CH 11 - Day's End

Dainn

After a few hours had passed, which included a reenactment of a drake fight done by the Arcane Archers using Gold magic and a performance by a band of bards who arrived to offer a free show, they had all gone inside.

Emilia left the party with Sila, and I was sitting at the Lord's Banquet table watching Monk Oko move the tables aside and Gauss adjusting the lighting as the worst part of the day rapidly approached.

I thought back to when Hannah approached me, saying I was going to ruin Emilia's birthday if I failed to give her the one thing she was sure she'd get. She wanted a dance.

I knew nothing about dancing, and so I had hoped that Hannah, or even Sila maybe, would teach me after Hannah said she had the perfect person in mind. Oh boy, how I had wanted to strangle her when I discovered who she actually meant.

Bartleby. A man nearly five times my size and who had zero tolerance for tomfoolery. Despite that, he did the goofiest thing I had ever seen, just to be able to be my practice partner. He used Silver magic to shrink his arms, legs, and torso by hiding them in mobile void portals. It worked, somehow, but I felt ridiculous stumbling over my feet on the daily with him like that.

And now, the time had come, and I was awaiting my doom. I was sure to mess this up and ruin it anyways, but I also knew I had to at least try.

Hannah came up to me, a scowl on her face and her hands crossed in front of her. I gave her a quizzical look, and she huffed. "Get up, Dainn! You need to be standing and waiting for her as she enters! Gods, are you that dense?"

I got up, though I did give her a sarcastic groan. "I still don't see why this is such a big deal. It's just a dance."

"Just a-! Dainn! Did you not learn the Nubian customs! A dance on a young lady's birthday with a close friend is a promise! A way of swearing loyalty for now and always!"

My eyes went wide. "What?" Did they want me to propose? I feel like I had to remind people of my age way too much.

She huffed again. "Of course! Daddy danced with Mommy on her ninth birthday, and after that not even Lord Ares could keep them apart! I thought you knew what Emilia wanted when I said she wanted you to ask her to dance?"

"I thought she just wanted that, a dance! Not to swear fealty to her! Why are children swearing loyalty to each other!"

Hannah sighed, looking down. "You really are dense. That's not what she wants. Dainn, my sister is in-"

She is cut off by the doors to the grand hall opening and the hired orchestra beginning their song, a jaunty but slow tune.

I stopped breathing when I saw her. She was in a beautifully silver dress, the fabric poofing out at the shoulders and hips. It bounced and flowed like a river with every step she took. Her hair was done up into a French braid, though I did not know what they called it in Elysia.

She stopped right in front of me, and I only then realized that I had walked to meet her halfway, on the dance floor.

She smiled shyly at me, looking from the ground to my eyes and back again. I realized I wasn't breathing and forced myself to start again. My palms were starting to sweat, and my heart was pounding. What was happening to me?

"Dainn? What's wrong?" She was looking worried. I was ruining things, so I knew I had to say something.

I don't know what I planned to say, but what came out was the truth. "I'm sorry, you took my breath away."

She giggled softly. I cleared my throat before doing a fancy bow, my hand held out in waiting for hers. "Emilia, may I have the first dance?"

"Yes," she said with a huge smile, tears in the corner of her eyes. "Of course you may, Dainn Blackguard."

She handed me her hand, and I stood and pulled her close as the music cued me in. I started the routine I had practiced with Bartleby, hoping muscle memory would take over.

Ten seconds in and I had stumbled over her feet twice. I frowned and looked away from her, and she surprised me by coming close and putting her mouth next to my ear.

"It's okay, Dainn," she whispered. "Just keep your eyes on me, not your feet."

I didn't know what to say, so I simply decided to listen to her. "Yes, ma'am."

I looked her in the eyes as she pulled away. To my surprise, it became easier to do the dance, and I realized I was following her lead. I smiled, and she returned it.

I pulled her in, spinning her so I was chest to her back, and then I spun her into a dip. She laughed, and I joined in.

Soon the audience began to join in as well, like a wedding reception. I blushed as I noticed the similarities.

I realized I was disappointed when the song eventually ended, because I didn't want it to. Emilia looked at me and then pulled me into a tight hug. While close, I heard her whisper "Thank you, Dainn. This was the best day ever."

"I didn't do much," I said, feeling bashful all of a sudden.

She pulled back, and then as a final shock to me, kissed my forehead.

"What was that for?" I asked, feeling red hot.

She winked at me, giggling. "It was my thanks. Besides, you have to be the one who goes for the real thing."

"The real…" I started but I trailed off when the next song started and she pulled my hand to start the next dance. I gave in quite easily.

Yanxa

Yanxa approached the front gate, where he found Sedrik waiting with three dead corpses and a young boy with bright orange hair. It took Yanxa a minute to recognize the boy as Erick, Lord Ares' ward.

"It's almost time."

Sedrik looked from Yanxa, then back to the manor. He looked worried and upset. Yanxa decided to remind him who he worked for. In a flash he produced his spear and brought the tip beneath the adventurer's chin, drawing a droplet of blood.

"I don't like when my men are unable to hide such obvious doubts. Should I add your body to the pile and be done with it?"

"Oh course not," he said, slapping the spear away. "It's just," he sighed with resignation, "Eifa still hasn't left."

Eifa. That's right, the elf bowman. "No worries. Ares is wanting us to wait until after all the guests have left. Can't risk getting the King of Nubia involved, let alone all the other Lords from other kingdoms. It'd be an international declaration of war. No, we wait until nightfall when the Hera family has gone to bed."

"I see." He went over and started disposing of the bodies, removing them from sight. "So, just so I'm clear: you want me to kill the two daughters while you and your men go after the Lord?"

"Actually," the boy spoke up, turning and looking at Yanxa with undeserved disrespect, "change of plans. I want the youngest daughter, Emilia. I want to make her my toy and I want you, Sedrik, to go kill that boy ward of theirs. No, scratch that! Take him hostage, and bring him up to the girl's rooms afterwards. I want to rape that little bitch in front of him, to let him feel true despair before you slice open his arrogant little throat!"

Yanxa had to admit, he had moxie. Sedrik looked to Yanxa, checking for the assassin's approval first. It was given, "It's alright to me. You'll still get paid. Just make sure that the wife is taken alive. Ares has his eyes set on his fourth wife."

Dainn

I gasped as I suddenly felt one, then two, then three distinct heartbeats stop inside my head. If you want more of an explanation, then I'm sorry, because that's exactly what happened. There was a fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth. Heartbeat after heartbeat that I had never perceived before suddenly stopped, leaving behind an emptiness and something else. A calling of something…

It happened at the very end of dinner, as people had started wrapping up conversations and were gathering their families and retinues.

I was sweating, my own, real heart was thumping fast, but it wasn't out of terror. For some reason I couldn't identify, I was getting excited. More than excited. It was something so innate, so natural and so missing from my life up until now. My body was longing for it, and I didn't even know what "it" was.

It was almost erotic, though very different as well. 

"Dainn?" The voice sounded far away, distant, as if from another world. I felt like I was high or something. I didn't hate it.

"Dainn!" Someone shook me, snapping me out of it. I looked and saw it was Lord Henry. "Dear gods, are you alright, Dainn? You look like you've got a fever."

I am fine. I blinked, then realized I hadn't said it aloud. "No, I think I need some fresh-"

Ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth. I collapsed and blacked out as I was overwhelmed by my magic affinity awakening…