“Nonsense,” she allowed herself to laugh quietly. “I am not frightened by His Grace at all. There are, however, plenty of other people I should like to meet this evening and I feel my brother and I have taken enough of your time already.”
“Do not be ridiculous, Milady. My time is all yours. In fact,” Liurn glanced over to Sivar. “Might I steal your sister for a dance?”
Sivar’s smile faded, his head shaking in sympathetic disapproval. “I’m afraid I cannot allow it. I hope you do not take offense, but I have been given strict orders that Kaori is not to leave my side. If it was up to me, I would gladly let you teach her how to dance.”
“Teach me?” Kaori scoffed. “I know well enough how to dance.”
“Then it is a shame you cannot show us,” the Duke smirked, snatching a glass of wine from a tray as a servant breezed past. Distracted, he took a sip of the red liquid, savoring it, though he revealed no enjoyment of the taste. “I was hoping to share a dance with you as well. Perhaps if we speak with your parents we could gain their permission for a single waltz before the night is over.”
“A waltz?” Sivar’s eyes opened wide. The motion of his head became more vehement, tightening his hold on Kaori’s arm to pull her closer. “I should say not, Your Grace. We cannot have my sister involved in something so scandalous her first night in society.”
The Duke lifted his head, eyeing Sivar curiously from over the tip of his nose. “That is an old fashioned view, Levadis. The waltz has become the most popular dance at the Imperial Court. Far be it from me to say, but I think it would do your sister a great benefit to be seen performing the technique.”
“It matters little what benefit it provides. I have no knowledge of the steps so I must regrettably decline your offer.” Why couldn’t they walk away? Talking to this man couldn’t possibly be so important. It would be more enjoyable for them to seek the company of someone else. To stay here was like willingly subjecting herself to torture. Gently tugging on Sivar’s arm she tried to direct him away from the two men, pleading silently with her eyes. He couldn’t be so cruel as to make her remain there another minute.
Sivar’s shoulders heaved with a defeated sigh, patting her hand lightly with his own. “I am sorry, gentlemen. We must take our leave for the moment, but do not worry… I will see that my sister is not so rude as to deny you her company at least once more before the night is done.”
Finally. She couldn’t wait to be away from the Duke. It made her stomach sick to think her father had any interest in her becoming that man’s wife. On the surface he seemed tolerable but his behavior toward her was all she needed to know that he was unfit to be her husband. He showed no care for her feelings. Her wishes. But still, the same question lingered in the back of her mind. Why did he ask her here? What purpose did it serve? Did he want to laugh at her? If so, he’d gone through a great deal of trouble for a single joke at her expense. No. There had to be something more. The real question was how badly she wanted to know what that something was.
The farewells were nothing more than noise to her ears as they moved away from Liurn and the Duke. People were watching them, staring, curious about their involvement with the host of the party. All of these people… so engrossed in everyone else’s business. As if it had anything to do with them. She could already see heads leaning closer, whispering behind daintily gloved hands in a poor attempt at masking their susurrations. It was disappointing, really. She’d expected the women at court to have more skill at hiding their spitefulness.
Out of range from the men, she released her held breath, slowing her pace at Sivar’s side. She didn’t care where they went as long as they were away from the Duke. “What is the matter with you?” Sivar hissed, scanning the room uncomfortably, aware of the eyes upon them from every direction. With a graceful turn he guided them toward the far wall at the back of the ballroom, leaning against it with an air of nonchalance. A clever disguise for his discomfort.
Shrugging her shoulders she tried to continue her act of innocence. If you smile he will never see through the ruse… “I do not know what you are talking about. The Duke may be rich, but he certainly is not the only man here tonight.”
“Don’t play coy with me, Kaori. You were acting strangely around him. What is going on?”
“Nothing is going on –”
“Then why were you so insistent we leave?” Sivar demanded, his tone low, inaudible to the other guests. “Lord Torust made it quite clear he wanted to keep your company. Father will be livid if he finds out you so rudely disregarded the affections of that man.”
“I disregarded nothing. He was given assurances I would speak with him again. There was no harm done.”
“You may not think so but I guarantee he will not forget your anxiety. He likely has concluded you have no interest in him and that his attention would be better spent elsewhere. You very well may have cost yourself both a Count and a Duke in one single, incredibly brief, and pathetic excuse for a conversation.”
“You are overreacting,” she huffed. “I will find Lord Torust and make amends for the hasty retreat which you consider such a disaster.”
“And what of the Duke? Do you intend to make reparations for the coldness you displayed toward him?”
Her words fell silent, halted on the tip of her tongue at his question. The Duke. Yes, he would continue to press the matter about him; their father’s preferred choice for her endearment. There was nothing for her to say on the topic of him. She held no interest in the man. Not even the slightest spark of attraction. He was no more than a wealthy courtier with a string of titles which meant absolutely nothing to her. “The Duke has no interest in me,” she replied simply, averting her eyes to avoid her brother’s stern gaze. At times it was easy to forget he was younger than her. He was so protective. How could she make him see that he didn’t need to worry? “Let me focus on Lord Torust,” she smiled. “He seems a fine man and perfectly capable of earning my affections in time.”
Sivar frowned, knowing it was no use. “Fine,” he sighed. “We will wait here until Lord Torust and the Duke part ways. Once they are separated, I am taking you over there and I do not want to hear a single argument.”
“I will not argue.” It was the truth. Without the Duke, she would be able to focus more on coquetry. She suspected it might be fun to toy with Lord Torust. He was young. Closer in age to herself than the Duke. Stealing a glance at him from across the room she tried to picture herself on his arm. He was handsome. Enough so that she caught herself smiling secretly at the thought of being near him again. There was something about the way he carried himself that she admired. He was strong. Confident. Friendly. Lacking in the seeming egotistical demeanor the Duke possessed in abundance.
Craning her neck she tried to see their parents in the crowd. She wanted to find her father. Sivar would never allow her a moment alone with Lord Torust unless she was able to gain permission from one of their parents. Their father seemed the best choice to speak with. Her mother would deny the request before Kaori could even finish forming the words. But the crowd had become too dense, the line at the door having thinned, the bodies now standing about the room, making movement almost impossible. The only area of the floor left open was the wide tiled section in front of the musicians. It was mostly deserted aside from a handful of couples performing one of the more popular group dances, light on their feet, gracefully circling around one another in practiced formation. Kaori knew the steps to the dance though she’d never seen it performed before. She was entranced by their lighthearted motions, the smiles on the faces of the dancers revealing the enjoyment they took in their display.
When the song ended the men and women bowed politely to one another, chattering quietly as they made their way from the floor. Kaori watched the musicians, overcome by curiosity at the strange tune they began to play. Slower. More melodic. The rhythm had a different flow than Kaori was used to, piquing her interest as to what dance could be performed to such a song. Howeve
r, the floor remained empty, devoid of dancers to accompany the melody.
She was about to give up on the scene when she noticed the crowd separate near the center to reveal the Duke making his way toward the floor, his hand held out to one side, guiding the familiar figure of none other than the Duchess of Endeli. She looked radiant beside him, her smile brighter than any other woman in the room at that moment. Personal affairs aside, Kaori looked upon her as a goddess. Sivar had consoled Kaori’s nerves by telling her that every man at the ball would love her and every woman would want to be her. She knew now his words were false. The Duchess was the woman every man wanted. The envy of every lady in the room. And the Duchess knew it. She was positively glowing next to the Duke, her golden skirts lightly skimming along the floor as they took their position, facing toward one another, arms locked in a sturdy frame. A few counts passed before they started moving, their steps mesmerizing Kaori. It was a beautiful thing to behold. The gentle rise and fall with the notes of the song, twirling around the dance floor in each other’s arms.
It felt a sin to enjoy the display. If this was the waltz mentioned by the Duke then she was grateful her brother interjected on her behalf. It was absolutely scandalous, just as he’d claimed. Their bodies were too close, their legs brushing against one another with every turn. How anyone could think it permissible was unfathomable. Yet for some reason she couldn’t take her eyes off them.
In her peripheral vision she became suddenly aware of Sivar’s distraction as well, his gaze distant, watching the elegant motions of the Duchess. He was enthralled by her. Entranced by the sway of her skirts and the exquisite shape her body took in the Duke’s arms. Kaori didn’t require words to know what held Sivar’s attention. He was no different from any other man in the room. He desired the woman with whom the Duke paraded around the floor – and like most of the men present, she would never be anything more than a beautiful fantasy. The Levadis family was well respected but they lacked the prestige to ever win Sivar her heart.
“She is very pretty,” Kaori murmured. An idle comment. One intended to confirm her suspicion of Sivar’s interest. She hated to exploit her brother’s suffering for the sake of sparing her own but if it was what she needed to do in order to break away from him for even a little while then she was willing to try.
Sivar nodded, his distant gaze remaining, the line of his sight never faltering from where it followed the Duchess’s every move. “She is the most beautiful woman in all of Carpaen,” he mumbled, heaving a wistful sigh as his body sank against the wall. “It is unfortunate that she likely is unaware of my existence.”
“Oh, do not be so gloomy, Sivar. I am sure if you spoke with her she would find you far more interesting than the other men.”
“Really?” Sivar laughed miserably. “You spoke of it being impossible to compete with her for the Duke’s affection. Do you honestly think I could compete with the Duke for hers?”
Kaori continued to watch the Duke, shrugging in false indifference. Sivar had a point. While she preferred to give Sivar assurances that he was more desirable, she couldn’t bring herself to say the words. Sivar was an attractive man. She could only assume he was what other women would call handsome though, as his sister, she couldn’t see him in such a light. At the very least his conversation was more enjoyable than the others she’d met so far. He was levelheaded. Intelligent. But the Duke was… she didn’t know how to describe him. Her hatred toward the man made it impossible to compare the two. “I imagine the Duke is incredibly dull and boring. You just have to show her that you are far superior company.”
As the song came to an end, the two dancers bowed gracefully to one another, soft applause from the crowd following them as they made their way from the floor. The acclamations were forced. Almost hesitant, as if the guests weren’t sure if it was appropriate. At the edge of the floor the Duke separated from the Duchess, disappearing into the crowd to leave her there alone. She appeared calm, unfazed by his hasty departure, her smile unwavering as she continued forward, eyes settling on Kaori and Sivar.
At her approach Sivar quickly straightened his posture, adjusting the front of his doublet to make sure it was perfectly aligned. “She is coming,” he breathed, fidgeting nervously. “I… Kaori, try to be polite. We may never have an honor like this again.”
It was a funny request. One Kaori intended to uphold, not because she felt this woman deserved praise or flattery but because it was important to Sivar that the Duchess think highly of his family. Making sure that her own gown was acceptable, she followed Sivar forward, moving away from the wall to greet the woman with a pleasant smile.
“Good evening, Mister Levadis,” the Duchess smiled, extending her hand toward him, expectant. He took it without question, lightly kissing the back of it in a display of surprising grace. Her brow lifted, looking almost pleased by the suave greeting. “The Duke tells me this is your sister’s first time attending a ball. I wanted to make sure I did not miss an opportunity for proper introductions.”
“Ah, of course,” Sivar replied. His hand trembled slightly as he released his hold on the Duchess, motioning to Kaori with a nervous wave. “Kaori, I would like to introduce you to Lady Pehrona Tiasi, the Duchess of Endeli.”
Remembering the lessons from their mother, Kaori lowered herself gracefully into a deep curtsy. Pehrona acknowledged the gesture with no more than a nod of her head, perfectly poised so as to not dip below Kaori’s level. “I have heard many great things about you, Lady Endeli,”
“Please, dear. There is no need for formalities,” Pehrona laughed quietly. “Unlike the humans, many of us prefer the use of our family names rather than being labeled after some piece of land. If you must utilize a title then call me Lady Tiasi. Otherwise, I am simply Pehrona.”
The false smile on Kaori’s lips transformed into a genuine expression of satisfaction. As much as she wanted to dislike this woman, Kaori couldn’t help but appreciate her view. “That is a refreshing thing to hear. I was under the impression everyone would be obsessed with titles and formalities.”
“Only at the Emperor’s court,” Pehrona nodded. “You will find we are far more relaxed when not in the presence of His Majesty and his guards.”
“I have heard the Imperial Court is quite different from anywhere else. Is it really so intolerable?” Sivar asked, his eyes locked on Pehrona, distracted from Kaori, sliding his arm away from hers. For someone who was so set on being her watchdog for the night, it hadn’t taken much to divert his attention. For a moment she thought to take offense until she realized it worked to her advantage. While he was engrossed with the Duchess, she could focus on finding Lord Torust.
Pehrona’s response was nothing but an incoherent string of sounds as Kaori searched the room for where Liurn had disappeared. It was too large an area to find him so easily while standing in one place. She would need to get away from Sivar if she hoped to locate him.
Regardless of his distraction, it would require stealth to slip past Sivar’s notice. Ignoring the words spoken between her brother and Pehrona, she watched their movements carefully, gauging Sivar’s attention. Occasionally his eyes drifted to where Kaori stood, her lips curling into a smile whenever his gaze slid her way. She had to make him think she was involved in the conversation though Pehrona’s own eyes seemed to stray from time to time, as if searching the crowd for someone before directing her absolute attention on Sivar once again.
After one of her curious sweeps of the room, Pehrona’s hand reached out lightly to brush the sleeve of Sivar’s doublet. She made some comment in reference to the material, her fingers gently pulling his arm toward her. For a brief moment Sivar’s back turned on Kaori, granting her the freedom she required to find her way out of his sight. She hesitated, taking a half-step to the side before looking back, catching Pehrona’s glowing green eyes from over Sivar’s shoulder. Pehrona’s head lowered slightly, nodding to her in wordless communication. It was as if she knew what Kaori was thinking and was someho
w assisting her in accomplishing the task. But that was impossible. How could Pehrona know what Kaori intended to do?
A sudden tug on her hand drew Kaori from her reverie, her head snapping to the side to see who had been so bold as to touch her without consent. Her mouth hung agape to find herself face-to-face with the Duke, his hold on her hand tightening as he slowly pulled her further from Sivar to ease her deeper into the sea of people and out of sight from her brother.
“What do you think you are doing?” she hissed, reflexively trying to break free from his grip. He ignored the heatedness of her question, continuing to guide Kaori further away, easily cutting through the crowd until they were positioned near the edge of the dance floor. Pausing there, he turned to look at her, a sense of urgency in his gaze causing her to fall silent, afraid of his reasons for having stolen her away.
“We need to talk, Milady.”
No. There was nothing for them to talk about. She’d made that clear the night they first met. “You are mistaken, Your Grace. Now, if you will please excuse me, my brother will be very unhappy if he notices I am no longer at his side.”
“He will have to pardon your leave for a moment.
“He does not have to pardon anything. You have no right to force your company upon me in this way.”
“I am not doing this for my own gain… Lady Kaori, please. You forget that I have a conscience to contend with and that disallows me from letting you walk away without hearing what I have to tell you.”
“Your conscience is crude and ill-mannered. I will not entertain it – or you – a moment longer.”
Tightening his grip on Kaori’s hand, he led her out onto the dance floor as a new song started to play. He nodded to the musicians, directing a casual smile to the crowd while he drew Kaori closer, his left hand clasped in hers while the right came to rest lightly over her waist. It was an awkward position. Improper. She didn’t possess the grace that Pehrona exhibited when in his arms, leaving her looking like a fish out of water as the Duke started to lead her through the motions of the dance.
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Four: In the Beginning Page 7
