L a u r e n c e C h a m b e r s
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S i g r i d C h a m b e r s
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The Thornes arrived not long after the Chambers had. The siblings watched with just a hint of curiosity as they approached the king. Sigrid couldn’t decide if their daughter was hauntingly beautiful, or just haunting with her paper-pale skin and large eyes. Elira turned to her sister and whispered, “The young Lady Thorne would make a fascinating subject.” Sigrid knew very little about art beyond what she thought looked good when it was finished. On matters of finery and art, Sigrid regularly deferred to her sister’s superior knowledge and judgement. And then there was the matter of the Thorne brothers. Alec seemed to be watching them intently. Laurence seemed less interested.in the sons. They were a handsome family, that much was obvious, but there was something about Bastion that screamed trouble. Kester was gentler in his appearance than his brother, pretty almost.
“Careful brother, I think you might be the least pretty one here,” she teased Laurence. Laurence looked sideways at her and shook his head with a wry smile on his lips.
“Now, now Sigrid. I’m much prettier than you are.”
Elira and Alec were biting their lips to hold back a laugh. Alec had lost some of his decorum and disguised his chuckle as clearing his throat. Sigrid arched an eyebrow, but Laurence’s smile did not falter.
The steward announced the arrival of House Daverny and it felt like the room drew in a collective breath. Even those among them who didn’t pay attention to the courtly intrigues knew there was bad blood between the Davernys and the Castillons. Alec had wondered if they would accept the king’s invitation. To his credit, King Rowan handled the situation amicably, without a hint of animosity. And then it was time to meet their potential prizes; the princes and the princess. Even Alec could admit that Princess Westerly was a beautiful woman. Sigrid rubbed her arm, something Alec had often noticed his sister doing when praise was heaped on Elira. He reached back and squeezed his eldest sister’s hand in what he hoped was a reassuring manner as the king announced a feast the families’ collective honour.
Sigrid looked down at the pale hand in her own. A small smile graced her lips and she squeezed his hand in return. The Castillons had been blessed with handsome children. The princes probably would have had maidens swooning without their titles, and Westerly was the picture-perfect princess between them. She placed a hand on Elira’s shoulder. “Be careful, Ellie.”
Elira went to turn to query her sister when a voice captured her attention. “Hello, my lady. You are absolutely breathtaking.” The pause in his words gave Elira half a moment to asses the man before her. Desmond was handsome, no doubt, and there was a roguishness to his looks. “Would you do me the honour of letting me escort you to dinner?”
Laurence seemed to have forgotten how to breathe as he awaited Ellie’s response to the prince. He cast a glance at Alec. It was not helpful as his baby brother was as unreadable as he near always was. Laurence knew of the younger prince by reputation and a fierce rush of protectiveness overcame him and quelled just as quickly. Elira was an adult, a woman in her own right. She knew her own mind and the expectations that rested on her shoulders. She was, he realised, much better trained for this than he was.
A soft smile graced Elira’s lips as she dipped into a curtsey. “You flatter me, Your Highness. I would be honoured to be your guest to dinner,” she said as she placed her hand in Desmond’s for him to escort her.
With Elira gone, the remaining siblings looked at each other. “Well, I can’t ask anyone, can I?”
Across the hall, Declan was escorting Lady Rivers to the dining hall. “Well, that is interesting.” The elder siblings looked at Alec. “Well, Lady Rivers is a bastard child and Declan is the heir. He’s bypassed Lady Isolde, who by the laws of court, is much more eligible bachelorette than her partial sister. Have heart, dear Sigrid, you may be queen by summer’s end.”
Sigrid punched Alec’s arm. “I don’t want to be queen.”
“Should I ask Lady Isolde then?”
“No. Lady Cavalier has her sights set on the throne. Unless you were serious in courting Lady Isolde, I wouldn’t suggest it.”
“Then who should I ask? They all seem perfectly lovely.”
Alec was silent as he perused the hall for the maiden who would match his brother. Alec already knew who he would ask. Laurence watched Sigrid lean in and whisper something in Alec’s ear. Alec nodded. “Lady Sister and I agree that you should ask Lady Thorne.”
Laurence swallowed the bubbling nerves as he crossed the hall to Lady Amara Thorne. It was one thing approaching a girl he knew was interested, but this was different. He knew very little of this woman. She might choose to humiliate him. This was so public. And then he was in front of her. He bowed to her. “Lady Thorne, I was wondering if you would be so kind as to afford me the honour of escorting you to dinner.”
With Laurence taken care of, Sigrid and Alec watched the crowd for the moment. Gods above, Alec hated this part. Still, as soon as this season was over, he could live out the rest of his life as a confirmed bachelor. If he couldn’t secure a wife among the most elite women of the realm, then where would he find one? “Go and ask her.”
“And leave you alone? I would never.”
Sigrid gently pushed her brother forward. “I’ll be fine, Alec. Now go, ask.”
He considered telling her she was acting like mother, but he remembered the deadly glare he had received the last time he did that. Alec was fairly certain he had lost a few years off his life after that incident. He nodded and began mingling with the crowd of people. Sigrid watched him go, trying not to feel too self-conscious as she stood alone in the hall. Alec made his way to the Mercier children, particularly to Lady Brynlee. She was the quieter daughter, from what he remembered, and therefore less likely to draw attention to herself, or to him. “Lady Brynlee,” he said with a bow. “May I accompany you to dinner?”
E l i r a C h a m b e r s
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A l e c C h a m b e r s
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