The carriage halted to a slow stop to get in line with the throng of carriages passing by the front courtyard. The process was fast and smooth, invitations handed in and received and the guests ushered into the main mansion where the ball was being held. As Niko and I were special guests, we were led to a more private entrance.
Back then, before I ever knew that it would be Niko who'd stand in as August, I had wondered why the Varemonts had gifted their son a house now that he was to marry. It was Carnelian nobility tradition for the eldest heir to inherit everything including their estate. Just recently, I'd realized that it was for the sole reason that they didn't want too many eyes on Nikolas, who was pretending to be their son. The excuse they'd made for going against tradition had been so that they could allow August a chance of privacy as his married life began. He would eventually return to the estate with Erilyn, they had promised.
