Take Note : It's All Different

24. Royals

Make it up as we go. That doesn't necessarily show that we will be the best assassins. What plan was there to make though, we had no clue what this ball would be like. if Avonde did he didn't share his knowledge with me. We were becoming Tanner's third or fourth identity. A kidnapper but we were to be double kidnappers. The thought of Tanner made me shudder. If we got him out of Quersan could we wake him up? No. He was enchanted it was a different kind of magic. Strong magic. Why hadn't we been able to wake him up? Had they tried everything? Had I really lost him forever?

I stood contemplating the questions that had surfaced. My mind raced for a really long time. This was the first time in a very long time that I just let it run. And it ran. It ran constantly in fact. new questions surfaced but I pushed them aside as I scanned all my memories. I looked for something, anything. But I was blind. Nothing led anywhere. There had never been anything about this memory wiping until it happened. Even then I didn't know what happened.

Then my spine went cold and a certain buzz was created in the atmosphere. The crowd silenced for a moment. Following the silence was his Majesty the Prince of Hasbury. He had began his way down the stairs with his sister's arm in hand. Tanner followed a number of steps behind them. He looked genuinely happy but his eyes scanned the room cautiously. Behind the ohs and ahs the royal siblings spoke amongst each other as they came towards the end of the stairs. The Prince looking surprisingly unhappy. His sister wincing and struggling to walk in his arms. He held her up completely.

She stumbled towards the end of the steps but no one seemed to notice. She smiled and waved keeping a firm grip onto her brother's arm. As the standing ovation for the royal siblings continued they made their way towards their chairs where they sat.

Tanner did not take a position behind the Prince he walked to each of the guards and different attendants for the night. He spoke with the man who had been stationed at the door. Tanner asked a question and the doorman nodded keeping the plainest facial expression. Until his eyes found mine and he smiled slightly.

The ball continued although the royal siblings were not a big part of it. For a birthday party it would have been very boring for the birthday boy. They sat and spoke between each other as the posh rich people continued to eat and slowly dance in formation. The music slowly got louder as the chatter disappeared.

As the night began to take shape the dances became compulsory for certain members of the guests list. I being included.
"I will scout out the ball if you try and mingle to show that you are making an effort."
"Will do. Report back to me when you can."

Seeing Tanner and knowing that he couldn't remember all of our friendship hurt me. It hurt me completely. As a man asked me to dance I felt Tanner's gaze burning my spine. His eyes locked on me. He didn't remember anything apparently. Yet he was so cautious of me.

Ensuring I was okay and coming to my rescue when my nightmares happened. Maybe there was still something left. Something small. It's like he was always there when I needed him. Other than when I was captured by those men. Where was he then? But then again I didn't need him because it brought me to Avonde. What will be will be I suppose.

As I began to dance with this complete and utter stranger he refused me the right to speak. Pushing my lips together with his fat fingers he hushed me. He told me that a dance must be completed in silence but I didn't argue. He was old with a beer gut and he reeked of the refreshments table. With crumbs on his green suit too. There was no hiding where he had been previously.

My feet awkwardly swivelled and stepped in all different ways. I was such a fail. I hadn't danced properly in such a long time and now I was being introduced to an all new dance. I'd never seen it before and the music was so different to the usual. I was good with the waltz but this was something new.