"But mother-"I started but was cut off by my mother Laura Hemmingsworth"sweetie,honey"My mother began"this ball is essential for you and our family"mother said"every lady will be there and you are no exception"she said with a cold look i know im not supposed to defy,I'm standing in the middle of our family's living room and there are several tailors fitting me with the new dress my mother prepared for me,The essential event as my mother put it is a ball prepared for the Duke of England to find a suitable wife ,for he was at his marrying age"he's a grown man why would he still rely on his parents to find a wife and in such a ridiculous way"i said in german "what?"my mother asked,"speak in english dear"i repeated again but in russian this time, my mother was exasperated and signaled the tailors to be excused "Aria elizabeth Hemmingsworth please get your tongue a leash!"she yelled by that gesture i knew my mother has lost her temper so this time i repeated but in english as she asked "thank you,now was that so hard?and such a vulgar comment and..dialogue!did i not tell you to put a leash on that tongue of yours?"she asked with obvious sarcasm and anger in her voice she sighed"ari your 20 this year and you've studied to much for a girl,just take a look in your bed room"she said i lowered my head for i knew she was right,i am well versed and can speak 10 languages in the original tongue and i often study instead of the usual activities like tea and the proper things i should be studying as such as tea manners and the likes but instead i studied politics,history,and languages, my room is filled with books and i only own 3 dresses which i rarely use, the other ladies champion in music but i champion and earn glory through festivities such as archery and swordsmanship my technique is one of the best but my mother is ashamed to have a daughter such as i for having no aptitude for music so she searches for occasions where i would be forced to act like a proper lady as she put it "ari please just this once don't run off with a book or whatever you usually do to pass time while escaping?most girls your age love balls and dresses and get punished for partaking in too much but here i am punishing you for not partaking in any!"she yelled she was about to go on with the usual speech of the educate women should learn but I was relieved to hear a knock on the door my mother turned to the door and said "please come in"she said obviously returning to her calm and more dignified state of mind,it was my brother henry who probably heard the heated discussion and was ready to save me from the speech my mother prepared"mother please excuse us"he said while bowing"father has summoned us"he explained my mother looked delighted for she thought my father would scold me for my behaviour as my father always acted out in front of her and would offer me candy afterwards and say"being ourselves isn't wrong ari your mother just hasn't seen that"he would say but indeed my mother has always wanted me to be a "proper lady" though my talents weren't quite fit for that kind of life, the only talent i possessed that was recognized by my mother is my voice for singing although i enjoy it there is still the pressured aura being emitted by my mother every time i perform,"brother"i called"yeah?"he replied i clutched his left hand and said"thanks"

* * *

"Hyah!"i yelled i was riding my horse vanelope through the fields near our house,my brother is riding next to me on his horse lightning, we're having a race to the sign separating our house from the neighbor to the marshal's home,"I win!"i declared as i clutched the sign with my left hand and my right hand firmly placed on vanelope's reigns my brother arrives a few seconds later his head lowered and said"Ari please answer me"he said lifting his head"arent i your older brother?"he asked which we just laughed off and I challenged him to another race home.but what i didnt know was there was someone watching.

The day of the ball.

I am in my room staring at myself in the mirror on the inside of my cabinet door and admiring the beautiful black dress my mother prepared for me, it was a simple dress with a spaghetti top and an off shoulders out look with the sleeves and a big white cream skirt with the tips having black sparkles embroidered on the trimmings but that was interrupted with the thought of my face not being well suited with the beauty of it,i have an ordinary face with light blue eyes and pink pouty lips with a button nose and wondered how a woman such as myself be courted especially considering my unique traits?, my thoughts were interrupted when i heard a sudden knock on the door and was set aback, and it took moments before the guest aroused me as he said"excuse me?" i was suddenly alerted to my surroundings and welcomed him in he had on a simple outfit colored with blue and gold but was surprised at the way he made it look so luxurious with his sharp daggered hazel brown eyes and his long black hair tied down with a simple green ribbon,he had a small scar near his left eye which made him look more handsome and his low yet firm voice with a hint of coldness"what brings you here kind sir?i was not notified by your visit and am now embarrassed by the poor state my room is"i said he laughed and said"your room is quite unique for a girl as exquisite as yourself though i am shocked you were not informed i was coming"he said while looking around and checking my room which is painted as a night sky with the moon on the left side and some clouds with stars everywhere and the rack placed near my cabinet with a sword and a spear accompanied by several arrows, i was ashamed especially with the way he spoke with the mocking tone hidden in his voice i was sure i embarrassed myself further by blushing yet he just chuckled and held out his hand gesturing for me to take it,as i did i pondered over HOW i could forget about him,i was indeed notified about him but did not think much about him because of the lack of information the letter i received a few days before the ball gave me as he led me to one of the most beautiful carriages i have ever witnessed in my life it was black and had gold trimmings the chauffeur was standing infront of the carriage putting on his white gloves he had on a the same simple outfit as his master though with the combination of white and gold he appeared mysterious instead of the aura my handsome escort had but as his master made it look luxurious he made it look mysterious with him wearing a mask and by the small scar between his thumb and index finger and i have already deduced as marks left behind because of handling swords,of course i also have the same one but that is hidden by my gloves for now,i entered the vehicle though nervous because of the company my mother surely arranged and by his mysterious swordsman chauffeur.we arrived at the venue and i was surprised at the number of people staring though i found it unusual by my standards as people always ignored my existence but was even more set aback when i found that it was not i who they were favouring but by the position as my escort's companion which made me wonder who the young man i am expected to spend my evening with is which made many of the guests take notice in someone like me,though my father is the general of the england army as a girl i was not invited to the parties my father was inclined to attend to as it was deemed unreasonable for a lady of a noble household be found attending,but i found it absurd as i have went to the military camps in my more youthful days and have beaten countless soldiers in battles yet they do not awknowledge me as a candidate for one of the few female generals appointed it seems my escort noticed the frustrated look on my face as he asked"miss are you perhaps shy?"he asked with his low mocking tone voice"ahh,I'm sorry did i appear dazed?"i replied turning up to face him as he was much taller than i am,he blushed.

I am by the food table as my escort slipped away with a man wearing a black suit as he called for him,i am now eating nuts with my right hand and drinking fruit juice with my left hand,"how ideal of a bachelor the duke is!"one woman said with delight in her voice i was intrigued as the woman who said that was Ms.Sandy from the noble household near ours and have been acquainted with several times and found her having much too high standards when it comes to men and even said to me once she would likely never be married because of her preferences,I was shocked at the discovery and decided to partake in gossip for once as no one was watching i faced the way to the clearing the duke was supposedly located and the reason they were so invested in,and nearly chocked to death as i realized the man they were referring to as duke is the so called "escort" i was to spend the evening with,how foolish i felt and quickly gulped the fruit juice down and turned the other way as i found his gaze fall upon me but as i turned to leave i was shocked at the voice behind me"where are you going Ms.Hemmingsworth?"he said with his mocking tone as i slowly retreated and found myself in a predicament when i realized he was behind me i do not wish to be associated with him for i know i am now the target of his many admirers,i now understood the inquisitive look in people's eyes as they landed upon me"i was about to take a stroll am i needed?"i asked still turning my back against him trying my hardest to keep composure "i see, then please do not let me keep you any further"he replied as he leaned in closely to my ear after he retreated himself a few inches i quickly walked away covering my ear with my right hand while blushing too hard,"have you taken an interest in such a girl?"Andy Hubbard the duke's best friend said as he walked near the duke after watching,intrigued at his friend's actions for he rarely interacted with people much less a girl!"yes,she is an odd one"the duke replied watching Aria hide herself within the crowd"she is as dazzling as a gem"he said"that i can agree with Daryl"Andy replied"yet as sharp as sword"Daryl added with a dazed expression no less!Andy decided to leave it at that and watch blissfully by the sidelines as his friend which he much considered as a brother as to how he could catch a girl's heart especially one like Aria's

I was shocked at my discovery and decided to retreat to the garden and i walked carefully for i do not want my mother finding out i escaped yet another matchmaking,but i found it no need to be careful when i heard melody eckler's voice saying"are you escaping yet another party ri?"i was ashamed at being caught but that feeling went away quickly as i remembered who the person who found me out was,her name is melody and she is my best friend though she appeares timid and shy she is as shameless as they come! I have never really been shy around her and dropped curtsey as i said"im not escaping just not confronting"with my right hand on my hips i gestured for her to follow me to the oak tree in the middle of the garden i as was she stood there enchanted by the huge oak tree looking as though it could reach the skies and was even more enchanted by the beauty of it being surrounded by fireflies flickering through the night and the sound of the crickets echoing throughout the peaceful haven,i found it a great place to rest as such I invited melody to the bench below the trunk of the tree i found and ran there pulling her with me as we giggled while running, we chatted there for a while when we reached it,when i heard the applause coming from the hall i took it as a gesture to go back"we should go back before they realize we we're absent di"i said already standing up reaching for her hand,feeling satisfied by our evening while a set of eyes watched as we go,he also turned to leave to inform a particular someone,of course even though melody appears to be a normal girl she has keen senses and knew.