WA- Picture Prompt Story #2

Couples spun on the glistening marble floor like water lilies cast about in a rippling pond. Around and around eloquent dresses blossomed on beautiful masked maidens while terrifyingly handsome men kept somber skeletal faces as the music roared through the castle. It bounced off walls and swung from the chandeliers, and like a imp from hell it kept its victims entranced. Forever turning to the beat.

I glanced at the band before rushing out onto the stone terrace. The sounds and heat made my head pin around like the dancers inside till I could no longer stand it. I drew in each breath of icy air slowly in order to clear the nausea that sat in my chest. Stars above twinkled in delight as the small whips of clouds floated by the bloated moon. It was indeed a wonderful night to flee from the endless parties that seemed to plague my existence.

Flattening the front of my dress I stretched out my arms in a very unladylike display before gazing off into the endless night. The village off in the distant hills was alight with celebration; I wondered how their dance differed from our own. How they danced through the streets with such wild displays and such flighty music. I almost envied their wild lifestyle, their freedom.

Suddenly a noise shook me from my thoughts. It came upon the wind from not too far off and was barely audible above the roar of the orchestra inside. It was the clatter of hoof beats and no sooner had the noise reached my ears did the horse man arrive. He raced up the cobblestone path wearing a fiery mask that covered the eyes of the Devil. The dingy cloths that hung from his lean muscular frame revealed the identity of this strange figure. His Skinny black stead came to a halt not far from one of the back garden entrances before he leapt off it into the bushes near by. He was a peasant; a filthy street urchin come to steal from the palace’s kitchens.

I could feel my cheeks redden when I realized how intolerable this act was. He was a fox about to slink into the hen house… he was more than unwanted. But what was I to do? Surly he was much stronger than I so interfering would be out of the question. But I was young and restless then and very hot tempered. Besides my story would not be very interesting if I had not decided to go after that young man.

Quietly I hoisted myself over the stone rail of the terrace till I was balancing carefully on the thing ledge that separated me from a five foot drop to the tree below. I kicked off my shoes before taking a deep breath in preparation for what I was about to do. Luckily I had preformed this stunt this many times before so it really didn’t bother me all that much. Just one, two, three, and jump! Then a light landing in the abundantly leaved tree below.

Picking a few twigs out of my hair I stood below the tree alone in the empty night, the soft green grass was welcoming to my soar feet. Lifting up my dress slightly I moved across the lawn as quickly as I was able till I was at the plants in which the fox had disappeared into. I peered into them and noticed the small open window that lead into the castle’s cellar. It was narrow so I had to shed my extravagant dress and stood in silly brown pants and a white undershirt. Now normally women did not wear such clothing under their dresses, but I was prepared for anything.

I was ready to shimmy through the window when he appeared out in front of me, his eyes blazing like twin suns. I let out a shriek before he vanished out of site.

I never saw him again…