The Dragon's Mark--A Twisted Fairy Tale

Part 6: Fireworks

Stella felt the shock ripple through her, and the shame crowded in on her worse than ever. 

"Henrik?" She squeaked, finally looking up at him. His emerald-green eyes stared straight into her, almost as if he could see right through her magical disguise. A man like him, used to the customs and expectations of high society, would surely suspect one such as her right away, if this went any further.

He gave a light chuckle. "The very same. Would you permit me to escort you to the banquet, Miss Nadia?"

The banquet? Stella's heart began to pound even harder. There would be all the people there, and doubtless everyone would be watching Don Henrik, and they might even se her—Agatha might see her! "Er, no thank you," she responded. "You're very kind, but I'm afraid I've already eaten, so there really is no point in going—" She stopped herself. Why was she correcting him? Who did she think she was? "Erm, what I mean is... With all due respect, sir..."

"Please," The young man waved a hand. "Call me Henrik; tonight, I think my family will understand if I waive the use of titles."

"Henrik, then." Stella felt her anxiousness gradually ebb to a level of only mild tension. He was certainly more affable than Agatha or Jacintha would be in such a situation! "If you don't mind, the only thing I would really like to do tonight is—"

"Dance?" Henrik gestured up the path, to the side of the house with windows down every wall. Faint strains of music rose above the babble of the guests. "There is a marvelous ensemble from Vienna tonight, and the floor is pretty clear."

"No." Stella shook her head. Her scars might be invisible, but what if the Ring didn't hide the feel of them from his touch? "I heard there would be fireworks, and I've never seen those."

"Ah!" Henrik nodded, pausing to point her down a smaller path that led toward the gardens lit by colored paper lanterns and torches. "Well in that case, I had better take you to the best place to view them. It's perfect."

Stella bit her lip as she followed him, not wanting to seem reluctant as they walked past more and more people who nodded respectfully to Henrik and stared at her with undisguised envy and curiosity. "Not too many people, I hope?"

Henrik laughed aloud at this. "Miss Nadia, I am getting the distinct impression that you are not one for being seen by the public eye!" He glanced at her with a tilted eyebrow. "Though if that were true, I am not sure how far you expected to go being ignored in a dress as stunning as that! But, to answer your question, you need not fear. Unless by some bizarre twist of fate others may have discovered it, we should have the place all to ourselves. This way!"

He led her down the garden path a ways, and from there, back up toward the top of the slope upon which the mansion stood. Just off the path, Stella saw a large, round boulder that was relatively flat on top, and level with the grass knoll above them.

Henrik pointed to the boulder. "There it is. We shall be above the heads of all the crowd when they gather on the patio down there," he pointed toward the gardens, to the paved area that was already brimming with people, "and yet this particular place isn't very well accessible from the house, so we can have our own, unobstructed view of the show happening there in the sky," he indicated a patch of stars above their heads.

Stella noted the height of the boulder, much taller than her head, and bit her lip. The uneven surface of the boulder did seem to provide a bit of a path up to the top, but would it be ladylike to clamber up a stone in this manner?

"How are we going to get to the top?" she asked.

Henrik had already stepped up onto the lowest protrusion. "It's easy," he said, reaching out to grab the rock. "I'll climb up, then I'll reach down to help you up." He glanced at her warily. "Unless you're wearing those fancy shoes that could be damaged by the rock—"