***
Vincent felt someone's eyes lingering on his back and slowly turned to look back, only to see Armond passing up the stairs. He observed his back for a moment and when he saw nothing was out of place, Vincent stood up from upon Astrid and extended his hand to pull Astrid up. Astrid softly turned herself to a side and stood up on her own. But Vincent still stubbornly held her arm and kept her with himself and looked at Cordelia with dissatisfaction, which was very much clear in his eyes.
He wanted it to be a peaceful day, even his clothes were somehow stained with dust then he also lowered his head and looked Astrid from head to toe, her dress doesn't seem to be ruined, luckily, it was really a premium piece, what was he thinking at such a time, he chided himself for these nonsensical thoughts.
When Astrid saw him looking at her, no, his eyes were slightly lower than her face level, 'where were his eyes exactly looking…' she was immediately angered and looked at him with disdain. He has finally gone mad, she scoffed.
Vincent was slightly confused when he saw her disdainful look, 'obviously she was very much filled with gratitude for me just a few minutes ago, what happened now.' But he refused to delve much deeper into this thought and focused back at Cordelia.
The rest of the people who were shocked from the blast also stood up from their seats and simultaneously turned their head to look at Cordelia, their eyes only contained anger, humiliation, only little amount of people in the group really grieved for anyone.
Even when she faced questioning gaze of the public she managed to calmly stand up and face them…
'Woman I must say, I respect you…', he commented internally
*****
Cordelia slowly surveyed the every inch of the ballroom and her mirthful eyes drank in the red colored landscape. 'Ah, she was savoring it, every bit of it…'
Her gently ticking fingers did leak her inner bubbling sentiments of restlessness and thrill. Armond also felt her deep emotions and thus, kept his eyes fixed on Cordelia, he knew that she was enjoying this atrocity, but he has to make her focus on the aftermath of the current situation, after all, she seriously has to handle all those people who are angry and eager to blame tonight on someone's head .
The master and her servant both really understood each other's thoughts and emotions.
Armond gradually walked up the stairs, towards her, while his eyes collected everyone's confused and chaotic state, but when they passed over from Vincent, they lingered on him for few more moments then he scrutinized the woman who was pressed under him. He gently breathed and continued climbing up the stairs which led him up to Cordelia; he humbly knelt before her on his one knee and extended his hand.
Cordelia narrowed her eyes a little and anger flashed in her cold eyes, but Armond knew she was irritated for being interrupted in her revelry.
But she still placed her hands on his forearm and gently stood up with poise. When she stood up straight, she eyes mapped every corner of the room and started addressing everyone by first offering condolences to everyone for the grief caused to them by all the events that happened tonight and even they themselves did not expect for such accident to happen.
"My dearest Guests, we will soon investigate the truth behind everything that happened tonight, whether it was a conspiracy or pure misfortune will soon come to light. I hope everyone will bear this burden of pain with me, we will successfully overcome this situation without any further causalities and misplaced grief." Said Cordelia.
"The medical help will soon reach to everyone in need, I urge you to stay calm and may you all have a peaceful night." Cordelia continued in firm and Kind voice, she would not accept any objection otherwise. After saying her piece she quickly left the throne room from back exits.
*****