42. Standing Still

I have a proposition.  The girl with blonde hair and blue eyes opened the door to the large palace. Several dancing pairs congregated in the center of the ballroom. She walked in as casually as possible, the glass blue dress shimmered with every step.

It's quite simple, really. Did she stand out too much? She prayed that she didn't. A small blade flashed in the candlelight, hidden to most people's eyes. The female looked around, looking for someone in particular, but was unable to spot him. Before the next morning, at exactly midnight, she had to dance with him. It was as if her life depended on it.

The woman in the black cloak grinned evilly in the back of Naminé's mind, sending shivers up her spine. She never said what would happen if she failed, but the ideas of how it could end never left her presence.

Wasn't tonight supposed to be like the fairy tale? A ball, a magical dress, glass slippers, and somewhere around here was a prince. If it was supposed to be like a fairy tale, then how come Naminé felt uneasy?

She danced her way to the center of the ball room, looking at all the faces of the men she danced with. The face of the prince was not with any of her dance partners, and the longer she danced, the closer midnight became. Time was ticking, and there was little she was given to begin with.

At last, at the start of the next song, she fell into the arms of a man with cerulean eyes and blond, windswept hair. He looked beautiful, she thought. The way he smiled at her made her want to mirror his actions, except… that feeling inside her was eating away her composure.

"And who are you, m'lady?" the prince asked kindly, gently pulling her closer.

"N-Naminé," she replied, looking away.

"I'm Ventus, but you can call me Ven for short if you like," he smiled, spinning his partner.

"I know," she replied hotly.

"I just thought I'd be nice."

Naminé blushed. All you have to do, sweet Naminé, is pierce this dagger into Prince Ventus' heart.

"You look troubled, is something wrong?" he asked, noticing her now troubled face. She held the dagger in her hand, If you do this little task for me, I'll grant you your freedom. It's as easy as that. How can such a thing be easy? She's never killed anyone before, nor has she ever fathomed it. But there was something about that woman she met outside her stepfather's manor that struck her attention. Was it her aquamarine eyes that reflected ambition and manipulation? Or the tone of her voice that easily swayed the younger girl into following what she said?

She raised her hand, feeling the dagger's weight steadily increase, until the girl dropped it. It landed with a light clang, loud enough that the surrounding people heard the noise. Prince Ven quickly bent down and picked up the silver dagger and hid it. Naminé could hear the sound of his footsteps gradually increasing. There was nowhere in the ballroom to hide; surely she would be arrested and executed for attempting to murder the prince everyone loved.

The doors to the garden were right in front of her, the perfect place to hide. The illuminated fountain stood in the center of the garden, surrounded by shrubbery. It was large enough to hide behind, until she found a way to escape. Even if it cost her only chance at freedom.

"Wait up!" the prince's voice sounded in the distance, crescendoing as he came closer and closer to Naminé. Her white gloved hands began to sweat, and she tensed up. Her heart was pounding in her ears so loudly, it nearly drove her insane.

When the blonde young man made it around the fountain and met eyes with his culprit, time seemed to stand still. For what seemed like several minutes, the two just stared at each other, unsure of what to say. A tear fell from Naminé's eye.

Startled by the crying girl, Ven stepped closer, reaching out to help her up. The moonlight reflected off the blue stones and the silvery surface of the dagger, causing the girl to tense up. "You're going to kill me?"

He looked at his hand holding the small knife, and immediately dropped it. "N-no! Of course not!"

"But you know I deserve it," she murmured lowly, in a barely audible voice.

"In a way, yes," he began, taking a seat by the fountain next to her. The trickling sounds of the fountain was the only other noise in the garden. If it wasn't for the interaction between the two earlier, one would say it was a peaceful setting. "You threatened to murder me. At any moment, I could just send my guards out to have you arrested immediately."

Naminé braced herself for whatever Ven would say next. She knew she had to get what she deserved.

"But," he continued, wiping away the tear with his bare hand, sending shivers up her spine. "you refused to. There had to be something in you that stopped you from doing the deed. Looking at you now, Naminé, I can see that you are a girl with a beautiful heart."

She couldn't help but let more tears fall from her pale blue eyes. He's so kind, why did she have to accept the woman's request?

</i>I'll grant your freedom.</i>

"Is it okay if I asked what caused you to consider it?"

Silence.

"Freedom," she said.

"What?"

"A woman said she would grant me my freedom if I killed you with this dagger that she gave me. I really was desperate for freedom. I don't know if someone like you would understand." She turned away.

She felt his hand on her shoulder, giving her reassurance. "I might not have been in your same position, whatever it is, but that doesn't mean I can't comprehend."

There was something about the way he spoke that made it easy for her to open up to him. It was a rarity that anyone asked her what was wrong, and actually stayed to listen for the answer.

"Back where I'm from, I have a stepfather. I used to have a mother, but she disappeared one day six years ago, and we haven't seen her since. My stepfather seems to take it out on me, and hits me, makes me do all of the work around the house. So when the woman offered me freedom, I didn't really think of the actual work I had to do to gain it. I wasn't even sure who you were. She convinced me that you were a horrible person worth getting rid of, and that I was able to do such a thing."

More silence.

"I'm sorry things have to be that way. A girl like you doesn't deserve to live in such conditions."

"Not like anything can be done about it," the platinum blonde sighed.

"Maybe there is," Ven pondered. "Naminé, do you know what this ball was originally for?"

"No…" What could this be leading to?

"I was supposed to choose a bride at this ball."

Naminé blushed at that statement. "But I hardly know you!"

"We wouldn't have to marry right away, but I could get you out of your house and you can live with me at my palace."

Was this really happening? This only happens in fairy tales! The poor maiden living with the prince. Was this her chance at happily ever after?

"I accept."

The blond haired, blue eyed prince gently pulled her an embrace. They said nothing as their arms were around each other. The clock chimed twelve, and all other noises were gradually silenced.

Time stood still for her there, too.