Harmonia Calendar 715, Thal 23 - Ashspire Estate, Elandor
Noon - Corridor
Servants moved through the corridor, hands full with lanterns, polish rags, trays, and fresh linens. The banquet was tomorrow, and every stone of the estate had to shine for it. Railings gleamed, lightstones were strung high, floors scrubbed until they shone.
Their hands stayed busy, but their mouths couldn't stay still.
"Did you hear? He awakened at twelve."
"His smile is so charming."
"He's easy to talk to. Even the stewards like him."
"I heard three girls fought in the laundry over him."
I slowed my pace, listening, though I kept my eyes straight.
'So soon? The news about Adonis spread faster than wildfire.'
Another servant whispered too loudly.
"Did you see the heir's expression?"
The answer came with a hiss.
"The heir has been in a mood since yesterday."
My jaw tightened as I walked. 'In a mood.' I'd seen it before. I knew what it meant.
It meant doors slammed shut.
It meant the cellar boy was sent running for wine again and again.
It meant silence when he passed, servants lowering their eyes, praying not to catch his.
Other whispers rose from memory.
A maid was dismissed in tears.
A kitchen girl with a split lip, gone before dawn.
The steward's quiet warning to the staff.
I turned a corner, the corridor windows showing the garden. My gaze lifted toward the sky, thick clouds swallowed the sun.
'Something was coming. I could feel it.'
***
Noon - Anteroom
I opened the door and stepped inside. My eyes shifted at once to Theodora, who sat on a cushioned bench, back straight, chin lifting the instant she saw me.
Her hazel hair was tied in a neat knot, a pale blue ribbon holding it firm. She wore a bright blue dress, its fabric set with delicate embroidered patterns.
She rose from the bench, her dress caught the light as she spun slowly in a circle. When she stopped, her lips curved.
"Well? How do I look?"
I gave her a thoughtful glance, slow, from head to toe, nodding.
"You look good. But green suits you better."
Her eyes narrowed, voice sharp.
"You always say the color I am not wearing."
I shrugged and smiled.
"I'm honest."
The door behind me opened. Adonis came in, dressed in a fresh black tunic. His hair had been combed back, though still unruly at the ends.
Theodora turned to him, not me. Her tone sweetened.
"So…green suits me better?"
Adonis gave her an approving look, his words too honest.
"Everything looks good on you."
Theodora's smile widened. She tiptoed closer and caught his cheeks in her hands.
"That's my hero."
Adonis' cheeks turned red.
I let out a sigh under my breath.
'There they go again.'
I stepped closer, brushed her hands aside with a gentle push, and tugged at Adonis's collar, straightening it while holding his gaze, voice firm.
"Enough. Rules...smile. Speak less than you think. Don't make promises. If you don't know a name, use a title and move on. If someone talks about bread, talk about bread."
Adonis blinked at me, confused by the barrage of words.
"And if someone talks about me?"
I stepped back, eyes still on his, my voice flat.
"You let them. Then you leave."
Theodora took the chance and slipped to his side, hooking her arm with his. She smiled brightly, tone soft.
"He will manage. He has me."
I narrowed my eyes at both of them.
"That's what I'm afraid of."
Theodora stuck out her tongue at my words before looping her arm tighter around Adonis and pulling him toward the door.
I watched them go, she barely reached his shoulder, yet pulled him along as though she owned him.
A sigh escaped me.
'They're my headaches.'
I followed, as always, one step behind.
***
Ashspire City, Elandor
Late Noon - Ballroom
The ballroom was located beyond the gates near the estate, a hall reserved for small gatherings. From the outside, it looked plain, with white stone walls that were clean and tall, but the moment I stepped inside, the space changed.
Light fell from a ceiling of glass panes arched high overhead, catching the sun's light and scattering it across the polished stone floor. The walls ran high and smooth, banners in noble house colors hung between lanterns.
The chamber stretched wide enough to hold a hundred without crowding. At the edges stood polished tables with silver trays of wine, sweets, and slices of fruit. Musicians occupied a small space on the left, instruments weaving together in soft rhythm, loud enough to keep the air alive but not to interrupt conversation.
Young nobles filled the floor in clusters, their laughter ringing too loud, their words layered with courtesies. Girls in bright dresses moved through the hall, while boys made themselves taller than they were.
The air smelled of fresh-cut flowers from the vases at every corner. Shoes clicked on the marble floor.
It was all show. A playground for children to practice before they become adults.
I made my rounds. A bow here, a handshake there. A couple of safe jokes. Then a small trade of useful news. Always the same.
But my gaze never strayed far from my two headaches.
Near the service table, Theodora and Adonis sat, plates of cakes filled the table. She bit one and pressed the rest to his lips, laughing, and when he tried to refuse, she only leaned closer, forcing the cake into his mouth.
She wiped his cheek with a napkin, and his protest melted into another laugh. Their shoulders touched and stayed there.
I closed my eyes and lifted a hand to my temple. They'd always been my headaches, but they grew worse over the last months.
I let out a slow breath and opened my eyes, fixing my gaze on the two once more.
'Too close. Not scandal, not yet. But enough.'
My eyes shifted toward the people around them. Servants pretended not to see, while nobles exchanged whispers, eyes flicking toward the pair.
'People see what they want to see.'
My eyes drifted across the hall.
Favian stood there, his back against the wall, posture loose. Around him gathered a ring of young men eager for favor, young women vying for notice. Their laughter rang too loud, their praise too eager.
But Favian's red eyes cut past them, fixed only on the pair by the service table. His face wore no smile. No warmth. It didn't belong at a children's party.
'Bad. Very bad.'
***
Late Noon - Ballroom
I leaned against the wall, posture loose, cup in hand. Around me, young nobles, their voices laced with praise, eager to curry favor.
Praise came and went like the tide. I barely heard it.
What I heard. What I couldn't ignore were the whispers.
Their voices carried no matter how small they tried to make them.
"He awakened at twelve."
"The boy will be a name in a few years."
"Didn't the heir awaken at fourteen?"
"He still holds his position."
"Of course."
Heat rose beneath my skin. I lifted the cup and gulped it down, feeling a sense of relief.
I closed my eyes to calm myself. I took a breath before opening them again. My gaze swept over the hall toward the service table, and there he was, laughing, shoulders brushing with Theodora. Every small move drew glances. Every smile pulled another whisper.
'They forgot their place...he forgot his.'
The pressure built, rising sharply in my chest.
Anger.
'Everything I had, I earned. Line by line, bow by bow, lie by lie. I forged myself into the heir they demanded. And he? He stumbled into luck, and they dared to call him a genius...a prodigy.'
I drank more wine, but the anger stayed.
I had to control it. So I smiled, the mask that always worked.
And then my eyes found her.
Matilda Loubane.
A baron's daughter. Fifteen, clear eyes, a pretty mouth, curves in all the right places. She'd carried a crush for years. I ignored it until now.
But not today.
Today, I need a distraction. Something to remind me of who I am. I need relief... and she will like the attention. They always did.
I set my best smile on my face, smooth and dazzling.
I crossed the floor toward her.
***
Afternoon - Ballroom
I stood with two noble daughters, discussing dresses and jewels, exchanging compliments and the latest gossip from the capital.
I felt a gaze on the back of my head. I turned and there he was.
Favian Ashspire.
The heir of House Ashspire.
He had that kind of effortless charm. Blond hair, styled neatly and short, caught the glow of the chandeliers. His red eyes found mine as he walked toward me.
A golden suit wrapped his frame, silver threads stitched into the cuffs and collar, glimmering each time the lightstones caught them.
My chest fluttered. Handsome hardly seemed enough of a word for him. He stopped a few steps away, his bow was flawless, every angle precise, his smile bright and polished.
His voice carried warmth.
"Lady Matilda."
I reached my hand out, and he gave it a small kiss.
"Lord Favian."
He asked after my embroidery. I asked about his swordplay. Compliments passed, one for one. It felt good to be finally seen by him.
A servant passed with a tray. Favian plucked a glass and offered it to me. I took it. The drink was sweet, maybe too sweet. The room swayed for a heartbeat after swallowing.
He gestured toward a room in the back. His voice came smoothly.
"Come. The music is loud. There's a quieter room."