Chapter 13

The seating chart for dinner was one of the only things I was not consulted on, I supposed there was probably some sort of science to this thing. Given the amount of people here for the dance, the dining room was packed to the gills. There were two very long tables crowding the dining room, with a shorter table in the middle. Each long table could seat approximately fifty people with the shorter one accommodating around 20. On the left side were my relations; second cousins, uncles from other countries, distant family friends, and the like. On the right were Nikolai's relations. I wondered if there was really any need for this separation since the aristocracy wasn't exactly a genetically diverse group and there was probably a sizable amount of people who could sit on either side. 

The middle table was reserved for direct family and close friends. Nikolai was naturally at the head of the table and I sat to his right. Anna sat across from me. The person to my left was the one who I would have made sit elsewhere had I controlled the seating chart. It was Andrei, I had been hoping that he had just not shown up since I didn't see him at the dance but that was merely a scheduling accident. According to my mother, who was also there, they had actually meant to come with me when I departed but something was holding up the Tsar so they sent me on my way. They waited as long as they could but eventually it was obvious he wasn't going to be able to make it so the two of them set off on their own. Had the Tsar been there he would have been the one sitting to my left but since he was not here and traditions must be followed, Andrei was there in his stead.

It was sitting in this arrangement that this very, very long dinner began. It wasn't just that my choice of company made this whole thing a mentally strenuous task, the dinner itself was more courses than I cared to count. 

Andrei took no time to start getting physical, luckily the fancy party dress I was wearing required many layers of clothing and thus his hand on my thigh was little more than a faint, warm pressure. 

When the first glasses of wine were served Nikolai stood up and clinked the side of his wine glass with his spoon. The clear ringing brought the ambient chatter to a stop. He cleared his throat and from my close vantage point I could tell he was nervous about giving a speech to such a large number of people. 

"Good evening, I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who is joining us tonight" he cleared his throat a little before continuing," I know this union has been proposed for many years, in fact my father was a strong supporter of the idea when he was still with us. However I don't want this marriage to be one of pure political consolidation, even if that is the foundation. Over these past few days I have found Kitty Bezuheva to be a very willful and passionate woman. I don't think in my time as Count of these lands anyone has so ardently scolded me. To be frank it brought me back to my days as a young boy being told off for breaking an expensive vase. It has also opened my eyes to how very unchallenged I am in every faucet of my life. To say I love her is a bit hasty but she certainly has my deepest respects. It is with this thought in mind that I wish to toast to the beginning of our lives together, may we all drink on this night to a long and happy union," when he finished his impromptu speech, Nikolai downed his wine.

I watched my fellow diners lift their cups and offer a toast to my future together with Nikolai. I watched Anna lift her glass with her usual graceful ease and offer her toast along with everyone else, there was something especially sarcastic in her manner. Andrei offered his toast in a similar sardonic manner.

I had been planning to avoid drinking as much as possible due to the chance of saying something I shouldn't have while drunk but I could feel an overwhelming number of people looking at me when they realized I hadn't drunk my glass so I gave an overly enthusiastic "to our union" to a mostly quiet dining room and downed my wine as quickly as I could. Thankfully Kitty seemed to have a massive tolerance as the wine seemed to do nothing to me. 

After this toast the first of a seemingly never ending number of courses was served. 

Nikolai looked at me with concern, saying,"was the wine not to your taste?"

I replied,"nothing of the sort, I am just tired from this party. I am not used to having such a large number of people looking at me expectantly as well."

"To tell you the truth Princess, that speech just now sapped all the energy from my bones as well. Luckily the conversation has taken off without us, all we need to do is listen and recuperate."

I did as Nikolai said and ate the little appetizers served to me in an endless stream while listening to the idle chatter around me. The conversation was wildly uninteresting, just a deluge of gossip surrounding nobles I didn't know or care about. Anna was keeping up with the conversation and entertaining the table so effortlessly it was like watching a performance. She even managed to get a small smile out of the usually stoic Andrei. 

I watched her intently, entranced by how easily she could lead her captive listeners from one topic to the next. There was never lull in the conversation, whenever one subject showed even the slightest hint of becoming stale she gracefully changed it. She had been paying special attention to my mother, who had willingly let herself become enchanted by Anna's conversation. I was trying my best to mentally note down exactly how she had been doing it but instead just found myself admiring her.

Eventually the conversation came around to a subject I was actually interested in. That being the relationship between Andrei, Nikolai, and Leo.

"Have you heard that the headmaster of your school has been arrested for anti-Tsarist sentiments," Anna asked, directing this question to Nikolai.

Nikolai didn't answer, instead Andrei did," I knew that geezer had lost it. He was always babbling about some insane theory for labor he had, it was only a matter of time before something bad befell him."

Everyone at the table paid extra attention to his words, he had been completely silent up to this point so anything that got him to speak probably prompted extra attention in the minds of the nobles.

Nikolai added," yes he was quite senile. I wonder who will take over for him."

"You guys went to school together," I asked, again causing all eyes to turn to the normally silent person who was now talking.

"Ah yes, you don't know about that do you? All noblemen attend a boarding school for a while, the education is secondary to the bonds you form with the other boys there. Your brother and I have remained steadfast friends ever since we attended together," Nikolai explained.

I wanted to ask him more questions but at long last our entrees arrived and the confusion of serving a hundred people the proper plates killed any conversation that remained.