The Luck of the Healer

The chandeliers in the Grand Ballroom shimmered and danced on the plush drapes adorning the wall. The chinking of glasses and murmur of conversation formed a soft harmony with the string quartet in the corner. Lords and ladies in brightly coloured formal clothes swirled around the dance floor or stood in small groups, laughing and gossiping as they accepted the drinks and delectable's offered up by finely-clad squires.

In the centre of dance floor Baird of Queenscove danced with the lovely Ilane of Seabeth and Seajen. He wasn't sure how he had managed to convince the most beautiful girl at the ball to take so many turns around the dance floor with him, but he knew better than to dwell too long on it. He didn't want to ruin his good luck. He also didn't want to consider the possibility that it had anything to do with his position as the heir to a Dukedom.

"What are you thinking, Baird?" Lady Ilane asked in her lovely deep voice. Baird blushed slightly and leaned in closer so she could hear him over the waltz. "I was just trying to work out how I managed to convince the loveliest lady here to dance with me. All the other young men will be jealously wondering if I magicked you; though between you and me, my Gift is pretty much useless outside a human body." He was rewarded for his comment with her musical laugh, though privately Baird thought his attempts at wit left much to be desired.

When the song ended, the two drew apart slightly to applaud the musicians. Looking around at the other couples on the dance floor, Baird saw the young heir to the Mindelan Barony approaching, looking very determined, if a tad nervous. Baird surpressed a sigh. His titles and charming good looks would mean nothing in the face of Piers of Mindelan's superior skills of the tongue. He wouldn't be surprised if the young man became a diplomat or a magistrate one day.

"Excuse me, Queenscove, but may I steal Lady Ilane for just one dance?"

As Baird kissed Lady Ilane's hand and watched Mindelan lead her into the next dance, he couldn't help but notice the glow on both their faces and how they had eyes for no one else in the room. He sighed again. At the least the Haryse girl his mother had her eye on for him was nice enough.