Kidaya was still discussing with some of the Lords when Minister Edgare approaches her with his guest and the second Prince. When Vaughn had heard the minister agree to introduce his guest to the diamond, he had tagged along.
"Miss Simon." Minister Edgare calls stopping in front of her with his guest beside him.
From where he stood surrounded by Mothers and their daughters who were still trying to introduce their daughters to him, Ralph saw them approach his sister. Excusing himself from the crowd, he heads over to stand beside Kidaya.
The guest takes her gloved hands and places a kiss on the back of her hand. "It is an honor to meet you, Diamond."
This gave Kidaya a clear view of his ring. Smiling, she pulls her hand away. "I hear you are a guest of Minister Edgare, My Lord." She says sweetly and it forces the second Prince who was standing behind the man to look up at her in surprise at her faked sweetness.
He rolls his eyes in disbelief. Of course, the girl was already trying to seduce the man into a proposal for herself, without caring that he is way older than her, or may already be married.
"It pleases me to know you have been enquiring about me." The man says.
She gave him another sweet smile. "I just –" the music begins behind them, and people begin to take their places on the dance floor.
"May I?" the guest asks just as the second Prince steps forward to ask.
Her eyes taking note of the second prince who had stepped forward, she nods her head and takes the guest's hand, and together, they step into the dance floor.
The Duke who had been heading in their direction, paused in his steps when he saw the man take the Diamond to the dance floor. He was about to turn away when he heard someone call his name. looking up, it was the Second Prince.
Stopping in front of his cousin, he gives him a smile. "It has been a long time, Trenton." the Second Prince says to him.
The Duke only stares at him without uttering a word.
"When did you come into town? I know I saw you at the Wen ball, was it then?" Still, he got no response from his cousin. Vaughn scoffs, "You should at least stop by the Palace and say hello to Mother, I am sure she has heard you are in town and she misses you."
"Ah ahh!" came the exclamation from the Duke. "Your mother you mean," Trenton says.
At the Duke's words, Prince Vaughn looks up at his cousin. "You possibly can't be …" but the Duke walks away before he can complete his sentence. The boy was still as stubborn as ever.
Grabbing a glass from a passing server, Vaughn downs it in one go and returns the glass with a thud. Jaw twitching, he opens the button of his tailcoat and takes off his curate, opening the first button on his shirt, and with a sigh, he turns to leave but catches the diamond's eye on him, and somehow, he pauses in his steps. Her eyes raked over him, those green eyes somehow stirring something within him. Something he couldn't quite tell what it was.
She had been talking and dancing with the guest when somehow, her eyes had caught the rude prince and the Duke talking. So they knew each other. But then, she had seen the Duke walk away furiously, and somehow, that had gotten even the prince furious. She was going to look away, but then she saw him begin to unbutton his coat and take off his curate, and she couldn't just take her eyes off him anymore. Something about such a scandalous sight excited her. She was still staring when he turned and caught her, but instead of looking away immediately, she ran another look at him from his head, before staring into his eyes, and when she did, when their eyes met, she felt her heart take a leap. What could it mean?
The guest was still talking about himself and his adventures, unaware of what was going on as they danced on.
Eyes staring into hers, the Prince begins to head in the direction where she and the guest danced, not for even a second taking his eyes off her.
Around that same time, a servant walks forward and whispers into the guest's ears. With the nod, the guest sends the servant away. "I am afraid I must end our dance here, My Lady." The guest says as they stop dancing.
With a fake smile on her face, she breaks her look with the Prince and looks at the man in front of her. "Why? I quite enjoyed the dance with you, My Lord. You are one excellent dancer I must confess, Lord?" she drags the last word purposely.
"Reyes." The man fills in. "You may call me Reyes, my beautiful Lady."
Still smiling, "You put all the other Lords of Vianto to shame with your dancing skills, Lord Reyes."
Offering her a bow and all the smile he has, "Just like you put every other Lady in this hall to shame." He winks at her. "I just need to take care of a little business and I will be back. Perhaps when I return, we could take a small walk outside and admire the flowers together?" he questions with a grin, his eyes suggesting other possibilities.
"Business! This night. I do hope you have guards with you, it is quite late. Where?" Kidaya says to him
Smiling, "Down Lumber Street." The man says, falling into her trap. "Thank you for worrying about me, I do have two guards with me and no more, although once I meet with the Bishop, they'll be nothing to worry about. I'll see you later, Diamond." He says with a bow before turning and leaving.
Kidaya smiles at the curve of her lips. She had what she needed. That old fart!
But, were all mens thought about how to ruin a Lady or involve her in a scandal? The nerve for him to suggest a walk outside with her, he must think her a fool.
Looking ahead, Kidaya saw the Prince still heading in her direction, eyes on her. She would bet a hundred coins he was about to say rude things to her about how she had stared at him openly with his shirt unbuttoned. Deciding tonight was not the night to be entangled in an endless nerve-racking discussion with him, she quickly pulls the Lord closest to her away from his dance partner, and pushes the Lady towards the Prince, just as he arrives in front of her.
The Lady whose partner she'd taken, Margery was angry about being pushed and her stolen partner, until she realized whom she had been pushed to. The Prince! Not wanting to lose her chance, she immediately fakes a swoon, making sure she falls into the Prince's arms, with her eyes closed.
Furious was far from what he felt as he watched the Lady in his arms carry out her little drama. It disgusted him, especially as she was making no attempt to stand up because she wanted him to lift her up himself, and she wanted everyone to see it. Of course she got what she wanted because the entire hall began to surround them with Lady Weatherby rushing forward to aid her daughter's charade.
Ridiculous! The Prince thought.
Prince Vaughn cursed inaudibly rolling his eyes. Looking up to search for the one who had caused all this havoc, he saw the Diamond standing behind the crowd with a well plastered smile on her face as she watched him. He glares at her, only to receive a curtsey and a slight bow of her head, before she turns and leaves with Park, Minister Edgare's son. Fuck! Now he was going to be occupied the entire evening.
"I just feel a bit tipsy that's all. If I could get maybe a corner or room where I can rest for some minutes without disturbance, then I'm sure I'll be fine." Kidaya says to the young Lord beside her as they walk away.
"I completely understand, Miss Simon. This way." Park says leading the way. He takes her to a room in a corner of the hallway and lets her in.
"Does it have a window? I'd like to sit close to one and get some fresh air before I return to the ballroom." Kidaya says.
"Yes, it does." He moves over to the window and opens it for her. "Feel free to rest in here, I'll keep the servants away and come back for you in thirty minutes or if your brother asks for you. Is that okay?"
Nodding. "Yes, it is. Thank you very much for allowing me to inconvenience you at your family's ball."
"Not at all, I am glad I could help."
"Can you not let anyone know I am here? They may gossip if -
"Surely, I will tell no one."
Smiling. "Thank you."
Smiling back, he bows and leaves the room closing the door behind him.
A minute after he left, Kidaya hurries to the door and bolts it from inside. Without wasting time, she quickly begins to take off her gown, revealing the black attire she wore under her ball gown. Of course, she had worn little jewelry and an extra long gown tonight for a reason. Taking off her gloves and jewelry, she quickly covers her face with a piece of clothes she ties behind her head. Pulling out a small container from her gown pocket, she opens the container, dips her right index inside, and picks up the fake eye contacts which she carefully applies to her eye. She had bought it years ago at a Western market outside Vianto. Now she had black eyes instead of her green ones. When she was done, she looks out the window to be sure no one was outside, then she jumps out.
~
Using the commotion that was happening around the Prince, he steps out of the hall and heads for his carriage. He steps into it and after a few minutes, he steps out in a different attire. Sword in hand, he runs in the direction of the bush.
The man had left the hall few minutes ago and must be headed to meet his companion. Whatever the man had to deliver or receive, he wanted to have it and maybe, this would give him the ultimate clue he has been looking for.