It took no time at all for the party to fill the house and for laughter and gleeful shouts to flood the manor like a burst water pipe, washing down the halls and splashing against the walls, echoing into each room, cove, and cranny. Carriages were lined up in the drive, unloading the young and well to do. Men and women sat draped across every chair, bench, loveseat, and couch to drink and sing and tell stories each more dubious than the last.

Warren lounged in a chair in the parlor, glass in hand. It took only moments for his hair to escape the holds of the silk ribbon meant to keep it back. Gil sat against the arm of the chair, cheeks flushed with the warmth of expensive wine. Across from them was the Lord who oversaw the southern region of Kar on the Governor’s behalf. Beside him sat his wife. She was a lady he married, quite obviously, for her beauty and not for her talent of song yet somehow they had already been graced with three or four different tunes. To their left was a relative of the Governor from a neighboring state. A brash man who was known to pick up challenges and duels as quickly as one might pick up a precious piece of jewelry that had fallen. He’d also drop them just as quickly upon realizing what a stupid idea that was as well.

These were some of the nobles in the area that Warren was closer to. Warren had a larger sphere of influence than Gilbert suspected that he was willing to admit. His family was close to the emperor, and through the power games that the rich normally played, Warren was one of the best pieces to get close to. Especially for parents of an unmarried daughter. Gilbert clicked his tongue underneath his breath at the thought, taking a sip of his wine.

When he looked off to the side he caught Lord Salphus’s loose grin. “Why do you look like you’re drinking vinegar instead of wine?” he laughed, taking the glass from Gilbert’s hand. “I wish you wouldn’t do that,” Gilbert said. Warren did a perfect job of ignoring him, raising the glass to his lips instead. “It tastes fine to me,” He said, giving it back to Gil. He huffed a little, snatching the glass back, his cheeks warm. Expensive wine seemed to have a quicker effect on him then what he normally drank.

“So,” The southern Lord asked, snagging a glass from a passing maid and slipping it into the hand of his wife before she had the chance to lift her voice again. “What kept you away so long? For a little while there it seemed like our dear friend had disappeared,” He commented.

“I’m afraid I fell ill this winter. It kept me in my room for several weeks, and then once that had finally cleared I was so behind on my duties I might as well have still been locked in my room.”

“Oh our poor Lord, so busy being oh so important,” He mocked with an overdramatic sigh.

“You know, my love,” his wife piped up, taking a small sip from her glass. “Maybe if Luke didn’t have to keep you out of social gatherings and you focused on your work a little more, our poor Lord wouldn’t have to pick up so much slack in the south,” she said.

A laugh circled the group as the young man clutched his heart. “My sweet wife you wound me,” He said, putting his arm around her and pulling her to his side. “All I do is shower you with my love and you choose to side with Warren over your Dear Husband? Why is Cors so cruel to me,” He said, trying to lean his head onto her shoulder. Gilbert couldn’t help but think the woman must’ve had the patience of a saint to be able to keep reigns on Lord Alsopp.

“Ahh!” Gilbert suddenly felt Warren pull away from the seat and stand up. “Lord Ross you managed to make it!”

Gil’s tie felt so tight all of the sudden. What was that man….That….witch doing here? He turned to see if maybe he was mistaken. Maybe there was a different man who just shared a similar name. No such luck.

There he was wrapped in a lush black velvet suit, trimmed with gold. His black hair was slicked and tied back at the base of his neck. His all too mischievous smile and his glittering dark eyes were more focused on Warren with more interest then made Gil comfortable

“Lord Salphus, thank you for the invitation. We’re more than happy to spend the equinox in such wonderful company. After all, what a celebration!” He said with a smooth enthusiasm.

“I wasn’t sure you’d be able to make it. I thought you had already left town,” Warren said, offering him a glass of wine. “My business kept me in town for longer than I had expected. We met some hiccups along the way,” He said, graciously taking the wine and handing it off to the woman to his left.

Gil’s eyes were drawn away from Lord Ross to the woman at his side. He hadn’t even noticed that she was there. She seemed to simply slip into the background, which was hard to imagine. Perhaps he needed to slow down a bit with the liqueur. He felt the sting of being watched, looking up to meet the woman’s gaze. Eyes the color of melted gold caught his. It should’ve been beautiful. It was a tingling color he’d never seen on a woman before, it should’ve taken his breath away, but it didn’t. It felt like those eyes swirled and turned, gripping the heart in his chest until he couldn’t breathe, overpowering him. He couldn’t tell if it was awe or terror he felt.

“Warren!” Lord Aslopp called. “Don’t just stand there, bring your friends over and introduce them!”

Warren laughed a little, turning to the other Lord. “You’re a bit late, it seems the merriment has already begun,” He said, holding out his arm and gesturing to the group.

“I would hope so, it is a party after all,” Lord Ross said, walking with them to join the group, the woman following next to him.

Lord Withrop, the quieter and notably more irritable of Warren’s friends stood when they approached, offering the Lady his seat. She bowed her head lightly to him scripted courtesy and slid into the seat with delicate ease.

“I’m sorry, it seems I didn’t catch your names,” Lord Aslopp said. “Jasper Aslopp, I oversee the southern region of Kar for Governor Salphus,” He said, offering his hand

Lord Ross Laughed contently in response, leaning forward to shake his hand. “It’s alright, on a night like this I’m sure we’ll all learn and forget many names, Lord Edwin Ross. And this lovely lady beside me is Lady Ross,” he said.

Lord Withrop looked a little surprised to hear the name. The bewilderment didn’t go unnoticed by Lord Ross. “I’m sorry, have we met before? You seem to recognize me. I apologize I’m absolutely horrible with faces,” he said.