eyes, the princess realized that maybe something magical did happen tonight, after all.