AO 7 Ch 13

"Come on, let's mingle." I grabbed the ladies and pulled them through the crowd before I spotted shocks of bright red Virel hair. "Ooh, Aurelia, it's your family!" I said hurriedly, freeing up my arms and switching to grab Aurelia more firmly. I pulled her forward and rushed towards the Virels, hoping they would be enough to buffer me from whatever interest the second prince had just shown in me. 

"While you're doing that, I'm going to get your dance card," Emlyn patted me on the shoulder. "And I'm going to fill it out based on our preferences." 

I frowned. "But there's enough of you that it's pretty much going to fill my dance card." 

Emlyn smiled, and I grinned back at her. "Perfect," we said in unison. 

"Sometimes the two of you terrify me," Ditsy commented. 

"What? We just understand each other," I said. 

"To an unhealthy degree," Missy added.

"Though it does bring some hope to me that I could find someone that I connected to at that level." Ditsy shook her head. "It's a shame you're so taken, Ard. It really is,"

I winked at her. "You're old enough that you'll live long enough that perhaps you could one day date my child." 

Not only her, but all of the ladies accompanying me shuddered at that.

"Too far?" I turned and asked. 

"There's the line, there's going over the line, and then there's kicking it over into the other field. You've done the latter," Zuri admonished me. 

"Ah, my bad," I said, refocusing on the Virels in front and picking up my pace with Aurelia tight to my hip.

“Thanks.” My mantikitten blushed and kissed me on the cheek as we moved towards the pack of Virels.

"Ah, Regis!" I exclaimed, breaking into the circle and greeting them one after another. "Mother-in-law, father-in-law," I bowed, dipping my head to both of them. 

"But if it isn't the wayward Aldis." Regis greeted me with a smile. "Your grandfather's quite cross with you." 

I waved a hand dismissively. "Let him be. Can you believe the first dinner I show up at and he invites Bianca?" I scoffed. "The gall to think that I had any more time." 

Regis chuckled, though my mother-in-law didn't quite find it as humorous as she stared at Aurelia and the two had a silent communication. 

"Well, it seems you're still keeping my little darling happy," Aurelia's mother wrapped her in a hug. "So, as long as that continues, I won't complain with whatever you decide to do." 

Amongst the Virels, there was one presence that stood out amongst the rest. And that was the legendary and elusive Uncle Silver. The old mage kept the Virel bestiary and had warned me about seeking too much power with my abilities and four spheres. The old man loomed over me despite his age beginning to shrivel his form. 

"Ah, the four-sphere mage," he looked at me critically before his eyes roamed over to Aurelia. 

"Uncle Silver," she said excitedly, a giant smile on her face as she hugged the scary old man who turned into a doting uncle the second she hugged him and pulled her back to get a good look at her.

"You seem healthy. Healthier than I would expect for the expedition that went behind in my lines." He checked her over as if to see if she had any scars. I knew for a fact that Uncle Silver had the serpent sphere and was likely also checking her with his magic. "You seem perfectly healthy, not a scratch on you, which I'm sure can't be true, since a Virel trains so hard that their hands bleed every day."

Aurelia blushed. "Ard shared his magic with us."

“That I did.” I said proudly. “They are my everything, so I guess they get what I have, down to the magic and everything.”

"Oh." Uncle Silver's eyes went wide and he looked to my other anchors for confirmation.

“It’s true.” Zuri said, meeting the terrifying old man’s eyes.

"Yeah, they just have a little of my magic. They can use it when they want." I scratched my cheek. "So, don't worry. If I ever get too greedy, they can always stop me." Unlike last time I met him, I didn’t feel like he could overwhelm me. Instead, I was worried about the judgement of someone Aurelia held in such high esteem.

The old man regarded me for a moment before clapping me on the shoulder. "I'm glad to see that you understand the true nature of the responsibilities that you hold. Nothing quite like deciding the fate, being asked to decide the fate of multiple kingdoms to really put things into perspective," I said with a chuckle, though no one else laughed.

"So it's true you are leaving the capital as soon as you're done here?" Uncle Silver asked, only for his gaze to go over the three goddesses as his brows pinched together. And at the same time, something seemed to occur to him. "Well, I suppose if that's the case, then it's likely for the best."

I shrugged. "The best for the kingdom, or the best for me?" I asked.

"The best for your family," Uncle Silver corrected me. "At least I hope it is."

"Oh, absolutely," I said, glancing back at my girls who were talking politely with the other Virels, "I don't think any of us want to dive into the political mire here."

"Well, trust me, the Virel family will weather this storm as we've weathered all of the others. We have no intention for the crown," he said. "Our job has always been and will always be raising another generation of young mages to help keep the kingdom clear of monsters, as well as chronicling those that have existed and how they came to be."

Only for me to get excited. "Ooh! We discovered a new beast." I turned to Aurelia.

"Did you now?" He asked politely.

Aurelia was nearly bouncing in place with a massive grin spread across her face. "Yes we did, Uncle Silver. Several actually, if you count the vampires." Aurelia glanced at me for confirmation.

"Sure. You can give him information about the crab, the vampires, what King Martin became, and heck, even a primer on the gods wouldn't be bad for the Virels to know."

Uncle Silver's eyes latched back onto me. "So you have met the gods."

"Met them?" I said and shook my head. "I have fought them and fought alongside them. Because it was a goddess that stood behind King Martin and helped him cause his atrocities."

"I’ve heard some of that from the children." Uncle Silver leaned on his cane as he looked at Regis, who was my grandfather’s age. "If Aurelia has time before you leave, I would love for her to help recount your adventures and these monsters."

Aurelia looked at me hopefully.

“I think she's free after the ball or before we leave, but we'll likely leave early tomorrow morning," I informed him.

"Well then, we'll have to enjoy the ball and hear about it later." With that, Uncle Silver turned away from me.

Emlyn slipped my dance card into my hands now that I was free. Sure enough, she had filled every spot on it. Which only made me grin like a loon, especially as I noticed a handful of women waiting hopefully in my wings.

"Sorry ladies," I said as the first one got off enough courage to come to me. "But it seems my dance card is already full." I held it out with a helpless look. Naturally the eligible bachelorettes were devastated at that revelation.

It was a travesty to the world order that I had a full dance card and I nearly wept for them.

"Well, thankfully, I don't need a dance," the Second Prince said, sweeping in from the side.

I wanted to curse as he approached. "Ah, Prince! How are you?" I kept a smile on my face, despite my feelings. I tried to remind myself that I just had to make it through the ball, and then I would be free and clear. 

"Ard, if you had a moment, I would like some of your time," the Second Prince smiled. He was too damn handsome, maybe I could throw those bachelorettes at him. Only for me to check and find they were fleeing from the prince. It seems the Royal Family was deeply unpopular.

"Oh, I'm not sure if you're aware, but unfortunately, I have to leave tomorrow.”

“You aren't sticking around in the capital?" he asked with a frown. 

"No, your sister hasn't told you?”

“I'm afraid that I even dressed in the carriage to make it here on time. I haven't had a chance to catch up with my sister. Perhaps I could get the information straight from the source," he smiled at me.

I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was going to make some sort of absurd offer that would rope me into this whole ordeal. 

Think, Ard, think, I thought to myself. There has to be a way out of this. Just then, I saw my mother wheeling through the crowd. More accurately, the two anchors that had been following her previously were moving through the crowd with a small space in front of them. An idea popped into my brain. Absurd as it was, it was utterly and completely perfect. 

"Hold on to that thought for just a moment. And follow me." I quickly pushed my way through the crowd, my anchors breaking off from their conversations to stick close.

The crowd parted before a group our size, and my mother scowled as she turned up to see me approach. "What have you done now?" 

"It's not what I've done, Mother, it's what I'm about to do," I said, turning back only to see the Second Prince struggling to move through the crowd. Those that jostled or got in his way completely ignored him. There was no respect left for the royal blood. 

I cleared my throat with a slight delay. "Allow me to introduce you to Mother, Second Prince. Second Prince, Gwen Aldis." 

My mother looked at me skeptically, as if trying to silently ask what the fuck I was doing. Yet I could only grin wide. 

"You may not know this, Mother, but from my previous talks with Bianca, she talked about how much her brother loves reviewing contracts. You love reviewing contracts, too," my mother deadpanned before it dawned on her what I was doing. 

"And listen to me, both of you," I reiterated myself as it was clear both of them were frowning inwardly. "You both understand the pressures of a decaying household only to lift it back up. My mother has fantastic experience with that, and you need someone with that experience," I said to the second prince, who now clearly was understanding what I was trying to do, which was hook my mother and him up. 

"Ard," my mother said, her tone harsh. 

"What? I'm just introducing you two. It's not like I'm asking you two to get married like my grandfather so clearly wanted for me. Well he wasn’t trying to get me to marry the prince. I’m rambling, anyway." 

The second prince frowned at me, and then glanced at my mother, seeking her opinion in all of this. 

"I swear I have no idea where I went wrong raising him. I do apologize for this, prince.” She glared at me angrily.

 “But mother, if it is important for the wayward child of the Aldis family to support it with marriage, it must be even more important for the matriarch of the Aldis family to do the same. As you've said yourself, House Aldis is in a position that we are such a threat that we must either take the crown or die. And here's the second prince.” I made a grand gesture. “Actually, he would be the crown prince if there was someone to actually do the formalities left in this world. I mean, with his authority and your power, mother, I think it is a match made in heaven. Not to mention, I hear you both like walks on beaches," I said, trying to find something that was completely universal.

My mother glared at me and then stared down at her legs. 

"It's a turn of phrase, rolling on beaches just doesn't come off the tongue quite the same," I said and stepped back. "Anyways, you two both should get to know each other." I grabbed both of them by the shoulder and tried to push them slightly closer, only to step back quickly and try and disappear into the crowd.

She until we at least had a small layer of murmurs between us and the two hopefully lovebirds and then Emlyn burst out in laughter.

She wasn't alone. The goddesses and Zuri soon followed, and even Eva couldn't hold it in. Everyone was laughing so hard that tears wet the corners of their eyes. 

"I can't believe you just tried to..." Emlyn gasped, having trouble breathing around her laughter. "I can't believe he just tried to matchmake those two." She held her gut. "Someone help me stop laughing or I'm going to bust this dress wide open." 

Emlyn was bracing herself when Ditzy swirled her finger. A touch of magic discreetly came off of it and pushed itself into Emlyn's dress. "Don't worry, I'll hold it together and repair anyone's that needs it." Ditzy bent over, nearly falling as she let out another uncontrollable bout of laughter.

"Har har. I think that was a stroke of genius. I mean, really. My mother, second prince." I put my hands together and made a kissing noise. "And then all of my problems are solved and I can go dance off into the sunset." 

"Oh," Emlyn let out a sigh of relief and wiped her eyes.

Missy produced a couple of handkerchiefs for everyone to dab at the corners of their eyes, lest they ruin their makeup. 

"If you'd truly like it, I could make it happen." Ditzy swirled a finger and pink magic danced off of it.

Emlyn's eyes lit up. 

"Oh, don't do that." I slapped her hand. "Have some respect for their dignity. I couldn’t mock my mother if I magically enforced it. No, if it happens naturally, I can hound her about it without guilt for the rest of my life." 

"Yes, Ard, that's why it's important," Emlyn deadpanned. 

"There are other reasons," I said quickly. "Just because I say one doesn't mean there aren't others." 

"It does tend to imply that was the most important one, at least in your mind," Zuri said. 

"Well, yes. But also, sometimes you stick with certain examples because they are the most humorous." Humor was an easy thing to hide behind. I cleared my throat. "Anyway, this ball is fantastic." 

I smiled at all of them and spotted a tray of drinks resting unattended by the edge of the party. Finally.

With a come-hither motion from my finger, it lifted up and brought itself across the room straight into my hands. More than a few people turned to watch the spectacle. As I passed drinks out to my ladies, I sent the tray flying back the way it came. 

"You literally just did that to show off," Emlyn said. 

"Yeah, of course," I said, frowning at her. "Why else would I do it?" 

"Sorry, of course. You were dressed so nice I forgot who I was talking to. Please, show off to your heart's content." Emlyn rolled her eyes and took a sip of her drink.

"I was going to, and I would like to say, for the record, I did not need your approval to do so. Also, you’re welcome for the drink." I added pointedly. 

"Well, that was interesting." The second prince managed to find me again.

"What, you left her already? I set that up, dude." I shook my fist at him. 

"What, are you so eager to call me Papa?" He said, only for my anchors to properly recoil at that comment. 

"Good luck," I said, and turned on my heels, only for him to grab me by the shoulder. 

"I apologize, that was perhaps, that was out of line." I didn't turn back around, but looked over my shoulder. 

"It was, and especially after I tried to help you. Truthfully, I think if you push, you could probably get a marriage from my mother. Just, if you ask me to call you Father, wait until after the marriage, so my mother can succeed you for the throne when I ram a spike of stone up your asshole far enough that you taste it." I took a step away this time. 

He didn't try and re-engage. 

"Well, I suppose I should try and cheer you up." Ditzy swept in and grabbed my arm, pulling me towards the dance floor with deft, graceful steps. “Thankfully, the dances are about to start.”