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Drawing one last line on the corner of her eyelid with her liquid eyeliner, Noel stood up from her dresser and gave her gown a dress. Her ball gown was perfectly elegant. With little flowers embroidered on the flowy skirt, the one shouldered-pink gown was fluffy and soft. Almost as if Noel could fall sleep in cloudy gown, if it weren't for that ridiculous corset the chamber maids insisted she wear. The princess had also paired the dress with simple diamond dangly earrings and a matching necklace.

Suddenly Noel stopped in her tracks, noticing the large open window that was bringing in a warm breeze into her dressing room. The princess looked out the window, it must've been 40 feet above the ground. What if she had climbed down somehow? Would she be kept captive by the Queen and King if they found out of her escape? Did they even know Noel didn't agree to this marriage?

Noel was then ripped out of her thoughts when a maid knocked on the door of her dressing room.

"Come outside Princess!"

"Alright then... what do you think ladies?" smiled Noel, exiting her closet and entering her bedroom to find all of her chamber maids waiting to see the final result. Each and every maid smiled and gasped at Noel. All of them throwing different compliments at Noel, making her feel red in the ears.

Noel also wore her hair in a fluffy bun over her own mini tiara made of white diamonds and white pumps.

A knock was heard on the door. A maid opened the door, it was a royal guard. Ready to escort Noel down to the ball.

"Good luck Princess!"

Noel chuckled nervously at all the maids. "Thank you darlings for all the assistance and support."

"Shall we go downstairs Your Royal Highness?" asked the guard politely, holding out his arm to Princess Noel.

"Yes we shall." Noel breathed, feeling a knot in her stomach. Why did her nerves always have to get the best of her at the worst possible times. Breathe, just breathe ... she thought. Just take one breath at a time.

As the two made their way down to the main staircase, two guards standing outside the main doors to the bathroom opened them to see many well dressed people waiting for her and the other Royals.

May I welcome Her Royal Highness .... Princess Noel Marie Francoįs of France!" A guard said as Noel walked down the white marble staircase that led to the glamorous ballroom.

God please don't let me trip. Noel thought, stilling counting each and every breath she took.

When Noel got to the end of the staircase and stood on the ballroom floor, many people bowed and clapped for her. Shocked by all this kindness, Noel smiled and stood side with the rest of the crowd.  No one in France had ever really clapped for her arrival ... in fact, no one ever really bowed to her except the maids. It was like having some sort of recognition.

The guard soon then welcomed Queen Alexia, who wore a stunning red gown, King Phillipos, Prince Dimitri into the ballroom.

"You look stunning my dear." King Phillipos, who wore his Royal uniform, said, standing next to Noel.

The guard then grasped everyone's attention again.

"May I also welcome ... His Royal Highness ... Prince Aldo Sebastian Phillipos of Greece!"

Noel bowed and clapped ... but suddenly a bolt of realization hit her as the handsome young man flashed a charming smile and started to walk down the stairs.

That man was her fiancée.

Dimitri was a handsome boy, but Prince Aldo had a much more mature and seductive look from his little brother.

Aldo had the most chiseled beautiful olive-skinned face Princess Noel had ever seen, his hair ... messy like Ditrimi's but had natural golden streaks in it ... his light brown eyes were to die for, and his smile. Lord, seeing perfectly-toothed smile even from afar made Noel just want to ... melt. And even through his Royal Uniform, a now red Noel could see his toned muscular arms. He was lanky yet muscular ... and he seemed to be very tall as well.

Aldo had walked over to Queen Alexia, who had been chatting with a Spanish Lord, and the ball had now begun. Noel, pinching herself to stop staring at Aldo as soon as a man walked up to her and started chatting.

It had been almost thirty minutes into the gala, and Noel had talked to about thirty million different people it felt. Everyone wanted to meet the beautiful future Queen of Greece after all. It actually felt nice ... being noticed.

See Mother, smirked Noel to herself, People do like me!

Queen Alexia then walked up to Noel.

"Oh my, that countess from Sweden was talking about her cats for ten minutes." scoffed Queen Alexia quietly. Noel giggled as Alexia pulled Prince Aldo into the conversation.

"Noel, I'd like you to formally meet my eldest son, Prince Aldo." 

Prince Aldo and Noel's eyes met for the first time. She noticed how his eyes glistened brightly in the light. Noel attempted to smile at him, but Aldo didn't return, not even a glance.

"I apologize, but I must go talk to Prince Dimitri about something. I suppose you two should start getting to know each other on your own now." Queen Alexia said, excusing herself from the situation.

Noel fidgeted her with an embroidered flower below her waist. What on her Earth was she supposed to say to him?

"I'm guessing you suggested this." Aldo said with a poisonous tone, his deep voice grabbing Noel's attention. His accent was like his parents and brother, both a mix of Greek and British. But to be honest, Aldo's accent sounded the most English of the entire family in Noel's opinion. He sounded so... posh.

"Suggested what?"

Suggested this marriage between myself and you." stated Aldo, talking to her like she was a little child. "Of course my mother was pleased to hear that a French princess wanted to marry —"

Noel gasped, feeling offended. "Scareau belau! No, I did not suggest this marriage. I don't know why on Earth you would assume —"

Aldo scoffed. "I am not assuming ... I know for a fact someone like you would want to marry someone like me."

"Excuse me?"

"You're excused." Aldo spat, turning to leave this conversation. but Noel stopped him.

"Who is someone like me?" Noel shrieked.

Aldo ran his veiny hand through his hair. "Someone who is a spoiled little brainless French brat who is so worried she will go down the line of succession... worried that she won't be able to ever be Queen, she has to go and demand her Mama to arrange a marriage between a future king of a entirely different country. Don't tell me I'm wrong because I've already figured you out."

Noel pursed her heart lips together. "You know nothing about me." Noel scoffed. "I actually thought for a moment that you were just as kind as your brother."

Aldo rolled his eyes. "I knew you would be flirting with my little brother the second you arrived."

"He's sixteen! I would never —"

"Oh so if he was eighteen would you marry him instead?"

"Scareaubleau! You have absolutely no manners —"

Alexia then walked into the conversation with a wide grin.

"I see you two are getting along." Carolina smiled, kissing their cheeks.

Noel gulped as Aldo bowed down and kissed her hand softly. His touch made her flinch slightly. His kiss was so soft and warm.

"Of course we have." grinned Aldo.

"That is very good news. Noel I wanted to introduce you to my cousin, Duke Atlas Of Rhodes. Come along dear —"

As Noel went to follow Queen Alexia, Prince Aldo grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer to him. He put his beautiful lips to her ear.

"Just get in your head, French Girl, that you and I are just a compromise. Not husband and wife ... just a compromise of two countries." Aldo whispered, then released his grip on her.

"Well with the way you're speaking to me ... your lucky I haven't asked my Mother to send an attack on Greece yet."