Years Since Past: Royal Reason

Chapter four

We walked through a golden arch. It was beautiful. It stood at over fifteen feet high, and ten feet wide. When we rounded a corner there was a large room, decorated in centuries old art work and fine silk, wooden tables and chairs. And people, a group of people.
I bowed for dramatic effect, "your majesty. Mr. Ozera." I smiled and they both slightly giggled.
"Rose. Dimitri." Lissa replied smiling from ear to ear.
Christian stood beside Lissa with his hands folded over his waist and a slight smirk on his face. It had been a while since I saw Christian. "Rosie." He added, knowing how I didn't like the nickname. He was always busy with his Royal politics and of course, Lissa. He wore a black suit and a dark blue tie, it made his skin look paler against the lights and his hair darker than a ravens wing.
I stood from my bow and noticed two other people from the corner of my eyes. Adrian and Sydney. I smiled when I saw him and he smiled back.
"Adrian." I said as I wrapped my arms around him, he hugged me tightly then let me go reluctantly.
"Little dhampir." He replied looking at me.
Sydney clocked our lingering looks and coughed in hopes to distract us. It did.
"Sydney." I said as I shook her hand.
Despite our past relationship she still didn't like hugs, especially from me. She was only just getting over the lessons she was taught her hole life. 'Protect the moroi world.' She always seemed to resent her duties but at one time or another, who didn't? But she was getting better and I was glad. And clearly Adrian was because, you know, they're dating.
"It's been a while." Dimitri said as he shook Adrain's and Sydney's hands individually.
"Shall we?" Lissa asked gesturing towards the dinning space.

We sat idly waiting for our dinner and things somehow ended up awkward. There was silence, a lot of silence. Adrian and Sydney sat in front of Dimitri and I, Adrian looked around uncomfortably then his eyes landed on me. Sydney looked jealous, I realised. But why? Adrian and I had been over for years, there was nothing to be jealous of. She grabbed hold of his hand on the table and held it tight, she almost made his hand turn whiter than they already were.
I knew things wouldn't get better unless someone did something, so I did what I normally did.
I spoke. "So? How's Australia? Must be hot?" Okay, so that wasn't the best thing I could've said or asked but to was the only thing-remarkably- that I could think of at the time.
Adrian, looking relieved answered, "yeh. It's hot, hot place. Australia." He was cramping his words and it was hard to identify what he was trying to say.

Then finally it was like someone was listening to my prayers. Dinner finally came. I had a medium rare steak with a side of pasta and bread, Dimitri who sat beside me had ordered almost the same thing, only instead of pasta he had salad. Lissa sat at one end of the table and Christian at the other, he was sitting the closest to me. I couldn't pronounce what they had, something French I think. Adrian barley had anything, it was most likely a liquid dinner, scotch. And Sydney, like always barley picked at her food- which was some sort of chessey fries. We sat in silence for the rest of the meal.

After which we all went into a separate room where- thankfully- the liquor was kept.
I almost ran to the trolley but before I could, Adrian beat me there. He handed me a bourbon, "need a drink little dhampir?" He smiled.
"Hell yeah." I replied, "by the way," I paused taking a sip. "I'm not little anymore. So? When are you gonna stop?"
"Stop what?" He replied.
"Calling me 'little dhampir?'"
"Never." He mocked me.

Dimitri stood with Lissa, Christian and Sydney. They chatted lightly as Adrain and I reminisced on old times. Adrian was flirting but didn't he always? Something told me he too, was trying to make Sydney jealous.