Chapter 1140: Between Measures

Elara saw Lucavion recover.

One moment, Lianne had caught him. His weight had traveled too far into the step, another couple had closed the easiest route behind him, and the turn demanded a change his body seemed late to make.

Then his heel touched the floor.

His ankle shifted. The failed step folded inward, his hips turned around it, and by the next beat the mistake had become part of the dance.

’What was that?’

Julen guided her through their own crossing turn.

Elara followed from habit.

She had seen something similar to Lianne’s figure before. Eveline had once spent an afternoon tormenting her with older Arcanian court movements, including a turn that deliberately promised one direction before cutting inward.

Ashen...

Crown, perhaps.

The name mattered less than what Elara had just watched.

A normal dancer recovered by adjusting the next movement.

Lucavion had corrected his body after the wrong movement had already begun.

That looked far more like his swordsmanship than dancing.

The realization stayed with her as their rotations brought the other pair in and out of view.

Lucavion moved differently afterward.

The peculiarities Elara had noticed earlier became more pronounced: slightly closer spacing, cues beginning through the shoulder, timing that remained understandable without feeling quite Arcanian.

Lianne began adapting to him.

Then she slipped.

Barely.

Her foot came down late enough to stretch the space between them.

Lucavion shortened his own step.

The error disappeared.

Elara’s lips pressed together.

He had covered for her.

The musicians entered their closing phrase.

Lucavion and Lianne completed the final figure and separated. He said something Elara could not hear beneath the fading instruments.

Lianne looked at him.

Then smiled.

Elara’s fingers tightened around Julen’s hand before she remembered he was still holding it.

’What did he say?’

More importantly, Lianne’s expression had changed.

She had approached Lucavion looking like someone who intended to test an interesting problem.

Now she looked as though the problem had answered back.

And she was still smiling.

Irritation pricked beneath Elara’s ribs.

’Does this man flirt with every woman who speaks to him?’

"Lady Maraven."

Elara looked at Julen.

Their own final figure was waiting.

"My apologies."

"I am beginning to feel neglected."

His amusement spared her the need to apologize twice.

"You have survived admirably."

"I appreciate the recognition."

They completed the final turn and stepped apart.

Elara offered the formal courtesy.

"Thank you for the dance, Master Arvess."

"The pleasure was mine."

Julen did not leave.

His gaze passed over her shoulder before returning to her.

"May I ask you something?"

"If you like."

He lowered his voice.

"House Caerlin supports the First Princess?"

Elara blinked.

"Eh?"

"Princess Selienne."

"I know who the First Princess is." Her brows drew together. "Why would you think House Caerlin supports her?"

Julen glanced past her again.

This time Elara followed.

Lucavion stood near the edge of the Floor after returning Lianne to her acquaintances.

Several students passed nearby.

None stopped.

Once Elara looked for it, the pattern became difficult to miss.

Nobody openly shunned him. There were no pointed backs or theatrical departures.

They simply found somewhere else to be.

"You really haven’t noticed?" Julen asked.

"Apparently not."

"People are avoiding him."

Elara looked back.

"Because of Crown Prince Lucien."

"Because everyone knows there is a problem between them."

"He does not belong to another faction."

"That is what makes things worse, inherently."

Julen spoke quietly enough that the nearest students could not easily hear.

"Speaking with him once means very little. Being repeatedly seen with him means something else. After the banquet, people started deciding whether that association was worth explaining."

Elara said nothing.

"For most nobles here, distance is easier. The people who ignore that usually have enough standing that Prince Lucien cannot easily pressure them..." Julen paused. "Or someone powerful enough behind them that they do not care."

"Princess Selienne."

He nodded.

"She is the obvious conclusion."

The arithmetic was annoyingly straightforward.

Lucavion had challenged the Crown Prince publicly.

Elowyn Caerlin continued spending time with Lucavion.

House Caerlin was a minor barony.

If Elowyn showed no fear of Lucien’s displeasure, observers would naturally search for the protection that made such behavior possible.

"We are neutral," Elara said.

Julen stared at her.

"What?"

"House Caerlin supports neither side."

His expression suggested that answer had somehow made matters worse.

"You are serious."

"Very."

"That is not how a neutral House behaves."

"Because I speak to Lucavion?"

"Because you keep being seen beside someone who openly antagonized one claimant to the throne."

His answer came without accusation.

That made it harder to dismiss.

"Neutrality is partly something other people agree to recognize," Julen continued. "If your behavior consistently appears hostile to one faction, eventually your declaration matters less than what everyone can see."

Elara’s gaze returned to Lucavion.

She had understood that staying near him carried risk.

Perhaps she had underestimated how quickly proximity itself would become evidence.

Julen adjusted one cuff.

"If I may offer some advice, Lady Elowyn?"

The use of her Academy name quietly ended their examination roles.

"Go ahead."

"For a minor House, neutrality is difficult to maintain unless both sides have a reason to respect it."

Elara looked at him.

"And House Thaddeus?"

Julen paused.

"The Thaddeus Duchy is neutral."

"Yes."

His mouth opened.

Closed.

Elara waited.

"That is a somewhat different situation."

Her mouth curved.

"Then neutrality itself is not the problem."

"You know perfectly well what I mean."

"I would still prefer you say it precisely."

He stared at her for a moment before laughing.

"Fine. House Thaddeus possesses enough power to make other people tolerate its neutrality. House Caerlin does not."

There.

Much better.

Elara inclined her head.

"Thank you."

"That was not meant as an insult."

"I know."

The chime announcing the interval between Measures sounded throughout the Rotunda. Couples separated completely while attendants began reorganizing the edge of the Floor.

Julen offered one final courtesy.

"Just think about it."

"I will."

He left.

Elara remained where she was.

The warning deserved consideration.

Elowyn Caerlin might be temporary, but temporary identities could still accumulate very real consequences. If the Academy began classifying House Caerlin through Lucavion, that could complicate her cover long before she ever discarded it.

She would need to account for that.

Later.

Her gaze found Lucavion again.

He was alone now, hands resting loosely at his sides as though the previous dance had contained nothing remotely unusual.

Elara remembered the impossible recovery.

Then the way he had hidden Lianne’s mistake.

Then Lianne’s smile.

Her eyes narrowed.

Political consequences could wait several minutes.

She had a more immediate question.

Elara started toward him.

--------A/N--------

Sorry for a bit shorter Chapter. Originally it was quite long, but I have culled around 700 words for this Chapter. Let me know if this way of writing is better.