Calias duke of Belgrund watched the feast unfold before him with distant eyes. As much as he wanted to let himself go and enjoy this, he wasn't lost on the fact that this gathering wasn't like the many others he had attended. A lot of power plays were happening behind the scenes and he would not be naive enough to believe that his conduct here tonight would not be a deciding factor in elevating his position here in Malfrost.
He had attended this feast with his young wife. She was yet to bear him a child, a fact which he felt denied him the respect he ought to be commanding here at court. He raised his eyes to regard the princess, she had just entered with a servant whom he recognized, Guinevere.
He had made several attempts to get Guinevere to see the benefits that could result from hav
