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Carmen couldn’t help but sit back at a corner, drinking out of her wine glass that was given to her by a butler of the grand ball.
Everything was covered in gold, from top to bottom. It was the grandest gathering of both royals and nobles, the alluring lights and the magnificent chandelier at the centre that hangs above the room. It was spacious, there were red carpets, servants giving out drinks or samples, a group of musicians carefully picked by the royal family. Nothing was out of place.
Everything looked perfect.
Except for the stares that Carmen gets while she is on her lonesome, everything was pretty much the old gathering where nobles flock their jewels and wealth at each other.
She was a noble, she wasn’t gonna deny it. However, she isn’t one of the most well-known or influential noble houses in the Ilene kingdom. There are three contenders to that title, those were the Douglas house, the Karam house, and lastly the Clayton house. Those three had closer connections to the Ilene royal family and have been serving alongside their excellency for thousands of years.
By no means Carmen was jealous, in fact, she was rather glad she didn’t have the pressure of having close ties to the royal family. That family had so much drama that it really does make her want to write a whole damn scroll and publish it for the world to see. Unfortunately, she would rather keep her life than risk that.
“Are you not hungry, Lady Martinez?”
She couldn’t but snort at the honorifics, “I thought I told you not to call me that, Angela. Unless you want me to call you; High Duchess Of The Douglas Family.”
“Oh, stop it.” Angela softly smacks Carmen on the shoulder at the joke, “You already know how I feel about being called that. It feels so out of place for me.”
She smiles and turns to her long-time friend, Angela Douglas. She has been the wife of Duke Lars Douglas for over fifteen years and is a well-beloved duchess in the Ilene kingdom. Known for her medical expertise in medicines and herbs, she has saved many alongside her husband. The Douglas house is commonly known for assisting in illnesses, including the outbreaks of plagues. This is why the house is one of the three close to the royal family.
Angela and Lars were like two peas in a pot, stuck to each other like glue, supporting each other on a day to day basis. They were the “blessed” couple as many whispered. A match made in heaven.
Carmen agrees, just she’s very tired of hearing this and so does Angela, who her husband also has gotten tired of the constant remarks on how lucky they are.
Like, leave them alone, they get it.
“Always to stand alone? You know you could talk with me and Lars, we can keep you company.” Angela said, her hand directed to Lars, who was currently just chatting with other nobles.
Carmen shook her head, “Don’t want to seem like I forced myself to be with you two. Besides, I don’t need to witness the both of you being lovey dovey in front of me for the millionth time.”
“Oh come on, we aren’t that bad.” Angela remarks, smirking. “You’re always so alone, it could make anyone ask if there were any concerns. Maybe… try to find love for yourself?”
“I would rather die,” she deadpanned.
Angela laughs and soon, Carmen follows in as well. It made the boring ball seem more tolerable to have her best friend with her to cheer up her spirits.
The two noble women looked around, noticing the atmosphere seemed more relaxed than most events that had taken place beforehand. So, for fun, Carmen takes Angela’s hand and pulls her into the middle of the room. Angela rolled her eyes and followed, both of them having fun as they danced for a brief moment to spend the time.
The dance didn’t last long and they both jokingly bowed to each other before walking up to Lars, who was seemingly talking to someone that they didn’t recognize.
Lars perks up upon seeing his wife and gives Angela a loving peak on the cheek, “Hello, beloved! Welcome back.”
“Glad to see you too,” she says back. She gave a kiss back onto his cheek and eyes the stranger that Lars was talking to, curiosity striking her vines. “Lars, who’s this?”
“Ah? Me? Oh, I’m just a knight.” The said man awkwardly chuckles as he bows, “I’ll leave the three of you be. Enjoy the night!”
The knight as he called himself quickly vanishes before Carmen, Angela, or Lars could say a word. Leaving the trio to look at each other before the two women stare at the Duke for an explanation.
He shakes his head, “We only just met but he seems like a nice guy. But as for the ‘knight’ part, I’m unsure. I could ask for their excellency but it would be quite bothersome.”
“I could dig up dirt on him,” Carmen proposes. “After all, nothing can escape my grasp after all.”
“I don’t doubt you for a second, Carmen.” Lars grins, standing with Angela close by his side.
“Should I join in the conversation, Duke Douglas?”
Oh, Carmen thought as she turned around with a smirk plastered on her face. She knew that voice from a mile away and so did the Douglas’ as the Duke of the Karam house made his way over, all high and mighty in his stature.
“Jonah!” She announces, slapping the tall man on the shoulder. “Good to see you here.”
“I didn’t want to be here but since I was recently crowned the Duke of my house after my father passed away, I had no choice.” Jonah grunted, but seemingly happy to be with his friend. “Nice to see you three again.”
“Trust me, you’ll be able to rule your house in no time.” Lars told the newly appointed Duke with a smile on his face.
Angela commented that made Lars gasp in a fake offense, “It took him two years to manage both the house and our daughters.”
“Betrayal!” He said dramatically and Angela couldn’t help but giggle and kiss him on the lips this time, even if it was brief.
Jonah and Carmen shook their heads fondly at the couple.
The ball went on as any other ball that they’ve all been to and Carmen was about to call it a night before her eyes met contact with a beautiful chocolate brown and dark brown wavy hair. She stops in her tracks and catches herself in a daze.
If there was such a thing that knocked into her lungs to take her breath away, she would gladly thank it. The woman she saw in the crowd was dazzling, hypnotizing. The way the ocean blue ball gown sways with the tiniest of movements with elegance, the wavy hair pushed and pinned into a delicate low bun with hair strands framing her face, beautiful silver earrings and pearl necklace on her neck. Makeup flawless and lips painted in a shimmer red that could easily leave a mark on a glass.
Carmen was so enchanted by the appearance.
She couldn’t help but feel her heart thud against her chest, was this love at first sight? Her? Falling in love from just one look? Impossible!
“What’s impossible?”
She flinches as she was snatched back into reality and sees Jonah looking at her with a concerned face. Did she say that out loud? When did she become sloppy?!
“Ah, nothing! Nothing!” Carmen frantically yells, feeling her face become pink in embarrassment. She responded, “I was just… admiring the ceiling!”
“...”
The silence stretched for a very long while that you could almost feel it without even needing to notice it.
“...Yeah, I’m not buying that. What’s up with you?” Jonah looks around, trying to find the thing that caught Carmen’s attention as if it were a culprit. He narrows his eyes as he zones in centre, “Is it a threat?”
“No, it’s not!” She slaps her friend on the shoulder to relieve him from worries. She blurts out, “I just saw someone nice and… liked them at first sight.”
Jonah looked at her, as if she had grown a second head. Carmen could feel her face heat up. Angela and Lars had already gone away due to needing to attend to their house and their daughters, but even without their presence, the ball was still holding onto a large gathering of guests from around the world and within the kingdom walls.
“Come again? Like them at first sight?” Jonah responded, looking at his friend.
Carmen groans, “L-Look, they looked great and I can’t help but-”
“Did you just stutter?”
“Shut up and let me speak,” she snapped and the man was quick to shut his mouth. She continues, “As I said… they looked great and that’s it.”
Jonah nods along, as if he was actually following as he looked to see who would’ve caught Carmen’s eye.
“Stop it,” Carmen says as she slaps the man on his head. She really didn’t need her friend to survey around the room like he was trying to catch some secret admirer. Maybe it was a trick of the light. Yeah, that’s right. Must be.
“Hello there.”
Carmen turns and is about to greet the person when she stops in her tracks.
It was the woman she had eyes on and Carmen could feel the tide slowly sweep her off her feet from just the other lady’s presence alone as if it was a powerful wave ready to drown her into her knees.
“H-Hello…” Carmen cringes at how her tone sounded and how she messed up slightly.
Jonah, at the corner of her eye, raises a brow at the stutter but Carmen ignores it as she keeps her eyes on the beautiful woman in front of her.
“I’m Crown Princess Michelle Zuria of the Royal Family,” Michelle bows gracefully in front of them but all Carmen can focus on was how she got the honor to even see the crown princess. Much less fall in love with her at FIRST SIGHT!
“Duke Karam,” Jonah greeted as he bowed in formality before straightening himself and gesturing to Carmen, “And this is Lady Martinez.”
Michelle hums as she looks at Carmen, “Ah! I’ve heard much about you, Lady Martinez. Your work is very well-written and sophisticated. It’s an honor to meet you.”
Carmen couldn’t help but blink and feel her face get a bit warm. What is wrong with her today? This is so unlike her! Get it together, Carmen Martinez!
“Thank you, princess.” Carmen inclines her head in gratitude, “You’re too kind. It’s both my work and passion after all.”
“It is nothing. Your journals published by the publishing house are always one of the top sellers and one of the most beneficial to our kingdom.” Michelle smiles kindly.
Carmen swore she felt herself feeling more… soft and squishy than her usual hard and no-nonsense personality. What was this feeling? It was so different to how she usually approached things.
She’s stern, she’s confident, she’s strong, and she has the determination to keep walking forward to what she believes is the most necessary thing to do within the line of her morals and how she’d solve it.
But yet, when in front of the crown princess; Michelle Zuria… Carmen couldn’t help but feel her guard was softening and that she doesn’t need to act so harshly…?
Yeah, she definitely felt like something inside her had burst open and brought some complicated emotions.
“As much as I would like to stay, I have to go.” Michelle bows again, “Till we meet again.”
“Farewell, princess.” Carmen and Jonah bow as they hear the click of Michelle’s heels walk away from them before disappearing within the ballroom of guests that still hadn’t left the establishment.
Silence…
“So… the crown princess, hm?” Jonah asks with a smirk.
Carmen felt her face go red in both embarrassment and being called out as she quickly retaliates by swatting Jonah sideways on the head without any hint of remorse or mercy.