*Please, listen to the ball playlist for this and the next 2 chapters that I've given in the 'Excerpt' chapter. Unless you do not want to experience how it feels like waltzing with Mr Kim Taehyung. ;-)

꧁-꧂

Song: Pulling a thread.

"Come on girls! Hurry up! The guests must have already gathered at the ballroom." Y/n's mother told the maids to make haste who were occupied adjusting Y/n's ball gown. But the one who was the centre of all the arrangements and excitement, that person's senses did not seem to be present there. Y/n's sanity was engaged contemplating Taehyung's words that he had said back at the dining hall in the afternoon.

It's nothing grave, right?

Only if she knew that it's not his body that suffered from illness; it's his soul that required healing. Only if she carefully read his eyes; eyes that had written devotion and love for her; urging her to let him inside her heart.

"Y/n, sit down," Adelia commanded her making her come out of her thoughts. She narrowed her eyes in annoyance and sat down. She had no end of trouble dealing with the heavily ornamented ballgown.

"Wait! Mother, I cannot wear this! The gown is already sinking me into it." Y/n said seeing the large white ruby diamond collar necklace.

"Y/n, for once in your life, would you please listen to me and not be unreasonable?" Adelia sighed and spoke," Since you were born, you have been doing whatever you fancied doing. No woman has ever taken on weapons because it distorts our feminine values, But we let you learn both archery and fencing. Women are not supposed to duel against men but we let you do that too. We let Yoongi take you in every duel he wished to take you in. And you know what, I dearly regret that. All those have turned you into such a graceless woman."

"Enough, mother!" Y/n blurted out not suppressing her rage anymore, "That will do. Could you please define the term 'Graceless' for me? What is grace to you? Being ignorant towards our rights is grace? Being tormented, abused and treated like properties without saying a word is grace? Being imprisoned in four walls deprived of teaching is grace? I cannot speculate it, mother. You are a woman yourself. How can you think this way about another woman?"

"Pardon me, mother, but I must say it today. Because of women like you, men get the courage to abuse our kind. Even though it's women who nurture them in their wombs; provide them food from their bodies; make them take their first step; teach them their first word. Still," Her voice broke down, "What do they get in return? Even after being gifted by this beautiful power of creating another life, they either choose or are compelled to conceal their identities. The bodies belong to them, but the souls that dwell inside them are not theirs, and so is not mine. You know it, mother, you know it. You know how I erased myself! You know how I gave birth to another me! Maybe you love the life you lead, but I do not, I never have," Tears streamed down from her eyes to her cheeks.

"Y/n," Adelia's voice crumbled seeing her only daughter being fragile. After all, she was her daughter; only child; a part of herself whom she nurtured for 9 months. In those 13 years, she had never seen any frailty in her eyes, let alone tears. But today she saw tears escaping the dungeon of her eyes; tears that were imprisoned for 13 years...

"Y/n, dear, l-listen-"

"No, there is nothing to hear or say, mother. I am truly sorry if you do not love the graceless self of mine." She said emphasising the word graceless," Just know that I did not disagree with the alliance but should anyone attempt to meddle my crowning with it, I would not go speechless."

She wiped her tears and sat down signalling Bertha to put on another choker necklace made of pearls with a red ruby gem in the middle of it. It was comparably lighter than the one her mother had chosen. Putting on the earrings and black gloves of silk, Y/n nonchalantly stared at the mirror and sighed heavily.

Her sleek light brown hair was twisted up into an elegant knot behind her head, a few loosen stands were dangling past the back of her neck. The choker necklace clasped around her neck complimented her burgundy-red and black gown embellished with laces and jewels. The tight bodice fastened around her body made her physique defined. But her senses did not seem to have any kind of satisfaction looking at the reflection of her divine figure.

"Y/n, are you-"

Y/n heard a voice and turned around to have a look at the owner of the voice and saw Mary gaping at her with her mouth slightly parted.

"Y/n! You look so- brilliant!" She somehow managed to speak.

"Thanks, Mary. You look lovely as well." She smiled and remarked.

"No, you look stunning! Honestly."

"Oh, hush! Let's go for the ball, shall we?" Y/n stopped her as she was aware of Mary's nature of not being able to stop talking if the topic was fancied by her.

"Mother, we shall leave now," She flatly said looking at Adelia.

"C-Certainly, dear." She indicated the maids to help Y/n with her gown and again stared at Y/n. She could not find the 8-year-old serene and soulful girl in that grown-up woman. She knew deep inside, that she too was at fault to lose her daughter. She was the one to censure her being blinded by the prejudices; to tell her that she was committing a crime every time... Instead of getting her back, she always pushed her away.

"Forgive me, my child."

༺༻

Taehyung absent-mindedly peered at his reflection one last time before leaving the chamber.

It was apparent that an unskilled attempt was made to comb his hair. However, his hair did not flatten entirely. It still had the puffiness and his fringes were still covering his forehead. Certainly, that was making him look even more attractive rather than scruffy.

His collared white linen shirt was tucked in black embroidered pants. A royal blue coat embroidered with threads of gold over his shirt; a bowtie fitting around his neck; a blue diamond brooch pinned on his coat- All these fancy materials did not hold any elegance before the glimmer of his blonde hair and the twinkle of his blue eyes, nor could it win against the glow of his honey skin that illuminated the entire chamber.

Please, please obey me at least for once.

He made another small attempt to flatten the hair but the stubbornness did not decrease at all.

Fine!

He sighed and put the comb on the dressing table and strode out of the chamber. He was already running late for the ball.

Taehyung reached the massive oak entrance of the front palace led by a path adorned lavishly. He entered through the huge door that was engraved beautifully by some apt artisans.

He huffed seeing that people were still entering the ballroom; he was not the only one who was late.

He gaped at the elegantly illuminated ballroom where men, women and children mostly from the higher state were present. There were paintings on the ceilings that lit up for view because of the chandeliers that held many candles in them and these hanging chandeliers carried stones like diamonds increasing the shine even more. An orchestral troupe of about 100 musicians was occupied playing a soft melody. Taehyung wished to know which symphony it was but he could not ask anyone.

But the astonishment on his face was not even half as the reverence his face held when his eyes found the person of his admiration. Though the sight did cause his heart to sting a little.

Y/n was standing with Arthur who was introducing her to some of his allies heartily. But judging by the expression on Y/n's face, she did not seem to be enjoying the introduction session. Arthur's allies surely were not any different nor better than him. All of them had the same toothy, greasy grin and apparent arrogance on their faces.

Arthur and Y/n turned seeing Francis approaching them.

"Y/N, Arthur, The ceremony will be beginning now. Both of you should proceed for the aisle." He smilingly said as both of them nodded.

Francis summoned the announcer to announce the holy ceremony to the present guests who were eager to witness the moment. Bold of him to assume that all of them were happy to witness that. The glee and joy among the people buried the grief and unwillingness of two creatures present there.

One sensed the pain of seeing his love with another man, and the other suffered because she had acknowledged that she could never have a wedlock filled with love, devotion. These were the things she expected least from any man. She never had any man in her heart. Then who would she fight for? Who would she keep her first kiss for? Who would she save her ring finger for?

Taehyung stood in a corner witnessing the woman he cherished being handed to another man; the man who he was bound to serve.

Being another man was unquestionably easier than being an 'other' man. But falling in love was not, nor was loving someone who he knew he will never have. Yet, loving someone from afar seemed easier to him than having no love in his life. He required a cause to keep him alive, other than his mother, he needed someone whom he would love and cherish unconditionally. He wanted someone's lap to rest his head on; to pour all his love when he would kiss her underneath the moonlight; to caress her hair when she would fall asleep in his arms. And these desires kept him alive, made him look forward to the next dawn. Because he believed someday they would come true.

Was it foolish of him to choose such a painful way of living? Was it not foolish of him to believe that the woman he cherished will be his one day even after knowing that she will belong to another man?

Was it foolish of him of choosing his life as a hopeless lover?

He loved love and that was all he required to know. An inclination, Painful may it be...But he was not giving up.

After a few rituals were performed, Y/n and Arthur made each other wear the engagement rings that made the guests applaud loudly.

A solemn tear unknowingly escaped Taehyung's eye staring at her gloved ring finger adorned with the precious ring. He quickly wiped it off and looked away to find something to distract himself.

Now that the ceremony was over, it was time for the dance. The bride and groom were to initiate the ball by moving their first foot.

The whole hall applauded as the pair walked towards the dance floor.
Arthur and Y/n reached the centre and Arthur placed one of his hands around Y/n's waist and entangled the other one with hers. After She had reluctantly placed the spare hand on his shoulder, the orchestral troupe started to play a pleasant symphony.

(Song: masquerade suite: Waltz )

Arthur's grip tightened over her waist as they paced here and there with every melody. Y/n's gown whirled as he twirled her around and again slithered his hands around her.

By this time, everyone present at the ballroom had begun to dance gladly.

"You look discontented, Milady. Does something ail you?" Arthur asked her with a greasy smirk.

"Not at all, Sir Williams. I am extremely pleased with your concern," Y/n made a sarcastic reply.

"Dear, dear. No need to be conventional, milady. Now that we are betrothed, do you not reckon that we should practice being sincere to each other? You need to spend the rest of your life with me anyway." He replied not being affected by her sarcasm, "Do not worry, dear. I will teach you everything once we are wedded. Let's start off things by teaching you some discipline, shall we?" He alluringly moved his index over her cheek.

"I am truly amazed to see how audacious you are! Sir Williams. But I am afraid it not to be your concern at all. Now if you excuse me," Y/n gritted through her teeth and slapped his hand away from her waist and walked away taking her pride.

"How dare you, Y/n Windsor! You will dearly pay for this. Never, never a woman has had the nerve to refuse me, let alone offend me."

Arthur coiled his fist into an orb and spat at her way. Luckily the hall was too occupied to pay heed to their conversation.

"Discipline me? The audacity you have shown, Arthur Williams..."

༺༻

(Look at him,

just look at this King)

Adios!

-pride