The Masquerade

My birthday has come, I, Isabella am 18 years old, yet no one has said a word. Mother and father are both gone, I'm guessing they went out on a social call. Nicolo, my dear brother, was in the dining room having a late breakfast this morning. He was out late last night carousing with his friends, no doubt in my mind, until sunrise. I don't even think he knows what day of the week it is. Does no one remember? The servants at least should be placing all the decorations.

My favorite places to be are the gardens or in the grand ballroom, especially when we have guests, as I rarely am allowed out of the gates. Unless it's to attend a ball, under direct supervision of my mother. Father attends sometimes,when he isn't out sailing to another country finding the best exotic spices to bring home to sell.

I guess I'll head up to my room and have my maids dress me for dinner, in the new gown I had the seamstress make for this day specifically! My dress is just as I envisioned it! The enormous skirt is deep red with gold and silver embroidered roses and green vines. The bodice is gold with elaborate swirls of silver and red. My mask is woven with vines and fresh flowers. Maybe, it will jog my mother and fathers memory when they arrive home.

After I am dressed, I decide to go for a walk in my favorite area of the gardens. It's a maze, with hundreds of rose bushes woven throughout the tall hedges,all in different colors, with a small golden fountain wrapped in vines, once you reach the center. I based my dress design on this area of the gardens. I was very pleased when Sophia, my seamstress, was able to replicate my vision so perfectly!

As I'm walking, my vision blurs, the air sounds like it's crackling, I see a flash of white light and the world goes dark for a few seconds. Then my eyes are open and it's like I'm in another world, only it's the same, this is definitely my garden, and as I leave the maze, it's now full of people in masks, I hear music and see jugglers, fire breathers, and a puppet show, as I exit the area heading back to the house. The doors to the ballroom are wide open, I see people dancing and gleefully laughing as they twirl around the floor in their elaborate costumes. The entire house has been transformed, all the decorations mother and I had so skillfully planned for months have seemingly been transported into place in that one flash.

As I enter the grand ballroom, I decide to put on my mask I had been carrying; I see my parents on the balcony near the staircase, father of course, is speaking with a few business partners while mother gossips with their wives. I'm sure their children, most of whom are my age, are down here twirling and socializing on the dance floor. The younger ones are most likely outside with their nurse maids watching the puppet shows, jugglers, and fire breathers.

As I walk through the room,the dancing crowd twirls out of my way,but no one actually seems to look my way, as I head towards the stairs to greet my parents.

I'm to be formally introduced into society, even though I've been attending balls for years, I am expected to make an official entrance. Complete with an announcement before they roll in my enormous cake.

As I reach the balcony my parents notice I have arrived and excuse themselves from their conversations. This after all is a very important day for all of us, especially me.

Father signals for the music to stop and all eyes fall on me as I'm announced and the cake is rolled out as I walk down the stairs onto the dance floor. It's magnificent; it has 10 tiers of chocolatey deliciousness, and is decorated with my theme of vines and roses. I'm in awe, I think I'm in love, as I see this beautiful creation rolled out, but it isn't time to eat yet. For now I'm expected to dance, first with my father, then my brother, followed by every eligible bachelor in the room. It's what's expected, except all I can think of right now is that cake! So there is nothing to do now but go through the motions, so that's what I do, since the cake won't be served until after the unmasking at midnight.

The band strikes up again and now I'm dancing. Father takes me through the paces and I'm then gently and seamlessly passed on to my brother in one nonstop continuous dance. Then the song ends and another starts as the crowd joins in and I'm swept off as someone grabs my hand twirling me away from Nicolo. I know him as he is one of my brothers closest friends. It's likely I'll be passed around to all of them first before the many other men in the room. I have danced with most of them before, and it feels like hours have passed, before I'm passed off to someone that I don't think I know. After all this time, and all these men,all I'm still thinking about is sinking my teeth into that delicious cake.

Then I'm passed off once again. This guy is a terrible dancer, he may have already had way too much to drink, he's stepping all over the hem of my dress, on my toes, and then to my absolute horror, he somehow twirls me, right into my magnificent cake. The band goes silent.

It goes everywhere! As I look up from the gigantic mess on the floor, while covered in cake, I'm met by a masked man with gorgeous green eyes and curly black hair, that I definitely have never seen before, as he helps me up and instantly twirls me back onto the dance floor, as the band starts playing again. It's a little odd to think that I'm out here dancing covered in cake. But his eyes draw me in and though I'm devastated that my cake is in pieces on the floor, I can't help but be thankful that he rescued me from a very embarrassing situation.

Oddly enough, he is the first person this entire night that speaks directly to me, and all he tells me is, “you need to wake up”. Then to complete his mysterious arrival as I am passed on to my next dance partner he takes a bit of cake from my shoulder and eats it. He flashes me a smile as I'm whisked away. Nobody seems bothered that I'm still covered in cake.

A short time later, the seemingly endless stream of dances comes to an end and I'm finally free to move around. Instantly I'm thinking of him. I need to find him and thank him. I scan the room and spot him as he is making his way to the entrance of my favorite maze. So I follow.

I enter the maze and make my way to the center and he is standing at my fountain, when I hear the bells sound, letting everyone know it's time to unmask. As he turns to look at me he speaks once again.”Isabella, you need to wake up!” As he says it my vision blurs, the air sounds like it's crackling, and once again there is a flash of light and the world goes dark.

Suddenly I'm back where I started. Except this time my brother is crouched over me shaking me gently. Telling me that I need to “wake up”. They have been looking for me everywhere, it has been hours and as I exit the gardens, this time with my brother at my heels, I am met with the same scenes playing out before my eyes. I hear the same music, see the same jugglers, fire breathers, and the same puppet show. My eyes open wide and I begin to panic a little.

I enter the grand ballroom and as I pass through the doors, this time I decide to scan the room. I see the mystery man across the room,with his gorgeous green eyes and curly black hair, chatting with friends.

I know that you were expecting some sappy love story but, in that moment, as he turns and sees me enter, he gives me that same smile. And, the only thought that really crosses my mind is…Oh crap! How do I save my cake?