Renz was the first to emerge, and he was ever as handsome as she remembered. Ten years, it seemed, had thoroughly and completely...enhanced him. Another layer of muscle had been added to the lean, athletic form of his youth, making him appear broader, stronger, and far more forceful. His boyish smile, impish as always, was now intensified with the wisdom of manhood. There were a few more laugh lines surrounding his gray eyes, and his dark hair was just slightly beginning to silver at his temples.
Ten years had passed, but Renz hadn't aged. He'd settled, perhaps, for the volatile impulses of his younger years appeared far more controlled than they used to be. He'd evolved from a randy cub into a calculating beast, a seductive predator with the playful charm of boyhood and the beguiling allure of maturity. A lethal combination.
But at newly thirty-seven, he still appeared vibrant and active. He bore no pain or sorrow of the last ten years. No bitterness or disappointment. Tonight, he bore only the hopefulness of youth.
That was the blessing of being a man, and the curse of being a woman. Her pain hung heavily around her neck, pulling on her heart like a gilded albatross. But Renz was completely unscathed.
And as she watched him, he wore that same secret, triumphant smile that in their six years of marriage she had grown to loathe.
The source of that smile soon followed after, timidly walking behind him, and she knew immediately that this was the one called Lena.
She was certainly a pretty whore. There was no doubt about that. But her frame was slight, fragile even. She was but a dwarf, a little pixie, next to Renz.
Renz's tastes had clearly changed. Over a decade prior, Renz's lusts had led him towards unhappily married women and skilled prostitutes. Renz had liked his women to be classically beautiful, polished, and well trained. His women needed to be able to surprise him; he'd have lost interest if they didn't.
And of course, they needed to be voluptuous, for Renz had always needed something for his greedy, eager hands to squeeze.
But this Lena was nothing like those women. She was an innocent, uneducated and untrained. She stared up at Renz with wide, vulnerable eyes. No one had taught her how to charm a man. No one had schooled her in the art of mystery or seduction. Everything about her was open and on display. She was pathetically transparent.
The foolish girl wore her love for him like a crown on her head, and for a brief moment, Ilise felt sorry for her. She was blissfully unaware of what Renz would do to her now that he'd captured her love. She knew nothing of the inevitable heartache she would face.
Lena's skin was flushed, her scandalous red gown somewhat out of place, and it was easy to deduce what she and Renz had been doing for the last hour. Renz had fucked her, and apparently well...she had the type of drunken, uncaring bliss that only sexual release could provide.
Perhaps ten years had taught Renz not to be such a selfish lover.
The cocky grin on his face indicated he'd been very well drained, at least for his momentary satisfaction. It was a smile she recognized, had seen often enough whenever Renz would disappear with his newest plaything. But the seriousness in his eyes as he stared at Lena was certainly something entirely new.
He looked at her as if nothing else in the world existed.
They exchanged hushed words, Renz fully entranced by whatever it was the maid was saying. His gaze slipped down to her body several times, a sign that his arousal was beginning to increase again.
But instead of turning his attention to the ballroom filled with the bored wives and eligible daughters of the empire's wealthiest, Renz kept his gaze on Lena.
He took her into his arms and kissed her, pulling her body far closer to his than decent. But they were perfect egoists, both completely unaware of the world around them.
Lena was the first to leave, and Ilise watched Renz as he watched her, and for the first time that night, she found herself puzzled. It was the first time she didn't recognize the man she had once called husband.
******
She found Lena in the women's lounge, grabbing fruits far more quickly than decent. It was a slightly comical site, the unrefined maid reaching for berries and popping them into her mouth quickly, nervously glancing around the room like a timid mouse stealing crumbs.
Ilise cleared her throat, but Lena did not appear to have heard her. She kept rapidly eating, a consequence of her recent sex with Renz, no doubt.
Or perhaps, a consequence of another life growing inside of her by now.
"You might slow down, there. You wouldn't want to burst out of that lovely gown," Ilise said.
Lena heard her then, and she looked up at Ilise with bashful eyes. Her mouth was clearly still full, and she gulped ungracefully, cheeks flushing in embarrassment.
Lena stood up then and release a faint cry as she gazed at Ilise. Ilise could feel the young girl's wide, pretty blue eyes fixing on her gown, her face, the necklace at her throat. Her expression was one of confusion, and maybe faint recognition.
Ilise nearly laughed when the girl suddenly entered an ungraceful curtsey.
"I apologize...that must have appeared rude. I'm Lena," she said timidly.
Ilise smiled at her.
"I know who you are, Lena. I've been anxious to meet you. I'm Ilise...Renz's first wife," she replied.
******
******
It took several moments for Lena to realize that Ilise was waiting for her to speak, but she was far too dumbfounded to form words. She felt as if all mental processes and emotional responses had reached a sudden halt, and Lena was completely unaware of how to feel or what to say next.
Ilise placed a sympathetic hand on her wrist, slightly beckoning her to awareness.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lena," she said, her smile slightly humored. Lena felt overwhelmed with a sudden wave of recognition, and her heart began to palpitate. This was Ilise. The Ilise. The woman who wounded Renz more than any other person in his life.
"L-likewise," Lena replied quietly. She gazed at Ilise, finding herself unable to form an opinion about her. Given who Renz had described her to be, how he'd described himself to be when they were married, Lena expected to see an angry, broken, hurt woman.
But Ilise did not appear vengeful or even slightly cross. In fact, she didn't appear emotional at all. She was disturbingly pleasant and completely at ease. She was perfectly styled and controlled, and Lena began feeling embarrassed for staring at her with such obvious surprise.
"You really needn't be so nervous, Lena. I assure you I only have the best of intentions for you and your...fiancé now, it appears?" Ilise said, glancing down at the ring.
Lena felt her cheeks and neck flush with embarrassment, and she cursed herself for accepting the ring from Renz again. There was no way to really explain her not-quite-engagement, especially to her not-quite-fiancé's first wife.
Before she could speak, Ilise gently reached for her hand and inspected the the diamond closely.
"Diamonds like this are only given to women who are truly loved and esteemed, Lena. Tell me, when did he propose?" Ilise asked.
"Well, umm, it happened here—"
"You're very fortunate to have found a love match with Renz. I'm sure he's told you that our marriage was arranged. And while he was certainly gentleman enough to procure a lovely stone..." Ilise said, pausing to extend her hand. Lena gasped as she observed the massive single blue stone on her finger. The artist's rendering, the first image of Ilise she'd ever found, certainly didn't quite capture just how extraordinary the jewel really was. It was a deep, gorgeous blue with the faintest hints of green.
"...I never had...quite the marriage that young girls dream of," Ilise finished.
Lena looked up at Ilise, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. Her drunkenness was quickly beginning to fade, and was replaced by a cold feeling of dread deep in her gut.
"It really is a lovely ring...I'm sure he loved you very much when he gave it to you," Lena found herself saying. Ilise smiled sweetly, but there was a slight flicker of sadness in her green eyes. The dread suddenly intensified into an overwhelming feeling of inexplicable guilt, and Lena felt as if she would soon become sick.
"It's an Indian sapphire. Originally owned by the consort of a maharaja. Renz purchased it while on a hunting holiday with his friends from university...and I suspect it may have been more of a token for himself than for me. Men like Renz love to flaunt their wealth, I'm sure you're aware," Ilise said with a faint laugh, gesturing to the Sun Diamond.
Lena reached for the necklace at her throat in a vain attempt to cover it, but the little piece of royal sunshine continued to glitter through her fingers. And for the first time, Lena felt like its luminescence was mocking her.
"And what better place to display wealth than on a woman as beautiful as you," Ilise said softly.
Lena's stomach fully sank then. It seemed as if Ilise's words were intended to be complimentary, but they affected her in a deeply unsettling way. Renz had once told her that one of his greatest pleasures was buying beautiful things for the women he was with...perhaps the only pleasure was the physical representation of his own wealth.
His own conquest.
"Have you seen Renz yet?" Lena asked, desperate for no further talk of jewelry. Ilise laughed airily and shook her head.
"I suspect it would be in...poor taste on a night like tonight...you understand, surely. He is a newly engaged man, after all," Ilise said. Lena nodded, truthfully not quite understanding at all.
But Ilise's revelation made her overall anxiety wane by a small degree. For some reason, the idea of Renz alone with Ilise terrified Lena.
Ilise released her hand and gently brought her fingers up her bare arm, resting just above her shoulder. Lena felt herself shiver at the contact.
"I'll admit I had my initial...rude opinions...when I heard of my former husband parading around Berlin with a woman half his age. But you, Lena, are just exquisite. I can see why you've managed to capture a man like Renz. You're quite the fascinating girl," Ilise said, bringing her hand to her chin.
Her touch was faint, but Lena felt paralyzed where she stood, cornered by Ilise's almost cat-like eyes. Ilise's face remained soft and pleasant, her elegant features ever gentle, but the liveliness of her eyes betrayed her outer composure.
