Kingdom in The Sand

Follow Your Lead

When they reached the assembly, Zaydan stepped down from their carriage and looked around, sweeping his rich hair back from his eyes, notably drawing eyes before he turned and held a hand out to Marie-Fey, gripping hers tightly as she stepped down, linking her arm through his before following the rest of their party up the steps to pass off their outer clothes and greet the hosts.

As Marie-Fey reached the top of the steps and spotted the host, she stopped, staring, Zaydan looking at her in question.

"Sir Harris," she said.

Zaydan glanced at the man that was vigorously shaking hands with Marie-Fey's father, his smile bright as he gestured to his wife, she and Izzaro laughing at whatever he said.

"Yes?" Zaydan said, tilting his head towards her.

"You said he was a friend, correct?"

"Yes, one of my university friends."

"Were you close?"

"Certainly, he was one of my two closest friends during my studies."

Marie-Fey looked up at him. "And you would have missed his assembly? Just because I was being difficult?"

Zaydan looked at her for a moment, before his expression softened. "My lady, for all the ways you can be difficult, these last couple of days have not been one of them."

"But—"

"Let's greet them," Zaydan said with a bright smile and he dragged her towards his university friend who glanced around at his approach before his face beamed.

"Zaydan! Old boy, you made it!" he cried, grabbing Zaydan into a tight hug and smacking him on the back, "I thought I wouldn't see you when you were absent last night. Must say I'm happy to see my little shindig is the one you make your entrance at."

"Don't be shameless, dear!" his wife cried, "He's not a showpiece."

"Ah, but between the Leigh Siblings and The Lord Rias here, talk of the town," Lord Harris said with a stage-worthy wicked grin as he comically rubbed his hands together before shoving Zaydan aside and gripping Marie-Fey's hand, bowing and kissing it. "And Lady Rias, and absolute pleasure, as always, to have you grace us with your presence. We missed you last night."

"A little under the weather, nothing serious," Marie-Fey replied with a polite bow of the head.

Harris smiled as he straightened, still holding her hand, before he gave it a gentle squeeze. "Anything you need, Lady Rias, we shall follow your lead," he said.

"What?" Marie-Fey, frowning, forgetting herself but Harris was already letting go of her hand to turn away, ordering Zaydan to join him shortly for a drink with the boys before the dancing began.

She just had time to greet Lady Harris before she and Zaydan were moving out of the way of the next set of guests, Zaydan taking her arm again as they entered the grand ballroom where guests mingled and talked, taking sips from glasses servants offered out as they slipped seamlessly through the crowd.

More than one or two pairs of eyes turned in their direction as they entered and Marie-Fey had to fight with herself to not shrink back and instead kept her head high and expression disinterested and aloof.

Sophia soon spotted her from the crowd and waved, making her way over and Zaydan squeezed her arm before releasing her and turning her towards him, taking both her hands in his and making a great display of bringing both up to his lips to kiss them.

"Whatever you choose, Lady Fey, I shall follow your lead," he said softly, locking his eyes directly on hers, before he lowered her hands and smiled brightly. "Save the first dance for me, my dearest," he said, loudly enough for those around for them to hear before bowing slightly and turning away just as Sophia reached her, link arms.