The Duke of Wisteria

"I present to you, the Duke of Wisteria, and his entourage."

Silence fell over the room. Not a sound was to be heard as everyone simultaneously turned towards the entrance of the ballroom to finally lay their eyes upon the infamous duke they only heard of from rumors and speculations.

[Oh…]

That was the only word that crossed Yerenica's mind when she saw the three figures standing atop the staircase that curved down to the floor of the ballroom. Even an outsider could easily tell the difference between the two parties. The two men and woman stood tall and imposing dressed in dark clothes; a clear-cut contrast from everyone else's brightly colored outfits.

There was a slight shift in the air as hushed voices began ascending from the guests. It took only a moment for Yerenica to realize who it was that had enraptured everyone within mere seconds of his presence, because she too, couldn't tear her eyes away from him.

It was obvious who the Duke of Wisteria was, for he stood taller and more prominent than either of the two figures beside him. Yerenica had seen many men she thought of as beautiful in her life, but when it came to Luciel Wisteria, such a simple word was not enough to do him justice.

[How breathtaking…]

Even with the layers of garments covering his body, it was easy to tell from his broad shoulders and thick chest that he had a muscular build – thanks to years of bloody battles, she presumed. His tanned skin complemented his thick, dark hair that curled at the tips and fell above his brows. And his eyes…

Yerenica had to do a double-take to make sure she was seeing it right. She had read about it in an old book written about the Wisteria Family a long time back, but seeing it for herself still gave her a shock. His eyes were a piercing shade of brilliant gold, clear and radiant. Gold eyes were a key feature reserved for those hailing from the Wisteria bloodline, and long believed to be a symbol of royalty.

[He is certainly more fit to wield the crown than the sword.] Yerenica flushed slightly with the thought, realizing it would be seen as treason if she ever spoke the words out loud.

"My, how handsome…" Whispers of approval rose from the women around her.

"Do you think that woman standing beside him is his lover?"

Yerenica's eyes shifted to the woman beside him. She was almost as tall as him, dressed in a black gown that showed off her slender body. Her scarlet hair was chopped short and fell above her shoulders. It was a cut that was popular amongst female servants in Celosias, but this woman managed to pass it off as both stylish and sophisticated.

Yerenica would have believed that such a seductively beautiful woman was indeed his lover, but one glance at the scowling man standing next to her told her otherwise. His resemblance to her was strikingly similar, with his scarlet hair, dark eyes and pale complexion. The only thing that made their faces distinctive was his more masculine features, and the gruesome scar that stretched from his right ear to left.

[Siblings.] Yerenica guessed as she glanced between the two with interest. [They must be the duke's knights. It's my first time seeing a female warrior.]

"She must be…"

"Ah, how lucky…"

"Oh my, look at what he's wearing!"

Yerenica did a double-take for the second time that night as she saw the source of the apprehensive buzzing that quickly erupted. She had been too busy admiring his face to see the purple sash he wore like a sash, stretched across his torso. Ornate patterns resembling wisterias littered across the expanse of the silk, elaborately adorned in silver. Yerenica was by no means one to chase after the riches of life, but she could not help but covet it as well.

Purple dye was far more valuable than anything else in the continent, even priceless stones. This was because they were extremely strenuous to make. It took as many as 250,000 mollusks to produce an ounce of dye, making it the most priceless color available. The difficulty of obtaining it had made it a symbol of ultimate luxury and power. Even in Celosias, the only ones' wealthy enough to wear clothes made from purple was the royal family.

And yet, here he was, the Duke of Wisteria, the only man dressed in purple at the ball. Yerenica tilted her head, examining the sash at a distance. She was certain that even a small piece of it would be priceless.

"My, how could he show up wearing such a thing!" Envious voices rose around her.

"How scandalous! And in front of His Majesty, too!"

"Be quiet, don't let him hear you say that!"

Yerenica turned to look at Cain who was standing a few feet away from her. He was surrounded by his councilmen, who were all wearing an expression of wariness. Unlike them, Cain himself did not appear to be perturbed at all by the comments going around the ballroom in hushed voices, nor the purple sash. Rather, a welcoming smile decorated his handsome face.

"Welcome to the royal ball, Duke of Wisteria." Cain spoke, stretching a hand out in invitation, "Come, let me introduce you to some of my council."

Silence ensued once more as everyone turned to the duke, waiting for his reply. Yerenica felt a wry amusement course through her. They were treating such a simple exchange like it was a bizarre phenomenon. She expected no less from the nobles who jumped at every chance for scandalous gossip the way beasts pounced on meat.

Luciel Wisteria accepted the invitation by making his way down the steps, his knights following him closely. The way they walked with light steps that made no sound spoke of how much experience they garnered from the battlefield. Even though none of them were holding any weapons, Yerenica suspected that all three were more than capable of easily tearing someone apart with their bare fists.

Yerenica watched as Luciel greeted the king with a curt nod. He did not bow, and neither did his knights. Their voices were too low for anyone to make out what was being said, but it seemed that Cain was introducing his councilmen to him. His expression was much lighter than the sullen one he had been sporting earlier. Unlike him, Luciel remained impassive. Yerenica couldn't really tell what he was thinking with such an inscrutable expression.

"The Duke of Wisteria is a difficult man to read." Yerenica observed.

"Indeed, my lady." Kirin replied.

"Well, what do you think?"

"Of what, my lady?"

"There's no use playing ignorant." Yerenica gave him a knowing look, the corners of her mouth rising up, "You know what I'm talking about."

Kirin glanced at her briefly before breaking into a small smile. Raising one gloved hand, he pushed back his glasses gently.

"As expected, you were aware of it. If it pleases you to know, I am quite satisfied with watching at a distance."

"Are you sure you don't want to greet him?" Yerenica turned back to look at the Duke of Wisteria who was listening to one of the councilmen speak nervously, clearly intimidated by such a man's presence, "This is likely to be the only chance you will ever get to greet your king."

"Such an act would arouse immediate suspicion. I would prefer not to put you in harms' way for the sake of my pleasure." Kirin replied firmly.

"If that's what you wish." Yerenica said. She watched the duke for a few more seconds, feeling enthralled with his beauty. It was only when the scarlet haired woman detached herself from his side and walked away that she realized she had been ogling him. Her cheeks flushed red in embarrassment as she swiftly turned to the side.

"Kirin." Yerenica spoke after taking a moment to regain her composure, "Please go get the carriage ready. We will be leaving right after I greet His Majesty."

"Yes, my lady."

Yerenica took in a deep breath to ease the sudden nerves that fluttered through her. She was about to greet Cain, her sister's lover and the king of Celosias. She could already see the nasty glares and the whispers that would follow as soon as she did. Just thinking about it gave her a headache.

If she could leave immediately, she would do so without a second thought. But unfortunately, it was just as Kirin said. To leave without greeting the king, especially after he noticed her presence, would be ill-mannered of her.

Sighing, Yerenica tucked a strand of hair behind one ear and made her way over to the group of men.