The room was huge with a very high ceiling, furnished with big mirrors, crystal chandeliers and golden vases. The girls settled on the right side, the men on the opposite side and after gently bowing, the opening dance of the ball started.
Colorful long dresses floated in the air to the music.
The women were dancing with class and grace, except a young woman with a low-cut, red puffy dress. She was all thumbs, her movement was uncoordinated and clumsy but she looked so amused. At the first sight she appeared a young girl, but if you observed her more closely you could see the swollen bags surrounding her weary eyes, and you could notice her cheek painted of rose, and you would notice about her the excess of alcohol. Each man in the room wanted to dance with her, and even if she was ungainly she was so sensual, especially when she shook her fan on her sweaty chest while her cheeks became more and more red.
They had fun with her, she was so different from the other serious and stiff women which they were used to dance with.
In the corner of the room you could hear the malicious whisper of the young girls who were looking at her in a judgmental and superior way: “She is so vulgar, look at her tangled red hair, with that hovering plume”.
Nobody knew her, each guest in the room was wondering who that strange young woman was and where she came from. The only one who knew that mystery was the rich owner of this big palace. He was a handsome and well-born man, his parents possessed most of the lands in that country and he was the only heir. He had fallem in love with this courtesan. He didn’t know her name, the ones who knew her used to call her THE WOMAN HOLDING A FAN. He was ashamed to speak with her because she belonged to a lower class, so they could never be together in order to not bring shame to his family. But he sent an invitation to her, he wanted so see her for the last time.
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