“She won’t be here,” Nyx whispers.
“You can’t blame me for hoping,” Luke says with a forced smile.
“That’s right!” Lady Adara exclaims, causing Luke and Nyx to jump in surprise. “My husband and I heard an interesting rumor about you, Luke. I was wondering if you could shed some truth on it.”
“I can try. What have you heard?” Luke asks suspiciously.
“My wife and I were told that you are engaged to Kira Grasdon. Her father, Waylin Grasdon, is a well-respected business partner of mine,” Lord Gideon explains. He gently takes a glass of wine from a passing tray and hands it to Luke. “I do hope he is not the victim of false rumors. He knows that Kira found a new suitor in that warrior school, but she has never given him a name. Old man Waylin refuses to remember a suitor’s name before he meets the young man, but even her brothers are out of the loop on this. Rumors began a month ago that the new suitor was you. Nobody is sure where the rumors started, but Waylin is taking some heat for the unproven rumor. I would appreciate you help in clearing this up.”
“I . . . well . . . you see . . .” the half-elf stutters.
“You can come out and say it, young man. My husband does not bite,” Lady Adara teases the shaking warrior.
“Kira and I aren’t engaged,” Luke blurts out, louder than he intended.
Lord Gideon sighs and takes a sip of his drink. “Then, I guess it was nothing more than a rumor.”
Luke swallows his drink in one gulp before he continues. “We decided that we would try and keep a low profile since I would be adventuring. I guess if I wasn’t going anywhere, we would consider ourselves engaged. Then again, I don’t know if we want to take that big a step at this point even though we discussed it a few times. I don’t even know when I will see her again and she had me promise to uphold this cultural tradition that grants us the freedom to have other partners. It’s all rather confusing. As far as her father, I kind of met him. I was trying to get through the crowd at the academy’s graduation ceremony and I unknowingly used his head as a springboard. Kira said she apologized on my behalf, but I’m pretty sure meeting her father will be awkward now.”
Both of the nobles stare at Luke with curious grins. Nyx simply stares at him in disbelief like she always does when Luke embarrasses himself. He wisely ignores her piercing gaze that bores into the side of his head. He is about to say something else when Lord Gideon breaks out into echoing laughter. Many of his guests turn to see what has their host so happy.
“This boy’s honesty is priceless, a true respite from the liars of the merchant world. I will be sure to pass on your affections to the Grasdon house, so that your future fiancée can be told of your safe arrival,” Lord Gideon promises with another slap to Luke’s shoulder. “My dear, I believe that this youth will be a joy to have around the manor for the next few days.”
“He certainly will,” she agrees, flashing a friendly smile at Luke. “Now, Lady Nyx, I do hope you will have some time to sit down and talk to me about yourself. There are so few casters in Freedom’s high society that I rarely have a chance to discuss the magic arts. Would you be so kind as to give this woman some of your time?”
“I would be honored, milady,” Nyx says with a small bow. She feels something run along the back of her dress as she stands straight, but assumes it was somebody who passed too close to her in the crowded room.
“You called for me, father? Hello, stepmother,” drones a bored, male voice. Luke and Nyx turn to see a young nobleman with slicked, brown hair. A wolfish smile appears across his face when he looks at Nyx. He swiftly takes her hand and kisses it without bothering to look in Luke’s direction.
“Where is your sister, Sebastian?” Lord Gideon asks.
Sebastian runs a brush through his hair and tucks the brush into a shirt pocket. “I do not know. She was waltzing on the dance floor when last I saw her. Are these two guests the ones that you wished for us to meet? The lady is certainly enchanting and stunning, but her bodyguard needs to be taught how to dress for such an occasion. Just because you are hired help does not mean you have to look like a peasant.”
“Sebastian! That is not how I raised you. This young half-elf is a-” starts his father.
The young noble interrupts his father as he kisses Nyx’s hand again. “Let me guess. A forest tracker from the look of him. I have met your kind before in the taverns. It would appear that this sweet rose wishes to be protected by a more exotic guard than those of an average noble.”
“My name is Luke Callindor. I believe you’ve heard of my family,” Luke says, hoping to impress the arrogant noble. He clenches his first in reaction to using his family’s fame for respect, but forgets his annoyance when Sebastian rolls his eyes.
“Oh, a hero in the making. How quaint,” the noble mockingly states. “What is your name, my dear? I am Sebastian Silverstar.”
“My name is Nyx and I don’t like how you’re treating my friend. Please apologize to him,” the caster requests, her usual edge creeping into her voice.
“You are such a sweet creature. So, polite and kind to her servant,” Sebastian says, flashing a charming smile at Nyx. “What is it that brings you here?”
Lady Adara gently clears her throat, earning a bored stare from Sebastian. “These are two of your cousin’s escorts on her trip back to Gods’ Voice. This young lady is the prodigal apprentice of Rainbow Tower.”
“Will you grace us with a spell, my gorgeous caster?” Sebastian asks.
“Sorry, but I would be putting everyone in danger if I tried to cast anything,” Nyx answers, her heart racing from the thought of casting magic. “My spells are destructive for the most part, which I learned out of necessity. You cannot be too careful being a single girl in a big city like Gaia.”
Nyx snatches a plate of caviar and is about to eat some when Sebastian takes the fork from her. He scoops up some of the food and offers to feed it to Nyx. The emptiness in her stomach forces Nyx to accept his romantic gesture. She makes sure to yank the fork out of his hand with her teeth. Sebastian smirks at her, his eyes beginning to burn with an intense desire for the feisty half-elf.
“A bit of fight in you, I see,” he whispers.
“Behave yourself, Sebastian. She is our honored guest for the next few days, so you best watch your step with her,” Lord Gideon warns his son. “Ah, here is my darling Luciana.” The Lord opens his arms to receive a gentle hug from a waif of a girl. Her chin-length hair is as shiny and red as Lady Adara’s. Luciana’s flowing dress matches her azure eyes that are identical to her father’s.
“You called for me?” she timidly asks.
“Yes, my dear, I would like you to meet Luke Callindor and Lady Nyx,” Lady Adara says.
Luciana delicately curtsies, keeping her eyes on the ground. “It is a pleasure to meet you both. I have heard of your family’s legacy, Lord Callindor.”
“Oh, I’m not a lord. I’m just a regular forest tracker,” Luke corrects her.
“My apologies. It is nice to meet you too, Lady Nyx,” the girl says with another curtsy. Luke and Nyx glance at each other as they notice that Luciana continues to avoid eye contact with both of them.
“Pardon my forwardness, Luciana, but are you feeling okay?” Nyx asks in a kind and concerned voice.
“My sister is fine. She is simply shy around new people,” Sebastian rudely interrupts, stepping up to Nyx. “Would you care to have a dance, Lady Nyx?”
“I’m not really in the mood for a dance, good sir,” Nyx hesitantly replies, trying her best to remain polite. She is fairly certain that she will be forced to hit Sebastian if she spends too much time with him.
“Nyx can’t dance,” Luke says, hoping to give Nyx a way out of the situation. “It's best for you to find someone else.”
“Excuse me, but I can dance. Very well in fact,” Nyx proudly declares. She regrets her words as soon as Sebastian takes her by the hand.
“Then, we shall enjoy some time on the dance floor. Pleas
e, follow me,” he requests with a smile that causes a shiver to run up Nyx’s spine.
Nyx looks back at Luke who can only shrug while Sebastian drags her into the sea of nobles. Luke tries hard to stop a grin from forming on his face before Luciana gently takes his hand. He is surprised at how small and cool the girl’s hands are. Lord Gideon and Lady Adara are already talking to other guests while they slowly disappear into the crowd.
“Would you dance with me?” Luciana asks softly.
“I’m not really experienced with dancing, but I’ll try my best,” Luke promises, delicately kissing Luciana on the hand like he had seen several nobles do prior to dancing. “I like the ribbon around your neck, Luciana. The purple matches your dress.”
“Thank you, but I hate this ribbon,” the girl shyly admits.
Luciana lets Luke lead her to the dance floor where he quickly scans the area to see how the nobles are dancing. He slowly starts to move with her until he gets comfortable with the footwork. Luciana lets him control her movements as she yawns daintily and lets her head rest against his chest.
“You dance very well. You’re very strong and agile,” she dreamily whispers.
“Thank you. I guess I have a knack for this,” Luke says, focusing on not stepping on the girl’s toes. “Still, it helps to be dancing with someone who can move with grace.”
Luciana stands on her toes to whisper in Luke’s ear. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course,” he replies, the hair on the back of his neck beginning to rise.
“Would you take my virginity tonight?” Luciana meekly asks.
Luke’s mouth goes dry while he looks to see if anybody heard the girl’s request. Out of all of the ambushes and chaos of his journey, Luke is sure that this situation is the most uncomfortable. He begins to wonder how he finds himself in these awkward messes. The half-elf can feel the girl staring at him, but he refuses to look at her before he can think of an answer. He mutters a silent curse to Gabriel, who he is sure is having fun at his expense.
“Well?” she asks with a pouting lip.
“I didn’t realize what time it was,” Luke states, looking out the window and the distant stars. “I will have to get back to you on that. I just remembered that I have to do some night training. It's very important for a warrior to keep his skills sharp. Have a pleasant night, Lady Luciana.”
Luke slides off the dance floor with the confused girl, kisses her hand, and swiftly walks to the nearest exit.
*****
Fritz catches a brief glimpse of Luke making his way out of the ballroom and is about to follow when he stumbles into a noble. The young half-elf has a flowing red cape that clips to hidden loops on his shoulders. His black pants are tucked into boots made of polished leather with a silver dragon on the toe. The noble’s shirt is sky blue with a collar that is kept shut by a sun-shaped clip.
“Aedyn?” Fritz coughs in surprise.
“Yes . . . Oh . . . Hello, Fritz,” the uncomfortable priest says.
“I can safely assume that those are not the clothes of a follower of Durag,” the gnome states. “You mind clueing me in on this. You look like a noble.”
Aedyn blushes and fiddles with the clip on his collar. “I am a noble. In fact, I am a noble of Freedom.”
“What about Nyx saying that you’re from the country villages to the northeast?” Fritz asks, scratching his head.
“Nyx is very intelligent and intuitive, but she spent her entire life in Gaia with very little traveling,” Aedyn explains. He takes a glass of white wine and sips at it while leaning against the wall. “She can be tricked by non-magical illusions that one has perfected by years of practice. I am highly skilled in changing my accent and mannerisms. Though, I prefer the polite and friendly behavior of a northeastern village boy because it is easier to make friends that way.”
“Why didn’t you tell us about this?” Fritz inquires.
“I have my reasons,” the half-elf whispers.
“There really is only one reason. Aedyn is ashamed of what he is,” interrupts a silky voice from behind them. Fritz looks up to see an elven man wearing all black with a short, white cape that hangs off his shoulder. His golden hair seems to feed off the candlelight of the ballroom. A feathered cap is held in his left hand while a glass of wine is gently swirling in his right.
“Do you blame me, father?” Aedyn asks, his voice becoming edged and threatening.
Fritz looks at the regal elf in surprise. “Father? This is Lord Karwyn?”
“My name is Marius Delone, local representative of Freedom’s elven citizens and trainer of the Serabian Knights. Our different surnames are because my son chose to take his mother’s maiden name upon joining the priesthood,” the elven noble explains, his sapphire eyes locked on Aedyn. “You must be Fritz Warrenberg. It is an honor to meet one of the most renowned gnomish inventors of today. Would it be an inconvenience if I ask that you give my son and me some time to talk?”
“Not at all. Aedyn and I talk enough as it is. Meet up with you later, kid,” replies Fritz, who is happy for the chance to escape. He pats Aedyn on the side and bows to Marius. The elf watches Fritz as he walks away and disappears into the crowd.
“I recognize this scenario,” Aedyn declares, a tired look on his face. “If I’m not mistaken, this is where you inform me of my failures.”
“Do you hate me that much?” Marius asks, sighing heavily.
Aedyn glares at his father. “Yes.”
“I should have expected that response. After all, everything you have ever done has been out of spite,” Marius points out as if his opinion is common knowledge. The nobleman finishes his drink and places the glass onto a passing tray. “You became a priest of Durag after I trained you in the ways of the sword to follow in the footsteps of your ancestors. Then, you changed your name to break the only link that bound us to each other. Joining the same organization as I did is the only thing that we have in common.”
“Of course, father, I do everything out of spite. All of my actions revolve around my desire to disgrace my father!” Aedyn dramatically exclaims.
Marius covers Aedyn’s mouth with an iron grip. “Keep it down. By the gods, I have no idea why you act like this.”
“You know exactly why I act like this,” Aedyn mumbles through his father’s fingers. He bats his father’s hand away and quickly takes two glasses of wine for himself. “I hate you for what you did to me and mom.”
“I have told you over a hundred times that I had no choice,” Marius swears, his hands becoming clenched fist. “That was the only decision left to me.”
“Mother was happy with you. Then, you abandoned her to a lonely death at the hands of those pirates,” Aedyn accuses his father. “You could have fought them and given mother the chance to escape with me. Instead, you ran away and left her with them. I was just happened to be lucky enough to be on the raft that you chose to escape in or you would have left me too. I do not see how you can live with yourself after you sinned so horribly.”
The sound of Marius’s slap across Aedyn’s face is faint, but it leaves a throbbing mark of red. Aedyn grinds his teeth in anger and rubs at his cheek. He lashes out with a quick punch to his father’s jaw. The attack is barely dodged by the elf and Marius swiftly captures his son’s arm in the crook of his arm. He locks their limbs together to prevent Aedyn from getting away unless the half-elf breaks both of their elbows.
“What’s going on?” whispers a nearby nobleman.
“It’s nothing,” a noblewoman laughs. “It's just Marius and his son fighting as always. It's been a few years since we got to see this show.”
“At least, they aren’t using swords this time,” a squeaky voice chimes in. “One of my tapestries is still being fixed and that was five years ago.”
Marius ignores the gossipy whispering around him. “This is the reputation that you have brought upon our family. They ignore our stations and our honor. We are seen as nothing more than a father and son caught
in an endless war whenever we are together. This is why I am glad that you decided to leave the city.”
“And the truth comes out,” Aedyn declares. A whispered spell turns his arm into mist and he pulls it out of his father’s grip.
“I never had to say it. You already knew,” Marius says, letting his arm fall to his side. “Then again, you never knew how to look beyond my actions. If you did then you would have understood my actions.”
“Leave him alone!” demands an angry woman’s voice from behind the noble. He turns to see Nyx standing at the edge of the gathered crowd. Sebastian is standing behind her, but obviously cares little about what is going on in front of him.
“Stay out of this, Nyx. My father and I need to handle this,” Aedyn says without looking at her.
“Your father? Look, Aedyn. We’re friends and-” she begins.
“Stay out of it!” he yells, casting a furious glare at the caster. Nyx takes a step back into the crowd and looks down at the floor, but she refuses to leave.
“Yelling at your friends now? You really are a disgrace,” Marius snaps in disgust. “It was my mistake to approach you tonight. You are still nothing more than an angry child who lashes out at things that he does not understand.”
Aedyn’s rising temper finally boils over, his voice becoming vicious and cold. “I do not understand? I understand more than you realize, old elf. The pirates attacked us on our way home from one of the southern islands and mother hid me in an escape raft. All of the crewmen were killed by the time you made your way on deck. You found mother cornered by the pirates and they demanded that you surrender in return for her. They wanted you for their hostage because of your influence. Then, you ran and escaped on the raft that I was hiding on. I may have been eight, but I would have fought them if mother had not told me to stay in the raft. The day her body was returned to us in a box was the day I swore that I would never forgive you.”
“You spout facts, but you do not understand,” Marius furiously argues. “With me as their captive, those pirates could have asked for anything that they wanted and they would have received it. My status was too important to the kingdom for me to be lost.”
Legends of Windemere: 02 - Prodigy of Rainbow Tower Page 37
