The few days left passed awfully slow to Ulma who had the full dedication to go meet Samuel as planned. Although scared of what he might say, she still really wanted to go meet with him. To at least be given the answer that had plagued her for several days. In a panic she had no idea what was fitting to wear. She was fully prepared to meet nobility however, she wasn't called a Queen for nothing.
Thankfully Triss had also taken notice that she needed a fitting dress, so she had had one custom made for Ulma. A sort of gin dress that was deep green with stripes of blue hanging off, she also had some nice heel type shoes while her hair was braided with the finest flower works that nature could offer. Many animals had helped with the assortment of natures finest gifts.
Anything to help their queen in training that would one day help protect nature from harm. She was very nervous when Triss personally created a forest portal into the middle of the city. Where she parted with Ul and wished her luck.
Ulma walked out into the street and found a carriage waiting with Sonya and Erica, she smiled at her friends but a part of her suddenly felt knots in her stomach. Why were they here?
"You guys? W-What are you doing here?" She asked a tinge of jealousy in her voice when she noticed they were also finely dressed. Erica had her hair natural but wearing a comfortable but elegant silver dress. Sonya however had a full blown contrast. A deep red dress over her almost pink half scale half skin.
Both Sonya and Erica smirked when they heard Ulma speak. "We were all invited to spend our last two days at Gillfall estate!" Erica spoke. "Samuel himself invited us!"
Erica's words made Ulma worried, perhaps he really wasn't going to forgive me and thats why hes invited all of us. Sonya saw the worry spread over Ulma's face and put her arm around her shoulders guiding and supporting her friend. "Don't worry! It's going to be great! You are great!" Sonya said with a confident smile and Ulma couldn't believe that in the past the two had never gotten along.
But along the way they had grown up and stopped their childish bickering and realized they were more alike than they had believed. Ulma smiled at her friends and took their hands as they all entered the carriage together that was wearing the crest of house Excavar. The noble house that Vazal and his wife had "Created" or more specifically the state of Rejuan had officiated as a gift to the Archon of the mage council.
House Excavar wasn't a founding pillar of the republic, but it had become one of the largest houses that produced mages and ran several orphanages to make sure children had a future. Many of the most loyal mages were those that came from those orphanages run by House Excavar.
A short ride through the city later and they found themselves in front of the walls of the estate where guards patrolled regularly. When they arrived at the gate their coach rider announced who was arriving and the guards quickly did a check on the people inside the carriage to be sure.
As soon as they gave the go ahead the gates opened and the cart continued inside. Much to the girls surprise when they arrived there was a multitude of carriages parked.
"Does house Gillfall really need so many carriages?" Erica asked out loud as she took a peek from the window, Sonya and Ulma quickly looked out and Sonya was surprised to see at least ten other emblems from other noble houses. "I think there might be a small gathering or gala going on tonight! Well I was kind of expecting it. It's a shame we didn't bring any dates, but seeing as how its not an official state gala I think we are fine!" Sonya smiled brightly until they exited the carriage and she saw another stagecoach with house Excavar's crest. The crest of an ice dragon.
She started laughing nervously inwardly cursing her luck. The three girls were quickly approached by a butler who gave them a bow and asked them to follow him. The butler led them toward one of the side houses. More specifically the gala house, where many butlers and maids and guards were walking around doing their own tasks.
Two butlers on each side of the door opened it into the hallway. Where servants were walking about with food or drinks. They continued to follow the butler who led them through the hallway until they reached the largest doors of the house where two more butlers opened a door each.
They came into a large open hall, where tables and drinks were prepared and plenty of people stood around chatting.
Sonya smiled nervously at the sight of her mother and father speaking to other nobles, she also saw her older brother and her two little sisters. Her entire direct family were present, Erica and Ulma did not miss how she tensed up when she laid eyes on them.
A crier loudly announced their names and arrival. Which made several people turn around to look with interest. There must have been around a hundred guests inside the large hall, although it could probably host twohundred with ease.
Much to their surprise they saw quite a few familliar people, Triss was there with a smile and so was Alsian and all their mentors. All dressed up for this occation, Bregane standing in a corner struggling with his suit and Tere helping him fix it which made Erica almost laugh, but she contained it. Erica quickly walked over to them which left Ulma alone and the first thing she did was make sure to grab a drink while taking a look around.
"Hey there good looking! Need some company!" A purple half dragonkin half devilkin had suddenly approached and asked her while giving her a small polite bow. "Name's Khazan Excavar Boo!" The man spoke with confidence and brought out a lady killer smile.
Ulma didn't flinch and held her hand out for a small shake. But the young man instead pulled her hand in and kissed it! Which made Ulma flinch inwardly... This was the young ladykiller Khazan, Sonya's brother. She had heard the rumors, most of which came from Sonya herself that always complained about her slightly older brother. "Pleasure! I am Ulma Bel!" She replied without giving her full name.
Khazan didn't miss the disinterest in the womans voice, but he was certain he could change that. She was a real beauty that he felt a need to conquer. So he smiled wryly and let go of her hand. "Can I just say that you are the most beautiful half elf I have ever laid my eyes upon!"
"May you do me the honors of telling me more about yourself!" Khazan was brimming with confidence and glee while giving her his best charming smiles. Ulma inwardly sighed and decided to tell Khazan a few things but just as she opened her mouth the main doors opened and Lady Gillfall entered holding the arm of Samuel as they walked inside arms hooked with smiles.
The crier announced the arrival of Lady Gillfall and then her company Samuel Gillfall son of Lady Gillfall, which made many in the hall look closer with interest, most had not been aware of the fact that Lady Gillfall had had another son.
They looked a bit similar so it could make sense many murmured to themselves. Lady Gillfall with grace in her beautiful black rose dress walked all the way to the small stage in the hall where Samuel left her side and stood below with a drink. Ulma lost herself in his looks for a few moments, he wore a dark blue suit and white shirt underneath, just like Lady Gillfall, he was adorned with a few black roses on his suit here and there.
Ulma wanted to run over to his side and be rid of the annoyance, but seeing as how a small ceremony was about to begin she endured and stood in silence with most of the room waiting for it. To most untrained eyes, Lady Gillfall looked like a woman in her early forties that was lite and pretty short. But to trained fighters and mages alike they couldn't miss the tanned muscles hidden in her movements. This woman was a soldier for sure.
"I would like to welcome you all to this private gala that celebrates the future. Old friends, new friends all whom gather here are those that would stand side by side with house Gillfall. In the darkest hours that the main house was left without any heirs, new light shines upon our house as the future sits secured in my son Samuel." She spoke to the entire room with a hopeful smile.
"I hope that all of you will remain allies and friends of this household for as long as stars do shine." Her voice resounded proud and filled with hope as she took a glass from a servant and raised it up above the head to make a toast to the entire room.
"To the future!" She toasted and the entire room responded. "To the future!" And with that the small ceremony was over and people quickly continued their talking, while many of them approached Lady Gillfall to congratulate her and wish her luck and happiness. In the meantime food was being brought into the room and set on tables, Ulma was prepared to walk over to others but she saw that Samuel had disappeared in a crowd of people talking and she was a bit dejected.
"So, I have heard a few good things about you from my dear sister!" Khazan's voice broke her out of her stupor. "I must say its amazing what a healer you are! Extreme rarity these days with healers like yourself!" Khazan raised his glass towards her to make a small toast in her honor and she accepted his toast with a smile.
Perhaps he wasn't all that bad if he was filled with so many compliments. So she continued to spend some time with him and tell him a little bit more about herself.
Meanwhile, Lady Faleah Gillfall was deep in a conversation with Vazal and his wife Krissa with Samuel by her side, soon enough they were joined by Alsian and Trisphyra. Together they started speaking a lot about the future and the hopes and wishes the future would bring.
Samuel felt a bit out of place so he excused himself and walked towards one of the windows where two pretty young women came to greet him and a young man that couldn't be more than a year or so older than himself. They all gave him a small bow as they introduced themselves.
"Hans Gryphon, Brya Hilgriff & Cassie Skyflie." They spoke their names and Hans was the one to speak for them. "We are honored to greet our cousin! We are each the successor to the branch family houses." He stood up and to his surprise Samuel stood with his hand extended.
He quickly shook their hands one by one, greeting them on a personal level. "If we are cousins then I do not want family to bow to me unless forced by any etiquette of course." Samuel told them and they all were taken aback by his lax and kind attitude.
"With all due respect my lord, we branch families all serve house Gillfall!" Brya spoke up quickly and Samuel shook his head. "I do not wish for your servitude or loyalty, I only wish for your friendship and that you stand side by side with house Gillfall. Loyalty through friendship I can accept, but not a forced one." Samuel's words were a bit naive all three successors realized.
But they were beautiful and carried goodwill. In one fell swoop unbeknownst to Samuel himself he had managed to make all the successors intrigued in him and have the interest to get to know him better. If one wanted to be good friends, one had to know their friends after all.
He chatted away some of the evening together with those three, and by the end of it they were all impressed with Samuel. Being successors they had known that he was actually adopted, and had asumed he would rub it in their faces or try to rule over them. But he had done the opposite and even with a gentle bow asked for their expertise and help in future matters concerning the households.
The evening went on rather quick. A lot of people eating and drinking good food, while chatting away about the most random of things. Soon enough people started leaving the small gala and bid farewell to Lady Faleah and thanked her for an exquisite evening. Late in the evening there were only about twenty or so people left.
Lady Faleah, The Excavar Family, Samuel and his teammates, their mentors as well as Alsian and Triss and a few others. Lady Faleah had some closer tables assembled which allowed all of them to take a seat at a unified table with Lady Faleah in the front.
Nice desserts were brought out, but there was an eerie silence in the air before Faleah finally stared at Vazal. "Where are you sending the children next?" There was an uneasy hostility in her voice. She was a ranger, she had read the reports and been told about the events the first time they were sent.
"That is classified for their own safety need I remind you!" Vazal quickly retorted. "You sent your own daughter on a kill or be killed mission." She sneered back at him which made him flinch a little in annoyance.
"I know that! That was never the intention. Besides they are all sitting here fine and well. On future missions they will be trailing professionals." Vazal sighed and looked at Faleah who snorted and rolled her eyes. "I have just been given hope, so if you take that hope away from me... I will burn you down." Faleah slammed her hands on the table making everyone present sit back a bit. No one had seen her so angry before, well except for Samuel who had felt that anger first hand on his head.
"Whats done is done Lady Faleah!" Alsian came to Vazal's defense. Faleah quickly snapped her head at him and her eyes eased a bit before gaining new conviction. "Says the man who dropped a 16 year old boy in a new town all by himself when he had just lost his home and family! Now that is what I call cruel!" She sounded like an angry cat and Alsian sat back holding his mouth shut.
He knew what it must have looked like to leave Samuel to basically fend for himself the way he did, so a small sense of shame came upon his face. "Do not worry Lady Faleah! If any harm comes to my daughter or her teammates from the actions of stupid men... I personally will freeze their balls off!" The new voice came from Lady Krissa the devilkin. Vazal's beautiful wife that was completely purple with blue eyes and wore a long black satin dress.
Most of the younger people had no idea what was going on at the table, but Faleah nodded in approval to Lady Krissa. "Wait... does everyone here know?" Samuel spoke, surprised. "Pretty much everyone!" Alsian spoke up but gave him a look that warned him about certain other things. Children of mana probably being one of them. Samuel understood, but he was still shocked that so many people knew, and now the fact that all his teammates probably knew as well.
The main doors suddenly opened and a man in full armor came walking in, his feathered helmet still on he gave the table a quick bow. "I am sorry for being late, I had plenty of work so I apologize for not being able to attend Lady Faleah!" The man spoke without removing his helmet which normally would be seen as rude, but no one seemed to bother which meant that the man probably carried something he didn't want revealed.
"Do not worry Lord Martallum!" Lady Faleah reassured him. "But now we are all assembled, so I think we should tell the young people just what we do." She relaxed as she leaned back in her seat. All the younger people looked confused and Vazal spoke. "You are aware of many secrets because you belong to families or groups that work close to us."
"One can say that on the surface we all serve the Rejuan Republic, which is true. But underneath the surface we all serve an order of people that believe in safekeeping the world from those that wish it harm. We are the Dawnkeepers. We ensure that the good people of this world will continue to see the next rising dawn. We safeguard and protect the world."
"We work in semi secret, because the Republic is aware of us, they are in contract with us to be specific. But we have agents of all kinds working in many nations to track down those who would do evil, the dark cults are one of our main targets." Vazal looked at all the young people and they understood he wasn't joking in any way.
"Many who go to the mage college end up working for the Republic, but there are also many that end up working for the Dawnkeepers. Very few ever go their own path. Even though it is their choice, many choose to help the state or the world. You all need to know the importance of our work, because one day we might need your help!" Vazal gave all of them a draconic smile.
"One day, you will be given a choice after all... just like all others, I for a fact know that some of you are very keen on stopping dark cults just like us after all!" His eyes traced over a few people present.
"I also must implore you all to never divulge anything you know about our organisation. Ever! We try to hid our involvement as much as possible for the safety of our people." Vazal stood up at those last words and gave everyone a bow. "I thank you for the nice evening Lady Gillfall. But me and my family will retire now. If anyone wishes to know a few more details just ask your mentors. But its getting late now and we leaders of the Dawnkeepers need to have a quick chat outside!"
Vazal took his leave and most of his family followed, and so did Alsian, Triss, Martallum and the mentors as well. They probably had things to speak about. Khazan took Ulma's hand at gave it another kiss and wished her a goodbye with a wide smile that made Ulma blush ever so slightly.
As they all left the room one by one. Ulma intended to walk after Samuel but Faleah walked back inside and stopped in front of her with a smile, which made Ulma freeze up.