Page 3 of Deadwood
I nodded, shooing her away with the flick of my hand. “Yes, I’m sure. Go back to that man.” I stole another look his way. “He’s practically fawning over you.”
“Alright. I’ll go,” she conceded. “Tomorrow,” she added with a pointed look.
I only hoped that was certain.
With a nod, she was off. I watched her retreating back as a server passed me with a tray of warm, buttery pastries. The sweet scent enveloped me, and I was nearly about to follow him for a bite when a guard stepped in my way. His brunet hair was slicked back and a typical sword was slung on his hip. While all the guests wore masks tonight, the guards did not. “My lady.”
I pursed my lips, waiting for him to continue.
“King Tenere has requested your presence,” he stated.
“Of course he has,” I muttered as the familiar pit of dread hit me in the stomach like a rock.
I had no doubt that in a matter of moments, I was to be either escorted out or shown the true reason for tonight’s party.
It didn’t matter that I didn’t care to find out which it was.
I never had a choice.
CHAPTER 2
Letting the guard lead the way, I followed him over to where my father stood beside the stage at the front of the room. As soon as I was delivered, the guard bowed and took his leave.
“You requested me?” I questioned, stopping directly in front of my father. His salt and pepper hair didn’t have a single strand out of place, his face freshly shaven. The crinkles around his hazel eyes seemed deeper tonight, like he was stressed about something. Then again, my father was always tense.
“I did,” he answered bluntly, his words clipped as he faced the stage and fixed his deep red suit jacket with stiff, pale fingers. “Remember, Auria,” he started, his words low but still firm. “Behave, or your privileges are taken away.”
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep myself in line. Of course he wasn’t going to tell me why he’d requested me. But before I could ponder further, he began stepping up onto the stage, and I had no choice but to follow.
I stopped beside him in the center. One of his hands was clasped around the goblet he held, the other holding the mask he’d now taken off. I, on the other hand, had nothing to hold on to, and found my fingers itching with nerves. I clasped them in front of me, keeping myself still as I noticed my stepmother, Heidi, stepping up on the opposite side of the stage. Her brown eyes were dark, laced with malice as she kept them trained on me while she sidled up next to my father. Her blonde hair was piled atop her head, showing off her long neck and deep garnet dress. I forced my gaze forward, not wanting to feel her judgment up here. I could deal with her chastisement over sneaking a glass of wine later.
“Thank you all for coming tonight.” My father’s voice boomed over the chattering crowd in an attempt to quiet them. Instantly, they ceased their conversations and dancing, the music cutting off to give the king their full attention. “If I can steal a moment of your time. I promise to let you all get back to drinking and dancing in just a moment.” He paused. “My family and I greatly appreciate you all joining us tonight,” he continued, not sparing a glance my way.
I pressed my lips together, pasting on an obedient act. I didn’t want to be up here. I’d prefer to find another forgotten glass of wine and down it like the last. My eyes moved on their own accord, searching the room for Taylin. But instead of finding her, my gaze landed on the man whose goblet I’d borrowed. I noticed he now held a new cup in his grasp, but rather than the playful posture he held before, he was stiff as a board, his mouth a tight line.
“While it wasn’t on the invitation, we do have something to celebrate, if that makes you all feel better about getting through such a long evening.” Chuckles floated through the crowd. Meanwhile, I stood by, impatient and slightly irritated that yet again, I was left in the dark.
My father held his goblet in the air, his other hand ghosting over my back. “Please, if everyone would raise your glass to congratulate my beautiful daughter, Auria Tenere, on her engagement to Lander Bular.”
I nearly stumbled, my heart stalling in my chest right along with the air in my lungs.
Engagement?
Glasses rose in the air as cheers and claps sounded, but I barely heard a thing as everything became muffled. I stood frozen, the glint off my father’s garnet mask in his hand blurring in my vision. My ears began ringing like they wanted to repeat the last few seconds and hear what he said again to be sure it was right.
Every eye in the room was on me, causing my cheeks to heat with…not embarrassment of the attention, but humiliation. He’d set me up. Gave my hand to a stranger and announced it in a room full of royals.
I was beginning to like this mask, aside from its rough material that beat down on my skin and made my cheeks feel like an inferno, for it hid some of me from the immense number of people in this room all finding out about my supposed engagement at the same fucking time I did.
For gods’ sake.
I didn’t even bother to smile, despite knowing I’d hear about that later, but did he expect me to be happy? Though, I shouldn’t even question that.Of coursehe did.
My father made the decisions, and we were all meant to bow down and go along with them.Especiallyme.
I didn’t even know what Lander looked like. Shouldn’t he be up here with me if we were to supposedly be married? This was as much his announcement as it apparently was mine.
A hand at my back pulled me from my thoughts as my father led me off stage. The chatter in the room picked back up, people smiling as the music began again. Rather than an elegant tune, it was a fast-paced one. As if this was something to celebrate.
