‘Finally,’ Aclysia thought and began to step towards her darling.
She managed two steps before a new nobleman appeared in front of her. “May I have a mont of your ti?” he asked.
‘No!’ Aclysia shouted in her mind as a cordial smile blood on her lips. “Affirmative.”
“It has co to my attention that your leader, the Monk Apexus, may be the one to direct your party, but you are the primary maker of decisions?” The tone of the man turned the assertion into a question.
“This is not exactly true. A proper way to phrase it is that I am more sociable and confident in eloquent speech. It is therefore my duty within the paradigm of the party to express our wants to our employers, current or potential.”
“I would consider myself among those potentials. You see…”
Aclysia saw red for a brief mont. She managed to wrestle that down, smile , and listen to the nobleman explain that he was the leader of a small fraternity that would like to commission a book from the Inevitable party. A guideline, of sorts, on how to be a successful adventurer.
It was the sort of suggestion made to keep a conversation going. An idle idea, not really ant to or highly unlikely to ever co to fruition, like the idea to travel to a distant land or co together every Saturday to play board gas.
By the end of it, Aclysia finally managed to continue her walk towards her darling.
“If you are free for a mont, Lady Aclysia?” a noblewoman asked.
‘NO!’ Aclysia scread in her mind as a strained smile spread on her lips. “Affirmative.”
“It has co to my attention that you are of divine origin. Which of the gods created you?”
“Hashahin of Acts and Actors.”
“Oh, one of the original 33! How prestigious.” A second noblewoman stepped into the conversation, then a third and fourth. It rapidly developed into a talk about who the greatest of the gods were and how to interpret their will in the stars.
Aclysia hardly heard them over the drum of her hateful heart in her ears. All the sa, she smiled and nodded, repressing the urge to correct their idiotic assumptions that patterns in the sky of this one Leaf could be used to understand the divine will of any, let alone all gods.
There was no end to it, Aclysia just found a mont to politely excuse herself.
“Perhaps you could spare a mont of your ti?” a nobleman asked.
“NO!” Aclysia screeched.
The outburst echoed far in the large ball room. Even the small orchestra, providing steady background music, went silent in surprise. Aclysia felt the icy chill of the realisation of what she had done, then the burning determination of ignoring it. She deserved to be with her darling already. From the other side of the room, Reysha laughed.
“Knew ya had it in ya!” the tiger woman comnted.
Aclysia ignored that, pushing aside the nobleman in her path. They were grown adults, she an angel built for flight, not strength, but even as a Priest her supernatural strength had risen enough to barrel her way through. She was t by her darling’s reassuring embrace. Everything was right in the world when her head rested on his broad chest. Huge, strong hands gently caressed the small of her back. Her wings fluttered in glee.
“What did you expect?” Tranquil and calm, the voice of a Yuki-Onna cut through the persistent silence. Her white-blue hair was tied up into a bun and secured by three ornate pins – a sign of great authority among them. Youthful beauty was replaced with matronal grace on her face, the light wrinkles from much smiling displayed with pride. “To keep a lady from her lord…” she shook her head. “…you are lucky she rely rebuked you.”
“Wise words, mother,” said Yuzuki. The black-haired snow lady was following Reysha. Despite her amusent, the redhead wouldn’t just stay a distant observer when one of her loves was in distress.
“Ya doing fine?” the rogue asked once she was next to the leadership duo.
“Ehehe… uh-huh!” A giggle and an affirmative noise were all the tal fairy produced.
Snorting with renewed amusent, Reysha turned to Korith. “She’s fine.”
“Good!” Korith declared, stopping next to the redhead. She had been in the middle of giving away other people’s money, which really had just been the best. This took priority though.
“Take this as a lesson in social cues,” the Yuki-Onna addressed the gathered crowd of young nobles. “All of you have on your mind what you want from these adventurers, but these adventurers are not your tools. They are in an unfamiliar environnt. They will oblige you for your standing. Do not abuse this to swarm them. A less civilised party might decide that your annoyance is best removed.”
The reminder that this quartet could turn them into red splatters on the floor with ease smoothed over any remaining animosity among the crowd of nobles. The band resud playing. The crowd dispersed, especially once the viceroy and castellan stepped in.
It was the castellan that stepped forwards first, delivering what a viceroy would not say due to matters of hierarchy. “I apologise for the eagerness of the youth.”
Apexus could not say ‘It is fine’ and an it, so he just gave an understanding hum. His hand continued to comb through his lody’s silver hair. Part of the bla, he assigned to himself. He had told others that the tal fairy was the effective face of the party. Truly, he should have imdiately gone to support her, rather than cordially continue the chats with those that stayed in his corner of the hall.
“There is a personal matter I wish to bring forwards,” the viceroy then took over, then glanced over to the matron of the Yuki-Onnas and her daughter, both of whom were still hovering around. “I sense you have your own request, Lady of the White Lake?”
“I do,” she confird, then bowed her head, “but I would not dare step ahead of the empire’s representative on this Leaf, lord Azureas.”
“Neither will I present the discourtesy of asking you to step away,” the viceroy said. “Though this is an ugly affair.” The elderly dark elf let his eyes glide over the gathered younglings. His hand rose, pointing at one among their number. “That is Maroaris, he is the overseer of the City of the Wastes,” he inford the party. “I request you listen to him.”
“Ehem!” Aclysia cleared her throat. Having recovered enough to step half out of Apexus’ embrace, still clinging to one of his arms, she resud her duty as the talker of the four. “We will do as you request, of course, honoured viceroy.”
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