6 Chapter 6

As the dark oak doors were pulled open by two guards, a silence fell upon the ballroom. Hadrien listened to it spread, a sea of voices settling into a collective stillness. A boisterous laugh caught at the end of the trend was cut off abruptly as the shrill notes of trumpets began. The instruments sound carried all of the way to the corners of the vast room. The king stepped out onto the balcony overlooking the ballroom. Every gaze turned to him. As he reached the edge of the grand staircase he stopped. He stood poised, focusing on the weight of his limbs and the complete stillness of his muscles.

There were flashes of light reflecting off of jewels and wine glasses. Fluttering sounds of heavy dresses rustling. Hadrien took all of it in, played the picture of it in his head as if it was a painting in a gallery. Splashes of color amid thick strokes of pillars and beams. He let the moment pool in his mind until just before it became uncomfortable. Then he advanced to the first step and instantly the orchestra began their first notes.

Putting a smile of his face, Hadrien said "Without further ado, let the dancing begin".

His voice projected through the growing voices of the violins. By the time he reached the bottom of the staircase, the beginnings of a song were being formed. Looking out into the mass of people, the picturesque scene a moment before vanished before his eyes. Hadrien had to choose a partner for the first dance.

He scanned the faces before him. He recognized a few, but didn't know the names that belonged to any of them. He decided to move towards the center of the room. Anyone in the way promptly stepped to the side to let him pass, setting hopeful gazes towards him as he approached.

When Terra Landolyn stepped before him with a smile as bright as the diamonds on her necklace, he knew there would be no walking past her. She intended to claim the first dance. Her green eyes locked onto his and she waited for him to give it to her. Hadrien held out his hand. "Lady Terra, I would be honored to have your hand in this dance."

Hadrien sensed the lingering gazes of the crowd turn from him to the girl before him. To her stunning auburn colored gown. To her dark hair styled flawlessly. Her high cheekbones covered in a light dusting of gold. Terra was studied as if she were a statue in the center of a gallery of paintings. Yet she didn't falter when she took his hand and curtsied. The smile never dimmed on her face when she said "I cannot deny my pleasure in accepting, your highness."

Hadrien knew how to dance, he had learned at a young age the proper moves and etiquette in the art. His mother had been a phenomenal dancer. As soon as he could walk, she had taught him to dance. They danced together late into the night. Often Hadrien had ended up dropping out and simply sat to watch his mother twirl in the flickering candlelight. It was mesmerizing to him. Her graceful limbs and seamless movements seemed magical.

A lesson that she had taught him was to always know your partner. She had said, "One cannot successfully perform a dance meant for two by focusing only on himself. Just how a horse cannot walk with its front legs moving at a different tempo than it's hind ones."

That analogy was the first thing he thought of as he began to dance with Terra. He placed his free hand on her waist. Felt her take a deep breath, the fabric of her dress offering very little give. As she began to sway to the music, he matched her rhythm. Terra was steady and confident in her motion. Hadrien felt the deliberation of her steps. But her mind didn't seem to be on what she was doing. Her eyes were everywhere but on him. She searched the faces of the people around them. Looked up at the ceiling far above, the sparkling chandeliers and countless candles.

The king watched her not watch him.

"Look at me," he said. Three words he had said not so long ago. They were spoken differently this time, more gently. With the sharpness of a butter knife as opposed to a dagger. Terra tensed. Had he not been holding her as the dance required, perhaps he wouldn't have noticed. Her eyes slid to his.

"You cleaned up nicely, your majesty." She stated after a few moments of tense eye contact. Her glance never separated from his. It was a dry compliment, but it beckoned for a return.

"And you, Lady Terra, are even more beautiful than when I had last seen you, something I doubted was even possible at the time."

She smiled. "Ah, there it is! I had begun to believe that you might not compliment me, and what a dreadful thing that would have been!"

Indeed. What a dreadful thing indeed. Hadrien was suddenly very aware of the tension between them. He wondered whose personality was more at fault, his apparently ignorant one or her overly expectant and stubborn one.

"How long will you be staying at the castle, Lady Terra?" The king took it upon himself to switch the conversation to less opinionated topics. In the moment of waiting that ensued, he spun her, catching a glimpse of the braids that wound around each other on the back of her head.

"For as long as my father wishes to stay. Or until he has business to attend to elsewhere." The way she finished the sentence made it feel incomplete, like she had more to say. Something else was on her mind, something other than his lack of proper manners.

"And where is it that you will return to?" He asked.

Terra regarded him carefully, "To my family's estate in Bernham."

"I imagine it's quite beautiful there?" Hadrien fought to keep the dull conversation moving. Her emotionless answers were not helping.

But to this question, there was no answer. Instead, Terra shifted the subject abruptly. "This song. Are you familiar with it?"

He looked at her once again, trying to figure out what she could possibly be trying to get out of him with that question. She was still looking out past his shoulder. "I have heard it played before, yes, if that is what you are asking." he said. The song was one of the many his mother played for him on the piano, he could likely hum the whole thing if he cared to do so, but he was hesitant to let Terra know that. The music crescendoed as he waited for her to respond, it was coming to its peak and would soon be over.

"It was this song that my brother and I danced to the night before he was sent to a battle that he would never return from." she said, "It weighs heavily on my heart to hear it played again."

Hadrien was taken aback by her statement, by the vulnerability it presented. The death of Mikal Landolyn, the general's son, had occurred only a few months ago. It made sense that it was still hard for Terra to think about. It made sense that this was what was on her mind, causing her to seem distant. But Hadrien had no idea how to respond. Comforting words were not on his list of skills, not even close.

The music slowed and quieted, undoubtedly drawing close to the end of the song. He knew he had to say something before it was over. "I am terribly sorry for your loss, my lady. I appreciate your willingness to dance with me despite the emotional burden this song holds, had I known I would have instructed the orchestra to skip this one."

Terra finally looked up at him and nodded with understanding. "You are a wonderful dancer, your highness. I apologize for being too distracted to be a worthy partner."

"Do not apologize, Lady Terra, it was my pleasure to have danced with you."

With that, the song faded to an end and Hadrien lifted Terra's fingers to his lips. She smiled lightly and slipped away into the crowd of people in search for a second dance partner. Before Hadrien could think of where he was going next, a tap on the shoulder forced him to turn around. In front of him stood his uncle.

Rubigo was somehow made to look worse by his formal attire. His bulging stomach pressed against the dark fabric of his vest. The silver in his robe gave his pale skin a sickly complexion. He grinned up at Hadrien, his mouth full of crooked teeth. "Kendric told me you are ready to show me the girl." he said, careful to keep his voice quiet.

Hadiren clenched his fists but forced a smile at his uncle. They both knew the importance of pretending to be on good terms with one another in public, even though the truth was quite the opposite. Hadrien led the way off of the dance floor, Rubigo following close behind. While walking, he scanned the edges of the ballroom, looking for Evryn. He could hardly see anything past the bustling of servants and wandering of guests.

The plan he had come up with had been rather simple. Evryn was to be dressed in a servants dress and sent to stand somewhere along the outskirts of the room. Against the wall, somewhere in the shadows. She was not to move places until he came to get her. She was not to do any serving, that was too much of a risk. He also made sure that a guard was placed close by to her, to make sure she obeyed.

He didn't tell Kenric of this plan, knowing his advisor would most certainly not approve of taking such risks with the prisoner. But Hadrien knew that he had to make her seem at least somewhat decent to his uncle. He couldn't risk pulling her straight from the dungeons the night of, she would have undoubtedly been miserable and disgusting. Though this plan may not have gotten rid of her misery, she was at least given a bath and a change of clothes.

But with those added luxuries came added risks. Primarily, Hadrien didn't know if Evryn could stand long enough to wait for him. Of course, there were chairs around, but he didn't tell her that she could sit in them. And there was the fact that she was not chained tonight. There was the possibility of escape.

Since Kendric had decided to take it upon himself to speak with everyone Hadrien wished not to speak with, he decided it would be best not to let his uncle know exactly what his plans had been with the girl. Just in case Rubigo decided to take the information to Kendric. Hadrien led Rubigo out of the ballroom, up a set of guarded stairs to a small corridor of offices, and through third door. That particular room was mostly empty except for a desk and desk chair and two sitting chairs in front of that. There was nothing for Rubigo to meddle in while Hadrien left to find Evryn.

As Hadrien left the room he couldn't ignore the unsettling feeling building in his stomach. He could feel his uncle's eyes watch him leave. He knew how powerless he would soon be in front of Rubigo. His feet felt heavy, his hands were clammy. Suddenly, he was becoming the boy he was three years ago when he last saw his uncle, the boy he desperately wished to erase