“Your Grace.”

Visha appeared in the hallway beside Julian. She was her usual professional self, though he noticed she looked him up and down in a not-so-subtle side eye.

She must have heard he was attacked.

“Ah, is it that time?” Julian looked back at the door he’d just come from and sighed. “You can finish up for the rest of the evening. I think we are done for tonight.”

Visha nodded curtly. “Then if there is nothing else, I will see you tomorrow.”

She walked off down the hallway towards the ball. Julian had half expected the elf to go to bed, but instead, she marched towards the music with a purpose.

“Hm.” He wondered where she was headed. After another look at the door to Lady Amy’s room, Julian decided that a moment wouldn't hurt. He casually followed behind his second in command.

While she entered the hall, Julian stopped to lean against the wall of the entry way.

Visha walked straight over to the food table, where Sir Tully was eating pinpin fruit from a small plate he was holding. The fruits were pink, small and round and popped with a single bite. Visha slapped Sir Tully on the back, causing the human to startle and pop juice on his chin. He turned on the elf, wiping his face with his sleeve. Tully said something that made Visha chuckle, and then the elf reached out and stole one of the pinpin fruit off his plate, plopping it in her mouth.

After a moment, Tully put his plate down and dragged the seemingly unwilling Visha onto the dance floor for a song.

“Hm.” He said again, pushing off the wall and walking back up the hallway. It was unexpected… or maybe it wasn’t.

Julian wasn’t a romantic. Every member of his party could've been in love and he wouldn’t have noticed a longing glance or heated look if it had happened right in front of his face... until now.

Now, it was all he could think of. Every small action, kind gesture or physical touch had him guessing himself. It was almost obsessive.

He’d even sent Visha to set up and guard the resting room tonight. He’d made General Visha Hemsworth, one of his most trusted, prepare infused water and homemade poison-free treats on the chance that Miss Gerda would like a break from the ball.

Something was wrong with him.

Julian returned to Lady Amy's room and waited. He also decided now would be a good time to drink a mid-grade [Mana Potion] to offset the fact that he’d been using his Divine Shield Arts all evening, and still had Gerda under his [Guard]. At this rate he'd need another before bed.

It was easy to say that everything was purely for the sake of Miss Gerda being Madame Potts, and his responsibility as her escort… but was that really all? The nervous clench of his hands and the deep pit in his stomach said otherwise.

He had a lot to think about, and not enough time.

“Julian?” Gerda opened the door, interrupting unfinished thoughts. She hurried to close the door behind her.

“Are you finished?” He asked, pitching his voice low and quiet so only she could hear.

“I am.” Gerda glanced over her shoulder at the door and then sighed. “I think she'll be fine. Though I had to get a bit… creative.”

“How so?” Julian pushed aside his inner turmoil. Listening to her was more interesting than his own indecision.

“I used one of my powers that doesn't work very well these days.” She clenched her hands in her skirts so Julian scooped one arm into his own and started walking them back towards the music.

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“Oh?” He urged her to continue.

Gerda explained, “One of my oracle abilities can be used on anyone at any time… but it doesn't show me what’s going to happen to them next; it shows me their future if I hadn't interfered.”

“Ah,” he squeezed the hand resting on his arm and pulled her to a clear spot against the wall, close to the dancers but far from the others mingling on the sidelines. “Not very helpful when you've done so much?”

She followed his lead.

“I figured I could look into what Lady Amy would've been up to if she wasn’t here, now, and falling in love… and it wasn't pretty.” Gerda’s voice was full of frustration, angry at a timeline that had never come to pass. “She wanted to know who she should be with to get a Happily Ever After, so I peeked at her life to see.”

Julian waved away a servant offering them drinks, having had enough poison attempts for the evening. He could pull out his own beverage if it came to that. “Setting the future doesn't mean you can guarantee a perfect partner, even if you could see the best future for her. Life is full of ups and downs and choices - and Luck.”

“I told Lady Amy that if she follows the path set out by her father, that she will end up alone. Instead, she should follow her heart.” Gerda said, looking up at the floating lights overhead. Warm light brightened her face, showing concern and care etched into her expression. “I don’t know if that was the best thing to do… but it felt like the right thing to say.”

“That is all you can do.” Julian dragged his eyes away from the troll, sweeping the room to see who was still there. King Keith and Queen Henrietta had turned in early it seemed, and so had his sister and her new wife. They might already be on their escape to the Empire of Sands. The younger debutantes they’d spoken with earlier, Shiro and the lot, were standing over by the open doors to the patio, enjoying the cool evening air.

“Her father isn't going to like a Rogue son-in-law.” Julian mused. He'd met Duke Briarthorn, and the elf was as stiff as ironwood.

“Her father doesn't have a say anymore.” Gerda stated firmly. “She’s of age now so he’ll just have to live with her choices.”

Gerda let out a long sigh and then lifted her free hand, drawing Julian’s attention. She was suddenly offering him a teacup. “Would you like some tea? I usually have a cup around this time; I like something warm before bed.”

The image of her snuggled up in her bed, in her room, enjoying a cup of tea and a book before turning off the light, made him smile. “I’d love one.”

No sooner had he took the cup and she was holding a pot of steaming hot tea. He let out a short breath, impressed. “Your storage keeps things hot?”

“Yes.” She poured him a cup, and the smell of steeped blackberry tea reached his nose. He breathed in the warm air rising from the teacup and appreciated the scent. Her storage had to be Epic quality, at least, to keep things in perfect stasis.

He smiled and nodded when she offered him milk and honey and a tiny stir spoon. Then she made herself a cup.

They were standing there, watching the dancing and festivities and sipping their tea, when she slowly leaned toward him, her shoulder against his arm, and said, “Thank you for escorting me tonight, Your Grace. I had a wonderful time. Assassination attempt and all.”

“It wouldn’t be a party without at least one assassination attempt.” He joked. Then he turned to face her. “And it’s not over yet. You still owe me that dance.”

“Do I have to wait until the last dance?”

“No.” He answered, and a smile lit up her face.

“Good. Because I’m ready for bed.” She downed the last of her tea and stored it. He was holding back a laugh as he offered her back his own near empty cup, and it vanished.

They made their way onto the floor, and enjoyed a long, slow dance. Holding Gerda in his arms was torture when he was already fighting with himself over the attraction he felt for the troll - and yet, it was even harder letting her go at the end.

It was just past sunset, the stars only begun to light up the sky, when Julian escorted Gerda back to her room.

On a whim, he lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. “Good night, Miss Gerda.”

She stared at her hand and then up at him. “Good night, Duke Julian.”

He wondered what it would be like to actually kiss her. Would her cute tusks get in the way? Would her freckles turn pink?

Would he be able to stop with just a kiss?

And then it was over. She went inside her room and closed the door and he was standing alone in the west-wing hallway.

He stuffed his hands into his pockets and walked back to his own rooms at a calm pace… while his mind was a mess of one bridge troll who had turned his entire life upside down in a matter of days.

On another whim, Julian downed another potion and left his [Guard] up for the night.

He didn’t think he was going to get much sleep as it was.