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The waiting servant looks scandalized.
“I’m not Austrian.” I set the stemmed glass down with a click. I know where he’s going with this, but I hide my grin. Don’t want to encourage him.
“Yeah, but the Terminator is.”
I slap my friend on the shoulder. “Sure. Tell Eva I’ll catch up with her after… whatever this is.”
I follow the man past the crowd around the buffet table and thread between those streaming into the room. The ballroom is full, and the long line snaking down the stairs has disappeared. The Grand Duchess and Eduard appear to have abandoned their posts.
My guide takes me through the big room to a door behind the stage. The string quartet has been replaced by a harpist playing Christmas carols. Traditionally, there will be many different groups performing, so the musicians get a chance to enjoy the festivities, too.
We hurry down a long hall, up a stairway, and around a couple of corners to the Grand Duchess’s reception hall. This room is behind the throne room and used for less formal but still official guests. Kind of a green room for foreign dignitaries.
The room is large but cozy. Heavy drapes cover all but one window, which looks down on the same snowy terrace as the dining salon. Thick, handwoven carpets cover the floor, stacked two or three deep in places, their patterns detailed but muted. Heavy antique furniture, reupholstered for comfort, forms several seating groups, and a fire crackles in the large fireplace.
Aunt Karolina sits in front of the fire with an older couple. The man has sleek silver hair and wears an Armani tux. The woman, blonde and elegant, wears a glittering designer gown and a small tiara. Near the windows, Eduard chats with a striking blonde in a vibrant red dress. She has a hand on Eduard’s arm and laughs as I enter, as if he’s said something witty. I recognize her from the photo the Grand Duchess showed me—the prospective bride. Beyond them, the redheaded sister looks up from her phone and gives me a brilliant smile.
“His Royal Highness Prince Sebastien Teodor Florian of Freiberg,” my guide intones with a bow, then backs out of the room, closing the huge double doors.
“My nephew, Prince Sebastien.” My aunt sips from her champagne flute. “Teodor, meet my special guests, the Count and Countess Distler-Herbst of Brendenberg,”
I move into the room slowly and execute my best bow. Low to the Grand Duchess, more of a head nod to the count and countess. Although as a prince I technically outrank them, they’re from a larger country, so we show respect.
The count and his wife rise to bow in return, then the man indicates the two younger women. “Our daughters Elizabeta and Selina.”
The girls curtsey, the blonde holding Eddie’s arm for balance. As we exchange pleasantries, the door opens again, and another servant introduces Victoriana, Andela, and Ronald.
I let out a breath. When I walked in, I was sure the Grand Duchess was trying to set me up with Selina. She’d made her distaste for Eva supremely clear when we arrived—not to mention her previous complaints about my American friend—and I wouldn’t put it past her to engineer an impromptu date to derail my evening. If she feels the dignity of the nation is at stake, she’ll do anything. And with Eduard’s prospective fiancée here, she’s probably on edge. But now that the others have arrived, I can relax. This is a family thing.
As Victoriana moves into the room on Ronald’s arm, the Grand Duchess rises. The count and countess surge out of their seats again so they aren’t seated while their hostess is standing. This silly protocol game has always turned me off, but my aunt seems to enjoy putting people off balance.
The Grand Duchess sails toward the doors. “Let us proceed to the ballroom for the announcement.”
The three in the doorway scramble out of the way. Victoriana and Ronald manage to do it gracefully, but Andela lurches aside like a startled animal. I slide up behind my sister and take her arm. “What announcement?” I whisper.
She shrugs. “Dunno. I’m the black sheep, remember?”
Victoriana eases Ronald out of the way. “The engagement. Haven’t you been paying attention to the palace emails?”
Andela and I exchange a look. My aunt mentioned this pairing, but I don’t remember seeing notice of an official announcement. “They’re doing it today? With Mutti and Vati in the States?” Our parents hadn’t been able to return for the Gala this year. Officially, my father had a medical procedure, but based on a call with them last week, that was a manufactured excuse, not a medical necessity. They didn’t want to come, and with Andela and I here to represent the Feltz branch of the family, they could get away with it.
Victoriana frowns as we follow the others down the hall. “It’s not an official announcement of the engagement, more like an unofficial one.”
“In the grand ballroom at the largest function of the year? That sounds pretty official to me.”
Andela grins. “Probably Auntie wants to make sure Eduard can’t wriggle out of it. An ‘unofficial introduction’ at an official event is almost as good as a prenup.”
“I’m sure they’ll have one of those, too,” Ronald mutters with a grimace. He catches my sharp glance and shrugs. “The lawyers are working on ours right now.”
“Hush, Ronald,” Victoriana hisses. Her expression makes it clear she considers discussion of a prenuptial agreement in bad taste.
“Sorry, Tori.” Ronald throws a wink at me as he whispers our old nickname for our cousin. Maybe he isn’t the pushover I thought.
We head down the long hallway, but Aunt Karolina stops to rearrange the group. We’ve all done this enough times to know the drill. I haven’t met the Distler-Herbsts before, but if they’ve been approved as potential in-laws, I’m sure they’ve been through their fair share of official royal events.
Uncharacteristically, the Grand Duchess puts us into position herself. Usually, she has a secretary for that, but Regina appears to have been given the night off. The monarch pushes Eduard and Elizabeta to the head of the group, then lines Elizabeta’s parents up behind them. Ronald and Victoriana go next, and then she comes to me and Andela. Selina hovers behind her, having been told to wait.
“Teodor, you will escort your sister and Lady Selina. Selina will go on your right. After the introductions, the musicians will play a waltz. You will all participate. Teodor, you will dance with Lady Selina.”
