The room was filled with every type of ball gown you could imagine. Pink ruffles and light blue tool, Margret stuck out like a sore thumb. The looks she got were anything but gratifying. Lucky for her, masks were required at this ball. It’s not that she didn’t want to be at the ball. In fact, this was her very dream. But she didn’t want to be seen in…this.
Her shoes were her great grandmothers that were old and well…ugly. And the dress that she wore was not flattering at all. It was made out of an old drapery her mother made for the queen. It was the only piece of fabric that they had to work with. And as for her stockings. They didn’t help that they were pure white. And against her pale complexion, she looked like a ghost. The day that she dreamed of all her life was turning out to be one of the worst days she could ever imagine.
Margret watched all of the beautiful royals wisp around the dance floor, looking as though they were dancing on air, while she sat on a chair next to the refreshment table. She only thought of how she wound up at the ball in the first place.

“Now Margret, I have a little surprise for you,” Her mother said, filled with excitement.
“It’s not another pair of knickers is it mother? You got me one last week.” They both laughed in unison. But it was true. Margret and her mother couldn’t afford much. And when the queen wanted cloths thrown away, usually undergarments, Margret’s mother would bring them for her daughter to have. Her mother always thought she deserved the best cloths from the finest places.
“No, not this time,” her mother said with a playful sigh. “How would you like to attend the queens ball tonight,” she blurted out with a huge smile on her face.
“Me? The ball?” Margret was ecstatic but then quickly she slumped in disappointment. “Mother, who am I kidding? The queen would never let me attend the ball. I’m a maid, not part of her court.” Margret sat on one of the lopsided stools and put her head in her hands.
“Well let’s just say I pulled a few strings and got you this invitation from the queen herself to attend?” Margret’s mother pulled out a scroll with a wax seal from behind her back and handed it to her daughter.
“But-but! How?” Margret’s face turned to shock.
“I pulled a few strings! Now let’s make you a gown! I got the rest of the day off to help you pull together a beautiful dress for you. The queen is even going to pay me so we don’t have to miss supper for a day! She must be feeling generous today!” Margret ran up to her mother and held her tight. She couldn’t believe her mother would do something like this for her.
“Thank you,” she whispered in her ear as she clung to her mother. She really did love her more then anything in the world.

“You’re welcome baby. I love you so much,” she said returning the love her daughter had times everything in the world.
“I love you too, mother.”

Margret flashed back to reality and glanced down at her dress again and smiled. Margret didn’t care how she looked now knowing that her dress was made by her mother filled with love.

Margret got up and got ready to approach the dance floor. But when she stood, her mask fell off. Quickly, she bent down gracefully to retrieve it and when she got up, she bumped into a man who also accidentally stepped on her foot and Margret dropped her mask again.

“Oh, I’m so sorry sir.” When Margret looked up, the man bent down to pick up her mask that she dropped for a second time. When he straightened out, she couldn’t believe her eyes. Standing before her was the queen’s son, Prince Edward.

“No, no. The fault is all mine.” Prince Edward gazed into her eyes and a breathtaking smile slid across his face. For a brief second he stared into her eyes. After a moment, Margret looked down and spoke.

“My mask, your highness.” She said softly. The prince reached out his hand and gave her the mask. She grabbed it quickly and placed it back on. When Margret looked up again, she could help but notice the prince staring at her.

“Is there something wrong?” She asked nervous. Afraid he would know that she wasn’t part of the queen’s court.

“I’m so sorry if I am bothering you. I don’t mean to stare. It’s just that, well, you’re not like anything I have seen before.” The prince tried to follow Margret’s gaze.

“Oh…well I’m sorry if you feel that my gown is not appropriate. If it concerns you that much your highness, I will leave you.” Margret started to walk away. But the prince caught her arm and pulled her gently, closing the space between them.

“I was going to say I find it refreshing. I am glad there is someone here who has the guts to take a step outside of the normal attire for a formal occasion. I must commend you.” His smile grew bigger and the prince became shy. Margret’s heart fluttered by the side of the prince that no help has ever seen.

“Oh, well thank you your highness,” She said softly, averting her gaze from the prince.

“Please, call me Edward.” The prince met with Margret’s gaze again and she smiled.

“Edward…,” she repeated.

“Yes, well I would love to talk all night but since we are at a ball, I feel that the least we could do is dance. Would you care to join me?” Edward slightly bowed and let his hand linger in the air. Margret was shocked. The prince wants to dance with me? She thought. The prince looked up at her and his face turned to worry.

“Is there something wrong madam?” He walked up to Margret, closing the space between them once again.

“Oh no, everything is perfect,” Margret said sadly, knowing that she must inform the prince of who she really was.

“Then what is wrong? Do you feel faint? Do you need a surgeon?” Edward said panicked.

“No, no. I feel fine. It’s just that…well your highness…I am not worthy to dance with you.” Margret could feel the tears begin to form in her eyes. The prince chuckled.

“And why is that,” He said smiling.

“Because I am nothing but the daughter of a maid in your castle. And I cannot allow you to be seen with the help your highness. It is against my will to let you be seen with nothing but a mere commoner.” Margret let her tears flow over and the prince looked at her with kind eyes.

“My dear madden, I do not see you as a maid in my castle or someone with less riches then I. I see a beautiful woman who had the courage to wear my mothers draperies as a ball gown and show everyone in my mother’s court that you deserve to be here just as much as everyone else. Titles don’t matter to me. I am nothing like people make me out to be.” The prince lifted up Margret’s chin with his finger so she could look him in the eyes. Edward was glowing and she could see that. “Now, I say we clean you up, get you some more comfortable shoes and dance. Is that okay with you Margret?” Margret’s head shot up and she looked surprised.

“You know my name?” She said drying her eyes.

“Well of course I did. I am the prince after all. And if I don’t know the names of everyone here, what makes you think my mother will.” They both laughed and Margret looked at his hand. “Well?”

Margret placed her hand in his and the prince pulled her away to the castle. Margret began to live a moment that she only imagined. This was her dream come true.