Marstella Allegro.

               My heart dropped to my stomach. I whipped my attention from Madeline to look at the redhead woman in a new light. She wasn't just any noble. She was Marstella. The Marstella.

               "Madeline. Your company is a pleasure, as always," Marstella said. "But I'm surprised you're spending time with us. Aren't you too busy with acting as Coleman's loyal little bitch? His dog, that is."

               Marstella Allegro.

               She really was gorgeous. No wonder Luke was so smitten with her. She looked like a pale, red-headed Barbie doll.

               I heard Madeline let out an angry grunt from behind me, but I was busy looking at Marstella.

               "At least—at least I'm not some ladder-climbing peasant," Madeline spat.

               How did I not realize it before? I wondered as I looked at Marstella. It all made sense, really. Luke had told me she was an illegitimate child of a nobleman.

               "I may have had to climb a little bit, sure, but at least when Prince Coleman says 'jump' my first question isn't 'how high?', Madeline."

               "Oh please, Prince Coleman's never done that with me before," Madeline snapped.

               "Are you really so dull that you can't understand a basic metaphor? All that noble schooling you had, wasted," Marstella clucked her tongue.

               "Oh please," Madeline sniffed. "And how many languages can you speak?"

               "Does that matter if my control of our native English language is clearly superior to yours?"

               Madeline stood gaping like a fish, searching for a comeback that she did not possess.

               "So, you're Marstella," I snarled in the pause left by a losing Madeline.

               Marstella blinked a couple of time and turned to me. She rose an eyebrow. "What? Don't tell me that Madeline has gotten to your head. I'm not the viper she makes me out to be."

               "I couldn't care less what Madeline thinks about you. She thinks I'm a slut and I know that's not true," I started. "But you know who I do care about?"

               Marstella crossed her arms. "I'll humor you. Who?"

               I set my jaw. "I care about Lucas Prescott."

               She clearly didn't see that response coming. Her eyes fluttered wide open and her lips parted. She then cast her gaze onto the ground. "Oh," she said limply, quietly.

               "Oh," I repeated with venom.

               Marstella didn't say anything. She just stood there for a few seconds before scampering off. The whole exchange left me feeling unsettled. The worst part of this whole thing was that I really did like Marstella. I saw myself in her.

               Perhaps all the accusations were right. Maybe I really was just like Marstella.

               "Well," I heard Lady Madeline start to speak from behind me. I turned and looked at her. "I know that they say that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, but I think I'll make an exception for you."

               I rolled my eyes. "What's your damage, anyways?"

               "My what?"

               "What your problem with me, Lady Madeline? I mean, honestly."

               "Did you forget about the pool incident?! You pushed me in, remember?" she snapped.

               "Is this really about the freaking pool?" I groaned. "Look, I didn't choose Prince Coleman to be my prince for tonight, alright? So I'm not your rival for him or whatever."

               Madeline didn't say anything for a moment.

               "Besides, why do you even care about him so much?" I asked her. "He doesn't care about you, don't you know?"

               Her nostrils flared. "Excuse me?! How would you—"

               "And meanwhile," I interrupted. "Roiben's been staring at you this whole time," I said, gesturing to Roiben standing several paces away. I'd noticed earlier that he had been staring at Madeline. "You do know he's half in love with you, right?" And with that, I decided to take my leave of the conversation and turned around briskly, my skirt nicking her legs as I left. I found Prince Nikolas sitting down on a chair against the wall, and I sat down in the chair next to him and sighed deeply before plopping my head on his shoulder before I could think otherwise. Besides, he was my prince for the day, so I might as well use him as a human pillow. Prince Nikolas immediately stiffened at my bold gesture, but quickly relaxed.

               "I'm exhausted," I told him, latching onto his arm to make myself more comfortable. "Physically and mentally and emotionally and all that."

               "I am sorry to hear that," he said.

               "It's okay. It's still been a good day. Oh! You'll be happy to know that I got invited by one of the nobles to a pool party!"

               "That is good," he said. "I am glad that more events are coming in your future."

               "There was also a noblewoman girl that I was talking to."

               "The blonde, or the redhead?" he asked me.

               "Prince Nikolas, were you watching me?" I teased.

               "Well, I am your prince for the day."

               I laughed. I let go of his arm and sat up straight and looked at him. "Well, I was talking to the redhead one. And she and I were getting along really well."

               "That is good."

               "No, it's not," I sighed. "Remember that whole Marstella Incident thing I told you about earlier?"

               "Yes, I do. Why, was that woman Marstella?"

               I nodded sadly. "Everyone thinks I'm just like her. Maybe they're right."

               He didn't say anything for a moment. "Maybe they are," he started. "Maybe they're not. But, if it is any condolence, I do not think you are exactly the same."

               "You don't even know her."

               "I do not know her, but I know you, do I not?" He said. "Do all these people who say that you are just like Marstella, do they really know you?"

               I didn't say anything for a moment. "I guess not," I finally said.

               "Then there you have it." Prince Nikolas then stood up and held out his hand. "Now, might I have this next dance?"

               I smiled and took his hand. "You may."

"Cassie?" Prince Nikolas said as our dance was starting to end.

               "Yes?"

               "Might we go out on the balcony for a moment?"

               "Sure," I said. "I could use some fresh air." We made our way through the ballroom up the flight of stairs opposite the one we had descended earlier, and made our way up to one set of the balcony doors. There were many people milling about outside basking in the fresh, cool air, so Prince Nikolas led me to the corner of the balcony, where I leaned on my forearms onto the railing and let the breeze lick my face.

               "I don't know how you're managing with your coat in there," I told Prince Nikolas. "It's so hot."

               "When you have been to as many balls as I have, you get used to it," he said, standing next to me and resting his hands on the balcony.

               "I guess so," I shrugged.

               "Cassie, might I ask you something?" he asked. He sounded fairly serious, but then again, he was almost always serious, so who knew what that could mean. Regardless, I quit resting on my forearms and stood straighter, turning to face him.

               "Yes, Prince Nikolas?"

               "Every year, Nikoto hosts the Winter Ball in February. It is sort of similar to Aregano's Autumn Festival—it is our biggest event of the year, and many people from the nine collegiate countries come to this event."

               "Oh, yeah, you mentioned that earlier, I think," I said. When he was talking about Calista.

               "I see. Well, I always have a date for the Winter Ball. And by a date I mean a woman, not a calendar date," he chuckled nervously. "So, Cassie, would you accompany me to the Winter Ball? You see, it would be a very good opportunity for you and I think that we would have a nice time."

My jaw dropped. Prim and proper Prince Nikolas, asking me to be his date for a Nikotan ball?! What was happening?! I realized I hadn't said anything for a few seconds, so I stammered. "Y-y-yes! Yes, of course. Sorry, I'm just so stunned. I mean, what with me being a maid and all! Thank you!"

Prince Nikolas smiled. "Thank you for accepting. There are, of course, many more details, but I can relay them to you at a later date."

"Sounds great," I beamed. "Thank you, Prince Nikolas."

"You are welcome. And, if you'd like, you can just call me Nikolas. I think we are friends enough by now that there is no need to always include my title."

Despite the chilly air, I felt a rosy glow warm my cheeks. "Okay, I will, Nikolas."