Sairis's POV
The carriage wheels rolled over the stone road and slowly came to a stop in front of the royal castle.
The sudden silence inside the carriage made Sairis tense. He remained still in his seat, his gloved hands resting on his lap, his fingers tightly clasped together.
Through the small window he could see the glow of torches and lanterns lining the castle entrance. Noble carriages filled the courtyard, one after another arriving and leaving.
The moment he stepped out of this carriage, everything would begin. There would be no turning back.
Sairis closed his eyes slowly. Maybe he should stop this now.
The plan had sounded simple when they first spoke about it, but the closer they came to the castle, the more wrong it felt. Too many things could go wrong. If someone recognized him, if someone asked the wrong question, if the king somehow discovered the truth.
He would not survive the night.
Henrietta cleared her throat loudly beside him. "We would have to step out now," she said firmly. "There are other carriages waiting behind us, Lady Candice."
Sairis opened his eyes and shot her an annoyed glare. She had been calling him that since they left the estate. "Stop it," he muttered quietly.
Henrietta rolled her eyes at him. "We must stay in character if we want this to work," she said calmly. "For now, you are Lady Candice."
Sairis leaned back against the seat and rubbed his temple. "We still have time to stop this act, Hen," he said quietly. "This isn't right."
Henrietta shook her head immediately. "No, we do not," she replied. "We are already here. Turning back now would only cause more trouble."
She looked at him carefully, her eyes softening. "You look beautiful, Sairis," she added. "No one will know."
Before he could argue again, she pushed the carriage door open, and cold night air rushed inside.
Sairis took a slow breath, trying to calm the nervous feeling in his chest. He reached up and placed the delicate mask over his face.
The mask covered the upper part of his face and left only his nose and mouth visible. He grabbed the edge of the long dress carefully and stepped out of the carriage.
The courtyard was crowded with nobles, servants, guards, and guests. Lanterns glowed everywhere, casting warm golden light across the large stone walls of the castle.
Sairis tried to walk slowly like a noble lady as Henrietta had taught him. Inside he was panicking, but outside he forced himself to look calm.
The walk toward the castle doors took longer than he expected. A long line of guests waited near the entrance where royal guards checked their identities.
Sairis felt his heartbeat grow faster the closer they moved to the front.
A tall beta guard stood at the door, carefully inspecting every guest before allowing them inside, until finally it was their turn.
The guard stepped forward and looked directly at them. "Identify yourself," he ordered.
Henrietta stepped forward quickly and bowed her head respectfully. She presented a small silver insignia engraved with the mark of the house. "Lady Candice of House Taal," she announced clearly.
The guard took the insignia and examined it for a moment. He then looked up and stared directly at Sairis. For a moment their eyes met, but Sairis held his breath, and forced himself not to look away.
After a few seconds, the guard nodded and handed the insignia back. "You may enter, Lady Candice," he said.
Then he looked at Henrietta and said. "Your handmaid will wait in the servant hall."
Sairis felt the nervous air leave his lungs slowly. He had known this would happen. Henrietta would not be allowed into the ballroom with him, because of her social status.
He would have to do this alone.
Henrietta leaned close to him and whispered quietly. "You will be fine. Go," she urged softly.
Sairis nodded and swallowed nervously, as the ballroom doors opened wide. He stepped into the hall and immediately froze.
The room was enormous.
Even with hundreds of nobles filling the space, there was still room for many more. Music played softly in the background while servants moved between guests carrying trays of wine and food.
Beautiful dresses shimmered everywhere. Jewels sparkled under the bright chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Half the kingdom seemed to be inside this room. Hell, everyone who was someone and ranked high in the social ladder was here.
Sairis slowly moved deeper into the ballroom, trying not to draw attention to himself. He scanned the room carefully, looking to find a quiet place to hide until the night ended.
That was until he turned suddenly and collided with someone. "Oh my goodness," he said quickly. "Sorry. I was not watching where I was going."
The man in front of him frowned slightly as he adjusted his coat.
Sairis could not immediately scent if he was an alpha or a beta. The mask also covered most of his face. But by his clothing, it was clear that he was a Lord.
The Lord studied him for a moment, then sighed. "It is normal to feel nervous in a place like this," he said calmly. "I would be nervous too if I was about to be paraded in front of the kingdom so a prince could choose a bride."
Sairis gave a small smile. He reminded himself to soften his voice. Here, he was Lady Candice, not Sairis.
"You do not have to worry about that though," he replied lightly. "You are a man after all."
The Lord scoffed quietly. He grabbed two glasses of wine from a passing servant and handed one to Sairis.
Sairis hesitated. He should not drink wine tonight, even though he knew it would help calm his nerves. His tolerance was terrible and he needed his mind clear.
But refusing might appear strange. A lady never refuses an offer from a Lord, so he accepted the glass.
The Lord took a sip while watching him carefully.
Sairis ignored the stare and glanced around the ballroom again, searching the crowd. This time, he was looking for something else.
Where was the Crown Prince? Surely the Prince should be the center of attention tonight. But Sairis could not see him anywhere.
"Looking for someone?" the Lord asked, eyeing him.
"The Prince," Sairis answered before thinking.
The Lord chuckled dryly. "Everyone is looking for him tonight." He muttered as he took another sip of wine. "They cannot wait to be chosen by him. I suppose you feel the same." He added, looking at Sairis curiously.
Sairis rolled his eyes slightly. "Actually, I do not."
The Lord blinked in surprise. "You do not want to marry the future king?" he asked.
Sairis cursed inwardly. This was why he hated drinking. Wine loosened his tongue and made him too relaxed.