„My mother is from a matriarchal family and our fathers from a patriarchal family. This made the love between the two of them difficult. The first met at a ball and did get along but not for long before the started taking an interest in each other…"
***
At the masked ball.
A handsome man in a dark blue tuxedo with a sword at the hip made his way across the ball room and garnered the glances of many women and he visibly enjoyed it. It looked like he was used to be the center of attention especially for women.
A woman in a red dress and black hair with a drink in hand stood by the wall and observed the ballroom. "What an arrogant man, he thinks that the world belongs to him. On what basis does he get such a high ego anyway. Seriously, I hate this kind of man." This woman was quiet pretty and of course catches the eye of the man in the dark blue tuxedo, he walked to her with the clear intention to make her fall for him.
"Can't you annoy any other woman, there seems to be a few who wouldn't mind your company."
"Such harsh words out of such a pretty mouth. Don't worry you will enjoy my company soon enough."
"I doubt that. If you would excuse me, I need another drink."
"Please, let me. Excuse me!" He got the attention of a servant and had him bring another drink for the lady.
"I hoped to get away from you with that excuse but fine, if I have to spell it out. I don't want to converse with you, on that note, I will excuse myself."
"Milady I will not let you go so easily."
"And I will not interact with you anymore." She then ignored what his retort was and walked away.
She walked across the room and stopped at another wall. "What an annoying man. First, I got forced to attend this ball and now I have to cope with him. Why can't I just read my books in peace? Sight, and I don't even have anything to drink anymore."
"I can help with that milady."
"Wah…" She turned around and saw the man in the dark blue tuxedo. "I just politely said that I do not want to interact with you and you still follow me?"
"I would debate on the politeness, but it was direct, and I said that I will not let you go so easily. We will have a lot more interactions this evening, I can promise you that." With that he gave her a mesmerizing smile.
She gracefully took the drink form his and. "I guess you get all women wrapped around the little finger with that smile."
"But it does not seem to work on you."
"You need to do more to get into my good books. Besides you are already in the bad ones."
"Then I will think of something to impress you."
"Say, making a woman fall for you is a hobby of yours, right."
He looked at her astound for a second. "You could say that, It is the only interesting thing to do on these occasions. And a woman like you is the most fun."
"Sight. Alright I will give you a chance to entertain me, but if I get bored you have to leave me alone."
"Great, the let us dance." He bowed and held a hand out.
"Fine but just one song." She placed here and in his and they walked onto the dancefloor.
"Look he is so handsome." A woman whispered.
"But she is really pretty too." Another woman whispered.
"They look great together." A third whispered.
"I really envy here." A fourth whispered.
"It seems your position is rather popular," said the man in the dark blue tuxedo teasingly.
"I would gladly give the honor to another woman," retorted the woman in the red dress blankly.
"There will not be a need for that, I will only dance with you tonight."
"You will not accomplish your goal of entertaining me with that."
They continued talking and garnering envious glances from both sexes while dancing.
"It seems my position is as sought after as yours. You aren't the only handsome on here after all."
"That was a compliment." He smiled at here.
"Whatever you want it to be."
After the song ended, they walked back to the wall.
"If you did not come up with anything than you can leave me alone till you did."
"Do not worry milady." He gestured to her to link arms
She complied and they walked to the garden. As they left the building they gazed at the stares.
"Do you see the on there?" He pointed at a bright stare. "It is the starting point of the star sign for mana."
"Right and for what sign is that star the starting point?" She pointed at a rather dull and barley visible star.
"Um… That is for…" The man looked rather distressed.
"You should really polish your skills if you want to impress me." She smiled and went furthered into the garden. In the direction of the labyrinth.
"How about we walk into the labyrinth?"
"It seems you can observe. I will go in first and whoever manages to go to the center first wins." With that she walks for the labyrinth and enters.
"Um… Great I am sure that I will get lost in there. Sight I am not even sure if she is worth all that trouble anymore. Should I just go for another on." He looked back inside an noticed the women who stole glances of him. "I will need to at least stay here for another three hours so if it doesn't work out with her, I will just get on of those." With that he walked into the labyrinth.
…
"Seriously where is he, I reached the middle about 15 min ago. He didn't get lost, right. Maybe I should go look for him. What a hassle."
…
"I am lost. This labyrinth looks the same everywhere, so I don't even know anymore if I already went that way or not. I can't even find the entrance/exit anymore not to mention the middle. "
…
"I am again by the exit so I will go first… This direction hopefully I find him fast."
…
"I shouldn't have entered that dam labyrinth, I can't even fly out of here because of the anti-magic formations."
…
"And the next coroner, huh I thought I just saw something. Hopefully it is him and not some weirdo."
"I shouldn't have entered this dam labyrinth."
"Already frustrated enough to cures?"
"Sight, If you get me out of here, I will leave you alone alright."
"If I had known that from the stared, I would have gone in here sooner. By the way if you follow the right wall you will find the exit sooner or later."
"I will remember that."
"You seem to be quite in the bad mood now."
"And you are in a good one."
"Giggle. Yes, I guess your goal was to have some fun with me afterwards, but I need to disappoint you that I don't do that, but I will introduce you to my sister."
"Sight, is she as hard to entertain as you?"
"Giggle, not as much and you get your happy ending. But she didn't attend this ball so if fate wants it and we meet at another one than I will introduce you."
"You enjoy this right."
"Yes, very much so."
They made their way out of the labyrinth and back to the ballroom.
***
They indeed meet at another ball but at that point the man was way to interested in the lady to try something with her sister and the lady herself was intrigued by the man and spend her time with him at the occasional meeting at a ball. Even tough they took a liking at each other they didn't want to admit it.
***
"Seriously I never met such a stubborn woman in my life before."
"Then you didn't meet a lot of woman obviously."
"Wha… You little."
"Giggle. It is so much fun to tease you."
"Sight, here." He gave her an envelope
"Huh, an invitation to a ball?"
"Yes, I was asked to perform at it with another person of my choosing."
"Ohoho, so you want me to make your performance watchable."
"If you don't want you don't need to."
"Don't worry I will gladly help you."
***
Afterwards they meet up to choreograph and train their performance. Throughout their training they grew closer and closer. They also grew to respect each other for the ability's and talent each possessed.
***
At the ball shortly before the performance.
"I am honored that so many of you attend my humble ball, as the main attraction I asked an inspiring youth to perform at my ball. I hope we all enjoy this show."
"That is our cue." Thy walked in the middle of the ballroom and positioned each other at opposing sides.
The man drew his sword and the woman formed a water an ice and a fire rune.
He charged at the woman with killing intend. She made the temperature drop and snow appear. He stepped at the last moment aside and turned around. She looked at him with cold eyes.
He positioned his sword new and charged again. This time she avoided him graciously. Looked at him and walked away. He visibly angered charged at the women who formed an ice wall to protected herself. He sliced right through it. She visible shocked stopped. Now interested in the man the temperature rose a bit and the snow stopped falling.
He stopped releasing killing intend. He again readied his sword and went for the woman. This time his attacks got averted with water magic. They started smiling and he went for here a few more times.
Till he went for here and instead of averting his attacks with water she used fire. He went back a few steps and looked at the woman. He sheeted his sword and walked to the woman. He made the gesture to ask her for a dance and right on cue the music started to play. While they danced little flames started to fall. And after thy finished dancing they made a bow to the audience who started applauding.
…
"I'm impressed by your swordsmanship."
"Yes, to be able to get so close to here without injuring here."
"And you, young miss, were equally impressive to be able to form and control three runes at the same time."
The show was a success and they got a lot of compliments afterwards.
After some time, they walked to the garden.
"Thanks. Without you I wouldn't have ben able to make a show like this."
"You are welcome. I had a lot of fun. How about we go into that labyrinth?"
"Um, only if we go together."
"Don't worry I won't let you go in there alone."
They soon were in the middle of the labyrinth.
"Hey, do you know by now for what sign that star is the beginning?" She pointed at the barely visible star the same she pointed as they first met.
"Yes, it is for the darkness element."
"Whoa, you looked it up."
"You refused to tell me, so that was my only way."
"I'm happy you looked it up." She smiled at him.
He averted the gaze because he blushed. Shortly after he walked closer to her. "After we spend so much time together I- "
But he could finish the sentence because she grabbed his tie and made him bend down so she could kiss him.
She then let go of him and turned around. "W- What were you saying?"
But he just stayed there dumfounded. After a few moments he regained his composure. "Oh, I wanted to say that, I love you." He said with a soft and loving smile.