The night was totally silent, and as I trudged into the remote snowy valley every footstep was muffled...

"Did you hear the news Sophy?! The Queen will hold a winter ball for every unmarried lad and lass in the county!"

Loureen looked up from where she was spinning wool towards the better-off girls in the town square. 

"I know!" The major's daughter squealed in delight and twirled her friend around. "Now we can finally show off to everyone and wear the new dresses we got."

The two girls marched off towards their house leaving the rest of the village in slight disarray. Loureen had heard a rumor that there would be a mandatory ball, to finally be able to start the courtship of both the prince and princes. Yet she had, like many others, not believed the Queen would actually go through with it.

"If Gaia and Sophy say it's true, we might need to clean up our own ball gown."

More and more young people cluttered around in small groups to discus the possible engagement with a further ruler. Though Loureen, rightfully, questioned the chance for that.

Both the prince and princess had a long history of bad blood with any and all suitors the Queen introduced to them. 

A tap on her shoulder alerted Loureen of her brother wanting to say something and she laid down her work to give him her full attention.

'Do you think they really mean everyone?'

"No. Though if people like us actually show up they won't be able to turn us away, but they don't want us to come."

Fynn's face almost immediately fell and Loureen quickly went back on her words.

"Doesn't mean we won't go, no harm in trying after all."

The smile that lit up his face made all the extra work that this would cost more than worth it. 

'Thank you, I'll get our nice clothes to check if they're still in perfect condition.'

Loureen watched her older brother walk back to the small house they lived in and returned her attention to the wool in her hands. Four more hours and she would be done for the day. 

-

She was closing up with the owner of the small shop Mrs. Oliver, when Sophy walked inside for some last minute work. 

"I think you heard the news already over the ball?" Without waiting for the obvious answer she continued talking. "I would really like a new shawl and mittens for both me and Gaia. If I remember correctly you should still have our measures, right Loureen?"

Loureen nodded, but mentioned Mrs. Oliver to answer as she wasn't completely sure what the request was. Sophy tended to talk quite fast.

"Correct Mrs. Logan, it will be ready by tomorrow evening just in time for the ball. Any special request for the color or is natural good?"

Sophy was looking at every ball of wool in a short fae dance, before her eye fell on a soft pink.

"This one will be perfect. Oh and Loureen are you and Fynn coming too? If that's the case I can get you both something new too. No need to be anything but comfortable before the royal family.

Loureen looked in confusion at Mrs. Oliver, what did Sophy exactly ask of her and Fynn? 

'Loureen, a new shawl and mittens for the Mrs.'s Logan for the ball in the pink wool. And she offered you and your brother something new.'

They didn't need pity, but a new coat for Flynn wouldn't be something they were able to refuse. 

"I wouldn't dare ask for something from you Sophy, but if you insist I won't decline."

Sophy had picked up a lovely purple and grey shawl and was twirling it around between her fingers.

"Don't worry, here this one is for you. Put it on my bill please Mrs. Oliver, it will look wonderful on you. You will look absolutely lovable with this shawl and your old midnight dress with purple accents."

Loureen took the compliment with ease, but didn't comment on the latter part of the comment. Lovable wasn't the thing people were looking for on a ball. 

"Well till the ball if I miss one of you tomorrow. See this as your cordial invitation to one of the carriages to bring you to the palace. Bye."

Sophy left the shop in a whirl of expensive clothes the same way she entered it.

"Well looks like it you will actually go, sweetie. Sophy wants to give you and Flynn a nice week off, well at least it sounds like it won't be one evening."

Loureen tried to ignore the words of Mrs. Oliver who had none of it.

"You should go, take a break. I can handle the shop on my own and you and your brother also deserve something nice. Maybe nothing will come of it, but you don't know that yet, perhaps you'll make new friends at least."

There was nothing to do against Mrs. Oliver's logic and Loureen didn't try to argue. It was decided the moment Flynn showed her his puppy eyes.

-

'Come on Loureen, this ribbon will look marvelous.'

Flynn held up a purple ribbon to tie Loureen's hair together. 

This afternoon they had arrived in the capital. Officially was everyone supposed to stay at the castle, but a lot more people had arrived than expected and the group from their village had been a bit too late to indulge in those luxuries. 

"He's right Loureen. Gaia tell her he's right you have a better eye for color arrangements than I have."

Sophy was sitting in front of a mirror on Loureen's left and was holding different earrings up to see which one suited her eyes and dress more.

"The long silver ones, Sophy. And he's right Loureen, your brother has excellent taste. Now if he could use his impeccable taste for his own clothes then we would be really talking."

Flynn blushed bright red to the roots of his equally red hair. His hands stuttered in a feeble attempt to excuse his actions. 

'There's nothing wrong with my clothes.'

Sophy hid her smile inside Gaia's curls, who herself couldn't stifle her own laugh.

"Keep telling yourself that, but please change into these clothes and swipe some lad of his feet at the party, will you?"

A nice form-fitting suit was revealed and pushed into Flynn's hand who gladly excused himself to change into the new clothes. Once everyone was properly dressed they left for the party with the carriage of the Logan's.

The guards in front of the gate stopped the carriage to get the names of all occupants. Sophy gladly did the talking for the rest.

"I'm Mrs. Sophy Logan, this is my wife Mrs. Gaia Logan and our dear friends Miss. Loureen and her twin brother Flynn Loren, nice to meet you."

The guard dutifully noted down the names and signed for the carriages to continue.

"To you as well, milady. Have a nice evening."

The long driveway that still separated them from the palace disappeared under the hooves from the horses.

Once inside someone announced their names and Loureen immediately left the main hall for some rest. Flynn could take care of himself and otherwise Gaia and Sophy would help him. 

Balls were nothing for her, too many people she couldn't understand and the casual relationships that were started were so dissimilar from what she wanted, that after her second ball eight years ago she no longer tried. 

"Everyone, please return to the main hall. The princess Alyss and prince Nolan will start the ball."

Flynn sneaked up behind her and took Loureen back to the ballroom, she couldn't miss this part. No one would care if she went home after the first dance, but before would be seen as a great offence.

The musicians started a waltz and the royals glided over the dancefloor with seemingly effortless grace. 

Loureen had seen both of them before, apart from the fact that from their jewelry alone they were easily recognizable. 

The princess wore her grandmothers tiara and matching earrings, necklace and bracelets laid in with sapphires. They went well with her dark blue evening dress and black wavy hair. Her brother wore a similar family set from their grandfather and wore a similar, yet made of better quality, as Flynn. 

Loureen could see why they both had suitors to spare.

From the corner of her eye saw Loureen Gaia dragging Sophy on the dancefloor and Flynn was talking to a nice looking young man. It was time to slip away. 

The gardens were silent in the moonlight and as Loureen wandered further away from the house and entered the gardens did also the lights leave her alone. 

Her world was always shades of silence, yet when nature showed her her ears weren't lying did it make her feel at ease. 

She stopped her walk at the end of the official gardens and sat down in an gazebo that was looking down at the snow covered valley. 

Within a week she would be back at her village, with Mrs. Oliver's shop and her and Flynn's small home. Her friends were objectively right in saying she deserved a small vacation, but this surely didn't felt like one.

"Mind if I sit next to you?"

As the only artificial light was from the palace behind a small hill and moon had almost completely disappeared, couldn't Loureen immediately recognize the woman. But when she scooted away to make room and she sat down, was it hard to miss the sapphires that decorated her jewelry. 

Loureen knew the princess was saying something, but with so many obstructing factors was it impossible for her to decipher them.

"I'm sorry, I can't understand you. My ears don't work the way they're supposed to."

The princess seemed flustered and with a lot of hand gestures steered them both back to the palace. When they were once again in a semi-illuminated place did they sat down.

"Is this better?" Loureen nodded her head and the princess continued talking. "I asked why you were all alone that far away, is the party not to your liking?"

It was a tricky question, but Loureen answered him as truthfully as she could. The princess had found her there, any judgement would be two-sided. 

"I don't like big crowds, my friends basically dragged me along."

A smile spread across the woman's face and made it light up like a thousand stars.

"That's my kind of person, I wouldn't be here either of it wouldn't be for my mom. The whole idea of this ball is that I fall in love and give her grandchildren. And that's not going to come from me and she knows it, she has bigger chances with Nolan though what I've seen tonight those chances are dwindling hard."

Loureen followed the princes eyes and saw Flynn dancing with the Prince. The smile he wore on his face was usually reserved for small kittens but was now proudly displayed for his dancepartner to see.

"A ball is far more pleasurable when spent in good company. Would you like to raid the kitchens together? The food is delicious here, and call me Alyss, no need to be formal when talking to a future friend."

Without further prompting was Loureen dragged from her comfortable chair and lead away from the ballroom towards the warmth of the royal kitchens with it's many workers.

-

January 1, 2023