Nikias and Aimilia watched as Konstantin exchanged a few words with some of the townspeople as they gestured to the table. It was the makings of a rather impressive banquet, considering the small town. Braziers had been brought out and were beginning to be lit as the light continued to dim.
Soon enough, Konstantin was in front of both of them, and Nikias didn’t miss the way Konstantin and Aimilia locked eyes. Konstantin gave her a quick shake of his head before turning to Nikias and saying, “I trust you’re not going to eschew the townspeople’s hospitality tonight?”
Nikias said, “I don’t think any sane man would turn down a good meal after being on the road so long.”
Konstantin grinned and turned to Aimilia. “I take it you finished gathering the supplies and ensuring you’re ready for your departure tomorrow.”
“I just finished taking care of it before I came here.”
Konstantin said, “Then it’s settled. We’re all going to put away work for the day and focus on enjoying a beautiful night and the fact that we’re all alive to enjoy it.”
Nikias had to give it to Konstantin. It was a beautiful night.
As they moved to join the festivities, Nikias couldn’t track everything, given it wasn’t his tongue, but thankfully, he had Aimilia to relay the instructions to him. They were seated with Konstantin, and their own men, at the head of the table. Nikias noticed there was deliberately no place for Hypatia.
His suspicion grew with every dish that passed by. Why would she be missing this? This was more in her honor than any of theirs. But every time Nikias’ paranoia began to creep up his back and make his skin crawl, he looked over to his side and heard Aimilia laugh. Then he found he didn’t really care what Hypatia was up to anymore.
Food kept being passed around and around until finally, a few people had had enough and music began to fill the air. Nikias looked over his shoulder to see in the town square, a few people playing instruments off to the side, and couples beginning to form to dance. The song was upbeat, and the Solitus’ movements wild and frantic to match it.
It was movement the likes of which Nikias hadn’t seen before. The dances he was more familiar with were more measured. Even those he didn’t participate in often at the court. While everyone began to be distracted by watching the dancers, out of the corner of his eye, Nikias saw Konstantin start to fix a plate, but it wasn’t his own.
Konstantin looked up as he finished setting a bundle of grapes on it, catching Nikias staring at him. “I’m sure you can figure it out.”
“It’s not hard to figure out who it’s for. I suppose I’m just curious as to why it’s necessary.”
Konstantin smiled, but it was sad and exhausted. “Under normal circumstances, she would be with us, but right now she’s not at her best, and it’s important she gets enough rest. It’s also important she gets something to eat.”
“She was perfectly well enough to ride this morning. I know she hasn’t fallen ill with some strange sickness. Is she not perfectly capable of coming out here, at least to eat?”
Konstantin raised an eyebrow. “Do you want her to come out here?”
Nikias said nothing, turning back to watch the dancers, leaving Konstantin to finish Hypatia’s plate. Nikias was beginning to believe he would never understand what was going on there.
Konstantin himself didn’t seem to even want her around. If he cared so little for the creature he called his wife, why did he go to all this effort to take care of her? Was it simply to stay on her good side? Did it give him some leverage or protection against her?
Soon enough, the song changed, and it seemed this was a dance not for couples, but for groups. Aimilia leaned forward in her seat, inclining her head toward Nikias, just enough to say, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen something like this before.”
Nikias said, “It certainly makes things easier. You don’t have to worry about finding someone willing to dance with you if everyone is.”
Aimilia laughed, and Nikias’ heart swelled.
Konstantin said, “It’s not a hard one to pick up, Commander. If you should like to join in at any point, you should.”
Aimilia shrugged and then gave Nikias a smile. “It’s not like I’m going to get the chance again anytime soon.”
And then she was off. Nikias held his breath as he watched her join the throng of young women. Her commander’s cloak was left on her chair, and really the only thing that marked her as not being one of them was her hair. Otherwise, she might have blended right in.
Aimilia had always been a quick study of everything, and dancing proved to be no exception. Nikias watched as she quickly picked up the rhythm and the moves, throwing her head back and laughing.
The other women welcomed her into the circle without a single hesitation. They didn’t care that she was Runai, or even worse, Inimicus.
How strange. But then again, Nikias supposed, if they were Solitus, they might not be able to afford offending a Runai, even a foreign one. Whether it was genuine acceptance or forced, Nikias couldn’t tell. It was even more surprising to Nikias that the dancing wasn’t just men and women, but he saw children around the edges. They weren’t quite getting the moves right, but were still having just as much fun—if their squeals of laughter were any indication.
Eventually, a few of the children gave up on dancing and simply resorted to outright playing. Nikias became absorbed in watching them run about the edges of the square, playing some kind of game where it seemed they were trying to hide or just outright run from a pursuer. The pursuer changed whenever they successfully located and touched someone else.
More than once, Nikias heard a sharp voice cut through the air, though it was hard to make out over the music, but usually the children slowed when they heard it. Some kind of reprimand from one of their parents, most likely. It wasn’t long after that that they picked up in speed again.
It was baffling.
