Free Web NovelChapter 19: Masked Ball
"Did you go stealing again?" Lang Ying’s voice rang out in the small room when she saw Ru Yi dressed in an elegant gown.
Ru Yi rolled her eyes in a playful manner. "I didn’t steal it. Princess Lin Yuexin gave it to me as a gift."
Lang Ying’s brows furrowed. "She gave it to you?"
Ru Yi nodded with a smile.
"As a gift?"
Ru Yi lifted her gaze. "Why do you sound like it’s impossible?"
"Because it is!" Lang Ying exclaimed. "You’re basically love rivals. If she’s being nice to you then she’s doing it for a reason."
"And the reason is for me to attend the masked ball." Ru Yi wished there was a mirror she could use to check herself out. "How do I look?"
She wanted to look her best for Princess Lin Yuexin.
Lang Ying sighed. "You look good."
Except she didn’t sound as enthusiastic as Ru Yi had hoped she would. It didn’t matter anyway, she’d be leaving soon.
"Ru Yi..." Lang Ying grabbed her shoulders. "I’m happy that you get to attend the masked ball looking all beautiful. I’m just weary because Princess Lin Yuexin had always blamed you for seducing the crown prince. This might be her plan to get back at you."
"You don’t know her like I do." Ru Yi touched the hand on her shoulder. "Please believe me when I say she means no harm."
Ru Yi felt her cheeks warm up when she remembered how the princess had held tightly on to her. Someone like her would never wish Ru Yi anything malicious.
"Come on, don’t look so sad," Ru Yi said when Lang Ying didn’t let her guard down. "I promise I’ll be fine."
"There’s really no stopping you when you’ve made up your mind," Lang Ying said with a sigh. "Come let me comb your hair."
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Hundreds of lanterns and candles were lit inside the hall, the light glinting off gold, silk and glass.
Soft music could be heard in the background, just drifting through. It was mixed with sounds of laughter and the quiet clink of cups.
Ru Yi watched everything in awe.
Everyone wore a mask—foxes, cranes, that concealed more than the revealed. She was going to have a hard time finding Princess Lin Yuexin.
No one was meant to be recognized.
Yet, Ru Yi had an uneasy feeling that she was being watched. But she tried to shrug it off, hoping that the mask would conceal her identity.
Right now she wasn’t a palace maid, but the guest of the Princess.
She was about to go hide behind one of the tall red pillars that was wrapped in silk drapery when the doors to the hall opened.
In walked three women with full-face wolf masks carved with sharp refined lines.
They wore heavy flowing silk with long dramatic sleeves.
Ru Yi moved back on instinct.
The wolves of the Eastern palace. They couldn’t be mistaken for anyone else.
She had to find the princess, dance with her, and run as fast as she could through those gates. But first, she had to make sure no one—especially the triplets, recognized her.
Ru Yi took a tentative step back only to bump into someone, breath catching as her hand shot out and found a wrist.
She looked up to see a woman wearing a regal mask that looked like it belonged only to royal blood.
The mask itself was ivory-white with delicate golden marbling, shaped in a soft elegant face contour.
It was framed by an elaborate golden filigree crown that rose upward.
At the centre of the forehead was a deep red gemstone, cut like a drop of blood-stained glass. The eye openings were sharp and almond shaped, but Ru Yi recognized those eyes right away.
"Princess," she said, not realizing she was holding her breath until her chest started to tighten. "Your highness," she corrected herself and dipped her head in a bow.
Princess Lin Yuexin hummed in approval.
Ru Yi decided to take the lead, after all she was on borrowed time.
"Can I have this dance?" she asked, grateful that her mask was hiding the huge smile on her face. She might be leaving the princess but she wanted to make this a night both of them would remember for the rest of their lives.
Princess Lin Yuexin stretched out her hand and Ru Yi took it, leading her to the dance floor. The wine she’d taken earlier was finally kicking in.
A refined melody lingered in the air guiding every step on the polished floor. Ru Yi didn’t know how to dance so she let the princess take over.
She let out a soft gasp when Princess Lin Yuexin’s hand ran down the length of her back before resting on her waist.
Ru Yi said nothing, she didn’t want to ruin the moment.
Each sway of their body felt magical, the princess tipping Ru Yi back with a strength that seemed beyond her before pulling the petite maid back against her chest.
"You seem strong today," Ru Yi muttered to herself but didn’t pursue the matter.
They turned with every soft tune that rose from the blend of strings and soft percussion. The faint chime of instruments sounded almost like falling water.
In all this felt like a scene from a fairy tale movie. freewebnøvel.coɱ
"Princess Lin Yuexin," Ru Yi whispered when they turned again. "For what it’s worth, it felt good working with you."
The hand on her waist tightened in a bruising grip but Ru Yi didn’t mind.
"It’s a shame we have to part ways," she continued. "I also want to apologize for thinking you were mean and wanted to just punish me. And I know I’m not in the position to say anything but—"
The music came to an abrupt end and everyone started clapping.
The Emperor was finally here.
Princess Lin Yuexin turned to him and Ru Yi felt dismissed. Without a word she retreated into the crowd.
Everyone had their attention on the Emperor so it was easy for her to slip out of the hall unnoticed.
Her head hung low as she made her way to the East gate, the royal pass already in hand.
She’d wanted to tell Princess Lin Yuexin to be careful, the Empress was too powerful to go against.
Ru Yi knew she wouldn’t be able to bear it if anything happened to the Princess.
It didn’t help that come morning she’d be wedding Crown Prince Zhao Chen. She could only wish that Zhao Chen would treat her like the precious woman she was.
Ru Yi should’ve been happy that she’d finally escaped her tragic end by refusing the crown prince. But she couldn’t stop thinking about how warm the princess was when they were pressed against each other.
She stopped in front of the gate.
She couldn’t leave without letting the princess know how she felt. She couldn’t even describe the odd feeling in her stomach herself.
The only thing that pushed her legs back and had her running back to the hall was one simple thought— she could only survive if the princess rewarded her with one final kiss.
