Inessa figured the best thing she could do as Martin and Sara’s family got organized was to stay out of the way. Sara invited her entire family for the holiday, including some cousins Inessa never heard of. There were a lot of guest rooms in this magnificent house, but this year Sara might manage to fill every one.
Maybe Sara was feeling particularly miserable this year, and so she needed to surround herself with family. Inessa hadn’t spent too much time with the other High Elders’ wives, but she could imagine the emotional toll it took.
Inessa tried to find a quiet place in the house, but despite its size, there was nowhere but her room that would give her any sort of privacy, and she already spent most of the day there. She wore a new dress, a thank you from Tima for a booming business. This one was a pale-yellow color, perfect for spring.
“Hello, Inessa,” Martin said.
Inessa turned around, slightly startled. Martin didn’t often seek her out like this, especially so soon after they had been intimate. “Oh, hello Martin.” She gave a curtsey. “Happy spring.”
He gave her a short bow. “Happy spring. You are enjoying the holiday?”
“Far louder than last year, that is certain.”
Martin smiled. “Indeed it is. Are you excited for the Spring Ball tonight at the palace?”
“Do you wish me to come?” Inessa asked.
“Certainly. It will of course be a time to catch up with your other little concubine friends.”
“It is nice to see them. It’s been so lonely,” Inessa said, placing her hands in front of her.
“Oh, one concubine was too much for this family. I will not be adding another,” Martin said.
Her heart skipped a beat. Martin said it in a friendly enough tone, but the meaning was clear. “Of course, sir. I didn’t mean to imply that you… you and Sara would…” Inessa started to sweat, her heart beating fast. “That’s not at all what I…”
Martin’s gaze fell on a family member and gave them a quick greeting, thankfully ignored Inessa’s stutters. Inessa stood a little straighter, finding herself falling into her submissive concubine pose. She dipped her head, glancing at him through her lashes as she widened her eyes just a little. All the things Martin hated.
“Happy spring, Inessa” he said before moving away.
“Happy spring, sir,” Inessa said.
Something about the entire conversation bothered her, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. It was uncomfortable, no doubt, but there was something more. It wasn’t until she was outside, a servant handing her a drink that she realized she referred to him as sir a few times, and Martin never corrected her.
***
Indenuel followed Tolomon out of the carriage and took a deep breath of the evening air. It did nothing to calm his anxiety.
“Does it smell like spring?” Isla asked as she jumped out of the carriage next to him in her pretty blue dress Indenuel had her measured for the week before.
“I honestly can’t tell here in the city. It all feels the same to me,” Indenuel said.
Emilia jumped out of the carriage in a soft green dress. They were at the palace already, so Indenuel was finished trying to make those dresses stay clean.
“Let’s go! Let’s go!” Emilia said before sprinting toward the palace.
“Wait, Emilia,” Indenuel said.
Tolomon was already chasing after her. Honestly, Indenuel appreciated Tolomon’s dedication to keeping those girls safe.
Matteo got out of the carriage, trying to straighten his jacket. “This feels too stiff.”
“Nonsense. You look handsome,” Indenuel said.
Matteo adjusted the jacket a bit more before giving up. Guests spilled into the palace, and Indenuel could almost see the anxiety building in Matteo.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
“You’ve met the King and Queen before,” Indenuel said.
Matteo shook his head. “Not in a formal setting. Not after three months of schooling. If my reports are horrible, are they going to stop funding me?”
They started walking toward the palace, their shoes crunching the little rocks underneath. “Oh stop it. What kind of thoughts are those?” Indenuel asked. Matteo looked physically pained. Indenuel honestly had to wonder whether some of his own insecurities sounded this ridiculous, but he was happy to be the person Matteo verbalized them too again. “You are progressing. That’s all that matters. I know the King and Queen, and they wouldn’t stop funding your schooling for anything.” Matteo nodded, looking as though he was trying to believe it. “Come on, we don’t want to be late for the feast.”
“Because you’re going to say the evening meal prayer, right?” Matteo asked.
Indenuel flinched. “Don’t remind me.”
It helped Matteo relax. Tolomon joined them, holding Emilia’s and Isla’s hands as the girls bounced with excitement.
The palace was decorated like a dream. Flowers of every color looked as though they bloomed from the walls. Little figurines of butterflies and birds were hung everywhere as they headed toward the banquet hall. Soft yet cheerful music emanated from the banquet hall as the guests chatted and laughed. Indenuel felt underdressed for such an occasion, but he didn’t mind. He remembered the ridiculously wealthy gemstone covered outfit he wore at the first banquet, and he was happy to be more sensibly dressed.
It was officially the first day of spring, marking the new year and the new season. The banquet hall was decorated in the greens and yellows of spring, with more floral arrangements and figurines of birds and butterflies. Indenuel couldn’t help but remember the Divine Ages. Having a ball on the first day of spring must be a tradition that would last hundreds of years. To think, sometime in the future, the Savior’s parents would meet and fall in love at a ball like this.
“Ah, there he is!” King Ramiro said.
Indenuel looked up and smiled as he saw King Ramiro. “Happy spring, your majes-” Indenuel was cut off as King Ramiro crushed him in one of his hugs.
“Happy spring to you, Warrior Indenuel!” King Ramiro let him go and Indenuel smiled, brushing off his jacket.
“Queen Lisabeth!” Emilia said as though they were the best of friends.
“Hello, dear one. Please forgive me, you two are so alike. Remind me of your name,” Queen Lisabeth said.
“Emilia! I’m the one with the dimple when I smile!”
“Of course! I remember now!” Queen Lisabeth took their two hands. “That means you two must never stop smiling until I remember.” The girls giggled.
Matteo’s bow looked more like an excuse to curl in on himself. “Your majesties.”
“Ah, Matteo! It is good to see you! You always hide so much at the Sabbath day socials,” King Ramiro said.
Matteo tried to smile. “Crowds make me nervous, sir.”
“Ah, I see. Well, from what I’ve seen of your reports, you certainly use your time away from others wisely. You have quite the intellect in that head of yours,” King Ramiro said.
Matteo gasped. “Really? You think so?”
“Don’t they show you your own reports?” King Ramiro asked.
“Well I… I was just worried it wasn’t good enough.”
King Ramiro gave a booming laugh that made Matteo jump. “Oh, it is enough. It will always be enough.”
Queen Lisabeth beamed at him. “We showed yours and the girls’ reports to our advisors as a test, asking them what they thought. Imagine their surprise when we told them these three reports were from children who had never set foot in a school. All of you are exceeding expectations!”
“Have you given much thought to where you want to apprentice?” King Ramiro asked.
Matteo stared at King Ramiro with wide eyes. “I haven’t sir. I didn’t think I’d get this far.”
King Ramiro gave another booming laugh before picking Matteo up and giving him a tight hug. There were tears in Matteo’s eyes when he was set back down. Indenuel doubted it was from the tight hugs King Ramiro was known to give.
“Well start thinking, Matteo. Santollia needs a brain like yours.”
Matteo had a shy smile, but he nodded. “Thank you, your majesty.”
“You enjoy yourself tonight. A schoolboy like you still needs to relax,” Queen Lisabeth said.
Matteo nodded again, his face a deep red.
“Let’s begin, shall we!” King Ramiro said, patting Indenuel on the shoulder. Indenuel nodded, the anxiety making his throat close.
King Ramiro had everyone gather to their spots. Indenuel was aware Matteo, Isla, and Emilia were the only children at the feast. They were, after all, special guests of the King and Queen, so they had every right to be there. He was simply nervous as the girls sat on the other side of the Queen. He hoped they behaved themselves.
Matteo sat next to Tolomon, as that was as close as he could be to Indenuel since he was sitting right next to the King. Indenuel leaned over the table.
“See, I told you. Nothing to fear,” Indenuel whispered to Matteo.
The boy had a small smile on his face ever since he left the King and Queen. “Yeah. Yeah, they’re good people.”
Indenuel nodded as King Ramiro rose his hands. The banquet hall quieted. “Happy spring, Santollians!”
“Happy spring!” was the reply.
King Ramiro rubbed his hands together. “I will be honest! I’ve been smelling what’s been cooking in the kitchen all day, and I never wrote a speech. Let’s get to the prayer and eat!”
There were some hearty cheers to that. Indenuel smiled to hide his nerves as he stood. He said the evening meal prayer to himself all day, and the practice paid off as he recited it beautifully, and loud enough.
“God be with us!” everyone said once Indenuel was done with the prayer.
He sat back down as Tolomon quickly tried the soup again before anyone could see. Once his bodyguard gave a nod of approval, he took a bite and smiled at everyone’s waiting faces.
“Delicious,” he said. The banquet hall filled with laughter again.
“How are you so brave?” Matteo asked once the noise in the room was enough to give them a sense of privacy.
“I’m not,” Indenuel said as he took a small bite of the soup. “I’m just excellent at hiding it.”
“Really? After all these months?” Tolomon asked.
Indenuel gave a weak smile as he found his eyes resting on Inessa, who was wearing a gorgeous pale-yellow dress. “I still feel like a poor country boy pretending to be more important than he is. I’m not sure that will ever go away.”