The meal was incredible, as always. Sara was too far away to sneak more onto his plate, so he was happy to stop when he was full. He kept an eye on the twins, who were talking with Queen Lisabeth. They squealed in excitement when the servants brought out pudding for dessert, which make the entire hall ripple with laughter.

Indenuel was reminded again of his first banquet, especially when he saw Inessa for the first time. His eyes fell on her again, but he saw something different. Adosina asked her a question, which she looked up, smiled, and answered. Rosa made a comment, which made the entire table laugh. Nathaniel squeezed Rosa’s hand before asking Inessa a question, which she answered. Indenuel looked over to see Sara in a private conversation with someone who must have been a relation, smiling and laughing with the older woman. It was Martin who sat quietly at his own table, keeping his head down as he avoided the conversation all together. Indenuel frowned but began to realize why he hadn’t been invited over dinners recently.

Once the feast was over, the servants cleared away the dishes, tables, and chairs. Emilia and Isla were already twirling in their dresses, not deterred by the late hour or lack of music.

“It doesn’t feel like spring,” Isla said.

“It’s more like summer,” Emilia said.

“Yes! Someone finally agrees!” Indenuel said.

Tolomon smiled. “Not used to the climate here?”

“I just don’t understand why they celebrate it as Spring Welcoming when they aren’t welcoming the warmth. It’s already warm. The whole point of welcoming the spring is because it finally stops being so cold,” Emilia said.

“Maybe in Mountain Pass. But here it’s different,” Tolomon said.

“We have no water to run through,” Isla said.

Tolomon looked confused, as Indenuel chuckled. “We’ll have to find a new tradition here in Santollia City.”

“You would run through some water?” Tolomon asked.

“We’d run through the stream by the farmland to welcome the spring,” Isla said.

“Because springtime means it’s officially warm enough to play in the water,” Emilia said.

Indenuel shook his head. “Let’s be honest, girls. It was rarely warm enough to enjoy.”

“What did you think of the stream back in Mountain Pass, Matteo?” Tolomon asked.

“I didn’t like getting too close to the farmlands,” Matteo said quietly.

Tolomon didn’t push it. The orchestra started to play, and the nobility started to fill the dance floor, doing their proper nobility dance.

“Girls, we’re going to have to go home soon,” Indenuel said.

Emilia and Isla both groaned. “Why?”

“The day of beseeching is tomorrow, and Pablo informed me people will come asking me for things. I need to be well rested for that,” Indenuel said.

“I wanna dance!” Isla said.

“Please let us stay longer!”

Indenuel smiled and shook his head. “I can’t say no to you two, can I?”

Emilia took Tolomon’s hand. “Dance with me!”

“No!” Isla said, grabbing his other hand. “Dance with me!”

Tolomon glanced around the banquet hall. The girls weren’t actually going to dance in any way that would be approved of the nobility. It was more the dancing they learned from their times with the Oraminians. “I’m not allowed on the dance floor,” Tolomon said.

“Why not?” Emilia asked.

“I’m a commoner,” Tolomon said.

“No you’re not. You’re a Graduate,” Isla said.

“But still classified as a commoner. You two, being the King and Queen’s special guests, have a higher social class than me right now,” Tolomon said.

Emilia blew out some air from her mouth, making a lock of hair fly up before it flopped down. “Then we’ll dance in the gardens! We can still hear the music!”

“I have to keep an eye on Indenuel,” Tolomon said.

“Oh, I’ll oblige,” Indenuel said as he stood straighter, walking toward the doors. Tolomon had a tight smile on as he allowed the girls to take him farther out into the gardens. Matteo, as always, was practically walking in Indenuel’s shadow. Emilia and Isla started dancing, nothing at all like the organized, carefully crafted dance of the Santollian nobles, but as they had done with their Oraminian friends. Whatever they felt like doing, they did. Tolomon smiled as he took their hands, helping them dance, making sure they didn’t spin too fast.

It was the twins who helped the Oraminians finally not look at Tolomon with such terror. The girls were too sweet, and Tolomon had such a soft protectiveness whenever he was around them. Tolomon had been allowed in a few more Oraminian circles the last time Indenuel went to see them. It was good to see.

“Yes, see! Tolomon has the right idea!”

He turned to see Adosina walking out the doors, hurrying over to him, the bright smile as always on her face. A man followed closely behind her.

“Adosina! Hello!” Indenuel said.

“Happy spring!” she said as she got closer, holding her hands out to him.

Indenuel touched her elbows, smiling. “Happy spring. It has been months since I’ve seen you!”

“Oh, indeed,” she said, touching his elbows before taking a step back. “Ami has been meaning to invite you to dinner before the holiday is done. Most likely on the last day, once all our other guests have left.”

“I shall anxiously await such an invitation,” Indenuel said.

“Hello, Matteo!” Adosina said. Matteo gave a bow, and Adosina gave a curtsey.

“Happy spring,” he said.

“Happy spring!” Adosina took the elbow of the man behind her, ushering him forward. “Indenuel, I wanted to introduce you to Elias.”

“Ah! Adosina’s farm boy!” Elias smiled as Indenuel felt the pang of embarrassment. “Please forgive me. I meant no disrespect.”

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“No, not at all. I rather like the moniker.” He bowed, and Indenuel bowed in return. “I have heard many things about you, Warrior Indenuel.”

“Just Indenuel, please. I don’t think I should be called Warrior until I’ve fulfilled the prophecy,” he said, easing himself back into his role of a nobleman. Elias had a full beard, deep green eyes, and the muscles of one who worked all day in the fields. He had a calming spirit around him. “And I must say, I’ve heard many things about you.”

“All good, I suppose?” Elias asked.

“They’ve mostly come from Adosina, so of course they’re all good,” Indenuel said.

Elias laughed. “Adosina does seem to ignore a person’s negative qualities.”

“I think it’s a family trait, honestly,” Indenuel said.

Elias smiled at Adosina, keeping the distance needed for social etiquette, yet Indenuel saw the love there. “It’s true. What would you do if I turned out to have murdered someone?”

Adosina laughed. Indenuel did everything to keep his face straight. “You? Murder? Come now, Elias, think of something a little more reasonable.”

Members of her family would be there for you at your lowest point. They would help you gain the mental and emotional strength needed to confess. They would do everything in their power to make sure you stayed on the path to God, even if you lied straight to their face. And then when confession was done, they would act as though you had never murdered someone in the first place. And somehow, even though you literally committed one of the vilest of sins, you somehow felt like you could still make it to heaven.

Indenuel’s gaze fell on Nathaniel, dancing with Rosa in the banquet hall, touching her hands in time to the music and using the opportunity to tell her a joke. She laughed as she spun.

“It is so good of Martin to let Elias come to this,” Indenuel said.

Adosina gave a pained smile. “He didn’t. Ami did.” There was something in there that was a deeper story, but felt it was too personal to dig further. “Elias isn’t allowed to dance, but it looks like Tolomon found a way around that rule.”

Indenuel smiled as he watched Tolomon with the twin girls, then saw out of the corner of his eye Inessa walking out of the doors. She fanned herself as she leaned against the palace walls, pretending not to be there as his heart quickened.

“Tomorrow is the Beseeching,” Adosina said. “Elias and I are going early to the Cathedral.”

“May God smile upon your Beseeching, and may it be used to better our community,” Indenuel said.

“I certainly hope so,” Adosina said, meeting Elias’ gaze. Indenuel saw it, the thing so obviously missing whenever he looked at Adosina. She and Indenuel were friends. Elias was something else entirely.

“Will the High Elders decide that day?” Indenuel asked.

“No,” Adosina said with a tiny sigh. “Last year it took up to a week.”

The orchestra ended the song, and they clapped, even though they were outside. The orchestra started up another one.

“Come, Elias. Let me teach you how to dance,” Adosina said, ushing Elias over to where Tolomon and the girls were.

Elias bowed again to Indenuel before following. He watched the two of them for a moment. He spent enough time with the Oraminians to see how odd it was for Adosina and Elias to hardly touch. He had been hugged by more women in the past three months than he cared to count, and he no longer felt bothered by it. Granted, he knew hugging Inessa would be a completely different experience, but it was odd all the same that he wasn’t even allowed to touch her.

Indenuel looked again at Inessa who was rubbing her forehead, looking distressed. Indenuel made eye contact with Matteo, who was quietly beside him. “Keep an eye on your sisters?”

Matteo nodded. Indenuel walked closer to Inessa. She noticed him, dropping her hands and smiled. “Happy spring.”

He smiled back. “Happy spring. Isn’t this your only time you’re allowed to travel home? I thought you’d go visit your town.”

Inessa straightened her dress. “There’s nothing much to go home to.”

“Oh?” Indenuel asked.

She glanced into the banquet hall. “Hot, isn’t it? So many bodies moving. I just needed some air.”

“Well, you are welcome to our smaller party,” Indenuel said.

“It does seem more enjoyable,” Inessa said.

Indenuel watched the two dancing pairs. Adosina smiled brightly as she went over the dance steps with Elias, who looked simply happy to be in her presence. Tolomon crouched as the girls danced around him.

“Tolomon seems quite taken by the girls,” Inessa said.

“Well, I mean, they are pretty adorable,” Indenuel said.

Inessa smiled, watching them. He wondered if it was at all painful for her to see little children when she was barren.

Indenuel tried not to stare, but the dress was simply beautiful. Inessa caught him looking. “Lovely dress,” he said, trying to smile.

“Thank you. It’s my second favorite dress.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “You wore your second favorite dress to the Spring Welcoming ball?”

Inessa turned, a bright smile on her face. “Well, if I knew you and I would talk, I would have worn the purple dress.”

Indenuel shook his head at her clear delight. “Oh right. That dress.” Her smile widened. “I’ve guarded myself now. You’re never going to see another reaction out of me like that again.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I’m sure if I requested it, Tima could make me something that would get a better reaction out of you,” Inessa said.

“A better reaction?” Indenuel asked with a laugh. “You honestly think I have another one of those in me?”

Inessa gave a flirtatious shrug. “I’m sure Tima could think of something.”

“I think you like to see me suffer. That’s what I think.”

She giggled, and he reveled in the glorious sound. He thought he’d get tired of it, but he didn’t. It was a reward, every single time. “I shouldn’t laugh. I truly don’t want that of you. I don’t want you to think that of me.”

“I know.”

Her eyes softened, and Indenuel stared, feeling the connection between them. Inessa looked away, watching Adosina and Elias. “I’m happy Sara allowed him to come,” she said, far more quietly.

“Yes,” Indenuel said, not looking at them at all. He was being obvious. He had enough wine at dinner to allow his mind to wonder what it would feel like to kiss her, but not enough to actually do it. At least, not in front of Tolomon. And Tolomon would never let them out of his sight.

Adosina tripped on her skirt, and Elias grabbed her arm, making sure she was steady before letting go. “Oldest trick in the book,” Inessa muttered.

“What?” Indenuel asked.

“Nothing,” she said too quickly, looking down.

Indenuel chuckled. “Does it have anything to do with female seduction.”

She remained leaning against the pillar, closing one eye as she looked at him. “Seduction is such a dirty word.”

“Then what would you call it?”

She opened both eyes and shrugged. “An understanding of the male mind to know what they want to make them fall deeper in love with you.”

Indenuel snorted. “And how is that not seduction?”

“Because seduction is used for more selfish purposes. Playing with a man’s mind to get what you want and then leaving them to rot once you have it. Look at her. Look how much she adores him. She would never use those skills to bring Elias any harm. She’s using them to let him help her, because serving her is how Elias best shows his affections.” She took a lock of hair between her fingers and started twirling it. “She is finding ways in this society to allow him to show his love for her.”

Indenuel tried to wrap his mind around that. “And you’re telling me every woman knows these skills?”

“No, no, they are learned, just like any other skills. I taught her well,” Inessa said.

“You taught Adosina?” Indenuel said.

“I taught all the women of Martin’s household. Servants, too,” Inessa said. “After all, I do believe it was you that said knowing how to manipulate a man into not having feelings for me was its own sort of intelligence. What you happened to ignore, was that I must be able to do the opposite as well.” Inessa brought up the lock of hair she had been twirling with her finger, using her other hand to smooth it out as she looked at Indenuel, the smirk giving her emerald eyes a teasing glint. “But I dare say, manipulation is just another dirty, dirty word,” she said quietly as she uncurled the lock of hair, falling into her palm. He was captivated by it as she lowered her hand her hair fell past her shoulders and rested against her breast, curling there, hugging it. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

Somehow her words made him realize exactly where he was staring. He snapped his gaze up to see her mischievous emerald eyes. “Holy shit.”

Inessa burst into a fit of laughter. Indenuel placed a hand against the wall, turning away from her as he tried to breathe easily. “No way. There’s no way. You really do just want to see me suffer.”

She tried to quiet her laugh with her hands. “I’m sorry. I promise this is the first time I’ve ever used these skills on you.”

Indenuel was bent slightly, shaking his head, still smiling. “I’m seriously that easy to play with?”

“No, Indenuel. I’ve just known you for a lot longer. Besides, I have played you into my hands once again. You knowing I have this dirty secret will make you less attracted to me as you are now triple checking everything we’ve ever said and realizing I’m nothing more than a seductress who wishes you harm. You stay away from me, and I remain loyally by Martin’s side,” Inessa said.

“Yes, well,” Indenuel said, still slightly bent in half, not thinking clearly at all. “A part of me would like to beg otherwise.”

“I think I know which part thinks that,” Inessa said.

He snorted, then looked at her. “You’re dangerous.”

She was about to say something when her face dropped. A hint of horror passed her eyes before she took a small step away from Indenuel, staring at the ground. Indenuel turned to see Martin walking over to them.