Stars Fade Blue

The array of colors was distracting. They danced in and out of each other, twirling and twisting their ways around the large rooms of the manor. Music floated off of the walls, surrounding the surprisingly light atmosphere of the guests. It was loud, and yet comparatively quiet to other parties Emerie had attended in the past.

"Come, now, Emerie, we must introduce ourselves to these Piccolets," Cosette sang. Her smile was as bright as all of the candles in the room as she tugged her brother with their linked arms.

"I believe it is I who must introduce us, Cosette. Surely you should know that," he chuckled, teasing his sister. She scoffed at him and continued to drag him toward the obvious positioning of the governor and his wife. Emerie watched his sister lovingly, silently wishing she could be so friendly and outgoing with strangers.

Then she would have a chance, he thought. Shy ladies were no competition to friendly ones.

Emmerich found an appropriate servant of the house that could introduce him and his sister to the man of the house. Once he found one, they followed.

At last they reached the governor and his wife. They stood side-by-side, looking cold and uncomfortable, beside the last step of their grand staircase. By the way they were situated Emerie could tell that their daughter would be making a grand entrance.

When the two siblings arrived in front of the governor, they were immediately acknowledged with a harsh glance. There was no doubt that Emerie noticed the rude manner in which he was recognized, but being a gentleman, he did not argue.

"I present Major General Emmerich Yves-Leventhorpe and his sister, Miss Cosette Yves-Leventhorpe," the servant said, then bowed and walked away. Each person left present bowed appropriately to one another.

"I must say, I knew that there was a relation between the Earl and the Major General, but I was not aware you were his son," the governor said. "You are awfully young to be so powerful." Envy dangled on every word, carefully disguised through years of practice.

"Yes, sir, but I assure you that I am as qualified as any man twenty years my senior," Emerie responded. The governor's wife looked perturbed by this, as well as by the frequent flashes of jealousy she felt towards Cosette. She was jealous that she was so pretty, surely able to diminish her elder daughter's beauty by far.

"How so? You do not have the experience of a man of forty odd years," the governor jeered skillfully.

"Whatever it is I may or may not lack in experience, I can certainly make up for in skill and dedication," Emerie assured, scorned.

"Very well," the governor sighed, thus ending their conversation.

Tempted to club the governor across the face, Emerie took a deep breath and bowed his head in adieu. With his mouth taut, Emerie clenched his fists and disappeared into the crowd of people gathering around the staircase. The orchestra began a slow and gentle song, signaling the entrance of Miss Piccolet. Everyone else had their eyes on her, their expression of awe clearly evident in the way they gazed up at her. Out of respect for her, considering he did not know her and only knew her father, Emerie looked over his shoulder.

Miss Farrah Piccolet wore a dove grey dress of silk that hugged her slight body carefully. It came off of her shoulders and the sleeves reached her elbows. She may have been small, but there was no doubt in her voluptuousness or height. A green-blue ribbon was wrapped around her waist, accentuating her thinness. Her collar bones were clearly visible, and nothing rested upon her neck, not even her raven-like tresses, for they were tamed high upon her head.

She was pale, nearly as white as snow. Her mouth was small, but her lips were deep pink, and rather plump. The only slightly-less-than-agreeable thing on her striking face was her nose, but in the lighting there, it appeared perfect.

Emmerich was surprised. He had expected her to be quite plain, judging by her parents. Although he had not met her siblings, he was already convinced of their inferiority to her. Never before had Emerie witnessed such divine beauty, and he was frightened by it.

Barely a second had passed that he had fixed his eyes upon her like a fool before her gaze met his. Gulping, Emerie stood still and looked as deep as he could into her metamorphosic blue eyes. Even at his distance he could sense her pain and potential. He did not want to look away, but he blinked and made himself turn and continue on his way elsewhere.

Out of range of the crowd and alone in the dining hall, Emmerich rubbed his face with his hands and threw his head back. He examined the carefully sculpted gold-accented ceiling, simultaneously baffled by his sudden interest in a woman. A girl, really. He had never, ever, expected to have any type of interest in any person of the opposite sex, but this girl, this girl, left him confused.

It frustrated him that his judgment was so clouded by her effect. He was lost in his own head since seeing her. He was wondering what he would do without her. He was wondering what he would do with her. He was wondering what he would do to get her.

"No," he said aloud to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose. It was not in his nature to become so misguided; never had anything made him feel this way. Of course, it wasn't love---yet. At the time, it was intrigue, curiousness, mystery, that drew him in. It hadn't been ten minutes and he was dying to know more, dying to get inside of her world. Emmerich Yves-Leventhorpe was willing to give up his career if he enjoyed her enough.

After calming himself, Emerie left to find his sister, deciding that he hoped she was talking with her, but at the same time desperately wished she wasn't. He was excited by the thought of meeting her, yet horrified about how he may react.

Emerie scanned the busy ballroom for his sister, and upon finding her sauntered over to her side. She was engaged in a conversation with a girl she had been to school with---a then Miss Chetwood---and her new husband Mr. Petham.

"This is your husband?" Mrs. Petham asked nosily, knowing the answer, at Emerie's arrival.

"Brother," Cosette corrected. Both Mr. and Mrs. Petham nodded their heads in understanding and stared up at Emerie. It was obvious that they were intimidated by him. Although they may have not recognized him, they knew the importance of Cosette's elder brother. And aside from Emmerich's high position, he was tall and intimidating in manner and appearance.

"Well, I'm afraid I must steal my sister from you," said Emerie, using an air of arrogance in addressing them. The pair shied away and excused themselves.

Cosette hit her brother in the arm with the back of her hand as they walked away. Emerie smiled in accomplishment and didn't look at her.

"Must you be so frightening? Honestly, Emmerich, it's no wonder people tend to dislike you…" she sighed. Emerie scrunched his face and took her arm in his.

"People dislike me?" he asked in mock-obliviousness. Cosette scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Yes," she replied, to which received a brief "Humph" from her brother. "Oh, Emerie, we must introduce ourselves to Miss Piccolet," she insisted, tugging her brother toward a small gathering of people.

When he looked ahead to see where his sister was taking him, his stomach fell to the floor. His heart began to race and he stopped Cosette from taking another step. She glared at him, annoyed and perplexed.

"What?" he asked, not expecting an answer. "I can't very well just walk over there and introduce us to her. People might get the wrong idea by it. I think it would be wise to address her as a whole family."

"You're being absurd. People will get the wrong idea if you have your father introduce you to a very much unattached young woman. Simply take me over and claim that I was being very disagreeable and consented to being civil if I were to be introduced to the young lady whose party this is," Cosette offered.

With a sigh, Emerie reluctantly agreed to follow Cosette's instructions. He knew that she could sense his fascination with Miss Piccolet and that that is part of her reason for having him take her there. He also knew that if he were careful enough, no one else would realize his interest, and he made sure to enlist the help of his particular skill of acting.

Miss Piccolet stood beside a young man of the same height as her. He was respectably handsome and appeared friendly towards all, including his sister. Braden Piccolet was older than Farrah by three years, the age of Emmerich. Right away they recognized each other as Emerie brought his sister to meet Braden's.

The two young men had not been friends in school, but that did not mean that they were enemies either. They simply had never spent time together, and Emmerich's evident status drew his attentions elsewhere. He had left school with no friends, actually, but if he had had the time to make them, Braden Piccolet may have very well been one.

"How nice to see you again, Braden," Emerie began, shaking hands with a polite smile. He gulped before glancing at Miss Piccolet and nodding respectfully.

"Farrah, this is Emmerich Yves-Leventhorpe. Major General now, actually. He and I went to school together. His father is the Earl of Finesa," Braden explained to his sister. She watched Emerie cautiously, aware that she had seen him before.

"My dear sister Cosette insisted on my introducing her to you. She was being very disagreeable and consented to be civil if I came to introduce her," Emerie said, not faltering, though his stomach was making leaps. "Our younger sister, Eleonore, was in your class. She was unfortunately unable to attend, but wishes to assure that the invitation will be extended from her for you to join us for her celebration."

"I shall consider it well," Farrah declared softly. Her unreadable eyes searched Emerie's face for flaws, but she found none. He watched her with the same intensity and felt his lungs burn with whatever feelings he had. Cosette stared at her brother, baffled by his behavior and sudden---unanticipated and uncalled for---extension of an invitation to Miss Piccolet. Braden smirked to himself and covered it with the back of his hand. He was pleased with Emmerich's evident curiosity of his younger sister and he was satisfied with the idea of them being married.

Across the room, the Earl was engaged in conversation with Governor Piccolet. Their wives stood by their sides, also sharing news and interests. It was the Countess who notices the behavior first, and upon seeing it made a note to share the experience with her husband. Of course, naturally the governor's wife followed the gaze of the Countess and she also made a point to remember the obviousness of Emmerich's notice of her daughter.

Although the governor and his wife did not favor Farrah, and they would never pick a husband to purposely please her, having her married into the family of an Earl would give her a title as well as extraordinary wealth. The first thing that Camellia Piccolet thought to do was determine a way to get her daughter close to Emmerich, and then she recalled that she would have to have her husband change his attitude toward the young man.

It was in those moments decided by both families that regardless of opinions of each other or marriage itself, one would---potentially forcibly---be had.



Note that metamorphosic IS a word.