support and trust of the Orange House aristocrats in the future if I treat my own brother so uncouthly?"
Katerina didn't answer, but I understood that I hadn't persuaded my advisor.
* * *
It was unusually crowded in the familiar palace glade today. I invited everyone who had been at the prematurely-ended feast on Emperor August to continue the celebration in Roben's flying palace. I called my older brother's wife to join the festivities and, much to my surprise, Verena agreed. She was a short woman with a chiseled figure, the flawless face of a model and coal-black hair that formed a sparkling cascade down to her belt. I had seen pictures of Verena before, but photo and video couldn't capture even a tenth of this surprisingly wonderful lady's beauty.
Seeing Verena take a glass of sparkling wine, I touched on the subject of my ailing nephew's health as delicately as possible and wondered aloud whether his mother drinking wine might be bad for his health. Roben's wife smiled and answered with vigor:
"I practically never nursed the boy, even when he was a newborn. He's very allergic to lactose. My little son is in a hermetic, sterile bassinet being fed hypoallergenic formula by an automatic system. If only you knew, Georg, how tiring it is to be constantly afraid for his life: the sleepless nights, the relentless tears! Today I have a nanny looking after him. The little Crown Prince's health is good enough at this point to leave him unattended for a few hours. I am insanely happy that you invited me to the celebration, and for the fact that I had the chance for the first time in half a year to spend even one night out without fear and worry. Today I want to leave it all behind for the party atmosphere and ask kindly that you not stop me, even if I allow myself some extravagances and liberties."
"Verena, I understand your terms. Tonight you are free to do whatever you like. No one here will give you sideways looks or tell you off," I promised the beauty.
"Well, then I ask everyone to fill their glasses and drink to me finally being able to be confident in Tesse's future for the first time in a long time!" Verena, as hostess, toasted, kicking off the ceremonial evening.
The toast had something of a double meaning, and I didn't totally understand what Roben's wife meant. Either she was happy that her son's health had improved, or that the star system had been liberated from the Duke's appointees, or that I had become regent. In any case, the first toast broke through the dam of restraint and the joyful, riotous celebration began in earnest. The tables were laden with food and drinks, court musicians and jesters were entertaining the high-placed guests. Nearby, on an improvised stage, there were some girls dancing in bright-colored clothing.
Almost immediately, Bionica and Katerina ton Mesfelle found a place to sit together, far from everyone else and began talking secretly about something and clearly making an effort to keep it down when I came near. My cousin was only slightly sipping the wine and gave a practically full glass back to a servant that approached them, which spoke to the serious nature of her conversation with the android. I had already noticed that Katerina didn't allow herself even the slightest indulgence when she was conducting serious conversations.
Princess Astra, on the other hand, tried as actively as possible to participate in the celebration while also distinguishing herself among the many beauties that were also present. My favorite was joking, making toasts, laughing loudly at both her own and others' jokes, toasting with me to brotherhood and even trying to drag me off to dance. It would seem that the young inexperienced girl had gotten a bit out of her depth and overindulged, but I didn't keep the Princess from having her fun.
Astra, who was in just such a celebratory mood as Verena, called her to dance. Admiral Kheraisss Vej took advantage of the moment, came up to me, and asked to
Katerina didn't answer, but I understood that I hadn't persuaded my advisor.
* * *
It was unusually crowded in the familiar palace glade today. I invited everyone who had been at the prematurely-ended feast on Emperor August to continue the celebration in Roben's flying palace. I called my older brother's wife to join the festivities and, much to my surprise, Verena agreed. She was a short woman with a chiseled figure, the flawless face of a model and coal-black hair that formed a sparkling cascade down to her belt. I had seen pictures of Verena before, but photo and video couldn't capture even a tenth of this surprisingly wonderful lady's beauty.
Seeing Verena take a glass of sparkling wine, I touched on the subject of my ailing nephew's health as delicately as possible and wondered aloud whether his mother drinking wine might be bad for his health. Roben's wife smiled and answered with vigor:
"I practically never nursed the boy, even when he was a newborn. He's very allergic to lactose. My little son is in a hermetic, sterile bassinet being fed hypoallergenic formula by an automatic system. If only you knew, Georg, how tiring it is to be constantly afraid for his life: the sleepless nights, the relentless tears! Today I have a nanny looking after him. The little Crown Prince's health is good enough at this point to leave him unattended for a few hours. I am insanely happy that you invited me to the celebration, and for the fact that I had the chance for the first time in half a year to spend even one night out without fear and worry. Today I want to leave it all behind for the party atmosphere and ask kindly that you not stop me, even if I allow myself some extravagances and liberties."
"Verena, I understand your terms. Tonight you are free to do whatever you like. No one here will give you sideways looks or tell you off," I promised the beauty.
"Well, then I ask everyone to fill their glasses and drink to me finally being able to be confident in Tesse's future for the first time in a long time!" Verena, as hostess, toasted, kicking off the ceremonial evening.
The toast had something of a double meaning, and I didn't totally understand what Roben's wife meant. Either she was happy that her son's health had improved, or that the star system had been liberated from the Duke's appointees, or that I had become regent. In any case, the first toast broke through the dam of restraint and the joyful, riotous celebration began in earnest. The tables were laden with food and drinks, court musicians and jesters were entertaining the high-placed guests. Nearby, on an improvised stage, there were some girls dancing in bright-colored clothing.
Almost immediately, Bionica and Katerina ton Mesfelle found a place to sit together, far from everyone else and began talking secretly about something and clearly making an effort to keep it down when I came near. My cousin was only slightly sipping the wine and gave a practically full glass back to a servant that approached them, which spoke to the serious nature of her conversation with the android. I had already noticed that Katerina didn't allow herself even the slightest indulgence when she was conducting serious conversations.
Princess Astra, on the other hand, tried as actively as possible to participate in the celebration while also distinguishing herself among the many beauties that were also present. My favorite was joking, making toasts, laughing loudly at both her own and others' jokes, toasting with me to brotherhood and even trying to drag me off to dance. It would seem that the young inexperienced girl had gotten a bit out of her depth and overindulged, but I didn't keep the Princess from having her fun.
Astra, who was in just such a celebratory mood as Verena, called her to dance. Admiral Kheraisss Vej took advantage of the moment, came up to me, and asked to
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