After coaxing Caio to go our separate ways for a while, with the promise that I would call him out if there was anything wrong – anything at all, he had insisted – I went to find 19 who was predictably at the buffet table.
"You couldn't have gotten more attention if you had tried," she shook her head ruefully at me as she heaped tomato pasta on her plate. "What's up with that grand entrance?"
'I know,' I replied sheepishly. 'Caio was being stubborn.'
At the mention of Caio, 19 scanned the room trying to spot him. Her gaze finally landed on him at the opposite side of the room, having a drink with a few other military officers. "Whatever did you do to get a man like that to notice you?" she sighed dreamily. She sounded like a fan girl fantasizing about her idol, and I couldn't blame her.
Caio did look every inch like a famous celebrity, and if it weren't for my frequent interactions with him, I'd probably have drooled over him the way 19 was prone to do recently. But because I knew his personality, I was well aware that behind the dashing look he was down to earth, very approachable, and easy to talk to. That's why I trusted him completely, like I trusted my older brother.
'I almost died in the middle of a battlefield,' I said dryly. 'That's what I involuntarily did to get his attention.' Thinking back to that horrific night made me feel a trace of nostalgia. Because even though it had only happened about half a year ago, it definitely felt like another lifetime to me. I had experienced more in Luxentfort in the few months I had been here, than I did living all my life in Seoul.
"If I could get him to rescue me, I'd sign up for the next war," 19 commented and I chuckled as I walked to the dessert section. I hadn't had dinner yet, but it never hurt to check out what pastry options there were. After all, for me, dessert was its own meal category.
*****
Lucrezia surveyed her reflection in the mirror. She was wearing a red dress with transparent long sleeves and a plunging neckline. The color was vivid, like a thousand rubies were squeezed out of their luster in order to lend it to the fabric. She had accessorized with dangling diamond earrings and finished it off by asking her maids to style her hair in an artistic knot with a few carefully loose strands. She looked absolutely stunning – and that was her simply acknowledging the truth, of course.
Despite the awful announcement that Alessandro was set to make at the ball, she was in a rather celebratory mood. He may not even bother to look at her tonight, too besotted by the servant girl who had turned the imperial palace upside down, but that would soon change. At the end of the day, he could only be with someone who was actually there. And Lucrezia had taken measures to make certain that it won't be the scullery maid.
I had decided to indulge myself and get vanilla ice cream with hot chocolate syrup later. Whatever fat I would accumulate, I could easily lose it tomorrow while doing my chores. And just like that, I easily ended the internal debate I had with myself. I was about to find Caio so we could grab dinner together when I heard a loud announcement, "His Royal Majesty Emperor Alessandro Luca de Rossi."
Just like at the last ball, the room went on a standstill and everyone bowed, waiting for the emperor to walk to the end of the hall to his designated chair. It was so quiet I could hear 1's footsteps on the marbled floor. But instead of getting farther away, it seemed to be drawing closer. When a shadow fell across me, I lifted my head to see 1 standing mere inches apart.
"How do you like them?" Alessandro asked with a grin, referring to the desserts. "I ordered your favorites."
'What are you doing?' I hissed, looking shell shocked. Everyone was staring at us, and I could feel my cheeks burning up even though he was essentially blocking me from view. 'You should go to your seat.'
"Want to join me?" Alessandro teased, enjoying how rattled she looked. She really needed to loosen up. On second thought, she was relaxed enough when she was with Caio. But it was with him that she became antsy. The thought made him frown.
'Stop joking and just go to your seat,' I entreated him. Seriously, this guy could be such a handful sometimes. Caio had acted out earlier and now 1 was doing the same. What was it with this evening? Was it a full moon or something?
"You don't even want to be seen with me?" Alessandro asked gently, discarding any attempt at humor. He really wanted to know.
'I just don't want to cause a scene,' I clarified, putting my hand on his cheek to console him. He seemed so sad I couldn't help it. He had the look of a puppy that was rejected, but didn't know why. Damn him for making me feel guilty for no reason at all.
"You won't," Alessandro assured her. He took the hand she had placed on his cheek, and then he bowed and kissed it. He smiled against her skin when he heard her breath hitch. There was also a collective gasp in the room as the guests gaped openly at the emperor bestowing a kiss on his lowest ranked concubine – a scullery maid at that – but Alessandro didn't pay them any mind. Before the night was over, they won't be able to take their eyes off of her. That would be a scene.