A whole host of horses and carriages filled the main courtyard. Porters and servants took bags and led horses away, while foreign dignitaries stood mingling with Forge’s nobility. Kyra recognized the Edlan dignitaries by their waxed beards and mustaches. Delicately waxed facial hair was the current fashion in Edlan and the butt of many a joke in Forge and Parna. Many of the Edlan men had women with them, some wearing sturdy travel gowns, others in their evening finery. The Parnans were harder to recognize, but Kyra suspected that many of the unfamiliar wallhugger faces belonged to that contingent.
The entire scene was intimidating. Kyra walked the perimeter of the courtyard, scanning the crowd for people she knew. She saw Malikel, his black, curly hair and beard freshly cropped against his dark brown skin, wearing a maroon tunic and breeches instead of his usual official’s robes. The Defense Minister stood talking to a tall, stout man with a well-curled auburn mustache. Close by, Forge’s Head Councilman, Willem, held court amongst a whole circle of nobles.
Kyra finally caught sight of Tristam next to one of the carriages, looking very handsome in a midnight-blue tunic and black breeches. He was talking to an older gentleman from Edlan, and his eyes swept over Kyra without seeing her at first. But a moment later, he snapped his gaze abruptly back toward her, a startled expression on his face. She waved a few fingers in greeting. To her surprise, Tristam immediately bowed to his conversational companion and took his leave. Kyra’s arms felt awkward at her sides as he crossed the courtyard toward her. Her fingers itched to start fidgeting with her dress, but she forced them still.
When he came close, Tristam reached his arm toward her, palm up. After a moment’s confusion, Kyra gave him her hand, and he bowed low, pressing his lips to her skin. It was hard not to shiver at the tingle that went up her arm. Tristam straightened, and his eyes swept over her. “You look beautiful.”
She smiled, a pleasant warmth spreading through her chest. Until she’d seen Tristam’s reaction, she hadn’t admitted to herself that she’d been hoping for one. “You look very nice yourself,” she said. “Care to introduce me to all this court fanciness?”
“My pleasure.” He offered her an arm. “The crowd is moving to the ballroom. Shall we follow?”
Uniformed servants directed the guests through a massive set of double doors into the Palace’s main ballroom. The sparkle of countless candle flames greeted them as they drifted in with the crowd, and Kyra couldn’t help but gasp at the sight. The walls and ceilings were lined with mirrors, and they caught the light from crystal chandeliers overhead. The glass also reflected swirls of color from the hall—silk finery, feathered headdresses, rouged lips, and kohl-rimmed eyes. A group of ten musicians played at one end of the dance floor, while tables at the other end of the hall bore mouthwatering displays of delicacies, desserts, and wine. Servants weaved through the crowd, carrying platters that left tantalizing scent trails behind them. Uniformed guards in both Forge red, Edlan blue, and Parnan silver stood at attention along the walls, their stillness even more apparent against the constantly shuffling crowd.
“There’s more soldiers here than I expected,” said Kyra.
Tristam chuckled. “Well, yes. That’s the uncomfortable truth about the three cities. We’re not at war, but we’re never completely at peace either. Don’t let the pomp and ceremony fool you. We come together to ‘enhance cooperation between our three peoples.’ We’ll smile at each other, even help one another as a gesture of goodwill. But behind the honeyed words, we’re still trying to get an advantage on the others.”
Kyra thought she could sense some of this tension in the careful smiles and polite conversations around her. “What do I need to know about Edlan and Parna?”
Tristam led her to a table, where a bowing servant handed him two glasses of sparkling wine. “Think of our three city-states as three brothers,” he said, passing her a glass and lowering his voice. “Forge is the eldest, with a respectable inheritance of rich farmland and plentiful forests. We have the most people, the most fealty from families who live outside the city proper, and access to the best trade routes. Edlan is the second brother, living at the base of the Aerins in a harsher clime. They’re a hearty city and a tough people, but they’re always feeling second-best.”