Note: So we're all recovering from the change ff put on the login directions. Which I am not happy about. Side note: 10K hits on this thing!! Anyway, I was looking over the reader traffic after I posted the new chapter. I was jazzed to see people from all over the entire world take a look at my story! Anywhere from America, to Norway, Spain, Turkey, Finland, Netherlands, the neighbors Puerto Rico and Canada, way across the world in Australia and New Zealand, to freakin' Barbados. UK! Brazil, Singapore and more. It's...inconceivable! Thank you all so much for your support, as always, I will appreciate it again and again.
I wanted to have this update up before the Twilight film was released on my birthday, (Twilight = success) but as we can all see that didn't happen. I apologize for the delay; hopefully the holidays will speed up my updates.
Anyway, enjoy.
Chapter 22 – Victim
.x. Allison
The royal manner had half an hour before the guests were to arrive. Betty was griping at everybody to dress and finish last minute items. The theme of the party was something dealing with mer-people, I think. Something unimportant compared to the reason for the party. I was dressed in blues and greens so I was 'color coordinated;' whatever that was.
I appreciated Luis going over proper gestures and sayings and dances with me within this time. We had already gone over proper eating etiquette, where he scolded my habits picked up in America where I was free to slouch and put my elbows on tables without consequence. Now, he led me in the waltz; a dance I was still shaky within the steps of. The dance floor was empty except for us and the servants scrambling around with their duties. We moved to the warm-up tunes of the orchestra on the stage in ballroom A.
"Very good; remember, let the man lead." Luis reminded me softly. I blushed and stopped trying to take the lead in the steps. I couldn't help it, it was in my nature to be 'on top.'
"I think Nicki is still mad. I haven't seen him around." I said a little off-handedly with a bit of guilt in my voice. Nicolas had every right to be angry. He was just the worried friend, after all, and I had shot him down.
"He knows better than not to show. He knows how important this is for everyone, especially you. He wouldn't jeopardize anything because of something as foolish as a temporary disagreement between the two of you." I appreciated that Luis didn't pry to find out the reason for our quarrel.
"Well, he's been very bitter toward me lately." I told him with a tiny lace of hurt and anger in my voice.
"He has?" Luis replied. Apparently he'd seen a different side of Nicolas than the bitter one he exhibited toward me, after I wouldn't tell him what I've been doing with my life. I nodded my head. "Bear him no ill will, Allison. I know my son, and I know he couldn't be happier with your return. After you left, he became a royal guard so that if your mother and you returned, he would be set to be a part of your life. And, after there was a chance of you returning to us sooner than a couple of days ago, he would talk of nothing else but you. He never lost hope you'd return; he's ecstatic you're back with him, Allison."
I beamed as Luis told me this with an honesty. "I assumed the bitterness was because I had returned." I continued. "He told me there was a strong possibility he was going to become the next king. With me in the picture again, that dream is crushed."
"Maybe not." Luis replied thoughtfully.
"What do you mean by that?" I inquired.
"Hm? Nothing." he told me with a smile. "I was just thinking about life after you become the queen again. I'd have nothing to do with my day!" He laughed hardily.
"Mn-hm." I sighed without belief. He led me into a spin and I was surprised when he stopped leading the dance and had brought me to the edge of the dance floor nearest to the open doors.
"Now, unless he has changed, when Nicolas needs to calm himself or think about big issues, like love for example, he wanders into the north side of the maze on the grounds and looks up at the stars next to the angel statue."
I nearly blushed when Luis had implied 'love' as Nicki's reason for his odd behavior. I recognized the other implied part; to go and talk to Nicolas myself, and bowed politely before leaving the ballroom.
"You have twenty-three minutes, by the way." he called after me, tapping his wrist watch. Gee, thanks Luis. I thought with an invisible roll of my eyes.
I dodged around servants and found my way to the grounds behind the castle. Marble steps and several small terraces led down to the flower gardens, the beautiful vines wound in arches over pathways... further out into the maze of hedges. The maze of the courtyard behind the castle was somewhat a mix between an artistic tour and an adventure. The tall hedges made the pathway, but in dead ends was never just a dead end; it was more like a location, a square 'room' in the maze that held fountains, or benches... or in Nicki's case, statues. He liked to wander all of the way to the back of the maze into this little 'room' that had the softest grass and a statue of an angel holding her arm up to the heavens with her wings spread.
It was easy to find him, considering halfway through the maze, after I'd slipped my heels from my feet and trudged over the gentle grass in bare feet, they led me of their own accord to where he was, where we'd play for ages as children. And there he was, sprawled comfortably over the grass on his back as if it were his natural bed. His auburn hair was flipped out of his dark eyes and they were trained on the gorgeous night sky. I didn't fail to notice he wore a very nice white shirt and black slacks; the tux was hanging on the wing of the angel to keep it off the ground.
I hesitated before I stepped into his 'room' of the maze. See, as children... Nicki and I played make-believe like every other kid. Except our imaginary house was much more elaborate than other children's... this maze on the grounds was our imaginary mansion and we made each dead end a room in our mansion. We chose rooms to call our own and we had to be granted permission to enter; permission was granted after the password was recited.
I thought about approaching him in this manner to appeal to his better side.
"Permission to enter." I called to him somewhat sweetly. He seemed to jump as he realized I was there and I had spoken... he still did not move to look at me.
"What's the password?" he demanded in a small voice. Naive, almost, like a pouting child. I paused as my mind thought of our childhood and the password we made for his 'room' in the maze, as well as my own someway west of here.
"Astronomy." I told him thoughtfully.
"Permission granted." He replied a little less tensely. He still did not move to look at me. I was slightly relieved to hear him speak to me civilized-like again. I came nearer to him and continued to gaze.
"Your father is waiting for your appearance so he can officially begin the party with a toast." I told him, thinking of an excuse rather than saying 'Hey dipwad, get up and get over it.' He didn't respond for a minute. I waited in the silence for several moments.
"Still here?" he asked sarcastically; almost coldly.
"Yes."
"Let me guess; no one else could find me, so my father sent you to look as a last resort."
"Luis didn't send me to fetch you like some sort of messenger bird. I came on my own." I replied a little more hotly. The heels I held in my hand clicked together as I hoisted my hands to my hips. His sarcastic and cold tones he used hurt, and they invoked anger. "Please, Nicki. Don't be this way." I added more softly.
Finally, he took his dark brown eyes off of the skies and took in the sight of me for the first time since my 'transformation.' It was no mistaking his jaw, which dropped, and his eyes, that became wide as they took in my image in the little light received in this part of the maze. He was obviously stunned by the sight of me.
Just as quickly as this shock happened, he regained composure and stood as if he hadn't just gawked over anybody.
He cleared his throat and pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. "Dammit, I'm acting like an asshole about this, aren't I?" he asked. I simply blinked and held my hands together innocently; I wasn't going to answer the question. "God... I'm sorry about that. It's just... I don't know how I should be acting..."
"Around me?"
"Yes. I mean, not exactly..." he unclenched his fingers and shook his head to focus. "I'll tell you later, okay?" he said now, confusion lingering in his dark eyes.
"Okay." I agreed easily, truly wishing to ease his discomfort. "Would you kindly escort me to the party, good sir?" I teased him now.
Instantly his unease melted and he grabbed his jacket before eagerly lacing his arm with mine. "I most certainly would." he replied with a smooth voice and charming smile. There was the Salvador signature I knew and loved.
We made our way back toward the light of the castle. I prepared myself for all of the people I'd have to meet within minutes... I appreciated him fully when Nicolas finally offered the support he was supposed too.
"Gerald, Amador, Daine, Coffin, Stuart, Valentine..." Nicolas was forcing me to recite the last names of the legislative. Again.
"Very good." he complimented me, only half listening as we walked around to the front lobby, near the grand staircase. There were very few guests still; one of which was a man Nicki recognized, and he had crossed the room and was walking toward us. This man was dressed in a nice suit similar to Nicki's but in a navy blue shade to compliment the short hazelnut hair on top of his head and blue eyes sparkling when they looked to me. A warm smile was pressed on his pink lips.
"Prime Minister Davidson." Nicolas announced, to both recognize him and alert me. This guy is important. Check. At least he already seemed to take a shine to me. I had to admit, he was handsome and very young for the role of the Prime Minister. I hoped this man filled the shoes as well as Nicki told me he had. Nicolas also told me I would like him a lot better than any of the new members of the legislative. "I'm pleased to introduce you to her highness, Allison Lockett."
"I'm very pleased to meet her." he replied kindly, then took the hand I had stretched out and kissed the top of it. "It's an honor, your highness. Regent Luis never stopped bragging about how beautiful you are; I see now it wasn't just an over exaggerated boast."
Yes, I was going to like this man very much. I thanked him for the compliment with a smile and told him it was nice to make his acquaintance.
"You're early." Nicolas said nonchalantly. Davidson half shrugged.
"I thought I'd come early to even have a chance to see her highness... and to discuss the matters of you-know-what, unless you haven't informed her of it yet..." he whispered this part now; my interest was automatically attained. Nicolas looked at me thoughtfully for a moment.
"I've mentioned it." he replied to the Prime Minister. I gave Nicki a warning glare for speaking as if I wasn't right next to them.
"Good. He's told you about the corruption, as I call it." The man was whispering now. I looked around to see if anyone could overhear us and I nodded my head. "Not that you need to worry. Salvador and I have cut it down to only one member in the legislative; everyone else has a clear head. The one stubborn man left has been pressuring Regent Luis to surrender the throne to Nicolas for some time now; he also has a daughter whom he wants to marry to Nick so he can have some control over the throne. It's all a conspiracy for power."
A questioning look came to my eye as he spoke. This man? "Just watch out for Victor Coffin during this gathering. He's the one." Davidson told me, looking around. Nicolas nodded, saying he'd point the guy out once he arrived. "Not to worry, though. Since little Salvador here," Nicolas punched Davidson in the arm for that comment "has surrendered the throne to you, the rest of the legislative is obligated to choose you for Regent Luis' position; as it should be for the heir to the throne." I was fortunate and thankful that the Prime Minister had basically just told me his vote was secured to me and he was working in my favor. Nicolas seemed to be fond of his friendship, meaning this guy was someone I would get along with, personally. I felt much relief now toward the worry of not knowing the likelihood of my ascension. "The only issue is... Coffin might persuade the other members of the legislative otherwise. And unfortunately he's very good at that. We can discuss this subject further into detail when we're not around so many others." The subject faded when a trio of guests moved passed us into the ballroom.
I understood, now. This man, Victor Coffin and his ability to get others to choose what he chose; he was probably the one behind all of the changes to my country's laws I wasn't liking one bit. I had a feeling I already wasn't going to get along with that guy. I would control myself, however... I had to dazzle everyone after they arrived, after all.
The three of us continued in conversation, getting away from the subjects that forced us to whisper. I glanced up at the top of the stairwell as I saw movement; I smiled when I recognized Lucy.
I saw Lucy before she saw me. I had to compliment Tony on his design for her; as she descended from those steps on shaky feet trapped in heels with the help of a maid, she truly did look as an angel climbing down from heaven's golden gates. Her lithe body was dressed in a simple but elegant white dress with a very light blue corset around her middle; her yellow hair was curled and fell gracefully around her shoulders while her oceanic eyes were brightened with blue shadows. If only she had a halo and a pair of wings, she would be perfect. She looked out at the room before her with wide, beautiful, and anticipating eyes.
I wasn't the only one to notice this beauty, however. I didn't fail to recognize the stark silence in the Prime Minister next to me, and his completely awe-struck face as his eyes settled upon Lucy. From the top of her descent, to before us; he was completely beaming with admiration for her. I wanted to grin as I recognized the unmistakable blush spread across her painted face in response to his stare.
"Henry Davidson, miss." he began bravely, and in English for her! Extra points. "It is a complete honor to be standing in the midst of one just as, if not more, beautiful than the future queen herself." He managed a funny grin toward me when he used me to exemplify the compliment, and I let him get away with it with my smile in return.
Lucy had turned the loveliest shade of red there was.
"Lucy Hughes....oh my." she replied, then blushed even further, if that was possible, when he bent to kiss the top of her hand, which was only polite in my country. His hand under hers did not shift away afterward.
"May I escort you inside, Lucy?" he asked politely. I found out quickly that this Prime Minister was not married or here with a date. And that Lucy had nodded her head to him without even shooting me a worried glance! I was so proud... Perhaps a nice man was just what she needed.
Then again, maybe not. I would just have to keep an eye on her. She'd been acting a little... off, lately.
"Shall we?" Nicolas now said to me, offering his arm again. I let my thoughts even out as I nodded and we followed in after Lucy and Henry.
The ballroom was now alive with music and a few amount of guests who arrived early. Regent Luis glanced up at the two of us and had a huge grin over his face as he recognized our fondness. "Splendid! Nick, make sure she meets everyone." he instructed, then headed toward the large group of guests that were just entering the ballroom.
I swallowed as Nicolas glanced at me. "Ready?"
"Of course." Which was code for 'Not at all.' He was amused with my sarcasm and we moved over to our first set of guests with a stride that matched the music playing. I hoped I wouldn't blow this...
.x. Lucas
The night was perfect. The skies were completely clear; one could see every blend and shade of the milky way and the stars twinkling light years away... The breeze picked up and brought the most delicious scents into my nostrils; the sweet nectar of spring flowers, the rich odors of the food and people in the capital city, the heavenly softness of jasmine and roses rooted into the loamy soil, and honeysuckles buried in the flesh of the dead...
Honeysuckle? Honeysuckle didn't grow naturally in this country; and it most certainly did not grow on dead flesh. Something was terribly, terribly wrong as I knew I had not mistaken this scent from all of the others.
She was definitely here. I knew it without seeing her, without knowing how far or close she was... She was in the country, in the city below (at the very least).
Courtney was my child of darkness, my one and only fledgling. She was connected to me as I was connected to her; in blood. Because I had sired her, I could feel her presence, her motives, I could sense her desires to kill and sex. They did not transfer to me, but I usually could tell when she felt the impulse to kill. There was no way to tell who she wanted to kill or how she was going to go about doing it; but when I felt the desire, it was everything I needed to know that someone's life had been taken by her doing. I also could sense she was jealous over Allison, jealous over her possession over me. Ever since I'd kissed Allison in the alleyway and slept with her after the funeral... Courtney's jealousy had been raging war with her revenge and vanity. I could feel her instability, feel her moods shifting from vengeance to jealousy... Taylor was right; she was very vulnerable in this time of uncertainty, but just as fatally unpredictable as ever. I bet if I found her and could get my hands around her neck, whisper a few sweet words in her ear... I could rip her head clean from her shoulders before she could even feel the pain. The keyword being if.
But this was Allison's battle too. She needed to have a part in killing Courtney; I couldn't just do it for her, or else the vengeance that has settled in her beautiful body would consume her like it had Courtney. If only there were someway Allison could cut off Courtney's head... without getting killed herself, that was. Any thought I had that involved putting Allison in danger's way made my stomach do flips.
I would not lose her. I couldn't lose her. I didn't know what I would do if she was taken from me by death... The loneliness and emptiness after losing a second lover, and Allison being the true lover of the two, would be more unbearable than permanent death. I was assured of that much.
I nearly panicked when the wind picked up the scent hit me tenfold. Her scent, Courtney Vengeance. I felt that impulse of her kill consume her; I knew somebody was about to lose their life somewhere. But if I could feel her desire this clearly and I could pick up her scent so strongly, she must be somewhere very close by!
I heard a shout and the splintering of wood to the east of where I sat. My body instantly jerked that direction; when my vampire ears picked up a snarl and another shout, I bolted toward the source of the struggle; the royal stables. The horses screamed and kicked inside of their pens, no other human or creature was nearby to witness the disturbance inside the stable.
I arrived a moment too late. I darted inside the open doors, and perhaps if I hadn't stopped to inspect the damage and continued after the softest sound of steps fleeing, I would have caught her...
Tied to the highest rafter by blood-stained cowhide was a body of a man, his disfigured limbs wrapped behind him around the wood of the rafter, his neck broken and nodding toward the ground, blood dripping from his nose and chin from the open wounds that spelled that fateful word of "VEANGEANCE" across his bare chest. The rest of his body was clothed by a ripped pair of slacks. He must have been a guest of the party up at the palace, I deduced from the fine white shirt and coat on the ground, catching the blood that poured from him. Death was fresh upon him, I was probably shaking hands with the grim reaper right now.
What I hadn't seen or heard, and I really should have since the heartbeat was pounding in my ears like a rapid beat of a drum, was the terrified woman in the corner, rolled into a ball and shaking uncontrollably. She was a guest from the palace as well; I didn't even have to pull the memory of what she witnessed from her mind, she was openly replaying the scene over and over as her body rocked and her voice whimpered like a lost child in a dark part of the woods. She was the mistress for the man tied to the rafter above; they had come here to do their business before the party started and before the man's wife noticed he was gone... then Courtney found them and decided she needed to punish the male. Probably the only reason why Courtney hadn't drank from the woman and disposed of her as well was because of my arrival...
Before the shaking woman, wrapped in a golden dress with blonde hair on top of her head, could lay her wide, frightful eyes on me, I disappeared; fled myself, back to the palace where Allison lay in danger without knowledge of Courtney's arrival.
Taylor met me on the roof of the palace, as instructed, before we would make our way down to the party within the stone walls. It had been my job to scout for her, and I had very much confirmed she was here.
I told him Courtney had arrived and he didn't seem surprised, as usual. I wondered why I bothered to tell the man anything if he had everything figured out in the mastermind head of his. "I suppose one of us should serve on the royal staff so we can keep a closer watch on Allison." Taylor suggested, fixing his cuff. The wind caught the scent of blood in the air, I had to keep the vampire within contained enough to keep the red from coming to my eyes.
"Yes, someone should." I agreed and simply looked at him with an implied glint in my icy eye.
He scowled a tiny bit, defeated with his own notion, and entered within the walls through a balcony window. Taylor would dress up as a staff member, I would swoop into the party as a guest. All elements of entering were handled; Courtney would not slip passed our perimeter. I decided to scale down the walls and enter through the front, slip passed security and blend in evenly and nicely with the large amount of guests that had arrived by now.
The formality of the parties worked as such: Arrival and chit-chat, perhaps some dancing and amusing event to work up an appetite, then a three course dinner served in the presence of the host, and after that, the freedom of the party to leave or stay and dance and drink and enjoy mortal activities these nobles did. Ah, the days of the ruling aristocrats seemed so close in memory now as I recalled.
Back when the layered, hoop-dresses with tight corsets were the fashion of the day for women. Much harder to get off than the modern designs.
Nostalgic moment over. The arrival chit-chat was over, it seemed, because everyone was making their way into the dinning room for the meal. Waiters rang bells and guided the guests into the large dinning room; I saw Taylor was already dressed as one of them and doing the same. I nodded my head to a woman who acknowledged my presence as she entered the room; I made it a goal to disappear before Allison could look up from her place at the head of the table and see me. Her heavenly golden curls (was that a new haircut?) dipped as her head looked up from the napkin set in front of her she had been inspecting; I didn't have the chance to see the color of sapphire blue in her eyes behind the dark shadows before I had vanished.
After all, vampires don't sit down to dinner.
.x. Allison
I recognized that the guests, who were all getting situated in a seat at the table for dinner, were eating in the dining room that seemed to have accumulated a tapestry or two of my family seal and a portrait of one of the Lockett kings... King Armando, I think. Things of Lockett family design that hadn't been there earlier. I also noticed the china that was set had tiny little versions of the Lockett seal as a design outlining the ring around the plate. And the napkins had a similar version of my family seal printed on the corners of them as well. I smiled inwardly; a little bit of subliminal messaging never hurt anyone... I glanced up at Luis and pointed out the seal on the napkin. He made an expression of 'guilty as charged' and I knew he was the one who'd themed the guests into my family ethics.
I could only hope it all would stick.
Before I had seated myself at the table, I had been conversing. My short, sweet, first-impression conversations with several of the guests had gone fairly well, especially with Nicki backing me up when needed. The people were nice and friendly, for the most part. Prime Minister Davidson would offer a hand every now and then when the group I talked too didn't take a shine to me right away.
So far, everything seemed to be going well.
Until a certain man, a man whom I'd been warned I would not like and was plotting against me, reared his big, loathsome skull in my dining room.
Nicolas signaled his arrival and reminded me softly to 'Be nice.' Chairmen Victor Coffin walked into the room with a frown hanging under his gray mustache; his eyes were speculating the scene around him and he didn't seem to have a good review in mind from his dull expression. On his arm clung a woman of equal misery, a petite thing with a ring on her finger that labeled her his wife. I wondered for a moment if she was once a gleeful person in life and he made her the way she was now, or if they were made somber for each other. And don't forget their fabulous daughter; at first glance I could tell she was a spoiled, only child. I felt Nicolas stiffen when she waved and winked at him. So she was the one he was pressured into marrying...
They took a seat three chairs down from my right; and rudely enough they were the last arrive, late. After a short round of beginning speeches, appraisal for the guest's attendance, grace, so on and so forth, dinner was served.
Conversations were thrift; I was mostly answering questions for the more curious of the guests sitting near me. Unfortunately, one of these people near me was Chairman Coffin. He had a face of a grumpy old man who was never pleased; his voice probably made children cry or birds cease to sing.
I could barely contain myself around him! Here he was, insulting me in my own home; well, not actually insulting me personally, but he would say something every other sentence that would imply unpleasant things of my ancestors. Things like "I heard Queen Alicia's bastard son was never found. It's possible that there's another heir out there, more suited for the throne!" Implying he obviously didn't want me on my throne and that my ancestor was some sort of harlot... His nerve was impeccable. You don't say things like that in the royal home while the heir is present, jackass! I wanted to shout at him.
But Nicki would nudge my foot when he saw the white knuckles under the table and I would oblige Coffin's listeners with an interesting tale or two of my family's history. They found it fascinating; he didn't seem phased. I was boiling by the time I'd finish my first course. Once their curiosity dwindled down, Nicolas entertained the guests with his signature charm and witty humor. He dazzled every woman in a five foot radius. I couldn't help but notice several male eyes were trained on me as female were trained to Nick. I felt uncomfortable, but not enough to become awkward. I also noticed that Lucy had taken the seat next to Prime Minister Davidson; and that a smile was lit upon her face when the man whispered something in her ear! It was replaced with a small frown and a look of guilt afterwards; I wondered momentarily what was troubling her.
"More soup, your highness?"
I turned toward the voice to see the face of Taylor Halling.
Shock overcame me for a moment... My concentration had almost caused me to not recognize the voice sooner. He was not as white as he usually was; that was probably due to the white shirt he wore to make the contrast less than it usually was from the blacks he wore. He appeared very... mortal, actually. Even in movements; they seemed less calculated and perfect as he bent to take another woman's empty bowl.
I had to remember I was in the room full of people who couldn't know Taylor was a vampire. I narrowed my eyes and let the questions "What the hell is he doing down here? Why is he posing as a waiter? If he's here, where is Lucas?" pass. "No, thank you." I replied after recalling his original question. His pleasantly masked face simply nodded and then he took my bowl away, along with several others. I had a hard time peeling my eyes away from him, wanting to believe he was here for sinister intentions. He simply did his job of the person he portrayed, though... He was waiter Halling, a Halling I didn't know could exist, sitting right next to lover Halling and kind Halling.
I couldn't help but wonder where Luke was, if he was here at all. And wait, if Taylor was here, did that mean Courtney had arrived and he was posing as my staff for protection reasons?
Nicolas pulled me out of my trance by lightly nudging my foot under the table. He would have to do that several more times throughout the rest of the dinner. Finally, when everyone had their fill and had sat for a fair amount of time, and table-talk became less interesting, Luis suggested everyone to the ballroom.
Nicolas led the group with me into the ballroom; the orchestra has already started a song and it was tradition for the host to start the dances. Nicolas led me to the center of the ballroom to do this; I was weary of Taylor and possibly Luke's presence as we walked. "Has anyone seen my husband?" I heard a woman behind me say. It was ignored as Nicolas complimented my behavior and the party so far.
"The people really like you. Granted, it might be a little biased since they are in your palace, enjoying your food... but I think we've made a good impression." We spoke in English, just in case guests near us wanted to eavesdrop into our conversation. His hand clasped into mine and he made the first move into the waltz. Thankfully Luis and I had practiced this one.
"I think so too. Everyone but Chairman Coffin..." I replied, looking over my shoulder at him. He stood with a frown with a glass of wine in his hand; he sniffed it and frowned even further if that was possible. "It seems that nothing is good enough for him."
"He's trying to intimidate you. Don't let him get to you; if the Prime Minister and I have our way, he won't be on the legislative for very much longer." Nicolas reassured. His hand rubbed my side and I nodded.
Speaking of Prime Minister Davidson, I looked over to him and Lucy. She was refusing another glass of wine from a waiter and Henry seemed to be trying to coax her unto the dance floor. I truly hoped she was enjoying herself without restraint; I would find out for sure later when I talked to her.
And as for the waiters; Taylor's white face was among the crowd. He seemed to just be doing the job of a staff member; serving wine and making sure everyone was pleased. How un-Taylor of him. He glanced up suddenly and my eyes instantly followed to where he looked...
I shouldn't have been surprised to see Lucas there, blending into the crowd as best as he could. It was ruined when he had to refuse a drink from another waiter carrying a tray of wine glasses.
"Is something wrong?" Nicolas asked me. My attention was captured back to him again.
"No. I just...want to make sure everything is perfect." I told him honestly. I needed to get away from Nicolas for a moment and go scold Luke...
"You seem a little too distracted for the waltz. I'm going to go check in with my father." he offered, as if in tune with my needs. I smiled and bid him away, almost too happily.
When I turned back around to look where Luke had been, he was right before me. I was caught off guard and speechless for a moment.
"How lovely you look tonight, your majesty." he greeted me with a velvety voice. I accepted the compliment with a thank you and the two of us bowed before I was swept back into the dance.
"Luke, I told you I didn't want you or Taylor in the open-" He seemed to be ignoring me, concentrating on something beyond me. I couldn't help but attempt to look at what.
"See that woman there, across the room, petting her fur coat nervously, and seeming to be looking for someone?" I nodded. "There's a body in the stables she might recognize as her husband; if the face is still recognizable. The rest of his body wasn't, although you might recognize a certain word starting with a V." I fully gasped. He didn't allow me to mutter the culprit's name in a silent hatred before he continued. "There was a witness to the murder; the man's mistress. On the other side of this room, eying the wife of the dead man, is another woman in a golden dress that is very jumpy and paranoid. Without looking into her mind, it's easy to conclude they were having an affair right under the wife's nose; Courtney must have caught them in the stables."
The woman in the golden dress looked over her shoulder one moment, then jumped the next when a waiter attempted to offer her a glass of wine. She politely declined, but the man asked her if anything was the matter. She shook her head, crystal eyes wide and struck with an obvious drama within her skull. After the waiter left her, she looked up at a movement in a window high up on the wall; a wind picked up the tree from the outside. This woman, who knew the truth and was not telling a soul versus the other woman on the other side of the room looking for her husband, looking for answers... The irony of the situation was startling to a point I fought myself from going and introducing the both of them in the very stables where the two-timing lover rested eternally. I silently asked Luke where the man's body was now, or if anyone else knew about it.
"Courtney fled when I arrived and that's why the mistress is still alive to tell the tale. She did not see me; but because she was there, I could not clean up the evidence and keep your palace clean of nasty gossip sure to arise from the discovery of his body."
I sighed as he told me this; the very last thing I, and the royal palace, needed was more blood on our hands. Courtney needed to be stopped soon; and not just for my benefit. I'd rather die than let her bring harm to my people. Taylor needed to hurry up with that plan, whatever it was...
I had a disturbing realization and hoped I was wrong. Luke and Taylor were both here fore my protection from Courtney, but... "Is she here, Luke? Here, at the palace."
"I don't believe so. She's not far, though." he replied. He seemed to be trying to sense her with some vampire radar, or something. "I'll go and do a quick perimeter check."
Again, I was left alone on the dance floor. Before another man, more like suitor, could approach me, I made my way over to where I saw Prime Minister Davidson and Lucy earlier. Lucy was missing from his side for the first time that night; he leaned against the table, staring into a half-empty wine glass as the liquid waved around the edges.
"Prime Minister, do you know where Lucy has gone?" I asked with concern spilled into my throat. His look changed from blank-faced to guilt-faced. The troubled look in his hazel eyes resembled the look in Lucy's earlier. He looked half-convicted and half-distraught as he thought about her. "I do know. Not five minutes ago, she told me she "couldn't do this" and went to her room. I didn't feel it was my place to follow or prod." he informed me. Instant worry came to my face.
"Would you please excuse me?" I asked. "Please tell Nicolas I've retired for the night if he comes back."
"Of course," he replied and nearly jumped out of my way as I walked toward the stairs and up to Lucy's room. Everything; Courtney, the dead man, the Chairmen could all wait until I checked on my beautiful and heart-broken angel.
I knocked on the door as I entered, to give the girl warning of my arrival. I could hear her sobs from the bed before I saw her.
Gorgeous, pale faced with blush and liner running down her cheeks from the tears. I went over on the bed where she lay sprawled out and took her into my arms. She openly sobbed into my chest with a pillow against her face.
"A-ally..." She sniffed. "Is it wrong? To feel for someone else the way I did for Danny so soon? I feel like I'm betraying him, somehow, like-liking Henry as much as I do right now..." She pondered for a moment before sobbing into the pillow again.
Henry, Prime Minister Davidson... Lucy felt guilty for having a good time with him tonight? The man obviously felt for her, and she just admitted she felt for him.
"Lucy, don't feel that way. Daniel would want you to be happy, Luce. You know he always wanted the best for us, if what you need is another to love you as Danny did..." She sniffed again. "It's not replacing him, Lucy." I assured in a more assertive, yet still comforting tone. "Don't think that. Danny will always have a place in your heart separate from anybody else." I rubbed her back now and she wiped the make up and tears from her eyes and nodded.
"I just... miss him so much..." Tears came again. That pillow didn't stand a chance. This time I put my arms around her.
"I know, Luce."
We sat still for several minutes; her tears stilled and she found comfort in me again. I was glad I could help her, and she felt so peaceful now... until suddenly Lucy jumped up and ran to the bathroom. I regretted following her when I had a nice view of her, hunched over the toilet and bracing herself with one hand while her other hand held up her blonde curls, then her dinner coming up in chunks.
My stomach lurched. "Oh, god..." I turned away and fought the urge to do that as well from watching her.
I waited on the bed until she was finished and cleaned herself up; teeth brushing included. "Sorry about that... it must have been what I ate tonight." she told me sincerely.
Odd. My stomach was settled just fine. Perhaps Lucy just wasn't accustomed to my country's cooking yet... Yeah. I'd go with that for now. I recalled a certain party downstairs I needed to be at.
"Is there anything else you wanted to talk about, Lucy?" I asked her.
Suspiciously, she shook her head and replied a little too fast, and she looked as if I accused her of something. "Nope, nothing. Thank you." Her smile made me dispel my concern and I was content to leave her presence.
"I would like if you came back with me to the party. You see... she has arrived."
"She? Like, she she?" Lucy asked with a grim look. I nodded. "Alright, let me fix myself up..."
We went back downstairs together, as two friends who enjoyed the life.
For pretty much the rest of the party; I begged Luis to save me from dancing with several suitors, Lucy apologized to Prime Minister Davidson for her odd behavior, Nicolas was constantly running away from the daughter of Chairmen Coffin, Luke had disappeared and Taylor remained very inconspicuous... The party would have been a complete success if the very ending had been different. From outside ran the woman with the fur coat, the wife of the dead man in the stables. She was screaming and trembling, "he's dead, he's been killed!" at the top of her lungs for everyone to start a riot.
What would have been a nice, anti-climactic ending for the evening finished with local authorities, news crews and an investigator who looked like he and Halling would be good friends, all at my front door step. Within the hour, every guest was interviewed and then escorted off the property. The party ended memorably, I'll give it that.
The last guest face I saw, before I retired up to my chambers, away from the pictures and after the interviewers and the talks with the authorities... was that of Chairman Coffin, shaking his head in my direction while chewing on his pipe.
I almost wished Courtney would get him next. Almost. But then I recalled the seriousness of the situation, and how if that she-devil was in the country now, more of my people would surely be killed. I thought of ways I could help protect them by night... For now, I suggested to a staff member that he lock every door and window tonight. Ones that were not locked should have a guard or two by them. I blame the reason on avoiding infiltration by crazy paparazzi.
"As you wish, you majesty."
All of the publicity and negative rumors sure to leap out was the last thing I wanted right now... But we would get through this, one way or another. Or so I hoped. Luke came to my side as I escorted Lucy safely to her room, demanded Taylor watch her closely as he brainstormed on a plan, before retiring to the safety of my own room, in the safety of Lucas' embrace.
A/N: There's now a nifty little tab at the bottom of the page that allows one to review a chapter more easily than before. So effin' review! I promise, it doesn't hurt!