Thea

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Crowds of arriving people were helpfully directed by the butler to the main ceremonial hall of Riliya, where the celebration was to take place. Everything around shone and shone, shouted about pathos and wealth. Yes, Lillian never infringed on herself in anything and every little detail emphasized her status.

Ordinary people outside the castle even said that she lacked modesty and restraint, while most of her people hovered on the brink of poverty and survived only through the maintenance of subsidiary and agriculture. But such is their queen, she didn’t care about the beggars, all this show-off was for the highest nobility.

I looked around as we walked, accompanied by the butler, and could not help but notice that significant changes had taken place here since my disappearance, although too little time had passed. But the queen was in a hurry to make repairs here, replace furniture and lighting fixtures with more expensive ones, and all this at a time when the country was preparing for military action. This is too disregard for the royal treasury. Consumer attitude, at a time when very soon there will be nothing to feed the common people.

I was walking and indignation was boiling in my soul. Despite my young age and lack of experience in public affairs, I still understood all these subtleties and could not understand how my father turned a blind eye to this? Does love make people blind to all other problems? 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

- Is everything all right, milady? - The Duke’s voice brought me out of my thoughts.

I smiled and hastened to assure him that there was no reason to worry. I must have been silent for too long, and he got worried. But even so, I didn’t know what to talk to him about, or rather, what I could and couldn’t talk about. Although I was a princess, but he and I were representatives of different kingdoms, and therefore his and my status now looked like "master and subordinate", so I did not cross this fine line leading to fraternal relations.

The butler opened the majestic high gilded doors in front of us, which opened with a slight pleasant creak. And I took a step inside, pushed by the restless heartbeat and the desire to end everything faster. I was determined not to ruin tonight, or rather not to do anything rash.

Inside, everything was even richer and more beautiful than what I saw in the corridors. Such wastefulness. I shook my head disapprovingly.

Some of the guests were already familiar to me, but I saw most of them for the first time. My parents had never held such grand feasts before and everything was always limited to close aristocrats and representatives of friendly countries. But it seems that all the beau monde, the tops of all the kingdoms, near and far, have gathered here. Lillian swung high, since everyone deigned to accept her invitation.

And it was so weird. Her reign is not even four years old, but she has already been able to gather everyone under one roof. How did she lure them here? Of course, not thanks to cakes and tea.

Shooting my eyes from side to side, I tried to find Raphael. There were a lot of people, but he wasn’t among them, and that made me frown. Where is he and what does he do?

Seeing my expression, Duke Parmont only smiled and lightly patted my palm, which was still resting on the crook of his elbow. Surprisingly, such a simple movement, flavored with proud silence, but it really calms. It must be all about that kind smile of his.

Unlike Raphael, Dexter’s facial features were softer and kinder, and the aura from him was not deadly suffocating. I didn’t feel awkward being around him at all. Although with the king of Abion, the awkwardness was caused by something completely different... his overly attractive charm and beautiful face, and seductive lips, and...

I shook my head, throwing further images of this obnoxious king out of my head and turned to the duke.

- Your Grace, could we find a more secluded place so as not to attract any attention to ourselves?

I could feel those withering glances on my back, which seemed to lick me from head to toe. And it is not surprising that Raphael thought of choosing such an elegant, but frankly depraved dress.

- I have another suggestion. – he handed me a tall glass of sparkling wine, the bubbles of which ran up briskly and crackled pleasantly.

- Thank you, but I don’t drink alcohol. He has a bad effect on me.

- It’s a light alcohol. Moreover, nothing will happen from a couple of sips, but it will help you relax a little, otherwise you will soon break my arm with your strong grip. – he laughed shamelessly at his joke, and I chose not to argue and took the glass from his hands.

- Well, great . - Dexter smiled at me.

I took a small sip and admired the surprisingly pleasant, sweet-sour taste of the drink. The air bubbles seemed to pinch my tongue, dancing and bouncing, creating their crackling symphony inside my mouth. Such a ticklish feeling.

I had never tried such a drink before, and my first and last experiment was with Dad’s whiskey. I still remember with a shudder the day when Xana and Madeleine decided to make fun of me, and I fell for them. As a result, I burned my throat and could not restore my vocal cords for several days, and in addition I received a scolding from my father that we opened his collectible bottle of whiskey. More precisely, information was provided for him that it was I who opened this bottle.

After that time, I realized that there was no friendship between us, let alone sisterhood. All their jokes were reduced to infringing on me, to attempts to gloat and set me up.

I was so absorbed in this pleasant taste of wine that, under the gaze of Duke Parmont, I drained the glass in a matter of minutes, which earned him an approving smile.

- So what was your offer, it wasn’t about sparkling wine, was it? - I asked.

- You are very right. - and without saying a word, he pulled me into the center of the hall, where a lively and cheerful crowd was already dancing a polonaise.

Oh, no. I desperately shook my head in protest, but he didn’t listen to me at all, or maybe he did, but he didn’t listen to my refusals to dance. And it was already too late to refuse, we were already in this bundle with dancing couples.

Lined up in straight rows, the ladies with their companions, in a proud formation, elegantly advanced to the center of the hall, holding the partner’s hand as support. And then came easy turns, squats and bows, unsurpassably graceful movements of changing hands and positions. The curves of thin waists, unhurried and neat movements were the feminine adornment of this dance, while men with unshakable tight faces showed all the strength of their kind.

Turn, turn, step back, step forward and touch hands again. Through the mask, my eyes caught a painfully familiar figure, causing my heart to contract painfully. A bright red fluffy dress with a mixture of silk, lace and a scattering of precious stones, a train going down. Madeleine was dazzlingly beautiful in this image, but the main decoration was her companion. The one who should have been mine.

It was as if my ego was hurt by a cat’s claw, but everything was happening deep inside my subconscious and not a drop of indignation was reflected on my face or in my movements. Although my eyes continued to follow how Rafael gently leads my sister in the dance, now and then fleetingly touching her, and she blushed and giggled.

And then came the moment I was waiting for with reluctance, the moment when I had to change partners in motion. After exchanging glances, we parted with the count and a tall, fit man with a small brownish gray beard showing through the mask began to lead me further in the dance. His hand tightly and possessively squeezed mine, which caused my increased frown and concern about this action.