She wore the gentle, demure smile of a maiden, but in a distinctly masculine, and noticeably sensual, way. It very nearly engendered squeals from the ladies. Most of them, anyway. Luciana was an exception, already numb to stunning beauty in part thanks to Maxwell, and Melody was, well, Melody.
“We’re squiring Her Highness about and introducing her to those she can expect to meet during the upcoming semester,” Anna-Marie said. “She’ll join our class, so some of you will actually be classmates.”
“I’d love to know their names,” Ciestine said.
“Right, this is—”
“Her first!” Luciana blurted. “I have someone who I’d like to introduce first!” She dragged Celedia out from the shadows of their group. “Apologies, Lady Anna-Marie, Prince Christopher. She’s new to both of you too. This is Lady Celedia, Lord Leginbarth’s daughter.”
“P-pleasure to meet you,” Celedia said. “That’s right. I am Celedia Leginbarth.” Though flustered, she did not forget her curtsy or her melancholic smile.
So this is her, Anna-Marie thought. If things were normal, she’d be the one we need in order to defeat the Dark One, but since everything’s all wonky, we can’t know for sure if she’s actually the Saint. She has the hair and the eyes and that pitiful look down pat, but her name, and this timing…
In The Silver Saint and the Five Oaths, the heroine’s reunion with her father was a bittersweet one. She’d lost her mother, been removed from all she knew, and been thrown into a new life with new ways and new people. Subdued grief shadowed most of her very first smiles, as seen in CGs.
“So you’re the one,” Christopher said while his companion pondered.
“You know me, Your Highness?”
“Only your name. Being a prince comes with certain privileges, like hearing of new classmates before anybody else.”
“Classmates? I’m to join your class too?”
“In that case, yours is a face I’d do well to commit to memory,” Ciestine said. “I hope our acquaintance will be a pleasurable one.”
“L-likewise, Your Highness.” Celedia’s face burned.
The others introduced themselves in turn. Maxwell wouldn’t be in the same year, and Lect wasn’t even a student, but they too introduced themselves. Neglecting to do so before royalty would have been rather rude, to say the least.
They went in order of status, meaning Melody—or rather, Cecilia—would go last. As she waited for her turn, something brushed past her ears, a sound so quiet, so imperceptible that she nearly mistook it for a breeze.
…ine…me…!
Everything went black, like a dark haze dropping over Melody’s vision. She tried to shout, but her voice betrayed her. Her eyes flew wide open. In the span of a single second, the world vanished. Then she blinked, and she could see again.
“What? What just…?”
The scene before her hadn’t changed. The others were still introducing themselves. No one acknowledged what had just happened. The haze vanished without a trace.
That was awfully vivid to have been my imagination, Melody thought. Perhaps it was a spell of lightheadedness, but she deemed that unlikely since she maintained her health rigorously.
She was out of ideas and out of time. Her turn had come. She opened her mouth to introduce herself.
“Princess Ciestine, won’t you tell me about your homeland?” Celedia said just as Melody stepped forward.
Melody was stunned for a moment. It was like the lady hadn’t even seen her.
“The empire? Well, we’ve no shortage of snow,” the princess began.
Ciestine did not seem eager to chastise the girl’s breach of conduct. Neither did Anna-Marie or Christopher or even Lect. Luciana alone pouted, as if she herself had been slighted, but she could not resolve the issue without committing a faux pas of her own.
Maybe I’m not to speak because I’m a commoner? Melody thought. What exactly does etiquette call for in this situation?
She wasn’t used to this feeling. It was like everyone had forgotten her, and she didn’t know what to do about that.
Then came a snap, like the sound of a folding fan shutting with great force.
“What a rude bunch you are. Shameful, the lot of you.”
Everyone whipped toward the voice. A refined young lady in a dress of pure crimson stood before them. Her heels clicked against the floor to mark her approach.
“Lady Olivia?” Anna-Marie said.
Olivia Rincot’dor stopped before Ciestine and curtsied with all the dignity befitting a duke’s daughter. “We meet again, Your Highness.”
“And to what do I owe the pleasure, my good lady?” Ciestine asked.
“My business is with my father, actually. I just happened to be passing by when I chanced upon an act of impropriety that demanded correcting.” Olivia fixed Celedia with a cold glare. “You. You interrupted this one before she could introduce herself to the princess. What do you have to say for yourself? Is this the way your governess taught you to behave? Genuinely, I’m asking.”
Celedia looked between her and Melody, croaking pitifully. Indeed, she appeared every bit a toad in a hawk’s talons.
“M-my lady,” Sable said, struggling to calm Celedia.
Lady Olivia. She’s my lady’s classmate, Melody recalled. Daughter to Duke Rincot’dor.
Melody stepped forward. This altercation was about her, after all. “I’m honored you would come to my aid, my lady, but your kindness is wasted on me. I’m only a commoner, you see.”
“Then I extend the criticism to your partner there,” Olivia shot back. “You’re of noble blood, are you not? Yet you stand there, dumb as a statue, while someone insults your charge. Disgraceful. Have you no dignity?”
Lect’s mistake dawned on him with the tenderness of a ton of bricks. With a legendary grimace, he apologized to Melody.
Olivia covered her mouth with her fan and scoffed, then addressed Anna-Marie. “The greatest shame of all is that such vulgarity should come to pass under your and His Highness’s watch. You are to lead by example. What was wrong must be made right, not least of all for the sake of the aggrieved.”
“Yes. Yes, you’re right,” Anna-Marie said. “It’s as you say, Lady Olivia.”
“An inexcusable slip,” Christopher said. “I thank you for opening my eyes to it.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Olivia cleared her throat. “In hindsight, I may have overstepped and come across too harshly. In any case, I apologize for intruding. Excuse me.”
With a curtsy, she disappeared into the crowd. Their group remained in a stupor for several seconds.
“It did slip our minds that Cecilia had yet to introduce herself,” Beatrice said awkwardly.
“You’re right,” Milliaria said. “My nerves must have gotten the better of me and made me forget. I’m so sorry, Cecilia.”
“I-it’s quite all right, everyone!” Melody said. “No need to make a mountain out of a molehill!”
Ciestine approached her. “I’m guilty as well. Tell me, to whom do I owe an apology?”
“You owe me no such thing, Your Highness. I’m but a commoner. My name’s not of value to you.”
“You’re surely of some value if you’re here at this ball.” Ciestine’s expression softened. “Please, I insist.”
“Very well,” Melody said. “My name is Cecilia McMarden, and it’s thanks to my partner, Sir Lectias, that I have the privilege of attending tonight. I’m not enrolled at the academy, so I fear this may be our only chance to meet, Your Highness. Regardless, it is an honor.” Punctuating her textbook greeting, she dropped into a model curtsy. A most perfect one, by any measure.
Most people could not boast that they could win hearts and minds with such a simple, etiquette-prescribed gesture, but Melody was not most people. As she straightened, she met the princess’s eyes with a flawless smile. Heavenly. Angelic, even.
Her aura left Ciestine stricken. Melody had forgotten to restrain her maidly mannerisms, perhaps because she stood in the presence of such an esteemed personage.
Anna-Marie, too, bore witness in awe. In more private company, she might have squealed. I’m beginning to understand why they call her the Angel of the Spring Ball. She’s definitely as pretty as one.
Holy crap, she’s cute, Christopher thought, in his own crude way. She’s got this holy aura, like she’s the purest thing in the whole world. Not for mortal eyes. And she’s only a commoner. I’m not sure if even I’m in her league.
Ciestine’s gaze sharpened as she recovered from her surprise a step faster than the others. So, you’re the “Angel” I’ve heard so much about. It’s not often legends live up to their names. Now, how might you be of use to me?
With her icicle eyes and tempering smile, she said, “Fair Cecilia, might I trouble you for a dance?”
Melody blinked. Now she was the toad.
Everyone shared a collective, inner cry of disbelief. The reverie was over.