chapter 22:
She slipped through the door and closed it shut. She had asked the palace servants for a key, since her room contained potions and ingredients that could be used for ill uses. She knew that the concentration of some serums and solutions meant the difference between healing and killing. She had secured a chain on that key, so that she slipped it around her neck, and hid it away below the neckline of her dress.
Once she turned around, general Kirigan looked at her puzzled, his lips twitching into a mocking smile. Kara's cheeks flushed " What?". Alexhander slowly looked at her, taking a few slow paces around her to see her handy work. Kara stayed rooted to the spot, wondering what he would think once his inspection was over. As he came to face her again, he chuckled, " My Lady Kara, you are indeed full of surprises. Was the idea to keep the whole court guessing and intrigued as to who you are?". Kara smiled, relieved by his reaction, " If the darkling is to demonstrate affection to an army healer without an once of any grisha power, should she not be... original?". Alexhander smiled even wider. " If you are so careful to make this charade believable, than you are better at court games than you imagine. We may have a chance of being successful insuring your protection".
He held out his arm and Kara noticed for the first time that he did not wear his usual attire. This ensemble was still black, however was made of richer material. It sparkled in the light of the candles, the cloth woven with dark twinkling thread. He looked even more regal than usual. She accepted his arm and whispered, " You look amazing. Is this what you wear to impress? In that case I am flattered". Alexhander raised an eyebrow, " Are you flirting with me lady Kara?". Kara smiled weakly, " Can we not make this pretense agreeable? It will help me feel less tense about this whole lie". Alexhander had stopped in the hallway leading up to the party hall. He looked at her amused, " It's daring of you to try. I must warn you however, flirting with a century old Grisha is a challenge. little surprises me now". She noted that his collar was slightly ajar and so she slipped her hand around his neck to adjust it, bringing her incredibly close to him. He did not move, and seemed to be holding his breath. She chuckled, " I accept that challenge."
He closed his eyes for a moment and breathed in the evening air, " Thank you". She cocked her head to the side, surprise. He added, " With you here, what is for me a boring cotillion may actually provide a bit of fun." He brushed his lips to her knuckles and whispered, " Come, we cannot be late".
Two entries led to the ballroom and each guest was to enter through one or the other depending on rank and status. Grisha, who were despised by the king, entered with the guests of lower connections and were unannounced. The higher ranked members of the party were announced by one of the king's servants.
Therefore, Kara and Alexhander slipped into the ball quietly which gave Kara an instant of peace to admire the richly decorated room. The dome shaped ceiling under which they would dance, carried the weight of an enormous chandelier, bathing the whole room in warm light. It had been painted by a talented artist with saints and old tales of Ravka. Each angle where two walls met had been painted gold and the ceramic floor was so clean, it looked like reflecting water. The ballroom was already bustling with guests. Tables were groaning under heavy plates of intricate food. Trays wove in and out of the crowd carrying sparkling wine. " you are gawping lady Kara", said Alexhander teasing her. She shut her open mouth, not realizing it had dropped open. She suddenly felt breathless. She did not belong here. She held tighter to his arm and whispered, " I should have told you... I do not know how to small talk or dance. How am I to mingle without making a fool of myself?!".
They stopped a little further from the entrance where Ania and Igor was sipping from a glass whilst peeking at the crowd. " I could have guessed Kara. We have not known each other long but I would have been surprised if you could... considering you focus on what is essential and not what is useless and trivial". Alexhander seemed slightly somber and Kara could see he wished he could skip the occasion. He looked at her gently, " My advice: only dance with good dancers. They will make you look good enough to avoid humiliation and talk as little as possible of anything of importance to you". He looked at Igor and Ania, " Might I leave lady Kara in your care? I have a few guests I must see to before festivities are in full swing". Igor and Ania agreed and Alexhander kissed Kara's hand softly, " I will see you later love". She blushed but nodded. By using the word love, he was starting the clock on their pretense for the evening. She decided she would drink little, or avoid the risk of a mistake once tipsy.
As general Kirigan dissappeared into the crowd, she realized that several guests took a glance at her and seemed puzzled. She looked away, her heart racing. Igor saw her discomfort, " Do not worry Kara, Ania is a real almanac concerning the guests who are kind and those you should avoid. She'll advice you well". Ania's cheeks were flushed from the wine and her gaze had softened towards him. Kara guessed Igor could probably try to sneak a kiss by the evening and she would not refuse. Kara bit back a smile and turned to look at the crowd as they did. " So, who are the ones to absolutely avoid at all costs?".
Ania thought for a moment, " As a Grisha I would say avoid all the non-gifted as they look at us with disdain and mockery at these events. For you however I would say... Avoid anyone who is too close to the king". Kara huffed, " and how am I suppose to know that?". Ania shrugged and giggled, " simple, anyone that comes announced through that other door ". Igor nodded, " remember, If the king wants to get closer to you, he'll try to get information from you through his relations". Kara turned towards Ania angry. " You told him?!". Ania looked sheepish, " I didn't blab much! Igor was just wondering why our general was taking a sudden interest in you. He didn't believe he was smitten with you and was very insistent! so I had to give the real reason". Kara was fuming, " promise me, the both of you, that you will keep this to yourselves. If everyone knows this is a lie then the king will be bound to know. Then, I will have no protection whatsoever!". Ania and Igor nodded solemnly. Ania added, " I swear I told no one else". Kara was in no mood to stay with Ania for the evening. she grabbed a flute of sparkling wine from a passing tray to keep her trembling hands busy and started to move through the crowd." where are you going?!", cried Ania in worry. Kara called back, " I am disappointed and anxious. I need to let off some steam elsewhere". How could Ania have been so careless? Kara was pretty sure she could trust the both of them but she had no certainty. She decided to isolate herself in one of the halls and occupy herself by looking at the paintings.
most were of distant relatives, previous kings and queens. She played with the glass of wine without taking a sip, although stolen glances from a few guests made her want to take a sip.
" Kara! You look nice!". Luka was smiling ear to ear, his cheeks flushed from the wine he had already indulged in. Kara was relieved to find a familiar face. " Thank you Luka, I did not know you would attend the ball". Luka shrugged, running his hand in his hair to hid a poking strand falling in his eyes. " My 18th birthday is almost soon and my master agreed to it. Our general does not want anyone under-aged with no training for these events. I asked Ania for a quick course". Kara snorted, " Had I known I would have done the same." She turned to him, " maybe you can share with me your new found wisdom?". He chuckled, proudly proposing his arm so that she could walk with him, " My pleasure".
The first hour was a breeze. Luka shared what she was to do or not to do if a man or woman came up to her. What was polite depending on status and what subjects she could talk about. She kept looking for Alexhander but he flitted in and our of conversations with military heads and noblemen. He was very focused and did not catch her eye. After an hour, The king and queen were announced. The king with his deep laugh waved and shook hands on his way to the throne. The queen stayed quiet and solemn by his side. Both were richly dressed in gold brocade and burgundy capes, their crowns sparking under the chandelier. However, where the king seemed to be a fish in water, the queen seemed lost and timid.
A few of her handmaidens stayed close to keep her company as she went to sit on her throne. As she passed Kara, their eyes locked for a second. The queens eyes suddenly shifted from absent contentment to piercing intelligence. She looked at Kara as if wanting to say something but quickly changed her mind and followed her husband. Luka looked at Kara in wonder, " what was that about?". Kara breathed out a shaky breath, " I have no idea".
The Orchestra was presented and the music flowed through the room. Dancing was strongly encouraged. Kara felt slightly sick and wanted to hide. Luka patted her arm awkwardly. " you have not touched your wine, do you need a little liquid courage?". She chuckled and placed her glass on a nearby table. " I do not think it wise to drink as a naive guest to this kind of event". As she scanned the room, she saw that the king was starring at her from his throne as he was talking to a distant cousin. His eyes were lustful and it made her skin crawl. At that very moment, Alexhander appeared through the crowd. " Thank you Luka, for entertaining lady Kara thus far." He bowed slightly towards Kara, his eyes sparkling, " May I have this dance lady Kara?". Kara took in a shaky breath and nodded. Luka was reluctant to leave her for a moment. However, he had been dismissed by his general. He bowed and turned to Kara, " I hope to see you again", and quickly left.
Several guests had already formed duos and had positioned themselves on the translucent floor, waiting for the musicians to start. Alexhander quickly pulled Kara to him, placing one hand on her thigh and taking her hand with the other. He whispered into her ear, " This is a slow waltz. It's perfect to start off. Follow my lead and all will be well". She nodded and held tight to him with the first notes of music. He chuckled, " Try not to be so tense, imagine it is just the two of us practicing". She focused her attention on him as he gently gave her cues as to what to do. When he stepped forward, she could only step back. When his hand tightened on her thigh, she knew they would change direction. When he pushed on her hand, she was encouraged to twirl. The song ended quickly and Kara realized it had seemed easy. She looked at Alexhander in awe. He laughed, " I told you, find a good dancer and it will look as if you know how to dance". Kara smiled, relieved, " Then I guess you are not too bad at waltz". General kirigan raised an eyebrow, " such a muted compliment. Shall we dance to this Sarabande to convince you of my talent?". Kara realized she was enjoying herself. She nodded, smiling, " If you would like to". Alexhander was a patient teacher. when she fumbled, he improvised to hide her error. When she had more confidence, he pushed her for more complex moves. They danced several times in the evening. When the general had to dance with someone else out of obligation, he made sure to provide her an equally gifted dancer, warning them of her debuting experience.
After one dance she thanked her partner and when to get a drink. As she crossed the room, the crowd split in two to reveal the queen coming to see her. Her heart stopped and for a moment, all Luka's advice escaped her. She quickly came to and curtsied low as best she could. The queen smiled kindly, " lady Kara is it? would you walk with me?". Kara caught Alexhander's eye from across the room. He seemed worried but he could do nothing. She accepted the queen's invitation and they gently moved towards an opened door which led to the gardens. They stayed on the terrace, marveling at the lights and decorations. For a moment they said nothing and Kara did not know if she should initiate the conversation. Finally the queen said, " Are you enjoying your evening lady Kara?". Kara could tell her monarch was just as uncomfortable with small talk as she was. She hesitated, " This is my first ball Moy Tsarista. It is very new to me. It is unsettling but I can see why it can be enjoyable". The queen sighed, " A pity that my daughter cannot partake in these events. I am sure she would love them. Her health however does not allow it." Kara was surprised by the turn in conversation. This was no small talk. As a healer, she wanted to know more, see if she could help. However, how to address the point without seeming intrusive? " I saw your daughter on my arrival here. She looks like you." The queen looked at her and smiled, " You do not know how to engage in this conversation do you? Then let me help you, I despise small talk. It generates air of little interest to me". Kara was relieved. " Thank you, your majesty." she took a moment to formulate her question, " Would you like to talk about your daughter's condition?". The queen's eyes seemed to shine with tears but she quickly pushed them back. " Indeed I would like to have your expert opinion on the matter. The court doctors have given up in finding a solution but I cannot. As a mother, should I not fight to find a way for my daughter to live her best life?". Kara nodded, " I do not know if I can promise a remedy but I can look into her case if you agree to it". The queen sighed in relief, " yes, I would like that very much. These male doctors seem to say that her weakness is linked to her female condition. I cannot agree, it is too simple an explanation. however we cannot discuss it here. I will invite you at a later date for tea". They both took a moment of silence, listening to the crickets chirping. The queen smiled then, " I have been absent too long considering my duties. I must leave you now." She bowed and turned back to her ladies in waiting and paused. " I must warn you against my husband's intentions towards you. If you wish to evade his attention, then I suggest you follow me closely and find a friend to keep you company inside. If you are not alone, he will not address you." With that, she dissolved among her people.