Without a hint of hesitance Salazar walked grandly into the room, Godric following a step behind. As they neared Rowena's chair she stood up, followed quickly by the rest of the ladies. Stopping a short distance away both Salazar and Godric gave the ladies a deep bow, one which was reciprocated almost instantly. As he looked up Salazar found his eyes entrapped in Rowena's piercing gaze. Without saying a word and without being too sure why he was acting in such a fashion, Salazar dropped to one knee in front of her elegant form and tenderly kissed her pale hand. As he looked up a faint but triumphant smile played across her lips as though she were enjoying his reaction. It was then that he smelled it, the faint aroma of Rose Thorns and Moonstones. Two ingredients most prominent in love potions, she clearly had a charm bag hidden in her pocket. In that moment the spell was broken and he was suddenly furiously angry. He stood up with as much grace as he could muster but caught a glimpse of Godric's wide smirk and suddenly he saw red.
"It's lovely to see you, as always, Lady Rowena," he said through gritted teeth.
Her grin only widened at that. "The pleasure is all mine."
"I hope your rooms are agreeable."
"Most agreeable." Rowena continued to grin at him, clearly her plan had been to anger him somewhat. After a slight pause she continued. "May I introduce Lady Helga of the Valleys, my dear friend." She gestured one hand towards a small, petite, brown-haired girl. Though slightly pretty there didn't seem to be much that was particularly special about her.
Salazar bowed to her before gesturing towards Godric. "And may I introduce Godric Gryffindor."
The two of them bowed deeply to one another though Salazar thought he saw an odd gleam in Rowena's eyes. She clearly liked the look of him. That fact bothered Salazar more than any other though he dismissed it as excess from the charms aroma. For a few moments the two of them continued to gaze at one another until Salazar, partially annoyed, cleared his throat and Godric quickly straightened up, playing with his tunic. With a curt bow towards the two women Salazar, closely followed by Godric, span around and half-ran from the room. He didn't stop until he had arrived at his chamber, slamming the door behind himself. Taking no notice Godric followed after his friend, closing the door gently behind him.
"How dare she?" Salazar screamed. "How dare she make such a fool of me." Godric merely smirked back at his friend. "I, Salazar Slytherin, son of Eamon Slytherin should never be treated thusly. I am descended from Kings." Grabbing his wand, which was subtly hidden in behind his jewel-encrusted sword, Salazar pointed it at his bedside table and blasted it to pieces. Breathing heavily he turned back to Godric whom still had that certain smirk playing across his lips.
"Finished?" Godric asked to which Salazar gave a curt nod in reply. "Good. She's really something."
"That's an understatement." The bitterness was prominent in his voice.
"Cheer up, Sal. We have a feast to attend."
With a small wink Godric turned and left the room, presumably to get ready himself. Salazar rolled his eyes. Always the same, he thought to himself. Never changing. A pretty woman can do no wrong in his eyes. With a small sigh Salazar reluctantly began to get ready. He ordered his servant to bring him a bowl of warm water to wash with before dressing in his best rich, green tunic woven with silver thread. These were the colours of his noble house. He pulled on his fine leather boots and draped a heavy gold chain around his neck which depicted his father's sigil, two howling wolves on either side of an ornate cross. For a moment Salazar found himself fussing with his hair in front of the looking glass though he stopped immediately as he heard a knock on the chamber door. In walked Godric dressed in a sunset orange tunic with a cape of soft grey draped over his right shoulder.
"Shall we head to the feast, brother?" Godric grinned at his friend. It was a grin so infectious that Salazar could not help but to return it.
"Lets."
Donning his own cape of black with inlaid silver threading the two of them swept from the room and walked towards the Great Hall. The two of them waited at the bottom of the grand staircase for the ladies to appear. It wasn't long before they did and the two parties bowed deeply to one another again. Courteously Salazar held out his arm to Rowena who took it with a serene smile. Godric offered his own arm to Helga with a wink making her blush. It took all his strength not to roll his eyes at his flirtatious friend as the four of them, followed by the other ladies with their own escorts, walked up to the main table and bowed to his mother and father before taking their own seats. Lady Rowena was seated directly next to his father as she was the esteemed guest. Salazar took the seat next to her though both Godric and Helga were seated at the opposite end of the table beside his mother. As soon as they were seated his father stood up with his left hand raised and the entire hall fell instantly silent.
"Welcome friends and delegates. Tonight we feast in honour of our prestigious guest the Lady Rowena Ravenclaw of Glencoe and her companion the Lady Helga of Glamorgan. Good food and good wine. Enjoy."
The men let out a cry of joy and the minstrels began to play. Servers brought the first courses out to the main table before being sent down to the rest of the hall. Beside him his father had engaged Rowena in conversation, he and her father had been good friends as children. She was exceedingly pleasant, charming Eamon Slytherin as she charmed everyone. Salazar noted that his father was more amiable than usual. Most likely because of the presence of a pretty girl, the snide thought passed through his mind. Soon he began conversing with one of the many nobles in attendance, leaving Salazar alone to entertain Rowena. Her dark eyes pierced his own and Salazar reluctantly started a conversation.
"I hope that you found the courses to your liking."
"Yes. It was a little richer than I'm used to, truth be told, but you English often like to flaunt your wealth."
"And the Scottish do not?" asked Salazar incredulously.
"No. Never." She grinned at him and he could not help but to laugh. "It's true. We are a very modest people." Salazar only laughed harder at that. "I see you do have a sense of humour after all, Salazar. I was quite sure that you'd lost it."
The memory of the charm bag sobered him. "Well I wouldn't consider your little trick as an amusement, Lady Rowena."
"That is a shame." Rowena smirked slightly as she turned back towards her roasted duck. Salazar grabbed his golden goblet and took a large sip. "Do you intend to join the hunt tomorrow?"
"Yes, my father… commands it. Also Godric would never think to skip such an event. And you?"
"I believe that Lady Helga and I will both be accompanying you, yes."
"In that case I'll look forward to it."
Rowena picked up a grape and swallowed it quickly. "Much has changed with you."
"How so?" Salazar took another swig of his wine and turned to listen as a servant hastily refilled his goblet.
"Well, you… never mind. It matters not."
"Tell me."
She paused a moment before answering. "Somehow you seem to enjoy life less than you used to. Everything sounds like a chore when you speak of it. Your smiles are rare and your laughter rarer. It's as though…"
"As though what?"
"It's as though you have discarded all the cheer you once had as a child and replaced it with resentment. Resentment towards what I do not know. Perhaps it is my mere presence here that irks you so? We did not part as the best of friends after my previous visit after all."
Salazar pursed his lips. "Ah, yes. As memory serves did you not stuff my father's boots with horse dung, then cause a cart full of silks to roll into the river, and cast an ear-shrivelling curse upon several servants because they would not allow you to enjoy another apple cake?"
"Mayhaps." Rowena attempted to hide her smile by taking a sip of wine but Salazar could still clearly see it.
"Yes and, as I recall, I got blamed for the entire thing."
At that a merry laugh escaped her lips though it stopped almost immediately. Rowena looked towards Salazar to assess his reaction but found him already grinning. The two of them dissolved into unrelenting mirth unable to stop. From behind Rowena's form Salazar could see his father looking at the two of them. The look his father gave him quelled his laughter in an instant; Salazar could see the anger lurking in the back of his piercing grey eyes. Before he could say anything, however, Rowena engaged his father in conversation which gave Salazar just enough time to make his escape. He strode down the length of the hall, returning greetings that were called out to him, and took the empty seat next to Godric who was chortling heartily with three men he did not know. With one hand Salazar beckoned a servant to bring him a mug of ale and then turned to join the conversation.
"Sal!" Godric exclaimed. He slapped Salazar heard on the back, clearly drunk. "Have you met these delightful gentlemen? This is Ody, he is a wonderful player of the lute." Salazar nodded at the rather skinny boy Godric had gestured to. "This is Brant. A rather handsome devil and apparently the ladies adore him – if you believe half of the stories he tells."
"All true," said Brant, raising his own mug in toast.
Godric guffawed along with the other men. "I shall believe it when I see it," he told Brant with a wink. "And this is Wyl. Apparently he is a poet and, on occasion, a songwrite."
"A pleasure making your acquaintance," said Salazar.
"The pleasure is all mine," the black-haired Wyl replied.
"You'll never guess what, brother. Wyl has travelled all over Europe, isn't that just fantastic? We should take a trip."
Salazar stared blankly back at his friend. "A trip to the Continent? Whatever for."
"For adventure, Sal - just think of it. Us exploring the land across the ocean, nothing to hold either of us back. All we'd need would be the clothes on our back, the swords at our hips, and our wa-"
"Godric," said Salazar loudly, cutting his sentence short. He gave his drunken friend a warning look to which Godric held his hands up in mock surrender. The three young men looked at the two of them oddly for a moment before moving on.
"So," started Brant. "What's she like?"
"Who?" asked Salazar.
"Lady Rowena, of course. Who else? I've not seen a fairer lady."
"She's-"
"Don't ask Salazar," Godric interrupted. "He hates the fair lady."
"Why he looked cosy enough with her earlier," interjected Ody, causing Brant and Wyl to laugh.
"Really? Do tell, Salazar."
"There's not much to tell. Although I will say that she is far more agreeable than first impression portrayed her to be."
"Agreeable enough to consider spending a night with a handsome, young squire?" asked Brant with a grin on his face. The others laughed but for some odd reason this angered Salazar.
"Now, now," said Wyl, "I think I'd rather enjoy the company of Lady Helga. Her bosom looks as though it were carved by angels." He paused while the men laughed, though Salazar just grew more and more angry. "Not to mention her rotund-"
In one swift motion Salazar loudly scraped his chair back and stood up, a cold look upon his fair features. "I shall bid you goodnight," he spat before turning on his heel and storming through the double doors towards the grand staircase.
"Salazar!" Godric's voice called after him. Salazar took the stairs two at a time and turned a third corridor before Godric finally caught up with him. "Wait," he said pulling roughly on his shoulder. "Calm down."
"Calm down?" he hissed. "Those men were being completely vulgar about two ladies for whom they are not even highborn enough to wipe the mud from their shoes."
"Sal-"
"No, Godric. Just stop. This is a prime reason while fraternising with muggles is remarkably misguided."
"Is it?" Godric asked with a gleam of anger in his eyes. "You seem to have no problem fraternising with muggles when it suits you. No problem when they are of the same social status as you. Perhaps the real reason for your outburst tonight was not because they are muggles but because, as you said, they are not highborn enough to deign to speak to the mighty Salazar Slytherin."
As Godric spat the last two words he turned on his heel and strode back towards the feet. Salazar stood there seething with anger and a little regret. For a moment he contemplated following his good friend but, instead, stalked past a group of guards and into his bedroom. Salazar slammed the door behind himself so loudly that he was sure they would hear the bang all the way down in the Great Hall. He flung his sword and scabbard into the corner, pulled his tunic over his head, and threw himself down onto his bed. Can tomorrow possibly get any worse?