POV David
"How are you enjoying the royal court so far?" Rebecca asked me as we found a quiet corner of the ball to talk for a few minutes.
"I hate it here." I muttered, mostly to myself. I adjusted the collar of my suit which caused my sister to slap my hands and fix it herself.
"No sense of fashion I swear to god." She grumbled. "Dumber that I have to make sure you're presentable."
"What's that even about?" I asked.
"As your sister I'm responsible for you until you get married." She grumbled. "Stupid societal hierarchy. Why can't it be like back home?"
I quietly listened as Rebecca complained, mostly because she became an info dump. In the past I'd mostly tuned her out but she was actually giving me a lot of important information. On top of that she was confirming a lot of my hunches.
"So this place…" I chuckled. "God that must suck for you." I poked a bit of fun at Rebecca. Her glare was well deserved on my part.
"Lady Fulton, may I ask for an introduction?" A beautiful woman appeared from out of the crowd before us.
"Your highness. My brother David Alexander Fulton, the Baron of Lobau. David this is her highness Veria Alison Yuri Vandame, Crown Princess of Monrovia." Rebecca smoothly introduced the two of us. But from her glance I got that this was the person she'd warned me about last night.
I bowed my head a bit. "Salutations your highness. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"I've heard much about you lord Fulton, you are a man of much speculation here at court." She smiled before glancing at Rebecca. "Might I trouble you to leave you brother in my care for an hour?"
Rebecca glanced at me and I happily took the offered opportunity. "Have no fear your highness, this humble individual will see to your safety for the evening."
She chuckled. "My my, quite bold to offer to protect the tougher sex no?"
I grinned. "Perhaps here the menfolk are considered the 'fairer' sex. But I'm not from here, please don't forget that." I said with a wink.
"My apologies, I'm letting my misconceptions get ahead of me." She took my arm and we made our way across the ballroom to the dance floor. "Can you dance?"
"I could fake it well enough at prom. I'm sure I'll manage." I grinned as we started to dance to the slow and elegant music.
"So, what did you wish to discuss with this humble individual your highness?" I asked.
"I would like to ask two favors of you, if you would be so kind as to indulge me lord Fulton." She said with a casual air.
"I'm all ears."
"I'm not sure what that means… regardless. Please call me by my name when a formal setting doesn't dictate it." She smiled.
I frowned but nodded. "I can do that Veria."
She seemed disappointed in me, probably my attitude. I let her twirl me around before we continued. "It's about my brother, Alexious."
"Go on." I nodded with my head as we passed Rebecca and a lady dancing together. I hadn't seen her with a single guy all night… was this world not as harsh on gays and lesbians as my own?
"He needs a tutor, a man to teach him during these final years before adulthood."
"You got the wrong guy if you want him to turn out how society wants him to be." I replied as I started to take the lead in the dance now that I'd listened to the rhythm.
"He asked for you, I personally don't think you'd make the best teacher…"
"He asked for me? I'll do what I can." I replied then twirled her around, she looked stunning in her dress. A beautiful satin red that made her hair look like an inferno.
The crescendo and end of the piece was coming quickly, I could tell there was something Veria wished to say, but there was a scene I wanted to create.
Veria seemed panicked as I pulled her along for the crescendo. With a flourish I stepped halfway past her and grabbed her leg, and lowered her, my other hand supporting her back as we dipped down. I kissed her soft lips and winked as she flushed crimson.
"Thanks for the dance beautiful." I helped back to her feet then left, retreating back to my corner. The whispers that spread through the crowd like wildfire made me chuckle. Acting womanly? Didn't they merely swap the definitions of masculine and feminine in the first place?
It was an odd way to call someone manly that was for sure. "Stupid!" Rebecca hit my shoulder.
"Hey!" I feigned being hurt. "What was something I was always good at?"
"Politics." She grumbled.
"Lord Fulton." Juliana looked over me. "What were you thinking?"
"Knightess Tullio, please leave my brother alone right now." Rebecca growled. Juliana glared right back.
"What gives you the right squirt?"
"I'm his sister. What are you? Oh yeah, his fuck buddy."
"I haven't fucked her though…" I protested but was completely ignored as the two of them increasingly drew the other's ire.
"You're a good for nothing sister who doesn't care for her brother's image." Juliana spat.
"You're just a slut who wants my brother's rank." Rebecca shot back.
I was most thankful when a servant waved me over. "Lord Fulton, my mistress would like to speak with you privately."
I glanced back at Rebecca and Juliana, who'd now gone to criticize each other's taste in fashion. They'd be fine without me. Who knows, maybe they'll bond over this later?
I was shown to a room a bit away from the ball room. Inside were two people, Veria and someone I could only guess was her mother. "Salutations your majesty." I bowed as the servant closed the door behind him as he left.
"Or perhaps you'd prefer if I called you Alison instead?" I asked as I took the seat across from them. The wink I sent at Veria had her blushing again.
"It's refreshing to be spoken with so frankly, I suppose that stunt you pulled in the ballroom was a plot of some sort?" The Queen smiled.
I nodded, "I must thank your daughter for playing the role perfectly."
Veria's blush turned into a glare as her mother chuckled. "I suppose it has to do with our traditions and their inconvenience to you?" Alison asked.
I nodded. "Asking Rebecca for my hand in marriage is pointless."
"You showed them… interesting." Sera might have been downplaying how smart you are.
I chuckled. "I'm just another guy."
"I envy her… could I?" She asked.
"No."
"I see. A shame then." Veria looked between the two of us as we smiled at each other like skilled politicians.
"Perhaps a different kind of alliance?" Alison proposed.
"Already pursuing a beautiful woman." I replied.
"Your rank isn't high enough for that." She clicked her tongue.
"At the moment, yes." I replied cryptically.
Alison smiled warmly. "It's been too long since I've met someone like you."
"What are you talking about mother?" Veria asked.
"Give the Baron here your full support dear. Ensnare him if you can." She winked at me.
"I'm not that easy." I replied, I leaned forward in my seat. I meant it in more ways than one too.
"About that forgein dignitary coming to visit during the festival…" I prodded
"I'm afraid I can't set aside Marchioness Numano from her duties." The Queen said. I produced a folded letter from my suit and passed it to her. She didn't even look at it.
"Now I'm tempted to make you mine."
"No thanks." I chuckled. This had taken a lot of effort on my part to get here. I wasn't about to let some fat background character get in my way.
"We'll see." Alison winked as Veria timidly took the letter and read its contents.
"How did you…" Veria stammered. I grinned wider as Alison read the letter.
"Baron Fulton…" the Queen gave me a long look as I leaned back and propped my feet on the table.
"With the Marchioness being unfit to remain a noble I must see to dividing her territories. You've done the Queendom a great service I won't soon forget." Alison smiled warmly.
"With the position being open…" I prodded.
"Yes, yes. It's yours."
I stood and bowed my head. "Thank you your majesty. I won't let you down."
As I stood before the door I glanced at Veria and winked before I slipped into the hall. Now the preparations really begin.