Bonus Story:
After the Ball—Ciestine and the Smile
ON THE NIGHT OF AUGUST 31ST, AND LATE into it, so late it was nearly the first of September, the second of the imperial princesses, Ciestine van Rordpier, retired to a room set aside for her in Theolas’s royal palace.
The Summer Ball dragged on, but only for those who did not have school the next morning. Ciestine had just turned fifteen, and thus her first day at Royal Academy awaited her. Wisdom told her to go to bed early.
Ciestine unbuttoned her shirt collar languidly as she sank onto the sofa, gracefully crossing her legs and sighing.
“You forget yourself, Your Highness.”
Kalena regarded her mistress’s behavior coldly. Emotionlessly. She was part of the team Ciestine had brought with her from the empire, her lady-in-waiting and chief spy both.
Ciestine replied with a smirk. Kalena shook her head, resigned yet unsurprised. She knew not to argue. “Was the ball worthwhile?” she asked instead.
“By and large. It went as well as one could expect for a rushed entrance. How goes your end of things? Well?”
“By and large.”
Ciestine had come to Theolas with one objective and one objective only: succeed where Schroden had failed. Infiltrate the kingdom, gather information, and prepare the realm to welcome the Rordpier tide. The princess would serve as bait, centralizing all the suspicion on herself, the exchange student from a hostile nation, while Kalena and her agents of intrigue did the real work of probing for weaknesses to exploit. Tonight was the very first act in their grand play.
“Any foreseeable complications?” Ciestine asked.
“The Theolans have tightened security substantially. They’ve indeed gotten smarter in recent years.”
“They’re in an economic golden age. A thriving nation is a secure nation.”
“Their beloved prince is to blame, it would seem, and has been enacting changes since the tender age of ten. Younger, even.”
They’d had no trouble uncovering that much. Prince Christopher was evidently an innovator.
“Another perfect princeling. Lovely. I discerned as much myself in my dealings with him. He’s quick-witted. Stoic.” Ciestine chuckled once, reluctantly acknowledging the man’s sagacity.
“He is well-liked in the palace. His character and competence allow for little in the way of dissent. We might perhaps explore his reluctance to settle on a fiancée. I encountered some rumblings regarding the line of succession.”
“Which takes us to the Victillium girl. He did not seem pleased when I entered the ballroom with her. In fact, that was the only time I managed to glimpse his true self. Offended that I stole away his darling, I suppose. Ought I apologize?” Ciestine snickered at her own joke, assured in the veracity of the rumors. He and Anna-Marie were an item.
Little did she know the ire directed toward her was actually meant for her partner. Christopher still held a grudge over his exclusion from the alleged Comely Maiden Club.
“Regardless, this was but the prologue,” Ciestine continued. “My real work will begin with the coming semester. As I recall, the academy resumes tomorrow, but classes don’t begin quite yet. Is that right?”
“Yes, Your Highness. There’s to be an orientation, but no actual lessons. For your class specifically, I imagine they’ll also take the time to introduce the new students.”
“That explains why we won’t go to our classrooms until the afternoon, I suppose.”
“Only partially. As most students are nobility, the vast majority have attended tonight’s function. Royal Academy is therefore offering them a late start as a kindness. As I understand, it’s something of a tradition.”
“How considerate. True, a late-night ball doesn’t pair well with an early morning.”
“It’s also why some houses move back to the dorms that same day, though most complete those procedures well ahead of time.”
“Cutting it awfully close. Some do love to tread that line. The rest call them brave. Or stupid.” Ciestine smirked.
One guess into which of those two categories the Rudlebergs fell.
“In any case, I know what we must do tomorrow,” she said. “I’ll greet my classmates with aplomb. All eyes will be on me.”
“And in the meanwhile, I will see to it that I learn something worth learning.” Kalena bowed deeply.
“I will say I’m surprised to discover another new student besides myself.” Ciestine frowned. She’d meant to take full advantage of the irregularity of enrolling midyear as part of her ploy to hoard attention. Another arrival would lessen her impact, all the more so given this girl was the supposed daughter of the vice-chancellor, Count Leginbarth. Doubtless she would attract the curiosity of a good chunk of the peerage.
“Lady Leginbarth,” Kalena mumbled. “She is indeed an anomaly. I’ve nothing on her as of yet.”
“Which is to be expected. I spoke with her briefly, and it was only very recently that the count took her in. She was just a commoner before.”
“Shall I include her in our inquiries?”
“If you can spare it. Lord Leginbarth is a person of great interest to us, given his standing in the kingdom, and Lady Celedia makes him vulnerable.”
“It will be done, Your Highness.”
“Anything else to report?”
“Not at present. However…”
“Speak.”
Kalena clicked her tongue. “It’s nothing, really. I simply happened to hear a group of servants gossiping about goings-on at the ball. It concerned you, Your Highness.”
“Me?”
“They spoke of ‘an angel in the ballroom.’” Kalena’s mistress said nothing. “They seemed near to swooning, the way they blushed. I’m unfamiliar with who the lucky noblewoman was, but I’m well aware of the effect your dancing has on people. I’d say you played your role quite well. You’ll linger in the minds of many for some time. Oh?”
“What is it?”
Kalena glanced at the door leading to the corridor. “The palace is in a panic.”
“That so?” Ciestine copied the lady-in-waiting but failed to perceive what she did. She trusted her chief spy’s senses, though.