[SRP] Bernese Ball

[WyvernSlayer]

Satsume heaved a sigh, mostly out of relief.  She wasn't completely unsympathetic to his plight, after all.
 
Faren gave Satsume a hard look, seemingly put off by his presence.  But the standoff was short-lived - a third man approached, and requested to speak to Cecily in private.  "Of course," she replied.
 
"Wait," said Satsume.  All eyes converged on him.  Cecily put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring look.  Satsume nodded at her.  "...you know where to find me."  She and the other man walked away, leaving Satsume alone in the company of Faren.  Curiously, he did not seem troubled at the sudden departure of his... object of desire.
 
Faren cleared his throat.  "Well, then!  Tell me, Mister, uh... Saskatoon?"
 
"Satsume."
 
"Yes yes, Mister Satsume.  I could not help but notice that you are the Lady Cecilia's vassal, and not... oh, what was his name..."  Faren snapped his fingers in an effort to jog his memory.  A butler whisked by with a plate crammed with bubbling champagne.  "Theodore!" he finally exclaimed, before realizing his snapping had attracted refreshments.  "Is he well?"  Faren grabbed a pair of the champagne glasses and offered one to Satsume.
 
"I wouldn't know," Satsume replied, taking the glass from Faren.  "I only met him once, in passing."
 
"I do remember him fondly," said Faren.  "...which is odd, considering he was but an aide like yourself.  He carried himself with the utmost... professionalism."  He took a sip and peered at Satsume over his glass.
 
Satsume knew what Faren was doing.  And he didn't like it.  He lifted his own glass to his lips and knocked back the sweet champagne in one gulp.  "And I don't?" he smirked.
 
Faren's eyes widened briefly.  "Well, let's just say that you are... of a different upbringing.  An unusual one, given your role."
 
Satsume seethed at Faren’s passive aggression.  But he managed to smirk through his anger.  “I don’t know, Lord Faren.  I would argue that being a humble peasant allows me to see things that nobles can’t.”
 
“Such as?”
 
“Fascinating thing about your friend Cecilia…” Satsume stepped past Faren.  “She’s not into you.  And you’re the only one who can’t see it.”
 
Faren’s eyes narrowed over his shoulder at Satsume.  He grinned from ear to ear in silent rebuttal.  Satsume reached out to pat Faren on the shoulder in mocking sympathy, only to have his hand brushed away angrily.  Satsume raised his eyebrows, as if to say, “take that,” then left him in the middle of the ballroom.
 
That was worth it.  Satsume strolled triumphantly towards the hallway where he saw Cecily go with the other gentleman.  As he passed the food table, he set down his glass.  Peeking down the hall, he saw Cecily making her way back.  Strangely, the gentleman who had gone with her before was absent.  Instead, she was accompanied by a couple of the castle guards.  Cecily wore an empty expression, as though she’d seen a ghost.
 
“Milady!  Are you alright?”  He grabbed her by the shoulders to try and jostle away her look of shock.