Queensmen

Chapter 99

~Dinner And A Show~

The diner hall was packed and stuffy. The perfumes and scented powders mixed to create a stifling yet pleasant atmosphere. Oris dreaded thinking about what would happen when people began to sweat.

She positioned herself beside a window and waited, not calm enough to sit down. Something is going to happen, and I don't know what. Hermes had yet to arrive and the bards had already gone through five songs. The other women giggled among themselves as they danced with, and were charmed by, the other men in the hall. The lack of sobriety had loosened their morals some and being a minister's mistress held a certain appeal to those who knew that the emperor was too far above them.

"By the gods," Andrea broke away from the crowd and headed to the window, Mayree in tow, "it's too grand!"

Mayree draped an arm over the girl's shoulder. "For a princess you sure are sensitive about these things."

"Princess?" Andrea sputtered and hid her face in the goblet she held. "Mayree, watch your speak."

Mayree grinned, amused. "By now, everyone that needs to know does. Why look so flustered?"

"I am not used to it. I can never be used to it."

"Look, your father is looking this way."

"I will not." Andrea pouted and gulped down some more wine. "And he is not. He would never act so openly. He hopes that if he is seen ignoring me, the Empress Dowager will forgive me sooner."

"How in a hurry you are to leave us.," Seline said with a thin laugh, arriving just then, a skewer of meat clutched in both hand. "Mistress, will you not eat something?"

Oris shifted where she stood, dragging her gaze over the surrounding towers before turning to them. "You two should stop teasing Andrea. It was brave of her to tell me her secret. I'm waiting on you two to trust me enough to do the same."

Andrea shot them both a smug grin and cosied up to Oris, hugging her arm to her chest. "Mistress, you are so very good to me. Scold them a bit more."

Seline bit into a skewer and agressively scanned the hall. "I wonder when the actual dinner will start. It is rude to keep so many waiting."

"They have been setting up for ages," Mayree agreed and snatched the goblet from Andrea. "Everyone is more drunk than not by now."

"Hey!" Andrea rubbed her cheek against Oris' arm. "I'm sober."

"You're half a goblet away from tipsy, dear."

"Keziah and Cassidy have been away for some time now." Seline pointed to spot between the two farthest tables. "There, I last saw them."

"What? Are you jealous?" Andrea giggled. "You have always been the closest to her. Do you fear being replaced?"

"Andrea!" Mayree turned to Seline with an apologetic smile. "She didn't mean anything by it."

Seline's ever-present frown deepened. "We are here to serve our mistress, not to enjoy the party. We should all remember that."

"Of course."

Andrea pouted, looking up at Oris with her bright, dewy eyes. "Did I speak wrongly?"

Oris placed a hand on the girl's hair and smiled gently. "Maybe you should stop drinking."

"Okay, Mistress," Andrea said, meekly resting her head on Oris' chest. "The emperor will be stunned when he sees you."

"Let's hope so." Oris bit back a sigh. The cloak rested heavy on her shoulders, and sweat had gathered on her brows. Each minute that passed grew the temptation to kick off her shoes and lean out the window to catch a proper breeze.