Misfortune 66

Chapter 66

***

The sun was gradually setting, bathed the harbor in a golden glow. The sea was calm, as if to bless the day.

Delnia craned her neck and looked up at the large, old ship that seemed to be the venue for tonight's party.

Small lanterns dangled from the ship's railings, adding to the mood of the banquet. Around them, sailors gathered in small groups, chatting.

The sound of their laughter was carried on the tepid breeze from the threshold of fall.

It was a peaceful scene, and one that had nothing to do with her.

Delnia looked around, hoping to find the right person to run her errand for her.

There was a group of people gathered on the makeshift stairs leading to the ship's entrance; she could ask any of them in uniform to deliver the letter.

Getting her feet moving again, she made a beeline for the most stood out sailor near the stairs.

 "Excuse me."

The man on the path turned around at the sudden call.

He looked strangely familiar. Delnia, caught off guard, stared at the man, forgetting to say what she had planned to say.

"Eh? Eper............"

The man recognized her first gasped and quickly covered his mouth.

It didn't take long for Delnia to recognize him, his rugged features and youthful appearance out of place.

"Lieutenan.................Dieppe?"

Sylver Dieppe. The officer who had shown her the only kindness when she was brought to the capital from Belfort Castle.

Sylver’s fierce eyes curved up as far as they could go and he smiled good naturally as Delnia recognized him.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you! And I'm a lieutenant now, not a second lieutenant."

"Oh, I see..................."

Delnia trailed off, a sense of dismay overtaking her. She hadn't expected to run into someone she knew.

But Sylver was oblivious to her discomfort. He was just happy to see a face he hadn't seen in a long time.

Of course, he couldn't help but be genuinely glad to see her.

The last time he'd seen her in person was shortly after Count Eperne's suicide, and since then he'd only heard that she'd been enslaved by the Colonel.

'How surprised I was when I first heard.’

Sylver heard the news on the way down to Blois.

He'd assumed that if Roan stayed in the capital, he'd stay, but contrary to his expectations, he was first on the list to return to Blois.

He was surprised by the unexpected order, but what could he do? Honor and obedience was a soldier's code.

And so, even as he obediently made his way to Blois, Sylver often thought of Delnia.

He couldn't help it. After all, he was the only witness to her final meeting with Count Eperne, and he had seen her strain her whole body to keep from crying.

Even if no one else recognized it, Sylver was still proud to have defended her honor.

But there were times when he felt regret. If he had known the woman Roan was holding on to so tightly, he wondered if he would have made such demands of her, like pushing her over a cliff.

Of course, given how harsh Roan was, Sylver wasn't too hopeful.

Fortunately, the woman in front of him was still well and beautiful enough to override her worries. Her posture was neat and upright. Just as she had been when she was still Eperne's young lady.

However.......

'She looks a little thin.’

Even to Sylver’s eyes, who had been berated countless times by the women in his family for his lack of eyesight, she was noticeably thinner.

Somehow, there was an air of despondency that hadn't been there before. Especially her eyes, which had a depthless look to them.

The kind that make you stop breathing when you stare into them. .........

"Lieutenant?"

Her thin voice snapped him back to reality, and Sylver stammered, realizing that he'd actually been mesmerized by those eyes.

"Uh, you know, I mean....................."

He felt like he had to say something, but he couldn't find the right words.

He couldn't even ask a simple question like how are you? How could a woman who had once cherished her nobility and dignity like her lifeblood be well when she had been reduced to a slave?

"Have you come to see the Colonel?"

He finally said the words, disloyalty threatening to well up inside him.

It was a name he hadn't wanted to bring up in front of her, but he had no choice; Roan was the only person they had any contact with.

"Yes. I have a message for him," Delnia said, somewhat distantly.

Sylver smiled wider, despite the tingling in the pit of his stomach.

"Come on, let's go inside, and I'll take you to the Colonel myself."

Delnia waved a quick hand at the man who was trying to lead the way.

"No, I'm fine, the lieutenant can take it................"

"Still, I can't just turn you away when you walked all the way here yourself. That's not how the Navy treats its guests."

She didn't know where to begin to point out. For one thing, Delnia wasn't a guest, and she hadn't asked to be, and she couldn’t be.

"No, sir, I don't want to interrupt your enjoyment. I'm going to..................."

"Interrupt? I'm offended that you would say that. This isn't a formal occasion, so don't feel obligated to come with me."

Sylver, who hadn't gotten the memo about her repeated refusals, led the way through the crowds.

Eventually, Delnia found herself on board the ship, feeling just as floaty as when she arrived. The only saving grace was that Sylver’s massive bulk shielded her.

"Hey, Remy. Do you know where Colonel Barthez is?"

No, thank God was a retraction. This bear of a man was far too clueless.

"I thought I caught a glimpse of him on deck earlier."

His colleague answered briefly, and then, with a sly glance at Delnia, who was standing still, he asked.

"But who is she? I didn't recognize her."

"A member of Colonel Barthez's party."

"Aha."

The response was a knowing one. Delnia seemed to know what they were thinking without having to look inside their heads.

A strange woman, dressed to impress, coming to see Roan. Add to that the rumors of his return to Blois with a former noble slave and you have a plausible conclusion.

Despite herself, Delnia pulled the corners of her mouth up as best she could. Like a woman who was not the least bit ashamed. Her facial muscles were tense and her shoulders stiff from the strain, but she smiled anyway.

Sylver, unaware of her effort, continued to lead the way.

"I know you're busy, and I'm sure you're wasting your time with me, so if you'd like to call someone else, I'd appreciate..................."

Delnia's eyes widened, and her heart sank. If he would send for a servant or someone else, she would leave the letter with him and be gone straight away.

"No, of course it's my job."

But Sylver resolutely defied her expectations. He was so serious, as if escorting her was his last mission, that she could no longer argue with him.

Finally, a defeated Delnia swallowed a sigh and followed him.

Through a maze of corridors and up a flight of stairs, they finally reached the deck.

The deck was bathed in a soft, warm rosy color at sunset. A flock of seagulls sailed freely across the red sky, and the calm waters blazed red as if engulfed in flames.

At small tables dotted around the deck, gentlemen in uniform and ladies in elegant dresses laughed and talked over drinks and nibbles.

One of them was strumming a guitar and singing, but the mismatched notes suggested he wasn't an invited singer, just a drunken reveler.

"It's definitely different from the usual banquet atmosphere."

Sylver smirked at her honest assessment.

"Haha, yes, it's kind of like a party on a ship, you know, you've got the ship in the dock and you've got the atmosphere, and when we have something to celebrate, it's just a little celebration amongst ourselves."

It was certainly a strange atmosphere for Delnia, who was used to formal occasions; for her, a banquet was not something cozy and warm.

‘If my mother were to see it, she'd probably think it was frivolous.’

But Delnia didn't mind the lightness and freedom of the atmosphere. She could tell by the slight slump in her shoulders.

It just made her feel all the more like an uninvited stranger. She couldn't help it.

Perhaps that was why the gazes that fell upon her felt so stinging.

Delnia moved her feet while looking only at Sylver’s back to redirect her gaze that was constantly turning towards the floor.

"Ah, there you are."

Sylver, leading the way, finally spotted Roan.

Delnia, whose vision was blocked by Sylver’s large body, leaned her head to the side.

***

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