Visions (The Daevas #2)

4 | Having the Match

"Are you lost, my lady?" I hear a velvety voice say from behind me. I know I have been standing here, dazzled as well for a moment now, and it startles me to hear a voice so close behind me. I turn around to see a young handsome man staring at me curiously. He seems like a man that could possibly be mistaken for a prince. It also seems like he spared no expense on his wardrobe; for he took pleasure in fine clothes, taking advantage of his looks and the rich materials available to him. I look at him with large olivine eyes, surprised.

Here at Hampton Court, this man dons a short doublet of murrey cloth with gold sewn all over with tiny seed pearls, its wide sleeves slashed to reveal a gold-and-maroon-striped satin undershirt. I count of, despite myself, the thirty pearl buttons. Each was the size of a large pea, and the price of one would have gone a long way to feeding a peasant for a year. He has a murrey hose and the points are all tied neatly. There is a gold collar chain at his broad shoulders, a ruby gem twinkling at me. At his feet, he is wearing immaculate thigh-high boots of brushed leather, and he has a bejeweled garter with the cross of St. George that is fastened around his thigh just above the boot.

"Are you well, my lady?" the man asks kindly.

I realize that I am speculating him, and I immediately tear my gaze off his clothing and feel my cheeks heating up into a scarlet blush. "I...I apologise."

"'Tis not a problem," he says, a bubble of laughter slightly going up his throat. "May I ask why a beautiful young damsel such as you is standing in this corner, alone, with no one to attend to you?"

I look at him, my cheeks still red. I clasp my hands together and play with my fingers. "To be honest, kind sir, I am lost. 'Tis such a vast palace that I forgot where the banquet hall is; I fear my family is looking for me. My sister needs me by her side."

He sweeps me a low and elegant bow and I hold out my hand. He holds it and kisses the back of it, and I curtsy. "May I introduce myself?" At my blink, he grins and takes that as an aye. "I am Edmund Fielding, Duke of Brightam." He straightens and looks at me. Hmm. 'Tis like I have heard his name before, though I cannot point my finger at what it is.

I nod and introduce myself as well. "And I am Lady Venise D'Onofrio..." I am about to say, Princess of the Nexts, but I stop myself in time.

He smiles. "I know, your highness." I gape at him and he begins to laugh heartily. "I believe your parents have not mentioned me to you yet, then."

"Nay," I say quickly, shaking my head, "I have heard of you, my lord. It slipped from my mind, 'tis all; my apologies. You...my word...you are arranged to marry my sister!" I breathe out. 'Tis true. My parents have arranged marriages for Anne and I since the time we went to Spain for safety, and we cannot be more than happy. Both of us have not met our fiancés yet but now I meet the Duke of Brightam, Anne's intended. We know that both our affianced grooms are to finally meet us with their parents here at the ball, but I never thought my soon-to-be-brother-in-law recognized me in a flash. He also knows that I am his princess, for our fiancés are Daevas who have powerful connections. Indeed, all of us have powerful connections and rich families.

"And you, your highness," he says jovially, "are arranged to marry my cousin, George Waldorf. He is here with us on a visit."

George Waldorf is the Marquess of Dover. Our parents made a splendid match for us, aye. I give him a cheeky grin and he retaliates. He is twenty-one years old in human age, though he and I have the same age in Daevas years, which is sixty-one. I look sixteen; therefore, I claim that Anne and I are sixteen years old, the perfect age to marry in this day and age.

Edmund offers his arm for me to hold, and I place my dainty, equally bejeweled hands on the crook of his arm, then we start to walk along with the guests into the halls that lead to the banqueting hall.