Unsinkable

Artificialities

Winter stared at her fork, wondering what it would feel like to shove the prongs through her eye— it couldn't be more painful than the conversation at the party's dinner table. If the night before, with only her step-mother and Aimery had been wretched, it was made a thousand times worse by the presence of civil persons.

Aimery had this problem, Winter noticed, that he always needed to be the driving force in any conversation. Of course, if he were someone interesting like just about any other person at the table, it wouldn't have been so dreadfully boring; but of course he had to be a bondsman— the most terribly boring kind of man in Winter's opinion.

But somehow tonight was even worse, as if the presence of Jacin were increasing Aimery's need to prove himself a "man." He droned on and on about his travels which were simply unimpressive as all he did was stay in fancy hotels and never venture out into the world.

This was one of the many reasons why Winter so despised her fiancé; he had the chance to see the world— to look upon all the wonders that it held— but he held no care to it. The world was business to him, and not the soft sway of autumn leaves or the snowy crests of mountains as it was to Winter. He couldn't see beauty unless it was upon the face of one who breathed and had breasts— he couldn't see past the world of artificialities.

A hand grabbed hold of Winter's, and it was only in that moment that she realized that she had been digging her nails into her palms. She looked over at her dear cousin who gave her that knowing glare that said I hate him just as much as you do. Winter rolled her eyes and gave Cinder's hand a squeeze before letting go.

She picked up her utensils once more, cutting into her creamy sauce-covered green beans, gently nudging her chicken to the edge of her plate as she did so. One would think that Aimery would pick up on her vegetarianism after a time, but he always ordered her something with meat.

"...Of course we took all the man's assets; he simply couldn't pay the price we'd agreed upon. Such a simple man— oh the simple and the poor how they always beg for more time, more money. Just more more more!" Aimery threw his hands up for emphasis, then slammed then down upon the table with violent gusto. The silverware shook and his wine glass toppled over, spilling dark, bloody liquid upon the crisp white table linen.

Servers immediately rushed over and began to clean up Aimery's mess. He did not once apologize for the trouble as the silent servants toweled off the stain and filled a new glass for Aimery.

Levana was the only one who laughed at his statement, though the pitch and cadence of it made up for all the rest of them with its astonishingly loud value. She somehow managed to glare at Winter from across the table, urging her with her eyes to laugh. Winter didn't laugh.

Kai leaned his head forward from Cinder's other side so he could stare at Aimery with those brilliant copper eyes. Winter had known Kai from the time they were both schoolchildren, and had always admired those soul-piercing eyes. He had that kind of stare that one couldn't look away from.

When Cinder had first admitted to being in love with Kai, Winter had asked if it was because of his eyes. Cinder had shook her head and laughed claiming that "one can't fall in love due to the intensity of another's eyes." Though after they had grown a little bit tipsy from drinking half a bottle of Levana's expensive vintage wine, Kai's eyes had been the only thing that Cinder could talk about, along with the soft curve of his lips and the way his hair felt like silky feathers.

"But why must we take so carelessly from the poor?" Kai asked, taking a sip of his own wine. "Why not show mercy upon those less fortunate than ourselves— especially when you are a man so wealthy."

Aimery sneered from the other end of the table, his dark eyes predatorial as they searched Kai's kind face. "Because the world is a staircase, and one cannot climb if he pulls others up to stand alongside himself. Something that a silly politician like yourself should know all too well."