The Sword 

Robin heard all the rumours, gossip- igniting voices, prevailing noises… everything, everything that was being said about Nora and Louis and turned towards the field. 

Pulling Nora out of the hug, he looked at Louis in a way where his eyes were definitely saying sorry and thank you at the same time; but they both knew that for very apparent reasons, he was not allowed to speak these out loud.

And turning towards David, he cleared his throat and finally started to spit out the fire that he had been holding inside since the beginning of the fight. 

"I know you have been stubborn- probably from the day you were born, but do you have any clue how you are going to clear up the mess you have create-"

"It was a nice fight David, see you in the evening for the Alpha Pudding eating ritual."

Louis interrupted Robin, extending his hand towards David and simultaneously dropping the other bomb which he had been hiding up his sleeves till now.

"I am sorry for your injury, I didn't really mean to-"

"What Alpha Pudding eating ritual?!"

Without any hesitation, Robin interrupted their wonderful skit whose underlying theme clearly was 'I wanna kill you but I am not allowed to, so I am just gonna pretend that I am your best friend having a nice conversation with you'. 

In doing so, he also placed forward the question which had already banged his head twice with the imaginary gavel.

"Ohh! I am sorry, I had forgotten to tell you, Devil- … um David had organized a welcome party for me. Yes, I know, I am as shocked as you are."

Nora was the one to reply to his query, before either of the two people he had addressed the question to could shake off the after- effects of his cold piercing gaze and thought of a suitable answer.

"And who allowed that… I mean, scratch that- who accepted that invitation -"

"I did!"

Nora spoke, before the flames of Robin's eyes could burn both of them alive, estimating the level of anger when he realised that it was Louis who had accepted the invite on her behalf.

"You?" 

"Is there any problem with that?"

David was the one to reply this time, seeing the concern in his brother's eyes for an enemy's daughter.

"Nope! None at all!" 

Saying this, he stepped out of the arena, growling;

"The fight is over! Everyone, to your respective classes and designated houses! Now."

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After Robin left, David also walked out of the field, but not without saying his own piece. 

"See you two in the evening! Don't forget to come, Princess, and yes- don't be late, either."

His departure left Louis and Nora alone in the field, finally giving her the space she wanted in order to ask Louis why he had accepted the invitation to fight when it was never meant for him in the first place. But before she could have gathered her courage and her words, she heard his voice;

"Now that you have a party to attend at night, don't you dare think that I am going to cancel the fencing class for today as well. Hence, you have exactly fifteen minutes left to change your dress and reach the designated spot if you want to avoid the punishment -"

"But you are injured… and it's all because… because of me-"

"Hush! Sweetheart! Do you have 'everything- in- this- world- that- goes- wrong- is- my- fault' disorder?" 

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, it is never your fault if someone gets hurt in the battles they are fighting of their own will. And now, run- or else, I will make sure that you will be running the entire circumference of the field twice, for a delay of each minute."

Saying this, he affectionately ruffled her hair and left the field.

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"Nora! What is wrong with you! Can't you see the way I am holding the sword? I am telling you, if you can't be careful with the sword, then just don't lift it-"

This was the fifth time that Robin had screamed out every time she had tried to touch the sword.

"Holy Moon Goddess! What's going on here?"

This time, it was Louis who had replied, instead of Nora's frightened response of murmuring "okay" and stepping back.

As he walked towards them, he placed the swords that he had been carrying, on the ground. He took two further steps to reach Robin, and patting his shoulder, he asked;

"Is everything alright? You seemed tense; or should I say, annoyed?"

"Yes!"

"Okay then! Nora, I think you are looking excited and happy at the same time-"

"Yes! I like this sword placed in front of me, and I am happy that finally everything is falling into place… and the Devil is also coming into his senses, after all he is throwing a welcome party on my behalf today."

"We will see that! But first- here, lift this sword."

Louis spoke, momentarily gazing into the unknown before pointing towards the sword inside its ivory- coated sheath, with a flower carved on the top.

"Are you out of your mind!" 

But before Nora could have touched that sword, Robin roared out again.

"Nope!" 

He replied, completely calm.

"But it's the heaviest -" 

His words dropped in the middle when he noticed Nora lifting the sword easily without any effort and pulling it out of its sheath. 

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Everything was set: the pudding, decorations, chairs, lawn, and story script of exposing two people at once! 

David was just waiting for the arrival of Nora and Ryan, from the moment he had come across the news that Ryan was giving Adrin money and had been spying on Nora as well.

After all, this Royal drama finally coming to an end today; and then, there wouldn't much to fight about-

His thoughts pressed the brakes the moment he saw Nora walking towards the venue in her pink floral gown. As he looked on, she paused after taking two steps forward, only to look for Louis, who had been walking just beside her. The two of them started to walk again after she had wrapped her arm around his elbow.

"So! Are you going to tell me what is really going inside your mind, or not?"

But before he could have proceeded with his self- assigned task of giving the both of them more death glares, he heard Robin's voice and turned around to see him standing behind him.

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