Page 83 of Throne Off Course

“Her name is irrelevant,” Genevieve replied coldly. “What matters is your duty. A concept you seem to be struggling with lately.”

Alexander didn’t answer.

“Now smile, Your Highness,” she murmured as they turned toward the Queen. “Everyone is watching.”

Alexander did smile.

And it felt like surrender.

As he approached his mother with Genevieve at his side, his eyes instinctively sought Emilia in the crowd. He found her safely with Sebastian, who had an arm draped casually around her shoulders as they spoke with one of the museum curators. She was smiling, animated, talking about her work with passion.

For a brief moment, their eyes met across the room. A look passed between them—acknowledgment, understanding, something bittersweet. Then she turned back to her conversation, and he continued toward his duties, each steptaking them further from that single perfect dance where, just for a moment, he had allowed himself to believe there might be another way.

But the walls were closing in.

And now, as the Queen’s gaze settled on him with unmistakable disapproval, he would begin to pay the price for those few minutes of freedom.

* * *

THE SOCIETY PAGES

DANCE FLOOR DECLARATIONS: WHAT WASN’T SAID AT THE ROYAL GALA

By Vivienne Ellis

Sometimes actions speak louder than words—and last night at the Museum Gala, Crown Prince Alexander’s dance with historian Miss Emilia Carter was practically shouting.

“They weren’t just dancing,” said event photographer James Wilson, whose images of the pair have gone viral. “They were in their own world. I’ve photographed the Prince at dozens of events, and I’ve never captured him looking at anyone the way he looked at her.”

The images show an unguarded moment between the Prince and the historian—his hand at her waist, their eyes locked, both seemingly oblivious to the hundreds of onlookers. In one particularly striking photo, the Prince appears to be whispering something to Miss Carter, her expression a complex mixture of vulnerability and restraint.

“That single dance has more chemistry than five seasons of a Netflix romance,” commented popular culture analyst Regina Foster. “The royal family can issue all the denials they want, but those photos tell a story that’s captivating because it feels authentic in a world of royal performance.”

The gala, ostensibly celebrating Miss Carter’s groundbreaking work on the royal archives, has now become noteworthy for entirely different reasons. Social media has exploded with side-by-side comparisons of Prince Alexander’s dances:

@RoyalFashionWatch:The difference in body language is EVERYTHING. With Emilia Carter: leaning in, genuine smile, totally present. With Lady Genevieve: proper form, polite distance, diplomatic smile. #TellUsTruthAlexander

@HistoryMemes:When you have to dance with your arranged fiancée right after dancing with the woman you actually want. #PrinceProblems #RoyalGala

Adding to the rumor mill is Lord Sebastian Hawthorne’s deafening silence post-event. His last post before the gala confirmed that Miss Carter was his date for the evening: “Escorting the indomitable Miss Carter to tonight’s royal shindig. Bringing a woman who actually reads history books to a palace that prefers to rewrite them. Wonder which ancient royal myth she’ll debunk first? Place your bets. #RoyallyUncomfortable #HistoriansDoItWithPrimarySources”

Speculation runs rampant that Hawthorne’s digital disappearing act indicates either a broken heart or palace pressure to maintain silence. As one commenter noted: “Sebastian never shuts up unless forced to. Either the Prince stole his date and broke his heart, or someone made him put his phone down.” What is clear, however, is that for a moment on that dance floor, the carefully constructed facade of royal obligation slipped—and the public caught a glimpse of something rarely seen in royal circles: authenticity.

The palace’s attempts to redirect attention to the historical exhibition have largely failed. As one social media commentator put it: “We just witnessed history being made, but it wasn’t in the exhibition—it was on the dance floor.”

Inside the palace, the reactionwas immediate.

The Queen was furious.

Genevieve, ever composed, was already strategizing.

And Alexander?

He stood in his office, staring at the newspaper spread across his desk, knowing full well—

He had just started a war.

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