Heart of the Sea

CHAPTER TWO

“Do I have to go?” Thalassa inquired her mother dejectedly.

Aeras laughed at her and put a hand on her shoulder. Thalassa gave her sister a look that said it was not a laughing matter. But the older Haskell barely gave her sister’s stare a thought as she explained why she was laughing. She told them the irony of Thalassa’s position. When she was not supposed to come, she would plead to be allowed to go. And now she could come, she was pleading to be left.

Thalassa removed her sister’s hand from her shoulder as she sunk to the closest sofa and put a hand across her forehead. “You do not understand, dear sister. This would be my very first ball,”

“Thalassa, I understand your concern,” their mother assured her even before Aeras could. “But everyone is curious to see you. We have hidden you for eighteen years, and we cannot contain everyone’s curiosity now that the queen has asked to see you.”

“Mother!” she protested.

“I do not want to hear more of the subject, young lady,” her mother said in a tone of voice that meant the conversation was no longer open for debate.

“Yes, mother,” Thalassa replied in defeat.

Aeras shook her head at the scene. But- decided not to torture her sister any longer about her insecurities at finally being introduced. She could understand where her sister’s concern was coming from. But- Aeras knew if Thalassa just continued to be who she was, she will soon conquer every hearts out there. The woman was impossible not to love; with her innocence and giddy that could compare to those of a child.

“Come, Thalassa and we shall help each other prepare for the ball,” Aeras said.

“You know very well I prefer to help you prepare for the ball, Aeras.” Thalassa said as she and her sister went up the stairs to go to her room.

“I know it very well, dear Thalassa. But it was an excuse to get you away from Mother,” her sister answered with a laugh.

“You are very cunning, dear sister.” and so, the sisters made their way up the stairs and towards Aeras’ room to look for something Thalassa could wear.

“Should I help you with your hair, Thalassa?” her sister offered as soon as she finished dressing up.

“No, I can well handle it myself.”

Thalassa faced the mirror and braided her hair before carefully putting it into a bun to hide the blue part. Then, she faced the full length mirror to see herself. She wore a red ball gown. Its sleeves made of crimson lace. The upper part hugged her petite body though the color did nothing to complement her pale skin. She then turned to looked at her sister. Aeras’ hair was pulled to a messy bun that only sharpened her features. Her gown was such a color that brought out her complexity.

“Ladies! We will be terribly late for the ball!” their mother’s voice sounded from the door.

“Coming, Mother,” they answered simultaneously.

The journey towards the ball was a silent one. Thalassa wasn’t keen on attending her first ball. After all, for eighteen years she interacted with no one but her family. She used to interact with other kids before, more specifically, their helper’s daughter and son. But something happened that once ruined the name Haskell and their parents decided that it would be better to remove other people from their house.

Since then, Thalassa had dreaded to interact with other people. She had seen how fragile yet still be a dangerous being people can be that she no longer felt the need to talk with anyone other than her family. She was scared of being judged for something she could not help nor could she change. But- here she was, on her way to her first ball to be introduced to the very beings she tried to evade. And faster than she would have liked, they had arrived.

Despite her apprehension about the crowd, Thalassa was hypnotized by the place that she had soon forgotten why she was even scared to come. The Royal Ballroom was a building separated from the main castle since anyone could use it for their own parties and such as long as they have approval from the queen. Yet, despite that it was not part of the castle; it was made of the same design- the same majestic feeling surrounding it.

The evening was buzzing with music and laughter as people were already gathered inside the hall. An attendant opened their carriage door and assisted the ladies in stepping out, and Thalassa was the last one out. The young valet’s eyes stayed on her longer than necessary, wondering who she was. But with a sigh, she followed her family towards the stairs to enter the great double doors of the hall.

Everyone was busy to even notice the new arrivals, and this gave Thalassa hope that the night may passed with no one noticing her. But with a family like hers that would be impossible. So, she quickly withdrew to the darkest part of the hall and sat by herself as she watched her sister mingle with a bunch of people.

Then, she was pulled by her mother to introduce her to the queen who threw the ball for her niece’s birthday. “My queen, this is my youngest daughter.”

Thalassa curtsied to the queen. “I am Thalassa, my queen.”

“My! Such beauty your daughters behold. I find it such a waste to hide her.”

Thalassa gave the queen a smile before she answered. “My condition cannot allow me to appear in the morning the way most people do, my queen. But from now on, I shall do my best to attend to balls you throw.”

“Yes. Yes, please do, Ms. Thalassa. I shall be honored to see you and your family again.”

After talking to the queen, Thalassa, again withdrew to the corner where she watched her sister. She watched as her sister blended with the crowd with such ease Thalassa could not find in herself. But still- she could see how her sister’s beauty and radiance climbed atop the others. Though, that hadn’t seemed to stop her Aeras from fitting in.

Unlike her.

Aeras was laughing at a joke someone just made when she felt a presence behind her. And the females she was speaking to turned quiet as their eyes grew huge with shock. Blinking twice in confusion she turned to look behind her and she saw the prince smiling at her. He bowed down in greeting, and so did she.

“May I have the honor of being your first two dances, my lady?” he asked with a dazzling smile that made the females behind Aeras swoon. He raised his hand between them and Aeras’s put hers atop of his.

And with a smile, she answered. “Certainly, Dear prince.”

The prince closed his hand around Aeras’ and led her towards the floor, where other pairs have already gathered. People stared at them, watching their every move that could even unnerve the bravest of souls but the two people acted like they hadn’t even noticed as they waltz around and never leaving each other’s eyes.

Nicholas was so sure he had seen Aeras before. He just could not place the memory. But now he was staring at her eyes and her at his, he instantly felt the connection between them— embracing his whole being like a protective barrier. It hadn’t been broken. It was just hidden away to the depths of his mind because of how long it had been. He had forgotten it. Buried beneath the new things in his life. But- the look in her eyes was something he would never forget.

Aeras had never forgotten about the boy who played with her all day long. The boy who came to her aide whenever she was in trouble. The boy who sneak out of the castle at night just to say good night to her. She had never forgotten even when circumstances had separated the two of them. It had been years since she saw him. She was just a little girl of age five when fate intruded and break down her connection with the man that was now dancing with her.

And faster than Aeras would have liked, the first song ended. She let go of the prince before she stepped back. They bowed to each other and stepped aside as they waited for the next song. There was complete silence between them but it was nothing of the awkward. The silence was comfortable like how they used to be when they were still little kids.

“Please excuse me, my lady. I shall be back before the next song starts.” Nicholas excused himself politely yet casually. And in that instant, Aeras knew he had recognized her.

Aeras nodded and watched where her prince would go and that saw he approached a man, the very same man who caught her sister in the queen’s garden. And she also saw the way he looked at her sister. Forming a plan in mind, she set off to find the latter but not before making sure the prince would see where she would go. Upon reaching her sister, she made sure that Thalassa was hidden from the men’s eyes to add to the surprise.

“My dearest Thalassa, I must insist that you dance. You cannot very well just sit during your first ball.”

Thalassa sighed. “Aeras, you certainly know I don’t dance,” but then, she simpered. “not without a sword.”

“Thalassa!” she scolded.

Nicholas pointed Aeras to his cousin, and they made their way towards the ladies who were busy talking. The two men wore almost similar clothing. The only difference was the color. While the prince wore a dark, royal blue, his cousin was wearing a maroon tuxedo that only complimented his body built and made it more apparent that he was indeed a master of the deadly arts.

“Cousin, I must insist that you dance. I cannot bear to see you just standing there all by yourself.” Nicholas pressed.

“You know me, Nicholas. I don’t dance.”

The prince softly shook his head at his stubborn cousin. “Oh, Pierce. I know well you do. You just choose not to.”

“How will I dance when you’re dancing with the only handsome lady in the crowd?”

He gestured around them where ladies of different status and style stood. “There are plenty of ladies for this ball, dear cousin. Come.” And upon reaching the ladies, the two men gave a slight bow in greetings, and Nicholas gestured to the man besides him. “Ms. Aeras, this is my cousin, Pierce Sinclair.”

“It’s a pleasure to be of acquaintance, Mr. Sinclair.” Aeras greeted with a curtsy.

Pierce Sinclair bowed his head in acknowledgment. “The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Haskell.”

“Please, call me by my given name,” her sister commented as to give a feeling of openness. “And please, meet my sister, Thalassa.”

The men’s eyes wandered behind her, and she stepped aside to let them see Thalassa. The men were shocked to see what the lady behind the mask really looked like. And Aeras’ intuition was proven correct when she noticed Mr. Pierce’s lingering stare on her sister. She could not contain the smile that made its way to her lips. She took Thalassa’s hand and gave her a gentle squeeze to assure her that everything was going fine.

Thalassa gave her sister a grateful look as the prince made conversation with them. Though, the prince’s cousin barely talked, he stayed with the group, giving Thalassa a handful of stolen glances. But- what he hadn’t known was that Thalassa could very well see and feel his stares.