ELORA
The party continued late into the night and as the drinks kept pouring, the conversation got looser and laughter flowed freely even at things that weren’t funny.
“Wine?” Noel offered.
I nodded, holding out my cup.
He poured me a drink and waited with an expectant smile till I took a sip.
“What do you think?”
“Very… fruity.”
“Exactly. It’s made from the finest grapes in all of Bale.” He wiped his mouth, “Trust me, this is the least delicious. It’ll be nice to have you try all of them but we don’t want to get you drunk, now do we?”
I took another glass and giggled.
“Definitely not.”
“Elora, have you been properly introduced to my sister?” Teriel asked, interrupting us.
He had been drinking and it was obvious in the way he swayed lightly on his feet. The contents of his glass swished, looking dangerously close to spilling.
“Yes, Teriel. We’ve met.” His sister interjected, rolling her eyes. “I’m Riley… I realized I didn’t tell you my name.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Riley,” I said politely.
“Elora, did I mention how beautiful that neckpiece is?” She said, eyeing my neck.
My hand went to the necklace.
“Thank you.”
Thank the king, I wanted to say.
It was one of the jewelry given to me after being assigned as the king’s mistress.
She smiled but her eyes didn’t twinkle like her brother’s. Her smile was just a dry spread of her lips.
Teriel brought out another bottle of wine.
“This is the best wine you’d ever taste. A vintage from the time of King Bellamy.” He said waving the bottle as everyone cheered, “Now who’s ready?”
Apart from the king, the rest of the table cheered as he poured the wine into their glasses. I didn’t want to get drunk so I didn’t stretch my glass out like the others.
Teriel was surprisingly a party animal. He encouraged the rest of the party to continue drinking and was even pushing for the musicians to play a danceable tune.
“Don’t you think we should call it a night and question the rescued slaves?” The king asked when it was just he and all of them, who had participated in the auction house raid, close by.
There was a short pause before Skye spoke.
“Rome.” She stated, clearing her throat. “You need to loosen up. Rescuing those slaves is already a great feat. I personally didn’t think we’d rescue as many slaves as we did. So why don’t we enjoy this victory for one day? Talk to him Teriel.”
Rome. I mused internally.
It was strange hearing someone call the king by his first name.
“Listen to your sister.” He scolded, clearing his throat, “To King Rome and his great feat!”
*******
ROME
Rome looked around, feeling at ease even though a pot of anticipation burned in him. The dinner party was Teriel’s idea. He thought it was important for the king to celebrate the success of their raid.
Rome had thought it unnecessary at first but with Skye’s encouragement and Teriel’s stubbornness, he was seated by Red River sipping wine from a fancy glass, surrounded by the people he trusted with his life, people he had known since he was a boy; Teriel, Skye, Noel, Teriel’s sister, and mother.
He hadn’t expected Elora to show up as he didn’t remember inviting her. It had to be either Skye’s or Teriel’s doing.
He glanced at her as she pushed her food around her plate. Noel had been stuffing her with various dishes since she’d arrived. He was sure she was going to burst any time soon.
“You seem tensed, you need to relax.” A feminine voice sang, pulling him out of his thoughts.
He looked up to see Teriel’s sister, Riley, smiling down at him as she held out the bottle of wine to pour for him. Her hazel eyes twinkled with mischief.
He smiled, letting her fill his cup.
“Thank you.”
He resumed watching Teriel’s mother and Skye laughing about something and trying not to admire Elora that sat beside him laughing at something Noel had said.
She had worn a dark red silk number that made her pale skin and dark auburn hair glow in the orange glow of the torch fires lit around the river bank. She looked healthy and even more radiant than she had the night they’d first met.
She laughed at something Noel said and slapped a small hand to her mouth looking nothing like the frightened lamb she usually looked like with him. He watched her laugh again and felt a pang of jealousy low in his belly. She never laughed with him like this.
His attention was stolen again when Riley came up to him again.
“Are you sure you have eaten? I haven’t seen you put a thing in your mouth.” She asked, placing a plate piled with lobster and some olives in it. “This is good. It’ll give you strength… Eat up.”
Rome set his cutlery into the dish and ate. There was nothing else to do anyway. Teriel and the others were too busy drinking.
“I’m jealous, Your Majesty.” Teriel’s father, Brandt, laughed coming to meet him, “My daughter doesn’t ask me if I’ve eaten or pour me a cup of wine unless I ask her to.”
His words drew the attention of the whole party.
Rome was vaguely aware of Elora turning to look at him.
“Father! That’s not true!” She whined turning to glare at him.
“It is darling and you know it.” Teriel’s mother, Cynisca, laughed.
“Riley, do you still have a crush on Rome?” Skye asked laughing.
Riley didn’t respond, her face reddened and she giggled looking away from him.
Riley had a crush on him?
“Oh, I bet she does.” Cynisca chuckled, “When the king married Erika, my dear Riley didn’t eat for days. Said she didn’t want to live if he didn’t marry her.”
All of them laughed while he just felt awkward. If he didn’t have years of experience on keeping a blank face, he was sure everyone would see the way he was cringing internally.
“Anyway, that’s all in the past now.” Teriel laughed.
Rome snuck a glance at Elora noting how she hadn’t joined in the laughter and was suddenly quiet. She looked uncomfortable and even though Noel tried to engage her in a conversation, she seemed like she had really zoned out.
He watched her shake her head and pour herself some wine, resuming the conversation with Noel. Earlier, Noel encouraged her to drink and he had suppressed the urge to order him to stop, but she was doing it all by herself now. He wanted to scold her for drinking too much but he didn’t want to seem concerned about her.
Rome accepted another glass from Riley and drank deeply, jealousy growing in his stomach when he saw Elora giggle at whatever Noel had said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She looked drunk.
Was she flirting?
He frowned and turned his head a slight fraction to see her slap Noel’s shoulder playfully and wink at him.
Was she really flirting with his physician right now?
“I think you’ve probably had enough wine tonight, love.” He heard Noel say, snatching the cup out of her hands.
“No.” She sang, “I’m just getting started.”
She giggled, slapping his shoulders again and letting her hands slide down to his bicep.
Rome’s hands were in a tight fist as he watched them. He folded his arms against himself to contain his annoyance but there was only so much he could take.
How dare she flirt so brazenly in front of him?
“Elora! Where are your manners? You’re the king’s Mistress!” Riley cried out in horror, stealing the words from his mind, “How can you flirt with another man in front of him?”
Elora as well as the rest of the party looked taken aback. Rome watched as a hot flush coated her lovely features as tears flooded her eyes.
“You’re supposed to pay attention to him alone! Don’t you know that simple rule?” Riley continued.
This time, his ire was directed at Teriel’s younger sister not his mistress.
Silence fell on the party, a tense air settling over them as everyone struggled with deciding on who they wanted to look at. Teriel glared at his sister while her parents sent her disappointed looks.
Elora hiccupped breaking the silence.
“Oops… Sorry.” She giggled.
She turned to him and stared intently as if trying to decipher him. He blinked and wondered what she was up to.
“Why do you frown so much? You’re very handsome when you smile. So why don’t you do it often?” She asked pouting.
Everyone turned to stare at him and then convulsed into heavy laughter that lightened the mood again.
“She’s so adorable.” Skye laughed, “Don’t bother your pretty head with that, Elora. He was born this way.”
Rome shot her a glare, returning his eyes to see Elora whispering something in Noel’s ear, giggling when she pulled away. The man stood, holding his hand out to her and led her to the centre of the grounds turned makeshift dance floor.
He watched as she spun, holding her hands above her head, messing up the dance steps for the song. She looked beautiful with her hair flying about her face like she didn’t have a care in the world.
“I have never seen her so free.” Teriel commented watching her, “She’s usually more reserved than this. I like it.”
Skye nodded, sidling up to them.
“God only knows the girl needs some fun in her life.” She said, folding her hands, “She’s been through so much for someone so young.”
She was supposed to be a slaver and the child of a traitor, the kind of person his people should detest. But how is it that they’re so smitten by her instead? Why do they feel differently like she’s not what they say she is?
Skye who’s usually wary of people is comfortable with her.
They watched her spin again then suddenly drop into Noel’s arms.
“And she’s out.” Skye laughed.
Noel moved her in his arms to carry her bridal style, nodding to the rest.
“I’ll take her to her room.” He said, bowing at Rome, “Good night everyone.”
“No, I’ll take her.” Rome protested, shocking everyone.
He had seen enough of the man’s friendliness to Elora. He didn’t think he could bear the thought of leaving him to carry her into her chambers.
He trusted Noel but he didn’t think any sane man would be able to resist the enticing charms she possessed.
He stood up, easily lifting her from Noel’s arms, and began the walk back to the castle, warmth blooming in his chest when she snuggled deeper murmuring in her sleep.
What am I to do with you? He wondered.