Enya Findehoof. Schloss Zyng, Grand Ball Room.
Sunday, the 4th of August, 2019.
The procedure for new arrivals would be rather simple.
Basically right next to the entrance stood the Fürst of Teressien with his date, read me, and welcomed guests. A short greeting, a handshake, maybe a kiss on the hand for the lady, then next one. More detailed conversations would follow later tonight.
I stood next to Alrich, the man with the mop of brown hair on his head and the shining, violet eyes, greeting Adalrich and Oda von Ehrenback, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and his wife, of course kissing Oda's hand and shaking Adalrich's hand, the older man putting Alrich's hand into a vice-like grip.
I then bowed my head to Oda, then received a surprisingly gallant kiss on the back of my hand from her husband. I smiled and did a small curtsy, which seemed to amuse the older gentleman.
What he saw, when he looked at me?
I was blonde, shoulder-length hair in two cute pig tails on the side of my head, with blue-green eyes, quite well-endowed (if I may say so) and a known actress and model. The Avalanche of Steel had just been released in Teressien, the first movie I starred in, and the current catalogue of Bicíní Industries, a clothes company both my sisters modeled for as well, was just released as well. I was also known as the daughter of the current Ambassador of the Principality in the Free Lands of the Selkie (the country, where Bicíní Industries came from), and went to school there, but wanted to study in Teressien once I had finished that.
All of that wasn't exactly a state secret. What had been kept like one had been my dress for tonight, not even Alrich had known until he had come to my room to pick me up.
Teressian Dress Code allowed for traditional costumes during white tie occasions, and I knew, that we would be seeing quite a few tonight, and so I wore my Gwand, the traditional costume for Teressian Women. Also known as Tracht, the dress consisted of a bodice, in my case closed by cross lacing and in black, a white blouse with a low cut and short puff sleeves underneath that. Traditionally, the skirt was supposed to be ankle-length and while more modern variations allow for shorter ones, mine went down to mid-calf, a half-apron with lace-trimmings completing the look. In the ways of jewelry, I only wore a small silver pendant, which rested on my collarbone, a gift from my Papa.
Alrich wore Drachtenanzug, the very formal male variation, a woolen jacket with relatively huge, wooden buttons, a cravat around his neck, dark pants, a white shirt with a standing collar underneath the jacket, so we were synchronized. He was a good-looking man.
As Adalrich and Oda departed and we had a moment to take a deep breath, I looked into the Grand Ball Room, which was filling up with guests. The orchestra, the Orchester der Philharmonie von Zyng under Mister Mailo Dakt, played ambient music as a warm-up exercise. Maids were fluttering around in their uniforms, refilling drinks and getting things, guests were having small talk before the actual ball began with the Polonaise.
The Grand Ball Room was on the ground floor of the Eastern Wing, fifty metres long and twenty wide, 14 metres high. On either side were six large, ten metre high windows, but only those on the left had glass doors in them, which led out to a patio, which was also prepared for the ball for those, who wanted to catch a few breaths of fresh air while overlooking the gardens, illuminated by torches. It was a warm summer night, so that was a viable option, and I knew, that Alrich would take me on a stroll through the gardens later tonight.
Anyway, the ball room itself was boarded with the wood of five different sorts of trees, which all had different shades and thus created a pattern. Where some saw circles, I saw flowers in full bloom. The centre of the floor, in front of the orchestra at the far end, was the dance floor and already held free.
"Don't worry.", Alrich whispered into my ear, "The fun part will come soon enough."
I turned to him and saw his small, little smile, which told me, that he knew exactly what I was thinking.
I smiled back. "I have you on my dance card already.", I told him in the same volume, which made him smile. It was even a literal dance card, so... he knew, that I was not kidding. And he knew, which dances we would take together.
We turned back to the entrance, waiting for the next guest or pair of guests or even group of guests to arrive and to be greeted.