Given the expectation is always less than three years age gap between spouses, I would be hard pressed to find many options available to me. I'm glad I'm picking the route I am. Those who I danced with would be marked a favorite, but that's just pure luck someone less than nineteen showed. Many don't debut until twenty. Twenty is the age of adulthood without another reason for the mark. A fifteen year old knight even looks strange.
The child of the house in my age range is Jessica. She's at the halls training which is where I should be. The Warton could have requested her back for the ball, but I'm glad they let her continue her task. I wish I was.
Mom stands beside me. I didn't even notice her appear at my side. I've been watching William dance with many. Given our age gap, he would find many to dance with. "Were you looking upon my request without seriousness?"
"After all this time tormenting me about Jessica only to have me find another as quickly as possible. I'm glad we have the same view of the contract, but I am looking for none at the moment."
"I did not suggest that."
I glance to my mother. She's acting the queen. If anyone were to come upon us, I'll be expected to call her Her Majesty just as they do. She can't truly be my mother among the population. I hate that. I'll never get a normal home life. "If you had a positive relationship with your spouse, I may be more inclined to listen to your thoughts on relationships." I can feel her anger. I hit a sore spot.
"Marriage should have nothing to do with love. That was my lapse of judgment." She motions to the lord and lady here. "Look upon them. The marriage is perfect. They fully understand one another while having no romantic connection."
Looks lacking to me, but I'm not really an adult. Not like they are. "Would you say that if Odin was your husband and not my father?"
Mom grabs my arm to make me face her. Her eyes suggest beyond normal anger. Beyond just a sore topic. "You are not allowed to speak of such."
"Divorce." I tell her. It's not my first time. And I say it to anyone who'll listen.
Mom releases me and backs off. "Dance with possible queens."
"No thanks. At this rate, I may be better with the contract. It does say nothing can happen until twenty five, right?" I don't even look at my mother. She scoffs and walks off. She's annoying.
William walks up to me as the queen leaves. He looks to need a break. He's been dancing almost non stop. Been somewhat enjoying to watch him. "What did Her Majesty want?"
I tilt my head. "No idea. She just wanted to see to me."
"Yeah. Right. How'd you get her that angry, though? Her guards look tense." William clicks his tongue. "Odin?"
"I would never suggest my parents should divorce. Nor would I suggest my mother would have a better relationship with Odin." I offer my friend a grin.
"That explains the anger." William watches as the queen picks leaving the room a moment. He freezes grabbing my hand. "She can teleport?"
"Yeah. Can you tell where?" I scan the room. William shakes his head. He can give guesses based on how well he knows a person. His magic can fill in cracks, but not for someone that distance. "She should be back shortly. Can't get a gauge on my mother. Never could."
"You'll pinpoint once you can use your magic." William sips of his newly acquired drink. "I can tell you where my parents are. And my brother. And my cousin. I could probably do you now after we met again. But... Someone like Her Majesty... Nope. She puts a wall up for me. It has nothing to do with being born of a commoner father, but because she acts that way with pretty much everyone."
"Yeah. You'll be surprised how close we truly are."
"You're close enough for the magic to see it as important. Unless she purposefully is hiding from you." William taps my arm. "Is that Lady Callie Hellsgate?"
I watch as Callie looks around nervously. She's dressed to impress. "She is. I can't dance with her because of how people would see it. Can you treat her as your dance partner so I may speak?"
"Easy." William hands off his drink to me before heading for Callie. She notices me in his movement. Still, they two will dance before seeing me. Callie can join my side as William's dance partner. She cannot just come up to me as a lady within my age range for queen.
Lucas can though. He stands next to me focusing on the dance I'm watching. He wasn't hiding his desire to chat, but we're not chatting.
"Lord Lucas?"
"Are you friends with William? You are acting it." Lucas watches the dance.
"I am. We both trained under Odin for a number of years. If you had a list of those allowed in my wings at some point, he would be listed." One of very few. "He has natural talent with teleportation."
"Ah." Lucas takes William's glass and downs it. "Using him to chat with Callie?"
I notice he blocked his lips by the glass while asking such a question. "How'd she get here?"
"Her mission came in later than yours. She's looking for Daniel, I believe."
"Who is leading her mission?"
"Me. Just as I am leading yours. But like you she'll look like she's getting a break for the balls."
So it's not just me looking for the leak. They wouldn't think much of either of us. "I can't dance with her. I'm going to dance with those who cannot be queen nor head of house."
"I did similar at your age." Lucas taps my shoulder. "Don't worry about things so much."
"I can't not gain a queen in the future, but I would rather not be focusing on such a nonsensical request right now."
Lucas smirks at me walking off.
I sigh rubbing my head. Lucas is trouble. I know that. I'm glad he won't be a head of a house. He's just not serious. And if he's serious, I'd worry. He is... Dangerous.
William brings Callie to my side. He has her twirl for me. "Look who I found among the dancers, Your Highness. This is Lady Callie Hellsgate."
Callie offers me a curtsy. So weird to see her in a dress. "I've been to the Warton house before. It is pleasant to return to it. Even more pleasant to hear it is the crown prince's first ball."
"Where I dance. I always watched them at home." I shrug. "Mission?"
"I am here for the sake of my family. Jessica is letting me stay in her rooms." Callie looks to William.
"William is safe. He's my friend."
"His teleporter." William nods. "I told you that. Thomas asked I bring you to his side for a chat." He pauses squeezing Callie's hands. "Stay here while I grab us drinks." He even blows a kiss before walking off.
"I'm more used to random flirtation than I thought I was." Callie fluffs her hair. She doesn't quite look comfortable in the elaborate dress. "William's a first, right?"
"Yes."
Callie eyes him a moment longer. "He'll be off the market far too quickly."
I chuckle. "That wouldn't surprise me. I can hope he doesn't just agree to the first option."
"Unless it's me." Callie pokes me.
"Huh?" I stare at her. "Weren't you...?"
Callie waves it off. She takes the drink William offers. "Thank you. Dancing is a tough task."
"Quite enjoyable way to learn new people." William looks between me and Callie. "Was I too quick?"
"He's dating my friend not me." Callie sips casually from her new drink.
"I am dating no one." I glower at her. Callie only smirks. "Can everyone stop with the Jessica nonsense. I know we won't back out of the contract, but we're not jumping it either."
"When you fully see my friend for everything she is, you'll be slack jawed like most." Callie says haughty.
I stare at Callie. "Who are you and what did you do with my friend?"
Callie pulls back shocked. She grabs my arm. "Please don't. After many had left, I had a nice chat with several of the red knights. I know Jessica will not be as interested in knighthood after she gains a better understanding of it." She eyes William. "Don't skip on her qualities."
Why is everyone doing this to me? "I know much of what the knights are like. As does she. The Warton were the first Knight family. They literally created the whole thing. She would know more history about the knights than anyone else in our age. So if she suggests she wishes to copy her ancestor and become the head knight, I, or anyone, will stop her."
Callie eyes me for a moment. She twirls her glass before looking to the crowd. "Then who will be your queen?"
"That question can be asked again when I'm twenty. I'm a kid compared to the expected ages for adults. I'm using knighthood as an escape."
"And I'll make sure it's not truly an escape." William grins at me. It has me sigh again. "Don't test my abilities, Thomas. You'll find I can copy even Odin's level of teleportation now."
That has me grunt. William cannot do everything Odin can do, but he can copy the teleportation magics. Natural talent that needed training. I'll be the same once I can fully use my magics.
"How about another dance, Lord William?" Callie holds up her hand to him. William readily agrees.
Watching them has the thoughts pass through my head. Callie faced red knights that made her wish to do anything but be a knight. She froze on the battlefield, so they wouldn't've taken kindly to her actions. Jessica won't do that though.
I'm not suggesting to anyone that Jessica would be a bad queen. I'm trying to have freedom from the entire issue for now. It was one of the reasons I wasn't planning to join the knights until eighteen. None of this would be an issue if I was still marked a child.
Everyone is trying to set me up. Mostly with Jessica. It only ruins what chance of a relationship I have with her.