Orion looked up, “Well lookie here.” He muttered. Juliah and Sarah looked up to see who he was looking at. “Count Higte.” He remarked. “What rock did he crawl out from under?”
Juliah concealed a laugh. “I know he is an old friend of dad’s but he scares the hell out of me.”
The gentleman walked around the edge of the room. They watched him greet the King and Queen, and then retreated to the darkness of the balcony.
The music changed to slower more formal dancing music. “Would you care to dance brother?” Juliah asked.
“I think I have one more dance left in me.” He escorted her to the dance floor.
Sarah found her way to the balcony. The gentleman was leaning against the railing. “There’s a lovely moon out tonight.”
His automatic response was, “it pales in comparison to you.”
She joined him against the railing.
“What are you doing here my child?” He wrapped his arm around hers.
“Dr. Carter is a friend of mine. He needed some advice so here I am.”
“I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you. You’ve dyed your hair. I remember it being sandy brown? Red really doesn’t suit you.”
“I never could fool you.” Sarah blushed. “Orion called you a Count and said you are an old family friend.”
“You have met the royal family I see.”
“In all their splendor.”
He turned around facing the ballroom. “That was a great job you did in there.”
“I had a great teacher.”
He looked up at the moon she had referred too. “What is wrong with the Prince?”
“It could be a host of things.”
The Count turned around to make sure they were still the only people on the balcony.
“What’s with the eye patch?” She asked.
“It’s only for looks.” He paused for a moment, “if you look to your right, just past the wall is a path that leads to the river. Meet me there?”
“What time?”
“Noon.”
The song changed. “I know this song.”
“You should. I taught you to dance that when you were ten.”
She turned to him smiling, “dance with me?” He shook his head no. “What, it will destroy your image as a recluse?”
“I never could deny you anything.”
“Even when you should have,” she smiled. Everyone stopped dancing when they walked arm and arm onto the dance floor. James, Rao, Orion, and Juliah were standing together. Rao and James turned to each other and smiled.
James spoke, “that makes my heart happy.”
“Do you think he will come visit more?” Rao asked.
“It would do him a world of good.”
Orion and Juliah just stared at each other.
Poetry & More 