Sairis's POV
Sairis sighed. "There has never been a queen in history who was truly happy," Sairis said honestly. "Most of them give up their dreams the moment they marry into the royal bloodline."
The Lord blinked in surprise. He opened his mouth but then closed it again.
Sairis sighed. "I apologize," he added. "I tend to speak too freely. The wine is affecting me."
He expected the Lord to walk away. Instead, the man spoke quietly. "The late queen loved being queen."
Sairis frowned. The way the man said it sounded very personal. Perhaps he had seen the late queen laughing on one of these occasions, and assumed she looked happy.
He shook his head slowly. "She was queen for only five years before she became ill," he replied. "And only when she was sick and dying did the king allow her to pursue her passion for writing."
He took another sip of wine. "I read her first and only book. Cost me a fortune to acquire it though." Sairis continued. "In it, she wrote that she wished she had married a farmer, or a philosopher, or a blacksmith. Anyone but a man who sits on a throne."
The Lord stared at him, not uttering a word. Sairis took that as a sign to continue.
"She said she might have explored the world and written more stories about her adventures if she had married someone else."
Sairis shrugged.
"She was not happy."
The silence between them grew awkward. Sairis noticed the man watching him closely. Too closely for comfort that if the Lord looked deeper, he might realize that the person in front of him was a man, and not a woman.
People often reacted that way when they heard his honest opinions. It was time to leave, he thought.
Sairis smiled politely and turned to walk away, but the Lord stopped him. "Wait," he called.
Sairis stopped and turned to face him.
"May I ask what house you belong to?"
Sairis heart race. He remembered the plan to stay low, but this was not the King or the Prince. Besides, he doubt this Lord would remember Candice after today. He was mostly asking so as to avoid the lady who was full of opinions next time.
He shrugged. "House Taal," he answered. "Lady Candice."
The Lord narrowed his eyes slightly and nodded slowly.
"And who are you here with?" Sairis asked. Surely, he must have escorted a noble lady; His sister, niece, relative, perhaps.
The Lord glanced around the room. "I lost the lady I was escorting somewhere in the crowd," he said casually. "I am sure she is socializing well."
Sairis nodded slowly. "Well, I should also greet other people if I hope to stand a chance of being chosen."
The Lord snorted. "You just said in plain terms, you did not want to be queen." He muttered.
Sairis rolled his eyes again. "Yes, I did say that," he replied. "But I still need to talk to other people. Chances are I will not be chosen anyway."
"I see…" the Lord mumbled.
Sairis lowered his body in a small, polite bow. "It was a pleasure speaking with you," he said softly. "I should go now."
The Lord smiled faintly. "Yes. You should." He whispered.
Sairis quickly gathered the skirt of his dress and walked away.
The music continued for some time, and during a short break, Sairis listened to the king give a long speech about duty and responsibility.
In that same time, he had greeted more people than he ever expected to meet in his lifetime, and somewhere along the way he had also managed to drink enough wine to make himself slightly drunk.
Then suddenly the music stopped, and the large doors of the ballroom opened.
The moment the Crown Prince entered the room, Sairis felt it. A strong alpha scent spread across the ballroom, causing every noble Lady and Lord present to turned toward the entrance.
Prince Loreen Cavill walked calmly toward the center of the room and stood there.
His steps were slow and confident, the kind that made people move aside without being told. He was tall, with broad shoulders and a straight back that showed strength and control.
Even with the mask covering part of his face, his presence was familiar and impossible to ignore.
Sairis watched him for a moment.
He was the kind of Alpha many omegas dreamed about. Strong, confident, and dangerously attractive. The kind of Alpha Sairis might willingly allow to bed him if their lives were simpler.
The king stepped down from the stage and came to stand beside him. "My son has informed me that he has already chosen his bride," he announced.
Murmurs spread across the hall as everyone started looking at each other. They all had one question in their minds. When?
Sairis raised an eyebrow. The prince had only just entered the ballroom, so how could he already choose someone?
The king smiled, tapping the prince on his shoulder. "Why not invite the lady you have chosen for a dance, Prince Loreen." He said.
Prince Loreen bowed respectfully. Then he began walking across the ballroom, as guests quickly moved aside to clear a path.
Sairis watched the scene with mild amusement, as he finished the last sip of wine in his glass. This was more entertaining than a tavern fight between two or more idiots.
He was still smiling when he noticed something strange.
The prince was walking toward him.
Sairis frowned slightly and glanced around. Perhaps the chosen lady stood nearby, but no one was near him. He also noticed that others were now looking at him.
Then the prince stopped directly in front of him, shocking everyone in the ballroom.
Frozen in place, Sairis slowly looked up. Their eyes met through the masks, and the Prince smiled.
Sairis felt his stomach drop.
He had seen that smile before. Even with the different mask and royal clothing that the Prince now wore, he knew exactly who stood in front of him.
Bloody hell.
The lord he had been speaking to earlier, was the Crown Prince himself.
Prince Loreen extended his hand.
"May I have this dance," he said calmly, "Lady Candice of House Taal."