Chapter 42: Welcome Party
The two of them led Dominic back out into the party, where nobles were sipping wine and snacking on appetizers being passed around by the staff.
Dominic was the centre of everyone’s curiosity, walking between Princess Alexis, who he had arrived with, and Princess Eleanor, who was known among the nobles to be a bit eccentric in her choice of friends.
If both of them liked this strange man, then it didn’t bode well for their sons’ chances to land a Princess as a wife. Everyone knew that the line of succession was already secured, so the few remaining bachelors and bachelorettes could afford to be picky with their choices.
But asking the Nobles’ eligible sons to be polite to some random Sorcerer whose lineage they didn’t even know, just to get close to the Princess, was a big request.
And the Princesses knew it.
"Is the boy a commoner or a lower noble? Does anyone know where he comes from? I heard that he’s a Sorcerer, but that can’t be right. We would know if there was an Elder Sorcerer in town with a son his age." The guests were whispering to each other as the trio entered the garden.
An older woman came up with a very young boy to introduce to the Princess, and Elanor pulled Dominic back a step, forcing Alexis to let go of his arm and leaving her to face the noble alone.
Dominic didn’t miss the look that Princess Alexis shot her sister as her human shield was removed, but she greeted the woman with grace.
"Duchess, how pleasant to see you again today. Might his be your Eldest daughter, Molly?" Alexis asked, not so subtly insulting the masculinity of the boy brought before her.