title
chapter 1
Jayce pressed his head to the side of the carriage as it rumbled across the bumpy road, watching the scenes of the countryside go by. The bitter coffee he had downed that morning at the inn- though rejuvenating enough to keep him awake- sat uneasily in his stomach, and every stray jolt of the carriage on a misplaced stone or crag in the road made him feel all the worse.
He was exhausted, completely. Though he was on the last leg of his journey, it had been such a long and arduous journey, he couldn’t help but look back on all he had gone with weariness, and all he still had yet to go with even more weariness. Three days ago, he had left his beloved, lovely, quaint little university town of Elksbane, to travel further north to his ancestral home of Ironhaven in Birchmont. There, he had enjoyed a pleasant reunion with his mother, and after an afternoon of rest and tea and many stories from his university days, they set off once again southward, to Piltover for the summer social season of 1814. Oh, what joy, indeed.
They had been on the road for two days now, out from Ironhaven, with a stop in a traveler’s inn in-between. The scenic countryside views were, of course, wonderfully pastoral, and Jayce would always enjoy a chance to catch up with his mother, but there had to be a line at which ‘a normal amount of travel’ became ‘too much travel for a man to endure within three days’ time’. This much was absolutely too much.
Perhaps, he might have been more at ease during the journey if he had been excited to arrive at the destination. But, no matter what will he tried to muster, Jayce could not find anything to look forward to in Piltover. Especially not during the social season- when all marriage-minded mamas of the High Society would be seeking out brides and grooms for their heirs. He would far prefer being back in Elksbane, with all the research he had abandoned. But, he had shirked his duty for far too long.
Truthfully, as much as he wished to remain with his work- buried in books and papers and idealistic prospects of a future he might help create- there were more pressing, more personal matters at hand. Their family simply did not have the money. Though the Talis lineage had been granted a baronetcy generations ago, it had not come with land or allowance enough to support them. He had always lived quite frugally growing up- and upon his father’s death, only months after Jayce had left for Elksbane, things had only turned for the worse. Of course, while there were many ways a man of Jayce’s standing might come upon a small fortune for himself (some more… legal than others), none were so direct as marriage. A well-matched marriage, to someone of a higher title than he, would elevate the status of his entire family, as well as any future children he was to father. It would, very likely, grant him a new, more powerful title, even as the lesser spouse of a pair. Most importantly, it would secure comfort and sustainability for his mother, things she was not so privileged to now.
It was not as if Jayce was wholly opposed to the idea of marriage. He supposed, if he had time to get to know the right person, and they felt a real, genuine connection- then making things official and joining in union would be the logical next step. But he knew no two concepts more opposite than ‘genuine connection’ and ‘Piltover’s social season’. How could anyone, Jayce thought, form such a strong affection as to declare someone their life partner in the few short months between the spring equinox and Midsummer? And that was not even to speak of Jayce’s intent in this year’s season- as necessary as it was, it still felt quite dirty to seek marriage only for one’s marital gain.
Though he knew duty obliged him, Jayce longed not for marriage, but the life he had enjoyed before. He wished he could’ve stayed at the Academy, in the city of dreaming spires and ancient tomes and intellectual discussion. He had enjoyed his academic days, truly- so much that he had stayed in Elksbane even after completing his initial degree (most wealthy sons would’ve returned to their family homes and gotten married by the time they reached his age). He missed the work- both the intellectual aspects of it, and the hands-on aspects- running experiments, building prototypes of new machines. He missed the feeling of actually doing something with his life, building things that would have a positive impact on the world and the people in it- rather than prancing simply around high-society and pretending that he understood the point of it.
And, perhaps most of all, he missed Viktor. His partner since their first years, Viktor Dvorak was a man unlike any Jayce had met before. He was of a lower class than his- an immigrant, like Jayce’s ancestors had been, but not one born into wealth- and had climbed his way through wit and merit to the position he held at the Academy now. He was favored by Professor Heimerdinger, which likely explained how he’d remained at one of the most prestigious colleges at Elksbane with no money or title to his name. And he was, very likely, the most brilliant man Jayce had ever met.
They had first met each other in their first year, at some introductory class Jayce couldn’t remember the subject of. All that really mattered was that it was the start of a glorious friendship. They clicked together- Jayce had never met anyone he could so easily work with- someone who thought so much like him, and yet so differently he could challenge all his ideas. Perhaps, it was because of Viktor he remained in Elksbane for so long. He knew it was because of Viktor that he was able to get through those first, harsh years.
He had not been able to give his longtime friend a proper goodbye- Viktor had been out of town on the eve of his departure, giving a lecture at their sister university to some likely underappreciating first-years. But he had left Jayce a letter- a simple, short letter, written in his quick, scrawling hand. Jayce had read it a thousand times over now. He held it now, crumpled and creased, in too strong a hand, and looked over the final lines once again.
Though our time together has been productive, I am certain better things await you in the future. I enjoyed the years we had together, and will continue our work, if now only in solitude.
Your Partner, Viktor Dvorak.
It was unlike Viktor, to be so cool, so direct with his words- at least, with Jayce. While there was no doubt Viktor had a reclusive, soft-spoken man among strangers and even his peers, Jayce simply knew him better. They had known each other for so long, and it had been so, so very long since Jayce suspected Viktor was intentionally keeping something from him. What in the world would he ever have to keep from Jayce? They were partners, they were best friends- in truth, Jayce had never felt so close to another soul as he felt with Viktor. And no matter how reclusive he could be with strangers, it was simply not like Viktor to be so curt with him. Still, Jayce held onto the last emotionless, too-dry words his partner had sent him desperately, in daring hope he might one day see him again.
A wave of motion-induced nausea washed over Jayce as the carriage made a sharp turn, and he pressed his hand to his forehead.
“Are you feeling alright, Jayce?” His mother asked from opposite him. She faced forward in the carriage, while he faced back. The arrangement only made his motion-sickness that much worse, but it was a sacrifice he was willing to make for his mother.
“Ah, yes, I’m alright,” Jayce managed a weak smile. “At least, it’s not too much longer to go.”
A more genuine smile passed over his mother’s features, “Indeed, we have to be mere hours from the city now…” and she returned her gaze to the rolling countryside.
Lady Ximena Talis, Jayce’s mother, was a pleasant, kindly woman- soft spoken in manner, with a heart-shaped face and graying brown hair. Many said Jayce bore a resemblance to her, which Jayce saw, himself, in abundance- they had the same cheekbones, the same nose shape, the same amber-brown eyes- but just as many compared his visage to that of the late Baronet Talis. Though he would never admit such in fear of breaking his mother’s heart more than it had already been broken, Jayce remembered very little of what his father looked like to make much of a comparison.
His parents had been truly in love, he knew that for a fact. It was often said that the further one went up the chain of nobility, the more and more difficult true love-matches were to find, but perhaps the humble Baronet Talis was lowly enough to gain one, or perhaps they were just lucky. Jayce was not certain of that in particular- but one would have to be a blind fool not to see how much his parents loved each other, and how much they loved him. Even if he did not remember much else of his father, he was at least glad he could remember that aspect of him- his kindness, and his loving nature.
When Jayce had been younger, he had imagined one day having a marriage like his parents’- supportive, caring, and for love only. But he knew now, that it was never to happen. Unless he was astoundingly lucky this coming season (and Jayce did not consider himself an exceptionally lucky man), he would be marrying not for love, but for status and security.
As they neared the city, the rolling, picturesque countryside grew more and more populated as they passed by and through the many villages and hamlets that surrounded Piltover. Eventually, they entered the city proper, and the dirt road their carriage had been rolling upon turned to one paved in cobblestone- perhaps nicer in theory, but no better for Jayce’s motion-sickness.
The City- as anyone who resided within it called it simply ‘the City’- was divided in two by the River Zaun, which cut it nearly in perfect halves by north and south. Much of anything important- the government buildings, the palaces, the noble residences- were all on the northside, while those poorer, commoner-folk who worked in the city’s factories or as servants to the upper classes typically resided to the south. The river divided the city, not just geographically, but politically. Jayce had studied such things (if not in depth, as his focus was the natural sciences) at University, but to see it in person was an entirely different experience.
They entered the city from the north, and were first greeted with views of the Bluewind district: clean, orderly streets, marvelous houses, ornate, well-groomed gardens. This was the home of the nobility- the ruling families who came to the city during the social season to parade around their well-bred youth in preparation for marriage. A few of just those families promenaded around the well-maintained streets and picturesque parks, dressed in their finest muslins and silks, carrying parasols and dainty hand-fans. Everything was very proper, very clean, and very, very expensive looking. It reminded Jayce very much of his frequent visits to the Kiramann household as a child, and he wondered if the Viscountess and her family had traveled south for the social season as well.
However, the Talis household was not so wealthy as to reside in Bluewind proper. They owned a small, modest townhouse in the neighboring district of Grayforge. Grayforge, though still firmly on the river’s northern shore, was not nearly as impressive as the large homes and expansive gardens of Bluewind. The streets were narrower and, thus, darker; the homes were smaller and built closer together, the yards were smaller and the flora within them less plentiful and exotic. And yet, still, there was a charm to it. The trees were shady, the streets still clean. The houses were mostly built out of a pleasant, reddish brick that reminded Jayce of the buildings on Elksbane’s main campus. And, still, there were people walking about, enjoying the mid-afternoon spring air. This area of the city was populated mostly by families of lower titles, or the untitled who had made their wealth in trading, merchantry, or, more commonly in these modern times, by owning factories. The Talis household would fit right in.
As their carriage weaved through the streets of Grayforge, Jayce caught an occasional glance of the river, and the city beyond. They were only brief glances, caught at a speed between alleyways and views of ornate buildings, but they were enough to gain a lasting impression. The river itself was a murky gray, so unlike the crystalline waters of the countryside streams and brooks, and beyond it, a city wholly unlike what Jayce had traveled through before. The sky was a dull gray from smoke, and the buildings themselves were shabbier- made from wood rather than stone, or if they were from stone, simple clay-formed brick rather than the ornately carved marble and granite used in the homes in Bluewind, or even Grayforge. That was, of course, not the case for the factory buildings- those were great monstrosities of hardy stone, bigger than the largest barns they had passed throughout the countryside. Their great waterwheels, perched upon the river itself, churned slowly as they provided power to all the mechanisms inside- weaving machines and saw-mills and all sorts of wonderful, but dangerous, inventions. Jayce couldn’t help but feel a twinge of joy at seeing such icons of progress before him- even though he knew of the dangers they presented to the working man. That was what he and Viktor were working towards, though- a better, safer tomorrow.
It was not long till they reached their destination- a small townhouse on the very south-east side of the Grayforge district, planted firmly in the middle of Mariposa Lane. The Talis family had owned this small property since the time of Jayce’s great-grandfather, and Jayce had fond childhood memories of the place, and summers spent within its halls.
As the carriage slowed to a stop in front of the house, Jayce helped his mother down, and tipped the driver with some coins dug out of his disorganized pocket. Theo was one of their men, but Jayce always liked to make sure their staff were well-payed, even if it cost him more.
They were greeted by Ilsa, his mother’s long-time housekeeper. She had come down to Piltover a few days early to make sure the house was ready for them. “Lady Ximena,” She addressed Jayce’s mother first, though it was slightly improper, with a bow, “Sir Talis, it’s a pleasure to see you both again. How was your journey?”
Jayce involuntarily stiffened at the title. For so long, his father had been ‘Sir Talis’- it took some effort, and some pain, to remember that it was him now. Luckily, his mother was there to salvage his awkward silence.
“It was well, the weather was fair,” Ximena smiled, “But… exhausting. Especially for Jayce, he’s travelled rather far.”
“All the way from Elksbane, yes,” Ilsa spoke quickly, with a characteristic pleasantness to her voice. “You’ve been away too long, Sir Talis. But- you’re finally here!”
“Ah, yes, I am.” Jayce laughed, and, truthfully, could not keep the tiredness out of his voice. He had been awake for too long. To give his mother and Ilsa some space to catch up, and to help Theo out, he began moving his and his mother’s packed luggage out of the carriage.
“You don’t have to help me with this, Sir Talis,” Theo insisted. Though he was close to Jayce in age, Theo had begun working for their family under Jayce’s father. Jayce suspected that Theo, like Ilsa, stayed with their family more out of loyalty than because of any lack of better opportunities to be found elsewhere.
“We’ll get it done faster together,” Jayce shrugged simply, and pulled down his own trunk (packed lightly with whatever clothes he had brought from Elksbane and the notes and books he had convinced himself were too important to be left behind; the rest had been trusted to Viktor and the Professor).
And it was true- with double the effort, they were able to get all the luggage down in half the time, and rejoined Ximena and Ilsa while they were still talking.
“... but, he’s been away so long, and I really am just grateful he’s back.” Jayce’s mother was saying as he returned to her side, and he felt his face flush in the familiar awkwardness of stumbling into a conversation about him.
“Oh, certainly! I say, he’s spent so long at that university of his, it’s far time he comes home to-” Ilsa was saying, but straightened up when she noticed Jayce’s return. “Oh, there you are, Sir Talis! You must stop running off like that. Come inside, then, mustn't stay out and catch a chill.”
The temperatures were far from anything that might induce a chill, but Jayce and his mother both obliged while Theo took care of the horses.
The interior of the house was a quiet, cool respite from the bright, loud warmth of the outside. It was exactly as Jayce had remembered it- the same simple, paneled wood flooring, the same floral-blue wallpaper that had been fading when he was a boy and was even more washed-out and sun-bleached now that he was a man. The beige rug that ran along the foyer was the same one he had tripped over, the curtains the same once he had once hid behind, the paintings the same distant watercolor landscapes he had gotten lost in for hours. But despite how little it had physically changed, Jayce could not help but feel a fundamental shift in the home than when he had as a child. Perhaps it was because he had grown- in body and mind. Perhaps, it was too familiar, and in walking in memory he was confronted with how much he had left it behind. Perhaps, it was because his father was not there, and this was a place that, he thought, should only exist with his father within it.
Though it might have been proper for Jayce, as the current head of household, to take the largest bedchamber, he could not divorce the concept of it from that of his father, and indeed could not enter it without thinking of him, and thus left it to his mother. Instead, he took the same room he had occupied in his teenage years- a smaller bedroom referred to casually as ‘The Blue Room’. Though a wave of memory still washed over him when he entered it, it was a more pleasant childhood nostalgia than the aching grief associated with his father’s room.
The Blue Room was named such because of its rich, navy furnishings. It was positioned at the front of the house, and its long, tall windows looked out onto Mariposa Lane. Even from inside the house, with the windows closed, Jayce could hear the muted rabble of the street below- distant conversations, the rattle of carriages over the pavement, the occasional barking of a dog or cawing of a crow. Still, despite the noise, the room had an airy, simple pleasantness to it. There was a large, curtained bed, and a dresser, and a door to an adjacent study Jayce had never quite appreciated as a child, but suspected he would find more use out of as an adult.
Once he had set down his few trunks and made a cursory effort at unpacking, Jayce gave up and sat at the edge of the bed. The weight of the journey and the day’s events finally caught up to him, and he found himself unable to do anymore- at least until he gave himself a little time to rest and reset. If he hadn’t been so worried about dirtying the fine, freshly-laundered bedding with his dirty travel clothes, he might’ve crawled into the bed right then.
He was exhausted- physically, of course, from his many long days of travel, but also emotionally. The decision to come down for the Social Season seemed like one so hastily made, and it would determine the course of his future. Not only his, but his mother’s, too- and that was why he had made it, hadn’t he? It seemed so obvious, but it had not been so easy. He had not wished to leave behind the life he had built in Elksbane, nor the friendships he had found there. Not a moment went by when he did not think of what he had left behind- the city he loved more than this one, the work he had left behind, the people he had lost…
If he was extremely lucky, he might have the chance to return to it. Or, maybe, at least to give Viktor a proper goodbye. At least, Viktor would take care of everything for him, even if he had to work alone in Jayce’s absence. Though he doubted he would be so lucky to stumble upon fortune enough to save his family while still being able to return to his passions, it was a shred of hope that kept Jayce going. It was enough to keep him from collapsing on the bed in a miserable heap and never getting up again. Perhaps, it would be enough to get him through the entire season. A loveless marriage, he was less optimistic about.
chapter 2
Generations and generations before Jayce had ever been born, before his father had ever been born, some long-ago sire of the Talis lineage and name had impressed the ruling monarch of the time enough to be awarded a baronetcy. It had been during a war, Jayce knew, and his ancestor had played some instrumental role in providing tools and weapons, such an instrumental role that they indeed helped change the tides of war, and their humble name was elevated with an honorable, if not technically noble, title.
Many generations and a few-dozen ‘Sir Talis’-es later, Jayce’s father had wed the daughter of a poor, immigrant family, and thus, Jayce had been brought into the world. Though they were certainly not wanting for basic necessities, theirs was not a family that lived a life of complete luxury. Their homes were smaller, their fashions usually a few-years out of date, but Jayce had enjoyed his childhood, up into his teen years. He was always aware of his family’s financial troubles, but never troubled too much by them. And when his family scrounged up enough money to send him away to university- always a dream of his, even as a boy- that consumed his every thought. Why waste time worrying about simple money troubles when there was so much to learn?
Things had changed upon the death of his father. The unexpected passing of the late Sir Talis had made Jayce, then only a young man of two-and-twenty, the new head of household. As he had been away at university at the time, with little intention of returning to Ironhaven, or, God-forbid, to Piltover, his father’s greedy business partners had swept up what remained of their manufacturing operations, making sure none by the name ‘Talis’ would ever make a cent off a Talis-manufactured hammer or nail again.
Had it been selfish for Jayce to so stubbornly pursue his dreams instead of returning to support his family? Yes, absolutely, it had been. He had been young and foolish and passionate back then, and now- even as the passion remained- he could see the error in his past ways. Though he had aimed to change the world with his inventions, as his forefathers had once dreamed to with theirs, he had to turn to more practical matters, at least for now. What kind of son would he be if he did not care for the necessities and well-being of his mother? Their money was running out, but if he could secure a match with someone wealthier, he might be able to secure some support for them both. This was a sacrifice he was willing to make, to right his past wrongs.
Which was why, only meager hours after they had arrived in their house in the city, Jayce was bent over financial reports in his study, trying to make sense of it all.
Jayce was not a stupid man- ten years spent at Elksbane was enough to prove that tenfold, he believed. He was a respected scientist, a distinguished academic, and had multiple diplomas to prove such a thing. There was little reason that simple financial management should be such a difficult concept for him to grasp- and, perhaps, if he had spent more time doing it and studied it as he had studied the natural sciences, that might’ve been the case.
However, it simply was not. Looking at the ledgers and financial reports felt like it might make his eyes bleed from lack of understanding; he couldn’t begin to try to comprehend them. He felt, strangely, like he had in his first few years of university- gaining the basic knowledge in fields that he would later dedicate himself entirely to. Back then, he had always felt so ignorant- he could not believe there was so much he had not known before, and the mere fact of it drove him to want to know more, to pursue knowledge infinitely. But at least the sciences were interesting! Though Viktor was, among them, the far superior at mental calculations, Jayce considered himself quite adept with numbers himself. There was little reason Jayce should’ve been so stupified by the economic ledgers, but lamenting mentally about how much he did not understand it was not getting him any closer to understanding it.
He let out a gravelly sigh, and set aside the paperwork. He needed to clear his head- then, he might be able to accomplish his task. The sour reminder of his early university days had brought to the forefront of his mind thoughts of Viktor, and perhaps, Jayce reasoned, it might be reasonable to send his partner a letter. Former partner, now, he had to keep remembering. Until he got confirmation that he might one day return to their studies and research, Viktor was his former partner.
He figured Viktor would still be residing in his university lodging (while Jayce had lived in bachelor lodging in a more residential part of Elksbane, Viktor had always stayed in student lodging on campus, guaranteed by his close relationship with Professor Heimerdinger), which solved any issue of address. And honestly, Viktor would probably be expecting a letter- even if he would not have admitted such a thing- to reassure him of Jayce’s safe travels and general well-being. It was only the polite, respectful thing to do.
Setting aside the dreaded ledgers, Jayce produced a clean sheet of paper and folded it quatro-style, before beginning to draft his letter.
Dear Viktor,
I am writing you from our residence in Piltover. We stay in Grayforge, on the north side, in a home once owned by my father. Our travels, though exhausting, were safe and rather dull, and we made it to the city on time.
It seemed so dull, to begin his correspondence in such a way. But what else did he have to report? They had only been in Piltover for a few hours now, and nothing worth conveying by letter had occurred. Though, still, he had to communicate with Viktor somehow, to fill the absence he had left in Jayce’s heart. He wished Viktor was there, with him, instead of halfway across the country at a university he wished he hadn’t left. If Viktor was there, Jayce might be able to properly convey all that was bottled up inside of him- all the grief and angst that wretched his heart, and refused to be written out so neatly on paper.
Perhaps, letter-writing was not easier than deciphering economics, after all.
Jayce set his quill back into its stand and leaned back, no doubt getting ink-stains all over his face, and sighed. He was still exhausted, and that exhaustion was making it so much harder to process emotions that would be difficult to process in the first place. Duty be damned, he could not help but long for all he had left behind. He had only been away from the university for days, and yet, he already missed it.
A light knock on the door roused Jayce from his thoughts. It was his mother, still dressed in her heavy travelling clothes like him, but looking significantly fresher. Perhaps, she had actually rested.
“Jayce?” She said in a soft, gentle tone, as greeting, and Jayce set aside all his incomplete paperwork and attempted letters, and waved to gesture her in. She sat down in one of the plush chairs adjacent to his desk.
“You look tired. Have you rested?” Ximena asked, retaining a civil, polite air, even when chastising her son for his lack of self-care.
“I’m alright. Just… handling the ledgers.” Jayce could not help but indulge in another heavy sigh. “I figured our affairs should be in order before the season officially starts.”
“Hm, wise thinking,” his mother nodded towards the paperwork. Jayce, noticing her gaze over it, childishly moved some of the papers to hide his incomplete letter to Viktor. There was absolutely nothing worth hiding- but it still seemed embarrassing to have one’s mother read one’s private correspondence. “Do you think you have time to take a short break? The Kirammans have invited us over for tea.”
“Oh, ah…” Jayce drew his hand over his face in contemplation. He really wasn’t getting anywhere with his paperwork- being too exhausted to do it sometimes had that effect. Having something to eat and a little to drink might refresh him, at least enough so that he didn’t feel like he might collapse onto his desk within the next five minutes. The Kirammans were also of a higher status than he and his mother- both by title, as the head of household was a Viscountess instead of a mere Baronet, and by wealth alone. To refuse them outright would be rude, and would not make a good impression on their standing in polite society, especially as they had just re-entered it. And besides, it would be nice to see Caitlyn again.
He leaned back in his chair. “I suppose we should head over there, then. Shouldn’t keep them waiting.”
His mother smiled pleasantly as she stood back up.. “Make sure you wash your face first, though- you have a few ink stains on your cheek.”
The Kirammans lived northwards, firmly within the fine gardens of the wealthy Bluewind district. There, the houses were grander, the streets more evenly paved, and even the air seemed of a higher, cleaner quality. Every building in Bluewind seemed more ostentatious than the next- high columns, meticulously-groomed lawns, ornate and rare statues displayed before the house proper- it all was the mark of not only wealth, but wealth that came with status.
Kiramman house was no different. Isolated from the busier, dirtier, louder market streets, it sat on the secluded Rosewood Lane, adjacent to Sungate Court, a pleasant, woody park with acres of manicured gardens and a duck pond Jayce had once fallen into as a sixteen-year-old. The house itself was magnificent- built from sturdy, russet-toned granite bricks, with a respectable creamish grouting. The house was fronted by an array of white-marble pillars that gave it an ancient, monumental air, while retaining a sense of livable modernity. And of course, there were the gardens. Every view of Kiramman house was obstructed by the grand, old oaks that stood before it, like ancient guardsmen protecting the noble family. There were smaller plants, too- blooming azaleas and fragrant hyacinths brought color to the stately home. Though it was hardly the first time he had visited, Jayce couldn’t help but be impressed by the manor.
The Talis family and the Kirammans had been acquainted for generations- far before Jayce had even been born. They both hailed from the relatively small, northern village of Birchmont, and had frequently hosted each other for the afternoon or evening throughout Jayce’s childhood. Though the Kiramanns were significantly wealthier and higher in status than the Talis family, they had always been kind and generous to them, treating them as equals. They had even sponsored part of Jayce’s education after the death of the father.
The Kiramman household was headed by the Right Honorable Viscountess, Lady Cassandra Kiramman. It was not exceedingly common for a lady to be head of household, but not wholly unheard of. She lived with her husband, Tobias Kiramman, who was given the honorary title of ‘Lord’ despite being born of a significantly lower status, and their only child, Caitlyn. Caitlyn was the sort of spunky, proud, justice-minded young woman that always seemed to be born to the most noble and traditional of families. She was about ten years Jayce’s younger, and despite that age gap they had grown up to be quite close friends. There had been few other youths of their general age or status in their small hometown village of Birchmont, and their families’ general history and affinity with one another ensured no lack of visits across the years. Jayce saw Caitlyn somewhat as a younger sister- though neither had any other siblings to speak of, they were as close as friends could be, if not true family.
Jayce and his mother were greeted by a butler, and led to one of the house’s many ornate parlors. The room was pleasant and airy, with tasteful accents in Kiramman gold, tall windows, and a piano-forte placed prominently adjacent to the sitting area. They were soon joined by the three current members of House Kiramman, tea and refreshments were served, and conversation commenced.
“So,” Lady Cassandra Kiramman set down her teacup with a regal air. “I trust your travels were fine?”
Ximena replied with a curt, polite nod. “Exhausting, of course, but fine. We encountered little danger or cause for alarm, so it was truly more dull than anything. It was nice to see the countryside once again.”
The Viscountess nodded. “I do think it is better to have no story to tell at all, than a story of danger, in circumstances like these. You have been kept up in Birchmont for quite some time now, haven’t you?”
“Yes,” Jayce’s mother nodded again, “And of course, while Jayce was away at university, it did get quite lonely up there.”
“How was Elksbane, Jayce?” Caitlyn interrupted quite suddenly and improperly, which granted her a hissed “Caitlyn!” from her mother.
Jayce managed an awkward tired laugh, but answered, “It was rather nice- I doubt I would’ve stayed so long had it not been. The hours were long and exhausting, of course, and the work was strenuous as studying lends itself to being, but I enjoyed my time there. In truth, I already miss it.”
“Study can be fulfilling,” Cassandra nodded knowingly, “But I know, certainly, that you were missed here, and that your presence will be appreciated.
“You will have to tell me more, at some point,” Caitlyn insisted, with the eagerness of a girl that had seen very little of the world and wished to do so, if not in actuality, through the stories of others. “What did you study? What was the city like? Did you ever visit the sea while you were there? Who did you meet there?”
“Now, Caitlyn-” Here, Caitlyn’s father, Tobias, stepped in with a gracious, gentle tone, “Sir Talis has traveled a very long way, perhaps he can answer your questions at some other time.”
“It’s quite fine,” Jayce cut in, easing pleasantness over his tired tone, “I’d be happy to tell you anything you’d like to know about my time at Elksbane, Caitlyn. Though, like your father said, perhaps not right now.”
Caitlyn smiled brightly and wholly, and said, in a more formal, polite tone, “Of course, I am grateful either way, and look forward to it.”
“Regardless,” The Viscountess said, afternother sip of tea, “We are all happy to have you back- the both of you. If I may be so bold to ask, what has spurred this reentry into society?”
“Well, ah…” Ximena began, awkwardly, but soon defaulted to Jayce for an answer. Of course, this was his news to tell.
“Well,” Jayce worked his hands together. This was the first time this news would be shared publicly- once it left his lips, it would reach the entirety of Piltover’s upper class. “I am seeking marriage in this upcoming social season.”
Those few, simple words, set the polite, quiet parlor into a state of shock and flurry. Jayce had not known the Kirammans to be so capable of excitement- especially not on his behalf, and especially not due to anything like the news of him hoping to get married in the following months. Not even that he was getting married, just the mere hope of it! Jayce felt a twinge of self-conscious embarrassment that it was the prospect of his marriage, and not any of his academic achievements, that had captured the Kiramman’s interest in such a way.
Caitlyn was the first to react, with a sounding, gaped-mouth exclamation, “You’re getting married?” She even stood up from the sofa, and followed with, “To who?”
Caitlyn’s father was next, with a good natured, if awkward and almost clueless, “Well, good on that! My best wishes of luck to you, Sir Talis.”
And, finally, the Viscountess, “Well, have any debutantes yet caught your eye?”
With so many reactions given in such a short time, Jayce had to take a moment to process them all before he even dared reply to one. He looked to his mother for support- if not verbal help, at least reassurance that he was still there. Of course, it would be his duty to answer the questions of the Kirammans; not only was he now head of household, and more importantly, a grown man who could handle business instead of hiding behind his mother’s skirts, but the questions were about him! Still, it was all very much, and he would have to get used to such reactions as the news began to spread (and of course, other reactions as well).
A reassuring glance from his mother, and a supportive touch on the shoulder, gave Jayce the will to continue.
First, in response to Caitlyn: “Well, I don’t know who yet, that’s the whole point of the social season, isn’t it? But yes. I am seeking marriage.”
Then, to Lord Tobias: “Thank you, sir. I appreciate the support.”
And then, finally, the Viscountess: “Oh- ah, well…” Here, he paused improperly long and awkwardly. He was truly lucky they were as good of friends with the Kirammans as they were, “No, I haven’t… looked into many yet… should I have been doing so?”
Caitlyn was the only recent debutante he knew of, but for many reasons she was not an option. First of all, she was nearly ten years younger than he- and while some suitors might be comfortable with such an age gap, he was not. More importantly, she was like a little sister to him- and even if it was to be a loveless, business-contract of a marriage, that was still FAR too wrong to even think of. Caitlyn deserved better than that, anyways. And besides, the Viscountess would not have phrased her question in such a way if she was seriously considering match-making him to her daughter.
The Viscountess, instead, was easing said daughter back into a proper sitting position, and not breaking eye-contact with Jayce. Her gaze was rather intense, in a sharp, calculating, political way; “Why, of course! That is, if you’re serious about all this marriage business. It would do you well to at least know what to look for. I suppose it can be forgiven, as you have just left university, and it is not anything that cannot be remedied quickly.”
Jayce, for not the first time during this conversation, reasoned that he was too exhausted to process any of this on any level but the basest understanding. “Of course.”
“Say, you know of the Duchess Medarda, don’t you? The Viscountess asked.
Jayce was vaguely familiar with the name, so he nodded.
“Well, her daughter arrived in town a few days ago, and rumor has it she, too, might be looking for a match,” The Viscountess hummed, “She will be attending the ball at Bridgeside, this coming Friday. Perhaps, if you decide upon attending, too, I could organize introductions?”
The daughter of a Duchess looking for marriage. Perhaps, there would be no better possibility than that. Jayce knew little about the Duchess Medarda, and even less about her daughter, but maybe it would work out between them. Maybe, she would be kind, and generous, and pretty, and maybe he would fall in love. It seemed a preposterous, unthinkable idea- to fantasize about life with a woman who he had never met, whom he could not picture in his mind. But he could picture a happy, secure life. And wouldn’t that make it worth it? He could dare to be hopeful. Being hopeful might make it all easier, wouldn’t it.
Nonetheless, he was unlikely to make her acquaintance, or even catch her eye, without a proper introduction. The Viscountess Kiramman was, of anyone Jayce knew, very capable of making those introductions.
“I would appreciate that very much, Viscountess,” Jayce smiled one of his bright, full smiles that everyone told him was very charming, and gave Cassandra a polite, respectful nod. “Thank you, in advance.”
Conversation continued politely after that point, and shifted from the subject of marriage to other, less taxing topics- the current weather, what shows were playing at the theater, Jayce’s studies at Elksbane, and other matters. Eventually, as the bright, warm afternoon drew into a cooler, melancholic evening, parting exchanges were made, and Jayce and Ximena returned to their own home in Grayforge.
And that evening, after supper and some time spent reading by the fire with his mother, Jayce set aside his paperwork and tried to figure out how to get invited to the ball at Bridgeside.
chapter 3
In truth, it was not hard to secure an invitation to the Bridgeside ball, for either Jayce or his mother. Their connections with the Kirammans proved fruitful once again- Jayce sent correspondence to the Viscountess, explaining that he very much wished to attend the ball, but could not without invitation, and the Viscountess had, in turn, wasted no time in informing the Baron Salo that she had some old friends recently arrived in town, and wouldn’t it be so kind of him to invite the Talis family as well, and show them a warm welcome into the city?
Jayce did not know if those had been the Viscountess’s exact words, but whatever she had said, it had worked. Only a day later, a crisp letter arrived for him and his mother, formally inviting him to the weekend’s celebrations. And very suddenly, it dawned on Jayce how serious all this business was.
They had missed the first ball of the season- always hosted by some powerful Duke or another, but the Bridgeside ball was not so late in the season it would make an embarrassingly delayed debut. Jayce and his mother had received the invitation on a Tuesday, with the ball that coming Friday. That meant that Jayce had only a few short days to prepare, both mentally and physically, to enter society again.
Of course, he first had to figure out what all that preparation entailed. Just as suddenly as he had realized the gravity of the situation, Jayce realized how little he was prepared for it. He had not properly been in society since he was a teenager- and then, he had been too young to enter it truly. He had danced at scant few balls, he had remembered only the names of whoever was talking to him at the time, and his social skills had been, looking back, absolutely horrendous. And of course, he had spent much of his youth- the youth most tilted noble sons spent galavanting across the countryside drinking and dancing and having far too many ill-advised affairs with opera singers and dancers and the like- at University, squirreled away in some dusty, dark laboratory or buried in a pile of notes. He was not, as his mother had gently implied and Caitlyn had outright told him, very prepared to navigate society, much less achieve his goals of betrothal by the end of the season.
So, he prepared in what little ways he could. Most of this preparation consisted of tasks that seemed frightfully insignificant- learning the names of debutantes and their families, practicing his dancing with Caitlyn, combing his hair back in every way he could imagine, til he found a style that seemed elegant enough without putting on an air of ‘trying too hard’. It seemed almost ridiculous, that he had gone from a life dedicated to scientific discovery and progress, to spending just as much thought over waltzes and quatrains, but he supposed that was how it had to be. If his life was to be anything like it had been before, he would have to make some sacrifices.
With so much to do, the hours bled into days, and the days flew by like seconds, and before Jayce knew it, he was in a carriage over to Bridgeside for the ball.
The ball was, of course, held at Bridgeside House. The Baron’s home was too small, and, if the rumors Jayce had heard about it were to be believed, too full of opulence, to really host any large gathering, so he had rented out a larger gathering hall, with plenty space for dancing, and invited, perhaps, everyone he knew. As their carriage rambled down through the eastern edges of Bluewind, the streets became more and more congested with other carriages, pedestrians, and even the rare, solitary rider. Jayce had no doubt they were in the right place- he spotted fine, crisp suits and glittering gowns. Couples and large groups swayed along the streets, moving quickly as if they could not wait to get inside to begin dancing. The air of pre-festivity joviality was heavy in the air. Even so, with so much pleasantry and joy in the air, Jayce couldn’t help but feel nerves twisting in his stomach. There was, simply, too much riding on this night.
It was that sort of cool, energizing, early-spring night: not quite late enough in the season that the warmth of the day lingered into the night, but still far more pleasant than the biting chill of winter. Jayce got out of the carriage first, and then helped his mother down. They were a bit late- he could already hear music and conversation happening inside the hall- but not so much it was unfashionable. There were other carriages arriving and other groups disembarking at the same time they were- which reassured Jayce he hadn’t already made a horrible social blunder. He took a heavy, complete breath, to prepare himself, and entered the ballroom.
It had been a long while since Jayce had attended a true, actual ball, but what waited for him beyond the doors of Bridgeside Hall was exactly as he had expected. The room was dim, lit by an array of tastefully-placed candles and a modern, gas-illuminated chandelier hung from the ceiling. Jayce had studied such fixtures at University, hoping to make some improvements to their design, and was half-tempted to climb up and inspect the lanterns himself. Restraint and appearance convinced him, perhaps wisely, otherwise. Though the room was large, it was packed with people- a dance floor filled with waltzing couples swaying shoulder-to-shoulder, and an even greater number of chaperones, observers, and pitiable wallflowers who had yet to be asked for a dance. A quartet of string musicians played light, airy tunes on a small stage in the corner, and the dim light illuminated tables of finger-foods and pre-poured glasses of lemonade ready for the taking. It was, all in all, exactly what one pictured upon imagining a ball. It should not have intimidated Jayce as much as it did (this was supposed to be his grand reentry into society!). And yet, it did.
After giving their invitation and information to the doorman, and being introduced to an audience that either did not hear it or simply did not care to pause their dancing, Jayce and his mother slipped uneasily into the crowd. Instinctually, he guided his mother over to the sides of the dance floor, with the older women, the chaperones, the spinsters. In his days before, as an awkward, bumbling teenage boy not ready for society yet, it had been his place at such events. Though, as he neared the group, Ximena separated from his side and turned to face him.
“Go on,” She urged, and gestured towards the dancing couples. “You didn’t come all this way to gossip with your mother’s friends. Meet someone new!”
Jayce thought he might like to gossip with his mother’s friends. They were, at least, a far less intimidating group than the eligible pool of debutantes. “Will you be alright?” He says instead.
“I will be fine.” Ximena insisted, and squeezed his hands once more for good luck. “Have fun, Jayce.”
Jayce, never one to argue with his mother, nodded solemnly, and split off into the crowd.