“Wow, you said she was going to be at the party. Not that she was throwing the party.” Prin said. He looked at the house with a different eye. Was there magic inside? Did the renovation include hidden rooms and ceremonial chambers? He realized his idea of what a witch was like came mostly from his reading (and, oh, that wee little bit of personal experience), but had no reason to dismiss it as impossible. After all, nothing was impossible, clearly.
“There will be a lot of people here.” Aster cautioned. “So don’t expect to get close to her right away.”
“What is it like?” Valor asked. Perhaps annoyed he had to ask, he already seemed a little moody. But what else was new.
“Four, maybe five stories. Stone building with balconies and white columns, like something from before times. A front garden filled with statuary. There’s a wide stairway leading up to the front door, and a lot of people in fancy dress are going inside. I think we won’t be out of place, the way we’re dressed.” Elwin said. He was good at describing things succinctly.
“Yes, it’s all very pretentious.” Captain Thompson said mildly, just stating a fact, no particular insult in his voice.
“You mean, you are more well dressed then most of these people.” Aster said, wanting to set the record straight. “Some people have no imagination. There’s a lot of dark colors, a lot of black.”
“I like black.” Valor said.
“Not today, today you look like a holiday ornament.” Dru teased.
“And you look like you are part of tonight’s entertainment. Like a historical reenactment.” Aster said.
Dru’s brows furrowed, but she bit her lip, literally suppressing a response.
Like Prin had thought, the tension between them, or rather one sided coming from Dru, was odd. Since they clearly didn’t know each other.
Prin would file this away to think about later. Today, he had bigger things to worry about.
They walked up the long stairway as a group, and near the top Wrena elbowed her way to the front, taking Elwin’s arm and pulling him along with her on the way.
“I think you look very nice.” Wrena said. “Well, maybe that thing on your head is a bit much.”
“ . . . you look very nice too.” Elwin said.
It had been decided previously that they would walk into the party as couples, with Dru by herself, since she insisted she didn’t care (probably preferring it, if truth be known). However, Aster assured them they didn’t have to stay together after that, it was more of an appearances thing.
Elwin and Wrena walked in, turning the heads of those people already inside. They continued to stare at Captain Thompson and Aster, then, Valor and Prin, followed by Dru bringing up the rear.
Prin’s arm was linked through Valor’s, but with his free hand he patted the pocket that held his notes. The most important thing that happened tonight would be getting a chance to ask his questions of the witch, fun was a distant second.
The prince smiled reassuringly at Elwin when he looked back at him over his shoulder. He wondered if Elwin was wishing to be rescued from the bratty sister. Prin declined, for the moment, figuring they better do one round of the room with their designated partners, out of politeness.
Prin charged ahead through the big ballroom, strolling slowly, Valor providing no resistance.
“Ah, wait!” Aster dropped her partner’s arm and hurried over to Prin and Valor. “Before we get totally split up, I just have to mention something.”
“What is it?” Prin asked. His eyes were distracted by the art on the walls and his ears were distracted by the chatting of the people around him. He had never been admitted into a space so grand.
“It’s nothing, it’s just . . . sometimes, later on in the evening, these parties can get kind of wild. Everyone’s had a few drinks, or more then a few drinks . . . Do you know what I mean? No, you probably don’t, knowing you.” Aster said. “What I’m trying to say is, don’t let anyone invite you into a separate room. Don’t get cornered by any charmers or sloppy drunks. Unless you’re into that sort of thing.”
“I can handle it. Don’t worry bout me.” The prince said. If he had learned anything from his time on the ship, it was not to take candy from strangers.
“I’ll look out for him.” Valor said. “So to speak.”
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Aster laughed. “Oh you really are a pip. You’re in just as much danger as Prinny, if not more so. People here don’t know you, they don’t know your pirate king father is in attendance.” She lowered her voice slightly. Although maybe should have risen it, if she wanted the people to know not to bother these two. Prin was sure a rumor could spread fast at these kinds of events.
“Maybe I am into that sort of thing.” Valor said dryly.
“You creature, I was only joking.” Aster said. She narrowed her eyes. “The two of you better keep out of trouble. Or rather, don’t go getting my sweet Prin involved in anything he shouldn’t be.”
Prin, who had been half immersed in a painting of fauns and satyrs frolicking in a wooded glen, laughed, startled. “Don’t worry about us, Aster, we know how to conduct ourselves in public.”
“Hmm.” Aster said skeptically. “Well, I know that. It’s more the other people I’m worried about.”
Smartly dressed servers began to make the rounds, holding trays of champagne, and Aster was mercifully distracted from her hovering. She snagged one from the first tray. “Eat, drink, and be merry! But not too merry.” She wagged her finger teasingly at Prin before wandering back over to her captain.
Valor tugged on Prin’s sleeve. “Drinks? Me too.”
Prin took a couple of the thin and tall crystal champagne flutes from the server and gave one to Valor.
Prin took a sip. The taste was so pleasant and light, he could feel the little bubbles popping as it went down his throat. “This stuff is pretty good.”
Valor drank his down quickly. “Yes.” He said, catching his breath.
“That was fast.” Prin commented.
“Yes.” Valor agreed. “Another?”
“I don’t even know if you should have had the first one.” Prin said.
“How dare you.” Valor said mildly. “What else am I supposed to do all night?”
The prince watched servers in crisp white aprons, in contrast to the black suits of the drink servers, come from somewhere on the other side of the vast room with trays of dainty bits. He led the two of them a bit closer to the stream’s mouth to have a look.
There was something with cheese and fragrant herbs on tiny triangular toast points. Another had what looked to be black and orange beads? With little crackers. It smelled unappetizingly fishy, and Prin stayed away from it.
A third treat that was going around appeared to be a two-bite miniature fruit and cream dessert with shavings of dark chocolate and what looked like a dusting of real gold.
“Are you allergic to anything?” Prin held on to Valor’s thin arm, afraid that he would float off like a kite on a windy day if he were to let go of him.
“You mean like bees, pollen, spider bites, who knows what else . . .” Valor said ominously.
“I mean, food wise.” Prin said.
Valor reached into his pocket to feel if his lucky charm was still there. “Not that I know of.”
“Try this.” Prin liberated one of the cheesy herb triangles. “You can sample all the foods for me and tell me if its good.” He passed the snack to Valor.
Valor smelled it first, before taking a small bite. “Chedder and swiss.” He said. “With infused butter: rosemary, chives, garlic. On a little crunchy thing. What’s not to like?”
The prince felt his eyebrows raise up into his hairline. The little one was sure full of surprises. “How do you know all that?”
“I can taste those ingredients.” Valor said. “When I was younger I used to like to sit in the kitchen and listen to people cook. By that I mean, I made old Francis tell me every detail of what she was doing.” Valor finally cracked a smile. “Also, don’t listen to a word I’m saying. I’m full of shit. And I’ll say anything if it might impress you.”
A laugh was startled out of Prin against his will, and he grabbed a cheese toast of his own. “Well, it worked.” Popping it in his mouth, he contemplated what he was tasting. “What you said seems entirely accurate. You know, Elwin’s parents are chefs, maybe you could cook something together some time, give Mrs. Frances the day off.”
He looked at the boy, his silver suit catching light from the candles in sconces along the wall, giving him a soft moon light glow. The prince had no idea how he had found him so creepy at first, when a simple attire change turned him into a fairy prince with a crown of flowers. A lovely young man. His mother must have been something to see.
“I don’t want to talk about him.” Valor said.
“Okay.” Prin said agreeably. He grabbed one of the tiny fruit concoctions from a tray, muttering his thanks to the server, even though he wasn’t sure if you were supposed to. It came in a glass goblet not much bigger than a salt dish, with the most dainty silver spoon. Prin would have liked to take a spoon home for a souvenir, but he didn’t want to steal it. He handed it to Valor. “How about this one?”
If Valor was planning to drink all night, he would need plenty of nibbly bites to pad his stomach. Prin would keep them coming as long as the servers did.
Valor took a bite and then another, scraping the sides of the goblet clean with the little spoon. “Peaches and strawberries, and a single blueberry, with crushed pistachios at the bottom of the dish and dark chocolate shaved on top? With fresh cream. You can tell it’s fresh. The blueberry was a weird choice.”
Prin supposed gold didn’t really have a taste. “Do you want another one?”
“Another drink first.” Valor lifted his hand, as though attempting to flag down, or just grab one of the servers himself.
“You can have the rest of mine.” Prin suggested.
Valor took the glass and drank it down in one drink. “You’re no fun. Maybe you should drink more yourself.”
“One of us should remain sober.” Prin said.
“I’m soberly perfect.” Valor said.
Prin considered a moment, amused, before deciding not to correct him. “Sorry, the real reason is.” He patted his pocket with the notes. “I need to stay alert so I can interview the lady of the house. But how will I know which one is her?”
The room they were standing in was almost impossibly grand, from the inlaid wood floors to the gilt fixtures, and entire museum worth of artwork. So much so, that the people in attendance seemed secondary, small, like mice in the king’s bedchamber, like dollhouse figures.
“If you see a lady who is being thronged by people, it is either her or a different celebrity. Guests often thank the hostess for the party.” Valor said.
“Good point.” Prin said. “I’ll have to do that myself.”
“If you find her.” Valor said. “And can get close enough.”
“I’m doing this for us both.” Prin pointed out. “I will.”
As Prin’s eyes slid around the room, no one stood out to him especially. He found himself looking for the people they knew, the people they had come in with.
Already they were hard to find.