The moon was full adorning the high sky, like a limelight shading the leaves played with by the gentle breezes as the garden's flowers tottered along them but the music played by the humans was louder that night than the nature music. The main hall of the palace of Laria was crowded with important guests and nobles that had all come to wish a safe journey to their young princess. Albert entered the hall with Alex wearing their masks, the first a white and bronze one, the second black and grey suiting his dark outfit. Albert had not expected the silent captain to attend such a livid occasion, but to his shock, he fit so perfectly with picture and flowed calmly as a complementing part of it. On the other hand, it was Albert who stood a forgotten out of the lines brush. He was so nervous since it was his first time in such a masked ball. The guests' noise was disturbing the night's hums but all the voices were hushed when the crown princess entered wearing a golden mask adorned with peacock's feathers melding beautifully with the shades of blue and green that graced her elegant long gown. Her highness Hestia was accompanied with her retinue and right behind her, a young girl with the same brown long hair, tied in a simple fashion, wearing a no less simple blue dress, revealing nothing of her skin, and a veil of velvet carved with flowers crowning her head, the only outstanding feature of her presence. No one needed to guess, although not often seen in public, everybody knew this youthful girl to be the younger princess, and although she was dressed less fancier than Hestia her presence was as dignified as her elder sister. Everyone bowed in deep respect, truly earned and deserved as much as powerfully enforced, and then the music continued with a gesture from the crown princess for the ball to go on. A servant offered the royal officer a glass of red wine; he took it with shaking hands watching the nobles dancing wearing different masks giving hints to everyone's personalities and valued preferences but what interested him that the younger princess, who sat on a chair lower to her sister's in a designed balcony to oversee the entire hall of the ballroom, wasn't wearing a mask. She seemed the only true thing in the ball; her face free of anything and reflecting modesty, her simple appearance even gave her more dignity and respect than her sister in his opinion. Albert turned around, realizing it was impolite to keep staring at the two sisters for comparison but he didn't find Alex who was standing next to him just few moments ago. He looked for him between the fluttering of elegant dresses while avoiding the rush of the young lovely girls who tried to have a dance with him while he gently refused because he had no idea about dancing. Then, despite the dark sky outside, a left over from the sun golden rays emanating through a white cloud shading a snowy flower caught his eyes... the light of the golden hair dimmed every lantern at the dancing floor. The long blonde locks styled like a crown gave the face hidden behind a mask the mien and pride of a queen, and the flowers that carved the mask seemed to be blooming around two pure lakes filled in their bottom with glittering sapphires.
Albert watched Alex dancing with the lady in the white dress with the golden wide collar adorned by a white vivid narcissus with resentful eyes. The woman's mask was pure white interlacing complex flower design and carved with gold. Seeing the responsible man of his father's death enjoying himself in the company of the most beautiful lady in the masquerade annoyed him so much, he mumbled to himself gulping his drink:
"Speaking about faithfulness to his fiancée!"
He drank the glass of wine all at once while watching the two of them dancing; the lady was moving like a light butterfly spreading her pure untainted wings yet she chose to rest on a withered flower. The captain in his dark clothes and the lady in her bright dress resembled a white flower blooming while surrounded by the wings of night; her brilliance was even able to shed light upon Alex's gloomy eyes. He held her hand embracing her and bringing her closer to his broad chest as she rested the other one on his shoulder. For two dances they did not change partners or exchange a single word, leaving poor Albert entranced by their harmony despite their contrast. At the third dance, the lady finally broke the tune of music with words.
"Nice masquerade, is it not my lord?"
"There's nothing true about it."
"It is because there is nothing true to it that it is going splendidly unlike your opinion which is gloomy because it's true. I find myself believing that's why we hide the ugliness and pain of truth behind a mask of lies and hypocrisy."
The beautiful lady did not have to think for long before declaring her mind with a smile that meant to deliver a message of displeasure with this fact, yet accepting it as the sole reality. She craned her neck like an elegant swan waiting for her partner's response that followed hers immediately:
"But at such night, an untruth can turn into truth and a truth can turn into untruth thanks to these masks. Thus, a foe can become a friend, and a friend turns into a foe."
Alex said this while the woman followed the music rhythm by turning around herself then returning to his chest as he embraced her strongly within his arm, she put her head on his shoulder watching the reflection of a hidden silver bright inside his sleeve in an empty glass.
"And a killer can turn into a victim and a killed can be the criminal..."
The woman cast a quick glance at Albert then raised her eyes meeting Alex's who were following hers and saw a man lurking with his gun aimed at the young man. The woman smiled in smug satisfaction as the bright silver was returned to the darkness again. They continued dancing as if nothing had or was about to happen.
"So my lord, have you put another mask on your face tonight or have you unmasked it with a false meaningless one?"
The blonde lady asked, her arms roaming the wide back of Alex without shame, her gloves fragrant like a petal and smooth as a feather.
"The beauty of the red vivid petals of the rose cannot hide its thorns, and the elegant leather of the snake cannot hide its poisonous fangs. Some things and desires are so strong that they cannot be hidden with mere masks. Just like the fog, made of delicate clouds yet thick and deadly."
Alex answered in a dead tone despite his moving body. There was no life to his rasp voice, unlike the lady's melodious one who seemed far more interested in the conversation she was leading.
"But, isn't this how life goes on? We all wear masks after all, don't we? A good intention may be hidden beyond a cruel act; a bad intention can also be hidden beyond a nice gesture. Some people wear these silly masks for similar masked balls but others wear them throughout their life, in every smile, in every piece of advice, in every dance. However, the smart one is who wears the mask on both, face and heart, that he believes for an instant that he really loves a certain person or despises him!"
"My lady, a mask won't blind a person who took his deep spite as his light."
The white dress stopped twirling all of a sudden. The woman pulled her hand from the black glove holding it looking at her own white glove. As if lamenting, she addressed the captain:
"Few moments ago, you said that tonight, untruth can turn into truth..."
Although her voice tone change for a second through these words, the bright in her eyes didn't fade. She looked at the long white glove covering her hand and arm but she didn't take it off although she seemed intent on doing that. In the end, she put her clothes hand on Alex's pale cheek and touched his lips with her thumb saying:
"I believe so too..."
Like a shooting star the lady quickly gave his lips a swift kiss, watering the faded petals with a sweet nectar. The wine choked in Albert's throat when he saw the lady kisses Alex while Alex himself didn't seem affected or moved, a magical moment lost through the many distractions of the ball. The lady held her gown's train and left the room, Alex watched her leaving and looked at the princess's chair; it was empty. Alex rushed to Albert in an unusual manner and asked him about the younger princess. The latter answered irritated:
"She left a while ago. Unlike some people, she doesn't seem to enjoy lying!"
Alex didn't care about what Albert insinuated which irritated the boy even more. Alex looked around the hall, some guards who were standing to protect the two princesses weren't in their places anymore. Alex exhaled angrily and when Albert asked him what was the problem he answered by giving him his back and leaving the party. Albert followed him insulted; he suspected he might be up to something, perhaps something related to the young princess Selene. He rushed after him but a simple blue dress stopped him. He looked at the princess who stood watching the full moon from a large window in the long corridor leading to the ballroom. Albert hesitated; should he greet her or leave her in peace? But even without moving or making a sound, the princess realized his presence as she turned at him. Like her elder sister and even to a greater degree, she had extremely wide eyes that seemed in the young man's eyes like a horizon spread endlessly throughout the blue clear sky, a horizon just like the one he dreamt of travelling. Her voice awakened his journeying mind, he startled thinking he had disrespected her and was ready to apologize but what came out of her pale lips was a warning.
"Approach not, young man."
Albert froze in embarrassment, he felt stupid and ignorant, she was a princess after all and he was staring at her enchanted by the beauty of her eyes, but it turned out the warning was not regarding his lack of respect but a warning for his own safety as a black shadow suddenly appeared charging toward her with his unsheathed sword from the side of the corridor. Albert quickly rushed to her and pulled her down with him still, the princess didn't panic nor scream calling for help. Albert reached clumsily to his sword but the assassin had already fallen dead, a sword thrust in his chest. The princess, shielded by the royal officer looked at Alex, the man who had just saved her life but the latter didn't stop for formalities and instead rushed to the end of the corridor without paying any respect to the princess, he was just passing through like a breeze of wind. Albert looked at the dead man and recognized him; he was one of the palace guards! He asked the princess:
"What's going on, your highness?"
But more guards came out of their hiding place and surrounded them; Albert wanted to protect the princess no matter what because she was the only one capable of saving his people, he put his hand on his sword ready to fight to the end but the princess merely remarked:
"You can't do it."
Albert looked at her in a mixture of awe and fear, she'd read his heart! He wasn't accustomed to use his sword and didn't like to in the first place. Albert was ashamed of his weakness. He opened his mouth but was stopped by Hestia and her guards who came after hearing the fuss to deal with the traitors. Assuring that the princess was safe now, he rushed again after Alex through the long corridors. Alex was still holding his sword in his hand when Albert arrived yet he was not moving, almost petrified at a certain scene, shaking so hard Albert could not tell what was wrong with him... such rage yet frustration at the same time... he never imagined he would see Alex unable to carry his composed self. What sight was so enraging to the usually unshakable man? Albert followed his line of gaze; the end of the corridor was leading to a garden where Alex's eyes were fixed, he gripped his sword's more strongly like a tiger preparing to assault and thrust his paws into his prey, the prey that stood smiling a provoking smile at the hunter whose anger grew more when his legs failed him after few steps. Albert looked at Alex, his whole body was trembling like a tied hurricane roaming in an empty place, strong and raging yet unable to pull out even one grain of sand. The lady in the white dress was still wearing her mask enjoying watching and provoking the shaking man with the smile of her glistening red lips. Albert didn't understand anything, he looked at her but she did not cast a single glance his way, absorbing the captain dressed in black in her blue orbs. She got off the narcissus she had adorned her collar with, put it on her lips, threw it on the ground between Alex's feet then disappeared between her guards covered by the darkness of the night, her white robe disappearing into thin air. Albert picked up the thrown flower and looked at it commenting:
"I thought you got along well with her..."
He turned at Alex waiting for an explanation. The captain's head was bowed, his sword slipped from his hand and fell down. Albert looked at him but not a moment later Alex collapsed on the ground.