Magic of the Marriage Market

August had brought with it just as much chaos as the rest of the Season had, and Derbie knew better than to assume that things were going to calm down now just because he'd gotten engaged. A standard Social Season wasn't as filled as his Debut year happened to be, Alaric had six others in his year, Blair had two, and Calvin Debuted with Danilo and two others only. Derbie had Debuted with nine others, it was brief respite that three were triplets but that still meant seven social Events, and then the packed summer schedule was additionally burdened by Earl Wignell's return Event, and now this much deserved feast to celebrate Edwina's accomplishments.

Derbie wanted to cheer his sister along, but he was also getting very tired of all these social appearances and obligations. After the success of the Ruma gallery, especially where Alaric and Lady Aayina had been concerned, Derbie had been hoping to have some down time and recover.

Instead, Lord Daro Korolenko had proposed this feast to honour Edwina's efforts now that he was replaced by Master Gentileschi. Obviously, they were all eager to go, especially once the younger siblings were actually included, and the Briggs siblings arrived only lacking Farran. Since Edwina was the Lady of the hour, Derbie and Ban had agreed to meet at the feast, but for now he was with the others. His suit was an indigo jacket, shirt, and trousers, with a scarlet embroidered vest that was such a dark red it looked black, as did his cravat. He knew Ban's dress was the same indigo, scarlets, and darkest red as they were a matched set. Blair was just as purposefully dressed, her Wignell coloured gown suiting her wonderfully, and he suspected Clayton's suit would match her perfectly. Calvin and Alaric were both wearing Briggs scarlet, but Derbie did notice Alaric incorporating Ram orange in his for Aayina's sake.

Edwina, as the star of this feast, was dressed in an adult style gown from the southern territories. Derbie had gotten used to Winnie's work aprons and normal young girl styles, so when she stepped out in her dress for the feast, it'd been a shock. She was always the tallest of the sisters, not a hard feat when up against Hida and Blair, but even amongst the Briggs' Edwina was nearly the tallest. Right now, only Alaric was taller, as the deliberately styled shoes she wore added inches in height, and Derbie suspected their eldest brother had wanted to demand Edwina change. It felt wrong for her to be wearing a woman's dress that revealed so much of her legs; Derbie felt it was wrong for any of his sisters to be considered women in that manner. Seeing Winnie in a corseted gown with the skirts deliberately styled to reveal stockings and shoes felt almost inappropriate; she was still his little sister.

It made Derbie have a little more sympathy for Alaric's struggles, he'd had to Debut Blair. Though since she'd opted out of the Social Events until this year, that may have been a reprieve. And Edwina's presentation now was the death of it, Derbie knew that even though she hadn't Debuted yet there'd be Letters of Intent sent for Winnie after this. She wasn't as traditionally beautiful as Blair, but his sister was striking enough to cause a stir.

Gavin was wearing one of Derbie's suits, adjusted to fit his younger brother but after his next growth spurt Gavin would be too broad shouldered for hand-me-downs. He looked as young as he was, and Derbie was still trying to wrap his mind around the idea that in a few short months Gavin was going to be a father. Derbie was going to be an uncle, and honestly, he'd really expected to be the first sibling to have their own family, at least at the start of the Season he'd believed that.

Hida was still the baby of the family, stitches and all. Her short pinkish hair was only emphasized by the Briggs scarlet dress she wore, and the new scar on her neck had been carefully hidden behind a delicate lace collar, making her look doll-like.

Before this Season, their family had all dressed to match each other, Briggs scarlet their only claim, and yet now Ruma indigo, Wignell blue, and Ram orange had all clearly worked into all that red. And if Derbie looked closely, he could presume Calvin's suit had Danilo's gray as it's neutral colour (Even if his brother hadn't made it official, those two were all but married to each other already). And the only reason Gavin's outfit hadn't incorporated the Sikali orange was the need to be discreet about their underage coupling. It was a saving grace that Eniola wasn't far enough along that her pregnancy would be showing yet. Only Edwina and Hida had no paramour to consider, no other family colours to try and incorporate; the artist and the warrior. Although he could imagine Winnie one day wanting to marry, Derbie couldn't imagine Pinky EVER wanting to be anything but a Knight.

"Are you ready?" Alaric broke their silence, the question aimed at Edwina.

"It's only a party," Edwina dismissed airily, "I already did the hard part, so what is there to worry about?"

"Never ask that," Blair interrupted, "never, ever ask what could go wrong or else you'll jinx yourself."

"I hate to say she's right but well..." Hida added on, gesturing to her neck for emphasis.

"At least she didn't say 'what's the worse that could happen', then I'd expect a literal disaster," Calvin joined in the teasing.

"Like falling in a pond at an Event?" Gavin slyly teased.

"You're all so comforting," Edwina's sarcasm wasn't subtle.

"Welcome to adulthood Winnie," Derbie joined in the fun, "where we pretend to respect each other but really we're waiting for the others to put on a show."

"I should have left with Farran," Edwina lamented, and they all laughed.

It was a far larger feast than Derbie had expected, the purpose was supposed to be Lord Daro celebrating Edwina's success at becoming Master Gentileschi's apprentice, but the scale was encroaching on Event size; making Derbie wonder if the Korolenkos were feeling left out as they hadn't had a Debutant since Daro. It was an underhanded way to make themselves socially relevant, and Derbie tried not to scowl as they entered the feast. This was supposed to be Edwina's time to shine, she'd worked hard to be recognized, and given the likelihood of her missing her Debut next year so she can focus on her studies this would be her chance to experience a little of what that could be like.

Instead, Derbie saw almost every single eligible woman invited as if this were Lord Daro's Debut. Alaric was clearly fuming, not unusual with how serious he always was, but even Blair looked annoyed. "Who do we hold accountable for this?" her hiss wasn't quiet.

"I presume Lord Adam Korolenko saw an opportunity and is trying to take it," Calvin sounded assured.

"As if anyone else stands a chance with Winnie in THAT dress," Hida's remark set them all off laughing.

"Thank you for that vote of confidence," Edwina smiled, hands smoothing on the corseted bodice she wore.

"If I thought I could steal any of those clothes when I get bigger, you'd be in trouble, but I'm too short," Hida lacked not only the height necessary to wear it, she still also lacked a womanly curve outside the muscles her training was bestowing.

"I'd say you'd have more luck stealing my clothes," Blair smirked at Hida, "but although you're the right height, my dresses would just fall off you."

"For the sake of us all, please stop reminding me that you're girls," Gavin whines. "You're my sisters, I don't want to think about your shapes."

"Behave, the lot of you," Alaric called them all to order. "Edwina, please lead us in," he gave her the honoured position and finally they entered her feast.

The Korolenkos were a southern Countship, and where the Briggs heavily traded with Tashatia, they clearly had more interactions with the Southern Islands. Lord Adam was the Count, their parents retired once he married and produced his own Heir, but Derbie was surprised to see Ladies Bogna and Celestyn in attendance as well as Lord Daro. The southern style dress Edwina had chosen was reflected in their gowns as well, though Korolenko gray did not stand out as easily as scarlet did. Lord Daro was wearing the men's southern style suit; the lack of both jacket and cravat almost shocking except Derbie recalled how hot the lower parts of Taroton could get.

Honestly, it was a trend he'd like to see emulated int the Capital for the hotter months of the Season, and he could see the interest such a simple style change was garnering. Being able to discard even a single layer could greatly help with enduring the summer heat, though he could see a subsequent trend of vests having alternating styles to make them the focal point.

"I suddenly feel overdressed," Derbie dryly remarked, seeing all the other men as heavily layered as he was; all but guaranteeing that Lord Daro stood out.

"Is Lord Adam using our sister's celebration to try and get his little brother a wife?" Gavin sounded as offended by that as Derbie felt.

"Or is he trying to get our sister to marry his brother?" Hida interjected and they all looked at her in shock.

"Pinky," Edwina admonished before anyone else could.

"What? You're not Debuted yet but they're hosting this for you, and you look like THAT," Hida gestured at Edwina's height and outfit alike.

"Hida, enough," Alaric was stern, but Derbie and Blair were laughing.

"Shall we make a grand Briggs entrance?" Calvin tried to help corral them all along.

"Yes please, before you can find a way to embarrass me further," Edwina stepped forwards and they all obligingly followed.

Derbie watched the Estate react to their entrance, seeing the frown mar Lord Adam's face prove Gavin's point. That man did not like seeing Edwina presented and looking so...appealing despite the fact that this was supposed to be FOR her.

"Let's keep an eye on the Korolenkos, I don't like their anger," Calvin quietly suggested to Derbie, and he nodded his agreement.

Thankfully, Lor Daro wasn't one of the Korolenkos they had to worry about; his honest pride and joy at Edwina's success all but glowed on her once mentor's face. "My Lords and Ladies Briggs, thank you for allowing me the chance to host this celebration for Lady Edwina on behalf of us all."

And if Derbie hadn't been looking closely at his sister, he would have missed her briefly enamoured expression as she looked at the man who'd been her teacher for years. OH. He looked around at his other siblings and caught Blair's heavily amused gaze as she saw him figure out what was apparently a known fact.

Ban swiftly came to Derbie's side, and he was glad to introduce his fiancée to the Lady of the hour, Edwina. Both women loved art, though Ban like the hi온라인카지노게임 more than the making, and Derbie expected an easy friendship to form between the two. "Your mentor had placed some of your works in this very hall, Lady Edwina," Ban made a point of informing and Derbie smiled as his sister flushed.

"Her art work is worth displaying," Lord Daro quickly confirmed, walking them all over to the pieces in question eve as others continued to approach or introduce themselves.

"I remember you painting this one Winnie," Hida spoke too loudly, pointing at a beautifully romantic scene that made Derbie think of home. "It's my favourite."

"Please call me Edwina, at least in public," Edwina hissed through a forced smile.

"Sorry," Hida didn't pretend to look contrite despite her apology.

"Your siblings are adorable," Ban whispered for his ear only.

"Don't tell them that, but I agree," Derbie whispered back, knowing she'd never had her own younger siblings to adore.

Blair had Clayton Wignell at her side, their attire as well matched as their heights were not, and Derbie wasn't surprised to see Danilo already whispering to Calvin, or Gavin holding Eniola's hand. Hida seemed to be staying by Edwina's side, and Alaric was frowning as he looked around for Lady Aayina, so Derbie felt it was safe to trail behind as they were guided around.

"I think my sister Edwina has a crush on her mentor, the man in glasses, but given their respective roles and ages I doubt she's ever said anything about it," he caught her up, seeing a spark of excitement light up her smile; Ban was as big of a romantic as he was after all.

"The same mentor who's insisted on hosting this celebration for her?" he could tell her intelligent mind was already putting some plan together.

"Yes, but its his eldest brother who owns the Estate, thus why you see so many interesting guests," he pointed out the obvious discrepancy. For an Event honouring Edwina, many guests had very little to do with her at all. Yes, the closest to the Briggs had been invited, but even Ban could see the disproportionate number of bachelorettes.

"How do you feel about this mentor your sister is sweet on?" Ban's question surprised him.

"Lord Daro? He's a lot older than Winnie is, but they seem to understand each other better than most," he frowned as he thought about it.

Lord Daro had been a part of their lives for three years now, working with Edwina every Season while they were in the Capital, but he's never really paid attention to the man beyond his role as a mentor. He'd been too busy with his own life, and then too focused on his Debut to notice anything until today. He tried looking at the pair objectively; although Daro was clearly older, they made a handsome couple. Edwina was statuesque with nearly turquoise blue eyes, and Daro had an almost academic sturdiness to him with glasses and his dark hair. Although the Briggs siblings were all blond, they seemed to each have a thing for brunets.

"Maybe it'll be a case of absence making the heart grow fonder," of course she'd found a romantic 온라인카지노게임 in it. "She'll go away to learn at the university, and he'll miss her and realize that she's been the one all along."

Derbie smiled and decided to play along, "his home is close enough to the Zappeas Duchy that he could go visit her at the university."

Ban gave a delighted little gasp and Derbie internally cheered, taking a pair of wine glasses from a server walking by. "I can only imagine, your beautiful sister surrounded by all those studious young men, vying for her attention and making her Lord Daro all the more jealous."

"You've never seen Edwina working on a piece," he tried to explain. "Unless you're on fire and screaming, she really won't notice you. It's a level of being ignored I've never seen another human replicate."

"That's even better," Ban insisted. "It'll make the men go to even greater lengths to try and be the one to capture her attention."

"Which will thoroughly annoy her," Derbie had been on the sharp side of Winnie's tongue too many times to provoke her recklessly.

"So, she'll be relieved when Lord Daro visits her, a familiar respite amongst all the antics of the boys," she was weaving a whole fairytale and Derbie loved her for it. "And he'll want to keep her all to himself."

"This is my little sister we're talking about," he gently reminded before she could get into details that would make him uncomfortable. His fiancée may be shy initially, but once she was comfortable, she could be astonishingly bold.

"I think it'll happen," Ban leaned her head against his shoulder as they walked.

The Korolenko Estate had a feasting hall with tables covered in a bounty, and work on the walls and waiters walking around with drinks of all concoctions. Once it seemed all the expected guests had arrives, Derbie heard a glass being tapped and saw Lord Daro calling for everyone's attention.

It was time for the speeches then, Derbie was looking forwards to Edwina's accolades.