A serious intensity washed over all of those who witnessed the arrival of Arch Captain Esta Dawn. The men of the Blois stood by her side, swords ready, and then encircled the positions of our group and Dante. There were merely three of them on our side since a lot of them seemed to view Dante as the more pressing threat in this situation.
"Those men are the ones responsible, Arch Captain, so why must we be punished as well…"
Those words escaped a damaged Catalan as the man struggled to return to his feet. They were enough to make a frown appear on my face. Don't tell me that this asshole is going to portray himself like a victim. Although I did dislike the idea that these bastards were going to essentially hold me at sword-point like a hostage, there was not much I could do about it at the moment.
With the three men forming a triangle around me and Bishop, my options were severely limited. The only thing that I could do was watch, and so I did.
Arch Captain Dawn would stride over to the location of the sword that was ajar from the ground. With a swift tug, the woman retrieved the weapon from the ground and pointed it towards Catalan's face. The man flinched, but he didn't back down as he intended to plead his case.
Catalan, who rode high on his success at that battle, now seemed quite hesitant to speak up to this woman. She looked down at him, and with a swift swipe towards the male, the rapier that she now possessed found half of its blade buried into the marble tile.
"Silence! You should have expected this when the two of you caused this much damage to the building! Your little skirmish has endangered all of those that are around you, so you must face consequences for your actions!", Esta Dawn said.
It felt good to see the man who mocked and attacked me get his just deserts. This was proof to me without a shadow of a doubt that these men were cowards. Dante stood there like a statue, and his drunk friend hid behind his frame. When Esta faced the two of them, they shrunk in comparison like the little men that they were.
"You have it wrong. It was not us rampaging Arch Captain.", Catalan says, his voice tuned with desperation.
It was a stark comparison in demeanor with how the two of them acted. The once smug Dante now looked like a hollow shell and docile, and Catalan seemed to be pleading with the woman. He was desperate to not be on the receiving end of her punishment. This whole thing was getting to become more and more a drag.
"Listen, Bud.", Bonner says in a low tone.
With Esta Dawn barking orders to the men, two of them came to apprehend the downed Catalan. The others around them seem to size up Dante and effortlessly apprehend Gawne and his fellow troublemaker.
That was the opportunity needed for my comrade to whisper in my ear. It was just loud enough for me to hear without his deep voice muddling it, but low enough that the men around us couldn't make it out for the same reason.
"She isn't here at the moment, so we are in this thing by ourselves."
It surprised me slightly, but I was more curious about how that came to be. I had assumed that since he had arrived that Claire would be on her way as well. Perhaps she would think of a way out of the situation. That was an easy out. It was unfortunate that she wasn't here, but I could think of something.
"Where did she go?", I asked, matching his tone.
"While we were at the table, we met some important people. Mordred's brother appeared and asked the group to accompany him. I refused, but she accepted. They left, but she requested that I collect the two of you. I assume that we are leaving, Bud."
With his words imprinted on my mind, then the situation became a bit clearer. I would have expected one of the Blois brothers to come with their guards to stop the situation, but an Arch Captain like Esta Dawn is also a good substitute to serve that role.
"Alright. Mark was on the terrace nearby. Last that I saw of him, he was likely talking to the other Arch Captain as well. The one that he thought would confront him."
Bishop seemed to pick up what I was putting down, and he nodded with understanding. There was more to the crowd of spectators now, I would assume that all of those in attendance were now huddled around the event like a wake of vultures.
My eyes drifted from person to person as I attempted to locate a possible way out
My eyes drifted from person to person as I attempted to locate a possible way out. It was then that I noticed that there was a slight divide in the sea of people. They all moved out of the way as if someone was traveling through the crowd.
The people scattered briefly before revealing the appearance of a peculiar man. If the presence of Esta Dawn was akin to facing down the Lynx, then looking at this man was on par with staring down a tsunami. His incredible pressure washed over us, making even my heart stop briefly.
Every nerve in my body was hot, and my blood seemed as if it was pumping lava in my veins. He strode with immense confidence as he began assessing the situation. My fists instinctively tightened, and I was ready for a fight. A fight that I became uncertain of what the outcome could be.
If Bishop's face was stone, then this man's face was granite. He stood there, and wherever he looked, silence was guaranteed. Eventually, those sharp eyes landed in my direction, and I realized in that moment that even the toughest of stones could be fractured. That scar cut across his face was proof of that
What is going on here?", the man questioned, his hands traveling through his aged hair.
There was not even a hint of hesitancy in his words. This man was an elf as well, but unlike his female compatriots, he had shorter ears. Esta seemed to be the recipient of his question, and the woman seemed to be the only one undisturbed by his arrival. If anything, she seemed to be quite elated to see him.
"We have a couple of troublemakers over here. I do not know what exactly happened, so I will be rounding up all of those who were involved.", Esta answers.
The man seemed satisfied with her response before casually moving to stand in the middle of the area. His sharp gaze continued moving from place to place, causing the guards to latch onto Dante in order to restrain him. Unlike earlier, Dante was far more willing to be grabbed. It was as if he had already conceded.
"See to it then. The Commander will be returning soon as well. He will want answers.", the man says.
With his words shaking the airwaves, he would take the effort to place his arms behind his back. Abruptly, one of the guards surrounding us began to lay their hands onto me. His grip tight around my arm, but he would learn the futility of trying that shit on me. I don't give a damn if that man's gaze told you to touch me.
I snatched away from the guard, pulling him forward with my strength. He was likely surprised by the action, but he soon didn't have anything to worry about. With my fist clenched, I turned my body, striking the guard against his leather breastplate.
That was enough to send the man flying away. The other two were quick to realize what had just transpired. Their decision was swift. They attempted to charge me simultaneously, but my strength alone allowed that attempt to fail.
The first one launched forward with his sword, and his intention was clear. His goal was to strike me in my side.
This alarmed both of us. I sidestepped his blade, causing Bishop to take evasive maneuvers as well. To my surprise, Bishop took an unexpected action. He actually kicked the guard in his side in order to throw him off balance.
Taking that advantage, my forearm met the chest of the man, clotheslining him with tremendous force. It sounded like a bag of cans had been dropped when his armor slammed onto the ground.
The third guard didn't hesitate in the slightest, his blade arching through the air with the intention to cut into my right shoulder. He would not be as lucky as Dante. His sword shattered on impact with my fist when I intercepted it, leaving the man exposed for the sidekick that Bishop had delivered to his left flank. The guard staggered back a few inches before I delivered my final uppercut to the right side of his torso.
I could not prevent the amused smile presented on my face when he flew backward into the air. The man's body was like a raw pizza dough being tossed in the air by an amateur cook. That same rattling occurred, and it was now obvious what we are going to transpire now.
The eyes of the others immediately locked onto our position when they witnessed their allies being easily handled. A scowl appeared on the face of Catalan, and he once again opened his mouth,
"The low born is the one that is responsible! Arch Captains Dawn and Fallworth, you must believe me! He-"
"Shut the hell up! You don't know what you're talking about. Low born this and Low born that. If you want to end up like these goons, then try to put ya hands on me again!", I retorted.
My challenge quickly ruffled the feathers of those who seemed to have taken control of the situation. I meant my words. We were going to leave now. I would have rather wanted to leave on different terms, but there was one simple choice and result. Fight and win.
With Catalan's pathetic plea, I had learned some new information. The man before us was also an Arch Captain. Fallworth was his name. Despite our display, he was not amused, nor was he impressed. Not a single move was taken by the man other than his menacing glare.
Esta was the first to step up and address us. The woman wore quite a serious expression on her face. She stepped away from the side of her fellow Arch Captain. Her destination was actually a few feet away from us.
It took a moment, but she really took a look at us. The woman suddenly became puzzled. I could almost see the gears turning in her head. Once that expression of recollection painted her face, the woman spoke,
"I recognize the two of you. You are the ones who spoke with Master Percival and the Commander earlier."
Despite her words, Esta's stance did not change in the slightest. In fact, her rapier was still poised and ready to strike out at us. This getting held up at sword-point was getting rather old really quickly. In response to her aggressive stance, I, too, got into my own stance. This woman was likely the individual that summoned that water attack from earlier, so this battle would be a bit different if we were to come to blows.
"Hold on. Is what you say true, Arch Captain Dawn?", Fallworth states, breaking his silence.
The older man stepped forward, but the woman did not break her stance. Instead, the older man gestured towards the other gathered guards and gestured for them to begin breaking up the crowd. At his command, the crowd became thinner and thinner over the course of a few minutes.
Esta took her time responding to the man as she waited for the people to be funneled out of the room. When only a quarter of the people remained, she spoke up once more.
"Yes. I saw them briefly while delivering my report to the Commander. They were meeting alongside the member of the House of Angea, Clarice."
The stoic face of the Arch Captain twitched slightly upon hearing that revelation. His hand traveled and rested atop Dawn's shoulder. Naturally, she was confused, and so was I, for the most part. I witnessed as the woman lowered her rapier and glanced up towards the older male.
"You two. What are your names? And how did you get into this level of the event?", Fallworth questions.
Since the position of Esta's rapier no longer posed an imminent threat, I, too, lowered my hands. His question was reasonable, and I even considered giving him a response. I didn't know what was going through the mind of the older man, but his tone was lively as a snowstorm.
"Our patron.", Bonner says, matching his tone.
The dark elf, who was standing behind me at one point, had stepped from behind my body. His hands tucked into his pockets while he locked eyes with the Arch Captain. Neither man was willing to look away.
"Well-Well. This is quite the mess. I stepped away for one moment, and many of my guests seemed to be ushered away. It's such a travesty."
That voice was all too familiar. The arrogance that oozed from each syllable. They could only belong to a single man. A man that we met earlier today. The host for this event is Percival. While the crowd was smaller, there was enough space for a group to suddenly appear.
'Ah. There she is. It's about time that she showed up. We found ourselves in a serious situation.'
My hopes had been answered. The appearance of Percival brought the people that were at the table with him. The little elf woman that sat with Morderd when he had arrived stood next to the woman that I was most pleased to see.
This type of thing really isn't a part of my wheelhouse, so having Claire now assessing the situation allowed me to inhale a breath of fresh air. Next to his younger brother was Mordred, the man that Mark seemed to be wary of. He didn't offer much insight, instead allowing his brother to handle the situation. His expression was much more difficult to read, unlike his brother's.
Percival's face was coated with an expression of annoyance. His eyes quickly landed on the guards of his House, apprehending Catalan and the others. His face began to flush crimson, and he gestured towards them with his left hand.
"Release them right now. These men are heroes. They will be treated as such. They are not common fodder!"
The men that held them jumped when the man shouted his orders. Orders that directly overturned the one that Esta issued just moments ago.
"My men are apprehending my own men! This is a disgrace and the epitome of disrespect to my house - no to me specifically! Not to mention this-this-this destruction!"
Those who were in attendance began to stir loudly at the words of Percival. The man, who saw Esta's actions as disrespectful, began looking for those that he believed were responsible.
"Lord Percival. I-I apologize for my failure. I allowed these men to run roughshod all over this area. They harmed the waitress and, once confronted, attacked Gawne and Rael! Catalan and I were going to put them down, but Arch Captain Dawn sided with them. We were dragged and humiliated by them all."
Dante spoke out and filled Percival's head with complete lies. This man was fabricating things right here, and he was throwing Esta Dawn under the bus with us. Such words prompted a confused, then frustrated expression on the face of the woman. That expression did not stop the following actions from Percival.
"Any man that worked under the instructions of Arch Captain Esta Dawn must be apprehended and questioned! That is a precursor for treachery!"
'Wait…what?'
Percival was livid, and his words were extremely alarming. On his command, a group of guards seemingly came out of the fleeting crowd. They made quick work, grabbing and apprehending the small group of men that Esta used in order to keep the peace. Esta was completely baffled at the decision.
"Percival! That is too far. These men were only aiding in keeping the peace of this event!", Esta growled towards him.
With their release secured with the presence of Percival, Catalan and Dante became emboldened. Their eyes lit up as they quickly scurried to the side of their master. I had thought that it was weird that no one spoke up about their actions. No one objected to them weaponizing Arlette against me and laying their hands on me. Catalan and Dante belonged to a protected class. A class that resided under the influence of one Percival Blois.
"Keeping the peace? I believe those men are traitorous, Lord Percival. They were dogs that waved their tail for a new master as soon as you left.", Dante responds.
His words quickly reddened the face of the pale elven woman, yet she chose to fume rather to come to their defense.
"That was not your choice to make, Arch Captain. Those men were under my family's unit and designated to me. You, Dawn, are all the same. Once you get a taste of power, then attempt to overstep your bounds!"
Even now, as Percival spoke down to an Arch Captain, no one spoke up at that moment. He berated her, calling her everything except the name that she was born with. Most of the context that they had was lacking on my end, but I did pick up one thing. Percival was completely against Esta Dawn, and he wasn't shy to let it be known. He would have continued until his elder brother opened his mouth.
"That is enough, Younger Brother."
Although he looked like he wanted to continue, Percival heeded the instructions of his elder brother.
"Arch Captain. My younger brother allowed his emotions to get the better of him. I will see to it that he understands that it is important to respect those in service of our city.", Mordred says.
Esta seemed to eat up the words of the man. I could tell that Percival's words were having an effect on her, but Mordred's interference soon lightened her mood. All the while, I watched how the other Arch Captain reacted, and I found nothing. This man was damn near unreadable.
"Tch- This is why she believes that she can take charge of my men, brother. I am the one that is in charge here. This is my event, and those were my men. Those were my guests, and this was to celebrate our achievement. And-", Percival responds.
"Do you feel in charge?"
A brown was suddenly perched atop of the shoulders of the outraged Percival. Its palm upwards before its fingertips gently brushed the neck of its target. His emergence was sudden, but that voice of condescension was all too familiar. Not to the others, but a smile formed on my face when the white tip of a tail wrapped around the waist of the nobleman. The tall figure chuckled mischievously as the startled Percival collapsed to the ground.
The event completely threw the situation on its head, and now a complete sense of ease ran through my body. Even the likes of Claire and Mordred seemed to be completely surprised to see the twisted smirk of this man. They weren't the only ones, though. Having been ambushed in that matter, no one was more surprised than Percival to witness the tail of this man begin to sway from side to side. Ultimately, it would begin to wrap around his waist.
His glasses glistened in the light as he placed his left arm behind his back and began stroking his goatee with his right hand.
"You! How did you?! Where did you come from?!", Percival exclaimed, scrambling to his feet.