The day of the party where we would be welcoming the dukes of Rimmel to Tasmeria was here at last. A celebratory mood spread through the whole kingdom, but inside the palace, the tension was great. Since the academy catered to children of nobles, we were given a special day off school for the occasion.
I headed to the party with Louis, wearing a dress made especially for me by Madame Crejours. It was a white, low-cut dress with a fitted bodice. I wore a light-yellow coat over it with sack-back pleats in the back. The coat was elaborately embroidered with jewels sewn into the design. Another detail was that both the dress and the coat were edged with a kind of delicate lace I’d never seen before. The dress’s skirt had a simple petticoat design that made it easy to put on and take off. I finished the look with a golden choker studded with pearls around my neck, pearl earrings, and layered pearl bracelets. The jewelry pieces were all presents from Louis, and he wore a light-yellow tie to match my outfit.
He led me down the long hallway through the castle. It was customary for nobles of lower rank to enter first and so on in that manner, so by the time we entered the room, most everyone was already gathered. Louis hadn’t formally received his title yet, but since Lord Romello had officially named him as his successor, it was all right for him to enter at that time.
The glitzy chandeliers made the polished wooden floors shine. All the noblewomen were dressed in their finest clothes, clearly trying to outdo each other. The men all had imposing auras about them as they stood by their sides.
No matter how many times I came to parties like this, they never got any less intimidating.
And then, all of a sudden, the music stopped.
“Her Majesty the Queen, escorted by her son, His Royal Highness Prince Edgar!”
Everyone bowed their heads as Queen Iria and Prince Edgar entered. No one lifted their gaze until the two of them had taken their seats, and then everyone’s attention focused back on the herald again.
“His Grace Duke Chester Crowe of the principality of Rimmel!” Everyone greeted the duke with applause.
“His Grace Duke Dennis Baskar and his son, Lord Colin Baskar of Rimmel!” A man who was quite broad but muscular entered the room, accompanied by a young man who looked very much like his father.
“His Grace Duke Bruno Philling and his wife, Her Grace Duchess Kellie Philling!” An intelligent-looking man wearing glasses entered the room, escorting his wife. The woman had a gentle smile on her face.
“His Grace Duke Curtis Sligar and his son, Lord Miles Sligar!” Hmm, I thought the duke had two sons? Miles was his youngest son, so I wondered if the older son Curtis wasn’t here. When Louis had told me about the family, I was hoping I’d meet both of them. I carefully observed Duke Sligar. He had jet black hair and sharp eyes that had a certain glint about them. They sent a shiver down my spine.
“His Grace Duke Morris Grindel and his wife, Her Grace Duchess Lynette Grindel!” The last duke to enter the room was a muscular man who I was sure would be quite fierce in a fight. Conversely, his wife Lynette was very slender and frail. She looked as if she might break if you touched her.
We watched as the dukes exchanged greetings with the queen and the prince in turn. I heard Louis let out a little sigh beside me. He must be very relieved that this day had finally arrived.
The music began to play, and people paired off to dance. Louis and I made our way to the center of the dance floor and began to dance.
“Everything went smoothly…” he murmured to me.
“I’m so happy for you, Louis.”
We danced to one song and then separated.
“May I have this dance?” Colin Baskar held out his hand to me.
“I’d be honored, Lord Colin.” I took his hand, and we began to move to the music.
“The kingdom of Tasmeria is filled with so many beautiful people. But you are the most beautiful. It makes me happy that I came here.”
“Oh, you flatter me! You know, different blossoms bloom in different kingdoms, but it seems you’ve grown quite fond of our flowers, Lord Colin.” I skillfully dodged his flirtations and indirectly thanked him for the compliment. I could see the unabashed desire in his eyes, and it gave me the chills. All I wanted was for the song to be over, but of course I had to keep the smile on my face while I endured.
Finally, the song ended, and I moved on to my next partner, Miles Sligar. Miles danced as if he were bored of the whole affair, yet knew he had to keep up appearances, and so he partnered up with me anyway. It was better than dancing with Colin, though. Suddenly, I looked over to Prince Edgar. A few moments prior, Ellia had gotten her clutches into him and he danced with her, but now he was dancing with Sharia.
Wait—with Sharia?!
I was so surprised I couldn’t help but stare at the couple, all while trying not to be rude to Miles. Why in the world had Prince Edgar asked Sharia to dance? She could offer no political connections at an event such as this. Sharia looked a bit bewildered as well. On the other side of them, Ellia was shooting them a glare so sharp that it was almost frightening.
I finished dancing with Miles and then excused myself. I met up with Louis again, and we began making our rounds through the guests.
We started off by going to speak with Duke Morris Grindel.
“Good evening, Duke Grindel. Are you enjoying yourself tonight?” Louis had already met the duke when he arrived, so there was no need to introduce himself again.