Summary: Emma was tired of the boring, dutiful life of a princess. She longed for an adventure–something to break up the monotony of life at court, something with
a little intrigue and possibly even a bit of romance–perhaps that was why the notion of sneaking away from the palace to attend a masquerade was so
appealing. Little did she realize that a dance with a ghost would lead her on a quest for vengeance over the man she would come to love. [ on ao3 ]
happy halloween! this isn’t really a halloween story, but there are costumes and ghosts! and pirates, sort of! and men in tight breeches! and granny as a Duchess in her own right! and hey, how ‘bout that incredibly gorgeous art? like, i’ve been dying for you all to see it. @fairytalesandtimetravel did an incredible job, make sure you let her know what you think of her work! you can check it out here.
anyway, enjoy my rated-for-everyone lieutenant duckling romance adventure. and be safe tonight!
The Ghost and the Mask
Lady Ruby regarded Emma with a solemn expression, but Emma could still see the devilish twinkle in her friend’s eye. Deciding to ignore Ruby’s obvious
attempt to elicit questions from her, Emma instead called upon years and years of lessons in comportment and her mother’s ever-present voice in her head
counseling patience as the best form of diplomacy; she folded her hands in her lap and fixed her countenance in the most bland expression she could summon.
Because Ruby had been a friend since they were young girls, Emma tilted her head to the side, her only concession to curiosity, though inside she
impatiently waited for whatever outrageous thing her old friend would say next.
Lady Ruby narrowed her eyes slightly, but she must have remembered that great friend or no, Emma was still the princess, so she sighed heavily and smiled.
“A ghost.”
Emma lifted one brow but otherwise maintained her composure. Inside, she felt a tingle of excitement. A ghost! In Lady Ruby’s ancestral home!
“He has the Lucas light eyes and dark hair; probably some long-lost ancestor doomed to haunt the halls with a forlorn expression on his handsome face.”
It All Starts With a Dance 