2.5, mini-adventure: Pretty women

The dance where you switch partners will last for approximately ten minutes. All of you will dance with Fedler, Zelk and Aemilia. Your dance with each partner lasts for around 1 minute, so if you wanna roleplay a short conversation with any of them, feel free to tell me in chat, and we'll do it.

Once this is over, you can decide how you'll spend the next hour at the ball, after which I'll hit you with the next event (and probably the last for the evening).

Steve and Zelk

He waves to Breeze when everyone is still lining up, like a hello and wish me luck thing. She waves back at him, and starts dancing in the air with Peewee. He's feeling a bit nervous and his heart is beating fast even as he takes up position.

"Ready?" he says.

"Always," she replies. "Nervous?"

"Only a lot. Thanks for asking." He grins at his own joke.

She takes his hands, and the dance begins. A smirk appears on her face. "It'll be fine. Just don't focus too much on my cleavage."

He snorts and misses a step, but recovers quickly. "As lovely as it is, I'll stick to your eyes. I've always preferred your eyes anyway."

"I would usually say I don't believe you, but I'm in a good mood right now."

"While dancing? I never would have imagined."

"That's because you didn't invite me to a ball while you had the chance." There's a short pause. "You know when the other students would pair up the weeks leading to the ball? I was mentally cursing at you for not doing the same."

"If that's true why did you always run away or get me detention? I tried to ask you at least a dozen times your second year. Did you even read my note?"

"Okay, I might also have been cursing at myself for not just saying yes after I read that. But it was still a note."

"Well I know that. I mean come on, what was I supposed to do, pin you to a wall?"

Zelk glances at the next partner to estimate how much time is left before they have to switch. "Next time, you don't let me slip away. Got it?"

"I could say the same to you Zelk." He frowns but it's clear he's thinking about what she said. He has that look in his eyes.

"Eh, you're probably right." She looks at the next partner again. "It's almost time. Be careful with that twist."

"Twist? Oh right!" The warning is just in time and he completes the maneuver adequately.

Steve and Fedler

Fedler joins her hands to Steve, and asks, "Not too disappointed to leave your muse with Konrad?"

"Hmm?" He is still distracted by what Zelk said. "Oh, I don't mind. She'd eat him alive."

"You okay?"

"Oh, I'm fine. But Zelk was trying to tell me something just now. About not letting her get away again."

"...You two used to do that back at the Citadel? Get away from each other?"

"I always thought of it as chasing, but now I'm not so sure."

This makes Fedler ponder for a few seconds. "I really hope it works out between you two. You're cute together, even when you argue."

He smiles at the compliment. "I hope things work out between you and Mihai too. If you don't mind me saying you both look a lot happier these days."

She blushes a little. "It's scary sometimes."

"Why's that?"

"I'm not used to it. But I'll get the hang of it."

"I'm sure you will." Now that he remembers the switch he watches for it this time. He manages the maneuver a little better than he did last time. He's quite proud of himself and smiles at Aemillia.

Steve and Aemilia

"Mister Oldturn," she says as a form of greeting.

"Please, Steve. Mister Oldturn is the name of some grandpa many years in the future."

"Oh?" she inquires, interested. "I was under the impression you might become a mister Freeron one day."

He laughs. "Pass."

This amuses her. "You have not even thought about it? You two seem to have been together for quite some time now."

"Nope, only a week. But we've known each other since school."

This answer stuns her. "A week? Well, that's quite an impression you've made on her. It's the first time she ever brought someone to one of her grandfather's ball."

"We do things our own way in our own time."

She chuckles. "Be prepared to deal with her suitors then, like that Songbird fellow. They're relentless."

"I think you have more to worry about than I do. The man isn't picky with his targets."

"No need to worry, I have the perfect bodyguard." She smiles, and then switches partners.

Mihai and Fedler

Fedler joins her hands to Mihai, and the dance begins.

"So... gonna be meeting a lot of different people in the next ten minutes, huh," he remark, a smidge nervous.

"We can dance just the two of us later if you want to," she reassuringly tells him.

He lets a light smile escape. "Sounds nice."

"Unless you prefer to dance with Zelk," she adds with a smirk. "There are a lot of eyes on her tonight."

"Let them; means it'll be easier to sneak back into the pantry for the booze." He smirks back at her.

She chuckles. "So that's the plan? Getting drunk, then snuggle?"

"For starters. We can always improvise along the way, unless you've got something different in mind."

"No, that's fine." She looks at him right in the eyes. "I'll let you improvise."

"I won't let you down."

"I know you won't." She glances at the next partner. "Almost there. Remember to twist."

He glances too, and suppresses a wince. "I got it."

His expression amuses her. "Eh, you'll get to dance with Aemilia now. Make friends now, okay?"

He sighs. "Yes ma'am."

"See you later chap."

Mihai and Aemilia

A content smile spreads on Aemilia's face, and she waits for Mihai to talk.

Mihai steps into the routine. "So this is how the upper class has fun, then?" he asks amicably, with a very slight hesitation.

"Fun is only part of it," she explains. "This is how they make contacts and maintain their appearance of importance."

"Yeah, networking and presentation." He sums up in short parlance. "I knew this was part of the job, just never really imagined it."

"This is not your cup of tea, right?"

"Not so much. I can keep up appearance if I have to; I'd just rather not have to do it anymore."

"I would recommend the garden."

"I've been to it. Good spot to unwind. Curious about the greenhouse, actually."

She smiles. "Young couples often go hide in there," she suggests. "Just make sure to lock the door."

He chuckles. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Just look as scary as you usually do, and they should leave your girlfriend alone," she jokes.

He looks slightly embarrassed, but he responds with the same tone as her. "Well, at least it's good for something."

"And if you need any help with her, just ask," she casually offers.

He finds that one slightly odd, but replies, "Uh, thanks. I think we're gonna be fine." He smiles politely.

Mihai and Zelk

Mihia steps into the routine with Zelk, slightly uneasy but hiding it well. "S'up."

Zelk exaggerates her casual behavior, and greets him back. "Yo."

He has trouble thinking of what to say for about five seconds, then, "So... how much do people actually pay to be invited here?"

She laughs. "What, did I take you by surprise?"

"No, I spotted you about thirty seconds ago. Not used to this much rapid mingling; needed a familiar face for a minute."

"Aptly avoiding the question, uh?" The shape of her lips changes into a good-natured smile.

Mihai looks a bit confused for a second, then. "Ok yeah, you kinda did."

"That's Steve rubbing off on me."

He chuckles and stays quiet for about three seconds, then. "I'm glad it worked out between you two."

It takes a moment before she can answer him. "Thank you. For helping."

He's slightly taken aback, then glances away and chuckles with melancholy. "What I said about the kneecaps... I take it back." He looks at her again. "And you're welcome."

She nods. "It's almost over now. Thank you for the dance."

"My pleasure."

Konrad and Aemilia

Aemilia happily takes Konrad's hands. Just as the dance starts, she asks with an amused tone, "Are you and Songbird friends yet?"

"Friends would be a bit much," he answers," though I'd like to be on even terms with him. Our fairy friend feels there's something odd about him, and I intend to reach him for comment. Speaking of odd people, I wonder what the guests think of the man attached to your arm, if anything at all. I hope being seen with me won't cause any fallout."

"Oh, I can handle them. I would just prefer to avoid the complications if possible."

"I noticed. It probably doesn't surprise you to know that I've never been to this kind of event. "When I got you that necklace, I was thinking, 'what would Aemy expect from a courtier inviting her to a dance?' 'Something that would get her noticed,' I thought to myself. So, in the hopes that we would continue with what we have... I suppose I really just wanted to meet your standards. So... do I 'measure up'?"

She takes a short moment to consider Konrad's words, after which she smiles and says, "You honored me with this gift."

He smiles back. "I'm relieved to hear that. So you're saying I don't have to try so hard to keep impressing you?"

"Oh no, you should definitely keep the gifts coming," she jokes.

He chuckles lightly at the humor. "I'll see if I can do anything about that."

Konrad and Zelk

Konrad is having a great time. "Ah, my turn with the better half of the crazy love birds. I hope I don't make anyone jealous."

Zelk raises an eyebrow. "Oh, you're talking about my so-called suitors. If they had any hope until now, they were fools."

"'Until now'? What's that mean?"

She smirks and gestures at Steve with her head.

"Eh, you should tell that to his face," he continues. "It wouldn't phase him, though. Nothing seems to. Well, almost nothing. How are things between you two, by-the-by?"

"Didn't Steve tell you anything?"

"No. It looks like it's going well between you two. So... just say that. It would move this conversation along sooner, I think."

"I just assumed you and Steve would have talked about this, since you're close colleagues."

"We've been moving fast. I didn't see a problem, so I didn't pry." And I can't read you very well. "By the way, I really do apologize for running my mouth in front of your family. That was just embarrassing for everyone, including me."

She chuckles. "That wasn't the best way to make friends with my grandfather, no. He's used to people listening to what he says."

"We have something common, then."

She looks at Konrad's next partner, who is Fedler. "We're switching. Don't disappoint your dance teacher."

"Don't worry; I'll put my best foot forward."

Konrad and Fedler

"Our hero's journey reaches the climax, and he's had plenty of practice. Can you keep up with me, Fedler?"

Fedler smirks, confident about herself. "I trained for ten years to become a bard. This? This is easy."

"Have you been to many of these kinds of events?"

Fedler look away for a second, reflecting on her past, and she replies, "Yes, many of them. But it's been years since I've come to a ball."

"I wish I could have been at one of them. Then maybe I wouldn't have had to learn this late in my life how to be a gentleman. Of course, being a gentleman has a different definition in Myr."

"What would a Myrzen gentleman be then?"

"Oh, I've heard someone describe us as more in tune with the primal nature of man. Sounds about right, though he's probably never been. From my many years of travel, I can safely say you'd be surprised by how our women behave."

"I might be the one to surprise them," she playfully remarks.

"I don't think you want to make a game out of it, ranger," he warns with a sly comment. "Those woods are wild."

"You're probably right, which is why I won't listen to your advice." She glances at Steve and Aemilia. "Dance is almost over. Good job. You didn't make any mistake."

"Thank god, now I can get some drink in me. I'm certain Master Freeron brought the food out and initiated the formal dance early just to troll us."

"...That wouldn't surprise me."

Once the dance ends, Fedler and Konrad both return to their respective partners.

You guys can post your actions for the next hour. If there's more roleplay you wish to do, without a time limit this time, feel free to ask me. Or you can interact with each other if you want to.

After a very nice visit to the greenhouse, Fedler and Mihai go back to the ball room to join the people who are now dancing to a slow tune; not before a quick visit to the bathroom though. Mihai leaves the bathroom first, and notices Aemilia grinning at him. She waves at him with her hand. He glances away, embarrassed, but he can't suppress a slight grin. Fedler then exits the bathroom reserved for women, and she joins Mihai on the dance floor. Fedler's attitude is light-hearted, and contended. It's now easy for her to smile, unlike how she was during the last three months.

"Aemilia is grinning at me," she remarks.

Mihai is flustered, try as he might to hide it. "I... was gonna take you to the greenhouse to begin with. You know, plants... but when we were dancing, well..." He can't finish the sentence.

There's now an inquisitive look on her face. "I'm not sure I understand."

"Well... she recommended the garden. I... guess I said I was curious about the greenhouse. I mean, I was. I had to make conversation." He's visibly flustered now. "And, well... she kinda... recommended it."I... I didn't mean to... I didn't think..."

She's giggling now, which puts him at ease. After she stopped laughing, she looks him in the eyes, and says, "Uh huh..."

He leans in very gently, so she can stop him if she wants to, and then kisses her. There's some hesitation, but she kisses him back, albeit a little more shyly than she usually does. Once their lips separate, she says, "You're bolder than before." She seems pleased.

"Well, when you look at me and say that..." he trails off, only slightly embarrassed.

"So whenever I say 'uh huh', I get a free kiss?"

He tries not to laugh, and glances. "Well, I remember the first time you said it... I didn't dare, obviously, but..."

"The first time?" she repeats. "When was it?"

He hesitates a little. "When I first told you about Breeze." He doesn't try to sound exactly like her, but somewhere close enough. "You're an okay guy, but I'm not letting you see my unmade bed unless you explain yourself."

She laughs. "I sound uptight when you say it like that."

"Well, I'd just come up to you and said I knew where a mythical creature was staying. I knew you'd think..." he trails off. "Well, I didn't know what you'd think, but I was happy that you gave me a chance at all."

"You didn't seem like a crazy person, so yeah, I listened." She pauses. "And you were easy on the eyes..."

He chuckles softly. "You know, by now, I'm pretty sure you know almost my every thought from the moment I met you till the morning after the festival."

This time, she's the one who mimics his voice; and she's pretty good at it. "Oh no, what should we talk about? I have no idea. Should we go back to the village separately, or together?"

He tries hard not to laugh. He fails. He manages to keep it quiet though.

"You were so nervous, I thought you would snap in half," she reveals.

"I wasn't gonna snap. Just didn't know how to say things. I was pretty relieved when I got to make you laugh."

"I'm glad Silver gave me that bottle." The song is now ending, and a few couples are leaving the dance floor, while others come to replace them. "Do you want to keep dancing? We can find a calm spot if you just want to talk."

"Oh, I'll get your side of the story yet. Just not with all the people around." He teases. "But yeah, I think some quiet would be nice."

Okay, let's go." Both Fedler and Mihai leave the dance floor. "There are a few benches in the garden. Wanna go there?"

"Sure."

"Although..." She ponders for a short moment, and then turns to him with a sly smile. "We can slip away from the crowd if you like, and come back later."

He returns the smile. "I like."

"Let's not attract any attention." She approaches Gwen, who's been supervising the servants' work until now, and asks if they could use the stairs in the pantry. The butler agrees, and Fedler guides Mihai through the dining hall, the pantry, and then the dining room on the second floor. "No one here."

"Ugh..." He teases. "No fun when we got permission."

Her smile turns mischievous. "Is that a challenge?"

He smiles back. "Is that a yes?"

She slowly walks towards him, takes his hand, and tells him, "Last chance to back down."

"I think I just missed it."

She grins, then guides Mihai out of the dining room, and moves towards the west side of the manor. The guests are still dancing below, but they are too busy to notice the two "trespassers". At first, it seems that she is going for the stairs, but she goes past them, and stops in front of a door; Sean's office. He grins at her like 'Seriously?'

She nods, then puts her hand on the knob. It's locked. "Shit. Can you lockpit it?"

He holds out his hand. "Pin."

It takes a second for her to process the question, but she quickly realizes what he wants, and gives him her hairpin. "Here. Get on your knees too; they won't see us from that angle."

"Keep an eye out," he says, then goes to work on the lock.

While he's busy with the door, Fedler uses this time to undo her braid, letting her hair completely loose. It only takes twenty seconds for Mihai to unlock the door. "Quick, let's go in."

Once they've shut the door behind them, Mihai and Fedler see shelves full of books and documents covering all the walls. There is one desk in the middle of it, on which many organized piles of papers are sitting. "That wasn't s hard," announces Fedler with a victorious intonation.

Mihai takes a look around. "Ok... lots of paper."

"There *has* to be something worth checking out here," she adds.


Suddenly, an unknown voice pipes up. "Intruders," it says. It sounds female.

Mihai looks for the source, already with one hand ready to reach for Fedler's hand and the other for the doorknob. It appears to be originating from the desk. "Did... I just hear that?" asks the redheaded hunter.

"You did," confirms the voice, before it continues with a statement. "You are Sean's guests."

"Yes. We are," affirms Mihai with a calm and forthcoming voice.

"I am the guardian."

"I am Mihai. What happens now, Guardian?"

"Nothing." 

"...What do you mean, 'nothing'?" inquires Fedler. 

"Once you're bored, you will leave this room."

"So, you're not worried we're here to spy on Mr. Freeron?" wonders the young man. "You won't try to stop us?"

"I know you're not here to spy on him. So there is no reason to stop you from exploring this room."

Mihai thinks, "Can you hear this?" But there is no response. "That's... very understanding of you."

"You two were very clear with your intentions. I have no reason to doubt them. However, I would ask a favor out of you."

Fedler frowns, and tightens her hold on her boyfriend's hand.

"Yes?" he replies.

"Could you tell the fairies to stop chasing me? It's getting annoying."

"Breeze and Peewee?"

"Yes. As far as I am aware, these are the only fairies present in this manor."

"I'll tell them but I don't understand. Where are you?"

"Mostly in the ballroom, but also in every other room of this house."

"...Including the greenhouse?"

"Yes."

Fedler blushes instantly. Mihai grimaces and blushes instantly.

"I see you are embarrassed," remarks the voice. 

"Very much so..." concurs the redhead.

Mihai stays silent for a moment. "Given that I need to change the subject pretty badly here... You can see everyone in this house at all times?"

"Only if I am present in the room."

Mihai breathes a sigh of relief.

"The minstrel that showed up earlier tonight, the one leading the band right now; does he look unusual to you?"

"To me, no. To you, I would assume so." 

"What do you mean exactly?" demands to know Fedler. 

"I mean that he is not human."

"What is he?" inquires Mihai.

"An avatar. The body is an extension of his consciousness, which resides in what you call magic."

"Does his consciousness move with his body, or is it fixed somewhere?"

"His consciousness resides outside his avatar, but the location is unknown to me."

"Would you know why he's been trying to make me and my friends despise him?"

"No."

"Hmm..." He ponders. "I assume Mr. Freeron knows what he is. Doesn't he pose a security concern or have you seen more like him?"

"He is the first of his kind I have seen. I can only call his body an 'avatar', since it is its function. I cannot predict its intentions, since it didn't communicate them to me, unlike you."

"Have you seen more people of another kind, besides Human and Fairies?"

"No. I've taken residence here not long after my birth. Now please, I've answered your questions. Could you please handle your fairy friends?"

"Maybe we should go," whispers Fedler.

"Yeah..." he agrees."Thanks, Guardian. I'll go get them off your back."

"I thank you," replies the voice. "I wish a nice evening to the two of you."

"Thanks. You too." He takes his leave, and Fedler follows him. She quickly makes her way back to the dining room of the second floor.

"I did not expect... that," she reveals.

"Yeah..." He concurs. "...but it was pretty naive of us to expect Sean's office to be guarded by just one flimsy lock."

"I..." She smiles. "I didn't even think about it."

He smiles back at her. "Yeah... Worth it, though. Even if it did kinda spoil the date. You were right. There was something in there worth checking out."

"I just hope it's nothing like Snicker..."

Right at this moment, Breeze and Peewee enter the room, both of them holding one of the magical fireflies in their arms.

"Hey guys! Look at that!" exclaims the blue-haired girl.

"Let her go, Breeze. She's getting annoyed."

The magical fireflies are indeed trying to escape, unsuccessfully.

"But, but, we caught them!" retorts the winged teenager.

"Yeah, and it was super hard!" adds her friend

"She's the Guardian of this house," persists Mihai, "and she asked me to get you off her back."

Breeze pouts. "Fine, fine. There you go."

Peewee sighs, and they both let go of the magical fireflies, which immediately fly back into the ballroom.

"Let's go eat some cupcakes!" suggests Breeze.

"I want one with chocolate," exclaims her friend. Both fairies leave the room.

"I don't think she even understood what you meant exactly," comments Fedler.

"That okay, neither did I," responds Mihai.

"Let's... just go downstairs."

"Hold on."

"Uh?"

Mihai leans in and kisses her deeply. Now used to this agreable routine, she returns the kiss, and once their lips part from each other, she tells him, "Let's save some for later."

"Yes ma'am."

They go downstairs.

Konrad visits the buffet to immediately slam a drink, have a few bites to eat, and leaves the table after refilling his glass. He listesn to people tell stories and jokes while lending his support to Aemilia, and suggests that they go to the garden at an opportune moment.

"Oh? Why not," she replies with a smile. "I feel like taking a breath of fresh air."

"Me too. Right this way," he says, as he tries to figure out how to get there. Once they arrive in the garden, they sit on one of the benches.

"There's been much gossip over the mythical creatures making an appearance," begins Konrad. "Tell me, what do you think of our new...neighbors?"

"Neighbors?" she repeats with interest. "If they're all like your friend Breeze, or as elusive as the Elementals, I have no problem with them."

She takes a sip from her glass of wine, waiting for Konrad to continue with this line of thought.

"If any others are about to jump off the pages of fantasy, let us hope they follow the example of ether the new or the old." He looks around at the garden. A beautiful place. There is need for such beauty in the world, if not a desire. "Unfortunately there may not be a trend forming for them to buck, at this point."

"Is that a fact, or an opinion?"

"That depends..." he says, his tune turning grim as he turns to face Aemilia and look directly at her, "...on whether what I'm about to tell you would reach the ears of anyone else."

She stares back at Konrad with unmoving eyes, and doesn't say anything for the next ten seconds. She puts the glass of wine on the bench, and asks, "Why would you risk telling me this then?"

"Because I have reason to believe you should be informed, for your sake as well as mine. However, I can't help worrying what lies down the branching paths of this crossroad. Perhaps I just need some assurance."

"Hmm." She turns to look at some flowers, reflecting on what Konrad just said. Once she's made her decision, she focuses her eyes on him again. "Very well. You have my word I won't tell anyone else about is said here."

"The fact is, I've encountered something malevolent. Something powerful capable of monstrous feats, and this is no exaggeration. What it can do, and what it wants, however, are two different things. To get what it wants, it tries to bargain with another. It offers the fulfillment of one or more desires, in exchange for control for a time it deems equivocal. But its intentions are detrimental to humankind, to put it gently, and it makes the long play. For if it is to continue making deals, it needs to be trusted. And listen closely to what I say next, mark it well: it cannot be trusted."

She takes a long moment to process the information. Many thoughts are going through her head right now, and she then asks with a concerned voice, "What kind of control does this... 'creature' want?"

"The most literal, physical kind, but I did not say that that is its goal. To it, we are less than pawns, playthings for its amusement. However, it doesn't seem to be able to, or want to, use any of its power without making a deal first, which it exchanges for assuming control of the other party."

"What, so it can... possess people?" she inquires in disbelief. "That's the price?"

"For whatever it wants to do for the duration. Think of it as a monkey's paw. If you get specific with it, it tolls more. It will try to trick you. It will try to gain your trust, and it will break any who stand between it and the playtime it desires. You must believe me, Aemilia. If there was ever a time you should humor me, it would be now."

She thinks carefully about it, and stays silent for a short time. "Then I must ignore whatever it says, and assume the worst from it. How will I recognize it?"

"You'll hear a voice in your head you do not recognize as your own."

Aemilia's jaw slightly drops. "Right. Then I must be even more careful." She puts her hand on his, and adds, "...Thank you. For warning me. Even though it seems impossible, I can't imagine you to be lying to me. Not after I've seen these fairies with my own eyes."

"Don't worry; it's not some ever-present thing. The demon's presence is most unsettling."

This appears to reassure her. "It won't get anything from me. But... what about you?"

"Learning what I'm able to share with you has been... a trial. But I am all right." He returns the gesture with a hand on hers. "I'll be safe."

She manages a smile. "Now, I definitely need a new glass of wine..."

"Ah, my native tongue," he quips. "What do you say we get some more inside and get back to schmoozing with rest of the bourgeoisie?"

She nods. "Yes, let's go." She stands up, wrap her arm under Konrad's, and before they begin to walk, she gives him a peck on the cheek. Konrad beams at her.

Zelk takes a plate and puts a few shrimps on it, an egg that must have been floating in vinegar not long ago, half of a chicken sandwich, two rice balls and four slices of pepperoni. As a beverage, she takes a full bottle of wine with her; since she is the granddaughter of the host, nobody is stopping her. Once she has everything, she goes outside to find a bench where they can sit. Steve grabs his own plate with a similar choice of food, except he'll have more shrimp, one less rice ball, and some salad. He brings a couple of wine glasses too, and some napkins, just in case.

"So where is this special spot you are taking me?" he asks.

"Oh, there are a few benches down this way," she explains. "We'll just use one where we should be left alone. The guests rarely go into the garden just when the ball started."

"Sounds nice. Do you go there often then?"

"Yes." She glances at Steve. "Just like that spot in the library."

"I always wanted to join you but you seemed so happy. I just pretended I didn't know."

The corner of her mouth change into a smile. They've now arrived at the lone bench, and she immediately sits down. "Hurry, I'm hungry. Gimme those glasses."

"Let me sit down first, yeesh." He carefully sits on the bench and then hands her the glasses after she's put her own food down.
She fills his glass brim with wine, and then hands it to him. "Here."

"Thanks. Cheers." He holds out his glass so they can toast and then takes a sip. "It's nice. Certainly better than anything we had back home."

She chuckles. "I certainly hope so. That bottle is thirty years old." She then begins to stuff herself with the food.

He follows suit and tucks in with abandon. "Wow, I guess aging really does help. These shrimp are amazing!"

"Are they?" She takes one shrimp from his plate, and eats it. "Yes they are."

"So how many of these things have you been at?" He moves his plate a little so she can reach easier.

"Hmm." She thinks about it while taking a bite of her sandwich and drinking some wine at the same time. "At least once every summer since I was fourteen, so....probably around twelve."

Steve takes a bite of chicken sandwich and washes it down with some wine. "Aemilia said this is the first time you had a date."

Zelk was just about to take a bite from one of her rice balls when she froze. "...She did?"

"Yeah. While we were dancing. She asked me if I planned to be Mr. Freeron someday."

"Oh." She drinks some more wine. "Yeah, I never went to a ball with anyone before. My grandfather warned me about the suitors, and... I just didn't want to go with someone like that."

"Yeah, it was weird being compared to folks like that. I came here to spend time with you and meet your grandpa, not to advance some agenda. I'm sorry you've had to deal with folks like that all this time."

"That's okay." She starts to eat again. "I was here only for the summers, and I never went to an event held by someone other than my grandfather."

"Did Gwen look out for you too?"

"...Even more so, I think. She never made it clear, but some of the advice she gave me... It often applied to my grandfather."

"How so?" He takes another bite of sandwich.

"You know he wants me to be his heir, right?"

"You mentioned that, yes." He smiles at her, amused that she felt the need to ask.

"Well, I didn't know that until Gwen indirectly told me."

"Really? That's weird. I'd think he'd tell you himself."

"Oh, he did. When I was eighteen. She told me three years earlier."

"How did that make you feel, knowing all that time?"

"The way she said it..." She pauses, searching for words. "It didn't sound like I won a prize. So I thought about it. I still am."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

There's no immediate answer. She considers his words, then tells him, "I don't know Steve. I don't even know if I want it."

"Well, how about this then? I don't really have a place of my own, I've just been saving money by living in the barracks between jobs. But what if we got a place of our own? We both make enough money to get a nice apartment. You know, if you want."

The proposition stuns her. "You mean live together?"

"Well yeah. It doesn't have to be right away, but you do have options you know." He sips some more wine.

She puts her plate on her lap. "I've never really thought about that. Living together?" She contemplates this previously foreign idea.

"I let you get away once already and it's one of the worst mistakes I ever made. But that doesn't mean it's an 'either or' proposition. If you decide you want to do this, I'll be there for you. You know, if you'll have me."

Her eyes fall on Steve. She is momentarily speechless. It takes a long moment before she can recover. "I'll think about it. Okay?"

"It's all I ask. But think carefully. You let me get away too."

She looks down at her plate. "Yes. I did." She takes her glass of wine, and finishes it. "I'll... I'll tell you before the end of our vacation."

"Okay. Want to hold hands while we finish the bottle?"

This appears to bring back Zelk to her usual self. She lets a small smirk twist her mouth. "Aren't we fifteen years too old for that?"

"Only if that kid has the most irresponsible parents on the planet. Who gives seven-year-olds thirty-year-old wine?"

She smiles. "You know what I meant." Nevertheless, she tentatively grabs his hand. "You know what I would do if I could talk to my younger self?"

"What's that?"

"I would say, 'Just kiss him, you idiot'."


"That's good advice." He leans forward and kisses her lightly on the lips. "Tastes like wine."

Zelk seems pleased, and she replies, "Well, your breath smells like shrimps. You better brush your teeth later."

"I will." He smiles at her looking up at the night sky.

She follows his gaze, and admires the splendid view. Then, she stuffs the egg in her mouth.

"Hot," he says out loud.

Unfortunately, that comment makes her laugh, and she unintentionally expels some of the chewed egg out of her mouth.

He laughs and pulls out the extra napkins and offers her one. "Here you go."

She takes one napkin, and wipes her mouth clean. "Asshole," she says with a smile.