#salemblaze

Deciding to escape the royal life before the night’s ball, she stripped down one of her “casual” dresses. She ripped the buttons off and replaced them with string, pulled off the bows, tore some of the layers out underneath; she wanted to look as normal as possible. She fixed her hair similar to what a so called “peasant” would have. She got some money and stuffed it in her make shift pockets. Grabbing an old shawl, she wrapped it around her head to conceal her face  and left the castle secretly. 

Going into the town, she tried to keep herself as low as possible. She browsed a stand with fruit. Picking up an apple, she purchased it and took a small bite from it. To her, it felt great buying things, and not being catered to. She walked to different stands, looking at all the different items. One stand, sold jewelry of all different kind, a pair of earrings caught her eye. She wanted to get them for her sister so that she could wear them to the ball that night. 

"How much are those earrings?" Kali asked, pointing to them. The merchant smirked at her and tried to explain that they were the last pair he had, which would cause them to be more expensive.

A person standing near by walked up and pulled her aside, “Don’t listen to him. He’s used that line twice today. He’s got about four more pairs behind him. Trust me.” Taken back at what the merchant was trying to do, Kali nodded and went back. “I don’t have enough. I can’t afford it, are you sure there isn’t any way I can pay the regular price?”

She tried to negotiate, but it wasn’t working, so she decided to stop trying and walk away. The stranger went to the kart, and he bought them for her. Searching for her, he found her and put them in her hands, “Here you go. I hope you enjoy your earrings.”

Kali was shocked at how kind the person was, “Oh, wow, thank you. I’ll pay you back, I promise. Are you coming to the ball tonight?” She asked. 

"You don’t have to.. How can you afford a ball gown, but not earrings?" He asked with an eyebrow raised. 

Sighing, she took the shawl off off her head, “I can afford earrings, and a ball gown. I’m the princess.” 

"Oh, and I’m a prince," he retorted. "There’s no way you’re a princess. Why would a princess want to be out here?" 

"I don’t want to be a princess. Just come tonight, and I’ll pay you back and I’ll prove it. I’ll wear a blue dress, and I’ll be by the apples." She said with a small nod. "Just come and I can prove it." 

"Fine, I’ll go. But if you’re not there, I’m coming after you." He smirked.

"Good. I look forward to seeing you." She smiled. "Oh, what’s your name?"

"I’ll tell you at the party." He said with the same smirk.

Before she could respond, the bell tower rang, signalling that it was time for her to leave. “I’ll see you there, I have to go!” She said running off with the earrings in hand.

When she arrived at the castle, she ran to her sister’s room, and gave her the earrings, and vaguely told her how she got them. Kali went to her room and put on the blue dress she said she’d wear. She tried to look as much of a princess as she could, she even got her sister to help.

By the time the ball rolled around, she finally felt like a princess. It was a foreign feeling to her, but she liked it. She walked into the ballroom, greeted with some of the faces she had saw that afternoon. Waiting by the apples, just as she promised, she grabbed an apple and started eating it. It wasn’t as satisfying as the one she had earlier that day, but it was still delicious.

Feeling a tap on her shoulder, she turned around, only to face the stranger from earlier in the day. “Oh, wow, I didn’t think you’d come. I told you I was a princess.” She smiled, gesturing to one of the family portraits on the wall. 

"I told you I would. I’m Blaze. It’s nice to meet you, princess." He said bowing with a small laugh. 

"Oh, please, it’s just Kali.. Care to dance?" She asked as the next song began to play by the orchestra.