Their parents reached the door first. Kaori’s eyes followed her father’s hand as he handed the invitation to the servant, nodding in polite greeting. The servant examined the parchment, his gaze sliding over Kaori and Sivar as if seeing them without really taking in their presence. Content that they were on the list of accepted guests, he held the door open to grant their parents entry, the sound of his voice ringing loudly through the spacious ballroom. “The Honorable Count and Countess of Rothdara.”
Kaori’s legs started to move forward, stopped short by Sivar’s firm grip on her arm. “Not yet,” he whispered. “Let them go in first. The servant will announce our arrival in a moment.”
So many rules! How was anyone supposed to know when to go and when to stay? It seemed as though these people made up the proper etiquette as they went. Still, she was in no position to argue. Sivar knew the routine. She had to trust he would lead her in the right direction.
Kaori watched her mother and father enter the room, breaking away from one another to greet the other courtiers, bowing and nodding as they disappeared into the crowd. The servant returned to stand in front of her and Sivar, blocking their path until enough time had lapsed for him to continue his duty. Ushering them forward he stopped them again at the center of the doorway, taking his position just inside the room to gather the attention of the guests. “Mister Sivar Levadis and the Lady Kaori Levadis.”
Heads turned at the sound of their names. Kaori watched several men stretch their necks to see toward the door, their curiosity piqued by the unfamiliar name. She was surprised by the lack of unease she felt in being placed on display. She felt pretty. Beautiful, even. Her mother had turned her into a lady for the night and she didn’t doubt that she looked like one to every man in the room. Upon their entrance, fewer courtiers stopped to greet her and Sivar the way they had for their parents but she didn’t care. They would know her soon enough.
A slight tug on her arm drew her attention back to Sivar, following him to a quiet corner to grant a better vantage of the room. Guests were continuing to come in, quickly filling the spacious area with the din of their voices, making it harder for Kaori to hear what her brother was saying. “I do not expect you will remember most of these people come morning, so I want to start by pointing out those whom you should not forget.” Casually, he let his hand raise just enough to make the gesture clear to Kaori without drawing the attention of the courtiers, his index finger directing her to look at a Vor’shai woman surrounded by a group of men near the center of the floor. Kaori couldn’t deny her beauty. Tall. Slim. Her dark brown hair was worn high atop her head, cascades of curls falling delicately around her pale, oval face. A pair of piercing green eyes glowed brightly from under her long lashes, accented by a thick charcoal line encircling the edges of the lid. She was dressed in an elegant gown of golden brocade, the flowing skirt adding to the graceful movement of her body with every gesture she made in lighthearted conversation with the males.
“She is stunning,” Kaori exhaled in awe. “She must be someone of great importance.”
“You could say that,” Sivar nodded, his voice lowering to avoid being overheard by anyone around them. “That is Lady Pehrona Tiasi. She is the Duchess of Endeli – and your greatest competition if you plan to take father’s advice in vying for the Duke’s hand.”
Her heart dropped miserably at the introduction. Crestfallen, Kaori let her posture slump forward, a feeling of dread coming over her. This was going to be harder than she thought if the other ladies in the room were anything like the one she looked upon now. “Our father must be out of his wits if he thinks I could detract attention from her.”
“You give up too easily,” Sivar chuckled. “She is lovely, I do not argue that. But there is one detail which plays to her disadvantage when it comes to the Vor’shai men.”
A disadvantage? Kaori’s head perked up, curious. If there was a weakness in her competition, she was determined to learn of it and exploit it at every opportunity. “What reason could the Vor’shai men possibly have in spurning her?”
Sivar’s grin widened, the sound of his voice growing softer. “She attained her title through marriage with the Duke of Endeli when she was barely twenty years old. Her husband was a human male in the later stages of life and the two failed to produce an heir before his death. Now she is of a fine age to seek a new husband with the wealth and power left to her by the first. Unfortunately, some men of our people consider her previous marriage a taint upon her purity as a Vor’shai.”
“Is the Duke one of those men?”
“It is hard to know for sure. While he communicates with our parents, I have never considered myself a close friend. I must admit, he is one of the few men at court who still leaves me in awe when in his presence. He carries himself with an air of authority which cannot be ignored and I respect that his status is well above my own.”
“That is what I do not understand.” Kaori’s head filled with questions, desperate to understand the interworking of society. “Everyone says the Duke is far beyond us in status but our father is the Count of Rothdara. That is a prestigious title as well. Does that not mean something to these people?”
Holding his hand up Sivar motioned for her to lower her voice, glancing around the room to make sure no one was listening. Content that they retained their privacy, albeit tenuous, he nodded in understanding. “It means something, but not when compared to a man like the Duke. He holds more titles than I can count. It is no secret he was even considered as possible heir to the Imperial Crown.”
Her head was swimming. Heir to the Imperial Crown? A Vor’shai? The thought fascinated her, though she couldn’t let it cloud her focus. There would be time to ask questions about that later. What she needed right now was to learn as much about his current position as possible so she wouldn’t appear an uneducated fool if she attempted to speak with him. “Tell me about his titles. He is the Duke of Avishul but what other ranks does he possess? Are they anything of note?”
“Of note?” Sivar laughed. “I should say so. But do you honestly require a list? I much prefer to simply introduce you so you can learn of his greatness from him personally.”
Something about that idea didn’t sound enticing. She didn’t want to listen to some man talk about how great he was. The more she heard about the Duke, the more worried she became that he would be so self-absorbed that he wouldn’t realize she was standing there. Maybe the Duchess was more suited to him. They could spend their days talking about their titles and counting their money.
Nonchalant, she let her eyes sweep the room, leaning closer to Sivar. “Alright. I will let you introduce me. Is he here or must we wait for the host to arrive in some grand display?”
“Oh, he’s here,” Sivar nodded. With a casual wave he motioned toward two men standing at the back of the room, their faces turned toward the crowd, watching the guests as they entered. One of the men let his gaze trail over to where Sivar and Kaori stood, his smile brightening to notice them there. His dark hair was pulled back in a loose tail at the base of his neck, exposing the sharp features of his facial structure. A bright amber glow filled his eyes, almost gold in the light of the candles dangling overhead from the chandeliers. He beckoned them over though Kaori’s mind didn’t register the motion. Her gaze was locked on the man at his side, the brilliant azure hue of his eyes piercing through the room.
She didn’t want to believe it. They had traveled across the country from Rothdara and that man was here? Of all places! And to think she’d spent her entire trip worried about whether the soldiers would find him. “On second thought, I have changed my mind. Maybe we could wait until he does not have company before you introduce us.”
“I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. The Duke is a reasonable man. It is doubtful we will find him without someone at his side this evening. The host is supposed to make his rounds.”
“Then perhaps we could wait until he has a different guest at his side.”
Sivar glan
ced at her, nonplussed. “He is currently with the Count of Tialore. I would think now the best opportunity for an introduction. Our father hoped you would make the acquaintance of both those gentlemen before the night is over.”
The Count? Of course! It made perfect sense. Sivar told her the Count had property not far from Rothdara. It explained why he just happened to be riding through when the soldiers attacked her. But what was his name? Sivar had spoken it before they left for Avishul. Torust? Gritting her teeth she ducked behind Sivar in attempts to avoid detection by the azure-eyed man. So he was the Count of Tialore. Her mysterious T.L. “I cannot meet the Count. I am sorry,” she swallowed hard, shifting her weight to keep behind her brother as he twisted around to face her.
“What is the matter with you?” he peered at her, quizzical, the confusion in his eyes growing. “Have you some issue with Lord Torust?”
“It is complicated. I… I cannot speak with him. Please, do not make me.”
“You are going to make a scene if you ignore him all evening. Let us go to him now and then you can avoid him the rest of the night if you wish.”
Oh, this was awful! She didn’t want to face him. Not after what transpired between them during their last meeting. He must think her the most uncouth woman to ever call herself a lady. What if he told the Duke about her? It would ruin her chances with him as well as every other man in the room if word spread of her behavior.
Ignoring her protests Sivar grabbed Kaori’s hand, pulling her through the crowd toward where the two men stood. She resisted, forcing him to drag her feet across the slippery floor until she realized it was pointless to continue the struggle. Sivar wasn’t going to give up. It was best she just accept her fate, swallow her pride, and approach these men with some shred of dignity. Regaining her footing she let Sivar lead her, stepping around him to position herself further away from the Count.
“Good evening, gentlemen,” Sivar announced. His hand came to rest on the small of Kaori’s back, lightly pushing her forward into view. “I hope we are not interrupting. It was my hope to introduce you both to my sister, Lady Kaori Levadis.” She could feel their eyes on her. It was uncomfortable, reminding her of the fears she’d worked so hard to overcome before tonight. In an instant they came flooding back, quickening her pulse until she thought everyone in the room would hear the sound of her pounding heart. Through the dull thud in her temples she could hear Sivar talking, his words barely registering in her mind. “Kaori, may I present the Duke of Avishul.”
The Duke. Yes. If she could just focus on him maybe the Count would go away. Turning her attention to the long-haired male she dipped low in a formal curtsy, her eyes downcast to the floor out of respect for his superior rank. “Your Grace. It is an honor to meet you.”
Her blood ran cold to feel a hand reach out to take hers, the direction of it all wrong to be that of the man she bowed before. Startled, she lifted her head to meet the azure glow of the other man’s eyes, the smile on his face lending to her already frayed nerves. “Yes, Milady. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
She wanted to die. This couldn’t be happening. The mysterious T.L. was the Duke of Avishul? It’s not possible… “I… Your Grace?” she stammered, glancing between the two men in humiliation. “But I thought –”
“It is quite alright. I have been mistaken for many other men over the years.”
This was horrible. How could she recover from a blunder of this extreme? To confuse the host of the party with one of his guests. If he was offended, he did well at concealing it. In her distraction she let her hand linger in the Duke’s grasp, her eyes straying to gaze apologetically toward the other male, the sound of his quiet laughter doing nothing to ease the blood that rose to her face in embarrassment. “Then you… you must be…”
“Liurn Torust,” the amber-eyed man smiled, gently taking Kaori’s hand from the Duke, his lips barely brushing the skin over her knuckles. “Do not look so frightened, Milady. I consider it a compliment to be mistaken for His Grace. I cannot say it has ever happened before, nor will it ever happen again, I am certain of that.”
Assurances weren’t enough to make her feel any less foolish. Out of politeness they refrained from outright laughing though she was sure they would chuckle quite heartily at her expense the moment her back was turned. “Lord Torust, I am so sorry…”
The Count smiled, his amber eyes revealing a sense of understanding for her predicament. “It is your first time in society, if the whispers I hear are accurate. You cannot be expected to know the names and faces of everyone. Lucky for me, the circumstances of our meeting will make me harder for you to forget,” he winked. “I must say, however, I am surprised to see you here this evening. Your brother has spoken of you frequently but I was not aware your parents were considering your introduction to society.”
Kaori’s lips parted to speak, her mind racing, unsure of what to say while afraid of taking too long to respond. The Duke’s presence made it impossible to think. She needed to focus on Liurn. His warm greeting indicated a willingness for further conversation which was more than she could say of the Duke. Their expressions couldn’t be more opposite, the Duke’s eyes staring at her, the smile on his lips faded, serving to make Liurn’s joyful expression look twice as welcoming.
“It was somewhat unexpected,” Sivar chimed in, rescuing Kaori from the tension hovering on the air in the silence. She looked over to him in relief, grateful, hoping he would remain an active participant in the intercourse. “I think our mother hoped to keep her locked away from you boys until she was an old maid. You should thank our father for convincing her to let my sister free, at least for the night. I make no guarantees you will see her again.”
The men laughed, finding humor in the statement which went beyond Kaori’s grasp. She couldn’t help but wonder if they truly found it comical or if mere civility brought their reaction forth. Even the Duke appeared to take joy in the remark, his weighted stare lifting briefly to allow her a moment of peace and freedom from his watchful gaze.
She was angry with him. There was no denying that fact. It didn’t matter if he was the wealthiest and most handsome man in the room; she wanted to lash out at him the way she’d done the night they first met, only this time it wouldn’t be an accident. He had some nerve inviting her to this ball – knowing very well that it was her request for them to never lay eyes on one another again. For him to blatantly disregard her wishes! It was an appalling display of disrespect. And he dared call himself a gentleman.
Through her thoughts she became vaguely aware of the conversation continuing around her. Sivar’s attention was directed to the Duke, addressing him personally for the first time since their approach. “I trust you are well, Your Grace? I heard about your accident while visiting Rothdara.”
“Ah, yes. It was nothing, really,” the Duke raised his hand to the left side of his face, brushing the skin briefly with a bemused expression. “It was my own fault. I will have to be more careful when riding so late at night.”
Accident? What a strange shift in topics this was. Drawn back to the conversation she let her eyes drift over the Duke, examining the left side of his face where his hand had indicated. An image of him standing in the stables flashed before her vision, his features illuminated by the flickering light of the lamp, swollen and bruised, marring the otherwise perfect curve of his cheek. For a man as prominent as himself, he would have been required to fabricate a story to explain the injury. Could it be this was what they referred to? Some lie he told to conceal the fact that he’d been struck by a woman?
Unable to suppress her curiosity she turned to her brother, feigning innocence to avoid drawing attention to the fact that she already knew the answer to the question she was about to ask. “My goodness, what happened?”
“Some animal frightened his horse. I heard he took quite a tumble.”
“It must have been terrible,” Kaori commented matter-of-factly, shifting her gaze to look the Duke in the eyes, making no a
ttempt to conceal her knowledge of the truth from him. Confident in the fact that no one else would take note of her strange behavior. “You are lucky you were not injured worse. I hear the roads can be… very dangerous at night.”
“Indeed,” he nodded. His eyes remained locked on hers, as if challenging her on the matter. “While visiting your parents prior to my departure they informed me that you had taken a rather serious fall yourself. I have seen the stairs in the foyer of your home. You must be a strong woman to recover so quickly from a stumble like that.”
Her nose wrinkled in disdain. How dare he mock her? “I would prefer not to discuss it,” she turned her nose up, haughty, disapproving of the direction the Duke took their discourse. He had some nerve! Still, she couldn’t help wondering why he’d gone through the trouble of bringing her all this way just to ridicule her in front of these people. Did he take some pleasure in seeing her squirm under the pressure of his gaze? There was nothing for them to say to one another. Anything of importance had been discussed the night of her attack. As far as she was concerned, their acquaintance ended those months ago. The secret they possessed between them was too much to even consider the possibility of friendship now.
The others were looking at them, clearly confused by the growing tension between her and the Duke. They couldn’t continue the way they were. She needed to get away from him before they slipped and said something that might incriminate them both. “I beg your pardon. If you gentlemen will excuse me…”
“Leaving so soon?” Liurn eyed her, suspicious. “Has His Grace frightened you away so easily?”
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Four: In the Beginning Page 6