Subsistent Lies

I looked at this Ambassador from Vespar…Gabriel was it? He turned me to him and we started with a slow dance. “You look like I’m going to kill you.” Gabriel smiled, looking down at me.

I furrowed my eyes and looked down. “Tis not my lord.”

“Please call me Gabriel.”

“Gabriel,” I overstrained his name. “It is just, I must watch my sisters. I do not trust the young men around tonight and knowing my sisters…”

“Are you always so protective of them?” He asked, breaking me of my thoughts.

I looked from him and finally whispered, “It is my duty.”

“Your duty?”

“I am the reason that…“ I faltered and mentally slapped myself. I did not want to reveal what he didn’t know. Besides, it wasn’t his business.

“I will drop it for now, but wouldn’t it be nice if you could relax, just this once. I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt you.”

I knew that he was right, but I couldn’t help it. I didn’t want to see any of us hurt anymore then we had to be, so I did what I only knew to do. I sighed and tried to relax in his arms. “It is a wonderful party?” He said trying to change the subject.

“I suppose. I can not prance about parties when I have worries over other things.” This time I felt him chuckle and I looked up into the piercing green eyes that were looking down at me. “What is it this time? Do you mock me?”

“No, I find it very amusing.”

“Amusing? What is so amusing?”

“You do not remember me, do you?”

I looked down and thought. I did not remember ever seeing this man, especially if he was from Vespar. In fact, I hadn’t really met the nobility aside from when I was little. Wait, there was earlier in the day when…“You are the one I spoke to earlier, are you not?” I finally whispered.

“Ah.”

“You are the reason why I am here tonight. If you had not told me-“

“I only told you that you were probably scared of what your sister’s suitor would do to her. How did that lead to you dancing with me?”

“You gave me an idea, is all, which did not go as I had planned.”

“I see.”

There was silence and we spoke no more. I looked up after a while and observed this Ambassador. He looked young, around Calib’s age, and already he had a sense of knowledge about him. He had a strong jaw line and wonderful curls of dark brown hair that traveled from his head down to his neck. I watched his face and saw that he intently watched in another direction. His green eyes, that looked vivid and alive, reminded me of apples that grew in the trees of the woods each spring. Though I did not want to admit it, this man was very handsome. He had an aura of pride and even a sense of pain around him. It was a while before he realized he was being watched and looked down at me and said, “I felt your eyes on me.”

Startled that he had realized I was gazing upon him so adoringly, I looked down and mumbled, “I was gazing up at the ceiling.”

“Ah, and the ceiling can be a wonderful thing.” I could hear the amusement in his voice and felt my face turn red.

He pulled me closer to him and I could smell a scent of wood and honey and drove myself crazy. What man was this to drive me so foolish inside of my head? I felt his breathe on my ear and heard him whisper, “If it’s the ceiling you marvel at, I’m trying hard not to be amazed by the whole beauty of you.”

I knew then I must have turned a thousand shades red. I released myself from him and whispered, “Thank you for the dance but I must return to my mother. I will not leave her to herself.”

“At a loss my lady?” He asked amused.

I didn’t want to let him know he could win so easily. “No sir, but I can do without the compliments. I should be courted on the morrow and compliments will do me no good.”

“Courted?” he raised one of his brows and I looked the other way, trying not to think of the doom I was faced to go through.

“Aye, courted.”

“You told me…”

“I told you I have yet to be declared betrothed, but I never told you when I was.”

He walked toward me and pulled me to him once more as anther song played. “Yours surely will be a loss to all of Anevia. Yours and your sisters.”

“I do not want to be humbled by your words.”

“You need to think of yourself for once, and I feel that you’ve neglected that duty for some time.”

I opened my mouth to think of something snide to say, but nothing but air came out. I sighed and nodded. “What business brings you here tonight?” I asked after a while.

He seemed to stiffen, and then finally mumbled. “I came on matters dealing with the land Valence and most recently the Gulliver’s.”

“Colin and Calib? What business must you attend with those two?”

“You know of Colin and Calib?” he asked, looking down at me.

I nodded as he spun me, and then brought me closer to him once more. “Of course, I’ve only known them since my childhood years. In fact, all of my sisters have known those two since we’ve been babes. We grew up beside them.”

“Is that so?”

“Aye. I am disappointed in the both of them though, or more particularly one.”

“One?” He raised a brow and looked down at me.

“Calib…he dishonored me this noon. He speaks of loving me, but how can I love someone who…” I felt my anger start to resurface and I used all I had in me not to think of his disappointment.

“I see I’m not the only one who saw his dismantle of his horse by the push of the wind.”

“Yes!!” I spoke loudly and I’m sure got stares. I excused them and started to mumble. “He falls from his horse and Darius is not near him at all. It was the most dishonorable move I’ve seen him make in all his years, and I still shun him for his cowardice.”

“He is here?” he asked, looking around.

I narrowed my eyes and pulled from him. “No sir. If you only use me to know more of the Gulliver’s, then you are as dishonorable as Calib…” I turned and walked from the ball room to an outside patio.

I looked up at the stars and prayed for father. Why did he leave me here, knowing all the duty I had to deal with? Why was I so awe struck by Gabriel, even though he showed no interest in me? “Lady Zaria?” I heard a soft whisper behind me a couple minutes later and it was the first time I realized I had started to cry.

“Please leave me, whoever you are.”

The person seemed to ignore this comment and walked closer. “Please!” I yelled this as I turned to whoever it was and saw it was Gabriel.

I turned the other way; the nerve of him to come to me after his insult. “I did not wish to upset you. I was curious. The Gulliver’s have done me much harm and I do not want to see them do the same to you or your family.”

By the time he had finished his sentence I could feel him breathe on my neck and I closed my eyes. “I only come to apologize.”

“I accept it.” I finally whispered.

He turned me to him and I looked up at his eyes. “If there is anything I can do for you, or your sisters, please do not hesitate to my door. I bid you farewell, my lady.”

I knew that he wanted to kiss me and for a second I wished for his lips to fall on mine. I closed my eyes and then thought of my sisters and my mother. I sighed as I pushed him away. “I bid you a good night as well, Lord Giovanni.”

I heard his sigh as I turned back to the sky and felt his touch on my face, before turning around and leaving me alone. I closed my eyes at the tears that threatened, and fiercely pushed them from my eyes. There was no time for my cries when my sisters needed me. I gave one more longing look to the sky, before turning around and slowly entering the ball once more.