Chapter 541: Dinner Guests

  Tauri looked at her brothers impatiently. “Are you two done yet? Hurry up and get ready, the guests will be arriving soon.”

  Niko broke into a wide grin. “I heard the Ebon Aspirant will be coming tonight. What’s he like?”

  Tauri blinked and felt her cheeks grow hot. “H-Huh?”

  “The Aspirant. You were his teacher at the academy, right? What was he like?” asked Niko excitedly.

  “W-Well…” she stammered. “Well, I mean, I taught physical conditioning. I was really just whipping a bunch of scrawny noble brats into shape. I wouldn’t say I really taught Stryg much, he was already in shape and he knew how to fight…”

  “Aw, come on, you’re not telling me you didn’t interact with him whatsoever? Surely, you have some remarks about him, hm?”

  Her brother’s words broke a gate in her mind and a hundred memories came flooding in. “Remarks?” she scoffed. “I had more than a few, not that Lord Elzri ever heeded any of my reports. I don’t even think Stryg got in trouble once, not once! The Noirs played favorites that’s for certain.”

  “Oh-hoh-hoh! So, the Aspirant was a problem student, ey?” Niko leaned in, eager for more.

  Tauri was happy to oblige. “He was always running late to class. Actually, no, he never ran to class, he just walked as if he didn’t even care to be late. And that’s saying a lot, since he was the fastest student in the academy. He could have made it to class if he just ran, but ~nooo~, our classes were beneath him.”

  “Our classes?”

  “Yeah, he got late to most of his classes! A lot of professors had problems with him, but he was Loh’s apprentice and the adopted child of House Noir. He didn’t just get late, he skipped most of his classes his 3rd year.”

  “And yet,” Lucas spoke up, “The Ebon Aspirant Stryg managed to graduate top of his class. It sounds to me like he didn’t need his classes.”

  Niko nodded excitedly. “It’s like what the rumors said; a prodigy mageborn, only 20 years old, but more skilled than most of his teachers. No offense, sis.”

  Tauri crossed her arms, “I could take him.” She very much doubted it, but the words had slipped out of her mouth before she had even thought about it. There was a time she toyed with him in sparring, but now he had become something else.

  “I hear the Aspirant is already a master mage. If the rumors of what happened at Undergrowth Tourney are true, then he’d put up quite a fight, no?” asked Lucas curiously.

  Tauri thought back to the tourney’s matches and Stryg’s battle at the Midnight Mirror. So often, Stryg appeared harmless, his pretty face, large eyes, and short stature made him seem soft. She thought of the night when they had encountered the drow encampment at the edge of Vulture Woods. Stryg had ripped them all apart limb from limb. Covered in blood and viscera with glowing eyes that seemed to pierce into one’s soul, that was the Stryg she had met; the true face behind the curious simpleton mask he so often wore. Even now that night sent chills down her back.

  “I’m not sure about Tauri, but I bet I could take him,” said Niko proudly.

  “You’d die,” said Tauri in a serious tone.

  Niko frowned, “Father says I’m practically a high-master. Are you saying the Aspirant has already achieved the rank of high-master? Is the prodigy truly so great?”

  “Well, no,” she admitted. “But his talents aren’t only in spell-casting.”

  “So he wasn’t a bookworm then?” asked Lucas thoughtfully. “I assumed he would be if he graduated top of his class.”

  “He spent a lot of time in the library reading up on magical theory,” said Tauri.

  Lucas raised an eyebrow. “And how do you know that?”

  “Plum is close friends with him. She was the librarian’s assistant,” said Tauri without missing a beat. Her eldest brother had always been astute, he could tell something was off about her. He was searching for information. And she’d gladly give it to him if it kept him from learning the truth about her relationship with Stryg.

  “Oh, the drow friend you brought with you?” Niko rubbed his chin, “She’s pretty cute. Maybe I should talk to her later…”

  Lucas ignored his brother. “So the Aspirant spent a lot of time in the library? Is that why he didn’t enjoy your class? He preferred less rigorous training?”

  “I never said he didn’t enjoy my class,” said Tauri carefully. “And the training was nothing compared to what he was used to.”

  “What training?” asked Lucas.

  “Stryg is a Sylvan. He grew up in Vulture Woods. You think we had it tough growing up? Sylvan training is brutal. There is no room for the weak. You either meet the challenge or you die.”

  Lucas nodded slowly. “So, not a bookworm.”

  “He’s strong? Physically? Could he take one of our guards in a fight?” asked Niko as he jabbed the air a few times.

  Tauri’s lips curled in a faint smile. “Physically? He’s stronger than a dire. Everyone in my class refused to fight him, except one girl who actually was a dire and in the end she lost against him in the tourney. Simply put, he’d rip apart any guard we put against him.”

  “And what about me?” Lucas flourished his sword.

  Tauri looked at him flatly. “Stryg went toe to toe with Father when he fell into his berserker magic. You tell me.”

  Lucas and Niko’s expressions turned to disbelief at her words.

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  “Bullshit,” said Lucas.

  She shrugged. “Go ask Father.”

  The bravado in Niko’s amber eyes died out at her nonchalant words.

  “There may be more truth to the rumors than I thought…” Lucas muttered.

  “What rumors?” asked Tauri.

  “They say the Ebon Aspirant is a terrifying individual with very little patience for anyone.”

  Niko nodded, “My mother says he wears an expression of a simpleton to fool others, but he’s actually always two steps ahead.”

  No, he is a simpleton, thought Tauri wryly.

  “They say he’s ruthless. One wrong look and you could be dead,” added Lucas.

  “I heard he bit off some guy’s cheek for accidentally bumping into him in a hallway at the academy.” Niko laughed shakily, “But that can’t be true, right?”

  “No, it’s because the student ate his muffin, I think,” said Tauri without thinking.

  Niko stiffened. “What? Holy shit, if I accidentally grab his bread roll at dinner is he gonna jump across the table and tear out my throat?”

  Tauri rolled her eyes. “No, of course not. Just don’t go taking his bread rolls.”

  “That— That doesn’t make me feel better.”

  “Does he have a problem with people taking his food? Or is it something else?” asked Lucas. “A fragile ego?”

  “No, but he is prideful, or at least that’s what I’ve observed. He regards honor highly.”

  “A warrior then?”

  “All Sylvan are warriors,” she replied. “Though I don’t think Stryg would agree with that statement.”

  Niko elbowed his brother playfully, “Well, it seems like he’ll fit right in with you and Dad.”

  Lucas broke into a smile. “Not with you though. You’ll be playing pranks with our future brother-in-law sooner rather than later I imagine.”

  Niko shrugged, “I mean, I don’t know about pranks, but I’ll definitely tease him a bit.”

  “Don’t,” she snapped.

  Lucas and Niko looked at Tauri curiously.

  She cleared her throat, “I mean, don’t do that. Like seriously. Stryg doesn’t do well with jokes. He takes everything quite literally.”

  “Everyone likes a joke from time to time,” said Niko.

  “His family doesn’t. Don’t go and piss him off, I’m serious.”

  Lucas narrowed his eyes. “It sounds almost like you’re scared of him.”

  “I’m not. But you should be.” Tauri was only trying to keep them safe, but as she spoke she realized it was true. She knew Stryg would never hurt her or his tribe but the same couldn’t be said about anyone else. She didn’t know how she felt about that.

  “I should get going,” she muttered.

  Lucas nodded. “Yeah, so should we. Father said there was something about House Veres he wanted to talk to us about tonight over dinner. It seemed important.”

  “Yeah… you’re right. I’m going to go find Elena,” said Tauri quietly.

  “I’m sorry about all the questions,” said Lucas genuinely. “I didn’t mean to bother you, it’s just our job to worry about our younger sisters. We can’t let Elena marry a psychopath, you know?”

  Niko crossed his arms and nodded sagely, “What kind of assholes would we be if we let that guy break her heart?”

  “Yeah, no, I get it,” Tauri muttered and walked off. Stryg wasn’t the asshole who would break Elena’s heart. She was.

  “Tauri was just messing with us about the whole cheek-biting-thing, right?” asked Niko once she was out of earshot.

  Lucas didn’t respond.

~~~

  Tauri meandered through the halls, her mind filled with guilty thoughts. Servants and scullery maids rushed past her, running one errand or another before the dinner party, but she paid them no heed.

  A pastel blue dress with frills and precious stones caught her attention. Elena stood at the indoor balcony looking down on the main hall. Her long black hair had been stylized in a long cascading pattern that fell across her shoulder. She seemed like a queen, her expression calm, serene, thoughtful. The candlelight of the chandelier brought a bright warmth to her scarlet skin, giving it almost a glow.

  Her amber eyes caught sight of Tauri and that serene calmness fell apart into a gushing smile of nervousness. “Tauri!” She ran over as best she could in her heels and hugged her older sister.

  Tauri returned the hug with a smile. “Wow, you look— beautiful.”

  “I can barely breathe,” she wheezed playfully. “Mom wanted me to go and greet the guests with her, but it’s weird. They’re all probably already in the dining hall, only a few walls between us and them. It should be easy to walk over, but whenever I think of the guests my legs lock up. What will they think when they see me? …What will Stryg think?”

  “He’ll think the same as everyone else when they see you. That you’re beautiful.”

  Elena laughed nervously. “You think so? He doesn’t seem like the type to say that. He seems cool, calm, reserved, ya know?”

  “Do you want to marry him?” she asked softly.

  Elena blinked. “Huh? It doesn’t really matter what I want. We are nobles. We are expected to marry for the betterment of our House. Especially since Lucas, Niko, and you haven’t gotten married yet. Someone had to. It’s my duty.”

  Tauri grabbed her hands. “And for that I’m sorry, but do you want to marry him?”

  Elena glanced at the wall in thought. “I wouldn’t say I dislike the idea. He’s really cute, so there’s nothing wrong there. He’s also kinda stand-offish, but he’s got this air around him, like he’s carrying this huge burden on his back. I guess that’s what it means to be an Ebon Lord. I’d like to help him if I could.”

  “I see…”

  Elena didn’t notice the change in her sister’s expression and continued, spilling out her thoughts. “He’s also got this look in his eyes, like ‘don’t get close to me because I’ll end up hurting you.’ But you get the feeling that if you were ever in danger he’d be the first to come to your defense, all cool and silent like, you know what I mean?”

  Tauri forced herself to smile. “So you really want to marry him?”

  Elena bit her lip in thought, “I know we’re not in love like you and Aizel were, but we can fall in love, right? Oh, uh, sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up Aizel like that.”

  Tauri thought of Aizel and the smirk he always wore, playful and relaxed always. Then her mind wandered to thoughts of Stryg and his rare but genuine smile that seemed to make the whole world stop for a moment. She looked at Elena and her heart clenched with guilt.

  “Tauri—?”

  “I slept with Stryg!” The words burst from her lips before she had even considered them.

  Elena’s smile slowly fell. She chuckled at first, but then she saw the look in her sister’s eyes and genuine shock filled her face.

  “I’m sorry,” Tauri said with a tight voice and tears in her eyes. “I don’t know how it happened. I didn’t plan it. If I knew you had feelings for him I’d never have—” Tauri hung her head, “No, I can’t make any excuse. It’s all my fault.”

  “...Do you love him?” she whispered.

  “I…” Tauri swallowed hard. “Yes.”

  Elena sniffed and cleared her throat. “...I need to go.” She turned around and walked down the stairs.

  “Elena, wait, please!” Tauri chased after her.

  She refused to turn at Tauri’s voice and kept walking, down the stairs and into the hallway towards the dining hall. Evelyn was waiting at the end of the hall, wine glass in hand, laughing and chatting with a guest.

  Evelyn spotted her daughters and her eyes took in the situation in a single moment. Elena bowed curtly to her mother and walked off.

  “Tauri,” said Evelyn in a knowing tone.

  “I’m sorry, Mother, but I need to go—” Tauri bowed and turned to leave, but Evelyn grabbed her wrist.

  “Where are your manners? Don’t be rude to our guests,” said Evelyn in a calm, collected voice.

  Tauri glanced at her sister fleeing down the hall and the vampire beside her mother. Making up her mind, she sighed to herself, turned to the vampire and curtsied, “Please, forgive my lack of manners, I was distracted. Thank you for coming to our home, Lady Veres.”

  Elise’s red lips curled in a smile, “I’m glad to be here, Miss Katag.”