"I am facing a lot as it is, His Majesty should spare my trembling soul before I lose consciousness." Orson, who clung to Cassian’s side like a helpless leech, tried to avoid Alaric’s wrath by immediately lowering his head, willingly accepting his mistake, but knowing Alaric since their military days, it would take more than an apology to convince him to let him off the hook.
The young King takes pleasure in browbeating, and it has reduced greatly since he was made King and had to start controlling them, but as they say, old habits die hard.
"Darling, stop frightening the innocent soul. He’s here today as you’ve requested of him, let him be." The young queen, by the name Theresa, nudged her husband’s elbow as a way of persuading him to leave Orson alone, and of course, Alaric couldn’t say no to his beautiful wife when she kept sugarcoating him.
Madeline, on the other hand, felt more nervous than she had ever done. From the corner of her eyes, she could spot the elite guests occupying the corners of the ballroom as their intruding gazes followed her and Cassian. Cassian was basically popular in both the good and the bad, popular enough for his name to reach the lower East quarters where the people there certainly had nothing to do with him.
She shouldn’t be surprised if he gained most of the attention, but then why were their gazes following her as well?
"Ah yes! And the action woman herself." Alaric’s humorous voice broke Madeline from her train of thoughts as she startlingly met his eyes that were visible from his mask.
"Hmm?" Realizing at a later point she was staring into the eyes of his Majesty, Madeline immediately lowered her head before Alaric and his wife, feeling stupid to have let the rules slip from her mind due to her own distraction.
"It’s..... it’s an honor to be in front of his Majesty and the Queen, thank you for inviting us to the lovely event." Pinning her lips together, it suddenly dawned on Madeline that His Majesty just referred to her as an ’action woman’, and another wave of embarrassment filled her up after recalling her behavior the night he visited.
"Please, feel comfortable, and enjoy, but if you don’t mind, I would like to borrow Cassian for a few seconds. My father has been expecting him, and he would like to see him, but you don’t have to worry, I won’t hold him captive for too long."
"I am sure he won’t mind if I bring my wife along, I am yet to reveal the lovely woman I married to him, and he has been asking."Cassian, who wasn’t ready to leave his wife all by herself, decided to come up with an excuse, but it was also a half-truth since the sick King had been asking for his wife anytime he visited.
"Oh, then I guess you can bring the lady along."
Alaric didn’t seem to have a problem with it, and Madeline felt her anticipation build. It was already difficult having to accept the fact that she was in the royal palace, and not only was she given the chance to meet King Alaric and his wife, she got the chance to meet his father as well?
"Come." With Cassian sliding his hand smoothly behind Madeline’s waist, his Amber-brown eyes gave her the assurance and strength she needed to follow him up the stairs, and that leaves Orson to himself as Inna and Elian also disappeared during the conversation.
"Where did they go?" Looking around at the guests filled with all sorts of stylish masks, Orson could feel a tinge of fear roll down his spine at the thought of catching a Fiend here.
"I better find those two." He went in search of Inna and Elian.
Meanwhile, Inna and Elian took a stroll down the empty hallway. She had been meaning to introduce herself to his Majesty and his wife when Elian dragged her from the crowd, separating them and coming up with the excuse that he wanted to take a walk and look around the massive palace.
"Why did you take me with you?" Curious, Inna couldn’t hold back her question.
"The last time I wandered off, you stopped me from entering where I shouldn’t, so I need you to be by my side in case I step into another danger zone. That way, I’ll be assured that I have you to stop me."
"I beg your pardon? If you wish to die, die alone. Don’t drag me with you, psycho." Inna really found him complicated as she freed her hand from his, refusing to go anywhere else with him before he landed them both in trouble. The more time she spends with him, the difficult it becomes to understand him.
Was he born like that, or did he develop a sense of distance-ship when growing up?
"Where are you going?" He asked as he watched Inna turn to leave, but had stopped after hearing his question.
"Somewhere I can see and chat with normal people." She answered, looking over her shoulder, "there are many guests here, and I wish to socialize with those who won’t take me to my grave."
"And who says you won’t get there quicker if you walk alone? It’s not safe to wander by yourself, when will you realize you need me? Besides, as your Au-pair, it’s my responsibility to monitor you."
"Ahh... you’re even crazier than I thought, stay away from me, I’m a Duke’s daughter and I can’t be seen going around with a psychopath, fake rumors spread quicker than the truth." Saying this, her figure retreated into the distance, and Elian released a sharp breath when he no longer perceived her alluring scent.
"That girl." He sighed deeply. "What’s wrong with me?" Rubbing his palm against his forehead, Elian used a minute to recollect himself before he continued on his leisure stroll down the hallway, distracting his mind and senses from a certain someone.
His calculative gaze studied the palace interior, and something different flashed in his eyes at the familiarity of the place. He ran his fingers across the wall, feeling the smooth texture against his fingertip, and a hint of sadness followed in his leaf-green eyes.
His shoulders instantly felt weighed, making him retreat his hand back. "Darn it, I thought I promised to not get affected."
"A lot has changed, hasn’t it? This isn’t what we remember the palace to be, or do I follow?"
Hearing the familiar dark voice behind him, Elian froze in his steps, and his eyes alarmingly widened when the voice he heard couldn’t be mistaken for another, a voice that sounded similar to his.
"Elijah." He breathed out.