The ballroom was even brighter and louder—if that was at all possible—when we re-entered, and the throngs of laughing and chatting people were even thicker. I couldn't see Madame or the girls which was an enormous relief, for I meant to avoid facing them again for as long as I could manage.
Thankfully, most of the people were engrossed in eating and catching up with their old friends and acquaintances to notice Una and me. I did, however, catch a fw stares of unkind curiosity broaching on disgust. Una must have sensed my hesitation, for she drew me even closer and raised a challenging brow at anyone she caught staring as if daring them to say anything against me.
"Don't let them bother you, Bree." She whispered. "They're nothing but cruel, insecure gossips who think they're above the rest of the world simply because the king has been kind enough to give their family a title."
Her words were meant as kind encouragement, and while part of me felt warm and grateful to have her at my side, the other part of me was chagrined. My discomfort increased with every step at her side. I didn't belong here in my borrowed 'finery'. I was a trespasser, and the longer I remained, the more I tainted my father's good name.
Despite my likely obvious reluctance, Una led me to a chair and sat beside me as though it were the most natural and obvious thing in the world for her to do. I understood then that if she said she was my friend, she truly meant it. She risked sullying her name by being near me, but the thought of her reputation didn't even seem to cross her mind, because apparently, she enjoyed my company. Her posture, her slender, interlaced fingers, even her expression invited anyone who had a problem with her actions to approach her, but the slight lift of her brows was a clear indication that she wasn't going to back down before anyone.
"That woman there," she leant near me and whispered. "Is the Duchess of Hornsburra," Una pointed out a woman in a voluminous dress that nearly swallowed the seat upon which she sat. "She's never missed a New Years' ball since her debut to my knowledge."
I looked at the woman with a searching gaze. No doubt, she would have known my father. Fine lines in her face added depth to her features, and informed those who paid attention that there had been suffering over her lifetime. There were laugh and smile lines at the corners of her eyes which told how she'd faced those hardships. I found myself wondering if there could be a kinder person in the room—though she seemed highly unlikely to admit to such feelings.
"That gentleman seated just to our left is the Duke of Core. He has been one of the king's advisors for many years, and there are not many who can outwit him. My father says it will be a grave day for Falea when he's no longer able to travel with the ambassador's retinue." Una continued.
I looked at the slender man with some interest, wondering if my father had made friends with him. There was a weathered look to the thin face, half masked by an enormous walrus mustache. He looked as though he were a hard man though not, if my guess was correct, an unduly unjust one.
Una continued to name various figures seated around the tables and standing around the room. She seemed to know so much about everyone that I found myself wondering—not for the first time—what her own rank was. I enjoyed listening to her and wondering if my father had ever been acquainted with the people she pointed out. I couldn't almost imagine him sitting in the room, talking over kingdom matters with the Lord Ambassador or clinking glasses with Lady Harriet de la Borue, the widow of the elder Morris de la Borue who had died serving King Erik almost a decade past.
But no. My father had died serving his king, and these 'noble' people were sitting her in the fine clothes offering condolences and comforting glances to Madame and the girls. Although I enjoyed hearing about all the people, it created a strange hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach, because my father should have been there. He should have been smiling and healthy still, but he wasn't, and the room filled with people felt empty and cold. I wasn't altogether disappointed when Una grew silent as the king rose and lifted his glass to make the annual toast.
"My lords, ladies, advisors, and friends, it is my pleasure to once again welcome you to my home." King Erik had a voice that carried to every corner of the room and made you feel as though you were included in his list of friends. "It is an annual tradition for me to make a speech at the beginning of these prestigious celebrations, and although I cannot sat it is a duty I find myself anticipating, I am most glad you are here to hear it."
King Erik looked every bit the regal monarch standing on the slightly raised dais at the far end of the room from where Una and I were seated. Prince Aidan made a slightly less striking figure at his left with a diplomatic smile glued on his face, and I briefly wondered how much he actually wanted to be in this ballroom.
My attention, however, was drawn—through no movement—to that same, striking figure in black behind them, arms crossed and completely still like an unblinking sentinel. Who was this man, and what role did he play that he stayed so near the king and crown prince? I shuddered slightly, wondering where those watchful eyes would find purchase when to my absolute horror, I caught the flint-like gaze directed at me.
Hardened like steal, those sharp eyes seemed to close the distance between us, and I had the horrid, terrifying feeling that whoever this man was, he could see every tiny secret I would try to hide. That sharp gaze picked over my soul like carrion birds, and I felt raw and suffocated beneath its intensity.
"Our kingdom has suffered blessed little this past year. I cannot boast any fine discoveries or handsome creations, but I take great pride in boasting that we have all been safe and sound." With a soft gasp, my attention returned to King Erik, and I pointedly avoided looking back at the dark-clad figure for fear that he was still looking at me. "And in my eyes, nothing to report is far better than trouble and danger."
His eyes darted about the room, taking in each face in turn. He was a busy man with more on his plate and mind than I could possibly imagine, and he was, by all accounts, a stern ruler. His features, however, were not without a hint of kindness and understanding, and I could see that, whatever his faults, he truly cared about his people.
"Safety, in my mind, is the most important thing in a kingdom, and a year of safety is beyond imagining." He paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "I hope that you will each find this celebration as full of joy as usual, and for those of you, who have never attended, I dearly hope that you enjoy yourselves more than you have ever had occasion to do in your lives." He whet his lips. "With that, I have nothing more to say that can bore you. I can only hope that I will soon have the joy of being a father-in-law."
My eyes darted to the prince. Aidan's features had gone tight and pale with agitation, but his smile didn't slip. I could only guess this was a point of some contention between father and son.
"Let the dancing begin!" King Erik raised his glass high before quaffing down his drink.
Those who were seated, rose with a cheer, and everyone followed his example. I choked on my drink and lost Una among the jostling elbows of the eager guests. Coughing quietly, I moved to the side of the room to make room for the dancers.
I noticed Aidan moving to do the same, but King Erik put a hand on his shoulder and said something in his ear before giving him a slap on the back and moving away to strike up a conversation with the Duke of Core. Aidan visibly prepared himself before approaching the Duchess of Hornsburra with a less than enthusiastic smile.
Drawing a shaky breath, I searched for my courage, daring to look at the strange man behind the throne again. I was beyond relieved to find some other poor victim held that intense gaze. Unhindered by his sharp eyes, I studied him almost brazenly, unable to let go of my curiosity.
From what I could see of him, he had a regal brow and high, prominent cheekbones. His eyes took me some courage to actually look at. It was hard to make them out fully in the dim light, but they appeared to be slightly almond shaped.
Though my curiosity was completely unsatisfied, I couldn't find the courage to look at him any longer. He was, admittedly, handsome, but a sly, almost cruel smile had played about his lips, making my skin crawl. Why would King Erik Have such a man attend him?
Trying to steel my nerves, I sipped at my drink and watched the colorful dancers spin expertly about the room. The prince, from my inexperienced eye, was a particularly skilled dancer. His diplomatic smile plastered on his face, he moved with all the regal grace of many years of practice.
I wondered what his life must have been like. Sitting here in the lap of ease and luxury, he could have anything he wanted with only a word. Despite his father's gruff exterior, I was sure they had a bond only cultivated in a parent-child relationship, and jealousy stirred in my heart.
The queen had died many years ago when I was still very small, and I wondered if the prince even remembered his mother. It was commonplace gossip that he resembled the queen both in manner and in face, and I'd even heard among the marketplace servants that his enjoyment of peaceful pursuits irked his father to no end. Some wondered if he would make a suitable king without that persistent drive to make himself known to the world.
Lost in my thoughts, I hadn't realized I was staring until Prince Aidan's blue eyes landed on mine. He flashed a genuine smile, and I blushed profusely, quickly looking away. Unreasonable panic fluttered to life within me, and the heat in my face intensified.
Desperately flitting around the room in search for something else to study, my eyes were drawn back to the raised dais. The strange man was gone. I couldn't have looked away for more than a few moments, but somehow, he'd managed to disappear. I felt a cold tingle run the length of my spine as I scanned the room for his dark attire, but he was nowhere to be seen. He'd simply vanished.
Suddenly getting the uncomfortable feeling that I was being scrutinized, I studied the people closest to me agitatedly. None of them were paying any attention to me, but I couldn't shake the eerie chills. Biting down on my lip, I decided to look for Una.
As I was about to move, however, a group of gentlemen in the midst of a loud discussion pushed past me, wedging me tightly against the wall. My glass slipped from my hand with a crash, but before I could react, the wall behind me gave way, and I tripped out of the fancy, bright ballroom, landing flat on my rear in a dark room.
Sitting on the floor, I recovered my senses enough to realize the wall itself had not given way: I had accidentally opened a door. The door had swung mostly shut, allowing in the barest amount of golden light. The ensuing darkness was cool and almost welcoming, and I no longer felt the terrifying feeling that I was being watched.
Rubbing at my backside, I rose slowly to my feet. A soft waft of night breeze drew my attention further into the room, and I followed it. On the opposite side of the room, a pair of ornate glass French doors opened into a balcony. The moon was illuminating the white, marble stones, and away from the noisy, jostling people, I felt completely at ease.
The faint sound of the wind rustling through leaves reached my ears, and the sound was more pleasing than the strains of music still seeping into the darkness from the ballroom. Somehow, it reminded me of home, and closing my eyes, I could almost imagine I was no longer in this loud, crowded city. I could almost imagine Father was still alive.
"Are you sure this is going to work?" A man's voice drew my attention, and my eyes snapped open.
"Patience, Rothburn. Patience." A second voice said, and the hair at the back of my neck stood on end. "Everything is going perfectly."
"It's been so long. . ." The first voice said.
"This is the crucial moment, but as I said: everything is going exactly as planned. Do you really think I'd allow it to do otherwise?" In the darkness, I could make out two figures on the balcony, but they were nothing more than pools of black in the nonexistent light.
"If the king finds out—" The first voice was flooded with uncertainty.
"Not to worry. One of mine is working near him—someone he trusts. He won't know what's coming until it's too late."
Fear, cold and real, ran the length of my spine, holding me in place. Could this be a plot to overthrow the king? If it were, what would they do to me if they found me listening in on their conversation? I didn't want to find out, but my feet were rooted in place, and no amount of command from my brain would make them move.
"And the woman?"
"An unexpected addition to our plan—and one that promises pleasure. She won't cause any problems." Frozen in place, I could only listen in mute terror. They sounded almost as though they were nearing the end of their conversation. "We do have her to thank for helping with Angarden's death, after all."
My internal struggles stopped completely at the name. The fear fled from my body along with every other human emotion. I went completely limp, my brain spinning uselessly about as I tried to process what I'd just heard.
Before I even fully realized the weight of the words, a hand clamped over my mouth like iron, and someone pulled me out of the middle of the room. I felt the soft flutter of material settle around me and realized I was behind a curtain, but I was still too numb with shock to comprehend anything.
"What was that?" The first man's voice was sharp—with fear or guilt, I couldn't quite tell nor did I care.
My beloved father, my only support. . .not only was he dead, but that death hadn't been an accident as I'd been led to believe. Tears pooled in my eyes, and I didn't struggle against the hands holding me. Whatever those men were plotting, I couldn't care less, but what could have been the need to kill an innocent man?
"We should go." The second voice said. "My man will find out what it is, but we shouldn't be here. Put your fears to rest, Rothburn, and don't contact me in public again, or you may learn up close and personal how I've gotten this far in live."
The sound of retreating footsteps echoed in the darkness, and I came enough to my senses to realize I was being held against someone. An arm encircled my waist, and that hand was still over my mouth, hindering my breathing. The distinct, familiar scent of sage filled my nostrils almost comfortingly, but there was no shaking the truth that I was even smaller and more helpless than I'd realized.
"What do you think you're doing wandering around where you're not welcome?" An unfamiliar voice hissed in my ear. "Do you realize what might have happened to you?"
Unable to stop them, my tears overflowed and rolled down my cheeks. I didn't care what might have happened to me. Honestly, at the moment, I would have welcomed death. That would have been far better than learning how insignificant and helpless I actually was.
Through all the abuse from Madame and Adella, I had been able to hold myself upright, but this. . .I wanted nothing more than to give up completely. I didn't want to keep fighting anymore.
As the tears touched his skin, my captor jerked his hand away as though bitten. I heard a scoff in the darkness, but I didn't care.
"Dry your tears. What done is done, and crying won't change it." His voice was just above a whisper, and it was threaded with disgust. "Forget all of this if you know what's good for you." He pushed me away, propelling me toward the bright ballroom. "Get out of here."
Numbly, I did as commanded, stepping into the blinding light. The laughter and chatter were poison to me now. Beyond the clinking of glasses and graceful dancing, there was a plot that had required the death of my father.
The faces here were like death to me, and beneath their diplomatic smiles, there was only greed. Father had always taught me there was good in the world, but how could he have thought that after spending so much time amongst the so called 'nobles' of our country? How could he have gone away still looking on the bright side when I'd barely spent a day in their company and was already sickened by them?
Lost in my thoughts, I had no thought for where my feet took me until a ran straight into someone. Blinking quickly, I looked up into Prince Aidan's smiling blue eyes.
"There you are. I thought you might have already retired for the night before I had the chance to ask you for a dance." His smile was so genuine, I could almost believe it. "My father is determined to keep me dancing until the night is over, you see." His voice was almost disgusted.
I stared at those blue eyes. They seemed so real and honest, and I found myself wanting to trust him, to believe in him. Maybe, it had been his sort that had given my father hope for humanity. I couldn't, however, find it in myself to want to dance the night away after what I'd just heard.
"Forgive me, your highness. I am a little tired from the journey." I bobbled a quick curtsy. "Please, excuse me." The words came out in a mumbled jumble as I turned toward the door.
"Of course." His voice sounded understanding—if a bit disappointed. "Perhaps, tomorrow night. . ."
I was already gone, however. I wanted nothing more than to lock myself in my room and forget the world existed. I was too numb to think anymore, and who knew what horrors tomorrow might hold.
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There we have it. What do you think? Who are these new strangers, and what will Bree do with this information? Do you think she should listen to the mysterious individual? What could be the consequences of not listening?
I know it has been too long since my last update, but working on quitting my job and preparing my soul for school this fall has been kinda taking up most of my time. Hopefully, I'll be able to settle down to a new updating schedule, but I can't make too many promises. . .You know me, anyway, I'm always late. . .but hey, it's better late than never, right? Right? No? Darn it. Well, heh, I guess until next time. . .in the soonish nearish closish future. . . :D