Eryk wouldn't admit it to anyone else, but he was nervous. He didn't like the thought of being pawed at and fought over one little bit. He was the one who should be doing the pawing, shouldn’t he? Until now, he’d had his pick of the ladies, but with a marriage on the line, he’d had to be very careful where he directed his attentions. Honestly, he knew that his time for arguing was over, and he had to make a decision soon. He hoped that one of these ladies stood out as tolerable, at least.
Byron had managed to get him into the training yard to work off some of the nervous energy he was producing, and Eryk was actually grateful for that. He’d spent some time practicing with staff and sword, which he desperately needed, and then tried a little archery, which went a lot better. By the time Byron kicked him out of the barracks, he had expended most of his excess energy and was ready to dress and prepare for what could potentially be one of the most important nights of his life.
Branden was already waiting for him when he arrived back at his suite to clean himself up. He had obviously bathed, since his hair was still damp, and he was already dressed in his finery. Branden wore a dark grey shirt with black pants, which set off his blond hair and blue eyes very nicely.
“What took you so long, slowpoke?” Branden greeted Eryk as the prince entered his rooms.
“I was down in the barracks, exercising a little more. I had some time to kill.”
Eryk started to wash up and dress. He would be wearing black pants also, but his shirt was a beige silk, meant to set off his black hair and bright eyes. He dressed carefully, not wanting anything to be out of place. He figured that if everyone was going to be judging him and fighting over him, he might as well look his best.
When they were both ready, the gentlemen set off for the ballroom. The immense room had columns down both sides, and in front of each column stood a guard, each of them dressed in a crisp, clean dress uniform. There was a buffet table along the right wall, stocked with snacks and drinks for the guests. Along the left were a number of chairs and benches for the guests to rest on when they weren’t dancing, and beyond them were the doors leading out into the gardens. The musicians were tuning their instruments and warming up next to the dais at the far end of the room, and Tarren was already in place on his throne, ready to preside over the event.
Eryk and Branden took their places at the foot of the dais, and Eryk indicated to the herald at the door that they were ready to begin.