alcohol rushed straight to her head and she felt a bit light-headed, and she wished she had asked her lady's maid to bring her some food before the party.
"Don't get too drunk so early," whined the annoying voice of her half-brother, Prince Brandeth. He gnawed on a haunch of meat and scanned the crowd with hunter's eyes. Nineteen, her brother had developed an early appetite for loose courtesans and the smell of burned flesh from his dragon's fire. He leaned over towards his friend, Duke Selby's eldest son Valeth, who was already as corrupt as her brother. "That little bitch over there is new...I can smell her stink from across the room. I bet you a dragon you can't bed her tonight."
Valeth gulped at his words, as Sebine knew the boy dearly wanted a dragon. "You have a bet."
Her brother and Valeth swaggered away from them, aiming towards their prey. Sebine scoffed at them as they disappeared into the crowd, hoping her brother would choke and die on the meat he so greedily ate.
"Let's find something to nibble on," she said to Rose, and took her friend's hand and led her over to a table set at the side of the grand ballroom, with an ornate silver tureen and dishes of sliced meats, fish, fruits, frog legs, pates, cheeses and bread. Sebine glanced expectantly at the servant stationed at the tureen, and the woman dipped the silver ladle into the steaming soup. A handsome, dark-skinned Arathian from the southern Islands of Marr led her to a white-clothed table, and positioned himself behind the chair as Sebine sat. He brought her and Rose two bowls of the soup and a plate of bread and cheese and creamed butter.
Sebine was deep into devouring the delicious soup and bread when Ambassador Droman and an exotically dressed group of young nobles came over to where she and Rose sat. The Ambassador held a warm smile as he motioned to the two young men and a girl her age. One man was dressed in shiny green silk pantaloons, white silk shirt, and a silk hat with colorful feathers blossoming from the rim. He grinned a teasing, confident grin that irked Sebine. The other man wore clothes of a similar style though with subdued, earth-tone colors and his amber eyes were curious and shy as he looked attentively at Sebine. The girl was tall, perhaps a few inches taller than Sebine, with almond-shaped eyes and a kind, beautiful face. Her skin was as lovely and fine as a doll's and Sebine found herself staring at the girl's upright breasts and delicate neck.
"Your Royal Highness, may I introduce you to Prince Jaraz and Princess Marei of the Malathian Empire, and Marquis Kalan." At the last name he motioned to the first young man, who now stared slyly at her.
Sebine turned to face Prince Jaraz and Princess Marei, and extended her gloved hand to the prince who kissed her briefly. The Princess bowed slightly and gave Sebine a curious, entrancing look and tilted her head as if a tantalizing question played in her mind.
"Won't you sit, Your Royal Highnesses and...Marquis?" She said the last word with purposeful loathing, as by now she was tired of the man's lewd attention. The Ambassador waited for an invitation to sit, but excused himself when none was given.
The handsome Prince sat next to Sebine, and she found herself feeling a heat rise up her spine at his proximity. His wavy hair was black and long, and she couldn't help but glance at his long, delicate fingers folded neatly on his lap. Questioning eyes met hers and he parted his smooth lips in a practiced smile.
"Your Royal Highness, it brings us great pleasure to finally meet you in person." Prince Jaraz raised clasped hands up to his forehead as if in a prayer. "May our two Kingdoms always be at peace." Although vast in size, the Malathian Empire was small in power compared to the Kingdom of Valance. They had no dragons, but were rumored to possess immense wealth and ancient magic. Situated in a vast desert, with cities nestled in lush oases, the Malathians were exotic, refined peoples,
"Don't get too drunk so early," whined the annoying voice of her half-brother, Prince Brandeth. He gnawed on a haunch of meat and scanned the crowd with hunter's eyes. Nineteen, her brother had developed an early appetite for loose courtesans and the smell of burned flesh from his dragon's fire. He leaned over towards his friend, Duke Selby's eldest son Valeth, who was already as corrupt as her brother. "That little bitch over there is new...I can smell her stink from across the room. I bet you a dragon you can't bed her tonight."
Valeth gulped at his words, as Sebine knew the boy dearly wanted a dragon. "You have a bet."
Her brother and Valeth swaggered away from them, aiming towards their prey. Sebine scoffed at them as they disappeared into the crowd, hoping her brother would choke and die on the meat he so greedily ate.
"Let's find something to nibble on," she said to Rose, and took her friend's hand and led her over to a table set at the side of the grand ballroom, with an ornate silver tureen and dishes of sliced meats, fish, fruits, frog legs, pates, cheeses and bread. Sebine glanced expectantly at the servant stationed at the tureen, and the woman dipped the silver ladle into the steaming soup. A handsome, dark-skinned Arathian from the southern Islands of Marr led her to a white-clothed table, and positioned himself behind the chair as Sebine sat. He brought her and Rose two bowls of the soup and a plate of bread and cheese and creamed butter.
Sebine was deep into devouring the delicious soup and bread when Ambassador Droman and an exotically dressed group of young nobles came over to where she and Rose sat. The Ambassador held a warm smile as he motioned to the two young men and a girl her age. One man was dressed in shiny green silk pantaloons, white silk shirt, and a silk hat with colorful feathers blossoming from the rim. He grinned a teasing, confident grin that irked Sebine. The other man wore clothes of a similar style though with subdued, earth-tone colors and his amber eyes were curious and shy as he looked attentively at Sebine. The girl was tall, perhaps a few inches taller than Sebine, with almond-shaped eyes and a kind, beautiful face. Her skin was as lovely and fine as a doll's and Sebine found herself staring at the girl's upright breasts and delicate neck.
"Your Royal Highness, may I introduce you to Prince Jaraz and Princess Marei of the Malathian Empire, and Marquis Kalan." At the last name he motioned to the first young man, who now stared slyly at her.
Sebine turned to face Prince Jaraz and Princess Marei, and extended her gloved hand to the prince who kissed her briefly. The Princess bowed slightly and gave Sebine a curious, entrancing look and tilted her head as if a tantalizing question played in her mind.
"Won't you sit, Your Royal Highnesses and...Marquis?" She said the last word with purposeful loathing, as by now she was tired of the man's lewd attention. The Ambassador waited for an invitation to sit, but excused himself when none was given.
The handsome Prince sat next to Sebine, and she found herself feeling a heat rise up her spine at his proximity. His wavy hair was black and long, and she couldn't help but glance at his long, delicate fingers folded neatly on his lap. Questioning eyes met hers and he parted his smooth lips in a practiced smile.
"Your Royal Highness, it brings us great pleasure to finally meet you in person." Prince Jaraz raised clasped hands up to his forehead as if in a prayer. "May our two Kingdoms always be at peace." Although vast in size, the Malathian Empire was small in power compared to the Kingdom of Valance. They had no dragons, but were rumored to possess immense wealth and ancient magic. Situated in a vast desert, with cities nestled in lush oases, the Malathians were exotic, refined peoples,
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