"Tch!" Duke Ravinia tutted. "You are misinformed. Maybe you are one of those that want to see the Ravinias fall down."
"You envy us!" the duchess accused the princess with a shaky finger. "You spout nonsensical things because you want the lavish life like that of us. Ha!" she scoffed, her eyes darting back and forth from the prince and Elys.
The vampire couple attracted a few of the nobilities surrounding them with their loud voices. Several who were more curious listened in on the conversation, eager to gather new topics they could discuss over a glass of blood the very next day.
The duchess leaned forward, her voice practically hissing at them as she said, "If I knew better, that expensive looking costume of yours, along the accessories and all, had to be extorted from a poor fellow."
"Did you even pay for that?" Duke Ravinia snorted.
Elys almost choked, but expertly kept on to her icy expression as if she didn’t recall the scared face of the tailor. The prince had then threatened to kill him and every single person he loved if he didn’t customize them a dress and suit for the supposed masquerade ball.
She wasn’t embarrassed at all. The princess just felt it was too funny how right the duchess was.
The princess’ eyes turned to her husband. The prince had been unusually quiet the whole time the vampire nobles started screaming at her.
Was he secretly enjoying the nobles diss her as much as the couple did too?
She still had her hand locked to his arm, and she suddenly felt him close the small distance between them. Elys thought he would say something towards the duke and duchess, but Aleksander didn’t focus on the nobles in front of them.
Instead, his attention turned to Elys, and for a moment, a tiny spark seemed to travel from his gaze towards her. The next thing she knew, Elys had withdrew her hand from the prince.
The prince chuckled, reached out to her, and quite smoothly as if nothing happened, had her arm lock with his again, his hand clasping hers.
"You amaze me," Aleksander simply said softly.
Elys found herself blushing. It worried her that despite the tiny voice inside her head saying it might not be true, she still found herself hearing the words he spoke with sincerity. The compliment was entirely out of context – but it affected her still.
She must have gone entirely crazy to think of it that way.
Aleksander tapped on her hand, a smile creeping in his face. His gesture seemed to convey to the princess that he was like praising a smart child that behaved well – or an obedient and talented pet.
The princess couldn’t decide which was better. Neither seemed to be delightful.
"Hey! How dare you, disregard us! Look here," Duke Ravinia turned red as a turnip. "We aren’t done talking. Apologize for all the wrong things you said!"
"Lower your voice, Duke Ravinia," Aleksander addressed the man, "you are attracting a lot of attention."
The princess swerved her head and paid the Duke and Duchess Ravinia her full attention. She will have to address her issue with Prince Aleksander later if he really meant that compliment or had it been another one for the sake of their act.
After all, this was a battle of who could fake it until they made it. And Elys and the prince weren’t the type of people to back down from a fight so easily once they were provoked – especially if they were confident that they would win.
"You should apologize to yourselves," Elys retorted, "Should I dare say that it should be the two of you that needs to keep your mockery to yourself, Duke and Duchess Ravinia? Prince Aleksander and I may be dirt poor, but we aren’t hiding anything."
"Long story short - we aren’t afraid," the prince added.
"And neither are we," Duchess Ravinia interjected.
The princess rolled her eyes behind her mask and didn’t pay heed to what the duchess had to say.
She shooed them away with a dismissive hand as she said, "Go pick on someone else to fool. And please do try your best to hide the skeletons in your closet. Lock them up real nice so that no one has to know."
Elys and the prince walked off with their arms linked together. She could hear the duchess and duke argue with themselves in rushed whispers, one vampire blaming the other and vice versa.
The other nobilities were slowly flocking around them too. How amusing would it be if she had broadcasted the duke and duchess’ secret.
The princess couldn’t hold off her laughter anymore, and a giggle tumbled out of her mouth. Her hand instinctively covered her mouth, and the tips of her finger brushed over the mask she wore.
"Wait, why are we still even wearing this," she remarked.
Elys ripped off the mask from her face, and the prince instantly followed suit. They tossed the accessories away, and Elys began finding a corner where she and Aleksander could talk privately.
On the other hand, the prince’s eyes lit up as he gloated at the memory of the duke and duchess’ expressions. He never did like the Ravinia side of Queen Zephyrine’s family. They were pretentious and always had trouble with money one way or another.
Trumpets blared, and the music immediately stopped as with everyone else swaying on the dance floor.
"His majesty, the King Raxus Ardorlean has arrived!" a low rumbling voice announced.
Elys and Aleksander was yet again caught up in the moment. The princess felt disappointed they had to gather when she and the prince should be discussing their alternative plans.
The king took entrance from the other side, and Elys had to crane her neck to see him.
Music played as he had his processional, like any other royalty making a grand entrance. As he reached the podium, the king caught sight of his son and his new wife, the king beamed to which made the prince agitated even more.
"Today is a special occasion I have organized to celebrate Prince Aleksander’s marriage," the king began. He grabbed a glass of blood and then took a sip. "My dear son," the king cunningly called out, his fangs glinting dangerously, "come forward."