I visited Athlum several times over the next few months, with much the same frequency as I had before. David and I were amicable in public, but not significantly more so than before. The main difference was that I spent a few nights in David's bed during each visit. He would invite me for drinks, or for dinner, and somehow we would naturally progress from conversation to flirting to kissing. Despite my best intentions, I couldn't resist the very lover-ish urge to comb David's hair on several occasions, nor could I bring myself to partake of his company and then return to my own chambers. Our conversations did not stray into sentimentality, however, and on the whole I was rather pleased with the arrangement.
It was only when David finally accepted my repeated invitations and agreed to visit Celapaleis that I admitted that I'd become rather more infatuated than I should have.
His visit had to be a formal, state occasion - he visited Celapaleis infrequently these days, and as a hero to my people, it was necessary for me to make a fuss over the event. While this did also hold a certain level of amusement for me, it meant that almost his every waking moment was scheduled.
His visit was to last for ten days. On the first evening, he retired early; I couldn't tell if the act was intended to be an invitation, but I felt it would bespeak too much eagerness on my part to join him in his chambers so early in his visit. Besides, my seneschal had placed David and his generals in one large suite of interconnecting rooms - there'd been little legitimate reason I could insist otherwise - and we would have been afforded little privacy there.
In fact, we were afforded no privacy at all. He did not attempt to visit my rooms; perhaps it was difficult to escape his retinue. We took meals together, but always in company. By the evening of the fifth day, I was fighting a distinct urge to either sink into a sulk or to actually take a hold of his collar and drag him off, neither of which would have been particularly discreet or appropriate. He seemed to be blithely unaffected by the circumstances, by contrast. While this was objectively a good thing, I couldn't help but feel a little irritated. Being in such proximity without any promise of contact was... frustrating.
At dinner that night I happened to be seated to his left. I pressed my knee against his under the table, unwilling to risk being caught in a more blatant act. I was relieved to feel him push back with equal force; any acknowledgement of a connection between us was soothing.
I still felt obscurely insulted by his apparent ease with the situation, as the next couple of days were similarly devoid of opportunity.
And then we were temporarily left unchaperoned, walking from one scheduled event in the main audience chamber to the stables. My advisors had stayed behind; his retinue had gone ahead. I cleared my throat, about to offer some light comment on how unfortunate it was that our schedules had been so busy, when David opened a door on one side and pulled me into a side room.
It was a small storeroom; thankfully devoid of any servants. David shut the door firmly and pulled me into his arms with a fierceness that belied his earlier calm. I kissed him greedily, threading my hands through the layers he wore until I was able to place a hand on his skin, flat against his abdomen. He made a delightful noise at the contact; hungry and wanton.
Footsteps in the corridor outside startled us apart after a few blissful minutes. David's expression was rueful.
"You have made me very foolish indeed," he said, with a sigh. "Do you realise I have barely thought of anything except how to find the chance to kiss you for the past few days?"
"I, too," I admitted. The evidence of my desire was pressing hard into his hip; I ached with need, and had to fight the urge to kiss him again. "Will you come to my rooms tonight?"
He laughed softly. "I'll find a way. All these appointments are somewhat of a hindrance."
"I was swamped with requests that you attend various functions; even as it was I had to decline a number of invitations on your behalf. Your visits delight my people; am I to refuse them all?"
I spoke lightly, but there was some bitterness to my words; I couldn't help but feel that David might perhaps be more popular amongst my people than I was, and no Lord likes to feel that he is second-best to his people.
He shook his head, and kissed me gently. "No, I would do the same. In fact, as I was recently scolded for the lack; your next visit will I fear require some state duties."
"Scolded? Who would scold the Lord of Athlum?"
"Lady Meadowcroft."
The name was horribly familiar; the woman was intent on finding husbands for her several daughters and used court events as her hunting grounds. I winced at the idea of an evening being pursued as a match for her ill-favoured offspring.
"My apologies, but she has a point; my generals also observed recently that not all your visits can be informal."
I sighed, and withdrew from his arms. "Well, at least that thought has cooled my immediate ardour."
He chuckled, and straightened his clothing. We headed onwards towards the stables, and then to the theatre performance we were obliged to attend.
The play was mediocre, and my thought kept drifting towards the evening's promise; David's presence in the seat next to mine was a pleasant torment, though we did not so much as brush elbows. The dinner afterwards was politely dull, as per the norm, and was followed with dancing. I directed endless amounts of attentiveness and flattery towards a wonderful old dame I knew, who could be relied upon to feign outrage at the idea that I would speak fine words and then abandon her side to dance with others. I made a private note to send her some of the finest wine I could obtain as a thank-you.
David had no such refuge, and I watched him waltz around with a succession of fluttering nitwits. He was worth watching; my companion made a few appreciative observations of her own on his grace. I did not, however, give in to the mischievous urge I felt to capture him for a dance myself; it would not have broken that much protocol for me to do so, but it would have made people talk, and speculation would make it harder for us to be unobserved.
It was nearing midnight when my guard apologetically informed me that the Marquis of Athlum was requesting to see me. I had them usher David in, and he stood just inside the door as it closed behind him.
He looked rather irritated, and for a moment I was struck with irrational fears. Had I done something that that he might be angry about? Had he been annoyed that I'd left him to dance with the women of Celapaleis?
"Tell me, do you really feel so at risk from my presence?"
I blinked. "At risk?"
"You can hardly think my people or I would allow harm to befall you. And yet there are guards posted at every turn. Are you so fearful that we might turn on you?"
I masked my smirk, realising his ploy. "Don't be absurd, David. These guards are always here; it has nothing to do with your presence."
"I find that hard to believe. Or do you not trust your own people either?"
I sighed, theatrically. "Fine, fine. My advisors will throw a fit."
I pushed the door open again - my guards had clearly been listening, but did an adequate job of pretending otherwise.
"As my lord marquis seems insulted by your presence, I'm dismissing you both for now. And please pass the news on around the guardhouse; as a gesture of trust towards the Marquis, there are to be no guards when he visits me."
They nodded, saluted, and trotted off neatly.
I closed the door, and raised an eyebrow at David, who looked rather smug.
"Well, now my guards will think you're paranoid. And there'll be new guards by the morning."
"We'll think of something."
"I agree." I looked towards my bedchamber meaningfully. "Right now, I have other priorities to occupy my thoughts."
It worried me, as we lay together later on, my fingers gently combing through David's hair as he made a pillow of my shoulder. He'd been right; this had been a dangerous course to pursue. I had no true idea of how he felt about me. He'd longed for my kiss; that was flattering and comforting, and I understood physical desire well - I'd encouraged him to indulge in the pursuit of it, even. But I hadn't merely longed for the physical side of things; I'd missed the gentle comfort of lying in his arms, of feeling his weight in the bed next to me, of the easy conversations that followed. I'd found myself wanting to share observations with him, to see his eyes glint with amusement or pleasure.
I was, in short, in real danger of falling in love with the man, and that was deeply unfortunate even if he felt the same. Our situation could surely not support a romantic bond in the long-term; even in the short term it could lead to problems politically and diplomatically. I couldn't let this continue.
And I couldn't bring myself to curtail it.
David curled an arm around me. "Are you alright?"
"Merely thoughtful, I assure you." I kissed him on the side of the head. "Don't concern yourself."
I knew Athlum Castle rather well by now.
Getting in unobserved was a little tricky, but not terribly so; in nondescript clothing I was just familiar enough for the staff to think I was someone they knew, and I passed by the guards at the service side as a delivery boy. Once inside, I located a storeroom and found a pageboy outfit in my size, tucking my hair underneath the cap - hiding it made me far less identifiable, and I was slim enough to pass as a page - a tall one, admittedly, but still.
I readied the message I had prepared, and set off for the audience chamber.
I ran the last few steps, as if rushing with my important task. A guard stopped me at the entrance; behind him I could see David sitting patiently on his throne, watching as his generals discussed some local dignitary or other.
"Milord, a message from Duke Qubine has arrived."
General Torgal beckoned me towards the throne, and I walked towards him. As I approached, I saw David blink and look at me more closely.
I'd rather counted on him recognising me; my main concern was in fooling his generals. I looked down, trying to conceal my features as much as possible.
"Your message, my Lord," I said, pitching my voice in a higher, more youthful register.
He took it, his lips curved in a disbelieving smile. "My thanks."
I bowed, and backed away from the throne. I went to stand to one side of the chamber, where I'd occasionally seen pages linger before; they were always useful to keep around, and it wouldn't be implausible for one to have been instructed to stay there until needed. I'd timed my message for very late in the day in any event; that way I would not have to wait too long for the audience session to conclude.
Without another glance in my direction, David opened the scroll and scanned the message. "Lord Qubine informs me that he has been unavoidably detained; he will arrive tomorrow. He sends profuse apologies."
General Blocter made a rather annoyed noise. "Aw man, and the cook was gonna make roast urracco too. Damned change of plans."
"Peace, Blocter, it was polite of him to inform us."
He grumbled, but fell silent at a look from General Pagus.
"My Lord," said General Torgal, "do we need to reschedule anything?"
"No, I believe not; he warned me that there might be delays in his arrival."
"Ah."
David raised an eyebrow. "Is there further comment you wish to make?"
"No, my Lord."
"I see."
Lady - ah, my apologies, General - Honeywell laughed. "Perhaps it has just occurred to Torgal that Lord Qubine and the Sykes may be arriving at around the same time."
I kept my face impassive, fighting a frown. The Sykes would be visiting? I supposed that they must have been invited to the Grand Ball that was being thrown.
David's face, by contrast, lit up. "So early? I had thought they would be arriving in a couple of days."
"No, Marina sent word this morning. It will be good to see them again."
"I fully agree." David sat back in his chair, looking truly rather delighted. "Although I suspect I may have to assign one of you to protect Irina from some of the young noblemen."
General Honeywell laughed, and sounded so like her predecessor that I blinked. "She can take care of herself. I'm more concerned for you, my Lord, what with those vultures."
David smirked, and flicked his gaze towards where I stood. "I plan on using Lord Qubine as a shield, frankly."
I did my best not to smile.
They talked genially amongst themselves for the half-a-mark left in the session schedule; the conversation was light and inconsequential. I did my best not to shift too much, though I'd overestimated how easy it was for pages to stand around unobtrusively.
At length, David stood up. "I think we can conclude for the day."
The generals saluted in one smooth, co-ordinated movement - something I'd long envied, actually. "Yes, my Lord."
David picked up his pile of papers from next to the throne and approached me. His expression was masterful; he displayed only faint recognition, I held out my arms smartly as he deposited his papers in them. "Please take these up to my chambers for me."
I nodded, keeping my expression polite. "Yes, my Lord."
He hesitated for a moment, then turned and strode away.
I had to wait for nearly a mark in David's chambers. When he arrived, I was glad to see that he'd brought with him a tray of food - he must have excused himself from attending dinner, which meant a good chance I would have him to myself for the evening.
He grinned widely when he saw me, and shut the door firmly behind him. "I can't fathom what inspired this particular ruse, but I am glad to see you."
I bowed as he set the tray down. "I thought it might make a change for you to not have to worry about the Duke of Qubine being seen in your rooms."
"Instead, I must worry that people will think I am seducing my own pageboys?"
I began unbuttoning the uniform, watching his eyes follow the movement. "No, merely that they are seducing you."
"Oh yes. A far better prospect."
We shared the food on his tray later, clad only in night robes, and at some point it struck me; I had snuck into my lover's home to be with him, and I was enjoying sharing a simple meal with him almost as much as I'd enjoyed tumbling him into bed.
David saw the shadow cross my face. "You have that look about you again. What's troubling you?"
I sighed. "Us," I admitted.
He leant forward over the table, taking one of my hands in his. "Finally. I am surprised it has taken so long for you to have doubts."
I stared at our joined hands. "Likely you know the direction of my thoughts about it."
"I suspect so. You think we've grown too fond, correct?"
"You don't agree?"
His expression was hard to read, but he looked as if he were considering his words carefully. "I have welcomed our involvement; it's given me more joy than I've felt than in several years."
"I'm glad. And I would not take back the past few months."
"But you wish it to come to an end?"
Of course I didn't. "I fear I'll make a liar of myself, if not. I promised not to seek your heart, after all."
He pulled my hand towards his lips, kissed it, and looked up at me through his lashes. "And if I admitted that you already had it, at least in part?"
I swallowed to clear the tightness that had suddenly constricted my throat. "Don't be absurd. It's not as if we can have some grand romance; our duties conflict too much."
"You told me once that we were exceptional." He squeezed my hand lightly. "As yet, there has been no conflict. If duty becomes an issue, we can find a way to resolve it."
I closed my eyes for a moment. This was madness, but compelling madness.
"So where does that leave us?" I asked, softly.
"I will not mislead you: I do not think I am in love with you, not quite."
That, perversely, made me smile. "Nor I you. Yet."
"So, that is where we are. Not yet in love, but I think on a path towards it." He stood up, and I followed, unwilling to pull my hand from his. "And I do not wish to be afraid of love."
The words rang oddly in my ears, and I stared at him, feeling insulted. "I have no fear of love."
"You told me you kept your lovers distant, that you chose them because they would leave you without argument."
"I meant-" What had I meant? It hardly sounded like I had welcomed love, when put like that. "Hmm. I'm a cold fool, then?"
"No, you aren't. But I thought you wished to find someone who you wanted for more than an occasional tumble."
"Indeed." He had stepped closer to me, and I itched to reach out and grab hold of him somehow. "And I do."
"The choice is still yours, however. Either we continue as we have, or we do not."
"And if we continue?"
"If love blossoms between us, then one day we will cause quite the scandal. Until then, need anything change?"
"David, you will not be able to keep from marriage forever. You need heirs."
He gaped at me in surprise. "That's still your concern? Contingency plans were laid down a long time ago. Or did you think Rush would have borne my children?"
No wonder he'd been so damned casual about the issue. But I was rather offended that I'd never been informed. "What sort of plans?"
"Is it relevant? There are candidates; not blood relatives but likely acceptable to my people nonetheless."
"So why suffer the marriage market?"
"You have other options too; why have you tolerated it? For the same reasons: It's politic to do so, and I hadn't quite given up hope."
"I-well, that's infuriating."
He laughed. "Ah, finally. Now you know how I feel about you, half the time."
I gave into the rising glee I felt, and kissed him, nearly knocking him off-balance. When we broke for air, he was grinning widely. "Am I to assume that this is your choice, then?"
"It is. I do not think we can become too bold..."
He shrugged. "I agree; however, I think it acceptable for us to be visibly friends. Close friends."
That was a good idea; it would help to mitigate the shock value of any future revelations about our relationship. "Certainly."
When I awoke the next morning, I was struck with the strange realisation that I had no pressing reason to depart David's bed in haste; nobody knew I might be there, and David had mentioned that his diary was clear until about noon. I stretched lazily: I was not really the type to sleep late, but I was utterly willing to while away my morning in David's company.
As he rolled over I draped myself along his side and proceeded to inform him of my intentions, much to his apparent delight.
We were taking languid pleasure in one another's caresses when a knock sounded at the door. David cursed softly as we untangled ourselves.
"Lord David?" The voice was that of General Torgal, and David scrambled to throw on some clothing - I supposed that this was uncommon enough to alarm him.
He let himself into the main chamber, leaving the door slightly ajar as he crossed to the doors which led out of his apartments. I looked around for a moment; the uniform I'd worn had been abandoned in David's living area. I pulled on the robe I had worn during our meal, unwilling to remain quite naked, and peered through the gap in the door.
"What is it, Torgal?"
The general pushed past David with a casualness that implied a long history of never having been refused entrance. "My Lord, there were rumours - a pageboy didn't return his uniform yesterday, and a servant said he'd seen a page enter here but not leave, and I felt I should verify your..."
With perfect timing, I saw his glance fall on the uniform I had discarded the previous night, clearly tangled with David's own court clothing. He looked back at David - who was clad only in trousers and an unfastened shirt, his hair loose and tangled. His jaw dropped.
David spoke quickly. "Torgal, do not be alarmed, I-"
The general looked absolutely horrified. "Lord David," and his voice dropped to a hiss, and I craned to hear it. "I thought better of you-"
"-it isn't what you think, I assure you."
"No? Even if the boy offered himself to you, you know better than to take advantage of a servant, and-"
I opened the door. David saw me over his general's shoulder, and I could see his expression warring between relief and alarm.
"The explanation is behind you, I'm afraid," I said lightly.
The general turned at my voice, and his expression melted from fury to dumbfoundedness.
"Torgal," David began, laying a hand on the sovani's shoulder, "it's alright."
"I promise you, I have no intention of causing David any harm," I said.
General Torgal shook his head, as if trying to dispel whatever illusion was causing him to see me. "Lord Qubine?"
"I'm afraid so," said David. "I apologise for concealing this matter from you, but the situation is somewhat complicated."
"I... imagine so." The general shook his head again. "I assume this is not the first time this has happened."
"Nor will it be the last time."
The general looked startled by my assertion, but did not question it. "I see. Lord David, do I have leave to inform my colleagues of your involvement? Or am I to feign ignorance?"
David shot me a questioning look; I shrugged. They were his advisors; he could gauge their trustworthiness better than I.
"You may inform them," said David, "but it goes no further."
General Torgal nodded, and began backing towards the door. "By your leave then."
"And Torgal? Lord Qubine will be officially arriving later today; all arrangements should continue on that basis."
The general nodded, and backed out of the door. We heard him pause for a moment, and then run away down the corridor.
David looked over at me, and shook his head ruefully. "Should I follow him?"
"I think perhaps you should give him time to recover from the shock."
I stepped back into the bedchamber; I suspected the mood of some ten minutes hence could not be reclaimed easily, but I wished to at least make the attempt.
He followed me, casually shedding the clothes he'd donned. "Did you see his ears? It's been an age since I've seen him quite so dismayed."
I doffed the robe, sliding back into bed. I found sovanis nearly impossible to read; I'd not realised ear position was a clue to their emotions. "Oh? He seemed quite distraught but I thought him calm enough when he left."
David settled besides me, and I wrapped my arm around him to draw him close.
"No, he's very unhappy. I imagine he will be unflinching in his comments once I am alone with him."
"Such familiarity," I murmured distractedly, running my hand up his arm. "You should not have to fear his opinion. He is your advisor, not your keeper."
David looked at me oddly. "Torgal raised me. I value his words highly."
Of course. I'd forgotten quite how close David was to his generals. "Ah, my apologies; I loathe being mothered, but you are not me."
David placed his hand on my chest, pushing me slightly away from him. "All of my generals are family to me. They will always have the right to speak their minds to me."
"Hm. Truly, I apologise." I kissed him on the shoulder soothingly. "I know they are devoted to you. And you to them. I meant no disrespect."
He relaxed into my arms then. "And I trust them, even if they are displeased with the situation."
"They will get used to the idea, I'm sure."
"Perhaps."
I kissed him again, and soon conversation was forgotten for a while.
I was not present for David's meeting with his generals that day, but I'm reliably informed that three of his generals were rather outraged that he had hidden such an involvement from them. The other - General Honeywell - seemed to find the entire thing hilarious, and kept laughing when asked for her opinions.
I arrived to a formal fanfare in the middle of the afternoon, some time after that meeting. The generals all did a fine job of keeping their expressions neutral, though I could sense the speculation in their gazes when David shook my hand in warm welcome. The Sykes family arrived not long after I did, and to only a mildly muted version of the same formal welcome; David hugged them all warmly when they approached his throne.
While I'd spoken to them often enough on business terms, I didn't know them particularly well. I had a vague sense that David regarded them as part of his extended 'family' too. Lady Irina, in particular, he seemed to regard as his own sister. She had grown into an even closer resemblance to her predecessors; I was rather glad that this softened the resemblance she had to her brother - I did not wish David to be too haunted by the past. John's hair was nearly entirely white by now. He'd been tasked to redirect the focus of the academy once the remnants had gone, and I was certain that the task had not been an easy one. His people had been responsible for some of the more ingenious solutions to the problems of the Dissipation; the desert cities especially had benefited greatly from his work. Marina had been a strong support to him, though her focus had primarily been on the rebuilding of Nagapur. The pair were well-liked and well-regarded.
Once the formal welcomes were dispensed with, we were briefly given an opportunity to mingle before dinner; I sought David's side immediately.
He smiled at me, and clasped his hands briefly around mine in a more intimate version of his earlier handshake.
"Robert," he said, "I am glad you are here. You remember Irina?"
Lady Irina - well, in truth, she has no title, but I refuse to consider her lower ranked than the noblewomen of my acquaintance - blinked a little, but was perhaps less startled by the use of my first name than I was. "Lord Qubine," she said, bowing her head gracefully. "Lord David has been informing me of your western expeditions."
"My captains have reported wonders. Perhaps if you're interested, I can send you copies of some of their reports? We have several visistones you might like to see."
"Oh," and she flushed, looking pleased. "That would be wonderful. And perhaps some maps? I would love to update the Academy's records."
"Certainly; I've meant to keep them informed, actually. And how goes your own research?"
She glanced at David, who nodded encouragingly. "I've been looking into improving the healing methods available to us."
"Ah, noble work."
"I think if I can work out a way to combine the best aspects of herb and lotion use with arts... my apologies, I should not bore you with this."
I grinned. Her enthusiasm was rather charming. "Nonsense. Have you discovered a way of replicating the potency of the herbs we used to import from Balterossa?"
"Yes! I mean, I think so. I need to reproduce my results, though." She smiled at me. "I'll send you a copy of my field notes when I return to Elysion."
David laughed. "And to think I feared you would have nothing to discuss."
"David, you wound me. I am skilled in the arts of polite conversation, and well-informed on many topics."
He chuckled, and caught at my elbow. "Irina, I must talk to the Duke here for a moment; will you be alright?"
"Oh, I'm fine!" She smiled at me cheerfully as David steered me to an alcove on one side of the room.
He released my elbow and lowered his voice. "I spoke to my generals, and they - albeit grudgingly - are willing to accept and support our involvement."
I nodded. "Do you wish the Sykes to know? I know you are close to them."
"I'm not certain." He frowned. "I think so; Emmy will be bursting to tell Irina anyway, and I dislike concealing much from John and Marina. They have been very good to me over the years."
"I have no objections, if so. They seem discreet."
"Ha, they are indeed." We both looked up as a bell sounded; that was the signal for dinner. We parted and he drifted over to offer his arm to Marina Sykes.
I found myself escorting Lady Irina into the hall; we picked up our earlier conversation again over dinner and I found that I rather liked this girl. I found myself wondering if she'd approve of my involvement with David; it struck me that the campaign I'd struck to win David over had neglected to consider quite how many of his allies might disapprove.
The ball, as it turned out, was an even grander affair than I'd realised - every noble family in the Northwest had been invited, along with a few notable academics, merchants and artisans - I spotted a few mercenaries I recognised, even, mingling with varying levels of comfort.
I had been fairly determined to pursue my previously-successful tactic, but I soon discovered that David had clearly determined to have his revenge on me for the previous ball; every one of my usual sanctuaries grinningly told me to go dance with the 'other young folk' when I made to sit with them. As host, David - and his generals - would make their entrance later than most of the guests, so I gritted my teeth and dutifully went to pay my respects to the various noble families and their perfumed daughters.
I was, out of polite necessity, forced to partner several of said daughters for dances. After a few utterly numbing conversations - I still cannot fathom why a woman wishing to snare a man would babble airily about her sister's hats for an entire dance - I spotted General Honeywell making her entrance.
Eager to converse with someone of known intelligence, I claimed her first dance - and as the highest-ranked noble there, it was a matter of courtesy for her to accept my request. I spotted some genuine disappointment amongst the crowd that they had not been favoured, and laid a few private bets about how long she'd stay unwed. She gave me an appraising look as we moved through the opening steps of a circle dance, and as we drew nearer for the walking-steps, said, "well, I can't fault his taste in looks, at least."
I grinned. I was rather pleased with my formal garb, and had been assured it was rather flattering. I looked forward to seeing what David would wear; while my formal best was more elegant than my court garb, I suspected David's tailors would take the opportunity to be as flamboyant as possible. "Why, thank you, m'lady. And you are looking very lovely too."
"Well, of course I am."
I laughed, and span her around into the next pattern of steps. We would likely not be overheard, and it would be refreshing to talk to someone about David. "I'm hoping he appreciates more than just my appearance, of course."
"Is that so? And you, what do you value in him?"
"What an absurd question." We dropped back into the walking-step sequence, and I realised that her smile had a sharp, dangerous edge. "He's a marvel; I find little not to admire."
"An excellent answer, but you are a politician and that was a politician's answer." We span again. "Be more specific."
"I value his intelligence, his grace, his charm." Her smile was still false, and I considered for the next few turns. I did not wish to claim love, I did not wish to lie to her, and I wished to appease her. "I think of him when we are apart; I crave his company, and can scarce believe my fortune when he bestows it."
Her smile softened into something more genuine. "As you should. I cannot credit this affair as good sense, but I do not believe he would risk so much for someone unworthy."
The dance led us back into a less discreet part of the floor, and so the conversation had to be dropped - but she seemed to have formed a better opinion of me, and I was glad.
As the dance ended, Lady Honeywell turned me unexpectedly and handed me immediately into a dancing-grip with another - Lady Irina.
I bowed my head to her, slightly bewildered, and felt her grasp tighten determinedly as we moved into the pattern of the next dance.
"You look beautiful, m'lady," I said, uncertain how to begin with her.
She flushed a little, and nodded. "And you look very nice too."
I smiled, and we gracefully moved back and forth across the floor for a while - this dance was less structured than the one before.
She cleared her throat. "So, I think I'm probably supposed to start by asking you if it's true. But it is, and you're serious; I can tell by how happy he is."
"He... happy?" That gave me a sudden glow of warmth. While I'd definitely noticed a change, I'd wondered if my own emotion might have coloured that perception. "I'm glad to hear that, truly."
She shrugged, and we lost the rhythm of the steps for a moment. "It's true. I'm just worried; we all are. What happens if you two fight? Or if you want to, um, marry?"
"Can you honestly say you think David would allow any harm to come to Athlum either way? Credit me with the same devotion to Celapaleis; neither of us will imperil our people over this."
She seemed to think about that for a while as the tempo of the music quickened. "That's not quite what I asked."
"Isn't it? We're not going to plunge our lands into a war, and we're not going to attempt to unite them either."
"And you don't think your involvement will colour your decisions in more subtle ways?"
I sighed. "No more than any relationship of any sort does. Politics is not impartial; all the Lords are human, and subject to human favours and disdain."
She nodded slowly, and then smiled at me with a sudden impishness. "And would you? Want to marry him?"
"I-I'm not sure it's an option, but were it then I suppose I would give it some consideration."
She laughed, and the music ended with a flourish. As we walked to the edge of the floor, she suddenly spoke again. "You know, that's a fancier version of what my brother said when I asked him the same thing."
I wasn't sure I wished for that comparison to be made. Still, it hadn't been meant unkindly. "Your brother had good sense then; I didn't know him well, but I liked him."
"Everyone liked him. It used to drive me crazy how easily he made friends."
As she spoke, she smiled faintly at someone behind my head. I turned, half-expecting to be handed to another dancing partner; instead, I found myself staring into the implacable eyes of General Torgal.
"My Lord," he said as Lady Irina made her excuses, and I wished I'd quizzed David thoroughly on how to read sovani moods. He seemed to be assessing me carefully, but I couldn't tell what he thought of me at all.
"Hardly," I said cheerfully. "I have no command over you."
His eyes narrowed further. "I can't think how I didn't realise what was happening sooner. You both smell clearly of one another's scents."
I blinked, somewhat startled. "Oh."
"I don't, however, disapprove."
And now I was genuinely surprised. "I would have thought you would prefer he settle for almost anyone else."
"On the contrary. Lord David's life is his own; if he wishes to spend any of it with you then so be it. And your actions have been honourable towards Athlum."
I crossed my arms. "What of the politics?"
"I think you both more than capable of dealing with any problems." The music slowed to a halt, and Torgal glanced towards the doors of the hall for a moment. "And perhaps in the spirit of political nicety, I should warn you not to look too startled when Lord David arrives."
"...that is a strikingly ominous warning."
It was, however, all the warning I got before the doors opened and David drifted elegantly in, flanked by his yama and qsiti generals.
He was wearing the battle-ready court outfit he'd worn years before, or a simulacrum thereof. Long white gloves, those enchanted straps he'd worn to brace the impact of his remnant's weight, the leather cuirass, the same double-layered trousers and knee-boots, that absurdly complex longcoat. Someone had braided his hair in what looked to be a very complex manner, so that it approximated the shortness of his youth. He'd even worn that strange leather neck choker. For whatever reason, the ensemble had always suited him, however ridiculous it might be.
The one very noticeable, very bold change was that the colours of the coat were no longer those of Celapaleis; they were now the crisp black and red and amber of Athlum's own flag.
There was a hesitant moment as people took in the effect of what he wore.
I began to laugh, startled and amused beyond belief, and a few people began to applaud around me as he descended the stairs. He smiled with genuine glee in his expression.
The privilege of my rank was that I was able to approach him immediately; I could ignore the polite lines of people he was supposed to clasp hands with.
He bowed to me, and I to him, and then we both laughed.
"I approve entirely. Of course, it could be seen as an insult to me, but I think perhaps my giggling like a loon will persuade people I'm not offended."
"Yes, that had occurred to me. If you don't mind, I have a way to make it clear that you've taken no offense?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"
"It will have to wait until I've made my formal greetings, but yes - allow me a short while, and I'll rejoin you."
Intrigued, I drifted to one side as David made his formal greetings to the more important guests. Lady Irina joined me a few moments later, her eyes sparkling.
"Fetching, isn't it? He did insist that they not actually cut his hair even fractionally shorter; is that your influence?"
"I'm afraid so."
She laughed, and patted my shoulder. "No, I approve, it's been a while since I've seen him exhibit any vanity at all, really. And he should; he is a very handsome man."
I gave her a sidelong look. "Is that wistfulness I detect, my Lady?"
"Hmm? No, no, believe me; once you've walked in on someone kissing your brother a few times, you place them in a special non-romantic box in your head."
"Ah."
"Though I can't help but think that the two of you are a strikingly attractive pair of men; the maidens of the northwest will be heartbroken at losing you to each other."
"The maidens of the northwest had their chances."
We watched David bow courteously over the hands of a few of those maidens, his face a pleasantly bland mask. I sighed.
"And wistfulness from you, now?"
"I merely wish that it were possible to do our duties without having to be so..."
"...so formal?"
"So false. If I were to greet those ladies now, I'd be as polite and nice as David just was. And I can assure you, I feel no particular fondness towards them."
She tipped her head to one side. "Isn't that the point? Watch him greet someone he likes; he smiles genuinely. The falseness is as much an insult as anything else."
"...I suppose so." I was very aware of quite how recently David had been turning that formality on me; I rather thought Irina was oversimplifying the matter.
"You suppose so? You should have watched him greet you; it's obvious how he feels about you."
I glanced at her. "I hope that's hyperbole; I don't wish to publicise our situation quite yet."
She giggled. "Yes, alright. It's only obvious that he genuinely likes you, nothing more. Aren't you used to all this sort of thing, though?"
"Oh, I am. And in the right mood, I even enjoy all this; it is essentially a big game and my position means I always have the advantage."
"So what has changed?"
I smirked. "Watching someone else play the game so deftly, I suppose."
David looked over at us with a smile, and I mentally tallied how many more courtiers he'd be dealing with before he could return; not many now.
"I'm not sure," said Lady Irina. "I get the impression you're a better actor than he is."
I wasn't certain if that was entirely a compliment. "More practised, perhaps."
"Perhaps."
I watched David kiss the cheek of the last noblewoman in the queue, and then he crossed over to General Pagus. I twitched with impatience.
Lady Irina laughed quietly. "Or perhaps you're not as good an actor as all that."
"He's clearly a bad influence on me."
She laughed and kissed me on the cheek, unexpectedly, as David approached. "I think he's precisely the opposite."
David clasped my hands in another fond welcome before bowing with a smile over Lady Irina's hand, and I couldn't help but note that she was right on several counts.
"I see you two are getting along splendidly," he said, grinning.
"We were admiring your diplomatic skills," Lady Irina said. "And your prettiness, naturally."
He laughed, and turned to me. "On that note; will you oblige me in a demonstration of our friendship?"
"Tsk, David, in front of all these people?"
Lady Irina giggled, and David's smile became slyer. "Actually, almost that."
He held out a hand to me, and I looked at it in surprise - we'd already done the formal greeting; more public tactility would look very peculiar indeed. "I'm sorry?"
"Dance with me, Robert."
The band struck up a very stately tune, on cue. Bemused but entertained, I took David's hand, and allowed him to lead me onto the floor. I couldn't argue with his logic; this was a well-calculated move on a number of levels, and it would certainly signal that I wasn't offended.
There was an awkward moment as we both attempted to lead, out of habit, and then David grinned and switched his arms into the hold traditionally associated with the ladies' movements. It wasn't a dance which required much in the way of body contact, which was just as well; even dancing the woman's part, which he couldn't be that familiar with, David moved gracefully and elegantly enough to draw admiration. And we couldn't converse much while dancing, as we were - inevitably - being watched with a combination of fascination and bewilderment by most guests.
I couldn't quite let him get away with it, however. As the dance drew to a close, I pulled him towards me briefly and muttered, "Well-played, my sweet."
The endearment was enough to make him flush very faintly, and I grinned as we bowed to each other for the close of the song.
We were almost immediately set upon by various noblewomen afterwards claiming dances of their own; I feigned more weariness than I felt to escape, but David allowed himself to be drawn into promising several dances with various ladies of the court. He claimed General Honeywell's hand for a dance first, though, I noted with amusement.
Lady Irina came and sat beside me as I took the 'rest' I had claimed to need.
"I'm beginning to feel rather chaperoned," I noted dryly.
"Oh," and she flushed. "My apologies, I merely wish to avoid some of the nobles here."
"Ah." I looked over at her in a more critical fashion than I had done before; she looked lovely but perhaps a little weary. "Are the young bucks a little too persistent?"
"Aren't they always?"
I smiled, and leaned back in my chair. "Perhaps, and you are welcome to use me as a shield. But you realise that people might assume I am courting you?"
"They've assumed Lord David is courting me on several occasions. I am somewhat used to correcting that impression, believe me."
I laughed. "Are you not interested in any of the young men who so assiduously seek you out, then?"
"I... there is someone at the Academy. But we both wish to complete more of our own research projects first, before pursuing things."
"Ah." That was admirable, I supposed, even if I didn't really see how any projects would benefit from frustrated romance.
We both watched as David handed Emmy to some portly middle-aged count - who looked ecstatic at the honour - before bowing to one of the ladies who'd sought him out previously.
"Perhaps you should allow them to think that they were right about you and David?" I offered, after a while.
She gave me a look that bordered on a glare. "Absolutely not."
"Or about me and you, if they do indeed make that assumption?"
"Again, no. I appreciate the offer, but no."
I sighed, and looked as anguished and woebegone as I could manage. "Rejection, by such a beautiful maiden. How cruel fate is."
She gave me a suspicious look, which faded into amusement at my ridiculous expression. She slapped me lightly on the arm. "Very funny; I'd be the envy of every young woman here for involvement with either of you, and I doubt I could handle the resentment."
"I thank you for the compliment, but I suspect you're overstating the matter."
"You suspect wrong. Perhaps it's just as well you're dallying with each other; at least the ladies can sigh over your collective prettiness instead of envying your partners."
I watched David whirl about with some willowy young redhead in an unspeakably flouncy gown. "You do make me fear for the reaction should we be discovered, even so."
"And don't you think he's prepared for that? Probably more so than you are, I'd guess, given his past."
"Yes, but," I hesitated. "Forgive me, Milady, but people accepting your brother as his lover is quite a different matter to their accepting me."
She looked momentarily troubled, and then smiled. "You can deal with that when you have to. I think you're wrong, though."
"I hope so."
The music drew to a halt, and the musicians called a temporary halt. David made his way over to our table, and collapsed in exaggerated exhaustion into the seat next to mine.
"Weary already?"
"I'm afraid so. This ball is in your honour, you know; you should be dancing more."
"Ah, my knee forbids it, I'm afraid. I danced enough earlier to pacify decorum, I think."
"It's true," volunteered Lady Irina. "Just the bare minimum, mind you."
David eyed me with amusement. "Do you not enjoy dancing? I rather like it, assuming a decent partner."
"I rarely have that chance, and it genuinely does put strain upon my leg. Still, I confess I might like leading you about the floor again, if only for the shock value."
"Ha, in the interests of political decorum, if we danced again tonight I would insist on leading."
I laughed. "I think I had better quit the floor while I have the advantage, then."
Lady Irina shook her head. "This is going to descend into innuendo at any moment, I can tell."
"Not in your good presence, my Lady," I said, inclining my head at her regally.
David chuckled. "Well, Irina, what do you make of him?"
She smiled. "Not quite what I expected. But I think he'll do just fine."