Chapter 16 Ariana
ARIANA
As I weaved through the small crowd, I finally made it back to the table. A pitcher of newly replenished wine sat before me, and I poured it into my goblet.
After my bizarre interaction with Clause on the balcony, I left him out there in favor of a drink. The room buzzed as more and more people took to the dancefloor. Those of all races lingered together without prejudice, and I couldn’t help but appreciate the beauty of that.
“You truly are a fine creature,” someone said, drawing my attention to one of the King’s many advisors who did anything but actually advise. Instead, they kissed the ground Clause walked on, hanging off every word he spoke, and nodded so fiercely they likely scrambled their own brains.
“You call all Bavadrins creatures?” I eyed him while facing the party. Music twirled around the room, giving the space a lively feel.
“I did not mean any disrespect by it,” he said, eyes glossy from having one too many drinks already. He then stepped to me, getting a little too close. “Care to dance?” Alcohol drifted from his breath as he offered his hand.
“I’d rather scrub the floors of the castle with a toothbrush,” I said with a polite smile. The last thing I saw was the dumb expression on his face before I downed my wine, set the glass on the table, and left him standing there.
I didn’t want to sift through the people at the party again, but I also did not wish to entertain Clause’s minions. Was it too soon for me to take my leave?
A familiar face snagged my attention. Timothy, one of the servant boys who helped Gorm that day I found the servant’s building, was gathering empty glasses on a tray. Shocked, I turned and made my way towards him.
“Fancy seeing you here.” I smiled as he looked at me in surprise.
His gaze dropped, then rose once again, taking in my gown and appearance.
I also took in his. He looked clean, his hair brushed, and the dark jacket and pants he wore made him look older, dapper even.
“Don’t you look handsome this evening,” I stated.
His cheeks instantly turned red, and he stared at me with wide eyes.
Someone came up beside the boy, bumping into him, before leaning down and whispering loud enough for me to hear. “I think this is when you tell the lady she looks beautiful tonight.” Gorm glanced at me and winked.
“Ah, yes, of course. You– You look– beautiful.” Timothy’s face grew redder by the moment, nearly matching my dress.
“Thank you.” I smiled and turned to Gorm. “How is this possible? That you both are here tonight?” Typically, they worked jobs outside of the main palace. From what I knew, they never stepped foot inside.
Gorm absentmindedly scratched his elbow. “Well, the King requested we help with the party if we so wished.”
“And you wanted to?”
“Are you kidding?” Timothy’s eyes lit up. “You do not know how good the servants within these walls eat. This has been amazing compared to our usual work.”
I smiled yet turned to Grom in question. “Did something happen to the usual servants who work at such events?” Clause didn’t strike me as someone who typically allowed for such a service change. To take those given a rough cut and place them in polished roles.
“The King did it for you,” Gorm answered with a lifted bushy brow.
“Me?”
“He knows you are not close to many at the palace. You spend most of your free time with us or at our housing lodge. So, he invited us to work the event, to offer you a familiar face and hopefully a bit of comfort amongst this uptight madness.” Gorm smiled knowingly.
His words took me aback. The act of inviting those who I found comfort in was surprisingly thoughtful.
Especially for someone who also believed finding favor and friendships with others was a threat.
This must have been some sort of tactical move.
Somehow this helped Clause get closer to his goals, but how?
“How is your foot?” I asked Grom, needing something else to focus on.
He groaned. “You need to quit fussing over it. It has healed already, thanks to your care. Though I am afraid that the memory of that nasty foot being in your hands has permanently burned into my mind, leaving scars that even you cannot heal.”
A laugh bubbled out of me, and I slowly felt myself relaxing. “It’s really alright. I wanted to help.”
“You did.” He nodded.
The music shifted, a new happy beat moving around us. Something about the melody reminded me of home. And suddenly I felt even more at ease.
“Dance with me.” I turned to Timothy, who nearly dropped the tray he held.
“Wh– What?” He shook his head. “Surely there is someone you would prefer over–“
Gorm’s dramatic gasp cut the boy off. “You refuse a dance with the Bavadrin Leader Superior?” His eyes grew large, as if he could not believe what he was hearing, and it was an effort for me to stifle a laugh.
Timothy turned to him, eyes rounded like moons with alarm. “No! Of course not, it’s just… I am carrying this tray and–”
Gorm took the tray out of his hands. “I will take it to the kitchen, no problem.”
Timothy’s enormous, panicked stare turned to me. “I– I wouldn’t know what to do. I don’t want to hurt you.”
I laughed, holding my hand out for him to take. “Trust me, you won’t."
He hesitated before ultimately accepting it.
Gorm winked once more before disappearing into the crowd, carrying the tray away.
Timothy timidly led me to the dancefloor. He lightly touched me, one hand on my hip the other holding mine. He was nearly trembling as he slowly began shifting me across the dancefloor.
I pulled on a cord within, the one tied to my conjuring. My chest warmed before I sent the sensation down to my feet. A thin layer of mist coated the floor, too light for anyone to slip or notice, but enough for me to use.
“Seriously, you are fine,” I whispered, and his gaze dropped to the ground. Monitoring his feet to ensure he did not step on mine. “Don’t worry, you won’t step on me.” A bit more of the mist took to the sole of his shoes. This was winding up to be a wonderful practice for me.
“I wouldn’t be so certain,” he muttered.
I leaned towards him, voice dropping. “I am using my conjuring to monitor your movement and where your feet are going. Trust me, you won’t step on me.” And if he did, then that meant I needed to practice a lot more.
Timothy visibly relaxed then, not completely, but it was an improvement.
My gaze drifted to someone watching us from the sidelines. The man who had asked me to dance, and I refused, stared at us, face red, eyes filled with anger and hatred. I made an enemy. It was something I should have avoided.
“How’s your night been?” I asked Timothy, trying to take his mind off what he was doing.
His gaze darted around the room before settling on me. “It’s been pretty great, actually. We got to eat some of the leftover food, and it has been the best thing I have ever tasted in my life. The palace servants really have it good.” He had such enthusiasm, despite the difficulty life dealt him.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying your work.”
“We have you to thank for that.”
“This has nothing to do with me.”
Large, bright eyes sparkled as he viewed me. “Without you, we would still be out there, and Gorm might be without a foot.”
The song ended too soon, and our movements stilled before the next one took the room.
“Thank you for the dance.” I released him at the same time that I released my control of the mist, letting it fade away into nothing.
“It was my honor.” He dipped his head, cheeks bright red when he met my eyes. He then disappeared into the crowd. Leaving me to sift through it before ultimately being pulled towards the balcony again, in need of an escape.
I paused on the threshold to the terrace, for someone was already out there.
Clause stood with his back to me, viewing his capital and the mountains surrounding it. The stagnant feeling was still thankfully removed. A gentle breeze cozied up to him, running through his hair before disappearing, as if afraid that he would force a barrier once more if it lingered too long.
Without that suffocating pressure around him, he almost seemed normal.
But he was anything but normal. With one touch, he took Landin from me.
I hated him.
And yet, I needed to exist near him if I wanted to find the best way to destroy him.
“Do you wish to be alone?” I finally asked, breaking the silence. Was he out here the entire time since I last left him?
Clause turned, viewing me, a soft curve to his lips when he met my gaze. “Not at all.”
I approached the railing, stopping beside him. “I am surprised to find you out here and not enjoying the party.”
“I like the way the breeze feels,” he stated simply, looking back over his lands.
And suddenly, a part of me felt sorry for him.
He kept everything at arm’s length, even the air he breathed.
Letting no one get close enough to know him, to even matter to him.
He built a cold and lonely existence around himself.
It was a strange thing, to feel sorry for a man you wished to kill.
“Do you have any friends?” I asked.
He chortled, glancing at me. “How do you define friend?”
The question baffled me, for how to define such a thing? “It’s a relationship between two people. Someone who gives you the freedom to be yourself and loves you all the more for it.”
He released an amused breath. “That is but a fantasy.”
It was impossible to argue with him because he honestly did not understand.
How could he? It was something he clearly had never experienced.
And without knowing how such a relationship affected someone, he couldn’t even understand what taking someone like that was like.
He did not know the impact he had made when he so easily took Landin’s life.
Even so, I refused to back down. If he blinded himself, then I would help him see. “It is as real as you and I.”
“How many friends would you say you have?”
“I don’t know. Several great ones.”