"Princess. It is almost time to get to the ball. You should get ready soon." Said one of the maids. I blinked, seeing her from the mirror. Mi Hae I think was her name. She was dressed in the regular maid attire. A black and white dress that reached just above her knees along with a lace headband on her head.

"I'll be right there." She bowed and closed my bedroom door softly behind her as she left. I sighed and looked at myself in the mirror. I had light chestnut colored hair that spilled over my shoulders in natural waves and light brown eyes that matched my hair. My most prized feature was probably my lips. They were a pale pink and slightly on the thin side. Not plump and not too thin. And another sigh slipped out of them.

Two months have past since I've last seen Donghae but it felt like it was just yesterday. Every time I thought of what I did, I always feel this burning feeling of humiliation in my chest. I was so foolish to have confessed. Maybe if I had kept it bottled up inside, he would still be my friend. Maybe he wouldn't have looked at me like I was one of those other court ladies who flocked around him constantly.

And maybe he would have.....

What?! Hye Jung? Huh? Maybe what? Maybe he'd love you or something? Ha! How foolish you are. Yes, foolish. I am very foolish. And pathetic. I feel disgusted with myself every time I looked at the mirror. Donghae had also been very good friends with Hyun Ki. Donghae would never look at me like that. I was always be the best friend's little sister. And I practically threw myself at him like a desperate women.

But today is not a night to think about that. Tonight was the ball. A ball for my birthday. Father and mother went through all this trouble for me and I can't just sit around moping. 

I stood up and rummaged around my closet, trying to find a ball gown that would make all the other courtesans jealous with envy. Finally satisfied with an pale pink ball gown with a sweetheart neckline, I signaled for a maid to come do my hair. And once again Mi Hae came in. She took one look at the dress and back at me. She nodded and asked me to sit down in front of the mirror. While she twisted my hair into a chignon, everything was quiet. Neither of us spoke a word and I basked in the silence. To finish it off, Mi Hae added a few tiny light pink flowers into my hair,

I thanked her as she helped me into the gown, also thanking the heavens that this dress didn't have corset. Those things are seriously painful.  

I looked at the clock and saw that it was time to go. Carefully gathering up the gown, I walked out the door, down the staircase and into the ballroom. All eyes were on me as I made my grand entrance, the announcer introduced me to the crowd.

"Princess Hye Jung of Ashfall." I plastered a smile on my face and walked gracefully toward the King and Queen. I curtsied and took a seat next to my mother on the throne. The seat on the other side of my father empty. It has been empty for nearly two and a half years. It was Hyun Ki's throne.

I cast my eyes downward so that the crowd wouldn't see the sad look on my face. I missed him dearly. This ball would have been more fun with him here. The balls that we had before his...death were usually very boring but with him there, it past by quickly. We would usually walk around and joke with each other. The memories made my heart ache, making me remember that he isn't here anymore.

"Princess." I heard a voice say in front of me, a gloved hand stretched out toward me. Losing my train of thought, I blinked and looked up. Dressed in all black and with a white bow tie was a young handsome man. A very handsome young man. He had dark brown eyes and obsidian colored hair that swept across his forehead, Who is this? I wondered.

"If I could have this dance?" He asked in a mellow voice. I looked at my parents and saw that they were also waiting for my answer. Their eyes gleaming with hope. I know they were hurt as much as I was when we lost Hyun Ki. But they must have hid it so much better. There were times that I saw them looking at the empty chair at the dining table and a blank look would cross their faces. Their eyes would look like they were staring through something, like their souls were being out of them.

This is the first time in forever that I saw so much hope and happiness in their eyes. "Go on," said my mother.

Without further thinking, I turned back to the beautiful stranger and said, "You may." And slipped my hands into his. Thinking that doing so, my parents would finally smile again.

The orchestra began playing a traditional tune as we stood on the ballroom floor. He gave me a bow as I curtsied.  He placed one hand on my waist and the other clasped my hand. I gave a little gasp, not use to such close contact. He gave me a boyish grin when I blushed. "It's alright. It's just a dance." He said, feeling my face go hotter. "Who are you?" I asked as he began the waltz.

One of the corners of his lips curled up into a smirk, his eyes flashed. "I'm surprised that you don't recognize me. You did kiss me two months ago."

"What?!" I gasped and quickly letting go of his hand. "Come on Hye Jung, do you really not remember me at all?"

"No. No. No. You look nothing like Donghae. You're not him." I shook my head. 

"Donghae? Who said anything about Donghae? You really don't remember me at all, huh? Wow." He said as he took a step toward me. I took a step back. 

I narrowed my eyes, trying to think back to two months ago. After Donghae left, I went to play my violin and then...three days later, Prince Myungsoo of Infinia came to visit. And I...kissed him while we were walking through the maze in the garden...

I felt the horror rushing to my face and took another step back, almost tripping over my gown. I backed up until I was out the ballroom and in the hallway. He followed after me. The people in the ballroom were too busy and didn't even look my way once.

"I- that!" I stuttered. "That was a mistake!"

"Oh?" He said with an arched brow. "A mistake? I am hurt, Princess." But he looked anything but hurt. More like amused and trying not to laugh at me.

He started to get closer to me and backed up to far. My back hit the wall behind me and I let out a short breath. With nowhere else to go, I looked up to see him right in front of me with one hand beside my head. He bent down to level our eyes.

"Was it really a mistake, Princess?" He looked at me through his lashes.

I pursed my lips and nodded, not trusting my voice. This was surprisingly a turn on. And he was handsome. Who could blame me?

"Hmm." Was his reply. "What about this one?" And with that, he leaned in closer, his lips grazed mine.