Chapter 9
Adrian called on Octavia almost daily. Her parents had gotten use to their daughter having unusual friend. Both Clio and Vladimir had learnt not to ask too many questions about their pasts. Adrian was puzzling to Clio tough. She had not seen Octavia behave towards another man in the same way she did to Adrian for years, except when Ulasim was concerned.
That day Adrian came to the house with a present for Octavia but she was not waiting for him. Instead of waiting for her in the courtyard he knocked on the front doors, which opened up onto pandemonium. The maid that had admitted him fetched Vitorcine who looked worse for wear. She took Adrian by the arm and steered him towards a side door.
"Honestly the girl acts as if the seamstress has the plague or something. Every fitting is a nightmare!" Vitorcine exclaimed in frustration as she sat Adrian down in a chair. Vladimir was sitting in an adjacent chair with a book in one had and a glass of wine in the other.
"Drinking so early in the morning." Adrian commented. Vladimir poured Adrian a glass and then returned to his book.
"You'd drink to if you had to deal with those two." Vladimir retorted jerking his head towards a door across the room. There was a loud shaming noise from behind the door and screaming voices.
"What have you got in there? A hurrok?" Adrian joked. Vladimir took a swig from his glass.
"More like an irate dragon and a rebellious griffin." Vladimir replied seriously. Now it was Adrian's turn to take a swig of wine. The door swung open and an angry Octavia stomped into the room wearing an eye catching sky blue dress.
"I look like a luarin!" She exclaimed as she looked herself over in the mirror, apparently oblivious to her company. Clio dress in a rose pink gown had followed her child into the room now scolded Octavia.
"You were born a luarin and it suited you just fine for ten years of your life." Clio snapped. The seamstress chased after both of them, trying in vain to finish her work. Finally she gave up and sat down next to Adrian. Vladimir passed her a cup of wine to sooth the poor woman's nerves as Octavia and Clio continued their argument.
"You can't possibly expect me to let you be presented to the King and Queen tonight dressed in a sarong like…like a savage!" Clio cried. Octavia opened her mouth to reply with several colourful words that Aly had taught her when she noticed Adrian.
"What do you think?" She asked rotating around so that he could get a good look. Her gown left her shoulders revealed as well as her cleavage. Her skin glowed against the sky blue muslin. The dress then blossomed into a flowing wide skirt, accentuating her hourglass figure. Adrian took it all in and smiled. She looks like the Mother Goddess in her most beautiful form, he thought.
"You look beautiful whatever you are dressed in, as you well know." He replied. Satisfied, Octavia beckoned to the seamstress and returned to the dressing room. Clio brought up the rear and closed the door behind her.
"Thanks for that. I sometimes wonder where taking her away from Ulasim was a good idea." Vladimir sighed. Adrian was puzzled.
"Who is Ulasim?" He asked. Vladimir looked at him also confused.
"Octavia hasn't told you about him? They were inseparable back in the Copper Isle, he was like her rock; a good calming force on her. But now, without him, she's become reckless." Vladimir shook his head, troubled over what his daughter might do next. He prayed that she did not insult someone with power. Adrian was upset by this revelation that there was another man in Octavia's life. He had always suspected but that she had never told him was hard to take. He left Vladimir with Octavia's present and went walking through the city to think.
Later that night at the Royal Palace…
Octavia was sad the Adrian didn't stay to talk to her properly but the black pear necklace and matching earrings that he left for her more than made up for his absence. She would still pout when she next say him. That's what was different between Ulasim and Adrian. Ulasim saw her soul, naked and pure. With Adrian Octavia could be different. She could be dramatic and impish without having to worry about whether Adrian would be upset by it. Sometimes she struggled to keep up with him. She smiled as she neatened her appearance in the mirror placed the chambers outside the Queen's Ballroom's great doors, waiting to descend the Great Stair. Her ringlets of hair cascaded from the top of her head to her shoulder. Her parents were there too, talking to other parents who were there to present their daughter in hope of making good marriages.
Clio and Vladimir went ahead of her, leaving Octavia to descend the Great Stairs alone. The herald stepped forward and gave her title;
"Lady Octavia of Wernlake, Baroness of Tanair, Royal Healer for Queen Dovasary Haiming Temaida Balitang of the Copper Isles." He bowed as Octavia passed him and began her journey from the door, along the scarlet runner, to the throne to kneel in front of the royal family. She had really hoped that they would leave off that last bit. King Jonathan and Queen Thayet looked awe-inspiring on their thrones. Octavia curtsied deeply.
"It was good of our island cousin to lend such a jewel to adorn our court." Jon said passively. Octavia looked up at the smiling monarchs.
"His majesty is very kind." She replied diplomatically. The young Prince Francis, Jon's grandson and second-in-line to the throne, stepped forward.
"So young for such an important position." He looked Octavia over. Octavia raised herself slowly out of her curtsy and men the young man's eyes.
"Her majesty does not look judge by looks or age. She judges by talent and loyalty." She responded steadily. Francis hid a smile.
"Of course, as should all rulers." The Queen said. With a wave of the kings hand Octavia was dismissed.
At home Octavia would have been in the thick of it. Talking with the queen and the other ladies of the court or dancing for hours on end. But here among stranger Octavia felt isolated. She talked mostly with scholars or other mages who were only interested in what she knew of raka magic. When the court moved into the dinning hall she was partnered with a rather shy young gentleman who was nervous about having to talk with a girl. Once dinner was over Octavia wandered out into a terrace and down into a magnificent rose garden.
Octavia wasn't the only one who had thought to escape the chaos of the party. Rikash Salmalin sat on a bench reading a book of Yamani Legends. Because Rikash was wearing a spell that kept him hidden Octavia did not notice him until she went to sit down on the same bench, onto of Rikash.
"Oh I'm sorry!" She cried startled by the sudden appearance of the handsome boy. "I didn't realise anyone else was out here." Rikash was captivated by the beauty that stood before him. Octavia was unnerved by the way he stared at her so (like most great beauties Octavia didn't think that she was remarkably good looking). Recovering from his stupor Rikash hurried to introduce himself to the goddess in front of him.
