Twenty-Five - Chaotic Good

DOWNCASTER

"I was beginning to wonder who were you dancing intimately at the ball," Francesca kissed her husband on the cheek. Keeping all her emotion in check after what she heard inside the library.

Devonne playfully smiled and offered his right arm to his wife, "We shall see."

Francesca, with shaking hands, held his arm. She was glad she was wearing her blue leather gloves. It helped cover her nervousness. They walked to the ballroom with much elegance, greeting every guest on their way. She had to multitask, looking for her grandfather in the crowd. For the first time in her relationship with Devonne Samira, Francesca felt unsecured. Stranger to her own husband. The person she heard was never the same loving man she was romantically involved with.

"You look quite tense. This will not be the first time you will be dancing with me." He teased and guided her to the dance floor.

He was wrong. Francesca was in fact, dancing for the first time with the real Devonne Pride Samira. Even with the huge facade of humility and kindness, it was all transparent to her. It was true then that in the journey of marriage will the true colors of each other be fully painted, but how long can Francesca hold up to that thought when all she can see on the handsome face of his husband was a stranger.

***

The introduction of who he was was not really important. Romeo can stand in the middle of the crowd without a single word and people would still know who he is. The dream. Build a life where you no longer have to introduce yourself. People never fully understood the value of fame. The problem with not having to introduce yourself was that people have already made assumptions of who you are. Good or bad, it doesn't matter. With his royal pedigree in the council, it will outweigh Romeo's bad reputation. His own ancestry will define him.

One woman had his attention that night. The one and only person that poked his interest in the pretentious crowd of aristocracy. He knew she belongs to such family. It was the first time he was thankful for his name, he will be introduced to each council member of the High Order. He met the obnoxious Magnus De Lutherbergh, the uptight Augustus Hawthorne, the strict but accommodating Iñigo Constantine, and lastly, his love interest, the gorgeous Sonia Astor.

"My lord," Sonia curtsy with a smile.

"There's no need for that, miss. A handshake, perhaps?" Romeo pleaded, finding a reason to hold Sonia's soft hands.

"My pleasure," Sonia hesitated at first but Romeo took her hand like a gentleman.

"No, the pleasure was mine." He smiled with the burning intensity on his eyes.

It was the spark of weakness for Romeo. He showed the very emotion that is useful to his enemies, but Sonia was quick to assess the position of their neophyte superior. She learned from their own family experience.

"Tell me, my lord," She leaned her head to the left, motioning him to walk with her. He did with much reluctance. "So what's the plan for the Drax Industry? I mean, now that the Alderige absorbed the company?"

Romeo halted, faced the lady in curiosity. "Now that you've mentioned, I never really had a thought about that, but I'm sure Aberdeen has some plans. It's her forte, I assume."

Sonia shook her head lightly. Disappointed to his innocence. The other high families with diabolical schemes will have a field day on him. She glanced to both side before she spoke, "You shouldn't have come here unprepared."

"What do you mean?" He asked, started to feel the tension. Sonia's tone was reprimanding.

"I'm sure Arthur Smith already warned you about the danger in the council," Then Sonia glanced at the table not far from them. The rest of the council having discreet discussion.

"Yes, that the danger in the council is its own council members." Romeo cackled a bit.

"Exactly. You're pedigree is a big threat to them."

"And what about you? You seem to exclude yourself from the narrative." He teased but with full of shade.

Sonia snickered with elegance, "Don't play with me, Mr. Alderige. If I happened to race for the highest seat, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

He was caught off guard with the transitions of the woman. From her guarded facade to her playful slant made the woman unpredictable. He returned the atmosphere. "And what conversation would you have me occupied, Ms. Astor, assuming you have the utmost interest to the highest seat?"

"I would be inquiring about your taste of women to know if my chosen personality this evening will have to be altered, but judging from my efforts tonight, I would say I can control you by the end of the night," Sonia laughed and waved her hand to stop their charade. It was completely uncomfortable. "You do know that you are like a royalty in the council?"

"How so?" Romeo took two glasses of champagne from a nearby waiter and gave one to Sonia.

"Are you really this naive or just playing the benefit of the doubt?" She eyed her suspiciously but stood straight as she took a sip of her expensive drink. "Whatever. All I'm saying is that you are a descendant of the two high families, House Clement and House Alderige. One is an ancient house and the other belongs to the high families in the underground society. Are you catching up?"

Arthur Smith failed to mention that secret to his position but it was clear now why he was treated with highest respect. His interest quickly caught up. "Now, if the two of us get married, that makes our offspring a hybrid? Imagine the power they may hold."

Sonia did not expect that rhetoric moment. An Indirect offer or a very bad joke, the topic was quite alluring. She rolled her eyes.

"If, and only if I agreed to such arrangements. However, if we are to have a matrimony, a lot people will be very angry," Then she motioned her glass to the most ominous gentleman inside the ball room, Viktor Samira. "Nathalia will surely rejoice in her grave."

"But do you think such understanding can be made?" He even sweetly smiled.

"You are very terrible in the art of courtships. I was not impressed at all."

"You did not answer my question though." Romeo smirked. "Or I'll take your silence as consideration to my offer."

"If you wish to have a precise answer, I'm afraid you have to form a formal question," Sonia countered and placed her glass to an empty table.

"Will you be my Mrs. Alderige? Be the lady of Clement-Alderige?" Romeo asked with his tone implying no rejection should be made.

"No, I have my own empire. Thank you very much." Sonia instantly declined. She did not even glimpse to him making him grimaced to the cruelty. "Now, Mr. Alderige, if this is your way to women when you first meet them, to ask them instantly of marriage, I think you need to rethink your choices in life. This idea of marriage between us is completely beneath me as well as above yours."

Romeo stood agape to her comeback. To witness the Astor lady on her natural form made him more interested in her. He even ignored the insulting comparison between them contradicting her claim of his high position.

"I thought we have it established that I have a royal pedigree in the council. How come the talk of marriage did not reach any of our levels?" He inquired playfully, amused to the provoked woman. "Your own words, my lady."

Sonia was subtly impressed. She had to admit that she underestimated him, at first, but what she is witnessing now is the wit of Nathalia Clement and the boldness of Martin Alderige. Romeo did not come empty handed.

"If you consider asking me in another time, my lord, I might have a better answer."

"You have a habit of not answering questions."

"Because you're asking the wrong ones."