113: Arlan's Eyes On Her

Arlan's Eyes On Her

For some odd reason, the sight of Arlan laughing reminded Oriana of the dissonance she felt inside his bedchamber. The bedchamber did not reflect the personality of its master. The amiable prince surrounded by a crowd was far from the real him.  1

It made her feel strange and maybe…a little sad.

Her entire life, Oriana had been pretending to be someone she was not. Maybe that was the same for this man? Was it for survival as well? The side of him admired by others was a fake he had to put on for others' sake.

'I feel like I've judged him too soon.'

By the time she snapped out of her daze, Oriana noticed everyone moving away to look in one direction. A couple was dancing in the center of the dance floor. Oriana tried to look through the gaps between the crowd and found Arlan dancing with a beautiful blond woman in a blue gown. They looked perfect together.

'She must be the daughter of the Count. Does he intend to marry her? The way he is dancing with her and how happy she is, it looks like she's in love with him.' 

Without realizing it, a frown formed on Oriana's face. 

'But he can get someone better than her. Her clothes are too revealing, which says something about her personality, and she seems like an airhead. She is not that pretty the more I look at her …wait, isn't he interested in pretty boys? Tsk, sad for that girl. To think she needs to vie for her future husband's affection and her competition are men.'

While watching the couple dance, Oriana felt like Arlan's gaze happened to fall on her. 

'Was I mistaken? He couldn't have found me hiding behind the pillar, right? His sight can't be that inhumanly sharp to spot me amongst this crowd.'

Oriana continued to watch her master dancing and could not help but praise him. 

'How elegant. The dances I see in the town squares are loud and rowdy—it is a performance, an entertainment, a different league to the dances nobles do. This…is more like an art. Watching beautiful people gliding across the dance floor can only make a poor commoner like me sigh in appreciation.

'I wonder how these people can dance so well. Do they take classes to move with grace or something? If I were in their place, I would definitely step on their feet and fracture them.' 

She giggled inwardly as she imagined stepping on Arlan's feet, only to shake her head when she realized the strangeness of the image. 

'Not with him, never with that pervert. Two men dancing? That sight is kind of… No, when the time comes I can freely live as a girl, then I will dance with Luke.' 

Daydreaming of the future where she no longer needed her disguise, she giggled once more. 

'Iceberg Luke? Can't imagine him dancing. I am sure we will end up falling and hurting each other. At least, I can learn to dance properly, but that stiff guy, I doubt he can even make a single move that is remotely elegant.'

Oriana observed how the young ladies would crane their necks, seemingly forming a queue and looking eager to be the prince's next dance partner. Even some of the married women were visibly drooling at the sight of the handsome blue-eyed man.

'Though he is not the heir apparent to the throne, my master is still a prince, a member of the royal family. He looks impressive, not only is he extremely wealthy, marrying him will be an honor to any noble family. It would be weird if ladies were not to fawn over him. 

'Which reminds me, I don't know which prince he is. I don't even know his whole name. Yet this not-so-important son of the King of Griven is already this impressive. How amazing would his older brothers be? The First Prince is the Crown Prince, so amongst siblings, he must be the most outstanding son.'

The ballroom was magnificent, and the experience of sneaking in was such an eye-opener, she did not regret stumbling inside. However, Oriana still remembered her place. She was a mere attendant. She did not belong in this lavish world enjoyed by the powerful and the wealthy.

After enjoying watching Arlan dance, she decided to leave. 

'I need to go while everyone's attention is on them.'

Oriana walked to the same door she came in from, but the moment she opened the door, she spotted the guard outside. 'I should take another door.' 

There were several doors connected to the huge ballroom, some leading to the parlors while others to the balconies. She went towards another exit, hoping there would be no people in the hallway.

'This seems safer. I hope it is.'

Arlan, who was indeed dancing with the daughter of Count Milton, had his eyes on his little servant from the moment she entered the ballroom. His senses didn't fail to notice that extremely noticeable black headwrap, and though buried by the countless fragrances within the ballroom—ranging from strong perfume, to the various delicacies as well as tobacco smoke— Arlan still caught a whiff of her lovely fragrance despite the distance. 

The entire time, the prince had been watching that naughty deer hiding behind the pillar from the corners of his vision.

Though he was smiling and was paying attention to his dance partner, he would glance at her from time to time, and it happened that she noticed him looking at her. She reacted as if his gaze didn't meet hers. 

When the music was nearing its end, Arlan narrowed his eyes at her departing figure. 

'She really can't stay away from trouble, can she? A royal servant sneaking around the Count's residence like this might give other people the wrong impression.'

As soon as their dance was over, Arlan exchanged bows with the lady before escorting her out of the dance floor. Other young women wished to dance with him, but Arlan busied himself talking with others and made sure it was apparent he was no longer in the mood to dance.

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