She dressed in white, with sparkling gems of diamonds and sapphire adorning her neck and her hair. Her dress was shimmering and feathery soft to the touch, not too revealing, yet hinting of dreams to come for the one who captured this maiden. She ran her hands down it, smiling into the mirror.
He arrived in his carriage to pick her up, and brought beautiful roses as a token of affection. She accepted them with a smile and demurely murmured thanks. Then she donned her cloak, as black as her dress was white, and followed him out, where he helped her into their transport.
They danced at the ball, like a prince and a princess out of the fairy tales. Snow White and Black Knight, statures proud and graceful. He had an aura of command that made him seem much greater than his mere physical height. She had a charm and a sweet laughter marking her as the prime jewel of the ball. Floating through the ballroom, they let the dreamy waltz guide their steps. Black eyes, fierce and kingly, looked into blue eyes, innocent and regal. And the sparks between them intensified.
He had come to admire this beautiful lady, and would learn to know her. She was pleased by his attentions, and showed him what he wanted to see: Eyes shining with innocent admiration, golden hair, fragrant like a summer's breeze, fair skin tinged with an early spring morning's blush, and the honest heart of innocent youth.
So young.
So lovely.
So gentle.
So false.
At the stroke of midnight, she took his hand and led him into the garden. There was a small lake in the middle, and there she kissed him chastely on his cheek and bid him adieu. As confusion entered his eyes, she let him see the real her, the great lie that was her heart. And she took cruel, cold delight it the anguish it caused him, for it was all she had hoped for, and more. She summoned her dark cloak to her, and reached through him to steal a token for herself.
A gasp of pain tore through him as she spun away with her price. And there, upon the dark waters of the lake, the Devil danced and twirled. Now he could see that her luxurious gown was made out of angels' feathers, and that her black cloak was made from his brothers' wings. Outraged and humiliated, he summoned his blade and sought to slay this mocking bird; even as she kissed the dark token and added it to her mantle. He would not suffer this evil of evils to live for another moment! But the Devil laughed and flew up and away, on stolen wings into the night. Upon her command, darkness hid her; and all he was left with was the brittle laughter of tiny crystal chimes.