The yelling and screaming coming from the non-invited masses hit his ears as the carriage made its way to the entrance of the Imperial pallace, once it stopped he could really see how many people accumulated on the sides of the red carpet leading towards the open gate, guards everywhere making sure no one was to break in, he stepped down from the carriage, hearing someone call out his name he looked around and saw Katlyn, she waved at him with a smile on her face, she wore a long, flowing dress that tightened around her chest and left her arms and shoulders exposed, it had a deep blue color, streaks of light blue and shined with tiny white sparkles like stars, around her neck the same polished blue quartz he had given her.
Katlyn: [Leif! C'mon!]
He stepped towards her and when he got closer she put her arm around his,despite being a bit shorter then her when they met, for the past few months he had grown to the same height, he felt his hear jump a bit at the closeness but the smile in her face as they both walked towards the gate soothed his mind.
???: [Kirthian Princess!! Look here!!]
???: [Princess!!]
They screamed at her as she passed, she waved at them with a smile, when they both reached the gate the guards allowed her to pass but one of them stood in front of him.
???: [Name?]
Leif was a bit bothered by that but resorted to tightening his grip and looking calm.
Leif: [Leif Crows.]
The guard pressed a finger on his ear, where he seemed to have shoved a tiny stone.
???: [Leif Crows...]
After a few seconds he stepped aside and allowed the boy to pass, Katlyn was waiting for him on the other side, she quickly resumed her armhugging as soon as she could, they both walked through the main path up to the entrance, her eyes roamed over the beautiful garden and the camps and lakes that surrounded the pallace, once they walked up the stone stairs a butler awaited on the entrance, the two large redwood doors open for all to enter.
???: [Madam, Sir, please take one...]
The old man with a white moustache said offering them both masks, a one made from deep black hard wolf, resembling a wolf, with long ears and a furrowed snout, and the other made with a thin and light white material decorated with golden details, resembling a cat, with big sharp eyes and rounded ears, Leif took the cat one and offered to her as he took the wolf one for himself.
Leif: [Here.]
Katlyn: [Why that one?]
Leif: [I dont have Kat on my name...]
She smiled and took it, tying a not on the back of her head, fixing the mask over her face, she looked back at him.
Katlyn: [So... do i look good?]
Leif: [Yeah... i can still see your eyes.]
Even behind the mask he could see her face reddening, she hurried in front and he followed suit, tying the mask behind his head and fixing it over his face, they both entered the pallace, another butler led them up a long flight of stairs and to the right, a short walk to the right they where lead down another flight of stairs to the ballroom of the Imperial pallace, as expected from such a prestigious place, the ballroom was a masterpiece of opulence and splendor, designed to awe everyone who entered, the indoor section, where the array of different food where displayed in three different tables, golden roasted meats, colorful platters of fruits and desserts, and intricately decorated pastries that looked like works of art, other smaller round tables around surrounded by chairs for the guests, butlers walked around bringing all kinds of different beverages, the ceiling stood high above, decorated with paintings and chandeliers, three large glass doors with golden frames led to the outside section where the guests enjoyed their time under the open sky, the floor composed of polished stone led to a large ledge that offered a beautiful view of the lake, shining with the reflection of the moon and the stars.
Karol: [Katlyn, sweetie!]
Called out the woman from one of the small round tables where she sat with her husband, the two smiled as they saw her, Leif and Katlyn walked down the stairs, stepping closer to her table, her mother got up and hugged her.
Miro: [Kitten...]
The man swallowed the two with his arms, once they separated she hit his shoulder.
Katlyn: [Stop calling me that!]
They both chuckled and turned their eyes to Leif.
Karol: [It's good to see you once more, young man.]
Leif: [Of course ma'am.]
He tried to be as respectful as possible, rendering to her in one of the only ways he had heard women be referred to that they didn't involve cussing.
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Miro: [I hope you've been taking care of yourself... and with how you act around my daughter.]
Katlyn: [Dad!!]
She pushed his shoulder as he laughed, taking Leif's and pulling him away.
Katlyn: [C'mon, let's get out of here!]
She pulled him away as her parents chuckled, throught the night they talked with a lot of people Leif had no idea who where, but who where apparently very important, nobles of kinds he didn't even know about, then someone he knew arrived, with long silver hair tucked behind her long and fluffy ears, sharp blue eyes with slitted black pupils.
Leif: [General Adellianna...]
She glared at him, but once she noticed who it was, her gaze seemed to soften.
Adellianna: [Ah, it's you, boy.]
Leif: [It's good to see you once more.]
Adellianna: [Have you passed the entrance exam?]
Leif: [Ah, yes.]
Adellianna: [Good, continue on like this, do not disappoint me, child.]
Leif: [Yes, ma'am.]
He responded as she stepped away, her sharp heels clicking against the floor.
Katlyn: [You know General Silvers? I could never talk to her properly, she scares me a little.]
Leif: [She was the one who told the Academy about my existence a long time ago.]
Katlyn: [When you were a soldier?]
Leif: [Yeah, when i worked for General Persworth.]
???: [Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen! A word from our Emperor, Allaster Von Pallaccia!]
A voice sounded from the top of the flight of stairs, a butler stood by the side of the old man, with a crown of gold and adorned with jewels and gems of all colors, engraved dragons and lions, he had a long and thin golden beard and a half head of golden hair, his eyes where sulked and so where his cheeks, with long uncut nails.
Allaster: [Honored guests, citizens and allies of our glorious Pallaccia, in this blessed night we unite to celebrate the passing of another year, to celebrate the victories and triumphs that shape this beautiful Empire, and to thank the spirits for another year of perils and conquests!]
The hundreds of guests that stood on the room erupted into a ovation, then after a few seconds returned to their endeavors as the servants lifted the Emperor’s chair off the ground and slowly mad their way down the stairs, on the bottom he was warmly welcomed by his three children, the first prince, a tall, imposing and handsome man with a thick golden beard, the second prince, younger and with finer features, and the third princess, a beautiful young woman with a mane of thick golden hair.
???: [Excuse me, miss.]
They both turned to see the same young, tall and golden haired boy that had invited Katlyn to dance on Allera's ball.
Katlyn: [Mr.Denvor.]
???: [You look beautiful as always, Miss Himezawa, your parents have called you to discuss a private matter.]
He spoke eloquently, she looked at Leif.
Leif: [See you later?]
She smiled.
Katlyn: [See you later.]
They both walked off, Denvor stood back for a second and glared at Leif, but quickly turned back to walk with Katlyn, the boy sighed, maybe he had attracted some bad attention, he turned aswell, his bladder was full, stepping closer to one of the butlers who stood next to the food table.
Leif: [Where's the bathroom?]
???: [Down the hall on the left of the stairs.]
Under the main stairway there where two corridors on each side, the one on the right led to the kitchen the other led to the bathrooms, he made his way through the hall, passing through dozens of closed doors, every couple of meters a runic lamp illuminated the corridor, the noises and voices coming from the ball begun to fade away, after a few seconds moving he heard something he shouldn't have.
???: [....like this and you'll be meeting matriarch soon enough.]
???: [You people better not be lying to me...]
???: [Worry not, the light of the pale moon shines upon you, child.]
He stopped suddenly and felt their attention be focused on him, then suddenly he felt one of the presences disappear, the remaining one stepped closer and revealed itself once it turned on the corridor, pale skin, long silky blonde hair, green eyes and a irritating smile.
Kallum: [Leif.... it's been a long time...]
He felt a surge of anger hit him, he had the bastard right there, a single punch to the fave and his pretty little fave would've been ruined.
Leif: [Kallum... a long time since you stabbed my back...]
Kallum: [I hope you're holding resentment against me, as i've said before, i trully did not wish to do such things.]
Leif: [But you still did it didnt you?]
Kallum: [Yes, but only as a way to attract attention to myself, and with how talented you are, i'm sure you had no problem passing the test afterwards.]
Leif gritted his teeth, just a punch, just one, but even that would be enough to ruin the ball wouldn't it?
Leif: [You... two faced bas-]
???: [Ah, boys!]
They two turned their eyes once they felt the overwhelmingly powerful pressure coming their way, as if their souls where being crushed by the old man with a long grey beard to match his hair, dressed with a beautiful decorated grey robe, the man had a strong nose and kind eyes, but the terrible pressure made the boys more afraid of the kind looking elder in front of them then if a evil spirit had incarnated from hell, then the pressure dissipated, they both felt as if a enormous pressure had been lifted off their heart, still Leif's hand remained on the hilt of his sword.
???: [I apologize for my intrusion, but you two are both children who took the entrance exam to the Academy aren't you?]
Kallum: [Uhh.. Yes... could you be...]
???: [Oh, i'm no one young man, tonight i'm only here to celebrate...]
Leif scratched the back of his head.
Leif: [Whatever, out of my way...]
He pushed Kallum out of the way and walked off, finally making his way to the bathroom, he relieved himself and walked to the washroom to wash his hands, a behaviour he had picked up because he liked the smell of flowers in his hands, the was assured that the bar of soap was the best invention of the Pallaccian Empire.
???: [Child.]
Suddenly a strange darkness begun to consume the room, he felt a shiver come down his spine, he couldnt move at all, as if his limbs had been frozen all over, he could see shadows swallow his body, crawling up his arms and legs, then he felt something press against his cheeks, something sharp but not like a knife, a nail?
???: [The child with the blue flames.]
A figure of darkness seemed to exposed itself, with eye shining like scalding hot melted gold, staring directly into his eyes with a predatory gaze, he still remained frozen, like his entire body had been locked away from his consciousness, he couldnt even breathe.
???: [We have our eyes on you as well, child.]
Then, someone knocked on the door of the bathroom.
Adelise: [Are you there, Leif?]
The shadows seemed to dissipate, and on the next second everything was back to normal, he inhaled deeply, his lungs where crying out for air, holding his throat and huffing wildly, holding on the wall as his legs seemed to fail.
Leif: [Y-yes...]
He walked towards the door, wondering what the hell was even that, that was the same voice he heard talking to Kallum before, but why did that person appear to him, and calling him "child with the blue flames", how could they know of his blue rune?
Leif: [Adelise..?]
He pushed the bathroom door open and looked out for her, she was standing on the side of the door.
Adelise: [I told you Lis lis fine, didn't it?]
Leif: [What do you want?]
Adelise: [So mean... your little friends mother is looking for her.]
Leif: [Katlyn?]
Adelise: [Her mother told me she ran away while they were talking or something, have seen her?]
He passed by her, walking away.
Adelise: [H-hey!]
He walked out of the corridor, turning to the right and walking up the stairs, he had an idea of where Katlyn would be, he walked all the way back to the pallace entrance and to the garden, he made his way through the paths among the flowers and bushes, then stepped on the grass, all the way to the edge of the lake by the right side of the pallace, where the she was sat, gazed at the stars reflecting on the lakes surface, hugging her legs closer to her body, Leif took his coat off, staying only his white linen shirt as he draped it over her shoulders, he sat by her side in silence, once he looked at her she glanced away, pulling his coat over her face.
Leif: [What is it?]
Katlyn: [It's... it's nothing...]
They sat by eachother in silence for a few minutes, gazing at the water, then she slowly leaned over, with her head on his shoulder.
Katlyn: [My... parents, they want me to get married to Mr.Denvor...]
Leif: [That blonde guy?]
Katlyn: [Y-yeah... they want me to marry him once i turn 16...]
Leif: [Is that why you ran away?]
Katlyn: [I mean... he's nice... but married?]
Leif: [Do you think your parents will force you?]
Katlyn: [They wouldn't but... i dont want to disappoint them, in the end it would be the best for the family, even if i don't want it...]
Leif: [Do you think they'd want you to think like that?]
She remained silent, lifting her head from his shoulder, he felt a tug on his shirt, glancing I'm her direction he saw her staring at him, her cheeks slightly flushed, she leaned over to him more and more, omce he saw her closing her eyes he closed his aswell, slowly their lips met, soflty, he could feel the heat of her skin and the beating of her heart, synchronizing with his little by little.