Chapter 116: The Mating Ceremony (3)

Stacia turned out to be a great company and I found myself laughing at her jokes. Once, I looked up and saw Millicent looking at me in surprise and something else which I couldn't decipher but before I could determine what it was, she looked away, took a glass of juice from one of the servants moving around with trays of drink. Then my eyes were drawn to the entrance where someone had just come through.  'Ah!' I thought. Charles Wolfe had finally made his entrance. I tried to beckon on him through the crowd. 'Who is that?' Stacia asked, her eyes following my eyes and gesture. 'A friend', I said, not taking my eyes from Charles. 'We grew up together before he travelled for some form of training and decided he preferred to remain there, rather than come home'. Charles sighted me and I waved him over. He started walking towards me and smiling. Suddenly, his steps faltered as his attention became diverted. I followed his eyes only to find who had diverted his attention. 'Millicent?' I thou