Cassius stood at the edge of the ballroom with a glass of dark wine untouched in his hand. The low hum of string music drifted over polished marble, but he heard none of it — his gaze fixed on Lilian.
She was dancing with Lord Veyric, her poise graceful, but it was her smile that struck him: sharp, knowing, faintly amused. A smile that disarmed and disoriented — played directly into courtly expectations yet her eyes glistened with a hint of danger.
She said something — Cassius couldn't hear what — but he caught the flicker of surprise on Veyric's face, then the deep unguarded laugh. Others noticed too. Eyes followed her now, curious and wary.
Cassius tightened the grip on the goblet, his mind occupied with equal strength by Lilian and her charms, and danger that his friend faced.
He decided to take another stroll across the room, to circle the dance floor where he could see Lilian entertain the guests with her attention, humour, and wit.
Cassius took a few steps, noticing Selene nearby, her gaze sharpening and her smile still, but her knuckles white around the goblet.
Selene's cold voice barely reached him when she turned to another pure blood noble beside her, "He laughs. Veyric never laughs. I suppose even a wolf may be led by a ribbon… for a time."
Cassius spoke, his voice low and laced with fake amusement that clearly didn't quite reach his eyes, "Careful, Selene. Some ribbons are made of steel."
Selene turned, caught off-guard — just enough for the briefest flicker of unease to flash across her cold face. She recovered quickly, offering a graceful bow.
"Your Majesty. I merely admire how captivating your guest is." She smiled insincerely.
"Then let us hope you admire wisely." it was a subtle warning.
Cassius held Selene's gaze just a moment longer before moving past, every inch the king — and suddenly, every nearby noble remembered exactly who wears the crown. As loud as some were behind his back, even the most hardened vampires buckled and bowed to him.
Another noble claimed Lilian's hand. Lilian curtsied with practiced ease, stepping into the next rhythm like she'd been born to it. But she made a show of observing her partner — his brooch, the overly puffed sleeves, the embroidered house crest.
"Your house crest appears to be… a sword, piercing a melon? Or perhaps that's a warthog." Lilian murmured just loud enough for her new dance partner to hear.
"It's a boar. Our family's sacred beast." The young man blinked.
"Of course. Nothing says 'ancient nobility' like a tusked fruit." Lilian noted. Her partner choked back a laugh — unsure if he was being flattered or mocked. "What does it symbolise?"
"Ferocity."
"That is a good symbolism to get behind." Lilian nodded in approval, letting herself be spun by the man she did not know. Another newblood, she was sure of it. "Tell me, is your expression always this severe, or is it just the joy of dancing with a mortal?" Lilian enquired while gazing up at him with feigned innocence.
"I— No, I'm simply not… accustomed to such events." The man was caught off guard.
"Ah, I see. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone you smiled. Your reputation for grim elegance is safe with me." He let out a short, startled laugh — the kind one tries to swallow but fails — and glanced sideways, checking if anyone heard.
"Thank you, Lady Lilian."
"I should add, that your smile is rather pleasant. It is a shame that you shy away from it."
The man smiled at her brightly for the rest of the dance. He was ready to offer her another dance, but Lilian excused herself in search of refreshments and a moment without being twirled.
Dancing made her blood rush, and she felt the first pearls of sweat form on her forehead.
It was a pleasant break to stand and watch from the side of the room how everyone interacted, while enjoying some cool wine.
A middle-aged looking man stopped to do the same. He was stone-faced and uninterested.
Lilian curtsied, "My Lord." She smiled, trying to not look at an extravagant cravat under his neck. The man did not bow, did not extend his hand, nor even looked at Lilian, staring past her. His nose wrinkled in disgust.
"I do not exchange courtesies with… passing visitors." He spoke coldly without further acknowledgement, walking past Lilian.
Lilian took a steadying breath in, hearing a sharp intake of breath from a few watching nobles. Some looked delighted, others nervous.
The tension was climbing, as Lilian lifted her chin, avoiding the burning gazes and not dropping her smile.
She didn't pay him any more attention, stepping back onto the dance floor with yet another dance partner. She was yet again charming, disarming the vampire within moments, bringing him into a fit of laughter.
Cassius returned to his throne, he exhaled slowly, lips twitching in spite of himself. He brought the wine to his lips, then set it back down, watching Lilian work the room.
His loyalists were keen to claim the dances first, more open to the new and novel that she brought with her. Not all, of course.
He watched for any hostility, but besides social disapproval no one showed Lilian their fangs. Old bloods keenly moved away from her, finding no refugee in the corner of the ballroom.
The ballroom hummed with renewed energy. Laughter raised, dresses swirled, and the orchestra begun a new waltz — lilting, darker in tone. Lilian still danced with the noble she hasn't asked the name of, whose eyes gleamed with amusement until they shifted over her shoulder and he straightened.
A hush rolled through the crowd.
Cassius descended from his throne. He did not rush. His every step is measured and deliberate.
"Your majesty calls." Her dance partner noted taking a step back.
Lilian, breath catching only slightly, turned — and met Cassius's gaze.
He simply extends his hand just like he did before when they practiced.
"May I claim this dance?" Cassius asks quietly.
Lilian placed her hand in his without hesitation. The crowd parted and they stepped into the center, and the music swelled.
They begun to dance — effortlessly in sync. Lilian let her body move closer to Cassius than any other noble who accepted it with a bright smile.
"I believe you've outshone half my court in wit, and the rest in grace." Cassius spoke low for her ears only.
"Only half? I must be slipping." She teased with the bright smile that was most genuine so far. A flicker of a laugh plays at his lips, rare and unguarded.
"You'll cause a rebellion if you keep making them laugh. Veyric hasn't smiled since the last civil war."
"Then I suppose I've done more for morale than your whole treasury."
He spins her — she returns, closer this time.
"I heard what Selene said."
"Did it trouble you?" Lilian asked without a flinch.
"No. You stood your ground."
"And here I thought you came to rescue me." She smiled faintly.
"You do not need rescuing." Cassius reciprocated the smile with softness reserved only for Lilian.
The music begun to slow. Their final step lingers longer than propriety permits.
King Cassius, still holding Lilian's hand, offered her his arm once more.
"Walk with me. I find myself craving your opinion more than protocol tonight." Cassius requests as his eyes flicker to his throne.
"A dangerous craving for a king. You'll be spoiling your taste for tradition." Lilian smirked as they begun to move.
"Tradition has yet to make me laugh the way you do." Cassius replied as his lip twitched, eager to break into another smile.
As they ascended the shallow steps to the dais, the murmurs grew more strained. Eyes followed their every step—noblemen stiffened, dowagers whispered behind painted fans, and Selene Vaerath's smile weakened before she forced it back up.
Cassius reached the twin seats beside the throne—an ornate lesser seat usually reserved for visiting royalty or dignitaries of recognised power. With a subtle gesture, he invited Lilian to sit.
"Your Majesty, are you quite sure? The seat may catch fire from the burning gazes upon me and the brewing scandal." Lilian cocked her brow, showing reluctance.
"Then sit quickly, before it combusts." Cassius spoke in low voice.
"Very well. But if I turn to ash, I expect a dramatic eulogy." She sat gracefully, her gaze on Cassius, ignoring the many eyes on her.
Cassius folded his hands on the armrest, half-turned toward her.
"Tell me then, Lilian—what do you see?"
"Well." Lilian casted a lazy glance across the room as the crowd slowly returned to its previous activities beside a few who were outraged at her being beside their king," Duchess Selene's smile has not moved in ten minutes, which leads me to believe it's either enchanted or stapled in place." Lilian noted as she leaned in closer. "Lord Caldreth is trying to pretend that it doesn't bother him that he hasn't bested me yet, which is adorable, really. And that young baron in the green brocade? He's deciding if approaching me would elevate or ruin him. It's a coin toss."
Cassius exhaled a slow, quiet laugh, leaning in with open amusement.
"You see all that in a single glance?"
"The court wears its pride like perfume—overpowering, but easy to trace." Lilian smiled. "But this is not nearly everything I can see among your guests."
"And what of me? Am I so easily read?" Cassius smiled as he asked quietly.
"Not easily." Lilian turned to him with a glint in her eye. "But I've learned that when you laugh, it's usually real. When you don't speak, it's because you're listening. And when you pretend to be bored, it's because you're plotting something. In my experience, it was likely something generous and entirely unadvised."
Cassius looked at her for a long moment, as if letting her words settle into the empty spaces of him that few dared to touch.
"You're wasted on courtly games." Cassius decided.
"Maybe." Lilian smirked. "But if I must play, I'd prefer to do it from beside the king."
"What else do you see and what do you make of it?" Cassius asked, ready to listen. He shifted back, unsettled by Lilian's frankness and worried that he revealed too much of himself to her already.
"Let's see. Duchess Selene wanted the court to see me flounder — but she overplayed her hand. Too eager. Too polished. It made her seem rehearsed rather than natural. She hasn't moved from that position and she's holding court by standing still. Half the nobles glance at her before making their next remark — she controls the undercurrent." Lilian shared her observations at which there was a flicker of surprise in Cassius's eyes. He said nothing. "And Lord Caldreth… he snubbed me, yes, but not to impress anyone. He's scared. Scared of you losing the support of the purebloods and destabilising the kingdom." Lilian said in near whisper to ensure that her words do not reach the crowd. "Lord Caldreth has rotated three times around the room without speaking to a single other noble — which means he's waiting for someone to come to him first. A power play."
"And will anyone take the bait?" Cassius asked with raised brow.
"Not tonight. They saw him snub me. Now no one wants to be associated with him in case I turn out to be… inconveniently important." Lilian chuckled. Cassius's mouth tightens slightly. She's seeing too much. "And Lady Sera? She saved me from complete disaster. Smart woman. Loyal, but worried. You should keep her close." Lilian suggested. "Sir Darien is another matter. He's proud, but not very strategic. He'll overreach if someone pushes him hard enough. He is currently playing with an idea of raising a toast which likely will be a jab at me." she smiled softly.
"And what of Veyric?" Cassius asked with a hint of jealousy.
"Ah, the charming one." Lilian leaned slightly more toward Cassius, voice low and amused. "He's played three roles tonight: the flirt, the fool, and the friend. He's seeing how close he can edge to power through humor. He flirts like it's a diplomatic strategy… which, I suppose, it is. But he's smart — very smart. He dances lightly, but not without purpose."
"Did he flirt with you?"
"Briefly. I believe it was meant to be disarming. He compliments with the ease of someone who's never heard the word 'no'… but he listens carefully to your laughter. He's not just charming. He's calculating." Lilian paused, glancing toward Veyric's circle, "And note how he shifts his posture depending on who he speaks to. Straighter spine for old blood, relaxed shoulders for younger nobles. It's all choreography. And every conversation he has ends with someone smiling — even when he says nothing of substance."
"And what does that tell you?" Cassius looked down at her studious eyes as she saw beneath the surface of everyone.
"It tells me he's dangerous — in a different way than Selene. She draws blood with words; he does it with warmth. No one suspects the man who makes them laugh… until they realise he's already behind them with a knife in their back."
"You're quite suspicious." Cassius noted with interest and worry.
"I've learned that the most effective threats come in velvet gloves and twinkling eyes." Lilian leans her chin into her hand as she watches Veyric laugh with a marquess. "Look at him now. He's laughing with the Marquess of Orlin, but his left foot points toward the Baroness near the stairs. That's who he wants next. He's always two interactions ahead. And he's ambitious."
"You're saying he's ambitious?" Cassius sounded surprised.
"He's not aiming for power directly — no, he's weaving himself into everyone's memory. When the dust settles, they'll all remember that he was kind, he was clever, he made them feel seen." She met Cassius's gaze. "And those are the men who win… when the crowned ones fall." Cassius gulped as he looked at Veyric and Marquee laugh. "Let's see… that group near the eastern pillar—the ones in shades of greys and silvers? They've clearly decided to dress like ghosts to match their personalities." Lilian continued, trying to lighten the conversation.
"That's House Marleaux. Known for their solemnity." Cassius tried not to think of the heavy words Lilian spoke.
"Ah, so they were born looking disappointed." Lilian muttered. "They speak the least and watch the most. I'd wager they have more ears in this room than any other house. If a scandal breaks by morning, the Marleauxs likely planted the seed a week ago… with a bow on top." Lilian shifted her gaze to another person. "That poor girl in the sapphire corset is either trying to seduce the heir to House Caelthorn… or cast a curse on his knees. Possibly both." Lilian smiled, her arms nearly touching Cassius, her warmth radiating towards him. "The age-old courtship strategy: ensnare by indifference, flirt by avoidance. Very popular among those who read one too many romantic ballads and not enough political treaties. That's not a girl with a crush, Cassius — that's a girl making a move."Lilian watches a servant pass by; the girl uses the moment to edge closer. "She's already timed the rotations of the stewards and knows exactly when to glide past Caelthorn with an 'accidental' brush of her skirt. She'll drop her fan next. Or perhaps a compliment wrapped in a criticism. A well-placed sigh, maybe."
"Calculated." Cassius nodded.
"Delightfully so. She's not just trying to win him — she's testing him. If he stumbles, she'll find another. That's not love. That's selection."
"Would you like me to intervene?"
"No, let's see which spell she succeeds with first. My gold's on weak knees." Lilian chuckled, then she gestures slightly to a thin, high-browed noble engaged in heated whispers with his wife. "And there we have the Count and Countess of Virelle. He's pretending not to notice she's flirting with his squire, and she's pretending not to notice he's been undead for a century longer than her patience."
"You're remarkably accurate." Cassius didn't hide his amusement.
"That group by the northern doors — the ones pretending to be intoxicated on rosewine? They're fishing for your attention with antics while pretending they don't care who sees them. Most of them are younger sons and daughters — not a drop of inheritance but plenty of desperation."
"How do you know?"
"Because one of them is wearing a secondhand brooch. Only the ambitious and underfunded would wear something like this to the ball."
"You noticed that from here?" Cassius murmured. Lilian shrugged.
"And see the elderly lord with the monocle and the bloodstone brooch? He's been trying to catch my gaze for the last ten minutes. Either he wants to duel me, or ask for marriage on the spot."
"I'll have the guard intervene on both counts." Cassius said dryly.
"Please do. I've yet to recover from the last marriage proposal. The baron was fifty-two and allergic to garlic and commitment." Lilian replied which made Cassius tense on his throne.
Lilian crossed one leg over the other with casual elegance.
There is a long pause. Cassius studied Lilian as if seeing her anew — not just as his soulmate, but as someone who might one day stand beside him not only out of fate, but by her own sharp mind and choice.
"You see more than most trained courtiers." Cassius spoke softly.
"Years of being underestimated. It's a wonderful education." Lilian laughed lightly at his compliment.
Their eyes meet — a beat too long, the world narrowing around them.
Ancient magic hums faintly in the background. Cassius wonders if Lilian can also feel it, if others can see it.
Lilian smiles, radiant, but unaware of the way his hands clench at his sides, resisting the unbearable urge to reach for her.
Sir Darien, slightly emboldened by drink and pureblood whispers, speaks loudly. He coughed twice to bring the attention to himself, raising his goblet.
"Your Majesty. Esteemed nobles. We gather tonight in splendour, as is our custom — to raise a glass to crown, to court, and to continuity." Darien pauses, gaze steady, letting the silence stretch just a moment too long, making sure that he had everyone's attention. "To our sovereign — King Cassius. Protector of the bloodline. Defender of Ironwood. And… guardian of lost lambs, it seems."
There were a few tight-lipped smiles; some glances toward Lilian, others stifling laughter. Lilian stiffens. Cassius's gaze turns sharp, dangerous. He was about to respond, but Lilian placed her hand on his, startling him into frozen silence.
"Be careful, Sir Darien. Wolves that mock lambs often forget the lambs walk with lions." Lilian smiled in return.
Absolute silence falls. Darien retreats. Lilian glances at Cassius — a tiny, private look full of gratitude and confusion.
"To the king." Lilian raised a goblet, with the most disarming charm. A number of guests echoed the toast, giving her already a power beyond what any human could have held in Ironwood.