A long table had been placed in the ballroom for a small dinner party of eighty people. Most everyone was seated already in front of an incredibly excessive spread. The king sat at the end of the table, an old man that looked to be half dead, adorned with fine silks, jewels, and a crown atop his head. He coughed into his hand, an unknown sickness had plagued him over the last six months and it had taken years off the old man's life. His cheeks, that had once been pink and plump, were now grey and sallow as if the skin was getting a head start on decaying.
The chair to his right was empty, reserved for his eldest son, but he would not be joining them for supper. Since the king had grown ill, more and more responsibilities fell to the eldest prince and he frequently missed meals as a result. He was to be the next king but had already started serving his people while his father and brother gallivanted in the spoils of the treasury.
Thomas was in the next chair over on his father's right. He was casually speaking with his father with a wine glass in hand, not a care in the world, content to be second in line. No responsibilities, nearly all the gains. To Thomas's flanked by another empty chair, this one waiting for Dawn.
Atlas sat more towards the king and royal family but down a few sets of chairs and opposite to Thomas. He kept his eyes down, not particularly interested in conversing with spoiled rich people. He wore a simple but appropriate black tunic and trousers, his signature look, amongst a sea of ridiculous colours
"Where is your bride-to-be?" The king's voice was thick with the sound of phlegm as he asked Thomas who shrugged and chuckled.
"You know how women are, father, she's likely still getting ready." Atlas couldn't help but have his interest pick up as they discussed Dawn. He had been doing his best to avoid her for her own good, despite the pull he was feeling to her. He was walking a dangerous line by remaining in the palace with her there to tempt him. An infatuation with a duke while engaged to a prince was not wise or safe for her, so he kept carefully away.
The side door of the hall opened and Dawn walked in quietly, doing her best to not draw any more attention to herself than necessary, but still Atlas looked to her. She had her hands clasped in front of her and her eyes down as always but she seemed stiff as she walked. Atlas frowned slightly as he looked her over, it was unlike her to be anything but gracefully invisible when she moved. His gaze stopped at her face, noticing she was wearing more makeup than normal and after closer inspection it was clearly there in an attempt to hide the blue and black bruise around her left eye.
His breath caught in his throat when he realised it and anger burned in his chest. His hand clenched around the glass he'd been holding as he watched her make her way stiffly to her seat at the end of the table. He was going to kill Thomas and he didn't bother to hide that hatred from his face as he glared at the prince. The fact that she was trying to hide the black eye, only made him angrier to think about what other injuries she may be trying to mask.
She sat beside Thomas and he put an arm around her, pulling her chair closer to him. Atlas watched, grinding his teeth as she flinched marginally.
"I apologise for my tardiness. I fell and needed to care for the unpleasantness." She lied quietly, knowing the makeup didn't fully cover the bruise. The king simply nodded at her, strangely quiet about it when he had been talking and laughing with Thomas moments before.
Thomas reached and took her hand with his free one, pulling it up to his mouth and kissing it. It almost looked tender and sweet, had Dawn reacted in any way beyond a vacant stare at her plate
"You are such a klutz my dear." He laughed letting her go and she nodded agreeing with him. Atlas took a deep breath to steady his temper. He didn't want to scare Dawn further, as she may take his glare at Thomas to be for her if she ever looked up.
"After wedding bells I assume you will provide an heir for your brother?" The king asked. It was no secret that Thomas's older brother had refused to find a wife, or even a mistress, to provide any kind of lineage from him. He was vehemently against it for reasons no one was quite sure of.
Thomas only laughed at his fathers question.
"I assure you I am trying my best, father. There are times I dont leave her room till the morning hours." He bragged so openly, smirking as he spoke. He took a long drink from his wine and Dawn shifted in her chair uncomfortably. She couldn't help but glance at Atlas for reasons she wasn't sure she understood herself. Would he think less of her knowing she was a tainted woman? He missed her glance as he kept his glare and hatred at Thomas, his composure of his anger ever so slowly slipping.
Resigning herself to trying to be invisible again, Dawn reached for her wine glass gingerly and Thomas slapped her hand down. She pulled it back like she'd been bitten.
"No one eats till my father says so." Thomas scolded, despite holding his own wine glass in his other hand. Dawn nodded again, holding back tears. She was messing this up, she needed to try harder.
The king reacted only by having the servers make his plate and begin to eat without a word. Dawn waited till she was served and after everyone else had started eating before even daring to reach for her fork. Her hands were shaking from nerves and she fumbled it, dropping it to the floor. Her eyes widened in fear.
"Dawn! You are making a mess!" Thomas exclaimed angrily and Dawn wanted to disappear into her chair.
The table was silenced by Atlas stabbing his knife into the table, his fist still gripping the handle. All eyes went to him and the guards around the exterior of the table that had been looking bored were suddenly on alert.
"The lady's hands are shaking, which leads me to wonder why she's so afraid and why her fiancé doesn't seem to care." He growled out. The silenced crowd looked between Atlas and Thomas and began to murmur. Thomas glared at him, about to say something, but he was cut off by the king.
"The Duke is right, Thomas. Perhaps the lady is not feeling well enough for dinner tonight. You may retire." He said to Dawn, who took no time getting out of her chair. She was seconds from tears but she spared a glance at Atlas thanking him with her watering eyes.
Thomas and Atlas glared at each other across the table. Thomas's anger was palpable in the air, matched by Atlas now, who had waited until Dawn was out of the room before he truly showed the level of his anger in his body language and face.
"Thomas. Come speak with me in my study a moment." The king stood from the table with a bit of effort. "Please continue eating everyone. We will be but a moment." Thomas snapped his eyes to his father at the command and he noisily got up from his chair, sending another angry look at Atlas. He followed his father out of the ballroom through a side door.
A few minutes went by before the table restored itself to quiet talking but all words were gossip or distraction from the dark duke, pulling his knife easily from the wood of the table.
When the door opened again and they returned, the king had a stern look on his face and Thomas was barely controlling his rage. His face down to his neck was red and he stormed from the room, eyes of nobility following him as he went.
Atlas stood from the table and turned his back on everyone and left as well, having completely lost his appetite. There were a few mumblings he could hear but ignored as he left out the door, opposite the way Thomas had gone. If he were to see the prince again that night, he was afraid he may kill him where he stood.