Looking Around

Duke Ashington POV

From behind I watched Kyril accompany Cecilia into the room. She was beautiful tonight. So splendidly shimmering. I could feel my chest fill with happiness.

But as I looked at the people around her who whispered about her, and her own face which seemed to have been glazed over with an iron mask, I couldn't help but tighten my fist.

"This is a normal thing here. Cecilia will learn this and she will thrive." Shahira said, noticing my discomfort as always.

"It doesn't need to be like this... Kenelm should be--" I started but Shahira stopped me by pulling on my arm slightly. I looked down at her beautiful face, allowing her yellow eyes to pierce through my heart.

Shahira: "Peace has only lasted for less than a century... I am still an outsider here, and by default... because of me... Cecilia is also. Despite her Kenelmian name... Despite her hair and eyes which are a spitting image of yours. People can see it all, but they chose what's most important to them. Anwar is the same."

"I know... but..." I tried to argue.

"No buts. I'm sorry my love, but there are some things you wouldn't understand..." Shahira said as she caressed my cheek.

I nodded, as I felt my heartbreak at the expression on her face. The light in her eyes had gone dim for a minute and for the first time in a long time I regretted my weakness.

Shahira and I entered the room arm in arm. King Dio wasn't there yet, and so, we just walked around greeting those who came out way.

Shahira barely spoke during this period of time, it's like she had turned herself to stone. Some of the wives of the other nobility looked at her with disdain and yet Shahira, after greeting them properly, ignored them completely.

Balls and gatherings like this were tiring and yet, I thrived in these moments. It was easy to show face and speak to people in a way that made them feel important. It was easy to please the masses. But today, I was quite agitated and so, my eyes kept drifting to Cecilia and Kyril.

Kyril brought Cecilia around as she greeted some guests and like her mother, Cecilia had seemed to have decided to only give them a shadow of herself. She was kind and civil, yet meeker than her mother.

This was probably due to the fact that she was new to such events. Many of the daughters of nobility acted the same.

Looking at how Kyril, who stood beside her, looked like he wanted to just leave Cecilia, I frowned hard.

A part of me had wanted to make Loki the one to accompany her but It was impossible with these circumstances...

I glanced the crowd trying to see if he had arrived, the man which Loki hated with all his heart and soul but I hoped that he wouldn't come. I hoped that he wouldn't show his face as he had always done but as I thought this, I felt a tap on my shoulder.

Turning around, I saw a face I didn't wish you see or interact with. It was a bony face and body with sharp features. He looked like a human skeleton.

Shahira tightened her grip on my arm, and I could almost hear her hiss.

"Baron Mardi..." I said with a low voice and then I forced myself to say a pleasantry, "It's nice to see you."

We shook hands. Baron Mardi then turned his attention to Shahira

"As beautiful as always..." He said in a whisper, his eyes looking over Shahira's body with shimmer and shine.

Seeing this I frowned, then I turned to Shahira and said, "You said you were leaving?"

Shahira nodded.

"Excuse me." She said in an annoyed voice, then she left.

When she was gone, Baron Mardi smiled wide and gave a low laugh.

"An Anwarain as a wife... how... splendid." Baron Mardi whispered.

He didn't seem to be trying to hide the fact that he had said that, on the contrary, his eyes drifted up to mine for a moment.

At that moment, I wanted to strangle him but I held myself back.

"How's he doing?" Baron Mardi asked simply as if he wasn't interested in the slightest but he felt obligated. "You still have him, don't you?"

"He's fine." I said quickly.

"What was his name again? Loki? I wish that woman would have named him something normal. But really, what did I expect from a slave from Mein. " Baron Mardi said with disgust.

I bit my tongue hard. It was the only thing stopping me from hurting the baron but I knew that if he said one more disrespectful thing, I would do something I might regret but Baron Mardi did not, instead he said,

"Anyways, I need to go great the others. It's been a while. As for that boy, treat him well..." Baron Mardi said in a hissing tone. "He is my son after all."

Cecilia POV

Once Kyril had done his job, he quickly let me be on my own as he went to mingle with people who I assumed were from his school.

In the beginning, I could see some gesture to me and then say some words and laugh. This would have been fine if they were the only ones. But after a while of being in the room, I saw others look towards me and the same. No one approached me but some words even drifted to my ears...

"That's Duke Ashington's daughter? She looks like an Anwarian..."

"She's so quiet already. It doesn't suit her appearance."

"She's actually pretty... it's a shame though. Like mother like daughter. Maybe they'll become lighter with time."

I felt like all eyes were on me.

A part of me felt scared and angry but another part of me forced myself to be on the lookout. Ellie was going to be here, not only her but Ariadne also.

I needed to change my fate and by doing that, Ellie's and Ariadne. However, when the thought of Ellie came to mind, I felt my throat hurt and my body on edge. It felt like a protective instinct.

My body wanted to wait for Ellie. To protect her from possible insults but when more words drifted my way, I couldn't stay here. I wouldn't.

Without a second thought, I forced my body into flight mode. I made my way to the balcony.

Outside; the air was a bit cold. Not too much though. It felt nice and the wind was not strong but strong enough to brush my hair off my shoulders one second.

I took a deep shaky breath feeling it fill my lungs and steady outwards towards my fingertips.

At moments like this, I really did miss my other world. If I was ever feeling nervous I could just grab my phone and call or text, someone. This would have been great to have and I'm sure Loki would have been grateful for it also...

I smiled sadly.

I couldn't wait for today to be over.

Feeling a bit more confidence rush through me, I turned to look at the indoor of the ballroom through the open doorway of the balcony.

Some people still stared my way but I felt removed enough from the scene to just observe people.

Ellie wasn't there yet and neither was Ariadne but I still looked around.

From woman to woman, then to Kyril and then to my mother and father, until...

Ah...

I noticed someone I recognized.