As soon as Augustus stepped away, Cassian began to move towards Violetta, his tall, imposing frame cutting a path through the crowd of nobles. Violetta watched him approach, her violet eyes widening almost imperceptibly as he drew closer. She had not sought out his company, and the sight of him now filled her with a mix of emotions she could not quite name.
"Violetta," Cassian greeted, his deep, resonant voice reaching her ears as he came to a stop before her. His icy blue eyes, usually so cold and unreadable, softened as they took in the sight of her, a hint of warmth and longing in their depths.
Violetta hesitated for a moment before returning his greeting, her voice a low, polite murmur. "Duke Vrost," she acknowledged, inclining her head slightly in deference to the social nicety. "A pleasure to see you."
Cassian's lips parted as if to say more, but he paused, a flicker of uncertainty in his gaze. "Vio-," he began again, a note of tentative hope in his voice. "I don't suppose...I mean, may I call you by your name?" Cassian's voice was a low, almost hesitant whisper, a rare display of vulnerability from the usually stoic duke.
Violetta's eyes flashed, a hint of something hard and unyielding in their violet depths. "No," she declined, her voice a low, firm murmur. "I'm afraid I would prefer if you did not, Duke Vrost." Violetta's tone was polite, but there was a underlying coldness to it, a clear indication that she had no desire to revisit the intimacy of their past.
Cassian's eyes widened at Violetta's swift refusal, a flicker of something painful crossing his face before it was quickly masked. "Of course," he murmured, a note of acceptance, almost resignation, in his voice. "Duchess Velyssia, then," he corrected himself, his gaze never leaving hers. "You look...radiant tonight, that dress....it looks good on you."
Violetta glanced at Cassian, her violet eyes narrowing slightly as she studied his face. She let out a soft, contemplative sigh, a hint of exasperation in the sound. "Thank you," she murmured, her voice a low, polite whisper. "I suppose that is a kind compliment, coming from you." Violetta's gaze flicked over Cassian's impeccable appearance, taking in the fine cut of his coat and the gleam of his polished boots. "However," she continued, a note of curiosity entering her tone. "Why have you come to seek me out, Duke Vrost? Surely you have not simply approached me to pay me a mere compliment." Violetta's voice was a mix of wariness and a touch of something more, a flicker of a memory of the past they shared.
Cassian met Violetta's gaze, his icy blue eyes a mix of hope and a hint of nervousness. "A dance," he murmured, his deep voice a low, almost hesitant whisper. "I came to ask for a dance with you, Duchess Velyssia." As he spoke, Cassian extended his hand towards Violetta, the white of his glove a stark contrast to the rich fabric of his coat sleeve. His fingers trembled slightly as he held out his hand, a rare display of nerves from the usually composed duke.
Violetta's eyes widened, a flicker of surprise and a touch of hesitation in their violet depths. "What?" she asked, a note of disbelief in her voice. "A dance?" Violetta's gaze flicked down to Cassian's extended hand, then back up to his face, a look of wariness and a hint of something more, something harder to define, in her expression.
Cassian's jaw tightened slightly, a glimmer of determination in his icy blue eyes as he held Violetta's gaze. "Yes," he confirmed, his voice a low, firm whisper. "I would be honoured if you'd accept my request, Duchess Velyssia." With those words, Cassian extended his hand further, a clear, unmistakable invitation for Violetta to take it and join him on the dance floor. His posture was open and honest, a rare display of vulnerability from the usually guarded duke, as he awaited Violetta's response with a mix of hope and a touch of trepidation.
Violetta narrowed her eyes, studying Cassian's face with a critical gaze. She could see the hope and anticipation in his icy blue eyes, the slight tremble of his extended hand. A part of her wanted to refuse, to turn away and leave him standing there, alone and wanting. But another part of her, a part that still remembered the man he once was, the man she had loved so deeply, compelled her to place her slender hand in his. "Fine," she murmured, her voice a low, measured whisper. "I suppose I can humour you, Duke Vrost."
With those words, Violetta reached out and placed her hand in Cassian's extended palm, her slender fingers curling around his in a tentative, almost reluctant grip. Cassian's fingers closed around hers, his hand warm and strong as he held her hand securely. Violetta felt a flicker of something at the contact, a memory of the past, but she quickly pushed it away.
"I'm only doing this because it would be rude to refuse the first dance offer," Violetta clarified, a note of warning in her voice as she met Cassian's gaze. "I would have accepted anyone who asked me, so do not go getting any ideas, Duke Vrost. This does not mean anything, do you understand?" Violetta's voice was a low, firm whisper, a clear indication that she had no intention of allowing Cassian to read too much into this simple act of politeness.
Cassian nodded, a flicker of something in his icy blue eyes that might have been hurt or disappointment, but it was gone as quickly as it came. "Of course," he murmured, his voice a low, respectful whisper. "I would not dare to presume anything more, Duchess Velyssia." Cassian's thumb brushed lightly over Violetta's knuckles, a feather-light caress that sent a shiver down her spine. "Thank you," he added, a note of sincerity and gratitude in his tone.
With those words, Cassian began to lead Violetta towards the dance floor, his hand a firm and steady guide at the small of her back. The orchestra began to play a slow, elegant waltz, the music a soft, melodic accompaniment to the swirling couples on the floor.
As Cassian led Violetta onto the dance floor, he kept his hand firmly at the small of her back, guiding her with a confidence and skill that spoke of years of practice. Violetta felt the heat of his touch through the thin silk of her gown, the strength of his fingers a reminder of the power and control he possessed. She tried to ignore the way her heart fluttered slightly at his touch, the way her skin prickled with a sudden, inexplicable awareness.
Cassian's icy blue eyes remained fixated on Violetta's face, his gaze a piercing, intense stare that seemed to see right through to her very soul. Violetta felt a blush rise to her cheeks under his unwavering scrutiny, a flush of heat that had nothing to do with the warmth of the ballroom. She met his gaze, her violet eyes a mix of wariness and a hint of something more, something harder to define.
As the music began, Cassian took Violetta's other hand in his, his fingers curling around hers with a gentle, almost reverent touch. He drew her closer, until her body was a mere breath away from his own, and began to lead her in a slow, elegant waltz. He was an excellent dancer, his body moving with a natural grace and rhythm that made Violetta feel light on her feet. She followed his lead easily, her body swaying and turning in perfect synchronicity with his, a testament to the countless hours they had spent dancing together in the past.
Throughout the dance, Cassian never took his eyes off Violetta's face, his gaze a constant, unwavering presence that made her feel both unsettled and a strange sense of comfort. His eyes seemed to drink in every detail of her features, from the way her lashes cast shadows on her cheeks to the way her lips parted slightly as she breathed. It was a look of pure, unadulterated adoration, a look that made Violetta's heart ache with a bittersweet longing for the past. Tonight, however, she was just a cautious woman, a woman who had built walls around her heart and had no intention of letting him in.
As Cassian and Violetta swayed and turned to the music, the world around them seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them lost in their own little world on the dance floor. Cassian's hand at Violetta's back pressed her a fraction closer, his fingers splaying across the delicate fabric of her gown, the heat of his touch seeping through the thin silk to warm the skin beneath. Violetta felt the strength and power in his body as he led her through the intricate steps of the waltz, his movements fluid and sure, guiding her effortlessly around the room.
Cassian's gaze remained locked with Violetta's, his icy blue eyes a swirling pool of emotion that Violetta found increasingly difficult to read. She could see the way his eyes flicked down to her lips, the way his jaw clenched slightly as if he were fighting the urge to say something more. The air between them felt charged, a palpable tension that made Violetta's heart race and her breath catch in her throat.
As the music swelled to a crescendo, Cassian spun Violetta out and then back into his arms, pulling her flush against his chest. Violetta's breath hitched as she found herself pressed against the hard planes of his body, her hands splayed across his broad shoulders, feeling the strength and power that lay beneath his coat. For a moment, she was transported back to a time when being in Cassian's arms had felt right, when she had known that she was safe and loved and cherished in his embrace.
But the moment was fleeting, and as the music began to slow, Violetta remembered herself and put a little more distance between their bodies. Cassian's hand tightened briefly at her back, a silent protest at her withdrawal, before he too seemed to remember the boundaries she had set. As the final notes faded away, Cassian brought Violetta's hand up to his lips, his gaze never leaving hers as he pressed a soft, lingering kiss to her knuckles.