The Masquerade (OLD VERSION)

chapter five

A bit after deserts were served, people began leaving the dinner and retiring to their rooms. Biana waited to leave until she heard her father clap twice. That was the signal for the royal family to exit. They had been using it for years, and so far it had worked quite well.

The family all left out of the same door, as to appear united, although the main reason was so that they could discuss the events immediately. Once the doors were safely shut, Fitz slumped a little and groaned. "That was more polite flirting than I ever want to experience again. Are you sure it is too late to arrange a business marriage?"

Della squeezed her son's shoulder. "Well there's still quite a bit more festivities, so you'd best get used to it."

"How did it go for you?" Genevieve inquired, glancing at Biana.

"The dinner?", Biana asked though she knew what Genevieve was asking. She just didn't particularly like the topic.

"The flirting," Alvar said. "Do you have any boys to giggle about getting married to?" Alden and Alvar chuckled at that. The rest of them did not.

"Well," Biana said slowly, "There wasn't quite anyone to flirt with. The only unmarried men at my table were Keefe Sencen and Tam Song, and I don't believe they'd ever quite fancy me."

Fitz caught her gaze for a second, as if asking a silent question. Biana nodded, and he quickly turned away, as if the exchange had never happened.

"Frankly, I'm glad of that. With Keefe at least ," Fitz said. " It would be extremely awkward if my little sister married my best friend."

Biana smirked. "Now I'm tempted to woo him just to aggravate you."

Fitz rolled his eyes. "Don't you dare."

"What will you do if I do?"

"I'll become king and illegitamize your marriage."

Biana was planning on antagonizing him a bit more, but they had reached her rooms. There was always an order to these things. First she returned to her chambers, then Alvar and Genevieve, then Fitz, and finally her Father and Mother.

Biana said her good nights and went into her chambers. Her maids, were in there, ready to help her. She allowed them to help her out of her dress (it was not physically possible for her to get out of such an extravagant dress without help), but she shooed them away after that, saying that they deserved at least one night of good rest before days of them having to stitch countless elaborate dresses. She did have one more request before they left, though. She asked for them to tell Fitz that the lavender flowers had arrived. It was their own little code, like Alden's clapping, although it was much more secret than that.

   462 words
this chapter is a bit short. The next one will *probably* be pretty long, though.

question of the chapter: What do you think the "lavender flowers" code means?