Erryk made eye contact with Zara before baring his neck, and turning his gaze towards Jennifer. The Empress turned her gaze towards Zara, with a cold look in her eyes. Zara for her part met Jennifer’s and returned the look.
"Go ahead, dear cousin." Jennifer said. Zara merely nodded, and with a quick movement went for Erryk’s arm to lead him off, her green eyes wide and burning.
Zara urged Erryk to join her on the floor for the dance then, smiling with satisfaction.
Allaria
Alena turned to Matthew and Allaria, a smile on her face that they all knew was false. Not because they could see it, but because they all knew what the air was like between them.
"So. How are you two?" Alena asked Matthew and Allaria.
Good, until you and your Vyrsarak ilk showed up, was what Allaria was thinking. But she needed to be polite. “Quite well, if you should ask. Having a man like Matthew Holland makes me very happy indeed.” Allaria followed that statement with a move to kiss Matthew.
Allaria smiled and continued. “And you have no idea how ecstatic I am to see you here…”
Then she sensed a presence behind her…
Albert
Where the fuck is Isabel, godamnit? Albert thought to himself as he shouldered through the crowds, in search of his cousin.
Albert didn’t like being around all these insufferable lords that he knew mocked him behind his back, but he was courteous and polite anyway. He had to play the part, and he was a guest of Perrin, whom he considered a friend, someone who vaguely understood him. Not many people do.
As Albert moved about, he shuffled through a group of young girls, all of whom scurried before him like sewer rats before a man with a flashlight…some of them were Caroline’s, he could tell. Alexia and Alexandra, and his cousin Victor’s daughter Rebecca. Victor wasted himself on a Blackburn, Albert thought with a scowl.
It was then that he recognized Allaria Belmore, daughter of that blowhard Arlan Belmore and that floozy Andraste Broda. Albert smirked as he approached her and Matthew. Albert thought he saw them talking to Vyrsarians, but they were not worthy of his attention. They are lucky I am not Emperor of Ghant, otherwise I would paint the Sea of Jormund red with their fetid blood.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Allaria Belmore and Matthew Holland.” Albert said, before addressing Allaria specifically. “How have you been finding this Holland fellow, Lady Belmore? As a Prince of Ghant, I should caution you about Shalum…lately highborn girls seem to be getting abducted.” Albert turned his beady dark brown eyes to Matthew, with the faintest hint of a smirk on his face.