Chapter Fifteen: A single word

The ball roared below, a monster of political maneuvering and nobility, each one finding themself more important than the last. Akatsuki Idley wondered what Ashley would have felt on this day. Would it have been fear and anxiety? Perhaps pride and excitement to step into the next chapter of her life, in the end, it didn't matter, and for whatever reason, she was gone now. In her place stood Akatsuki at the top of the stairs watching as the growl of the crowd rumbled down into a mummer as more and more noticed him standing at the beginning of the stairs.

As he looked down at the gathered people, he felt a knot form in his stomach. Out of all the political maneuvering he had to do in his life. Kingdoms were his least favorite kind. In his world, kingdoms were dying bread, and only one significant power held one anymore. They were not preferable to their brothers and counterparts, conglomerations, and megacorps. In Akatsuki's experience, royalty, nobility, and even kingdoms tended to become corrupt, far more so than other forms of government. If disease from inbreeding didn't drive the king mad, his nobility surely would.

The people he watched all had him in his views tonight. Some whispered, others snickered, and Akatsuki could even see the eyes of predators stalking within the crowd. And why wouldn't there be, the daughter of a duke, who had woken up from a five-year coma with little to no memory was coming of age. It was a ripe time to grow in power. Nobility or not, it was clear that not many went to the party with noble intent.

"May I introduce with the pride of a father and the authority of a duke, my daughter, and heir, Ashley Von Blanc" Akatsuki's thoughts were cut short as his father introduced him from the bottom of the stairs his father's hand reached up and pointing towards him. Akatsuki curtsied on instinct as it was customary for daughters in such an event. Even after practicing the move often over the weeks, it felt awkward at best. Akatsuki slowly stepped down the stairs, the click of heels following his steps as he made his way to his father's hand.

His hand felt small and frail in his father's. After all, it was a lady's hand. He gripped it slightly before releasing it into a more casual grip. Akatsuki smiled despite himself, a warmth filled his chest, and for a moment, he wondered if he was ill. He didn't have time to think as his father spun him around the white dress, gliding out as the dance between father and daughter began.

Akatsuki neither led nor followed his father as they danced around the room, simply enjoying the sound of live instruments as his heels cared him to and from positions. The crowd cleared as the first dance of the evening took place. Some whispered, and others had their heart stolen away by a young beauty that night, but as Akatsuki danced, he found that he cared little of the political and noble happenings around him. Choosing instead to enjoy a dance, not spending time with his father, something he had never had a chance to do in his previous life.

With each step, each move, a strange and unfamiliar feeling slowly flowed up from his feet into the rest of his body. Euphoria spiraled through his mind, and a smile sprung across his face so pure and dazzling that even those who were whispering and gossiping stopped to watch in awe. And as he felt his father's hand in his own, a single word rang throughout his mind, it was foreign, and a twinge of fear laced the edges of it.

"Content"