Royal Mess

Chapter Twenty-One

April 2221 

The day of the Royal Ball came around much more quickly than I had expected. 

Diane joined me in my dressing room and smiled. 

"What is it?" I asked her. 

She wandered over to me then, and presented me with a box. 

I opened it to reveal a beautiful jewel necklace. 

"But jewels are so scarce on our lands, however did you-" 

"Us royals have our ways. I wanted you to wear this, tonight," she told me then. 

"Thank you!" I said. 

Diane helped me put the necklace on, and I could only smile back at my reflection. 

My look was finally perfected, and I had to admit it- I looked like a princess. 

I had been worried that my baby bump would have made me look huge and peculiar, but I really did look beautiful. 

My maids and Lacey had done an incredible job. 

Diane asked me if I was ready to go, and I agreed. 

The two of us wandered down the hall towards the main palace hall, for a moment, and soon I came face to face with King Nicholas. 

His gaze became filled with warmth, as he looked towards me. 

"You truly do look beautiful, Trixie," he told me then, the corners of his mouth twitching up a little, and slight crinkles appeared at the sides of his eyes as he smiled. 

"Thank you, your majesty," I said. 

He beamed in return. 

"Nathan will be waiting in the grand hall," he said then. 

Diane nodded, and the three of us continued to walk towards the location of the main dance. 

I was nervous, and I felt those butterflies reappear, but Diane took my hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze, which fortunately offered me some well-needed reassurance. 

The queen was wearing a gorgeous pale pink gown, and once we got to the hall I found that Nathan looked perfectly handsome. 

He was wearing a black suit. 

He seemed to look for me, among the crowds of the guests that had already arrived, and his eyes widened slightly as he saw me, but then he seemed to swallow, and his jawline became more defined. 

"Why is he looking at me like that?" I whispered. 

He answered as he strode towards me, taking my hand in his own and gently touching his lips against it for a moment. 

"Perhaps, it is because you look breathtaking, Trixie," he replied. 

He then turned to his mother and smiled. 

"Mother, you look incredible," he said. 

"As do you and Damien," Diane said with admiration, "I am so proud of my boys," she added. 

I looked down to my silver skirt as they spoke for a moment, and straightened it out a little. 

Nathan soon turned to look towards his father. 

"Hello, father," he said. 

King Nicholas smiled back for a brief moment, but soon his expression became more serious.