The Fated Trio

Bored in the ballroom

Isabella sat quietly inside the ballroom,a tiara placed on her head. She was leaning against her seat ,her gloved hands placed on her laps. She wore a purple coloured ball gown which flowed to her ankle. Purple coloured ball gown?

Yes! But not without serious objections from Courtney who insisted she must wear pink instead. But Isabella didn't pay any heed to that. Over the years she has learnt to stand up for herself when she has to.

Beside Isabella,her father sat discussing with his best friend, King saviar, who was much younger than he was. She always wondered how they both became best of friends considering the difference in their age. King saviar was in his early thirties while her father was in his late forties. She actually wondered about a lot of things anyway, and no one cared to give her answers. She has stopped asking with the decision to find answers for herself. Recently,her main worry is finding out all about her mother and that's what she's set to do. Since no one would give her the answers she wanted, she will give it to herself. After all,she has the right to know about her own mother.

Music filled the whole room as the villagers danced to them. She has been glued to her seat since the beginning. That has been her way of avoiding any invitation to dance since no one would walk up to the throne and ask her for a dance. Customarily,she was supposed to be down there dancing but that wasn't Isabella.

Her father has forced her down there so many times in the past. At a point, he even supervised all her dancing lessons and forced her to dance in all the balls. One would be wondering what Courtney was doing all those times but as you might have guessed, she was actually the architect behind it all. But it didn't last for long anyway,he soon got tired and cared less. And as if that wasn't enough relieve, even the ladies of the court and council stopped talking about her refusal to dance at the ball. They just danced not minding whether she danced or not. Dancing first was supposed to be an honour and her right as the princess but what was the use anyway if dancing was one of her worst nightmares? That notwithstanding, gentlemen still flocked around her once she steps into the dance floor or away from the throne, asking to dance with her. So in order to avoid being termed rude because she refused to dance with them,she stays in her seat whenever the dance is going on.

"You should dance my lady", someone said tapping her shoulder lightly. Who could it be if not the one and only... Everyone has gotten used to her habit of not dancing except one person and there she was anyway.

"No Courtney, no dancing.", Isabella said turning to look at her father for any sign that indicates he overheard their discussion,but, thankfully he was too engrossed in his discussion with king Saviar to pay any heed to them.

"Look there, James has been looking at you since the beginning of the ball. Who knows,he might want to dance with you.", Courtney said pointing slightly at a gentleman standing at one end of the ballroom a glass in his hand. Isabella followed her direction and he was sure looking at her but looked away immediatey a bit late since she has already seen him.

"There are other ladies he could dance with", Isabella said her eyes landing on a group of ladies some distance away from the Duke talking and pointing at him.

"Lady Isabella, you can't be sitted here while other ladies are down there dancing.", And that moment, Isabella wished she was down there too. No matter how much of a t*****e it was to her,she preferred dancing to listening to Courtney's lectures.

"Well someone has to do the watching. Its such a wonderful event", she said to Courtney.

'Wonderful' she said to herself 'only when you have to do the watching', That was when she realized her eyes were still glued to the group of ladies who were now looking at her a bit confused some of them leaving the place.

'Oh Isabella!, didn't someone somewhere say it was rude to stare?' she cautioned herself throwing a reassuring smile at the ladies who returned her smile .

"You need to socialize more." Isabella sat up straight looking around the ballroom, this was the height of it. She needed to get up from that seat. But how will she get out of there without having to dance with anyone? An idea occurred to her and her eyes searched the room desperately for Susan. But Susan was nowhere to be found. She decided to leave the ballroom she was beginning to get bored of watching the dancers. But she can't leave without been followed by Courtney or at least one of the guards. So she sat there helpless listening to Courtney's lectures which never involved her opinion and ideas.

After sometimes she made her mind to leave there since there was no indication Courtney would leave her any moment soon. Standing from her seat, she excused herself walking towards the villagers away from the dance floor.

"Now that's what a normal lady should do at balls,dance and socialize.", Courtney said following her a smile plastered on her face.

"Yeah", Isabella said trying to stop herself from laughing. She knew that Courtney didn't actually mean for her to socialize or interact with the villagers. She only wanted to get her to dance that's all. If only Courtney knew she had other plans...

Instead of walking towards the dance floor,she hurried towards a group of ladies sitting at one end of the ballroom Courtney trailing behind her. The ladies courtesied in greeting when they approached . She replied with a smile turning to look at Courtney but the expression on her face was priceless and this time, Isabella couldn't hold back the smile that crept to her face. Raising her hand to her face,she looked away in a bid to conceal her joy.

Happy? Yes,she was. Its not everyday one gets the chance to surprise Courtney. Having controlled herself,she turned to look at Courtney but then her excitement vanished. Behind Courtney, Titus the Duke of hoverland was heading towards them. Isabella turned around not heading to the nearest door not minding if Courtney was following her or not. Once she approached the door,she looked back to be sure she wasn't being followed and thankfully enough, Courtney was still standing there but was engaged in a discussion with someone. Isabella heaved a sigh of relief when she couldn't see the Duke anywhere close and with that,she left the ballroom.

Moonlight and calmness of the night welcomed her as she stepped outside the ballroom, causing her to look up at the sky. The sight was captivating. Isabella headed for the stables without a second thought.

"Helena dear,we are going for a ride. Its such a lovely night."She said to her black mare once she entered the stables. The horse whinned flipping its tail as Isabella ran her fingers across its mane. Holding the reins of the horse,she pulled it out of the stable. After getting the horse ready,she loosened the corset of her dress, mounted on the mare and pulled it into a gallop moving into the bush away from the castle.

She continued to ride till she approached a bush. Pulling Helena to a stop,she got down and tied the rein to a tree. Walking some distance away she approached a valley. The view was beautiful as always.

Combination of Stars and the moon forming a beautiful blanket over the place. She looked up at the sky recognizing various constellations and forming new ones herself. Recognizing Cassiopeia, the myth surrounding the constellation flooded her mind. The myth of the proud queen is one she will never forget.

Thud!

A sound came from inside the bush. She quickly turned, facing the direction of the sound, listening attentively. Thud! Thud!! Thud!!! The sound continued.

Leaving her mare,she followed the sound quietly, hiding behind trees. The sound became louder as a clearing came into view revealing a young lady shooting arrows into the distance.

'Arrows?', her eyes widened in disbelief. ' What's a lady doing shooting arrows? Aren't ladies f*******n from touching weapons, not to talk of using them?',She couldn't stop the many questions from flooding her mind and she didn't try to.

'Who is this lady? And how did she learn to use an arrow?',

She made to move again, but tripped over the root of a huge tree and fell squinting in pain.

The noise attracted the lady and she turned around pointing her arrow at the intruder.

'Great,Just great, Isabella!', she murmured, slapping herself mentally.

"Show yourself now!",The lady commanded with her arrow still pointing at the figure.

Standing from the ground , Isabella stepped out from behind the trees into the clearing. Her hands raised above her head in complete surrender.

"Who are you?", The lady asked walking close to her.

'Who she is?', Isabella was surprised like who in Daxteria doesn't know the princess? Even if the lady doesn't know her, isn't her tiara enough to tell whoever this lady is that she's the princess. Instinctively her hands touched her head in search of her tiara and just then,she realized it fell off her head during her fall.

"Lady Isabella Georgette of Daxteria", she said looking up at the lady who has been silently waiting for her response.

"Lady Isabella???, the princess of Daxteria?", Alissa asked with narrowed eyes. Lowering her arrow gradually. "That's unbelievable, what's the princess doing out here?, isn't she supposed to be at the palace?"

"I could ask you the same thing. What's a young lady doing out here shooting arrows, when everyone is at the palace?", Isabella questioned, lowering her hands.

"Pardon,my lady. I couldn't stay at the ball because I needed some quiet place to think". Alissa lowered her bow entirely with a courtesy. Isabella could see that she was visibly worried.

"Some place to think?, Who are you?". Isabella asked letting her curiosity take over her.

" My Lady, I am Alissa von Tess of Kesterea. I came along with the king of kesterea." Alissa said standing up from the ground, not wanting to say anymore.

"Why are you holding a bow and arrow?", Isabella asked. "Who taught you h...", Before she could finish her statement the lady was already running down the hill.

"Wait !!!", Isabella shouted but it was too late. She ran after Alissa but she disappeared into a nearby bush.

'Wonderful!!!',She said frustrated. 'Isabella, you should learn how to approach people. Learn to be nice Bella.'

Turning around,she ran towards her mare, untied the reins when she approached it and mounted on its back heading towards the castle.

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