House Red

The Wedding - Chapter 6

Dimitri was moving up the grand staircase towards the main party as I came around the side. He looked like a buffoon even when he was just walking. The boisterous, partly intoxicated laughter didn't help at all. Anastasia was on his side moving with him, but she was a half-step behind and clearly unamused with her soon-to-be's unnecessary display.

I toyed with a small ring on the my right ring finger, set with an impressive ruby, spinning it around my finger until the Ruby was replace with a deeper red stone set on a bed of Onyx. Hopefully Rasp would pick up on it. I moved through the party towards the stairs to follow Dimitri and Anastasia into the main gathering while doling out polite greetings and introductions to those who had not been important enough for me to attend to during my first pass through the crowd. About halfway up the stairs I noticed a striking pair of eyes staring at me through the crowd.

She was stunning, with olive skin and red dress that plunged deeply down her front, almost to her navel. Strategic slashes all along the bodice of the dress meant very little was left to the imagination. I would have had no problem taking this woman as my own for the night had it not been for her eyes. Those eyes could wear any face and I would recognize them. A wink told me I either had the person I was looking for, or a very adventurous companion for the remainder of the evening.

As I was about to approach this mystery woman, Allister slipped an arm around her waist and whispered into her ear, drawing a small laugh out of her. Allister glanced at me before turning back to her while still addressing me. "I found her first Silas. You will have to find your entertainment for the evening elsewhere." We had always had a friendly rivalry when it came to these things, but if this was Rasp, I needed to get her alone. I moved my right hand up to brush an imaginary stray hair from face before speaking.

"As I can see, Allister. You know the phrase. Even a blind pig and all that. I hope you both have a fantastic evening." Just to be sure, I took the woman's left hand in my right before laying a gentle kiss on her hand. I watched her face for any recognition and saw none. I was running out of time before the ceremony started, and I was not even sure that Rasp was in the building. If he was not, I either had to sit back and watch Anastasia move far beyond any help I could offer, or risk being exposed if I did make a move. I knew of one sure-fire way to get the attention of everyone in the room--I was going to talk to my Father.

It wasn't very hard to find him, given that he was posted at the front of the room with the King of House Black. The line of various Players from lesser Houses split before me as I moved to the front of the massive ballroom-turned-auditorium for the ceremony. As I stepped up the foot of the dais that my Father stood atop, I bowed low and waited for his acknowledgment. He was polite enough to acknowledge me after only a few minutes.

Zra'Malak, the Primarch of House Black, was not an imposing man. At slightly under five and half feet tall, he was simply born at a different time of lesser stature. Clearly of a Middle Eastern descent, his dark skin and even dark hair was offset by striking green eyes that kept darting to my prone stature. Recognizing it as a simple power play, he too chose to ignore my presence until acknowledged by my Father.

As one, they both turned to me, giving me unspoken permission to straighten. Paying deference first to my Father, then Zra'Malak, I spoke a simple greeting before moving up the steps. "Honoured Primarchs, I apologize for interrupting such an important discussion between two of our most honored, but I wished to pay respect to my father and to congratulate you, Zra'Malak, for this is to be a happy day for you and your House. Seeing Dimitri and Anastasia joined must bring you great joy."

The Black King responded first, "I see you are still alive, Jack Silas. You have been absent from so many of our little gatherings, I was soon to take it as a personal insult to my House." He knew very well my feelings towards the Game, but he was not wrong in feeling slighted according to the rules. Even I had to admit that fully ignoring the Game was more dangerous than opening myself up occasionally to Moves from other Players.