Remmy stood up and the alcohol hit her equilibrium. She tripped over the air and was caught from the side by strong arms. Remmy righted her legs and the arms loosened, but kept their contact.
"Drowning in your sorrows is best done without heels."
Remmy turned her face up to her savior and was meet by piercing grey eyes. His face held age, but his smile was all charm. He must have been in his early forties, but had somehow remained attractive for someone his age.
"Sorrows? There is nothing to have sorrow for. This. Is a celebration." Remmy giggled. Yorick had gotten what he wanted, though it was not earned, and Remmy had gotten what she had wanted.
"Ah, so you did not want to be Ruler?"
Remmy smiled at him. She let him guide her to the ballroom where they continued their conversation.
"I wanted it, but there is something else I want more. I. am not spoiled and cannot have both."
The debonair man took the clutch from Remmy's arm and set it down on a table. He led her out onto the floor and placed a hand in hers and the other around her back. They began to dance before Remmy knew what was happening.
"A beautiful woman like you should get anything she desires, but do tell. What is it you desire more than a position of power and loyalty?"
"The heart wants what it wants."
Mr. Rico Suave grinned down at her and continued to dance. Remmy knew that she would not be able to dance at all without his support, but he was beginning to hold her a little too close. Before Remmy could excuse herself, he did it for her.
"I think it's time to get back to your personal celebration. Let me walk you to your table?" He loosened his grip once more but kept a hand on the small of her back to guide her. He held her seat out for her and continued to be a perfect gentleman.
"I don't believe a gorgeous woman like yourself will be sitting here long. I have enjoyed our conversation and before the night is over, I would like another dance if you could fit me in."
Remmy smiled up to him, the alcohol smoothing over her thoughts. "Only if I last until then. I'm off to a great start." Remmy hadn't thought the words had more than one meaning, but she could see in his eyes they had. He walked away with a smile and Remmy followed him with her eyes. He stopped and talked to a waiter, who in turn made his way over to her.
The waiter placed a glass of champagne in front of Remmy and nodded to her. She said a polite thank you and took a sip. It bubbled down her throat and had a different flavor from wine or beer. Remmy wondered how they could each taste so different yet all contained a sweet elixir that slowed her mind. She giggled to herself. Oh the things she would do if Aldric were here. She would have to settle for drunk texting him later, if she even made it out of this room.
The champagne tasted exquisite and had emptied itself faster than the wine had. The waiter kept her replenished without asking. No matter where she was in the grand room, he was close by. Remmy had a feeling it was something to do with Rico Suave. She was now on her third glass and time had eclipsed her. Her bladder was the only thing dictating her actions right this moment. She made her way pass the bar and stumbled into Sean, nearly falling on her face. She managed to reach out for him, and he grabbed her arm to steady her.
"I am sooo sorry." Remmy knew as soon as the words came out of her mouth she was drunk. This was not going to end well, but she couldn't contain herself. She laughed and nearly fell again. Sean didn't seem pleased. He quit the conversation he was holding and told the couple he was talking to he would meet up with them later.
"Remmy, is there anything I could help you with? Walking you perhaps?"
"Not unless you want to trade shoes? I don't think gold strapped heels would match that tux though."
Sean smiled at her, clearly amused. "You only need shoes for walking, so where were you headed?"
Remmy stopped for a moment and tried to remember what she was doing before falling all over herself and others. "Oh! Bathroom. Do you need to go to?"
"No, but I will keep you company on your way." He wrapped his arm around her waist clearly trying to support her more than do anything else. Remmy kept quiet, not wanting to risk talking and walking in her current state. They made it into the bathroom and Sean left Remmy to do her business. He waited outside for her, intent on keeping an eye out for her. He felt disappointed about the final decision for Ruler and made it his priority to do his best to make it up to her. His mind roamed back to the present and realized he had been leaning against the wall for too long. Sean sighed to himself. Into the wild he thought as he walked into the women's bathroom and began to check the stalls.
Remmy was in the first one, snoring. Sean chuckled to himself and knocked on the door. He heard Remmy pull air into her lungs and the movement of her dress. He heard the toilet flush and watched her walk out of the stall.
"Good sir, this is a lady's room!"
Remmy tried her hardest to seem in shock but quickly lost her demeanor with a giggle. She walked over to the sink and washed her hands, looking up into the mirror catching Sean watching her. There was nothing sexual in his gaze, it was something Remmy couldn't place. She finished washing her hands and dried them with a towel and turned to him.
"Okay okay, if you really want to trade shoes, you can take them. But I'm warning you, it takes a certain skill to walk in the suckers. Trust me I know."
Sean shook his head at her and wrapped his arm back around her waist again. They walked out of the bathroom, catching a few stares. Sean ignored the curious faces and Remmy was oblivious. He guided her to the hallway. They were almost there before Remmy halted and nearly knocked them both over.
"Where are we going?"
"I am taking you back to your room. I think you have had too much to handle tonight and it is overwhelming you."
Sean had meant that in more than one way but Remmy had not caught on to it yet. She walked with him once again, only this time slower. She was running those words over in her head.
"What do you know? You're only a butler!"
"And you, are clearly incapacitated."
Remmy laughed and almost brought them both down again. Sean pulled her up to a stand and leaned her against the wall. He bent down and pulled Remmy over his shoulder, making her squeal.
"What are you doing?"
Remmy could feel his lungs work his words out of his chest. "Carrying you before you bring us both to the floor."
"I think this is far beyond the call of butler duties."
"Are you going to let me live that down? I thought it was an ingenious idea to get to know each of you before you knew who I was."
Remmy thought a moment before answering. Thinking was much easier now that she wasn't walking. "It was rather clever." then she whispered "And sneaky."
Sean laughed and Remmy could feel his chest rumble against her body.
"You know who else is sneaky Mr. Butler?"
Sean smiled and played along with her. They weren't far from her room and knew she couldn't keep up her stamina. "Who is that Remmy?"
"Yorick Klain. He is sneaky clever. But not as clever as I."
They were now at her room and Sean set her to lean against the wall while he opened the door for her. He went to wrap his arm around her waist once more, but found she had fallen asleep. He wrapped his arm around her slowly and pulled her into his side. She woke but didn't stand and continued her lean into him, keeping her eyes closed.
"Yorick is clever." She mumbled out.
Sean set her down on the bed and pulled back her covers. He helped her settle in while she continued to talk to him.
"My name is on the card. I won. He used his powers. Clever cheat." She spat out at the end.
Sean slowed. He took off her shoes, trying to keep her awake for just a little longer.
"How do you know what the card said Remmy?"
Remmy yawned. "It fell out of your pocket. Yorick must have stollen it while I was dancing with Rico."
Sean was having a hard time with the clasp on her shoes but listened intently the whole time. He finally got the last one off and pulled the covers over her. She had been silent too long for being a talkative drunk, her stamina must have finally wore off. He pulled the blanket to just over her shoulders and she opened her eyes pulling his gaze to her. Her face was still and sharp. "Cheaters never prosper." She held his focus only a second longer, before drifting to sleep.
Sean stared at her for a moment. He dared not wake her up again and knew that staying in her room any longer would not produce good words of him. He would keep this tidbit of information to himself for tonight, but he would dig into this in the morning.
He knew something had not sat right with him about the banquet hall. He was the lead council and made all of the announcements, always. When he stood to make the announcement, the room had started to spin, and he had gotten a headache. As soon as he had sat, the room stilled but the headache continued. He had asked Dmetri to make the announcement and Dmetri, being the kind of person he is, had obliged. Dmetri had given him an odd look after seeing the name. After hearing Yorick being chosen, Sean knew why.
Sean couldn't believe anyone would pick Yorick over Remmy or even Anthony. Yorick was harsh. He scored extremely well on anything to do with battle or combat. Anything on inflicting pain and controlling power. This would have to be handled before the crowning. Once crowned, going against the Ruler was considered treason, punishable by whatever sentence the Ruler chose. "For if it prosper, none dare call it treason."
Cheaters never prosper, for if it prosper, none dare call it treason. Is the full saying, which I didn't know until I wrote this book. I take the meaning as, if someone is crooked and makes it to the top, they will try to stay there by continuing to be crooked causing fear in those under them.