Meredith smiled as the door to the servants' entrance opened and Kade entered, holding the door open for Isabella.

"You two are running late!" she said. "I was afraid I was going to have to give you up as a lost cause and go off to the dance myself!"

"We're not that late," said Kade, grinning. "You're just impatient!"

"Am not!" she said, giving Kade a playful shove to the arm.

"Oh come on you two!" said Isabella, her laughter ringing through the small corridor. "We've got a party to go to!"

The three hurried down the hallway, excitement building as they grew nearer to King's Palace's smallest ballroom.

It may be the smallest that the palace has to offer, but it's the most welcoming and cheerful place that anyone could ask for. She smiled as she entered the room. She spotted Evan and John in the far corner, along with the girl that Evan had kissed during spin the bottle at the last party.

With Isabella and Kade preoccupied with immediately joining in the dancing, she crossed the floor to meet the girl that had so obviously captured her brother's interest.

She sneaked up behind Evan and covered his eyes with her hands. "Guess who!" she exclaimed, happily.

"Mer?" he said, turning around and facing her, his smile lighting his face. "I have someone I want you to meet!" He gestured to the pretty, slightly plump blonde next to him. "This is Jane!"

Jane smiled at Meredith. "Evan talks about you all the time," she said.

Meredith couldn't help but smile back at the girl. "I hope he tells you good things about me! It really is nice to meet you, Jane."

"Meredith?"

She turned and smiled at John. "Hello," she said, not quite sure of how to act around him.

"May I...have a dance?" he asked, offering her an arm.

She hesitated a moment, before nodding and allowing him to sweep her onto the dance floor.

Antony had returned to his study once the portrait sitting was finished. The painter had finally seemed satisfied with the beginnings of the painting and had pronounced the sitting done for the day. Antony had left with great relief for even piles of paperwork sounded better than sitting in the throne room, stiff and posed in his throne.

However, he had really wanted to escape the thoughts that were invading his mind. Thoughts about the state of the kingdom and how deep the effects of his uncle and grandfather's reigns had actually gone. And, occasionally, beneath those, thoughts of Meredith. These he tried to push away for, although he regretted it, they would help nothing.

He sorted the piles of charters into stacks of those that he accepted and signed, those he felt the need to look into, and those he simply denied.

Once done, he sat back in his chair, feeling the thoughts and worries of earlier start to creep into his consciousness once more. Needing a distraction, he pulled out the map from earlier and rang the bell that would alert Fulton that he needed a servant. Moments later, a footman appeared at the door.

"Yes, Sire?" he questioned, bowing his head respectfully.

"Would you mind fetching the general for me?" He looked up to see the footman hesitating. He frowned. "What is it?" he said.

"I'm sorry, Sire...the general is at the servants party downstairs. I saw him and the Princess Isabella there."

Antony took a moment to digest this news.

"Would you...like me to fetch him still, Sire?"

Antony shook his head. "No, no...It's quite all right." Seeing that the servant was still standing at attention by the door, he waved him away. "You're dismissed," he said.

He sat forward in his chair, looking over the papers littered all over his desk, the few finished stacks set off to the edge. There were books stacked on the floor next to his chair, books piled on the bookshelves behind him, and crumpled papers filling the bin beside his desk. He stood and walked to the window, looking down over the palace's expansive grounds, lit in the dark night by the lamps that lined the walkways and paths.

I think I'll seek out Kade myself.

Entering the labyrinth of the servants quarters made Antony realize just how many people King's Palace had within its employ. There were numerous rooms, and multiple people milling about. He kept his head down and hoped that most of them wouldn't question his presence here or look at him too closely and make a fuss. After the portrait painting, he had shed all sort of royal finery for simple pants and a blue shirt and black boots. He hoped he looked rather inconspicuous. He would have bypassed the servants quarters entirely to avoid confrontation, but he had decided that it was a shorter route to the ballroom and, aside from that, if he were to enter the ballroom, he'd face it soon enough.

Reaching the hallway that led from the servants halls to the ballroom, a small corridor, rarely used, that the servants traversed when bringing refreshments to any party taking place, he peered around the corner. At the end of the hall, the door was thrown open and bright light, as well as the notes of a waltz, greeted him.

He reached the door and stepped from the dimly lit hallway to a world of music and light. He abandoned all pretense of his plan to avoid looking up and catching people's attention, and gazed around the room in wonder.

Here were more servants then he had ever realized he even had. He walked through the crowds of people gathered around the edge, watching them as they shared a drink or the latest gossip. Observing them as the men came and took the women out onto the dance floor for a waltz across the polished wood. The oddest thing, to him, was that they all seemed so happy and carefree, simply content in the act of living... It was so unlike the stiff dances governed by every rule of etiquette that his Aunt Therese so liked to host in the grand ballroom. These people cared not what style of dress or jacket they wore or who they were seen dancing with...They were free from all of that.

He watched in surprise as he saw Kade and Isabella twirl past him as the makeshift group on the orchestra stage played a lively country dance. He found himself following them around the room with his gaze and feeling, if it could be described that way, somewhat jealous. The dance ended and he watched Kade bow to Isabella and her curtsy in return.

"Isabella!" he heard one of the members of the orchestra call. "Play for me for a few rounds?"

"Of course, Andy!" he heard his cousin shout back, good-naturedly.

She joined the motley orchestra and took up a battered violin as they began to play another waltz. He watched as the noise of music and dancing began all over again.

"Antony, my friend!"

He jumped slightly as someone clapped him on the back. He turned to see Kade.

"What are you doing down here?"

"Finding out where everyone is tonight. Apparently this is the place to be." He looked around the room once more. "They're so...happy. Free."

"I know," said Kade, laughing. "Nothing like the parties we're used to, eh?"

Antony simply shook his head, watching the people dance by, laughing and cheering. "Do you know all these people, Kade?" he asked, not taking his gaze off the dance floor.

"Some...I'm learning. There's Ramona, of course, in the orchestra. There's Evan, Meredith's brother..."

Antony barely had a glimpse of Evan as he spun past, twirling his companion.

"The girl is Jane; she works in scullery," explained Kade. "And there's Meredith and John!"

Antony had seen Meredith just before Kade had said something and he now watched her and the footman whom he recognized as the man who had assisted him with his armor before he left for Jurmala.

The dance ended and he suddenly felt a strange compulsion to march onto the floor and ask Meredith for the next dance.

However, one of the passing servants suddenly seemed to notice that the king was in their presence.

"King Antony!" the young man exclaimed, he and the young woman he was speaking with coming to bow and curtsy to Antony. "I want to thank you for everything you've done for my cousin and I. We've never had so much money to send home to our families! We've been beyond blessed to be serving you." The girl with him nodded and smiled in agreement.

Antony was rather caught off guard by this and, in the distraction, lost sight of Meredith. He straightened and faced the two servants with a smile. "I'm very glad that I could help. I appreciate your service greatly." He shook the man's hand and the footman beamed, as though he had received some sort of prize.

He was now, however, faced with an entire group of servants who wanted to greet the king and offer him their thanks, compliments, and well-wishes. He gave in and met them all, smiling at them, shaking their hands, and genuinely appreciating their support and belief in him. He felt honored by their want to speak to him.

Eventually, the group of those around him thinned and most went back to dancing or crossed the room to a table to find something to eat.

Kade came back to stand at Antony's shoulder, laughing. "Looks like you have some admirers, Antony!"

Antony smiled ruefully. "I suppose..."

Kade simply laughed again as Isabella hurried up to join the group.

"Antony!" she said, excitedly, throwing her arms around him. "I didn't expect you to come down here!"

"I suppose I was curious as to what you were spending your night doing. I wanted to escape my paperwork for a bit and this seemed a good way to do it."

"I'm glad you came," she said, pulling back and smiling.

"Sire?"

He turned to see John and Meredith approaching, John in the lead, his face awash in surprise.

"What are you doing down here?" he finally continued, as he came to stand before Antony.

"I was simply curious about the servants dances I seem to continually be hearing about," said Antony, shrugging. "Hello, Meredith," he added, inclining his head to her.

"Antony..." she said, quietly.

John glanced back and forth between the two of them in blank surprise, obviously confused over the use of first name basis between the two of them, king and servant.

The footman turned back to Meredith. "Do you wish to dance again?" he asked her. Antony watched her as she turned to face John.