Later that night....
The twin moons hung in the sky, the silver light shining over the horizon, meanwhile in the Reys family's mansion, there was a crowd of nobles, chatting and trying to built connection, Okoto's grin was as joyful as always but this time it was filled with caution, his eye scanning the crowd of nobles conversation and movements.
'This felling....' he thought, his stomach tightening and sword on his hip, Zelda was in her room, Iris was spinning around the room, her red dress matching with the flames coming out of her.
"It's time" Zelda said, exiting the room with Iris and some soldier following them. The shadows outside the house leapt into another tree, following the two with their presence completely hidden.
"A-are you ready," Sylvia nervously asked, her white dress and glitters reflecting the lights of the mana core, Free was in his blue suit with a tie on his neck and a leather shoe made out of boars skin.
"Yeah" Free said, he opens the door and walk out with Sylvia, the ten rings shine under the sleeve due to nervousness and his guard as cautios as always.
In the hall of the mansion, nobles were still chatting when Zelda and Iris arrived, claps erupted and Zelda walked Iris to a chair and she sat down, gifts started to come, each nobles handing them gifts wrapped with expensive clothes and boxes. Iris accepted them quietly with a forced smile, while soldiers around her were scanning any sign of ambush, Okoto was nearby with Utto who was talking to a Duke.
"Hurry, we're late" Free said, his footsteos fast while Sylvia wawalking slowly due to her heels being too high. Free slowed diwn and sighed "Can't be help" he pick her up in bridal style and ran to the hall.
"F-Free wait, i c-can walk. Put me down!" Sylvia begged, her face red from embarrassment but Free shook his head and kept on running. 'I hope no one sees me like this!' she thohght, covering her face.
On the hall after the gift receiving, the nobles went back to their talk, while young nobles approach Iris.
"Lady Iris, its a pleasure to meet you" One noble kid bowed, Iris gave a forced smile, trying to maintain her calm while giving the kid a handshake.
"Can i handshake too" another ask, Iris nodded with her hsnd extended, Zelda was calm and elegantly sitting on her seat. As she was giving everyone a handshake, the crowd suddenly gone quiet, she tile her head and stared to the crowd where some other nobles even older one's couldn't keep their eyes off and it was Free and Sylvia who had just reached the party, Sylvia's beauty was inevitable.
"Sorry for being late" Free said, staring around at the crowd and he saw Okoto giggling on a chair, Both walked toward him and sat down. "Why are you giggling?" he asked.
"Well, it's just that your wife is too attractive that even nobles couldn't stop staring" he replied, laughing and smacking the table, Free turned to the crowd and they were staring at Sylvia, he didn't waste anytime and gave her his coat to hide her revealed from them.
"Is that a noble -w-with an elf?" on whispered, murmurs began everyone were staring at Free and Sylvia.
"I think i know that boy" one of the nobles saud, everyone's attention turn to that one noble. "I think he is the Chief of Hayan village, that rich and fertile village" gasp, surprise, shock and whispers began, as infront of their eyes was chief of Hayan village, the inventor of Ramen, hot spring and the only one holding them from claiming that territory.
One noble walk up to them, he gave a polite bow with a smile on his face "please to meet you chief of Hayan, i'm baron Zin do w-" before he could intrduce himself, he was cut off by Free.
"This us a party, so i would like to politely refuse" Free said, the noble's face twitched in anger but he stayed calm because of Okoto and Utto present with the two.
"W-Well then, forgive my interruption" the guy said and quickly went back in the crowd, others started to whispered among themselves.
"You should have listened till the end" Sylvia whispered, Free shrugged and take a juice from a waiter.
"He was about to propose protection or ties to the village and i won't let that happen" Free simply said, taking a sip from his juice, just then another came, but he was a young noble, maybe older from Free, the noble bend to his knees and takes Sylvia's hand, she flinched and Free's head tilt in anger.
"Young lady, would you like to have a con...." he paused sensing a very dangerous killing intent and it was Free staring at the guy's hand that was holding his wife's hand.
"Can you please let my wife's hand go" Free said, forcefully pulling the noble's hand away from Sylvia's, the guy take a step back and gave a dramatic cought, he gave a bow and left without another word.
"I'm proud" Okoto whisered to Utto and Utto gave a nod in agreement.
Now there was a silence between the crowd and Free, they had seen how Free's nature was and being backed by the Reys family, there was a risk, slowly Zelda and Iris joined in, enjoying the silence and the noble's crisis.
"I was never this amused" Zelda said, sipping her wine, Okoto was grinning eye to eye, while Free was holding Sylvia's hand tightly.
Slowly the lights went off, the dance was beginning, the two couple was sitting there when Iris pulled Sylvia and Free and push them to dance.
"Go, Shy couple!" she cheered in a low voice.
"F-Free, should w-we...." she whispered, Free oaused for a moment and nodded, he hold her by the waist and hand, the danced start, spin, move etc(idk much)....
"It's fun" Free said, the place got music was pleasing and Free was bringing his face close to Sylvia who closed her eyes when she noticed his face being too near, both were just about to kiss when...
BOOOOOM!!....
Something outside exploded, applause, screams, and panic erupted, slowly men in black cloaks broke through window and door, blocking every escape way, sorrounding everyone, Free's Rings shined sensing danger.
"That damn Moreti, i knew he was plotting somethingb" Okoto whispered, taking out his sword with a angered face, smile already gone, while Free shielded Sylvia with his hands and the fat noble between the crowd grinned on a corner watching it all unfold.
And outside, the other shadow watched the chaos brewing inside the mansion as the long hair swayed with the air, while in the crowd a tall guy with masculine physique, white mask covering the eye and a blue robe was standing silently, his batch standed out from others, a small knife in his pocket, staring at the cloaked peoples with a straight face, the trouble has only began.
To be continued...