Rose Thorns (The Cimmerian Cycle #3)

Chapter 6 - Part 1

Chapter 6

Evrart was seated at the high table at the back of the hall at the very edge. Her father and Lord Mirilloe were sitting next to each other in the middle of the table. Her sisters separated her from the King. She had turned heads as she had entered but now she was just being ignored. She couldn't find Rupert in the crowds of people eating below and was annoyed that she wouldn't get to spend the evening with them.

She snatched up a goblet and called for some wine. It was served to her but reluctantly. She downed the entire goblet in one go and set it down with a thud on the table. She then leaned forward and looked down the high table.

Aysi was sitting to the left of their father and eating very delicately. She giggled as she sipped at her wine. Evrart could not imagine what was so funny until she squinted a little harder. Who she had thought was some son of Lord Mirilloe's was actually Rupert.

The smile faded fast from Evrart's face. She was furious. Why was he sitting next to Aysi?

"Wine," she called holding up her goblet.

It was filled to the brim with crimson liquid and she sipped it slowly. She was watching Rupert and her half-sister with narrowed eyes. As far as she knew Rupert despised Aysi just like herself but what Evrart was seeing made her question everything she knew about the man. Aysi laughed and touched Rupert's hand.

Evrart was so intently observing them that she did not notice that the whole roasted pig had been brought out from the kitchens until her ears were filled with the yells of hungry men. She jumped with shock sending her plate clattering to the floor.

The blood rushed to her cheeks but thankfully no one was paying her any attention. A young serving girl rushed forward and cleaned up the mess for her. Evrart leant back into her chair and tried to blend into the wood. She really didn't want to be here anymore.

A sharp ringing ran through the hall as the king tapped the side of his goblet and stood. The hall fell silent immediately. Evrart could have heard the scurrying of mouse it was so quiet.

"I welcome you, my friends, my servants, my lords. Tonight we feast and may it be the first of many!" He said loudly, "Please eat and enjoy the night!"

Lord Mirilloe stood, "It is an honour to be of service to you my grace. You are welcome here at any time. Long live King Talon! May the Ancestors watch over him!"

There was a cheer from the masses below as the silence was broken. The pig was carved up by the head chef and delivered to the people in the hall by servants. Evrart received her slice of meat pushed it aside. She suddenly had no appetite.

She gazed down the table at Aysi and Rupert. She had an uneasy feeling and it took her a moment to understand what it was. The pair of them seemed a little too close. There was something deeper in Aysi's gaze as she talked to Rupert. Evrart knew that she was to marry King Richard's eldest son. Sure her father had brought all of his daughters along but it was obvious who the prince would pick. Aysi was the prettiest out of them all and she knew it. Evrart did not want to think how things would end up if she and Rupert didn't sever their bonds.

From the way that they were addressing each other Evrart knew that they must have been seeing each other for months. She had half a mind to march up there and disrupt them. She would love to embarrass Aysi in front of the entire court. But the little voice in the back of her head that she generally ignored was telling her that her father would be very disappointed with her.

That thought ignited a spark in her mind. If she made of a fool of herself maybe he would send her back to Highhollow. He would not want her disgracing the family while the Dayrian's were around.

She stood up, making sure her chair made as much noise as possible. A few people looked along the high table at her with confused expressions. Rupert was frowning at her. 'Sit down,' he mouthed to her. She folded her arms and stared hard back before she finally lost her resolve. She couldn't do it. She couldn't make a fool out of Aysi and get herself thrown from Bymerrow.

She didn't know what to do. More people were staring at her now in an expectant kind of way as if she was going to make a speech. She would look too much like an idiot if she simply sat down. Evrart couldn't just walk out either. She really didn't want to cross swords with her father over such a silly thing. Having no words to say she slowly inched towards her chair and the focus on her was lost.

She had no idea what possessed her to be so public about it. She would have to confront Rupert later, in private. She felt as though he had betrayed her. She had extended a hand of friendship to him when he had arrived in Highhollow and they had become the best of friends. What he did in his personal life had never bothered Evrart. That was until he showed interest in Aysi who was the most snobbish, arrogant idiot Evrart had ever met and she had met plenty of idiots in her lifetime.

For the rest of the evening Evrart tapped her fingers impatiently on the table. She was bored out of her mind and couldn't stop herself from watching Rupert and Aysi enjoying themselves. She drank more wine and waited for the right time to leave. Her younger sisters had left hours ago and she was all alone at the end of the table.

Her father seemed to have no end to his stories and Lord Mirilloe was a trained listener. Evrart had no idea how he could manage it. She had heard all of her father's stories many times before and most were not even funny the first time he told them. She rolled her eyes at Aysi who had burst into another fit of giggles. Her cheeks seemed flushed and it appeared that she had drunk quite an amount of wine. Evrart was surprised that she hadn't gone tipsy after her first mouthful. As far as she was aware she hardly ever drank.