Silence settled over the hall. And for a while nothing moved.
Then laughter broke through it, pearly and cascading, like a handful of gemstones scattering across marble. There was something absurd about the sound, and something beautiful buried inside the absurdity.
The Matriarch stifled it after a moment and placed her long, slender fingers beneath her chin, leaning forward.
"It's been a while since I met someone endearing…"
She rolled one shoulder and let the sleeve of her robe slide down her arm. The fabric pooled at her elbow, baring the side of her breast, ivory skin without a single blemish. Linen tape wound across the lower curve, concealing her nipples but still, the stubborn thing formed contour around the area.
She wasn't hiding. She was showing me exactly how little she cared.
