The castle is relatively walking distance from your house.  It’s an advantage, because the city is quite large.  People who are invited and live far away from the castle must rent a carriage, and for those who don’t have that much money still have to rent one, but rent one together with their invited neighbors.

“I’m glad we live closeby,” Chanyeol muttered as a carriage that creaked and moved slowly passed by, indicating the fact that it nearly exceeded its weight limit.

 “Yep, I am, too,” You mutter along, as you eye a bunch of shady people walking in a cluster towards the castle doors and—

“Why are there no door, you know, guards? The ones that check off guests on a list?” You ask, frowning at the strange fact. 

“They don’t bother, I guess.  Everybody’s supposed to be invited,” Kyungsoo says, answering you in a way that doesn’t really.

“Um, why are you guys—?” You point at their faces, the ones with masks, masquerade style.

“Don’t you have your mask, sis? It’s a masquerade, you know,” Chanyeol walks up the stairs and into the castle’s ballroom, something you’ll marvel at later when you’re properly dressed.

You stop at the door and look around.  “Dammit, Baekhyun, where—why—didn’t he—“

“We’re going in first okay,” Chen smiles at you and gives you a light wave.

“Calm down, Amara,” You feel a mask stick gently on your face and the light brush of someone latching it on your ears.

You draw your shoulders up at the light tickle.  “That was about to be a total fashion faux pas, Baekhyun,” You turn around and face him, already with his mask on.

He pushes down your shoulders into a relaxed position and stands beside you, putting his arm on the ready.  “Sorry ‘bout that.  Ready?”

You roll your eyes but smile at his arm.  Hooking yours through it, the two of you enter the ballroom, eyes immediately scanning the guests. 

“This place is huge,” You unconsciously clutch at Baekhyun’s arm a little more tighter.

Before Baekhyun could give you a witty remark, a glass dinged loudly across the hall. 

“Attention, the Queen is within our presence!”

Everybody turns towards one side of the room, where the thrones sit amidst two staircases on either side of the room.  The Queen comes out of the curtains and the ballroom erupts in polite applause.  First time seeing the Queen, you’re amazed at her elegance, first of all.  Second, her beauty; her statuesque face and the long, light brown hair framing the small oval of it.  But that’s all there is.  She doesn’t let out a smile, and the tilt of her chin shows arrogance. 

“Is she always like that?” You ask Baekhyun as the whole ballroom kneel towards her.

“Yes.  She has her reasons,” He answers, standing up and eyeing the Queen, somewhat with a strange expression.

“Oh,”

“Attention, the Prince is within our presence!”

And after her, taking the smaller throne beside hers, is the Prince.  The Prince sharing his mother’s blessed features, handsomely sitting on the throne.  But there was one difference between the two; the Prince had a twinkle of mischief on his eyes.

“So, Amara,” Baekhyun meets your eyes.  “I, err, have to go.  Duty calls,” He smiles apologetically.

“Do you really, really have to?” You wince, reluctant about having to be left alone. 

“Yeah, the Queen and Prince in one room with, all this,” He gestures at the amount of guests present.

“Alright.  Do what you always do, Q,” You whisper back, responding to his wave.

You never actually see what Q does, when you think about it.  You’ll ask him when you get the chance, then.