14 Mingling

Bathed and dressed, our Hero entered the banquet hall accompanied by "three beautiful women." His mother, his retainer, and the suspicious guard Michelle. How odd for him. He considered the area before him, glancing to his mother beside him and offering his arm.

"So, may I officially have the honor of escorting you, mother dear?"

"Well," she replied demurely, her eyes dancing with mischief, "Just this once should be fine. Pay mind to your father, dear, you know how he can get sometimes."

"Yes... Yes, of course, mother!" Ian beamed happily and, as his mother rested a hand on his arm, he rested his atop hers, escorting her to the table.

"This can't all be for us, can it?" the half-elf asked from Ian's far side.

"Well, not quite," Megan replied, flashing her a quick smile. "Officially, yes, but unofficially we're also receiving guests."

"Hmm?" the boy interjected, curious.

"Ah, Lord Parteru arrived this morning to ask if we'd seen his daughter. The timing was rather good, I expect."

"I see... Ah, Sunny's father?"

"Indeed... though perhaps you shouldn't address her in such a familiar fashion with her family present, hmm?"

"Of course not," the boy replied in that tone of voice that hinted that he hadn't thought about it at all, "That would be too rude, I suppose."

"That it would," his mother agreed with a warm smile. The trio, flanked by Ellea's keeper, came to a halt near the head of the table. His father had already risen to pull out a chair for his dear mother, so the youth took the time to smile happily and hide his inner annoyance at the old man.

"Well, here you are mother. I suppose I should socialize a bit, hmm?"

"Don't take too much time. Ah, I know, I'll reserve a seat nearby for you and your retainer, hmm?"

James started to cut in, but as soon as he'd started his wife gave him a look. He immediately went silent, sweating just a bit.

"Well then, I'll be along, shall I?" Ian asked as much as stated, though he didn't stick around for an answer. Waving, he gathered his entourage and headed toward the soldiers' tables.

"Ah... Michelle, was it?" the boy asked as they approached the tables set aside for officers and those merchants that were too rich to ignore, but not wealthy enough to sit at the family table. "Anyone here you can introduce us to?"

"U-uhm..." She was hesitating, but he firmly waved her forward. She was looking at people with a sense of hopelessness until spotting a lower-ranking Lieutenant. With an almost suppressed sigh of relief, she called out to him. "Hey, L T! Got a minute?"

The complex emotions running through that poor officer's face were easy enough to read. First annoyance, then curiosity, followed by surprise as he noticed both Ian and his retainer. "Ah, yes, what can I do for you all?"

"I'm going to need to borrow you and fifty or so of your worst archers in a week or so, can you help me with that?" Ian asked, looking a bit eager.

"Hmm? I don't see that being a problem but... why, exactly, m'lord?"

"Oi! It's not for you to question why, it's your lot in life to do or to die!"

"Yes my lord!" the poor lieutenant said, standing to attention and saluting.

Ian snorted, "S-sorry, I've just always wanted to say that. Relax, relax. We'll be testing a new weapon to see if your worst archer can hit a target. Nothing more exciting than that, I promise."

"I... I see. Thank you for sharing, m'lord.

"Sure, sure. I'm a generous fellow... even if everyone seems to think I'm an idiot. Don't look at me like you haven't suspected such a thing and don't bother trying to be nice about it. How are the soldiers doing? Need anything?"

"Ah... All is well m'lord, rest assured. Though, I'm sure that lot wouldn't mind more ale."

"Ale... sounds fair enough. I'll mention it to the right people. Keeping them happy is a high priority for me."

"Ah, thank you, my lord. I know the troops will be pleased."

"I hope so," the boy replied sheepishly. "It feels like some kind of bribe, as though I could buy their favor, but I don't think such cheap tricks would work on our soldiers."

"All the same," the lieutenant said warmly, "I can promise that they'll appreciate the gesture, regardless of your reasons."

The boy nodded, looking thoughtful. "Well, that's fine. Right!" He nodded twice, firmly, "I'll be keeping these two as my personal retainers, is it going to cause any trouble? Father doesn't mind but it's only right to clear it with her officer, right?"

"Eh? B-both of them?" he asked for a moment, staring at the half elf just behind him. "I mean, right, of course m'lord. It will be no problem."

"Good man. What's your name, Lieutenant?"

"Ah, Markus, m'lord, at your service."

"Indeed... I'd like to think the actions of one's subordinates are a direct reflection on their officers." Ian hooked a thumb toward Michelle, "This is a good one and she only adds to your reputation. So, ah... I'd like you to be the head of my personal guard unit. I have to clear it with my father, mind you, but would you mind it?"

"Ah, if your father commands it I'll be honored to serve you. I'll have a pair of sergeants by the names of David and Ezekiel look in on you, soon."

"Oh! Thank you, Lieutenant Markus, I'll look forward to meeting them soon. Well then, I'm interrupting your meal so... I'll let you get to it."

Markus nodded, accepting his dismissal and returning to his meal as the boy gathered his followers with a glance and took them from table to table, greeting various merchants, soldiers, and minor noblemen. It was fair to call it more of a meet and greet than a series of conversations.

There was one notable individual the youth ran across, though it was more of by accident than by design. Ian had just bid farewell to the umpteenth noble looking for closer relations with his family when someone tapped on his shoulder.

Tossing his hair, the boy turned around, hands on his hips. He offered an intentionally vacant smile as his eyes found the individual whom had dared touch him. With a mental snort of self-derision, the teenager offered a half-bow.

"Welcome friend, the day is yours," he ad-libbed cheerfully. Then, as if he hadn't a brain cell in his head, he added, "Whatever shall we speak about?"

His first impression wasn't great. The closer was some kid who was sixteen, if that, with a very sour look on her face. She held her hand as though she'd been forced to reach into the sewer, against her will, to retrieve something worthless.

Pale blonde hair ran down her back, her ivory-pale skin lay in stark contrast to that of any other person the boy had met to that date, including on Terra. The disgust he read in her pale blue eyes excited the youth, making him interested in reaching out to lightly caress her cheek, just to mess with her.

Beside this beauty was a cool, dark haired maiden that might have been around his age. Her skin was rather flushed so it was hard to be sure, though she seemed a bit darker than her companion at a glance.

Her green eyes were appraising him and, for a moment, she showed disappointment... then her eyes met his and he felt the all too familiar shock of recognition. He staggered, leaning against Michelle a moment and rapidly shaking his head to clear it.

In response to her look, which was all too suddenly interested in him, the youth found himself blushing, a dawning look of surprise on his face. "I... Hey, we've met. Ah, that is," he cleared his throat, bowing to the well dressed ladies before him.

"Your highness, my lady Laluna of the Lunarian Kingdom, it's my pleasure to greet you on such a day as this. I prithee, forgive my earlier rudeness, I was being rude and a bore."

"Oh my," the dark haired beauty said in a rich voice, the coldness seeming to have melted just a little. "Things are finally looking up. The people of this little province are so dull, I'd feared I would never find someone worth my attention... yet here you are. Whatever shall we talk about, indeed."

With a mischievous grin, the youth leaned a little closer, blue eyes sparkling, "Wanna run away with me for a little while? Think of how much fun it'll be picturing the faces of the guard as they desperately try to find out both where we've gotten off to and what we could possibly be getting up to!"

"Tempting," she replied, not sounding in the least bit tempted. "Rumor has it you saved some kin from Deimos Hold? It sounds like an adventure! Care to lighten my boredom while talking about it?"

"Well, your highness... I'd never care to disappoint a lady." Looking around, he indicated a spot out of the way, "Perhaps over there?"

"Well... I don't mind if you don't," she replied lightly, "Will you lend me your arm?"

"Naturally," the youth said easily, offering his arm. "Shall we?"

"Don't mind if we do," she replied, gently laying her warm hand atop his arm.