In a room meant for receiving important guests, three adults and two children were being attended to by a pair of servants as they sat together on opposite sofas. The two bowed respectfully towards the seat which sat their master, madam, and young miss before exiting the room. Fine tea had been served and enjoyed mostly by the adults before the main topic was broached.
"As I sent in my letter, we have come here today so that your eldest daughter can have her first meeting with my eldest son."
The pair of parents sitting on either side of the small child with long, wavy brunette hair both nodded at their visitor. The father, Ondua er Goltbred, had passed on that particular pigment while the mother, Yatrel er Goltbred, had been responsible for blessing their small daughter with mint colored eyes.
"Yes, I'm glad our old agreement will be upheld. You have a good son, Anper."
"We've been hoping to have her meet him before the Youth Guild entrance. I'm glad you've finally stopped his intense training to make it here."
The pair smiled dotingly at the girl between them after speaking to the other man - an old friend of their family named Anper er Yecine. For the girl's part, she mostly sat in a daze, trying to determine what that particular buzzing in the environment was that she could hear but that no one else was reacting to.
"Of course we've already explained everything to her. She understands that our hope is for her to marry your child in the future. I assume the same is true on your end?"
"I assure you I have instructed my son well and there will be no complaints."
The adults chatted between themselves for a bit about other recent events before instructing the two children to introduce themselves to each other. As if a daydreaming bubble had popped, the brown haired girl hopped to the ground and curtsied politely before finally looking directly at the other child.
"Elua er Goltbred. It means auspicious in the old tongue. I'm sure it will someday prove true to my husband."
The small girl said her required piece with her mellifluous voice.
"Qatrand er Yecine. Old tongue… fortress."
The speaker's hair was dark as the dead of night and their voice was as quiet. When announcing themselves, they looked towards their partner with their pigeon blue irises - but not directly into the other's eyes due to nerves. The more well spoken of the two children tilted her head, wondering what it was about this *stone* on her road to regaining her former power that bothered her so. The plan had been to kick it out of the way at an appropriate time… until her senses finally latched onto and carefully suppressed the incessant buzzing that had been assaulting her all this time.
"Hmm? You're… oho, how interesting."
After whispering those words quietly to herself, the six year old girl moved closer to her arranged future 'husband'. The label of 'stone' had rapidly become 'uncut gem' in her mind due to everything her spiritual sense just uncovered. She hadn't been so amused since being reborn!
"When we grow up, will you protect me and cherish me better than my parents?"
The tall 'boy' stared at the little flower of the Goltbred family briefly, before nodding once to her question. It sounded like something 'his' father would inform 'him' to agree to. A wide grin broke out because of the taciturn response. Whether 'not speaking further' was part of the *deception* that was going on or not didn't matter. Only the direct, if non-verbal, promise was of any importance to the little girl.
"I like you very much!"
The small brunette exclaimed in excitement. She reached and clasped both hands around the other party's closest wrist.
"We will certainly be married when I am old enough and I will happily be your wife."
She stood on her tiptoes as if to plant a tiny innocuous kiss on 'his' cheek, but stopped just short to rapidly whisper a 'warning'.
"Though if my father finds out your 'truth', he might be furious - so you must keep pretending for a while."
Elua completed the peck on the 'boy' and backed away. Their widened eyes would look like nothing more than surprise at her sudden intimate action. Truthfully, the adults in the room were also taken aback at how well things were going. One father expected that his hard work and reversal of luck was finally working out… while the other was now starting to fear that he hadn't prepared enough speeches to threaten his future son-in-law with.
His daughter was too precious to leave to this young scoundrel!
The Goltbred had already forgotten that he'd thought highly of the boy when he first met them alone years ago and definitely didn't pin any blame on his beloved child! Ondua would make sure that this Qatrand could take no more privileges. Not that the mint eyed girl particularly cared about either mens' thoughts and schemes in the face of her own.
'Honestly, I don't know how upset he would *really* be if he learned the truth, but it is most certain that the arrangement would be annulled! Their promise did stipulate that their eldests would be together *if* it was the most convenient offer, but I know my family turned down 'better' ones out of their sense of friendship. I'm sure her father also knows that, otherwise there would be no need to engage so heavily in this deception… even though it risks being found out. Unless there is something supremely valuable he could obtain by this that I just don't know enough about?'
She chuckled inwardly.
'Speaking of value, where did they even find such a tool capable of fooling the senses of a known Third Echelon Enchanter so easily? It was even giving *me* a hard time for a while there!'
The little girl really wondered. Physical cultivation reigned at the apex here, followed not too close by essence practitioners. The market for items that were related to spiritual matters were, as far as she could detect, close to nonexistent in the nearby regions. Let alone one that was so strong. Which logically meant that this Yecine elder was either very lucky or went out of his way to acquire it. Elua found this possibility *fascinating*.
'I have been so very bored! I thought there was no one in this territory that would dare to raise any plots against my family in this life. I worried I would have to join a Guild and venture far off (against their wishes) to find this kind of stimulation.'
"Perhaps we should let the children play together on their own for a while."
The very man in charge of the deception suggested, which served the brunette quite well. It would be very hard to levy any more gentle instructions to her future 'husband' while others were listening so closely.
"Yes, I will show him around! Our courtyard is very impressive, I hear. Please come this way~"
She lightly tugged on 'his' blazer sleeve with a dazzlingly innocent smile that for a moment made the other child forget about the shock and worry they'd felt at her earlier whisper. After shaking off the overwhelming disconnect, Qatrand stopped walking just after they passed the doorway and started to look back at 'his' father to seek guidance.
"We can get to know each other better by discussing the scenery. He already told you to go play, right? This way!"
Her next tug was more forceful, once again surprising the taller child. It should be said that at the age of nine, they were already a physical First Echelon Enchanter… so to be moved by a smaller opponent so 'effortlessly' meant either that they truly were in a state of shock at the direction of the meeting, which allowed the Goltbred girl to take advantage of an opening - or more alarmingly that she was just as strong (or more) despite being a whole three years younger.
She didn't look like anything but a harmless and small girl. When the 'boy' stopped again after a while in suspicion, Elua tugged against the sleeve a few more times 'ineffectively' before glancing up at 'his' face full of grievance etched across her own.
"Do you not want to play with me that bad?"
Watching the lower lip quiver and the corners of her eyes glisten sent the young fiance into a panic. Making her cry would be bad! Their hands raised up, confused at what to do with them but thinking something should be done as 'his' fingers twitched.
'Cute things should never be this sad! What have I done!?'
Meanwhile, the stellar young actress forcefully suppressed the desire to smirk over the fluctuations in her partner's spirit. She'd had far too much opportunity to practice these acting skills in this body on the estate's staff and her parents. Coming off as precious, darling, and most of all fragile was a daily affair. Such an inexperienced betrothed would never be a 'worthy opponent'. Which *should* make the matter 'boring' but she was honestly having the time of this new life!
"I… I want to play?"
The voice of the young Yecine was unsure if it was the right response - which only served to make it sound insincere. However, Elua felt there was no advantage to pushing back at the way it sounded... as someone 'his' age probably wouldn't think teasing over it was being coy.
She could probably concoct a little discussion that might help firm up the austerity of her eventual partner - both when taking part in her 'crimes' and more - but… she found it quite adorable that the 'boy' could be flustered so easily. There was not yet any need to start manipulating bad tendencies out of them.
'Well, I might *henpeck* if I find such a 'beloved' flustered by another coquettish woman? Though I don't think that will be happening for another half a decade at most. Plenty of time to enjoy 'his' reactions for myself!'
While scheming for the future at a fast pace due to the reassessment of this 'stone', the young Goltbred heiress nodded somberly before attaching a vulnerable looking grip with both sets of fingers onto the same cuff of her nervous arranged fiance.
"T-thank you. If we just keep walking that way we will be there in a minute. I apologize if my trying to lead had upset you…"
"N-no. I… it wasn't that. I promise."
The mint eyed girl hummed in answer, while inwardly thinking that their partner was perhaps too quick to promise things. While it would be an advantage if the ones they made could be kept, it would be a disadvantage if the person made them like that with just 'anyone'.
'Though I can't so directly make a fiance I just met promise not to make people promises, can I? …Can I? No, no. I'll have to ease this 'fortress' into being more discerning who they allow 'trade agreements' with.'
The pair of children eventually reached the cloister that overlooked the massive courtyard. Two sides that received adequate sunlight throughout the days were filled with flowers and other herbaceous plants at the request of the brunette's mother. Since Elua was not yet allowed to travel out of the estate by her own volition, it was the only place to bask in the rays of sun and moon in 'safety'. She wasn't even allowed out onto the balcony that sat over the main entrance!
She supposed it was her fault for keeping up the pretense of being weak, but also knew that the nail that sticks up will be hammered down. Inviting threats when there is a *reason* to do so is a 'proper' scheming cultivator's methodology.
"This is my favorite place. Though I hope someday you will bring me to new ones?"
She asked 'shyly', however the young but physically older than her 'boy' had some time to calm and reassess what had happened so far. Even with everything the elders of the Yecine family prepared, it appeared that their task was already a failure… if the whisper truly had meant what the 'son' expected. That expectation forced a reluctant and pained frown which didn't go unnoticed by the one waiting for a response.
"Qatrand er Yecine. Are you giving up already?"