"I didn't expect you to be such a great dancer?" Teri complimented as the two tiptoed around each other's feet barely grazing each other and staying perfectly on beat.

"Might I say the same to you, Lady Teresa." Asher chided back as he spun her away and pulled her back.

"Oh drop the honorifics." Teri complained as she found herself in his arms. "It's irritating."

"Says the handmaiden." 

"And shuts the knight." She puts a period to his teasing.

Asher chuckles and they effortlessly continue their dance. The two closest confidants of the Lady, in perfect sync with each other. 

The beat of the music began to pace faster and faster with the steps becoming faster along with it. Soon many couples opted to drop and return to the side due to the increasing difficulty in trying to stay in line with the song.

However, people stared as a few pairs remained on the dance floor, one of which were Asher and Teresa.

They took each step with confidence as they seemed like experts, perfectly knowing what the other intended to do and acting accordingly to their movement.

Teri smiled as the two stared at each other's faces, their bodies completely in line with the song. 

As the crescendo began to rise, so did they. Other nobles began to stare as the remaining few also slowly dribbled out until only the two remained on the floor.

"Are you ready to end this?" Asher grinned.

"Ever am I." She responded and Asher pulled her in then spun her out of his arms like a top. She delicately stood on the tips of her feets as she pulled the knights around her and had him catch her fall with his chest and their arms tangled in a cross shape pattern.

The moment they ended, other nobles began to clap as the two were heavily exhausted from the dance they just did.

"That was exquisite wouldn't you say?" Asher laughed a bit as he and Teri pulled away from each other.

"Stop speaking like a noble and get some water for both of us." She laughed back through her heaves. "I'm so thirsty…"

"Fair enough." Asher led the two of them to the small water fountain to grab a drink. As the two of them drank their water in peace, the Knight began conversation. "You think Lady Alejandra would appreciate a good dancer."

"If it's you, I'm sure she would." Teri fiddled with her glass. "My Lady has quite an impeccable taste, after all."

The both of them chuckled. "I'm about to leave the Duke soon." Asher frowned with a sigh. "My letter of notice was sent earlier this week…My father…He's expecting me to inherit the march soon."

Teri's face turned sour. "You're leaving?"

"Not yet but…will."

The maid looked hurt but she composed herself immediately. "Does the Lady know?"

"Not yet…" Asher sighed and stared at the refraction of light in his water. "I was going to talk to her about it tonight but she…well…she was a bit too busy I guess."

"Ash…"

"Don't feel too bummed out." He nudged her shoulder. "It's been a long time coming…and I'll likely be the Marquis the next time we meet."

"Will I see you?"

"Unlikely. I'll be far too busy with deskwork and studying." His laughter was filled with bitter aching. "I won't be seeing you guys in person for a while."

"But…"

"I'll send letters to the Lady…and to you too of course." He patted her head. "You're like a sister to me after all." He ruffled her hair and Teri bit her lip.

"I'll be having my debut in two years…" She pursed her lips and glared. "I'll be eighteen then!"

"And I'll be 21." He pointed out.

"You know very well not to treat me like a child." She complained again. "I'm strong, you know."

"Yeah Yeah." He raised an eyebrow. "Why are you caught up on that?" He chuckled and pinched her cheeks.

"Whai dyu you gaish keeph dhoing thah." She grumbled with pulled cheeks. 

"Cause you're adorable."

Teri's face turned pink and she glared. "Save that for My Lady."

He faintly smiled to wash away the leftover doubts in his heart. "Yeah, in these few years I'll be gone. I'll be someone worthy of her."

Teri clenched her fists and let out a heavy breath. "I'm rooting for you." She smiled.

Suddenly from the corner of Asher's eye he saw one of the servers pickpocket one of the nobles and proceed to head out of the ball.

He handed his glass to Teri and grinned at her before leaning in and kissing her head. "I'll see you later. There's something that needs my attention."

Teri's expression looked a bit sullen but she nodded. "Yeah…see you, Ash."

Asher then jogged over to chase the pickpocket he saw. He ran out the ball and followed the server as they took twists and turns.

The server found herself in a garden as she pulled out the jewels she took to make sure she succeeded. "Phew."

"Nice Ruby there." Asher called as he walked up to her with a serious look on his face.

"Crap."

Meanwhile, a couple minutes ago at the same time of the dance of Asher and Teri. Maddison and Alejandra found themselves once again face to face with each other.

The Lady remembering the harassment Maddison did to her a few moments ago realized that she has the right to still be pissed.

"W-what does that matter!?" She squeaked furious but only enough for them to hear. "You're still a perverted bastard." 

Maddison chuckles as she stands up and fixes her sleeves and her collar. "What say you and I go somewhere more quiet, My Lady?"

"So what, you can do heinous things to me even more?" Alejandra grit her teeth.

Maddison smiled and took her hand and kissed it. "With your permission of course." She teased.

A flushed Alejandra jolts her hand backwards and ends up dragging a grinning Maddison out into a corner where they can speak privately. "Just get on with it." She glares.

"Oh?" Maddison smiled mischievously again. "You're quite bold, aren't you, My Lady?"

"Not that." Alejandra sighs. "Don't you have something to tell me?"

"Why would I?"

"I mean…you came to me right?" Alejandra seemed slightly confused. "That must mean something?"

"I only approached you to serve my own interests." 

"Interests?"

"Of meeting the gal of the ball."

Alejandra felt a vein in her head pop in irritation. Maddison notices and smiles once more and turns her gaze to the crowd in the ball. "Aren't they good dancers?"

Alejandra follows her line of sight and she finds her knight and maid having the dance of their lives as the music kicks into its peak. She was wowed by their synchrony and harmony as they danced perfectly on beat.

"Your maid is quite a special one indeed." Maddison commented. "You should treasure her."

"I do. But…" The Lady puts her hands on her hips and puts all her attention once more into the male outfitted Maddison. "Why are you here? And what's all this?"

The witch chuckles and leans on the wall. "I figured I would visit the return of the Crown Prince. It's rare to see such a prideful occasion." Her voice sounded soft and gentle that it caught Alejandra slightly off guard.

"So it's all on a whim then?" Alejandra put her cheek on her palm. "I really have much more to know about you." 

"And I'd be happy to tell you, My Lady." Maddison whispered to her ear and made the poor Lady jump from the sudden warmth.

"Seriously…" Alejandra frowned. 

Maddison decided that it was finally time to stop playing with the Lady and do business. "Apologies, I didn't mean to entice your anger. If need be, I do want to hear your progress on the decision." 

"I've yet to fully come to it." Alejandracs frowning face turned more sour. She crossed her arms and looked as the song had ended and Asher and Teri made their way to the fountain.

"I see." Maddison's face turned serious before turning to a menacing smirk. "Well, I feel like today would mark the finale of your decision."

Alejandra's ears perked up. There was no information to be scoured and she felt interested at this unexpected development. "Why so?"

Maddison took a step away from Alejandra "It's why I'm here and…" Her fingers traced along the Lady's hair with her index ending at the Lady's lip. "Secret." She goaded.

"Wha–"

"Let's dance shall we?" She wrapped her arm around the Lady's and led them towards the dance floor. "The next song begins soon."

"Wait–" Alejandra panics as they slowly get closer and closer to the dance floor.

There was one thing she has been afraid of this entire time and one of the main reasons she's avoided any request to dance.

Was the fact that she, the Genius Heiress of the Ramirez House, was a dreadful beat deaf hopeless foot stepper.

Thankfully, before they could reach the dance floor, a familiar figure began to block their path.

"Good evening once more, My Lady. I have been looking for you." The Crown Prince merrily spoke as he chatted to Alejandra. He then turned a glare to the person next to her. "And you too, my good sir."

Maddison, who right now looked like a well mannered neatly dressed orange haired nobleman. "It is an honor to be in your presence, Your Highness." He bowed.

"The honor is mine, Sir…?" Ben raised an eyebrow waiting for his name.

Alejandra found her heart started doing flips from the nervousness right now. She didn't know whether Maddison had planned to be interviewed by the Prince, but knowing her she'd have planned for everything.

"Madeline. Lawrence Madeline." Maddison lied as naturally as she breathed.

"I see. Lord Madeline, if you don't mind, I would like to have a private conversation with the Lady." Ben without waiting for a response reached his hand over to take Alejandra's which got smacked by a hand in an instant.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness. She and I already have a preordained appointment." Maddison or in this case, Lawrence, smiled with both his lips and eyes as if he just didn't commit an act that can put his head at the other end of a guillotine's blade.

The Prince, fortunately, isn't that petty. He grinned back and simply replied with sarcasm. "I have quite an important arrangement with the Heiress."

Alejandra noticed Ben calling her an Heiress as a way to amplify the importance of their supposed conversation.

"I'm sure it can wait, Your Highness. With the next song about to start, it's best to go with decided partners over switching out of nowhere." Maddison smiled and pulled Alejandra closer to her, clearly to enrage the Prince even more.

This woman is playing a dangerous game.

"I believe The Lady would be honored to dance with the Prince." Ben bit back, alluding the difference in rank.

"Fortunately, A lovely trait of the Lady is her loyal nature." Maddison barked back.

Alejandra at least knew Ben wouldn't be the type to exert his power to harm people but even still she couldn't but feel worried for Maddison by edging the future king of the Empire.

Soon as the rambling of the two kept going back and forth, they started gathering attention from the other nobles. 

Alejandra notices her Father talking with the Emperor and Empress who take a glance at her and the two dogs baring their fangs at each other next to her.

Then the Imperials and her Father began to walk towards her direction which raised alarm bells in her head. 

She started cursing to herself and the yapping next to her is adding more to the stress. Alejandra finally having had enough, she used what she learned at dance practice to stomp at the feet of the two annoying individuals by her side.

"Can you both shut up." She was pissed. Very.

"Sorry." The two remarked at the same time.

"Stop fighting over who gets to dance with me okay?" She glared. "You guys don't get to decide for me, I am my own person." She angrily huffed.

From the corner of her eye she sees the Emperor and Empress alongside her Father, the Grand Duke, come closer and closer.

Maddison then claps her hands and grins, which is always a bad sign. "How about you decide who you're dancing with then? You are your own person after all, My Lady?" 

Goddamnit. Alejandra knew it. The audacity of this bastard.

"Why are you putting this on me now?" She shakes her head vigorously.

"Alejandra!" Her voice was called by her father and the trepid young lass felt her body straighten. The Imperials were here.

"Ahhh, Lady Alejandra," The Emperor lauded with his voice, "it's great to see you agai—"

BOOM!

An entire section of the ballroom explodes into fiery dust. 

Some nobles lay lifeless from being hit by the debris or struck directly by the ignition. In a few moments, the soft music turns into screams of agony and terror as the party erupts into chaos.

"Now, Ladies and Gentlemen." A familiar man announces from the cloud of dust. "It is time for the real party to begin."

Alejandra's eyes widened. It was him.

Baron Hemming, with his face contorted into disgusting ecstasy, raises his arms and a large group of masked soldiers march their way inside.