This time he took no regard of the thousands of staring eyes and put his arm fully around her waist, pulling her body right up against his. He was surprised when she almost recoiled away from him almost as if it was painful, instead of the reaction he was used to.

She was lighter on her feet than he was, though.

"You're quite the graceful dancer." He observed.

"Thanks." She answered insincerely.

"May I ask your name?"

"If you are content to ask without receiving an answer."

He sighed. "Why are you being so difficult?"

"What rule says I must be easy?" Her eyes flashed in sudden anger.

It was strange, the way this girl made him feel. He had always thought, other than the eventual sex, that the easiness of capturing a woman's heart was an amazing feeling. He never realised that a challenge, a real challenge, could be more exciting.

"You must at least be courteous."

"As courteous as you are to me?"

He smiled. "Yes, that would be fine."

She smirked. "So I must dance as close to you as possible" she took a step forward. For once his heart was the one to speed up. "And I must whisper all conversation in your ear." She whispered. "This is how you operate, is it not?"

For the first time in his life he was at a loss for words. Is this how the woman he danced with always felt? He was a bit glad she was dancing so close to him, she hid the signs of his arousal.
"This is not what I had in mind." He managed to choke out.

She snickered. "You're lying. This is exactly what you had in mind, the roles are simply reversed."

She let go of him suddenly and he prayed no one was watching too closely.

"The song is over." She stated and left.

He didn't see her again that night. He didn't dance with anyone else either. And that night, for the first time in years, he went to bed alone.

c~*~c

"I see your companion was more silent tonight." The king announced the next morning as he and his son sat at the breakfast table.

"There was no companion." Nicholas said simply.

The king almost dropped his drumstick. "Really? Have you decided to settle down after all?"

"No." Nicholas replied swiftly out of habit, but stopped himself. What if he could seduce her? If he could find her, that is. If he knew she would say yes, would he ask her? She was the only person that might actually refuse him if he asked, yet she was the only person he even considered asking. He chuckled at the irony.

"What is it now?" the king demanded.

Nicholas shook his head and decided he must meet the girl again, and there was only one way he could think of how.

"I would like another ball tonight."

"Tonight?" his father exclaimed. "You must be joking!"

"I assure you, I am not."

His father scoffed. "You're creating a large dent in my finances, boy."

Nicholas rolled his eyes. "I'll just ask Mother."

The king scoffed. "Please do, because she always takes my finances into account." Sarcasm tinted his words.

Nicholas smiled. The king sighed and waved his hand dismissively.
"Do as you please."

c~*~c

His mother, on the other hand, was elated.

"I knew you had found someone you liked!" she clasped her hands together. "I am so happy!"

He gave her an unconvincing smile.

"I must get a new dress made right away! Jessica! Jessica!"

Jessica walked in gingerly. She tried to walk upright despite the wounds on her back.

"Yes, your majesty?"

"Get Prince Nicholas a new suit immediately!"

She nodded, curtseyed painfully, and left.

"Oh, I am so happy!" the queen laughed again. "I must make arrangements!" She ran off.

The prince rolled his eyes, if only to mask his own excitement.

c~*~c

She wasn't here.

It was an hour before the party ended. The prince was sitting silently on his throne, his eyes repeatedly scanning for a girl that never came.

His mother leaned over to him. "You should go dance," she whispered.

He shook his head.

The queen sighed. "Who is it you've been waiting for all night?"

Nicholas simply shook his head again. He felt almost as if she had betrayed him, this nameless girl.

He felt as if he was supposed to meet her and she stood him up.

It was then, suddenly, that he saw her.

She was wearing the same dress she wore yesterday. She entered through the door and her eyes scanned the room, searching. Eventually they came to rest on him. She twirled around and pushed through the bodies to leave again.

"No." Nicholas gasped and all but jumped off his throne to stop her.

She left through the door and Nicholas followed. He ran to her and grabbed her arm. It's raining, he realised.

"You," she frowned. "What are you doing out here?"

"Would you like to come to the balcony?"

She slapped him.

It was so unexpected, so rare, that he completely lost all train of thought. She, however, had much to say.

"I am not one of your one night stands. Take your hand off my arm or I will break it off."

His temper flared up and his hand tightened around her arm. "Make me."

Her eyebrows lifted incredulously. She suddenly realised she had talked herself into a trap. She could curse him as much as she liked, but any physical harm to him would result in death. She had already broken the law by slapping him.

"Are you going to drag me up to the balcony?" She sneered. She knew if he harmed her he would lose his nobility.

They stared, scowling into each other's eyes for a few minutes.

"Stalemate." Nicholas said and returned to the ballroom.

"What did I ever see in her?" he muttered to himself. This girl knew nothing, absolutely nothing, about him, but she explodes every time he touched her! It's ridiculous!

A small, unwanted voice spoke.

She knows everything about you. She knows you better than anyone you've ever met, and she hates you. What does that tell you? What insight…

The prince silenced the voice of his conscience. A voice he hasn't heard for a long time. He emerged himself in his old lifestyle, savouring every moment of empty joy.