NOVEL NEXT Book 2: Chapter 28 - Entrance [Part 2]
Book 2: Chapter 28 - Entrance [Part 2]
It was far from a perfect solution, but for something pieced together at the last minute, it would have to suffice. At least Seraphina had the small benefit of having been seen with Hughes a few times already, making the whole thing slightly more believable.
Now that he was fitted in proper attire, Hughes looked passably presentable. His new ensemble featured a lavish doublet of deep lazuli velvet, sleeves puffed with shimmering satin panels, and ornate brass cuffs securing them neatly at the wrists. Beneath that, a slim waistcoat embroidered with delicate golden thread peeked out at the collar, offering a subtle regal flourish. Matching trousers tailored close to the leg and tall, polished leather boots completed the outfit. The overall effect was bold yet refined—an attention-grabbing triumph of high fashion that pleased Seraphina greatly. Hughes, meanwhile, found himself mostly thankful that such a wardrobe, which would cost an ordinary peasant two years of labor, was simply being provided to him.
Yet for all of his fine clothes, it irked Seraphina that Hughes still appeared so… painfully ordinary. She could already imagine the storm of gossip that would inevitably follow. Still, on the one hand, showing up with a boy who was clearly beneath her rank might deter the usual flock of fawning admirers. But, on the other hand, it most certainly would undermine a lot of her social status, especially in the eyes of the likes of Rashana and that insufferable tubster, Michelié. Seraphina could almost already hear their delighted jibes, and it grated on her nerves.
Still, she reminded herself, this was precisely why she had chosen Hughes rather than attending the ball alone. He posed no threat, and he seemed entirely lacking in guile. Above all, he was comfortably under her thumb. It was still a shame that not a bit taller or wider of shoulders…
At least Eloise understood her predicament and the harrowing choice she'd had to make. However, hopefully, with a little luck and some well-placed counter rumors, the student body would be led to believe that Seraphina had chosen a commoner over the Crown Prince of her own accord. Let the scandal swirl around Velens instead of herself.
She had even excused her Knights from their usual "covert" security detail for the evening, hoping they would enjoy the festivities themselves. At this point, it was more or less an open secret that the boys were her protectors. Besides, if there was any danger tonight, it would likely be someone spilling their drink on her gown rather than an actual threat.
Seraphina also remembered, with faint amusement, that there were no age restrictions on alcohol in this world. Drinking was perfectly acceptable, even at a young age. In her past life, one could marry younger than the legal drinking age; an illogical situation that never ceased to baffle her.
Tonight, she intended to indulge heavily, enough to forget all the vexing details of her new reality, if only for a few hours. And if fortune favored her, enough to wipe out the memories of the evening altogether.
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And so the three of them waited. They sat in the common room—Seraphina's private sitting area, really, since none of the other girls dared intrude there—while Desdemona and Eloise departed to the ball with their respective escorts. The young de Savant was on the arm of some lord's son whose name Seraphina could not recall, though she remembered he had a notably trim figure, his hose hugging a remarkable bottom. Eloise, luckier by far, accompanied the dashing Sir Gravens. Seraphina felt a pang of envy at the thought of how blissfully radiant those two must have looked walking away together. She sighed, if only Gravens were a little higher on the social ladder…
She allowed her mind to wander briefly to Sir Gallant, a knight in the King's service with truly handsome looks and form. For him, she swooned in her mind, Seraphina would quite easily forgive the large difference in station between them. As it was in her old world and life, that was the problem with being so high a rank; the pool of suitable partners dwindled rather rapidly. Wasn't he a teacher here now?
A quiet question from Hughes brought her back to the moment. "Why are we waiting, Seraphina?"
"Timing, dear Hughes," she explained, her gaze lingering on the white fur draped across the settee. Fashioned from the pelt of the formidable Kronir of the north, it was a precious rarity. She unconsciously touched the spot at her thigh where a hidden stiletto lay strapped. "One doesn't simply appear at a ball, and one certainly does not arrive on time. One makes an entrance."
"I don't quite understand," Hughes ventured, his confusion quite apparent.
"You don't have to," Seraphina replied, the smile on her face as sweet as spun sugar. "We'll leave in half a turn of the glass or so." She noted Miriam's withering glare at Hughes, but decided to ignore it. Seraphina knew precisely when she wanted to appear; fashionably late, of course.
The three settled back into an uncomfortable silence until Seraphina finally rose with a graceful swirl of skirts. It was time.
***
With her heels, she and Hughes stood at nearly the same height as they made their way to the Great Hall—the same place where Seraphina had once delivered her address to the student body. Tonight, it had been transformed into a splendid banquet and dance hall, illuminated by the glow of Zajasite sconces high on the walls.
Long tables lined the edges of the vast space, bearing an array of lavish dishes that seemed more like miniature works of art than just food. Intricately carved ice sculptures glimmered at intervals, capturing the dancing light and reflecting it in brilliant shards. Clusters of aristocratic students formed small social circles around the room, their embroidered silks and glittering jewels rustling and flashing every time they moved. Toward the far end of the hall, Seraphina spotted Haze Finleigh in a green gown, playing a lively jig with a band of musicians, the music mingling with the hum of genteel laughter.
As Seraphina and Hughes stepped through the great swinging doors and across the threshold, the chatter in the hall subsided, as though the entire gathering paused to watch their entry. Seraphina lifted her chin, offering a regal smile and an elegant adjustment of the fur at her shoulders. A wave of excited whispers swept through the crowd as she held their attention.
She was unaware of the sharp looks Hughes was drawing from several of the young men, who glowered at him with thinly veiled envy. Even those accompanied by charming escorts of their own couldn't help but glare at the seemingly average young man at Seraphina's side. Yet Hughes, oblivious to most of the glances, felt only a rush of awe at the sight of it all and the breathtaking young noblewoman leaning ever so slightly against his arm.