Autumn opens the envelope waiting for her when she comes back from dinner. Hurricane bends down to get a better look.

“A masquerade?” he says as he reads the invitation.

“It’s a celebration event that the queen planned; every person in fire court is invited. Does that mean you can go too?” Autumn asks as she looks at the ivory card embossed with gold.

Hurricane thinks for a moment, “I think all the guards are on duty that day, even I have to report there.” He says with a frown.

“You won’t be there with me?”

Hurricane shakes his head, “Don’t worry I’ll still be around.”

Autumn frowns “But it's not the same.”

“You’ll be safe there.”

“But who’ll keep me company?”

“I’m pretty sure there are plenty of people waiting to meet you.”

Autumn rolls her eyes.

“You’ll be fine.” He says as he pulls her face towards is so that their foreheads knock softly on each other. ‘I’ll be sure to keep my eyes on you.”

Autumn didn’t feel fine as she sat in front of the vanity, her maids helping to style her hair. She reaches for the box on in one of the drawers; she pulls on the ribbon that is the same midnight blue as her dress. She opens the box; a gift from Hurricane as an apology for not being able to be with her tonight.

She takes out the mask carefully, the lace and beading also matching her dress, smiling to herself as she wonders how he knew what her dress was going to look like. A note falls out and Autumn blushes slightly as she reads the note written in his careless confident writing.

-I wanted to be the first to tell you.

You look beautiful.

Hun

She smiles as she puts on the mask, which fits perfectly and admires the details on the mask.

“You look so beautiful… I’m sure Prince Taecyeon won’t be able to recognize you tonight.”

Autumn looks up and smiles as Blaze stood in the doorway and Autumn smiles in return.

“I think that’s the idea; it’s a masquerade after all.” Autumn replies as she gets up.

“Are you ready to go?” He asks as he holds out his arm which Autumn takes as he is her official date tonight.

They walk in silence for a few moments as the two head towards the dance hall.

“This is probably one of the last times isn’t it?” Autumn says.

“Yeah…” Blaze says after a few moments, he will be relinquished of his official duties as her messenger as soon as she gets married.

“Where will you go?” Autumn asks.

“Maybe I’ll hang around here a little longer, or maybe go back home and spend some time there thinking about what to do next.”

“It’ll be strange without you here.”

“It’ll be strange without you there.”

“You have to come visit often.”

“Of course.” Blaze smiles back, ‘Why wouldn’t I?”

They smiles stupidly at each other as they enter the hall and almost immediately Blaze is swept away by a group of young women and Blaze smiles apologetically, “Save a dance for me ok!?” Autumn waves him away as she takes a moment to look at the ball room decorated decadently for the event as people of different classes’ dance together drinking wine and laughing together. Autumns thoughts are disrupted by a tap n her shoulder.

A man in a mask that gave him wolf like features smiled. ‘A moment of your time?”

She recognized the man immediately.

“Of course your Majesty.”

He leads them to a little adjacent room and takes of his mask.

“I am surprised you could recognize me.”

“It’s actually not hard”

A silence falls between them once again as Autumn looks out to the window looking out onto the garden; reminding her of the beginning; the first meetings between herself and Taecyeon.

“Autumn.”

Hearing her name being said like that surprised her as she spun around to see Taecyeon on one knee.

“I didn’t have time before, but I want to ask you: Would you marry me?”

Autumn stared at the polished stone easily the size of a small grape anchored into place with intricate vines.

“Are you asking me because I actually have a choice or is this formality?” Autumn answers uninterestedly.

A flicker of an emotion that Autumn couldn’t quite put her finger one shot through Taecyeon’s eyes. A brief moment of guilt crossed Autumn’s mind; maybe he was being sincere and she had misunderstood him but it was quickly washed away.

“Why do you always making a fool out of me?” Taecyeon yells as he stand, throwing the ring somewhere across the room. “What did I ever do to you?” He spat before storming out of the room.

Autumn watched as him walk away.

“Nothing.” She says as she holds herself. "Nothing at all."

Autumn sat on the sideline watching Blaze dancing with a young lady with a pastel pink dress; he winks at her, which causes Autumn to smile. Her smile fades a little as she spots Taecyeon sending away another request for a dance. Not that she was any different; rejecting every dance invitation till this point. Nothing was catching her attention; so absorbed in her own world she almost didn’t notice that figure had approached her.

“May I have this dance?”

She perks up when she hears this familiar voice and she almost couldn’t contain her happiness as she took his hand; she didn’t even notice the prince look over as her direction as she was lead onto the dance floor.

“I thought you were on duty.”

‘I am.” Hurricane replies as he spins her around his eyes following her moment though his mask. “I got a friend to cover for me.” He says with a smirk.

Autumn laughs as he picks her up swinging her before catching her and holding her close to him.

“How could I miss this?” He says as he leads he though the intricate steps. “You look beautiful tonight.”

“You told me already.” Autumn says blushing slightly without her knowing Hurricane had led her onto a private balcony away from prying eyes.

“And I’ll tell you again and again…” He says as he pauses to take off her mask. “I love you.” He says as he pulls her close and planting a sweet kiss onto her lips. When he pulls away Autumn pulls him back, taking off his mask as she brings her lips to his. “I love you more.”

“I love you the most.” Hurricane replies.