(Azriel POV)
I stared at the reflection in the mirror. My maids had cleaned me up rather well after my morning encounter. The girl who looked back at me was a model of propriety, with noble features. Her petite figure was encased in an off-shoulder sapphire gown matching her eyes, her creamy skin was offset by a simple strand of diamonds and sapphires strung together and her chestnut brown hair was up in a simple but elegant bun, embellished with small sapphire pins. A perfect morning outfit for a noble woman of Andora.
My maid, Arma, finished with a small spritz of rosewater on my wrists and sighed, "Mistress you look beautiful indeed."
I smiled back at her, I knew she meant what she said. She was my age and we both had grown up together, playing in the castle grounds till puberty when our paths began diverging.
I grabbed her hand suddenly and said, "Don't call me Mistress when we are alone Arma, you are my only friend."
She dropped her eyes and said, "It would not seem right if it were to slip off my tongue, so I wish to make it a habit, mistress."
I sighed. My carefree days were definitely behind me. In a year or two, I would be having to make even tougher choices than the colour of a gown.
I made my way downstairs to the Northern gardens where the Fiesta was being held for our Northern visitors. I was excited to be part of the grown-up events now and would be presented in the spring to the courts, as part of the debutantes for the year. My middle sister, Eva, had had her debut last year and with her sunny disposition and golden brown hair she had many suitors. Yet, father was considering and weighing the proposals that had come in the past few months. It was a strange custom indeed, where the noblewomen were presented in the spring and proposals were accepted after Christmas. Till then of course, there were fetes and fiestas and balls and parties to attend. My sister had had a flurry of invitations and had enjoyed her moments of fame. Unlike me, she was an extrovert and loved the spotlight.
I wasn't so sure of my own reception at the courts. I was neither as stunningly beautiful as my eldest sister, nor as charming as my middle sister. Since the discovery of my wings, and my 'transformation', my anxiety on my debut had only risen. I had nightmares of transforming into a hideous creature in the middle of my debut, or at a ball, of being hunted and booed by the nobles present.
I pushed those dark thoughts from my mind as I fixed a smile on my face and stepped out into the gardens. Musicians were playing a quartet in a corner, while liveried staff walked around with heaped plates of delicacies and flutes of wine. I spotted my sister standing next to mother, both dressed in dark red, the colour of the rubies of Andora. My father found it amusing that we all had our favourite colours and often called us his jewels. My sister, was dressed in a rather daring gown, low cut to show off her bosom, and slit at the thigh. A net of rubies adorned her throat and more sparkled from her ears. Her dark brown eyes were animated, as she listened to something mother was whispering in her ear.
I looked ahead to see father sitting under a large canopy with our Northern guests. Unlike most Andorans, they were dressed in black from head to toe, with leather belts strapped from shoulder to waist, adorned with medals won in many wars. They looked out of place among the rest of the nobles and their expressions were somber. Malvin and Galvin were dressed in matching deep blues, to match their eyes, much like mine, but darker, like fathers. They were as always surrounded by a bevy of admiring young men and women.
I stood alone for a moment, wondering where to go, when father called out to me and said, "Come Azriel, meet our esteemed guests."
Father's voice was already a little unsteady and I could see half a goblet of wine in front of him. Our visitors drank only water it seemed.
I walked upto the trio, under the canopy and curtsied deep. I looked up and realized it was a mistake as my gaze fell on the Duke himself. He looked hewn from the very mountains he had come from. He was tall and broad and had a chiseled jawline. His eyes were a piercing black, like the midnight sky, fringed by the longest lashes I had seen on a man, and he held my gaze. I felt like a gawking fool and immediately made amends for my stupefied appearance. Surely these men would take me for a fool, first the morning bedraggled appearance and then the gawking now. Instead, I attempted to nod to the Duke's brother and felt my heart skip a beat. He was the most strange man I would have ever seen, with skin the colour of caramel, a shock of inky dark hair and eyes that...that were flecked with spots of gold. He looked younger than his brother but still rough and dangerous. The latter came from a deep red scar, running from temple to jawline, marring his looks. I dropped my gaze and nodded at him. It was difficult to look at that livid red scar for too long. He looked at me sardonically, as if he expected this reaction from me.
The Duke broke the awkward silence and said, "You would have thought that your riches were in the mines Vazriel, but it seems they are here in your castle. Both your daughters are very beautiful."
My father did not smile at the compliment like he would have and said, "Azriel has not made her debut yet. There are still a few months left for it."
The Duke laughed, a deep rumbling laugh and said, "Oh, we have truly become so civilized in the Northern states as well have we not in the past few years. Queen Ishatar would have us play these little games of foppery and finesses. In Irismus we would have no such foolishness. Marriages are alliances and not dalliances old friend."
My father did not counter the Duke, but nodded almost reverentially. I looked up at him in shock. This was quite unlike father but he had not quite been himself since he had returned from court since our sister's debut.
I thought of lessening the sudden tension in the air and asked, "I hope our guests are well looked after?"
The Duke sized me up and down rather calculatingly and looked at his brother who sat silently observing the scene playing out.
"I would like for you Azriel to show my brother the gardens. We have no such frivolities in our Kingdom and I am sure he would be curious to see how the rest of the world lives."
I gulped and said, "Yes, of course, Your Grace, I would be most happy to do so."
I watched as the young man got up from his chair with a litheness and grace with a smile on his face. For a moment he looked almost angelic and serene, but the scar looked even more fierce when he smiled. I shut those thoughts down and smiled at him, "Shall we?"
He offered me an arm, encased in a black glove and I gingerly held it as we walked out into the gardens.