I am now accepting Stripe as a form of payment instead of just PayPal on Ko-Fi. It should be set up and working for those of you in places where PayPal is no longer available/being a pain. I've never used Stripe, so this is going to be a trial run of sorts. If things don't work out, then I'll be closing the account, but that's only if things are a pain.
I'll see you guys on August 22nd, 6-9am PST.
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Kaladin Shadowheart's POV
"Voker Winterheart, Dragonslayer, you are to be knighted here and now. As someone who holds no lands or titles, a title shall be bestowed upon you now." Queen Maxwell eyed Ren with an expecting smile. "Princess Arene Maxwell, you are to perform the ceremony and knight Sir Winterheart."
A title, huh? Clever, Queen Maxwell…I guess that handles the protecting my family and friends part. Extraditing or killing a noble is more of a challenge than killing a commoner. Of course, she isn't doing this from the kindness of her heart either.
I had been expecting something along those lines. It was essentially unthinkable for me not to receive some kind of noble title. I was even planning on it being a mid to high-tier title, but a knight? Well, all the better for me. Fewer restrictions and expectations for a knight than, say a Baron or Count.
Then again…a knight? That seems surprisingly low…there has to be a reason for that.
But I had to wonder, why Ren? Why would the queen want her to knight me specifically? If I were a knight, I'm still a knight under the crown regardless of which royal performs this ceremony.
"Mother?!" Ren blurted out. "I—I can't do that! Lauren should—"
Queen Maxwell interrupted her daughter's stuttering. "It is uncouth that a princess of your standings does not have a single knight under her command. Your sister and brother have plenty; therefore, you shall receive one that can equal all their combined power. Princess Arene Maxwell, you are to knight this man." The queen spoke with a finality that would have deterred most people, but not Ren, it seems.
She wants Ren to be equal to Xander and Lauren? Why? Ren isn't striving for the throne and is actively attempting to help Lauren ascend. Is the queen trying to pit all three siblings against each other? Could having me as a Ren's knight really sway the balance of things that much this late in the game? No, I feel like it's something else that I just can't seem to figure out.
What are you planning, Queen Maxwell?
Ren looked to her siblings and father for guidance, but they all turned her down. I was surprised that Prince Xander isn't up in arms about this. If he were to knight me, that may swing things in his favor to the point Lauren would have little chance. Yet, he is just sitting there with his arms crossed and eyes closed, almost like he is brooding or something.
And Prince Xander…what is going through your head right now?
The queen procured a massive golden sword from her Spatial Ring. The two made a show of removing it from the ornate scabbard for all to see. I remember reading something about this sword as it had some kind of story behind it.
Something about melting gold and using gems from a corrupt noble or something: it didn't seem all that important at the time, so I just decided to pass over it. A mistake, it seems.
Ren walked over to me while effortlessly wielding the sword that was almost twice her size. Even the thickness of the blade was nearly as wide as her torso. Wielding such an unwieldy weapon took a different kind of strength that only mana enhancement could allow.
However, I could still see muscles flex underneath her sleeves, and her shoulders were toned. It seemed that not working out with me for a few months hadn't stopped Ren from training on her own.
Good for her.
I tried to make eye contact with Ren, but she was gazing off to the side. She was doing her absolute best to remain calm and not allow any emotions to show on her face, but I could tell she was nervous as she death gripped the hilt. I hadn't spoken to Ren since the whole ripping off her childhood friend's head incident. And it was undoubtedly still weighing on her mind.
It probably didn't help that I died after slaying a Dragon…yeah…that definitely is assisting me in this situation.
"Would you kneel, sir? It would be difficult for me to reach your shoulders," Ren said loud enough for everyone to hear.
I suppressed a sigh and felt somewhat bad for what I was about to do. It was a gamble, and I've come a long way, but I would be a fool if I didn't use this opportunity before me.
Besides, the king and queen both stated how I was a hero and deserved to have all my crimes pardoned. So lying to them should count as well. What better way to secure my freedom, right?
I looked over Ren's head and stared straight into the queen's green eyes. "Actually, there is one thing, Your Majesty."
I saw a moment of confusion play out on the queen's face, but she recovered in an instant. "And what would that be, Sir Voker?"
Sir Voker? I wonder what everyone's reaction is going to be…rage? Hate? Surprise? Confusion? A little bit of everything?
I could still feel the presence of two spell cores being maintained directly behind me. The two Dark Elves holding the spells know full well that I knew those spell cores were there and were using them to threaten me silently. Before, I would have never been able to visualize a maintained spell core…but I could now.
I could see much more than that.
"You see, Voker Winterheart isn't real. If you are going to be knighting someone, you need to knight me," I said clearly.
I immediately took off my mask and didn't give the queen a chance to say anything. Perhaps it was rude, but I was going for pure shock factor here, and I didn't want to get caught in a word battle with her. I knew my limits, and besting the queen in negotiations, even more so in a public space like this, was not going to work in my favor.
When we eventually meet, I'll just have to be blunt and do my best not to get trapped by her.
I had spent a lot of time weighing this option. I ran it past Sylvia and Bowen, and they both agreed that now was the time. Even Sylvia opted to keep her identity a secret for me. If she had revealed her eyes to the world before I showed my face, my impact would have been significantly lessened. I'm sure an ancient Vampire of the time of Talgan may rank just as high as someone who slew a Dragon in terms of shock value.
Once my transformation was completed, I looked Ren in the eyes for the first time. Well, without a masked face. Her sky blue eyes were wide as saucers, and her mouth was agape, pure confusion written all over her face. Scanning the room showed much the same reaction from everyone else.
"You'll be knighting Kaladin Shadowheart," I said aloud.
My eyes fell onto Adria for a moment, and I felt a momentary pang of guilt despite knowing it was unwarranted. I also regretted involving her, but back then, I had no choice. I also never expected she would find me at the party and speak with me, let alone confide in me about the past.
Hearing her sound so regretful and hurt really pulled at the heartstrings. Adria never wanted to harm me…she was just a sheltered kid.
It must have been over a minute of complete silence in this massive room. Everyone was so quiet it was almost comical. I could feel the hundreds of gazes all bearing down on me. The queen and king seemed just as surprised and confused as everyone else. However, I wasn't expecting the first move to be in the form of a spell.
It's so quick! Is magic always like this?
I fed mana into my new eye, and I could see the thin wispy white line that connected the spell core behind me to the female Shadow Dancer. It grew in size, and that's when I felt the usual sensation of a spell coming my way, but this time I could see it happen in real-time.
A tendril of inky darkness stretched across the floor as the Shadow Dancer disappeared from sight, and by the time I turned around, she was already behind me. I started forming a spell core for a Lighting Bolt in hopes of immediately incapacitating her, but I stopped as she gently grabbed the sides of my face.
I could see her singular purple eye move over me from behind her mask as the clank of her spear dropped to the ground next to the king. Her hands were sweaty and shaking, and she brought her face close to mine.
"Kaladin, you said your name was, right? What is your father's name?" she whispered hesitantly. The way she enunciated her words made it very difficult for others to understand her. Even an Elf in the crowd behind me would have only heard a whisper.
I also talked to Bowen about this, and he told me not to mention my father's name today. It would just muddle things, and it was the last thing I wanted during this crucial moment. I trusted in Bowen, but oddly enough, I felt something different with this woman.
"Alanis," I whisper back to her.
The Shadow Dancer ripped her mask off and threw it to the floor with a loud metallic clank while bringing me in for a hug. Her Mythril armor was cold, but the hug left a warmth in my chest. She pulled back from me, and tears were streaming down her beautiful face.
I felt my heartbeat get faster, and something in the back of my mind told me I knew this person. And it only took one good look at her face to know who she was. This woman…she's Dad's sister and my aunt.
They look so much alike.
"I…I—I have so many questions for you…I—I…wha—what do I even say? What?" she stuttered out. She wiped the tears from her as I bent down to pick up her mask.
I handed it back to her and smiled. "I'm sure you have much to ask me, but now's not the time, Aunt," I made sure to whisper the last part.
She looked relieved, confused, and concerned, all in one package. I also felt all those things as I watched her put her mask back on while nodding at me. I didn't get the same feeling when I looked at her masked face, but I knew now who she was, so I couldn't unsee it.
Family is right around the corner, huh? But if she is my aunt…then what did Dad do that was so bad Bowen feels that telling people would be a bad idea? Even she whispered to me instead of making it a big deal about it…huh…
"I understand, Kaladin," she whispered. I felt her and watched her form a spell core, and the same thing happened again. A black shadow stretched out from her, and she disappeared instantly, reappeared in her original position next to the throne, and immediately began whispering into the king's ear.
I winced slightly and closed my left eye. I had been putting too much mana into it for too long, and now it's starting to hurt again. Looking over at the king and my aunt also caused me immense discomfort and pain.
Avasta had told me to treat my new eye like a limb with mana enhancement and see why. It works similarly to how I prioritize strengthening my legs instead of my arms or whole body.
But my new eye is like a muscle. It seems…overworking it causes damage and a considerable amount of pain. And I can't look directly at a War God without instantly regretting it as their overwhelming mana blinds me. Saying it's uncomfortable is an understatement.
I rechecked the entire room, and everyone was still watching me. The little show between my aunt and me only served to bolster everyone's confusion. Ren had backed away from me hesitantly, and I was afraid her mouth was going to be sore from keeping it open for so long.
I straightened my suit, cleared my throat while nodding to myself, and looked at the queen. Her eyes bored into me as she was most likely attempting to gather all the pieces to this puzzle, but she was coming up short. It seems Bowen had done a fantastic job hiding my identity if even Queen Maxwell wasn't aware. Unfortunately for her, it appears she didn't expect this outcome at all.
The queen took a deep breath and was about to speak when she was cut off before even getting a sound out. "Seize that Elf! He is the most wanted man in all of Sandervile!" someone shouted with apparent hostility.
I followed the voice and found a familiar face glaring at me with pure hatred. Gal Sandervile was sitting up from his chair and pointing an accusatory finger at me. It appears he has lost a bit of weight since I last saw him, and he is looking surprisingly good for himself. His short brown hair was slicked back, and he wore a copper orange and white suit that looked hideous even to my standards.
He looks a lot like his father, which may not be the best of things.
"This man is wanted for attempting to assassinate my little sister as well as killing a royal guard! He even maimed a noble lord's son!" Gal yelled indignantly while moving around the table.
Gal had made it around the table and was marching towards me as people began to whisper loudly. He began to unsheathe his sword from his hip. The blue and black blade glimmered in the light. But he never did get to point it at me as he was surrounded by my aunt and the other Shadow Dancer and a few others.
Lord Vasquez, Ms. Taurus, and Professor Garrison had shot out from their positions the second Gal started unsheathing his sword. And they were far faster than the young future mayor could ever hope to be.
"Gal Sandervile, I believe you heard what I said. Or perhaps your hearing has left you at such a young age?" Queen Maxwell asked him from her throne.
Professor Garrison, or should I say Margrave Garrison, was holding Gal at sword point. Gal snarled at both of them and looked to the queen. "You can't be serious!? What are you doing? Know your place," he yelled while moving the sword away from his throat. He pointed a finger toward the queen. "I demand that you have this Elf turned over to me immediately! He is wanted for capital crimes worth over eight large gold marks!"
Queen Maxwell's eyes which generally had a warmth to them, seemed cold all of a sudden as she glared at Gal. Her blank and unimpressed expression implied that she was bored of his outburst. "It appears your hearing has left you, Young Lord of Sandervile, so I shall repeat myself just this once for your sake," the queen said dangerously.
Gal backed down slightly but didn't let the anger fade as he returned the queen's stare. "This man, regardless of his name, has been absolved of all his crimes. I'm fully aware of who he is now, but it changes nothing. His heroic deeds shall not be tarnished for your petty gain. You claim he attempted to assassinate your dear sister, yet she still breathes. If this man can slay a Dragon, your little sister and guards stood no chance. You still existing in this world is a mercy he afforded to you and your family. You should be thanking him for his benevolence," the queen said mockingly.
Wow…that was…brutal. I guess the queen is tossing all the eggs in my basket and doing it in public as well. Is she really trying to destabilize their relationship with Sandervile? That may not be good for this nation or me…
Gal backed down reluctantly but not before sending hateful glares out to everyone while muttering under his breath. I looked at Adria; she was still watching me with wide, confused, and conflicted eyes.
A single tear was rolling down her face, and she was in the middle of deciding to run toward me or yell at me. Instead, an old man gently placed a hand on her shoulder, and she seemed to relax just a little.
She really had grown up quite a bit these last few years. She's turned into a beautiful young woman, but in doing so…she seems to have lost a bit of herself…that more playful or childlike side of her.
I suppose that's my doing.
The queen clapped once and smiled down at Ren. "Now then. Princess Arene Maxwell, would you do the honors of knighting Sir Shadowheart?"
Ren looked at me hesitantly but nodded firmly after looking into my eyes. She strode forward with purpose befitting a princess. "Please, kneel, Sir Shadowheart."
I obliged and dropped to a knee without any hassle. Ren gave me a confused look, and I didn't miss the snicker that left the king as they watched my movements. However, I was doing okay for the most part, and my limp was all for show. It turns out that having a few years of practice really does help sell the act.
I was just tired, and I felt drained. Even the smallest amount of exertion made me want to take a nap, but I could push through if need be. I was afraid this would be my new norm, but it appears I just lack stamina as I've been getting progressively better over the last few days. Of course, it's no surprise as to why. After all, being bedridden and having your soul saved by a Dragon will do that to somebody.
Ren planted the sword's tip into the ground and took a quiet breath. "Voker— I mean…Kaladin Shadowheart, do you swear and acknowledge that I, Princess Arene Maxwell, is your true liege?"
Wait…what am I supposed to say? Yes? Of course? No, not really?
I have no intentions of actually going through with this and honoring… whatever this is. It's just a political move to guarantee my safety until Avasta gathers my family for me. The last thing I'll ever do is swear my loyalty to someone else again.
I don't really like lying, but it appears I have no choice. It's not like I can scorn the queen and king after what just happened. And something tells me they don't want to force me. So I suppose going along with all of this is the least I can do.
"I do," I said.
"Do you swear fealty to me, to defend and obey me until death?" Ren asked with a bit of hesitation.
I looked up at her for a moment, but her face was just an expressionless mask. "I do."
"Do you, Kaladin Shadowheart, swear to protect this kingdom and its people with virtue, honor, loyalty, and your skills?"
"I swear."
Ren moved the sword and rested the flat of the blade on my shoulder. "I, Kaladin Shadowheart, do solemnly swear and pledge my sword to Princess Arene Maxwell and the Kingdom of Luminar. I shall serve as an example for all those to follow and in memory of those who came before me. To uphold my honor and the oath I am making today until the day death claims me."
Been there…done that..twice, it sucked. But…what happens when a knight just leaves a country, I wonder?
"I, Kaladin Shadowheart, do solemnly swear and pledge my sword to Princess Arene Maxwell and the Kingdom of Luminar. I shall serve as an example for all those to follow and in memory of those who came before me. To uphold my honor and the oath I am making today until the day death claims me," I repeated back.
I swallowed the spit pooling in my mouth, and it took all my willpower to surpress the scowl about to form on my face. Even if I didn't mean it, just uttering the words left a bitter aftertaste.
Not having my face hidden anymore would take some getting used to.
I looked at Ren, and I could see something different within those blue eyes of hers. Was it pity? Regret? Did she feel bad for me, or was she mad at me? I couldn't tell.
Ren moved the sword to my other shoulder. "And I, The Second Princess of Luminar, Arene Maxwell, do swear to defend and honor Kaladin Shadowheart as a true knight." Ren lightly tapped the sword on my head and planted it back on the ground. "I hereby grant you the title of knight. Sir Kaladin Shadowheart, may you serve me and this kingdom as a stout and righteous man." Ren stood back and pointed the sword into the ceiling with ease. "All hail Sir Kaladin Shadowheart, the Dragonslayer!" Ren shouted.
She managed to hold herself together the entire time. Good job, Ren. You may be a better royal than you think.
And with that, the room exploded into a chorus of cheers, all in my name. My real name.
Huh…I suppose this doesn't feel that awful.
—
After speaking to the hundredth noble, I eyed a group of familiar faces. It hadn't even been twenty minutes since I had been knighted, and people were already coming up to me in droves. I just started glaring at people as they walked up to me, which was a sure-fire way for them not to bother me.
The first person to notice me was Varnir. His face was a mixed bag of emotions, but he managed to form a half-smile at least. "Hello there, Dragonslayer." He tried to make it sound like a joke, but I could tell he was nervous as his voice was a bit shaky.
"Varnir," I said with a nod.
I caught Tsarra staring at me for far longer than I expected. And when I stared right back at her, she didn't look away, which surprised me. Instead, she stepped closer to me and looked up into my eyes. "You…you really do have two different colored eyes…" she muttered.
"I told you that I did," I said while raising an eyebrow at her. "I'm not a liar."
Varnir chuckled and rubbed the back of his head while shaking it. "Yeah…I don't know about that one, Kaladin." I winced slightly, but Varnir kept looking me over. His eyes eventually fell to my ears than my face. "So…are you just a burnt High Elf, or are you really a Dark Elf? I'm having a hard time figuring that out…"
Tsarra looked at me expectantly as well. "Wa….wha… what are you, Vo—uh…Kaladin?"
That sort of sounds racist…a burnt High Elf? There had to be a better way to say that…
"My father is a Dark Elf, and my mother is a High Elf. So yes, I am both," I said while looking at Tsarra.
She slowly extended a hand toward me, retracting it quickly and taking a few steps back from me and into Varnir. It was good to see that the two of them had grown close, but now… the atmosphere amongst us was tense, to say the least. I hadn't spoken to these two in a while, and so much had happened. They also undoubtedly felt the bloodlust I sent towards the Chaos Dragon, and they watched me kill it.
Both of them are doing an okay job at hiding their fear…but I can still see it plain as day. These were looks I hadn't seen in fourteen years…the look of somebody conflicted. They didn't know whether to be thankful or fearful that I was standing before them.
Maybe I shouldn't look at this in such a negative light. Perhaps this is a way for me to restart…be genuine with these people. I don't need to hide from them anymore…I don't need to pretend.
"It's nice to get to meet both of you, for real. And I'm glad I got to fulfill that wish, Varnir," I said. I managed a smile as well.
Varnir looked at me in surprise, then confusion, and then realization. "Oh…man… I guess I did ask to learn about the real you before you went and disappeared. Didn't expect things to turn out like this," Varnir muttered. Then Varnir grinned and nodded to himself. "But hey, it's nice to meet you, Kaladin. Say are we related by chance?"
I looked Varnir over, and I didn't get the same sense of family I did when I looked at my aunt. "You too. But no…I don't believe we are related."
Varnir tapped his eye and looked at me suspiciously. "Uh, is your eye always like that?"
I shrugged. "Recent addition, thanks to a certain dead Dragon," I said nonchalantly.
Varnir nodded along, and I caught Tsarra staring again. But she didn't look away from me as her light green, and pale yellow eyes gazed into me. Instead, she reached out to me again but stopped herself and frowned.
"Is…something the matter?" I asked her.
"I don't know," she whispered as she shrank away from me again.
"Mmm… okay then. Well, it's good to see you, Tsarra. And thank you for saving me during the battle," I told her.
Tsarra smiled meekly, and I watched as her gaze went behind me. I let out a sigh at the clicking of heels on the smooth floor. A small bubble had grown around me as people watched me from a distance. I could still hear all their muttering, most of it about my general appearance more than anything. But that wasn't going to stop her…
I turned to face Lauren and Ren and gave them a slight bow. "Princesses."
Lauren stopped in her tracks, and Ren bumped into her. She tilted her head and looked at me, slightly annoyed. "What happened to your limp, and do you always look pissed off? Or is this just for me?"
I sighed again and shook my head. It seems even after all these years. My face hasn't changed all that much. "I'm not even mad. And I was faking my limp…" I grumbled to myself more than her.
Lauren placed her palm under her chin and smiled. "At least it's a handsome pissed-off face. I've seen worse," Lauren said with a giggle.
Ren jabbed her quickly in the arm and gave me a strained yet apologetic look. "I'm not sure if I should be flattered or offended," I grumbled.
Lauren extended a hand to me and flashed me a dazzling smile. She dropped her head low and looked up into my eyes. "You should be honored. And speaking of honors, may I have the honor of this first dance, Sir Dragonslayer?"
"No, thank you, I'm good. I don't dance," I told her.
Lauren let out some kind of sound that was in between a grunt of pain and an internal scream that was let loose, and she didn't look all too pleased. I could tell she was about to say something when Varnir's laughter cut her off.
Lauren glared accusingly at Varnir and scowled slightly. "What's so funny, huh? What was funny about that?"
Varnir wiped his eyes with his fancy black suit. "It's just good to know he's the same with or without the mask," Varnir said through gritted teeth that were failing to suppress his chuckles. Even Tsarra was giggling to herself.
Lauren turned on her heels and pointed a finger at me. "You know that's a capital crime! Didn't you just swear fealty to the kingdom? Imagine tossing away the request of your future queen! I have hundreds of babbling foo—"
"Daddy!"
I turned towards the shout and was met with an orange blur as Mila threw herself at me. I caught her and brought her up, and before I could even muster a response, she was rubbing my face with her hands.
"Mahhllaaa whhaatt arree youuu dOoooOoing," I managed to get out in between my face and mouth being smashed together.
Mila was giggling all the while and didn't seem to have any intentions of stopping as her little tail kept swaying side to side. I pulled away one of her hands and brought my face out of her attack range.
"Mila…your hands are all greasy from that food. Please stop," I pleaded while she kept trying to reach for me.
Mila hummed to herself and swayed back and forth in my arms. "Mmmmm…okay."
Thinking I was safe, I brought myself closer to her again, only for her to grab me by the face. She had a dopey smile plastered on her adorable face. "Pretty eyes! Daddy is pretty!"
I let out a laugh I hadn't heard come from me in a long time. Hearing that made my heart swell with happiness. I was surprised that Mila didn't seem all that bothered by my sudden appearance change. She didn't even watch the ceremony as she was far too young, so she had been waiting in a room with Bowen. She must have just smelled me…
"You think so? Well, I'm not as pretty as you," I told her.
I looked over to everyone else, and shock was written all over their faces. They looked at me like I was some kind of world wonder they were seeing for the first time. "Uh…what's the matter?" I asked them.
Lauren blinked a few times and looked over at everyone else before speaking to me. "I…I didn't know there was such a smile hiding behind that mask. Even more so when it's coming from you," Lauren said honestly, not even a hint of playful banter in her voice.
A smile, huh? What do I look like to them, I wonder?
"Mila?! Mila! Mi—la...oh, she found you," Sylvia said from behind me.
I gave Sylvia a once over and the tips of her pale ears burned bright red. She was absolutely stunning in that tight purple dress, and I had to say I was quite a fan. Even if it wasn't the most modest…it just added to her alluring charm.
"C—ca…can you not stare at me like that?" she muttered under her breath while looking away from me.
Adorable.
I hadn't gotten a chance to see Sylvia and the others before the ceremony. I've pretty much been locked in conversation with people I don't care about for what seems like the entirety. All the people I actually wanted to speak to were…busy…or so I was told.
But there was that old lady from the Holy Kingdom…she just sort of stared at me with a blank expression and then was carted away on her massive mini-throne by those paladins. What an odd encounter that was…
Mila poked me gently in the neck and pointed out to the dance floor, where people were gathered for the first song. "Daddy, let's dance!"
"You want to dance, huh? Can Sylvia join us?" I said while setting her back on the ground.
Mila nodded enthusiastically, grabbed me by the hand, and caught Sylvia on the way. She was humming to herself, and I looked back to see Lauren seething and Ren just giving her a half-smile. Varnir was talking to Tsarra, and I gave them a wave goodbye.
We were just missing one…I'll go see her soon.
I turned and faced forward as Mila led us through the path people made for us. Seeing her like this was a relief, as Mila was physically back to normal for the most part. She still had difficulties balancing, and her stamina was still questionable but comparing her to when I left her with Bowen and now is a night-and-day difference.
But the shakiness in her voice is still worrisome. She is putting on a front because she is scared of everyone sending stares her way. I suppose it will take more time for those wounds to heal, but she is doing a phenomenal job.
I squeezed Mila's hand, and she looked back at me with a confused look. "You are doing wonderfully, Mila," I told her. Mila returned my words with an ear-to-ear grin, and somehow she managed even more pep to her steps.
This was all thanks to Sylvia as well. Despite all the backlash that had happened with the Dragon and Sylvia being outed as a Vampire, she never once stopped helping and caring for Mila. Unfortunately, Bowen had to take them in under his care until things cooled down, but they used that time wisely.
Mila also never stopped trying to learn to read and write in Human. Bowen was telling me she would read to me every night and that it took her over a month just to read me the first three pages of that Holy Kingdom fantasy book.
I wish I could have seen that…
Mila brought us to the center of the floor, and I could feel everyone's gazes. "…wh…how are you even used to this?" Sylvia asked me.
I had to raise an eyebrow at that one. "Used to what? The stares? You act like we never got this kind of attention before."
Sylvia fidgeted slightly as Mila tugged on her hand. "Well…yeah…but it's not really the same, is it?"
"Feels the same to me," I admitted. "I don't really care what others think of me. Only those closest to me matter."
Sylvia sighed and patted Mila on the head as she was bouncing around. "If you put it that way….I guess…"
Sylvia must be having a difficult time after being outed. I can't imagine the entire kingdom scorning you even after you saved so many lives. The stares I'm getting are more inquisitive than anything. I am the first of my kind, after all. I'm bound to attract attention.
So I just need to distract everyone so that they overlook Sylvia. Seems easy enough to me. If my weird Dragon eye doesn't entice them, I'll just have to get creative.
The music started, and Mila was bouncing up and down. "Let's go! Dance!" she shouted with a giggle.
Dancing with three people of varying heights was…not really a dance. I was bending down at the waist so that I didn't yank Mila up by her arm. I grabbed Sylvia by the hand, and she let out a surprised noise. I figured I'd just ignore it and go along with the flow as Mila started spinning around.
As that was all we were essentially doing. I'm pretty sure we are breaching just about every basic etiquette protocol known to man, but I don't really care. Mila's fun and enjoyment are paramount to the desires of some stuck-up nobles' way of doing things.
And hearing these two laugh and enjoy themselves is worth every glare.
Sylvia and I took turns spinning Mila around whenever we felt like it. We weren't even bothering to follow along with the cadence or even the rhythm of the instruments. Instead, the three of us tuned out the world a few times and just enjoyed the moment.
The song ended, and I wanted to ask Mila if she had fun, but I watched as her nose wrinkled and her ears twitched. Then, a smile formed on her face, and she bolted off into the crowd. "Mila! Wait!" Sylvia called out to her.
I squeezed Sylvia's hand a little harder, and she turned to me quickly. I pointed off into the crowd, and she followed my finger and sighed. "That girl…she has the attention span of…well…a cat."
I chuckled and waved back to Ms. Taurus, standing with her daughter. Apparently, she and Mila had become fast friends as they spent a lot of time together during my absence. Of course, I also owe Bowen and his wife a lot for helping all three of us out so much.
"Good, I hope Mila continues to act this way," I said with a smile.
Sylvia flicked around and tilted her head at me. "Huh? Why?"
"What? It's good for her to be like this. I want Mila to act on her impulses. Play around and do all the things she wants to do, even if they are unreasonable. Then, she can make all the mistakes she needs to. Mila has a lot of catching up to do," I said solemnly.
Sylvia let out a sad sigh. "All the things you wished you could have done, huh?"
I looked at her in surprise, but I nodded after quickly thinking it over. "Yeah…I suppose that's the case."
Sylvia squeezed my hand back. "I told you that you could do this."
"Well, you're the one that raised her alone for three months during the most crucial time period. So thank you for that," I said honestly.
Sylvia shook her head. "Not at all and I did have some help. A promise is a promise, right?"
Not as much help as you probably needed…
"Mhm. Anyway—"
"Excuse me? May I have this next dance, Sir Dragonslayer?" a different yet familiar voice asked me. I turned around, and although I heard them walking toward me, I didn't expect it to be her.
"Adria…"