Time sludged by before the tournament champions appeared to join the happy couple's procession into the ball. As guests of honor, they would all be announced with a lady of their choice on their arm.
Sir Gavin graciously escorted his mother. Lord Garrison was on duty so his wife would either enter the party alone or join her son. My mother might have been honored in a similar manner but I think she found pleasure in matchmaking my brother.
The courteous young man approached Princess Alina and commenced the courtly pleasantries that made me feel like wallpaper. Luckily something else caught my attention as I was scanning for potential threats.
Lord Carrion showed up alone. When he noticed Lord Jacobson had Lady Calista on his arm, the man's frown deepened. I could almost feel the seething from across the room. His quick step to close the distance between himself and the couple made me tense.
"Dear sister, would you give me the pleasure of being my escort into the ballroom? I thought we agreed that our clan needs to look unified." Lord Carrion's expression landed somewhere between frenzied and condescending.
"Dearest brother, you made no such arrangement and I already agreed to be on Lord Jacobson's arm for the grand entrance." Calista retorted in a matter of fact manner. She would not let her brother push her around.
"You would dishonor our clan by making me walk into a tournament celebration alone?" Carrion let the frenzy win as his eyes bugged from his skull. As if realizing his state, he ran his hand through his raven locks making him look disheveled.
"You dishonor only yourself by not planning ahead. I will not 'dishonor', as you put it, Lord Jacobson because of your lack of planning." Calista bit with a tone just above a whisper with a pleasant smile still in place on her face. Sometimes she scares me.
"It is okay, Cali. If you want to go with Carrion, I will not mind following Princess Alina into the ballroom. I am supposed to help with her safety after all. No one would think twice about my gallantry of not wanting to leave a date unattended all evening," Lord Jacobson offered.
Jacobson liked to keep peace. As should anyone who makes a career out of the sword. At least his father got to teach him that.
Lord Carrion flinched at the use of his name out of Lord Jacobson's mouth. I can only assume that his titleless given name felt disrespectful to the Swordsman.
"No. I do not want to…" Calista's tirade was interrupted.
Princess Alina heard her friend's plight in Jack's disarming tone and took charge before the kindling of Cali's anger could be set ablaze.
"Forgive me, Sir Gavin. I have a problem that I think Lord Carrion might solve." Alina said loudly.
At the mention of his name from a set of royal lips, Lord Carrion straightened and his face relaxed. He did not want to offend those in power.
"Yes, Your Highness. How might I serve Ensis?" Lord Carrion swept a deep bow with the grace of a dance.
"In the excitement of my mother's engagement, I seem to have forgotten to ask someone to escort me in the grand procession."
I saw the princess lock eyes with Lady Calista. The latter mouthed a 'thank you' before the Princess even finished her thought.
"I was going to impose upon Lord Holden to escort me, but I feel I have already worn out his good graces after he had to guard me all morning." Princess Alina smiled at me.
I never like courtly accolades. They never seem sincere. This one I will take as an apology for my tortuous guard duty. I nodded an acceptance.
"Could I persuade you to walk with me? I know it would mean coming in after the rest of the tournament champions, but I think it would be fitting for such an accomplished champion to hold a place of honor." Princess Alina poured the words like honey with all of her noble training.
"It would be my pleasure." Lord Carrion accepted with a slight bow at the waist.
"Thank you, Lord Carrion. I am in your debt." Princess Alina walked over and took his arm with a look over her shoulder to me.
I understood. I needed to stick very close. She did not want her saving the 'love birds' to turn into a misunderstanding of romantic intention. I mean the man had proposed to her before.
"Your Majesty," Alina called formally to her mother. Queen Valerie seemed to have grown younger since this morning. The blush of her cheeks and smile on her face made her seem like her own daughter's twin. "Is it almost time to enter? I am eager for the dance!"
Princess Alina passed her impatience off as excitement, rather than the wish to be off the arm she just placed herself on.
"Almost. It seems the clan of Bear is fashionably late." Queen Valerie motioned around.
I had noticed the steady flow of champions and companions, choosing to ignore certain couples, but I had failed to notice that my own clan champions were not yet present.
As if on cue, Sergeant Agnar entered with my mother on his arm. I did not question the man's intentions of having my mother at his side. She was one of the few people my sergeant chose to interact with while in the city. I also knew of a lady back home he fancied.
My only complaint about my mother being part of the royal procession happened as my brother and his escort followed my other clansman through the door.
My mother's hard work fashioned a gown perfectly suited to the angel at my brother's side. Her golden locks and framed her face in ringlets. The slightest hint of pink peaked through the skin on her cheeks, surely flushed from excitement.
Two crystal pools kept me in rapture as we shared a glance. I composed myself, but not before my mother gave me a knowing look. Perchance Agnar should not have been a champion.