The robed figure's face was obscured by a deep hood, leaving Adrian with only a glimpse of his profile.
'Or was he actually a she??' He wondered, noting that the visible curve of the jaw seemed far too soft for a man.
The figure's gaze lingered on him for a heartbeat before they turned and vanished into the crowd.
"Hey, did you see that… guy?" Adrian asked, glancing at Dexton. He found his knight distracted, eyeing the female singer on the stage. Adrian gave him an amused look until Dexton finally noticed and turned sheepish.
"My apologies, milord. Could you repeat that?"
"Did the singer catch your eye?" Adrian smirked. He flicked a coin into the collection basket, prompting a deep bow from the attendant standing beside it. A mischievous thought struck Adrian, and he turned to the man. "Hey, my knight here wants to meet the singer. Is that possible?"
"Milord-!" Dexton sputtered.
"Just kidding." Adrian added quickly, laughing at the knight's expression. He knew Dexton was conservative when it came to women, despite the many prospects he'd had since being knighted.
The man beside the basket spoke up. "Milord, if you wish, we can arrange a meeting right now."
"Oh? What do you say to that, Dexton?"
Dexton was about to respond when a new buzz rippled through the crowd. The conversation died as he and Adrian exchanged a look, wondering what the stir was about.
The pointing and muttering grew louder. Above the din, Adrian heard the clatter of hooves. He stepped forward into a more open area to get a better view of what the crowd was seeing. There, emerging from the tree line, was a force more than a hundred strong, all mounted on horseback and escorting three carriages.
Every soldier wore fine armor, some of it exceptionally ornate, led by a middle-aged man in casual but refined clothes and a well-groomed beard. A banner flapped in the wind behind him, displaying a rising sun.
The Royal Family delegation had arrived, a full day earlier than expected.
--
With the arrival of the royal delegation, Adrian cut his tour short. Luckily, the visitors took their time approaching the castle, parading before the commoners as they went. It seemed a deliberate move to allow the castle staff time to prepare for their early arrival.
This gave Adrian just enough time to reach the keep, though he had to jog the entire way.
By the time he reached his room, the entire keep had descended into a frenzy. Servants and lords alike were scurrying about, donning their finest attire to greet the royal family.
Soon, Adrian stepped out of his chambers in his best clothes with Dexton trailing behind him. After questioning a servant, he was led to a hall where most of the lords were already gathered.
Seeing such a large assembly of nobles was a first for Adrian. Some turned to him, whispering to their neighbors, while others merely swept a glance over him before returning to their discussions about the royals.
Spotting Lord Sean and Lord Hardinge standing together, who had arrived earlier, Adrian navigated through the crowd to join them. They welcomed him into their circle immediately.
"Do we know which members of the royal family have come?" Adrian asked Lord Sean. He briefly looked for a familiar knight, but it seems Lord Wesley couldn't come after all.
"I suppose we're about to find out." Lord Sean replied. Lord Hardinge was about to add his own thoughts, but he was interrupted as a servant hurried toward the Earl of Highmere. The Earl, who was no longer seated, listened as the servant whispered into his ear, then gestured for the room to fall silent.
Everyone straightened their posture and waited. It wasn't long before a herald standing beside the large double doors let out a booming cry.
"Welcome his arrival! Brother of the King, Prince of the Realm, the Earl of Applebye, Lord Oscar Attareus!"
Adrian heard several lords gasp as the doors slowly creaked open. A sturdy figure, the man Adrian had seen earlier stepped inside.
The herald continued…
"Accompanied by his family, his wives, Lady Eleanor and Lady Corliss, Lord Bennett Attareus, Heir of Applebye and Prince of the Realm, his daughter, Skyla Attareus, Princess of the Realm; and the twins, Lords Leoford and Beoford!"
As each person was named, they appeared in turn. Adrian only had a brief moment to scan them before the room bowed deeply in unison. He managed to observe that the twins had blonde hair, while the other two children shared Lord Oscar's dark hair.
He listened as the Earl welcomed the King's brother, promising a grand feast for the evening. Lord Oscar gave a brief response, and soon after, the crowd in the welcoming hall began to disperse.
The royal delegation was weary from the road and required rest before the night's festivities. Adrian chatted with the nearby lords for a few more minutes before taking his leave.
--
The feast began, and Adrian found himself at a table enjoying the food as much as he could, he knew he would soon have to socialize. His gaze drifted toward the head tables where the royal family sat, lingering briefly on Lady Skyla Attareus.
She was breathtaking, a beauty he hadn't been able to fully appreciate in the hall while he was busy gawking at the entire family.
Looking at her now, he realized she possessed a grace unlike any he had ever seen. But it wasn't just her beauty that caught his attention, among all the family members at the table, she was the only one with striking blue eyes.
Eyes he recognized from earlier.
'The princess likes to go off on her own?' Adrian thought, before quickly checking himself. What the royals did was not something he could easily involve himself with.
"Hey… can I have some more of this green wine?" Adrian asked a passing servant, wiggling his empty cup.
"Of course, mlord." the servant bowed.
Adrian chewed a piece of fruit as he took in the view. Slowly, the lords rose from their seats, beginning the night's social maneuvers. The servant returned with the drink, which Adrian learned was called Greeves.
'I'll have to buy a bottle, or a barrel later, if I win.' Adrian mused, finding the taste to his liking.
"Milord, you shouldn't drink too much," Dexton's voice spoke from behind him.
Adrian glanced at his only company. Since it wasn't appropriate for a knight to sit with a lord unless they were kin, Adrian sat alone. In moments like these, he missed Ela. At least with her, he could gossip without issue, though she'd likely be the one forcing him to socialize.
"You're just jealous that you can't eat and drink as you please." Adrian smirked. "Don't worry, if you win anything in this tourney, how you spend your coin is none of my business."
Dexton rolled his eyes, taking a disciplined sip of his own drink. Just then, Lord Hardinge and Lord Sean approached the table.
"Lord Harrow, come join us to greet his Grace. I'm sure he'll ask about the matter of Prince Cale." Lord Sean said. Lord Hardinge nodded in agreement.
Adrian took a final, large swig of his wine and followed them. They chattered idly as they headed toward the high table, eventually falling into a discreet line behind other nobles waiting to pay their respects.
"How do you like your chances, Lord Harrow?" Lord Hardinge asked. They had briefly talked before the start of the feast.
Lord Hardinge was only participating in the joust, as most did, it was Adrian that was odd for entering both the joust and the melee.
"I can't guarantee anything, but I'll do my best." Adrian replied.
"I'll be placing my bets on you, Lord Harrow." Sean chuckled, then gestured toward the crowd with his head. "Though there are plenty of great fighters here."
Adrian followed his gaze and saw Lord Corvus surrounded by a throng of admirers, mostly ladies, fielding questions with ease.
There were four main areas where the lords gathered, around Earl lords, Lord Corvus and Lord Winthrope, then there's the Duke's son Lord Jayson Edward, and, of course, the royal delegation.
"I heard Lord Corvus fought in the northwest and gained considerable fame at such a young age." Lord Hardinge said, his eyes returning to Adrian.
"It will be an interesting competition, then." Adrian commented.
Soon, they found an opportunity to greet Lord Oscar. Adrian was thankful Lord Sean led the way, as it allowed him to repeat the generic, formal greetings everyone seemed to repeat.
A brief moment of attention fell on Adrian when Lord Sean mentioned his contributions, and once again, Adrian spoke the humble words he felt he'd repeated many times already. He tried to inject as much sincerity into his tone as possible, he knew a Prince would spot a lie instantly.
Lord Oscar asked about his chances in the tourney, and Adrian tried to keep the dryness out of his voice as he responded.
Suddenly, a soft chuckle reached his ears. His gaze flickered toward Lady Skyla. She looked at him with an amused, knowing glint in those blue eyes. She didn't speak, and soon their audience ended, making way for the next group of lords.
"That went well." Lord Sean remarked.
Music began to swell in the hall, and dancing ensued. Adrian leaned against a pillar, watching lords invite ladies to the floor. He raised a brow, seeing Lord Hardinge invite a young lady to dance with obvious interest, despite knowing the man had a wife and sons back home.
He chuckled to himself, but his attention was pulled back toward Lady Skyla. She was surrounded by suitors vying for a dance. For a brief moment, as she spoke with someone, her gaze wandered, and met his.
Adrian tilted his head, then pushed off from the pillar. Curiosity got the better of him, and he began to step toward her.