Balle, Day 25 (3)
Verinia felt that the days had come and gone, bringing or taking with them the efforts of her labour. Preparations for the ball were nearing their completion and she had been informed of the invited families' arrivals to their homes in the capital city.
Strangely, not one House from the south made an appearance.
She tried not to think much of the matter, but the strangeness of it constantly circled in her mind. The Su'ne from the northern states and the midlands had all come, even Su'na Baddenkur and Su'na Riladen had arrived, setting aside their brewing civil war in the midlands to celebrate with the Sovereign.
If the two greatest Houses in the central states were able to attend despite their rivalry, why hadn't those from the southern states done so? And to send not even a messenger bird? Were they offended with Su'Datheram?
Even if they were offended with her father, they were required to send a formal rejection of the invitation stating their reasoning for not attending.
Besides that, for every Su'ne of the southern states to be offended with the Sovereign unanimously was either a great coincidence or mutiny.
Verinia did not believe in coincidences, but she didn't wield the influence to declare mutiny, either. In any case, she made it a point to send a raven to inquire after the Su'ne. Perhaps misfortune befell the invitations.
Even she knew that was foolish thinking.
"Serenity."
The nudge of her protector's hand on the small of her back brought the Su'Adrit back from her thoughts to stare blankly at the polished face of the carriage sitting in front of her. A footman was occupied with opening the door already.
"You didn't notice their arrival, did you?" There was laughter in the knight's voice, and she hated that she could no longer turn her head over her shoulder to glower at him.
"Shut up, Ka'iser." She pushed her cheeks up into a bright smile and stepped forward as a head of white, billowing hair, adorned with flowery pins of gold, emerged from the carriage. "Your Eminence."
Empress Lysirea Darienis was the very picture of how Verinia had remembered seeing her as a child. Having been swept away by the heir of the Ginzai'i throne for her great beauty in her youth, the princess had often thought the Empress was a spirit of the wild come to keep her mother company during her few visits.
"My, you certainly do uphold to the rumours." Unmarred blue eyes appraised her critically, from the diadem fixed to her head to the hem of her dress. "You're the mirror image of your mother."
Verinia bit her tongue with great difficulty and maintained her smile as the remainder of the Empress's visiting party gathered behind her dutifully. She was forced to bow her head to show the proper respects. "Welcome back to the Court of Light, Empress."
"No need for formalities." Empress Lysirea's face showed neither pleasure or displeasure as she followed the First Princess into the grand hall with the throng of her people with her.
If Verinia was used to her own steps being silent, she couldn't so much as hear the Empress's ornate clothing sweep the ground behind her.
"Lysirea!" Su'na Joss Darienis, the Master of Fleets and head of the entire House Darienis, emerged from the depths of the Hall of Legislature to sweep his youngest sister in a crushing embrace.
The relation between them was unmistakable. Pure white hair, whiter even than snow and deep, unmarred blue eyes spoke of their heritage from the days in which the ocean gave them life.
The Su'Adrit stopped to observe the scene silently, taking into note the genuine smile that lit the Empress's face and the sisterly adoration she still held for her eldest brother. She spoke animatedly with him and used her hands to enunciate, a custom she no doubt learned during her many turns living in Ginzai.
"Do pardon me for stealing my sister away, Su'Adrit, but it has been so long since I've seen her." Su'na Darienis bowed his head apologetically. "Allow me to retire her for the day."
"Without question." She waved away his concerns with a fond expression. "The servants will guide you to your room come the time, Your Eminence. Ask any servant if you need anything."
The Empress nodded. "Thank you for your hospitality."
Something in her eyes froze Verinia's very soul. They were so impossibly blue, without a speck or ridge of anything to disturb the colour of the ocean.
Once the empress had left with her brother, she turned to delegate instructions to the awaiting staff for the rest of the empress's people.
There were twelve of the visitors from Ginzai. When she looked at them, Verinia nearly swallowed her own tongue.
She wasn't sure what exactly she was looking at, but she was certain that he didn't belong to Oalta.
He had the white hair and the deep blue eyes that unquestionably linked him to House Darienis, but his eyes were sharper, angled upwards at the outer corners.
Her stomach flipped a few times when she noticed him scrutinising her. It was a look she had received countless times, but everyone who did so would do it covertly.
It was disrespectful to stare at a member of the Sovereign house like that. But what could she say to this man who was not her subject?
Verinia thought that she must have been looking into the face of Senesi, the god of beauty. Her mouth dried up in the most pitiful way and she remained in a stunned silence until the beautiful man bowed his head in respect.
"Su'Adrit," He remarked politely, placing a hand over his chest; a military salute in Oalta.
He was a military man?
Verinia remembered herself moments too late. There was no one else in the hall but her and that strange man.
Oh, and her protector, of course, but he was so good at blending into the walls that his presence could easily be forgotten.
A strange heat took over her face in an instant. She acknowledged the man lightly and turned around to leave.
"Ah, wayward hearts," Sur Ka'iser drawled quietly, earning himself a vicious glare from his mistress.
She fled to her office with a fierce determination and slammed the door in the laughing man's face.
"Hiss!" Sur Ka'iser clutched his nose, which had been thoroughly smashed by the heavy wooden door. A string of curses fell in bitter mutters from his mouth as he detoured to the apothecary.
The knight's footsteps could be heard breaking the ground as he walked away. With a satisfied smile, the princess started finalising the remainder of the preparations for the ball.
Although most of the things had been done, there always seemed to be more. Whenever she thought that a task was finished, some other thing would demand her attention at once, robbing her of all peace yet again until it was complete.
"Did I not confirm the reception of four thousand spiced candles?" She held up a parchment, which was torn in half lengthwise. "I've signed this already."
"No, you signed the reception of four thousand spiced soap cakes." Cera Dionar Sarivi held another piece of parchment in his hand and turned it to show her. "This being the reserve for the remainder of this suns-turn's period."
"Since when does this palace consume four thousand soaps in one turn?" Verinia set down the parchment in her hand with a huff of disbelief. The Master of Ceremonies gave her a look from his place across the room.
"You know the incoming guests will thieve them. This palace has the finest soaps in the continent."
"We have the finest of everything in the continent."
It had begun when Halen had fallen ill as a newborn, and she'd been petrified out of her mind. Her fear was so great that she spent the first two turns of the twin suns since her ascension reforming the whole of Light Tower until their expenses grew threefold.
If it wasn't of the best quality, it wouldn't enter the palace.
"Not even when the Su'Ailfi lived did we have so much opulence. Even the barracks of the Sovereign Guard use these soaps." Cera Dionar laughed. "Soldiers! Trained killers! Using spiced soaps!"
Vernia's irritation sprouted and grew into a tree in mere moments. She sent Cera Dionar a look so scathing that it would have set the man's wig on fire if she were a Tharwenn instead of a Hellfryne.