• Her hands slid down the golden railing with every step she took down towards the masked crowd. Gossip and gasps arose as everyone saw a glimpse of the masked beauty.

    Her moon-like silver eyes glistened in the bright lights. A kind smile stretched upon her red-blood lips. From afar, the prince that hosted this masquerade ball noticed her. His eyes never left the ceramic-looking beauty. Quickly, he ordered one of his servants to bring her over without revealingly his identity. After all, this was supposed to be an masked dance.

    "Milady, the man over there, he wishes to have some words with you." Whispered the servant into the beauty's ear.

    "If he wishes to talk to me, he shall come to me, himself." She stated, "It's his wanting - not mine. So he should go and earn it."

    "Very well, I'll go tell him that."

    The servant returned to the prince with the news. After hearing it, the prince became slightly more intrigued and enchanted by this beauty. The prince smiled, and walked towards the beauty. He tapped her lightly on her shoulders. She turned around, and smirked.

    "You were the one that wished to speak to me?" She asked with a sweet angelic voice.
    "I was." He smiled.

    They stared into each others' eyes. Getting lost with each passing second. It was love at first sight.

    "What did you want," She asked getting near his ear, "prince" she ended, with a whisper.

    "A dance with this mysterious beauty in front of my eyes."

    "Very well..."

    The beauty's small hands fell into the prince's. Together, they swayed slowly to the music. She rested her head on the prince's chest, her long, wavy, brunette hair brushed against her waist with every movement. She wanted this moment to last forever, but it wouldn't. As they danced, she saw envious glances staring towards her . They were envious of her beauty and her prince. And they'll be the cause of her blood-drenched death.

    Beauty was always a curse to her. Never was it a gift. After her mother's passing when she was 10, she was sent to an orphanage. None of the other girls would play with her because they wanted to top each other, and they knew they couldn't even compete with her. The boys were afraid of her, afraid of her inhuman beauty. They thought she wasn't human. The only friend she ever had, was a girl twice her age, whom she only saw in her dreams. The girl in her dreams, would visit her every night, kiss her on her forehead, play with her, and comfort her. . .Like a mother would to her daughter.

    "May I take off your mask, miss?" The prince asked, awakening the beauty from her thoughts.

    Horrified of how he was going to react from the skin beneath the mask. She ran off, leaving the prince staring after her, startled by her sudden act.

    "No...He'll be afraid...I just know it...If he sees what the masks hide..." she whispered to herself, lost in the forest forest, "I'll be dead..."

    She took off her mask, and felt her face. She went next to a puddle of water, which had enough light to show every detail of her. Her emerald-colored eyes, her pale skin, and her chocolate long hair falling lightly across her face. Angry at herself, she smacked the water and walked away.

    Returning to her very doom.