As they walked away from the inn, Dandy and Maris followed closely behind, continuing their attempts to convince Rose to return to their family mansion. The town around them had beastkin of various shapes and sizes bustled about, some riding on drakes while others pulled hover carts. The air was filled with the sounds of chatter, the clinking of metal, and the hum of advanced machinery.
“Rose, you know that Maris is a fine match for you,” Dandy pleaded, his voice carrying a note of desperation.
Maris nodded in agreement, his eyes fixed on Rose with a determined expression. “Mistress Rose, thine assure thee, thy servant is devoted to thy happiness. Please reconsider.”
Rose rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed by their persistence. “I don’t need your protection or your matchmaking, Dandy. I can make my own decisions.”
Their conversation was interrupted as they approached Captain Galewae. The captain was standing near the edge of a bustling marketplace, his eyes scanning the crowd. Above them, the massive airship, the Dread Knot, hovered ominously, casting a shadow over the town. Galewae was overseeing the loading of supplies onto a smaller paddle boat. His steward, Buck Noname, was busy lifting crates and barrels, his muscular frame glistening with sweat.
Rose wasted no time in voicing her frustrations. “Captain Galewae, your son Sang doesn’t see me as a bride. He refuses to honor our arrangement.”
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Galewae’s expression hardened as he turned to Sang. “Sang, you have a duty to uphold the contract made by our families. Breaking prior arrangements brings dishonor to our house.”
Sang sighed, clearly frustrated. “Father, I’d rather marry a witch like Joyce.” His words caused Joyce to blush deeply, her eyes widening in surprise.
“Sang, you can’t just disregard our family’s moral code!” Galewae insisted, his voice rising.
Sang shook his head, his jaw set in defiance. “I won’t be forced into a marriage I don’t want.”
Rose, feeling the weight of the argument, stepped forward. “This isn’t just about what you want, Sang. It’s about my future. You wont just throw me away.”
Dandy and Maris, realizing their efforts were in vain, finally decided to leave. “We’ll be back, Rose,” Dandy said, his tone resigned. “We’ll see if you change your mind.”
Maris bowed deeply, the metal of his full plate armor clinking softly with the movement. “Until next time, Mistress Rose,” he intoned solemnly.
Dandy walked beside him, his shoulders slumped in defeat. The gravel crunched under their boots as they made their way down the path.
Rose watched them go, her expression that of frustration. “Go eat shit,” she yelled.
Sang turned to his father, his expression serious. “Father, can you take us to Dr. Twice’s farm? We need to get Dante examined.”
Galewae nodded, his stern demeanor softening slightly. “Very well. Let’s go.” Buck Noname, the steward, finished securing the last of the supplies and began casting the fly spell on the paddle boat with them on it, preparing to transport them to the Dread Knot.