"Where is he?" Ilios thought herself impatiently.

 It had been nearly two hours and she was sure David would think himself deserted and leave at any minute. 

"An hour," She repeated to herself, "An hour then he'd come back and cover for me. That was the plan." 

"Do you know where Eli is?" Christine asked curiously, "I thought he had turned back to get something." 

"If only I knew," Ilios thought to herself, "I'd string him up with a lasso backward before he could tell which way was up." 

"Ilios?"Christine laughed putting a hand on her daughter's shoulder, "Are you all right? You look troubled." 

"I'm fine Mother." Ilios smiled as best she could. 

"Ilios," Luke murmured making his way across the table as dinner finished to her. "I've been thinking, well rather it's quite up to you but-"

He gestured rather grandly to the dance floor and Ilios gave a laugh aloud at the clumsy delivery of his request. 

"Of course Luke," Ilios grinned, forgetting her worries for a moment, "I'd love to."  

"Nope," Erik said hurriedly rising at the sight of the two joining the floor, "I won't-"

"Erik," Christine said putting a hand to his chest and forcing him back to his sitting position. "Nothing will come of it. Let them be." 

As they took to the middle and Gustave rather grandly began to play as Erik had taught him, Ilios gave a small chuckle at the sight of Mary and Winnie dancing on their own with imaginary partners on the outskirts. 

"Winnie's a funny sort of girl," Ilios noted with a laugh as she curtsied to Luke. 

Luke frowned as he took her waist, "How so?" 

"I don't-" 

His eyes narrowed and he nearly stopped dancing for a moment as he asked the following. 

"How much of it do you know Ilios? Has Eli told you?" 

"Goodness Luke," Ilios blushed in irritation, "I don't know what you're talking about." 

Seeing his error he gave an embarrassed smile, recollected himself, and by the downbeat of the net measure, began again. 

"Is Eli out?" Luke asked slowly. 

Ilios was less than forthcoming with information. She held her lower lip steady as if the smallest tremble of worry would give away all of her heart's innermost yearnings. 

"Yes." 

Luke's eyes fixed on her own intently, she was a stubborn girl, always had been. 

In an air of disappointment, as they waltzed, his eyes turned upward to the ceiling, wondering how it would feel to have such structure in his life as those sturdy beams that held every part of the building into place. 

He was to check the possibility of one of the certainties he had in his own building of personality now.

"Is he out with Clara Dechangy?" 

Ilios turned and looked at him sternly, a look which told him all he wished to know. 

"He was." She nodded, her heart asking desperately for answers on how her well-guarded secret had escaped. "Lord knows he was." 

"Is he back late then?" Luke asked with a slight frown and a look in Erik's direction. 

The Father had eyes of hawks, and while Erik's face did not meet his own, Luke keenly felt their presence on him. 

When he looked back to his dance partner, he found her eyes irretrievably facing the door. 

"Ah," He nodded with a sad smile, "You are pledged elsewhere I see." 

"I am not!" Ilios snapped quickly and quietly with an air of offense. 

Luke gave a small laugh and looked at her with knowing eyes. 

Ilios gave a small laugh herself at the ridiculousness of the situation. 

"I am sorry Luke," She sighed, "I'm insufferable this evening and I know it." 

"I did suspect something when you hadn't said a word at dinner." Luke agreed with a soft smile. 

He looked about the happy family and with a laugh, one Ilios didn't quite understand have a heavy sigh. 

"I'm going to regret this aren't I?" He chided.

"Regret what?" Ilios said with great interest, her eyes narrowing and seeking to understand his plan. 

"Sorry," Luke grinned. 

As soon as all backs of the family were turned Luke gave Ilios a large push backward. 

"She's fainted!" Luke shouted pointing at her and giving a wink. 

All rushed to Ilios's side and Ilios played along in confusion trying to catch her breath and looking about in a dazed state. 

"What happened?!" Erik roared angrily. 

"Nothing!" Luke exclaimed, "I simply said that she looked ravishing and that I should like to take her for a walk on the mezzanine unchaperoned." 

"Luke!" Gustave said turning to his son in horror. 

"You!" Erik shouted tackling Luke to the floor. 

The younger girls ran away to the corner and Christine rushed to stop her husband. 

As all eyes turned to the fight Ilios gave a happy smile to Luke and rushed from the room to meet David. 

As she rushed out the door she ran into the soaked figure of her brother. 

"Eli!" She shouted slapping him angrily on the shoulder. "Where the heck have you been?!" 

"Where are you going?" Clara asked ringing out her hair into a large puddle onto the floor.

"Ilios one of us there at all times we agreed-" 

"You took so long I thought you had died!" Ilios exclaimed, "Fathers beating up Luke just to give me-" 

"He's what?" Eli spat sharply with a squinted eye. 

"You best go," Clara smiled at him. "Save your friend." 

"What happened to the two of you?!" Ilios hissed in a conniption. 

"We fell in the Sein," Chloe stated nonchalantly. 

"You what?!" Ilios shrieked her eyes widening. "Eli?!"

"Later Ilios." He said sternly, his eyes cold pieces of pale ice against the shivering red that nipped at his cheeks. 

"Eli!" Clara called but he had already rushed off into the dining hall. 

"The Sein?" Ilios repeated in doubt with a discerning eye over the ruined girl in front of her. 

"Yes," Clara choked out with a grave laugh, "Can you help me to my dressing room?" 

Ilios looked up to the staircase which led to the roof, led to David. 

"Alright," She moaned. "Quickly!"

"Who are you going to see?" Clara asked her as Ilios undid her laces. 

"David." 

"David Larabee?" Clara asked in surprise, "He's a catch. Where did you find him?" 

"He found me actually," Ilios said with a soft smile. "I've never felt shy before. But there he was, and the words, well they just weren't." 

"And tonight?" Clara laughed curiously, "I  mean leaving a family dinner? You don't seem the type." 

"I'm a letdown," Ilios shrugged, "Why should I stay?" 

"Well-" 

"Davids going to propose tonight," Ilios spat quickly closing her eyes. 

"What?" Clara stuttered turning around and looking at the nervous girl in front of her. 

"Ilios-" 

"No," Ilios laughed, "Not like marriage, not now anyway. But he's going to ask me to wait. Wait until after the war." 

"You know about the war then," Chloe said with a small nod, "Eli seems oblivious." 

"Father won't tell him," Ilios informed her. "He's scared he'll want to fight. That he'll lose him." 

Clara agreed, stating that knowing Eli, a war would break him. 

"Ilios," Clara said seizing Elis sisters hand with an excited smile, "Do you love him?" 

"I think so," Ilios shrugged with a nervous laugh. "I'm happy with him. And miserable when I'm not. That's a good a definition of love as any I know."

Clara nodded and showed her friend to the door, "Good luck Ilios."

"Good Luck Clara." Ilios beamed before rushing towards the staircase. 

Clara closed her eyes and gave a deep sigh. 

She was going to need it.