Chapter 62: Clint’s Sincerity

His left hand was a mangled charcoal black, and his right hand was fair and white like the color of his skin. Together it was mixed with Ailea’s black-speckled hands. Her heart felt at ease somehow, thankful for the only man who had shown her nothing but kindness when they first met. He had accepted her.

Clint pulled her closer to him. He rubbed the back of her hair and asked, “Should we go home?”

“Yeah,” Ailea nodded. “Let’s go home.”

He thought once more that she shouldn’t take Ailea to Excalibur. That place was a dangerous place to be. If he brought her there, she’d only hurt more.

Ailea looked up at the moon shining so brightly. Beautiful sounds of melody seeped out of the banquet hall.

She stopped walking.

“Clint.”

“Hm?”

“Would you… dance with me someday?”

“Dance?”

“Yes. Should we dance in a place where it’s bright and never grows dark? Someday,” Ailea asked, her voice quivering.

Clint smiled. “When is that someday?”

“Whenever it’s okay with you.”

“If it’s with you, any day or night is perfect.”

Ailea smiled lightly at his words. She hoped that at least for tonight he would belong only to her.

Her disease made her loathe the darkness. She hated the night. But she was also afraid of the sun, of bright places where there was nowhere to hide. So all she could do was allow herself to be swallowed by the shadows. But she didn’t want that anymore. If she wished to love herself, she had to stop being afraid of daylight. She didn’t want to hide forever.

“If you want, my dear wife, we can dance right now.”

“N–now?”

“Yes. Let’s go dance right now. Don’t worry about anything else. Just look at me. Only me.”

Clint pulled her hand and led her to the banquet hall. Some of the nobility sat down and took in the sound of the melody, while others danced to their heart’s content.

Clint bowed, asking Ailea for a dance. She smiled, lifting her skirt, and taking Clint’s hand as she moved to the dance hall.

The lights immediately turned off, leaving only the stage light for the band and the dance hall open. It was neither too dark nor too bright. For Ailea, she fit in. She didn’t stand out.

Clint brought Ailea to the corner of the dance hall. They won’t be dancing in the center where the limelight was. This place was good enough for her. She won’t be frightened.

Clint smiled and led their dance to the beat of the rhythm. Ailea smiled brightly and wide. She was having fun. Her heart didn’t ache.

The arrogant nobility turned their heads and watched the couple. Ailea’s smile amazed them, but what struck them dumb was Clint. He seemed different.

Lawrence’s younger sister, Daisy sat next to Rita. “So that man can make that kind of expression, too?”

Rita followed Daisy’s gaze.

Rita nor her circle of friends had ever seen that sort of look on his face.

“Clint Risher, he’s always… how should I say it… it always seems like he’s one step back. He never looked sincere in all that he does. He’s always putting on a mask. I didn’t like him, but now…”

“Now?” Rita asked.

“He’s very focused. I wonder if he’s doing his best to care for her because she’s Ron Elgar Euilianna’s daughter?”

“…Do you know what happened between Captain Ron and the Grand Duke?”

“That’s not something I can talk about.”

Though Lawrence and Daisy were of royal blood, siblings weren’t always on the same side. Daisy cut off Rita’s words with a smile as she looked at the dancing couple with a joyful face.