Aliya looked at herself in the mirror one last time. She thought she looked presentable, she was wearing a simple blue dress and a matching ribbon tied around her head to keep her loose hair from getting in her eyes. She chewed on her lower lip, she was so unused to seeing herself like this, in a dress with her hair down. She thought she looked odd but knew that she probably looked very normal.
With a sigh and a nod to herself in the mirror, she turned on her heels resolutely and walked towards the door. She picked up the pass that had been sent with the invitation the day before and with one look back to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything, she was on her way.
She stepped out into the bright sunshine and couldn't stop her eyes from sliding toward the caves. She found his cave instantly and then wrenched her eyes away, annoyed at herself. She and Kilnik had not spoken since yesterday and she wasn't ready to talk to him yet. Something clenched in the pit of her stomach as she recognized her own stubbornness. Wasn't staying silent and not speaking one of her biggest regrets with Tate at the moment, and yet she was doing the same thing to Kilnik.
She shook her head to clear her thoughts, she didn't want to examine herself too closely right now. She did need to go to this tea either way. She had no time to dwell on her shortcomings at the moment.
As she marched towards the gate that led into the city she ignored the many curious looks. She had not only been given a pass but she'd been excused from her afternoon lessons and a carriage was supposed to be waiting outside the gate to take her to the Delmont's house.
The carriage that awaited her out on the street was very fine and she felt odd to be the one getting into it. She nodded at the coachman who stiffly nodded back and as soon as she was seated they were off. They rattled down the streets and she recognized a few landmarks from the day she arrived in the capitol, the time she'd flown to Tate's house, and that one wild night she'd gone to the Palace. However, as she moved into more unfamiliar territory she realized that she hadn't seen much of the capitol at all, she'd hardly been out of the Academy grounds.
She hadn't realized it at the time but if it had been found out that she'd visited Tate at his home without getting a pass from the headmaster she could have gotten into serious trouble. Nothing had come of it so she didn't dwell on what could have been. Of course, that night she and Cade left in such a hurry the passes had been taken care of by him on his father's orders.
At last, they pulled up to a large three-story structure. It was obviously very old, made of stone, and a flowering vine crept up one corner of it. She couldn't help but smile as she took it in. She knew that Tate had not spent much of his childhood here but she couldn't help but imagine a small boyish Tate running up the steps and into this house.
A footman came out of the house and smartly straightening his jacket as he walked he came to open the door for her. He looked about her age and when he held out his hand to help her down she took it and couldn't help but blush. She wasn't used to being treated like this. The servants at Castle Nourii had been her dear friends, almost family to her they had never waited on her and she had never expected them to. The only person they had treated like nobility was Tate while she was treated like an equal.
Someone who was the same age as her bowing to her, helping her get out of a carriage, and not meeting her eyes was very strange to her. She suddenly felt like this dress was too tight and ill-fitting. What if she looked silly? What if Lady Kira thought she didn't care enough to take time to dress properly for such a coveted invitation?
It was well known and discussed by the girls around her at the Academy that Lady Delmont was a leader in society. Even if she'd gone a bit quiet lately, could anyone blame her? Her son was missing? At least this is what Aliya heard said by others. She knew more than anyone that what Lady Kira was experiencing was more than society could understand. She probably had no wish to socialize. Which made Aliya even more nervous, she wanted to make a good impression on the woman who in her mind could only be inviting her in the middle of a very distressing time for her personally.
While she was lost in this tangle of thoughts she was led to the door by the same footman and without her being much aware of it the door had opened.
Again more bowing and an older gentleman ushered her into the house and into a cozy sitting room just off the main hall.
"Lady Delmont will be down shortly, please make yourself comfortable, my lady."
She almost corrected him about the "lady" part, then thought better of it. The Delmont's were very close with the Emperor and he had demanded she call herself and act like a lady because he had made her one. She didn't want any hint of a mistake to make its way back to him.
Alone in the room, she allowed herself to walk around the furniture and inspect the space. There was a fireplace in the center of the room and in a semicircle facing it were some very comfortable sofas and chairs. This room looked like one that was used often. It was tidy but just the hint of shabbyness that said it was a well-loved space. She was reaching out to touch the corner of a pastoral painting when a voice from behind made her jump about a foot in the air.
"Who are you?"
Gasping she whirled and saw someone she had never seen before. He was a handsome man with golden hair and brown, if not bloodshot, eyes. His hair was unkempt and his eyes were glassy. His state of dress was also disheveled, she'd seen men like him often as a child. He looked very much like a man who had spent the night out in the town and was only now returning home. He looked about to collapse.
"I asked who you are?" He repeated harshly.
She gulped, she thought she knew who this was but she wanted to be sure.
"Lord Delmont, I mean Lord Dian Delmont?"
He scowled at her. "Do you know me? Let's be fair then, who are you?" He said each of the last three words like they were their own sentence.
"I-I'm Aliya." She didn't even think to put the lady in there, she was too nervous. She'd never thought much about Tate's older brother besides the times Tate had talked of him. She could never have imagined that his presence would be so...scary?
At her name, his eyes softened, which helped her fear but didn't make it disappear.
"Ah," he seemed at a loss, "I suppose mother invited you?"
"Yes."
"Hummm. Well, it's nice to meet you at last."
"Yo-you too." She stammard.
After a long pause where neither moved, he suddenly asked. "Did he ever talk about me? When you lived together, that is?"
She blinked caught off guard by the sudden question. "He did."
He said nothing but seemed to be waiting. She saw the fingers of his hand twitch.
"He would tell me stories of the cases you'd won."
He scoffed. "How could he tell you that, he only heard about those things secondhand."
She shrugged not knowing what he wanted. "He was always very proud to tell me stories. Sometimes he read them from the paper, if we could get one. Other times he was just retelling what he'd been told just as you said."
She didn't know what it was but something in her short report affected him. She actually saw him shudder all over and he turned to the side where a table she hadn't noticed held a decanter and verious drinks. He poured one with already shakey fingers and tossed the amber liquied back wihtout pause.
He looked back at her over his shoulders. He caughed to himself. "Uh, thank you. For telling me that." He said awkwardly. "He spoke highly of you when he returned. I'm sorry I'm not able to stay with you and mother duirng your visit but perhaps some other time." Even as he was saying these things his eyes were darting anywhere but where she stood.
He bowed abruptly. "A pleasure meeting you, Aliya. I hope to see you in the future." He stood and with seemingly great effort he made eye contact. "I'd like to hear your stories of Tate sometime if you're willing."
She didn't know what else to do but nod.
He cleared his throat one more time and whirled. He left the room and almost ran into his mother on her way out.
"Dian!" Her voice was happy as she called out to him but he didn't stop.
"Sorry, Mother I've got an appointment." He dind't even look at her or back at Aliya as he left the house, the door slamming behind him.
Aliya turned her eyes to Lady Kira who stood in the doorway of the sitting room with her own eyes trained on the now closed front door. Her brow was furrowed and she looked troubled.
After a long moment passed she let out a long breath and then looked at Aliya.
She smiled softly. "Hello dear. It is good to see you again. Thank you for coming"