It was quite embarrassing really.
I did not step out of the carriage with the grace I had seen my sisters do on rare occasions when there was no nobleman to help them out. Rather, I stumbled out of the carriage and almost tripped myself.
It was embarrassing because I could see people staring at me. I felt awkward and naked.
It was even more embarrassing for me as I did not know the entrance and had to increase my steps to catch up with Dagen and Nydia who walked hand in hand.
I followed them into the hall and momentarily, I forgot everything.
The hall took my breath away.
Opulence.
That was what came to my mind when I entered the hall. The chandelier above cast silver lights on the hall. The lights were soft to the eye and yet the room was well lit. The walls were a bright white adding to the illumination of the room. The silver lights gave the walls a glittering spell. The walls spoke of the magic of the lights too as the lights seemed to refract from beneath. What beauty!
The ballrooms my father had could possibly compare to this but I had never entered any of them and have the time to admire any of them.
Splendor!
Glamour!
I had been missing out on a lot of things.
The ladies too! Indeed Nydia was beautiful but to see so many beautiful women at once in such fine clothes moving about gaily as though they had no care in the world!
“You're staring!” Raven prompted me.
I tried to bring myself back to the present and I saw that I had lost sight of Dagen and Nydia. I was all alone now and I felt awkward in such a big place with so many people.
As I walked into the heart of the ballroom, I spotted Dagen and Nydia. Dagen's hand was clasped in hers. He was whispering into her ear which caused her to smile. It was such a beautiful smile it almost brought tears to my eyes.
I looked away.
After all these years, I was at a ball and all that I wanted to do was cry. I shook off the horrid feeling of anger and proceeded to continue my walk as I took in the architecture of the ballroom.
However, my peace was short-lived by a clink on a glass followed by a husky voice I knew too well.
“Everyone, may I have your attention?” said Dagen and the room fell quiet.
It was easy to tell that even among these very powerful men and women, Dagen commanded great respect.
“I want to thank someone who is special not just to my heart but my entire being; she is a woman who is sweeter than the finest wine and whose grace falls only short of the goddess, to Nydia! My beautiful lover!”
His eyes burned through mine the whole time. It was as though he had given the speech for me. To what end? To make me incensed with jealousy? Had he not made it clear already that I meant nothing to him? And Nydia meant the world to him?
I tried not to let the tears that filled my eyes drop to my cheek. Dagen was doing this on purpose. He knew that as my mate, his actions affected me a great deal. I wondered why he was being so cold to me.
His speech was followed with a loud applause and I could see Nydia grinning from ear to ear as though shy.
I hated her.
In that moment I loathed her more than I had hated anything else in this world.
I felt like tearing her very soul into pieces.
The rage that filled me in that moment scared me.
“My love, will you honor me with a dance?” Dagen asked Nydia in a voice that dripped with sweetness that almost made me spit on the floor.
I saw her give him her hand and there was another applause as he led her to the center of the room.
The music began to play a beautiful tone and I watched as their bodies which were in perfect sync swayed to the music.
I wanted to tear my eyes away from the dance floor but I was held in place as though under a spell. I could not break eye contact from the couple on the dance floor.
When the song was over so was the magic and before the orchestra could pick up a new tone I tore my gaze away from the dance floor and followed an opposite direction so I was backing whatever scene was happening on the dancefloor.
I walked rather blindly as the tears that were in my eyes clouded my vision. I did not allow that to deter me though, I trudged on barely managing to step on the toes of elegant women. However, my success was short-lived, I ended up hitting a wall of flesh.
“I am so so sorry,” I said with tear blinded eyes and made to walk away but a hand on my wrist stopped me from moving further.
“Are you okay?” the voice sounded concerned and vaguely familiar.
“I am alright,” I said, blinking away the tears in my eyes so I could get a proper look at who still arrested my wrist.
Once my sight was clear, I saw Tyler.
“Oh my, my apologies, my Lord, I am deeply sorry for…”
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he said sweetly.
I smiled a little, it seemed the polite thing to do.
“I must go, thank you for your kindness,” he looked at me puzzled but I put pressure on my wrist to let him know he still held me.
“I am sorry,” he said as he released my wrist.
“Bye, my Lord,” I said but at that moment my stomach roared rather loudly and embarrassingly. Tyler's smile told me he had heard my stomach.