Not His Party

"Macy, come on." Abigail, my sister said. I wove the last lock of golden hair into place.

I sighed. Tonight was the Prince's Ball. I'd been invited because I was his sister. And I wasn't excited, because it marked that in a few months, it would be my turn to have a Gala.

"Okay, you're ready." I said. She turned around. Her twisted plaits of hair hung tight around her neck. I looked down at her white and pink dress.

"Wow, Abigail, you're going to be the belle of the ball, tonight." She told me, rocking back and forth on her feet.

I glanced down at my lavender dress. My hands went up to my hair, which I had woven into a braid over my shoulder. "Macy, You really are going to be the belle, I did hardly anything, and what I did do was rushed.

"Girls, hurry up!" Mother called from the hall

I gathered my skirts in one hand and walked to the corridor behind Macy.

"Oh." Mother sighed when she caught sight of our gowns. I was in awe of her tan gown that poofed up in a big skirt. Her golden skin shimmered in the light of the setting sun. "You two look beautiful. But we must go. Come now."

I followed her to the front of the ballroom, where my brother, Chase, was standing. He was dressed in a blue coat and pants. Atop his dusty hair was a thin band, his crown.

"Hi." I told him. "You look great, by the way."

"Thanks." He whispered and looked at me. "You look better. and why don't you go join the party? It looks great."

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm not the most eager partier, tonight." I told him. He gave me the look. The look was the face my brother gave anyone who lied when he told them they should do something.

"Fine." I moan and walk to into the groups of people wearing huge ball gowns of all colors and shapes.

"Hello, Princess Macy." A voice says behind me. I whirl around and see Charles, the Prince of Emereldia. He had blonde hair, chiseled cheekbones, and stormy gray eyes.

"Hello, Prince Charlie." I say, my cheeks blushing. I'd had the biggest crush on him since I was five. Well, mother had said that he might be my betrothed. And at least I got to marry someone I knew and not one of those wrinkly old dukes. "How have you been?"

"Very well, thank you." Charlie said. He rocked nervously side to side. "Did you hear about the arrangement?"

"Why, whatever do you mean?" I responded.

"The, umm... betrothal." Charlie responded. "Your mother desires to make a treaty through marriage."

"When had my mother planned it for?" I asked, unsure whether to feel excited for the news, or to dread it. He hesitated. "When are we getting married?"

"Your mother thinks six months." Charlie says. "When you are eighteen. And also, it is a five week journey to Emereldia."

I nodded. "But... don't you think that this is too soon?" I asked him. I had always day dreamed of marrying him, but when I was seventeen? I at least wanted to go see the world.

"If you would like, we can wait." Charlie offered.

I quickly made a mental list of the pro's and con's in my head. The cons won, but I decided to go with my gut. "Charlie, ask me."

"What?" He asked. Then he understood. "Oh. Here's what, I'll wait until the dinner."

I nodded.

Dinner came all too soon. Ushers lead people to their seats. I sat between Charlie and Chase.

Chase clanked his spreading knife on his glass and stood. He knelt down in front of me. "Macy, I've met a whole lot of girls across the world, but none of them are like you. And I've realized that I don't want to live without you. So, will you marry me?"

Tears ran down my cheeks. I'd never expected someone to ask me those words. "Yes." I croaked. Charlie leapt to his feet and flung his arms around me.

I laughed as I was spun around in his arms. At last, he set me down and dinner was brought out: fettuccini and Caesar salad.

Desert was brought out later.

"Excuse me." I said, pushing back my chair and walking to the garden.

Beautiful vines with bright purple and blue flowers grew in arches over the sandy path.

At last, I decided it was getting late and walked back to the ballroom, where people stared at me and clambered over one another to get sight of me.

"Congratulations, Macy." Abigail said behind me. I turned and hugged her.

"Did you know?" I asked.

Abigail giggled. "The only reason we had the ball was so Charlie could ask you. I mean, you've been friends forever."

***

Six months later, I stood on a small rise, waiting for my handmaidens to finish buttoning the back of my dress.

"There, my lady, you're ready." Natalie said.

"Thank you." I said. Natalie shook her head. "No, really. I have been looking forward to this for six months and you have been-"

I gasped as Macy came out of the closet in a light blue dress. "You look amazing. Are you ready to be my bride's maid?"

She laughed. "Aby, I've been looking forward to this for months. Trust me, I've got this."

The church bells started ringing. Macy and I grabbed our bouquets while Natalie and my other handmaiden opened the doors to the chapel.

Macy walked down the aisle behind me, and the kingdom stood. Princes and princesses, dukes and duchesses, lords and ladies, peasants, were decked out in their finest clothes.

Like a breeze, the ceremony was quickly over as soon as it started. I made my way with Charlie to the ballroom where the reception was.

Everyone lined up to congratulate Charlie and I. "Thank you." He said to everyone before I had a chance to say anything.

So far, this marriage was off to a bad start, because it wasn't his party. It was ours.