Sleeping Roses

The Storyteller

When he had eaten, bathed and dressed, Jeremy had led the way again down to the entrance hall. 

Even before they turned into the hall that led to the staircase, Kilan could hear voices drifting from below.

When they reached the balcony that looked down over the hall, Kilan paused – Jeremy stopped a few steps ahead to wait – and leant over the balcony to look.

Beldon was below with several servants, he recognised two of them as Vanessa and the valet Iago. The other one was a young man with brown hair.

He frowned slightly at the body language of the group. It was... it was so relaxed. It wasn't like three servants before their lord and master, not completely at least.

There was a certain amount of rigidness in the servants' postures, but he would bet that came from training and was automatic more than anything else. Iago after all had his arms folded across his chest as he spoke, and the brunette was rocking back on his heels as he answered Iago.

Beldon had his hands in his pockets and when he said something to Vanessa, she openly laughed.

It was the strangest thing.

His rank was so much higher than theirs; he had every right to simply dismiss their very existence if he wanted to, and it was a lot less troublesome to do so – or so he had been told – so why didn't he?

What an odd man.

At that moment, the huge double doors at the end of the hall were thrown open – with such ease, Kilan wondered if they opened of their own accord – and a group walked in.

In that instant, all casualness flooded out of the servants and they bolted into a ramrod straight line, backs straight, hands behind them, eyes distant.

Beldon, who'd attitude hadn't changed, glanced over his shoulder then smiled.

At the head of the group were two women.

The first was a beautiful young lady, obviously of Beldon's rank, a brunette with a hint of rich red in her hair. Something of the features was similar to Beldon, perhaps the slender lithe figure, but he had a greater sense that this was one of Beldon's siblings – a much greater sense then his guesswork over Luka's identity.

The second one was also a young lady, and this one he had no doubt as to her identity.  Without a doubt, she was one of Beldon's sisters, and he knew this because she was the female version of him. Other than her being a woman, the main differences between the two were that Beldon's hair and eyes were slightly darker. That was it however, in her beauty and striking appearance, she was Beldon.

Kilan folded his arms on the railing, looking at her. It took him a moment, but he suddenly realised he was subconsciously comparing her beauty to the lady from his dreams.

What a ridiculous comparison. This woman was flesh and blood and living, the black haired girl didn't exist. Why would he think to compare their beauty and one had a distinct advantage over the other?

... Still... he admitted to himself that, despite the beauty of this woman, he preferred the appearance of his dream girl.

When the two women walked in, Beldon turned to them and the brunette opened her arms.

"Hello, Bel! How are you, darling? Lord Renford's daughter is to be introduced at Court this Season and I think you should meet her beforehand so you can court her as soon as The Season starts."

Beldon smiled as he took her in his arms and hugged tightly, saying, "Hello, Anne, I'm very well. I'm still not interested in your marriage plans and how are you?"