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A thought occurred to hilanced at Vin, then waved a servant over to him

"My lord?" thefor me," Elend said

Vin was the center of attention Wo on her words, and looked to her as a model They wanted to knos from Luthadel, to hear about fashion, politics, and events froreat city They didn't reject her, or even seem to resent her

The instant acceptance was the strangest thing Vin had ever experienced She stood aowns and finery, and was fore them She knew that it was just because of her power--yet, the women of this city seemed almost desperate to have someone to look to An e it There was a part of her that had craved this acceptance since the first day she'd attended a ball She'd spent that year being mistreated by most of the women of court--some had let her join with their conificant country noblewonificance It was a shallow thing, this acceptance, but sos feel i else about it As she s niece that one of the women wanted to meet Vin--Vin realized what it was

This is part of ht I didn't want it to be--perhaps because I didn't believe that I deserved it I found this life too different, too full of beauty and confidence Yet, I am a noblewoman I do fit in here

I was born to the streets by one parent, but I was born to this by another

She'd spent the first year of Elend's reign trying so hard to protect him She'd forced herself to focus only on her street side, the side that had been trained to be ruthless, for that, she thought, would give her the power to defend what she loved Yet, Kelsier had shown her another way to be powerful And, that poas connected with the nobility--with their intrigue, their beauty, and their clever schemes Vin had taken alhtened her

That's it, she thought, sirl That's why I always felt that this rong I didn't have to work for it, so I couldn't believe that I deserved it

She'd spent sixteen years on the streets--she'd earned that 1side of her Yet, it had taken her barely a month to adapt to noble life It had see that came so easily could be as important a part of herself as the years spent on the streets

But it was

I had to confront this, she realized Tindwyl tried to o, but I wasn't ready

She needed to prove to herself not only that she could ed with the muchthose few early months wasn't based on a falsehood

It'strue, Vin thought I can be both Why did it take ure it out?

"Excuseas the woer ones got dreaarded Elend with his warrior's body, his rugged beard, and his white imperial unifor before he'd become dreamy

"Ladies," Elend said to the women, "as Lady Vin herself will be quick to tell you, I'm rather ill-mannered That, in itself, would be a very small sin Unfortunately, I'ard for propriety So, therefore, I' to steal my wife away froize, but that's not the sort of thing we barbarians do"

With that, and with a s the ar hiht you ine how it must make you feel to be surrounded by a virtual army of puffballs"

"I appreciate the rescue," Vin said, though it wasn't actually true Hoas Elend to know that she'd suddenly discovered that she fit in with those puffballs? Besides, just because they wore frills and erous--she'd learned that ht distracted her such that she didn't notice where Elend was leading her until they were almost there

When she did realize it, she stopped i Elend back "The dance floor?" she asked

"Indeed," he said

"But, I haven't danced in almost four years!"

"Neither have I," Elend said He stepped closer "But, it would be terrible to et to dance"

It was true Luthadel had gone into revolt before they'd gotten an opportunity to dance together, and after that, there hadn't been time for balls or frivolity She knew Elend understood howhad the chance He'd asked her to dance on the first night when they'd iven up so

And so, she let hihtly raised dance floor Couples whispered, and as the song ended, everyone else furtively departed the dance floor, leaving Vin and Elend alone--a figure in lines of white, and another in curves of black Elend put an ar her toward him, and Vin found herself traitorously nervous