I smiled slightly, and looked down at our feet for a moment, acting humble. How many times had I heard that compliment? My looks was one of the only things I had going for me. The rest I had to work very hard to seem like I had. Charm, humor, intelligence I was not any of those things. "Thank you," I said, inching ourselves slightly closer as the fear of getting caught seemed to lessen. The more we dance the less nervous I became. Sometimes though, I wondered if I was really meant to be the Prince, maybe King some day. Had I been born into the wrong family?

---

I noticed the way he slugged closer to me and I smiled gently, closing the area between us. I didn't press myself against him like a piece of free meat, no, I simply stepped forward and rested my head on his shoulder gently. Why? It is a simply question, really, and it hadn't been answered for centuries... Why did our countries hate one another? The answer was lost a long time ago, I suppose...

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I was a traitor. It was as simple as that. Then why if I was this big traitor did it feel so good to have Isabel resting against me? "When do you go back to Croatia?" I asked, looking towards the door to see if anyone was watching us. There was not a soul in sight. I wanted to learn more about her, try to understand our hatred. Then maybe, if I knew why I wasn't supposed to like her it would be easier to shove her out of my mind and have a nice, non-complicated life. I feared of love though. What if I fell in love with her? What would become of me? A man was not supposed to live in fear. I was a cowardly traitor. 

---

"Tho days,"I said gently into the air. Closing my eyes as the music stopped, as well as our swaying. That was the last song of the night, meaning soon the party would be coming into the lobby to join our secret dance. I took note of the cologne he was wearing, and then pulled away to look in his face,"Can I see you again?" 

---

My hands fell off of hers. There was the squeaking of chairs and they rustling of people as the Ball came to its end. I needed to get back in there and tell the guests goodbye as to not seem suspicious and do my civil duty. I wanted to see her again, more than anything. Her request was music to my ears. "Yes, we'll meet in the hotel garden at three o'clock tomorrow afternoon. " I knew of a place back in the garden's trees that I knew we wouldn't be spotted in. " I stooped down slightly to kiss her hand one last time. Before turning to leave. A victorious smile rested on my face.  "I'll see you then. "

---

I had to grin. Being a rebel felt...warm and exhilirating. I made my way back to my room that night, humming the tune of that final song to myself. I looked down at my hand as I laid down and chuckled softly, shaking my head as I feel asleep. "Wow,"I whispered softly as I glanced around the garden. I had never actually seen the garden. Aunt Josie and I had barely just arrived in time to get ready for the ball yesterday. I sat on a gleaming stone bench undernieth a blossoming tree, protected from the sun in the shade. I ran my hands over my jeans and chuckled softly, I could wear casual clothing every now and again, today was on of those days, thank god. But, I did dress up slightly, a floral silk shirtbeneath a cashmier sweater.

---

can i join

---

My parents asked me how the ball had went when I got back to the castle and I told them it was "just fantastic. " My mother pressed me on which girls I had danced with and if I thought that any of them were "marriage material". "The Indian girl sure did seem very nice.." my mother said, hinting that she had seen the two of us dancing. I laughed and shook my head, and climbed the set of stairs that led to my bedroom. "She's not really my type mom..." Oh how clueless she could be. My meeting with Isabel pressed on my mind that night as I fell asleep, and I dreamed of how it would proceed.  I smoothed my hands across my khaki pants as I walked across the garden to the bench where Isabep posed beautifully. She could have been one of the statues herself. I made sure my red polo was tucked in properly before I reached her and held out a hand for her to stand up. We needed to get back into the trees before someone spotted us. "Fancy meeting you here," I smiled, feeling much more relaxed outside of the ballroom setting. "Would you like to go on a walk?" I had told my security gaurds that I was going to go for a walk when they had dropped me off at the hotel, just not who it would be with. Oh how exhilarating this meeting would be!

---

"Sounds delightful,"I said with a smile, as I stood. He was a vision in...bright red. He looked rather handsome, the way his hair flipped, uncombed, much better than how it was at the ball last night. I tucked my own hair behind my ear as we began to walk,hidden, in the shadows of the trees. Aunt Josie knewI had gone exploring, she trusted me, and didn't have such a big problem with Romania. Mom didn't either, just Dad... He still does.

---

I led her down the stone paved into the trees. A butterfly fluttered in front of us as we walked. It was a sign of good things to come in Romanian culture. "Have you ever heard the story of the butterfly?" I asked as we delved into the trees and the world became a little bit darker. The world casted in a different shadow. I wanted to reach out and hold her hand. Oh how badly I wanted to! But the time was not right so instead a placed my palms in my pockets, occupying them until I could touch her once again. 

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