XXVIII

Talvi returned Elanor's glamour belt for the brief walk to his suite because neither of them wanted to ever step foot inside the moldy-smelling prison cell of a chamber they had spent the night in. Once inside, they couldn't stop the sarcastic commentary about the contrast of this room compared to the one in the dungeons: lavish velvet material with ornaments made of mother-of-pearl was covering the walls, matching silk canape, bed and chairs were made with polished red wood, fresh fruits and drinks were placed on the coffee table, next to a small inside fountain. The sounds of running water were very calming, and the room smelled fresh and flowery. 

Talvi, his briefcase in hand, almost immediately occupied the bathroom, and Elanor was not fooling herself by hoping that he would actually come out of there in less than two hours. She unpacked her costume and spread it on the bed. A voluminous mass of glittery silver fabric spilled onto the sheets in a shiny cascade. She was almost afraid to touch it, but there was no time to admire Hazel's work, and Elanor quickly slipped into the dress, spending a frustrating amount of time lacing and adjusting it. 

The dress had a basic A-line silhouette, and she could see after putting it on that the fabric was a little translucent. Intricate swirls of embroidery adorned the skirt, running up the corset, which ended with the off-the-shoulder loop sleeves. Her shoulders and back were bare, and the silver colour, or Hazel's enchantment, made her pale skin look glowing, as if reflecting soft moonlight. Tailor included a white half mask and silver shoes with small, thin heels, covered with pearls. She constructed a simple updo on her head, letting out some front pieces to camouflage her human ears a little, and was still busy with accessories when Talvi emerged from the bathroom in full splendour.

Both of them froze still, gawking at each other, for Hazel's work was deserving of all the admiration. Talvi was wearing a white tunic that stopped above the knees, with bishop sleeves and pearl strings attached to them at the curve of his shoulders. White breeches were tucked inside tall leather boots. His forest-green hair was clean and loose, with a silver mask sitting atop his head. Layers of pearl strings were hanging from Talvi's neck all the way down to his waist belt, drawing attention to his half-bare tan chest, since the cut of the collar was very low. 

Elanor felt something fluttering in her chest under the burning gaze of his obsidian eyes, as it roamed all over her, lingering on every detail, as if memorizing. Talvi was first to break the silence.

"You look... shiny." 

Elanor scoffed at that and turned to hide her belongings in the hidden fae pocket of the ball gown. She thanked the artisan for thoughtfulness in her mind and walked to the door, swooshing her beautiful dress with intentional allure, really feeling herself and enjoying the effect it seemed to have on the elf. She was hiding a reserved smile. 

Shiny, really? Can't believe I managed to make this flirt falter. Or, rather, Hazel did.

Talvi joined Elanor at the door, rushing ahead to open it for her. He was silent the whole way to the reception hall, only throwing glances at her when he thought she wasn't noticing. He was not the only one looking: most of the nobles they passed by were turning their heads after the couple. 

Elanor herself was looking around in awe, marvelling at the extravagant attire of fae of every kind. There was a magnificent woman with snake-like skin in a black velvet gown, while at the other end of the entrance hall, a spider couple conversed with a finely dressed blonde, standing to Elanor with her back, whose gown was decorated with massive four-part wings, each made of feathers and gold.

They missed the beginning of the banquet in the gardens, but the doors to he ballroom were still closed. A lot of the folk knew Talvi and would often come to greet him, pretending not to notice Elanor, even though her companion introduced her to each of them as his business partner. Elanor felt indifferent about their mean attitude, wanting to be done with the party to get away from this horrible place. 

Watching Talvi interact with his kin, however, proved to be entertaining. Mira once mentioned how the merchant is much more reserved with strangers than she assumes, and it seemed to be true. Anytime Talvi was approached by another person, he struggled to hide his annoyance and wrapped the conversation up as soon as it was proper. 

"Am I the only human person attending as a guest here?" asked Elanor at some point. Talvi 

"No, but there are only a few. One of Queen Violet's advisors is human; he came to Faery of his own volition to do research and stayed at her court. He must be quite talented to get a position like this. There is also a poet, but I haven't seen him yet. The nobility is amused by his verses, and the Queen allows him to visit."

Elanor was standing on the tips of her toes to hear Talvi better, and he placed his arm on her waist to help her with balance. It was loud, and she had to watch his lips closely to understand what he was saying. His hand burned like coals on her back. When their eyes crossed, she felt electricity running like static on her skin. 

"Don't look at me like that, you're making me nervous," confessed Elanor, getting lightheaded.

"Is that so-" began Talvi, when the orchestra exploded in ceremonial music and the doors to the ballroom opened. 

They jumped in surprise, startled, and turned to watch the Queen enter the ballroom first, opening the night with her current lover, Sir Firo, as Elanor learned earlier, eavesdropping while Talvi was busy with conversation. She stood for a moment in the doorframe and, of course, looked serene. Although Elanor was sure no one would dare to try to outshine her, they would not succeed even if someone reckless tried. A diadem was sitting on her brow, probably because the queen had small white deer antlers, and a crown would be tricky to put on. Since Elanor was not standing at her feet this time, she was able to look at the Queen's lovely face, smiling at her guests before she turned and disappeared through the doors, inviting the crowd to follow. With each step, her feet were triggering a swarm of tiniest lights that glistened in a manner of ripples of the tide. The enchantment made her appear to be floating in her puffy pink dress.

Talvi gallantly offered Elanor his elbow; she placed her hand at the fold of it, and they joined the end of the line to advance through the entrance. Some commotion appeared at the doors, but was eventually solved by the guards. The couple was glad to wait and let everyone in first; Elanor was feeling anxious and overwhelmed, and Talvi was picking up on that. 

Finally, the two of them entered the well-lit room, which was heavily decorated with flowers; their scent was so powerful that Elanor knew she would get a headache very soon. They walked towards the windows and found a quiet corner, concealed by a small table used by the servants to gather used dishes. 

"Alright, now we wait," said Talvi, moving to sit on a wide windowframe.