Ink: Living Life as Serena Gleis

V. First Dance

After almost a half and an hour of pleasantries, the hall was now filled with classical music, music that I often hear in a cheesy romantic movie where the leads starts slow dancing.

In my past life, I never learned how to dance that way. Maybe I have lessons about that back when I was in highschool but who cares about those? I was taught how to dance by the Duke's official etiquette teachers but I can't really dance that well. Serena's body is too timid to move graceful which what these kind of dances requires. So I gave this up, the teachers also gave up. They just told me not to dance and behave in a corner and that's what exactly I am doing right now.

Girls my age, uh- Serena's age started occupying the center of the hall. They danced gracefully with their partners.

They seem happy and careless.

Would I ever feel like that, here? In Serena's body?

I just can't help but think if there will be a time that I can be careless and not stand on eggshells every second of the damned day.

How does it feel not to have a care in the world and be happy at the moment?

I don't know. Serena or the real me would never know.

The crowd gasped in awe as they witnessed the magnificent view of the princess and the first prince dancing. They have now become the center of attention. As expected of the imperial family, they seemed flawless. At a young age, they danced like they have twenty years of experience doing this.

"Shame." The Duchess Liberia of Gleis, my stepmother whispered behind me.

"I apologize, mother." I said. My stepmother does not come from a very respectable household, as far as I know, she's just a daughter of a baron of a small town. She just rose in power when she married the Duke.

She's a despicable and materialistic woman. She wants to have it all, beauty, fame, money and power. She hates being overpowered.

It's pretty ridiculous sometimes. She's jealous of the Empress and the imperial family.

I just sat in my perspective seat, no one will ask me to dance anyway and I don't even want to dance. I' just make a fool of myself if I did. Caspian's out of sight and Emyr is dancing with a young noble lady I can't recognize.

"Look at her."

"She looks pathetic."

"Who would ever want to dance with a witch's child anyway."

"Don't look at her, you'll be cursed."

Honey, try harder. Mere words like that will not even cause a scratch on me. These spoiled brats. It'll be better to just ignore them. I am just concerned if the Duke will consider this as bringing shame to his family. No matter what I do here seems wrong anyway.

I stood up and went to the buffet area, not far from the dancefloor. I just need a drink. As I am walking pass through the crowd, I took a glimpse of the Emperor and I was surprised as our eyes met as if he was watching me for awhile. The emperor did not even look away, instead he smirked.

The Emperor might look good for his age but nope, I don't want to be a stepmom of children the same age of the body that I have now. I'll consider if I have my old body.

Oh what am I thinking?

I unconsciously laughed about my thoughts. This is the first time I laughed eversince being here.

"May I have the honor to dance with you, my lady?" A boy with black hair and golden eyes suddenly asked. I looked around, maybe he's talking to someone behind me so I stepped aside but he just smiled, directly at me.