Page 40 of The Fifth Life of Alicia
Empress Eudocia smiled at me with bright blue eyes. “How are you recovering, Lady Alicia? I understand you had quite the nasty fall.”
“I’m still quick to tire and suffer with headaches on occasion, but it’s getting easier every day. Thankfully, I have no lasting injuries and will fully recover with some time. I appreciate your concern, Your Majesty.” I smiled back at her.
She inclined her head. “Please, do let one of the servants know if you need to rest and they will take you to a private room.”
“That’s very kind of you.”
“Perhaps if you’re feeling up to it later, you might dance with my son.” She held her hand out towards Crown Prince Torin, who hadn’t taken his eyes off me since I’d stepped up.
He bowed to me. “It would be an honour, Lady Alicia.”
“The honour would be mine, Your Highness.”
The Emperor clapped his hands together. “Wonderful. We won’t keep you any longer, Marquess Vermillion. Please enjoy the ball, Lady Alicia, and make sure you rest well.”
I curtseyed again. “May the empire shine brightly under your wise rule, Your Majesty.”
Father bowed and repeated the same words before guiding me away. “Shall I add the Crown Prince to your list of suitors, Alicia?”
“Please don’t,” I replied quickly and quietly. “I have no aspirations of becoming Empress.”
He chuckled. “He seemed quite taken with you.”
“I’m sure he was just being polite. I will try to leave before he has a chance to ask me to dance.”
“You really should dance with him. The Empress herself brought it up.”
“No, thank you. I have no desire to give Mother something else to shout at me about.” I clapped my hand over my mouth. “Whoops.”
Father eyed me for a moment, then sighed. “Do not think that I’m unaware of her aspirations for Sophia’s marriage.” He leant in close to me. “However, between you and I, I’m familiar with the list of potential Crown Princesses that His Majesty is working on, and there is only one Vermillion daughter under consideration.”
I swallowed. “If it’s me, tell him he’s spelt my name wrong.”
Father laughed in a way I’d never heard before—in either set of memories I possessed. “If you’re truly uninterested in the position, I will do my best to steer him in another direction. It’s not my first choice for you either, especially if you don’t desire it. I can’t promise anything, though. Your bloodline is… Well. Desirable to the Imperial Family, shall we say.”
“I understand. Thank you, Father.”
He raised my hand and kissed it.
My glove was going to wear out at this rate.
“I believe Lord Leon is heading this way. Perhaps he wishes to have that dance he mentioned to you earlier.”
I looked up to see him approaching us through the crowd of people. “Do you approve of me getting closer to him?”
Father nodded. “I do.”
Lord Leon reached us and bowed his head. “Marquess Vermillion, I apologise if I’m interrupting your conversation.”
“Not at all,” Father said, raising his hand. “We just finished greeting Their Majesties and were about to part.”
He bobbed his head and turned to me. “In that case, Lady Alicia, may I—”
“Excuse me for interrupting, Marquess Vermillion.”
A new voice.
One I’d never heard before, yet one I seemed to know all the same.
