Page 59 - RotalTutor

She dried her tears and washed her face. She looked at the food he had so kindly brought. Even as she could feel him beginning to distance himself from her, he still tried to do the kind and right thing. She could hardly bring herself to eat it. It brought memories of the day on the mountain when her unthoughtfulness had caused him to go hungry. Yet, again, he was going without. But she was so very hungry, and he had put himself at such great personal risk to obtain it for her that she could hardly not eat it. She ate and drank barely enough to keep her stomach from gnawing at her. She could not force herself to take anymore when Alexander had nothing. Knowing the time for the ball was coming quickly, she hurried as fast as she could. It took time to get her hair looking decent. She washed off her tiara and necklace and put them in place. She glanced in the mirror. She wanted to look good now, not for others, but for Alexander. When she felt she was ready, she said a prayer that somehow, some way, she could reach his heart. Upon opening the door, she could see him standing in the moonlight that fell through the open windows of the hallway. Her breath rushed from her. He stood tall and strong, his blonde hair waving gently in the breeze. He was so very handsome. Why had she not noticed before? He turned and smiled at her for a brief second before lowering his eyes and looking away. His smile took her breath away again. She realized it was the same smile that she had hated for as long as she could remember. But why 57