Page 70 of Stardust Child

There were a few maidens of Selenne’s age at the high table, most of them her own ladies-in-waiting. But otherwise, it was somber-faced men and women of middle age and their sons, aged from thirteen to thirty-three.

“At the Divinity’s pleasure,” said the Duke of Sangevin, rising from his seat to lay down an opening gambit. “We would remember to you Lexaun Agnephus, the victor of Dulcia. Glory to the Empire.”

An echoedglory to the Empirerippled around the table. The Emperor acknowledged this with the slightest nod, and Selenne chewed thoughtfully at a tidbit of something that might have been beef before the palace chefs got hold of it. Her father, mother, and tutors had all warned her repeatedly to askwhypeople said the things they said.

Sangevin was probably flattering. The conquest of Dulcia had given them the leverage to arrange an Imperial marriage and won them their duchy.

“Glory to the Empire,” said Duke Berebet, a tidy man in his mid-forties with clever eyes. “We drink to Empress Sabette Agnephus, if it pleases the Divinity.”

This one was more difficult; Sabette Agnephus had no particular accomplishments but a largely peaceful reign, but Duke Berebet was notoriously subtle. House Melun was next, and as soon as their representative rose, Selenne knew it would be trouble.

In the first place, it was not her grandfather, who ruled the family with an iron fist. It was Ceneric, one of her Melun cousins, six years her senior and her mother’s obvious choice for Prince Consort. He and Selenne had often played together when they were children, and the Empress had been salting information about him into their conversations all Selenne’s life. He was making a name for himself as a swordsman in the Court of War, a skilled courtier, and had enough scholarly and noble accomplishments to win her grandfather’s patronage.

“If it pleases the Divinity, we would lift our cup to the heavens, and Empress Ambrosie Agnephus, Star-Daughter.” Ceneric inclined his head to Selenne. There was no denying he was a handsome man, tall and well-favored, with waist-length blond hair twisted back from his face with silk cords. “We may only dream to see her likeness in this world again.”

The intentions behind this offering were not a mystery. And that opened the floodgates for similar compliments from House Sangevin, Pomeret, and several lesser Houses who did not have ties to the Imperial familyyet.The Empress-to-be needed a Prince Consort, after all, and the younger she married, the more power he would wield.

It was only thanks to her father that she was not already wed. He had steadfastly refused all offers.

“They are calling her Selenne Star-Daughter in the city,” the Empress remarked, with an approving glance at Selenne’s silvery-blond hair. “It would be the glory of the House of Agnephus if all her children looked like the stars. No lesser House would dare to offer such meager compliments.”

“They can call her that even if Ceneric is not Prince Consort.” The Emperor was not fooled by this sally.

“Ceneric is a direct descendent of Issme, the first daughter of Ospret and Ambrosie,” replied the Empress. “To join such scions together—”

“The Tower does not recommend marriage between cousins.” The Emperor’s expression didn’t alter, but Selenne knew he had laid out the bait to issue exactly this insult. “It breeds idiots and degenerates.”

House Melun was well known for the frequent marriage of cousins.

“The purity of the lineage of the stars must be protected carefully,” the Empress replied without so much as a flicker of an eyelash. “Lest it become diluted, and degraded by bastards.”

The Empress never missed an opportunity to reference the bastard princess, who no one knew existed until ten months ago. But if she was hoping to shame him with his infidelity, she failed. If anything, the Emperor seemed pleased every time Princess Ophele was mentioned.

Selenne would have liked to mentally exit the conversation at this point. The poison barbs her parents flung at each other always seemed to slice her on the way, and their words often echoed in her ears when she was trying to sleep. But lately things seemed to be escalating, and she thought it behooved her to keep an eye on them. There was no doubt that both of them were scheming.

It was no accident that when the time for dancing came, Ceneric found her first, all other aspirants being intercepted by the Empress’s ladies-in-waiting. She kept a small army of them, ready at a moment’s notice to conduct their business on her behalf.

“Divinity.” Ceneric bowed elegantly. “Might I ask the favor of the Crown Princess?”

The Emperor eyed him with dislike.

“Melun,” he said. He bristled at every man that approached Selenne, but he reserved a special hatred for House Melun. “You are twenty-two this year?”

“Yes, Divinity.”

“The bonds of blood are many and close between House Melun and the House of Agnephus,” her father observed acidly. “To a man of twenty-two the princess must seem a child. You will regard her as a beloved little sister.”

“Of course, Divinity.” Ceneric never lost his polite smile, and his blue eyes flicked to Selenne. “Your Highness, will you honor me?”

“Older brother,” Selenne said, which would please her father, and gave Ceneric her hand, which would please her mother.

She had a reputation for obedience among the nobility. For filial piety and exquisitely correct behavior, which only encouraged her suitors, who thought they might have a puppet Empress. Indeed, every item she was wearing tonight had been chosen by someone else. Her mother had selected her tiara and jewels, and her father had chosen her dress for this occasion so long ago, it had had to be altered twice as she grew taller and curvier.

“Are you sure you are not Ambrosie come again?” Ceneric bent his head to murmur the compliment as he escorted her to the dance floor.

“I am Selenne,” she said, standing a little straighter and trying not to blush at the tickle of his breath on her ear. She had only been permitted to dance with men other than her father or grandfather once she turned sixteen, and Ceneric delighted in discomfiting her. “Is there anyone of your family that you would wish to call to the feast?”

“All of them.” One of his hands rested lightly on the small of her back, the fingers of the other closing on hers, warm and firm as he moved her smoothly into the dance. “They would burn with envy if they saw me dancing with you.”

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