The Primus Daughter

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

The door suddenly opened, everybody looked up. It was a guard with his head bowed. He walked with purpose towards Athan and bent to speak in his ears. Athan tried not to make any reaction but his brows failed him.

The instant the guard had given the message, he fled the room. Athan leaned towards Kova. "She's here!" Kova immediately day straighter, even though he had forced her to show, he still couldn't help but feel a twinge of anxiety at the fact that she was indeed here.

Vance wasn't stupid. He could take a hint. He tried to compose himself, was almost an hour late and a part of him had thought she would not show up, had been a lot grateful that she didn't, however, that was a pipe dream as she was here now.

He closed his eyes tightly, the meeting was still going on, Nobles and Advisers were still bantering but Vance didn't care. He wanted to disappear, at that moment he wanted to cease to exist.

He listened intensely, zoning out what was before him and listening to what was afar. He heard it then, her slight footsteps as she hit the floor. She didn't sound very far and Vance knew in a couple of minutes she would be standing right out the door.

"Vance," someone called. "Vance?"

"Yes," he finally answered and his father frowned.

"I asked what you thought about it?" De Vile said.

Thought? Vance yelled in his head, he did not even hear a single word of whatever conversation they had just had and now they wanted his thoughts. He paused for a moment making it look like he was thinking about what he would say, he didn't get a chance to speak which he was grateful for as the door immediately pushed open and she walked in.

Vance felt time stop and all he could see was her. She tied her hair up and all he could think of was how he would untie it and run his hands through them. There were a few strands of hair covering her face, he wanted to flick them away they were obstructing his view of her eyes.

Almost immediately, he sensed that something was wrong but he could not quite place it and figured she was just tired or hated the fact that she had to attend this meeting. He couldn't fault her, he hated it too.

He looked at her outfit and it was hard not to snicker, it felt like she was mocking them for showing up in suits and ties— he was grateful he ditched his tie —while she had picked sneakers, joggers, and a jacket. He couldn't deny that she looked good in them.

He also noticed that he was not the only one with the same idea everybody was staring at her too. He heard a slight gasp, not too much but enough for him to know they knew. He prayed nobody would be stupid enough to talk about it but the purpose of their meeting was not the marriage, at least not yet. He hoped it would remain so.

"Personally, it is a good plan. I just wonder if we have enough time to execute it." Gualterio said, breaking the dead silence that had settled in as she walked in.

His voice snapped everyone from the trance that they had not been aware they were in as Selene walked towards the table. He was not paying attention to what was going on at the table, he could not. All he could see and sense was her.

She walked across him and he had to force his head down, afraid that when he looked up she would be staring right at him. She sat beside her father who murmured something to her and she murmured right back.

"Princess Selene Valak!" Athan announced and Selene rolled her eyes. Vance could tell she was unimpressed and wished she was elsewhere.

"De Vile Blackwood! Primus of the Blackwood"

Vance could see his father puff up with pride at his introduction. Selene then looked at his father and didn't look away, she did not hide her disgust and he wondered how she was able to show that with a straight face.

"Prince Vance Blackwood!" Athan announced and Selene's reaction was instantaneous. Vance felt his heart squeeze because he knew this would only get worse.

She jerked her head towards him and her eyes widened in more shock as she saw him. It was for a fleeting moment but he saw it as clear as day, the look of sadness and heartbreak that would forever haunt him.

He didn't want to tell her like this, he wanted more time. Time where she would grow to trust him but not only did he not have enough time, he also ran out of the little time he had.