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Iron Secrets (me and TheDuchess)

She looked up at him and bowed her head " I will accompany you to this ball tonight, but i don't have anything like what everyone will be wearing" she frowned slightly and took a deep breath looking up at him and balling her hands up trying to hind the blister scars and rough skin.
 
A smile made his face go beaming as he heard those words from her. "Excellent!" He said, moving closer to her, taking her hands lightly, kissing the back of one. "Do not worry about finding a dress. I will take care of that for you. However, do not plan on doing anything today, you will be quite busy. Just give me one hour. Oh, and a color."
 
" I...... I don't know... i have always worn brown..... i don't know what color would be good for me" she frowned looking at him then away completely embarrassed by not knowing what color she liked, " i saw a flower once it was a type of dirty yellow but it was light in a wine sort of way" she said and looked up at him " does that help?" she asked and gazed at him slightly.
 
He listened to her, hearing her say that she didn't know. She did say something about a dirty yellow, but he knew instinctively that it wouldn't look good on her. He walked around her once, sizing her up slightly, but more interested in the colors that she had naturally. Her hair was a vivid red, that could be useful in trim. Then he stepped in front of her and looked into her eyes, looking deep into them, memorizing the color. Then he stepped back. "One hour. I'll see you in your room." He ran off upstairs to get everything ready.

The next hour was a flurry of movement for him, going from person to person, getting the right fabrics of the right shades for his escort.. A lot of people thought his idea was ludicrous, that it couldn't be done in the time needed... for their standard pay, that was. He offered somewhere around 4 times as much. That was enough palm greasing to get them to work fast enough, and they agreed.

He was back when he said he would be, and he was tailed by around 5 maids and 5 seamstresses. "Ok, we have a lot of work to do, so let's get to work!" He left, because of what was going to be needed, and while the seamstresses set up, the maids took her to the bathroom, getting her in the tub and spending the better part of a half hour scrubbing, getting the soot and dirt off of every inch of her body, especially her face and hands.
 
If he was outside her room he would hear shouts and crys from her in the bathroom before she was pulled and dryed off, they scrubbed at her hands and smoothed her down with a type of cream, before her hair was combed and done up in a predo before she was escorted into the bedroom and measured for the dress, she looked at the greens and red, she jumped a few time because she was pricked with a needle or two and it took a couple hours before she was ready.

The maids came out and found the prince standing there in his best before they all moved to the side and told her to come out, he would here the light clicking of heels as she walked out and infront of him, the dress was modest but still rather beautiful, with a low cut to show the tops of her chest and long sleeves that extended down where he knees would be, it was basic because of the rush job but they did a good job on her hair that was up and curled showing that long neck she had, the and a bit of make up graced the top of her green eyes making them look smaller, she turned to him and bowed slightly looking up at him " your grace."
 
The servants moved out of the way as she came forward, and he was stolen from his breath as he saw her. He was nearly frozen, but as she approached and bowed, he moved forward, helping her back up and pulling her closer to him. "You look wonderful, ever the part of a noble lass." He let go of her, offering her his arm as he led her away from her room to upstairs.

"You never offered your name to me." He said, in a rather soft voice as they climbed the stairs. He stopped at the top, waiting for her to answer him, his eyes locked on hers, and his instincts holding him back from stealing a kiss from her. "We should hurry, the dinner will start soon.
 
She smiled and looked at him " thank you, and my name is Susan.. your grace" she said and held his arm gently trying to be lady like tho the shoes aren't working out for her to well, she made a slight face as she walked with him towards dinner, she wasn't sure what to think when she heard music and the chatter of people and swallowed hard looking at the doors as they opened to the dinner and she breathed softly before walking with him.
 
He smiled as he heard her say her name, and he took her hand, kissing the back of it lightly before putting it back on his arm. "Susan, such a beautiful name."

The doors opened in front of them to lead to the main hall, where the tables were already full, except for two near the king. Alexander led her to them, taking the one directly next to his father after helping her into her own seat. The King leaned over, and Alex had a hushed conversation with him. The King didn't even recognize her! But that was probably senility coming to him. It was saddening to know, but that was the way of the world.

Dinner came a moment later. Rare fish and steaks came in, served one by one from choice to each and every guest. Wine was poured, sometimes being substituted for beer and other harder liquors for some lords.
 
She wasn't here to drink and the wine was nothing compared to what she has drank in the past, but she didn't speak and accepted the wine, she waited for everyone else to start eating before she did, surprisingly she ate lady like, holding the right fork and knife and taking a slow bite of fish before tasting the red wine sparingly, it was a delightful melody in her mouth and found a young lord who wasn't interested in his date staring at her from across the table, she blushed slightly and leaned over slowly to whisper in Alex's ear telling him who was staring at her.
 
Alex was eating... well, like a man. A royal man, at least, with bigger chunks than what Susan was, but small enough that it didn't take more than a minute to chew, and didn't get anything on him. He took wine, as well, though he probably would take something harder later. Susan leaned and started whispering into his ear, and some of the merriment left his face, though he covered it well. He turned to her, smiling, and whispering something to her, but it wasn't important what he was saying. It was simply gossip from outside the castle, but his eyes was on the young lord that was looking at her. The man looked like a cobra had wrapped around his throat, draining the color from his face as red twinged his cheeks. And as A.ex kissed Susan on the cheek lightly, the lord looked away, obviously bested and not doubting the supremacy of the soon-to-be king.

Smug with his little victory over a inconsequential lord, he turned his full attention to Susan. "There, he shouldn't bother you." He finished his meal before standing. "Everybody, we welcome you here in the late harvest season. Once we are finished, we will be going down the hall to the Grand Ballroom." Even as he finished, some groups stood, heading down the hallway.
 
She stopped eating when he kissed her and wasn't expecting it, she felt a hard blush fall over her cheeks as she finished her food and watched him stand and speak to everyone, she waited a moment taking another sip of wine and soon stood with him as her chair was pulled for her, she smiled and took his arm as they were close to the last to leave the dinning room.
 
He smiled as she got up so easily after he pulled her chair out. Except for the King, who was going to bed early because of his age, they were the last ones out of the Hall, the tables being cleaned off of the empty and half-empty plates. The walk wasn't long, but rather narrow, and halfway down, he turned her to face him. "I think they get the image that we are together." Good, his head echoed, and before she could do or say anything, he kissed her, a light brushing of his lips against hers. Maybe that was a sign from him and her, but he was jovial once more as he led her into the Great Hall.
 
When he turned her around and spoke she spoke to" we ar.." before she was cut off by his light kiss, she stood there baffled and blinked looking up at him her red cheeks flushing again as she walked with him and into the ball room, she gazed around the room and smiled at the dancing couples and looked at him as they made their way around getting looks from men and women alike.
 
There were a lot of eyes on them, those that were waiting off the dance floor for him to start it officially, even if the music was going already. And start it he did, leading Susan to the center of the dance floor. He turned her to be in his arms, his left hand taking her right, his right hand going to her hips, and starting a waltz, swift feet going over the floor. It wasn't long before others joined in. "You're a natural." He said, his voice delighted as the music stopped, and he bowed to her.
 
She smiled when he pulled her out to dance, and she found herself almost tripping a few times, she looked up at him and smiled realizing and following his lead, she saw others join and soon the song was over, she bowed to him as well before she felt a tap on her shoulder, she turned and found an older lord bow to take her hand to dance, " Your majesty you have a true jem here do you mind if i steal her away for a dance" she looked back at Alex and smiled at him wondering if he was the jealous type , this seemed innocent and wondered what he would say.
 
The older Lord came forward, and although the look on Alex's face was daggers, he hid it... badly. But he had no reason to say no, and he nodded, letting the older man take Susan. He walked off himself, getting a glass of wine and looking around the room. Everywhere was rather beautiful women, but his eyes always seemed to dance over Susan and her dance partner.
 
She danced with the older man and seemed to smile and laugh as he talked to her, he joked around as they danced elegantly and soon there was a woman next to the prince smiling up at him, she was raven haired and let her blue eyes stare into his " Good evening my lord, how are you faring tonight" she asked in a fluid like tone that was like water, she wore red and it was obvious that she was dressed to show off her body by the look of her top.
 
He had hardly noticed the woman until she was close and already talking. "Wha.. Yes, I am fine." He gave her a look over before turning back to look over the dance floor. "Is there something I can do for you?" It was rather obvious that he wasn't interested in her, no matter what she showed off.
 
The woman smiled up at him " i was wondering if you would like to dance with me.... i mean if his grace would like to" she smiled and as soon as she was done askign the song ended and the couples bowed and moved off the dance floor, Susan looked around and saw him talking to the woman, before heading in the other direction pushing a curl out of her face as she walked away.
 
He rather ignored the woman, turning at the last moment to hear her request. "I cannot say that I am in much of a dancing mood at the moment." He said. His eyes found Susan again, walking off, and he moved to intercept, sliding easily to be walking next to her. "You seem to be enjoying yourself." He said, in a soft voice, though he hid the tint of bitterness very well. He grabbed a glass of wine and handed it to her.
 
She looked at him and took the glass " hmmm not as much as you tho, im sure that woman was to, she had been watching you all night you know " she looked up at him and took a sip of the wine slowly before holding it gently looking up at him and fixing her dress and tried not to fidget to much, she did feel different and wondered why this was all happening, yesterday she has woken up and went to work, covered head to toe with grim and soot and now today she was in an elegant dress and talking to a prince, this was almost to much for her and it made her start to feel hot from embarrassment, she didn't know what she was thinking and soon she spotted a woman coming up to her and knew this was going to be trouble , she stared eye to eye with the woman before she spun around in between them and placed her hands on Alex's chest and gazing up at him lustfully " mmm hello your majesty, i have missed you so much and was wondering " she stopped and looked back at susan with a disgusted look on her face before leaning up and whispering in his ear a few not so socially pleasant things to say in public, before smiling and winking at him and leaving him alone to contemplate what he would do. Susan stood there watching and tapped the glass slightly before smiling at him.. half heartedly tho.
 
He was going to say something to her about that, but a woman came over, trying to play coy and seductress with a man that seemed to have a iron heart for the night. He grabbed a glass of wine as she whispered in his ear, and he sipped as she walked away, obviously trying to be playful, but failing pathetically. It saddened him that whores like this would be ruling other lands, other fiefdoms, trying to get a prince out of wedlock. Once they were once again left alone, he smiled to Susan, moving closer to her. "So she has been watching me, a lot of people watch my every move. It doesn't bother me. But I cannot say that I have had too much fun tonight." He kissed her on the forehead, a light gesture as he looked into her eyes.
 
She closed her eyes when he kissed her forhead and smiled up at him " on the contrary i have been having fun" she smiled up at him and took his hand gently " dance with me, maybe it will make you feel better" she looked up at him as she held his hand softly and felt eyes on the back of her head and she tried not to look.
 
His eyes softened a great deal as she took his hand. Although it hit him like a arrow when she said that she was having fun, that she came back to him for this dance was the greatest gesture that he could think of. "Of course I'll have this dance." He said, smiling as he bowed down, kissing the back of her hand, before leading her to the dance floor. A waltz started up again, and Alex led her in the sweeping movements, holding her closer than was necessary.
 
She smiled as she was lead out to the dance floor and was soon pulled into an embrace and swept beautifully around and around in a waltz, she didn't mind being close and simply ignored the fact that his hand on on her lower waist and the other in her hand, she felt helpless and that was ok because she was safe from harm and even ignored the violent stares from the women in the crowd.
 
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