Jen, a friend.

I was hiding in the roaring crowd as I drank the cup of wine I stole from my duchess.

Duchess. I still can't believe I have to call my best friend that. But I still have immense pride that my friend hasn't made me feel wrong for calling her the title she deserves. Another cheer and I saw Vanessa's beaming smile. She can never hide how much he loves the crazy lunatic who pretends he is a noble.

I never tell her, I never will but I have been weary of this Duke since the blizzard. Saved our behinds, he did, but the thrill he took from it, the joy he had in battle made me wonder. Would he like peace?

A moral man, he seemed. But only because it was on our side. The notion gives him a reason to fight. If he doesn't have a reason anymore, would he look for one?

Vanessa still can't keep her eyes off him as Tarion escorted her to the middle of the ballroom. Totally captured. Heart and soul.

But the same for the dragon-eyed warrior. Those intimidating eyes looked so softly at her every movement as he twirled her like a doll made of the lightest paper. They laughed together, surprised at their own compatibility. Couples froze, impressed by the show. Like mating birds, they swoop around the ballroom with athleticism only the strongest in land can have.

A gold cup was slammed on a table. I turned, seeing a tipsy cardinal wipe his mouth of wine.

“What's wrong, Blondie?" I asked. “No one to dance with?” I could barely hide my pleasure at his discomfort.

“Fuck off.” Off he stormed like a child. What Vanessa went to learn from him I still could not figure out. I wished she could tell me. I felt like she was hiding more and more from me. Day after day I wait for her to finally reveal and day after day I am disappointed.

I saw my best friend smiling as she spun to her husband's embrace.

I can wait.

Vanessa

The music ended and a chorus of claps awakened me from the dream. I wished the music could continue forever more.

“Quite the dancer you are, Vanessa.”

“Thank you. I was so worried about my first time.”

Tarion cut in. “First time dancing? Ever?”

“Well… I did practice sometimes by myself with…a long-sleeved tunic.”

The corner of Tarion's mouth quivered.

“I was young, alright!” I blushed. “After watching my sister's lessons from the crack in the door, I had to try somehow.”

“Haha, nothing to be ashamed of. I had actually to take lessons!” My husband rested his forehead on mine. While slower music played, we rocked back and forth. “In fact, you are bloody amazing.”

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“Stop with compliments. They are too much to handle.” I said under my breath.

“Mm?”

“I said, did you notice something? Any change in your body?”

Tarion looked down at his chest and thigh. “Wha, I feel... nothing! Did you!?!”

Five circles churned and I summoned an unknown power in my hand.

“I may only be able to heal one at a time but my lessons with the priest were not a waste.”

Arms like tree trunks, the duke picked me up. My legs wiggled as Tarion spun me around the hall.

“If you don't want me to give you so many compliments, don't be so amazing.”

***

“His Highness.”

“Oh, lands above.. don't remind me of him.”

“He let you go just like that?”

“Just. Like. That.” Tarion slouched on the white-painted wooden bench in the city hall garden. “He has no choice. Even with his immense strength, he let the sacrifices go on under his rule.”

“He could end it all,” I said. “Wipe maize from the map. Wolfburn would be no more.”

“And by doing so, he is admitting to making the mistake of giving the Wolfburn so much power.”

“Giving. Strange how we can talk about a prince having this much power.”

Tarion agreed. “Even kings lower themselves to ninth circles. And after subjugating the shaved, he earned the power. But fuck talking about my cousin. The cursed, any updates?.”

I instantly remembered the thousands of reports coming across the dukedom. “It's getting bad. Your regiments Alpha Beta and Gamma have been stretched thin. Kurt has gone on multiple monster-hunting excursions with a gloomier face each time. Joshua- opps…” Was supposed to keep it a secret.

Tarion smirked as he came closer to listen.

Lands above, he is handsome.

“I'm sorry, Tarion. He kept pleading, wanting to help. And when we need help-”

“It's okay. Joshua needs experience. If you know, you must have taken precautions and not let those who shouldn't know, know.”

I agreed and continued my report. “More human cursed have appeared.”

“Mm. Explains why you needed the red-haired fool.”

“Stronger monsters are getting possessed. Tarion I…Am I supposed to fix this? You tell me it will get worse. How?!”

A rough hand caressed my cheek. “The future is for me to worry about. Think of the now. Think of how you alone won the battle for Kirgfeild and tricked the Wolfburn army from miles away. Every cog placed by you is turning and working as you planned. Do not worry.”

Tarion stood from the bench, picking something from his back. He opened the wooden box.

“I have- Mm. Bullocks.” His cheery face fell and he inspected the inside of the box. “Shit. Albino bastard. Anaemic fuck.” my husband hissed. Like a famed discus thrower, he slung the box into the sky so far it would reach the lands above by morning.

“What the…”

“I wanted to show you a trick I learned.” He smiled again. “My carriage is a bit dirty, wanna fly? You like flying, right?. Let's fly.”

Carried like I weighed less than air, his arm around my waist giving me nervous tingles in my stomach.

“Let's go somewhere fun,” I asked.

Tarion's smile turned evil. “Fun for you or me?”

“Your turn this time.” I felt I would regret this.

The wind pulled my face and the city hall lay hundreds of meters below. “An actual fun date it is.”

"Oh, shut up, hehe! Wait, what about Jeeeeeeeee-!”

My dress fluttered in the cold as he jetted towards the sketchiest area of Osberg City, Black shade.