Trapped In Hisstory

"Your Highness seems to know my thoughts well." Lady Vanessa said with a smile.

This was what she wanted all this time, for the Crown Prince to ask her for a dance. The moment Chance remembered what occurred with the Saville sisters and the humiliation of ignoring them and refusing to dance, he realized that Vanessa Lanstone was waiting for his request.

But that realization was not the reason why the Crown Prince asked the lady from the House of Lanstone for a dance. Chance was aware of the eyes that were on him, especially his father, the King, who he felt like having suspicions about him and Caliber. Dancing with a woman from a powerful family will distract the King.

Chance ignored the smile that the lady was giving him. "I only did what could be of help to me." Chance responded.

"Fortunately, I benefited from your actions. It helped me quite a lot, Your Highness." Vanessa said in return.

Chance let out a snort, which he does not often do. "You are quite direct and bold to say that. It is the same as telling me that it was your plan to dance with me so you could benefit." the Crown Prince said.

Lady Vanessa chuckled as the Crown Prince held her hand and twisted her. When she was finally facing him, she smiled, or it could almost be a smirk, "Being honest is a good trait."

"So you admit that you are using me right now?" Chance asked and Lady Vanessa flashed him a smile. "But Your Highness is using me as well...are you not?" she said, almost in a whisper.

King Cadell watched as his son and his niece, the daughter of his brother, dance while catching the attention of all people in the room. He does not know whether he would feel great or feel displeased about the sight he was witnessing. His gaze shifted to the Second Prince of Canopus, but the prince was just talking with his friend, Jasper Cameron. His eyes squinted and just decided to watch the dancing pair, with Leonidas by his side, looking incredibly amused.

Chance went silent. It was true that he used Vanessa, after all. He did say that asking her to dance was done to help himself. Same thing as using the lady. The Crown Prince's eyes narrowed to Vanessa Lanstone and from the tone that she was using, he has a suspicion that the lady knows something. 'Does...she know about me and the Second Prince of Canopus?' he thought.

He cannot ask a question related to Caliber because his suspicion might actually be wrong. Maybe she does not know and only has another thing on her mind. "Hmm, for what reason do you think I requested to dance with you?" Chance asked.

"You want to escape from your father's eyes," she answered.

"Why do you think so?"

"I am sure you know that His Majesty puts a lot of attention to you, his dear son, the Crown Prince." she said, "He must be waiting to see which lady you would ask to dance with. Especially from which house."

Chance remained quiet, listening to her every word. "Since it is I who is now dancing with you, His Majesty would not be worried about the other houses. After all, I am the daughter of his brother...that was kicked out of the royal family."

'Dancing with me to distract the King, you are surely hiding something from His Majesty.' Vanessa thought, but she did not tell him her thoughts.

The Crown Prince let out a snort after hearing what she said. Chance never considered about King Cadell's thoughts on the other houses. All he had in his mind, and the reason why he asked Vanessa, was for Caliber.

'His Majesty would not be worried about the other houses?' he thought, repeating Vanessa Lanstone's words. There was something odd about what she said. For Chance, he thinks that King Cadell would be more worried and anxious about the House of Lanstone. Since it is the King's brother, after all, in which Chance thinks was kicked out because of Cadell's schemes. It would be natural to think that Cadell would not like the Marquess, since there are some who still know that Calliwell should be the one on the throne by now.

And Vanessa Lanstone obviously knows that fact.

Chance stared at his cousin's face, almost frowning, but he did not let the people watching them notice that he was a bit displeased. "You look so angelic and innocent, but I wonder what it is that goes on in your head."

Vanessa chuckled. If Chance had not known her yet and hear her laugh, he would have felt much better. He would have thought that she looked beautiful and that she was nice.

But now that he had talked to her and met her up close, he felt as if that was not all she was. There was more to her. If he was the past Charles, what could have happened between them?

"Your words make it seem as if I am planning something, Your Highness." she said after she let out a chuckle.

"I only say what I think." Chance said, "And from the way I see it, you are a scheming lady, who would do anything to get what she wants." He added. 

Chance was surprised by his own words. He was not like this back in his time, in the 21st century. If he had any thoughts, they would just remain inside his mind because he was scared to say what he wanted to say so easily. Unless it was online. But right now, he was saying what he thinks right to the person he was speaking to.

The silence went on as they continued to dance. Without Lady Vanessa saying a word to respond, the music came to an end. With the Crown Prince holding Vanessa Lanstone's hand, they faced the crowd and bowed together with the other pairs.

The people clapped for the performance made by the pairs. Chance turned to face Vanessa, and he bowed to kiss her hand, "Thank you for the wonderful dance, Lady Vanessa."

Vanessa Lanstone smiled and curtsied. "You were quite a dancer, Your Highness." she said.

Chance smiled. "I took lessons, of course. Any prince could do so." He lied. It was a good thing that he knew how to dance back in his time. It would have been embarrassing if he did not.

The Crown Prince's eyes wandered around to find Caliber. He was still in the same spot where he was. He was clapping along with the crowd, and he smiled at him as soon as their eyes met. Chance felt his cheeks heat up only by a single look from Caliber.

Caliber looked away and turned to Jasper, who was talking with him, causing the Crown Prince to take his eyes off of him as well. Lady Vanessa gripped his hand. "Are you all right?" she asked.

"Ah, yes, Lady Vanessa," he answered. "I should take you back to uncle and then return to my table," he said, and extended his hand to her.

Vanessa nodded and placed her hand again on his. To return to the Marquess and Marchioness. As soon as they took a step, Vanessa removed his hand from his palm and clung to his arm. Walking arm in arm for the people to see and it surprised the others, Jasper, Caliber, Leonidas, Cadell, and even the Crown Prince himself.

Chance did not react and just remained calm as he walked the lady like it was nothing. "Your Highness may be correct," Vanessa said while walking with Chance.

"Regarding?"

"About me being a scheming lady." she responded and smiled. "Do not worry, it is not in my plan to bother you, but there are indeed some things that I want to get." 

"Vanessa Lanstone," Chance stated her name and snorted. "What are you planning?"

"It is too early to tell you what I want, but I can assure you that it will help you as well."

Chance went silent to ponder about her words. 'She says these things with such confidence. What could this lady be planning?' he thought. 'Did it really help Charles back then?' 

He does not know what he was feeling. He feels suspicious of Vanessa Lanstone, but at the same time, he felt like he will need her. 'Are you an ally..?'

Whatever it was she was planning, Chance could only guess that it would be connected to the royal family. Knowing how Charles's uncle, the Marquess that was a former Crown Prince, ended up being kicked. He wondered if her plan was revenge. "Lady Vanessa...are you doing this for Marquess Calliwell?"

The two of them stopped as they were a few feet close to where the Lanstones were. Lady Vanessa removed her hand and faced the Crown Prince. "All that I will do, is not for my father, or my family," she said and smiled.

"But only for myself.." She responded before turning around to join Marquess Calliwell and Marchioness Margaret.