She came into the room sparkling in her white gown. She was beautiful. The most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. He was mesmerized as she shuffled through the crowd searching out someone. He prayed it was him she was looking for. He took a step forward.
“Avenant? Where are you going?” Coming out of his stupor, he glanced at his mother and the frumpy plump woman beside her. He had completely forgotten that he was supposed to be paying attention to Lady Avonlea. She was his mother’s favorite choice in this evening’s activity. He looked back out to the crowd hoping not to have lost the young beauty.
“Avenant! Aren’t you going to ask Lady Avonlea for a waltz? “asked his mother squeezing his arm tightly. It was her way of insisting on him doing her bidding. He frowned and once again scanned the crowd. The angel he had seen only moments before was now lost to the crowd. Sighing, hoping inwardly that he would bump into her on the dance floor he held out his arm to Avonlea and lead her to the floor. The dance began and with it couples began to move. Being polite, he asked the woman about how her father, Grand Duke Brighton, was doing these days. She prattled on and on about her father and his new mistress for fifteen long minutes and three very long songs, he knew this to be exact because he checked his silver pocket watch, before he interrupted her saying as much as he enjoyed her company he must do his duty and dance with some of the other young woman. She started to protest, then caught herself and nodded her head. He walked away, headed back to his mother then, when out of sight of Lady Avonlea, turned sharply to the right, back into the crowd of people dancing, looking desperately for his beauty.
Twenty minutes later he was sure she had left when he spotted her in the corner, arguing with a group of women. The taller and oldest of the women was tossing her finger in to the face of his interest. He took a step forward.
“Avenant! Avenant!.. Avey!!” his mother again called to him. He rolled his eyes and swung back into her direction.
“What woman! You are driving insane with your constant calling tonight! What do you need?” he growled. She clutched her chest in surprise at his outburst.
“Avey! I do not know what that is about but I came to tell you your father is asking for you. I believe his chest pains him again. I am not sure I if I should fetch the doctor or if it is something that will pass. I need you to come with me. “she replied. Feeling guilty for his rant he strode quickly over to his mother and took her hand.
“I apologize mother, I don’t know what came over me, of course I will go at once. Is he in the Library as always?”
Fear in her eyes, she nodded quickly and together they walked away, the beauty in the white sparkling dress forgotten for the moment.
It was 11:55 by the time he arrived back at the ball, a half an hour from the moment he walked away. His father was lying down in his bedroom recovering from the apparent attack of indigestion which ailed him earlier. Shaking his head, Aven smiled as he walked into the main hall of his parent’s estate. Leave it to his father to tear him away from a beautiful woman because of gas. After a few minutes of again searching though the score of people that had gathered tonight for his 21st birthday, he spotted her sitting on a bench, her back to him. He smiled and straightened his jacket and tried to calm his racing heart. He took a step forward.
He felt a brush of his shoulder as someone pushed past him. To his disbelief, his cousin Philip, with glasses in hand sat down beside her. His heart stopped, a frown formed. Walking up beside them, his cousin took notice of him.
“Charming! It is about time you made it to your own party! I have had to pick up your slack and as tortuous as it was, I thought as your cousin, it was my duty.” He laughed, winking at the Beauty. Aven’s heart dropped as the girl smiled at Philip. Not a polite smile but a full fledge honest to god smile. And it lit up her face and at that moment he knew he was too late. As if fate were laughing at him, the large bell clock that stood outside of the estates gates rang, symbolizing the end of his chances. Hearing her gasp, he watched as she jumped up from her seat.
“Oh my God! What time is it?” She asked franticly. Aven opened up his pocket watch for the second time that evening.
“It’s 12.” He replied.
“Damnit!” he heard her curse and he smiled upon hearing it.
“I have to go, I am so sorry!” she said to Philip, leaning down to kiss his cheek. She ran past Aven, then stopping as if she remembered her manners and turned around.
“I do apologize for my haste departure, Happy Birthday Prince Charming, I do wish we could have gotten to know each other this evening. I have a strange feeling that we would have been…. Friends. But I really must go.”
“Wait…Cinderella!,”Philip yelled as she ran off.”Will I ever see you again?”
She smiled.
“Yes of course, You met my family earlier, save me from that and I will be yours forever” she laughed, running backwards. In her eagerness to get away she lost a shoe, but only turned and told Philip he could keep it for now and bring it to her the next time they saw each other. Aven watched as she disappeared then looked to his cousin.
Philip was grinning from to ear to ear as he walked to retrieve the glass slipper. Knowing he’d lost his chance at Beauty, Aven took a deep breath and turned back to the hall. In search of his own Cinderella.
