"It wouldn't even matter that she banished you," I said, "And you know that she would make me...Please, just go."
She yanked away from me and slapped me across the face. It was hard. She had a lot of experience. My face stung but I didn’t move, didn’t flinch. I met the anger in her eyes with my even gaze, not reacting, not wanting to insight her to do more. I only placed a hand on my cheek after she turned away from me. Charles opened the door in time for her to storm out.
I always ached to see her leave, even when she was causing my world to fall apart. She didn’t seem to understand. She was the motivator of most of her pain. She was the driving force. And this time she was putting us both in grave danger.
After a second or two Charles closed the door again and slid the deadbolt into place. I sent an eyebrow up to Charles and our eyes met. It was unlike him to lock a door.
"No door slamming," said Charles, "Sir," he bowed in a small way and took a few steps back to his post near the door. I could understand. It was a rule of the Queen’s and the entire reason that Charles was standing there. The Queen had no tolerance for the slamming of doors. Charles would lose an ear if Lydia managed it. And she would have if he hadn’t opened and closed the door for her.
I pressed the bridge of my nose with my forefinger and thumb. A crisis or two averted. If Lydia was bold enough to set foot on forbidden ground with an entire party in full swing, perhaps Lydia wasn't ready to come back to court. Perhaps this entire thing was a mistake. But I was in it now and there was no way to back out. I would reap what I had sown; the Queen would make sure of that.
"Lover's spat?" asked a sweet, old voice.
Charles bowed his head very low to the Queen, Victoria, and the Queen nodded her head in his direction allowing him to straighten his posture once more.
"I had no idea-," I started.
"Of course not," said the Queen, "It’s astonishing that she didn't even think to lower her voice. It’s almost like she was calling to me," the Queen smiled at me.
I knelt on the hard marble of the entry. My fist bunched up as my knuckles touched the marble, kneeling in the lowest form I could.
"My Queen, if you wish for me to bring her back so that justice..." I couldn't even finish the sentence, "I will do as you command me, my Queen,"
She paused, the beads on her gown swayed almost silently.
"I'm tempted," said Victoria.
I tried to be as silent as I could. I knew that even the slightest offense, the wrong expression or a hasty word could lead in not only Lydia's eternity being ended but my own just for allowing her to disrespect the Queen, and in her own house at that.
"But I believe Prussia would miss you," said Victoria, "I think she's looking for you even now."
I looked up at the Queen and followed her gaze, out into the main living space in the house. There Prussia was, her body perfectly poised and framed in the dress I had selected on a whim for her. She embodied it perfectly, gave the dress life, as she stepped into the archway leading into the entry.
As discreetly as I could, I ripped a button off of my shirt and pretended to pick it up as I stood up from my kneeling position. It was always lively when a human was at a Vampyr gathering. Usually it meant a chase to follow but in this case it meant hiding in our own court, or modern palace of sorts.
"A button," I said, a smile spread across my face as I held up the small white button to show her as evidence, "they are always getting snagged on this or that,"
Victoria patted my arm as she walked by to greet Prussia. We had to keep up appearances of course. I had done well is what the Queen had meant with the little pat. I had done as a good dog should.
"I'm so pleased you came to my birthday after all," said Victoria, "such a delight,"
Prussia smiled and looked down toward the marble floor, her cheeks flushing with pink.
"I'm so thrilled, really," said Prussia, "What a shock when I realized that your great grandson is the one that saved me the other night. And it’s a wonderful party so far. It's such a treat. I've never been to a party that qualifies as a social event,"
"It is a small world, isn’t it? And just wait until the holidays," said Victoria, "We always have the best flowers, my favorite part of course,"
"Of course," said Prussia.
Prussia was still smiling and the blood hadn’t left her cheeks yet. She was just a simple human and yet there was something that drew me toward her. There was something about the way she smiled, the way she moved, that was magnetic. It could have been the way the dress hugged her, her perfect form, but I knew better. I had known my share of women and this was different. It was subtle and I didn’t know what it was but I could sense it...
"Sebastian?" asked Victoria.
Victoria and Prussia were both looking at me now. I must have missed something. How awkward. I must have been staring.
"So sorry, what's that? What did I miss?" I asked.
"Prussia was just saying that she didn't think she would be able to make the holiday party coming up and I told her that you would certainly want her attending." said Victoria, amused that I was caught in a moment of being smitten, I'm sure.
"Absolutely, I must insist," I said, understanding fully well that Victoria was using me to get Prussia to commit to at least something, anything, before the night was over,
"Grandmamma throws the most spectacular parties. I've heard it called a once in a lifetime experience before," I smiled with every drop of charm I could muster.
I managed not to laugh as I had glazed over the part where most humans that attended our holiday events really did experience something once in a lifetime, meaning their death of course.
"It always proves memorable," said Victoria, giving me a sidelong look that said I was pushing it.
"Well I don't know how I could possibly say no to something that’s once in a lifetime," said Prussia, completely unaware of the danger holiday parties would really present for her, "I would love to see what all the fuss is about,"
Everyone smiled in polite smiles and for a moment, I thought we were completely in the clear. And I was wrong as soon as the thought crossed my mind.
"So, how do you know Lydia?" Prussia asked.
She was still smiling but something told me she wasn't exactly pleased.
"You, also, know Lydia?" asked Victoria, "I swear, it is a small world."
It sounded like pure amusement coming from Victoria only wrapped in an 'I told you so' and sealed with a 'that girl is nothing but trouble'. I tried to keep my smile on as best I could. The fact that Prussia recognized Lydia, even knowing her name, made me think Lydia had been planning to hunt her. If I hadn’t been there Lydia would have had opportunity to kill Prussia in the park without a single person to help her.
"Well," I started, not sure where I was going to go with this, "Actually, it's a funny story. Lydia and-"
"Lydia has been a family employee for some time now," said Victoria, "Really, Sebastian, there is nothing funny about that,"
And just like that, the Queen smoothed over ruffled feathers and left me catching up. I just stood there poised to fabricate an incredible lie but with that simple explanation by the Queen Prussia seemed completely satisfied and Victoria began to give her a tour of the house. Every boring detail wrapped in lies upon lies upon lies all founded on truth but still wrapped in layers of lies.
Chapter 5
The drive back to my apartment was longer than I had remembered on the way to the party. I wished I had a watch so I knew what time it was. I looked over at Sebastian in the leather driver's seat, his wrist was on his other arm and I couldn't get a clear look at the watch face. It was black. Not as if I could have read it in the dark of the car anyway.
I sat back into the luxurious seat and let it cradle my tired body. I hadn't danced at all but I had spent plenty of time standing and walking around as Victoria, or Grandmamma as she liked to be called, gave me the longest house tour of my life. Granted, it was all gorgeous. It was jus
t a really long time to be standing in heels.
I looked out the window and tried to see where the moon was. Maybe there was something to the whole 'telling time with the moon' idea.
"It's almost 3 in the morning," said Sebastian.
Mind reader. I looked at him, surprised he had known what I was thinking.
"You didn't move hardly at all as I've been driving, saying even less so I noticed when you tried to look at my watch," he was calm, matter-of-fact, "and then I noticed you looked for the moon. Nobody really looks for the moon when they stare out a car after a date,"
His eyes met mine then and I remembered again how we met. The dark of the park, the danger of it all, the shadows he seemed to just appear out of.
"Except that you told me about the moon and the whole telling time thing," I said.
"I was kidding," he said, shifting the car into a different gear, the foreign sports car speeding a little faster and hugging close to the road, "I have no idea if that's really 'a thing' as you call it,"
His smile was big, genuine. I felt a little foolish but I still smiled back at him. He turned his attention back to the road and I turned my attention back to the car window and what we were passing.
"Does this mean you didn't have a nice time?" he asked.
I looked back at Sebastian and our eyes met for a moment but he wouldn’t hold my gaze. I didn't blame him. He suspected that I didn't enjoy myself. This was supposed to be a date after all, as far as he knew.
Every minute seemed slower than the last. I wanted to be home, wanted to see Robert's face, wanted to know if my plan would work. I didn't want to just be the girl cheating on her boyfriend. I felt guilty, guiltier than I realized I would. I felt guilty because I had actually had a really good time.
"I had a good time," I said, looking over his features.
Strong features, with something mysterious about him and he had a touch of emotion. Just a touch of softness around his serious set jaw and his strong, captivating eyes. He looked at me and this time I was the one that had to look away.
"I wish you had had a great time," he said quietly.
I watched as the trees went past even slower. I looked at the speedometer then and realized we had slowed considerably compared to how fast we had been going only ten minutes ago.
"We're going so slowly" I said.
He caught my eyes this time and I thought I caught a look of sadness for a brief moment. Whatever I thought I had seen was quick to pass over his face, like a cloud in front of the moon. There one second and then gone.
"Because we're here," he said.
I looked back out the window and he was right. We were parked in front of my apartment building. Perhaps the minutes hadn't passed slower, perhaps I was just too consumed in what I was about to find out. I wasn't prepared. I was suddenly nervous to find out how Robert would take my game. I wasn't one for games. Maybe he would be angry. Would he throw himself at Sebastian? I felt bad enough using Sebastian in this way, as nice as he was, but if Sebastian got hurt on top of it I wouldn't ever forgive myself.
I was genuinely worried now. Sebastian had gotten out of the car and had come around to open my car door. There he stood, tall, handsome, polite, and I was walking him towards something he had no idea about and probably wanted no part in.
"We could always go somewhere else," he said, somewhat joking but a hint of seriousness, "If you think we're back too early," his voice was very soft but serious now.
I got out of the car quickly and fussed with my dress to smooth it out.
"Oh, just a little tired and slow to move is all," I said. I smiled out of nervousness and he brushed a strand of hair away from my face, tucking it behind my ear.
"Well," he said, "We should get you all tucked in then,"
He said it just as any gentleman would but I could see in his eyes that he wanted to help tuck me in himself, if I would let him. I tried to think of something to say.
"Well, goodnight," I said, turning slightly to begin walking, "And thank you so much for such a nice evening,"
I was hopeful that I could go on ahead up to my apartment without him following me in, still concerned about what waited for me and how Robert would respond to actually seeing a man bringing me back to our apartment after a date. But Sebastian followed right in step next to me.
"One minute you're falling asleep tired and the next you're running to get inside," he laughed.
I felt stupid. I was acting like an insane person a bit.
"Oh, you know," I said, waving my hand out to the evening and empty streets, "No telling who is out here at this time of night,"
Apparently he didn’t think my joke was entirely funny. He stopped walking and placed a hand on my elbow. I stopped walking and looked at him. He looked like he had something to say. He didn’t look thrilled to be honest. I couldn't tell if he was angry or what.
"It's a good thing I'm here then, isn't it," he said it with a completely straight face, "I won't let anything happen to you as long as I'm here," and I felt my knees give slightly.
His arm slipped around my waist and he pulled me close to him. His mouth was over mine in an instant and he kissed me with gentle fervor. His other hand cupped my face and I could feel my heart take off like a horse in a race. He loosened his hold on me and let me steady myself.
My feet were killing me and now I was feeling faint. I was a cheating hussy, that's what I was. I hadn't kissed him back, I told myself. Not willingly. It had been a reaction like scratching an itch, an itch that hadn't been scratched in a long time. Oh god, I wonder if he could tell. I could feel my cheeks flood with color.
"There is something about you, Prussia," he whispered to me, "Something amazing. I can't even tell what it is about you. You're …enchanting,"
I don't know if I could have felt any more self-conscious just then. I tried to remember how it was I came to be standing outside my apartment building after a date with a man I barely knew when I had a boyfriend upstairs wondering where I was. I didn't deserve this man. As wonderful as he was, he was going to hate me when he found out what I was doing, had been doing all along. I bit my lip. I looked up at him and tried to think of how I would begin to tell him. Where would I start?
"Just the beginning," he said.
"Huh?" I asked. Maybe he really could read my mind.
"This is only just the beginning," he said.
I looked down and we stood awkwardly for a moment.
"I should get inside," I said after a moment.
He nodded his head and waited for me to begin walking. I ran through scenario after scenario and now I was about to find out what Robert had been doing while I was out on my pretend-but-real-date. We rode the elevator to my floor in silence. We shared awkward glances now and again. My heart only had a moment's rest.
By the time the bell for the elevator sounded, we were to my floor and I could see Lydia's apartment door just ahead. Around the corner was my apartment, and inside Robert would be waiting. The pounding of my heart was so loud it was in my ears.
It was so loud I could hardly hear anything. For a minute, I thought about just staying in the elevator. I never should have gone on this date. I never should have put myself in this situation. I looked at Sebastian as we began to pass Lydia's door.
I could hear the typical loud music coming through her door and walls. If anyone could sleep through that it was a miracle. She was throwing a party no doubt. I wonder if she had stopped over to see Robert. By the time we got to my apartment door I was starting to perspire. The nerves were balled up in my stomach. Given a moment of privacy I would have hurled. Given a few more minutes, it wouldn't matter if I was alone - I would hurl regardless.
What happened next was not what I had expected. I opened the door to the apartment and saw that it was spotless. Not a single rose in the entire apartment. Perhaps Robert had become so angered that he had thrown them all out.
"All the roses are gone," I said.
Even I could hear the
sadness in my voice. I had really liked them. It was kind of neat to have an apartment stuffed to the point of bursting with fragrant and beautiful roses.
"Yes," said Sebastian, "They are,"
Sebastian pulled his phone out of his pocket and it looked like he was sending a text message to someone. I walked into the living room and couldn't find a single rose petal, not one. But what stood out to me the most was that something else completely different was missing too. Robert.
I walked into the kitchen and checked the counter. There was a note. It was from Robert, of course. It was short.
"Thought it was our date night. You weren't here. Lydia stopped by. Going out. Don't wait up. ~ Robert"
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