She stopped for a moment, her breath catching. Around her the dancers continued to move, dresses swirling; blurring into an intricate web of silk and crystal and colour. So close, almost intimate, but somehow never quite touching.
He’s here.
Standing with his usual group, she had felt his presence almost before she had seen him.
He came.
They had spoken of this night, this annual gathering. There was safety in this crowd of revellers. In this sea of carefree extravagance.
This ball. This decadence, this cheerful abandon.
It was all pretence of course. A night to forget the storms that raged. A night to imagine a different world. A night to become someone else, even if just for a few hours.
We must be careful.
A year ago she had been a nobody. She wouldn’t even have been able to attend this ball, much less host it. Her life had been simple then, harsh perhaps, but simple.
Then came the choosing. And, suddenly she was no longer unknown. She was gifted. She was special.
But, her Cinderella moment was not without consequence, and this sudden freedom from her previous life also became her prison.
But, I met him.
As she moved through the room, stopping to exchange a word here, a reassurance there, her eyes never strayed far from him. He had turned so that he could watch her, a faint smile on his lips.
When she finally arrived by his side, she joined in with the meaningless small talk. Laughing in the right places and saying the right words. Playing the role that had been thrust upon her.
All the while her eyes held his.
Do we have the strength for what comes tomorrow?
[This story happens sometime before the events in A Letter.]
You can find this weeks #ThePrompt linky here. I do hope this week’s prompt inspired you; I look forward to reading your posts.
Blog Name: mumturnedmom
Blog URL: http://mumturnedmom.com
Twitter ID: @mumturnedmom
Email: mumturnedmom@gmail.com
Sara, the passion is alive. I needed to comment here before clicking onto find out what happens next! Love the prompt. Strangle, I had two that I posted – there could have been one more that also fit the link. x
This is awesome! Such emotion! I’m off to read A letter Now! #theprompt!
Have a great weekend.
Nat x
Oh Gosh I love it! You definitely need to get writing a book lady – I’d love to read it! :)
I like your spin on the Cinderella tale and also how you link it together with another post you wrote.
I think you have a book in you, Sara!
Talented lady X
Fabulous writing Sara, I’m hanging on for the rest! Will pop over to have a read :) x
So much mystery and intrigue about who she is and why she’s been catapulted into a Cinderella moment. More please xx
I shall be rushing off to read The Letter. I’m very curious to read the background.
This is great. Very tense and so much unsaid. I love the way you have portrayed their attraction, it’s very powerful.
Brilliant, I like the grown up adult slant on Cinderella. Clever!
Hmmm….love this! I loved The Letter, and the ‘hmmm’ is pondering on how it all fits together. I particularly liked the observation that she is playing a role, and her new life is a different sort of prison. It’s one of those short stories that gets you thinking. Fabulous interpretation of Cinderella, Sara xxx
You had me hooked with the letter post last time, I need to know more ;0) x
Love this, I’m dying to find out more! I’ve finally joined up, after promising to ever since you started the linky!! Suzanne mentioned it was Cinderella this week after she read my post. Mine is a tad more prosaic than yours ;) xx
This is absolutely brilliant! I am looking at it as an epilogue to the Cinderella story, her life after she becomes a princess, hosting a ball with her Prince Charming. #prose4T
I agree with the others – you definitely have a book in you Sara. This is beautifully written. We went to see the Disney film of Cinderella yesterday – but your writing is SO much better than their script. Thank you for linking to Prose for Thought x