9  A formal dance between the two?

We are both about seven by now. Yes! We survived! Nicosar has given his approval to our acting, thus our parents organized a great celebration. They invited members from all noble houses of both countries. 

It is meant as our introduction to the public. But..... 

Right now, we are both in the families private rooms and are waiting for the festivities to start. Nicol, Arthur and Nicosar are here too. They preached for more than a hour, how important it is to show a good face. 

"I have a really bad feeling about this.", Celes states. She is sharpening a hairpin again. Sometime along the way, it became habit of hers. Whenever she is ancious, nervous or bored, she starts doing that. The hairpins are more like little knives, or daggers by now! 

"I don't get how you can stick those into your hair, without cutting it", i muse to myself. "That you would like to know!", she shows a superior grin. 

I shrug my shoulders, "If you don't feel like telling, then don't tell. Why do you have a bad feeling anyway? Will you tell me that at least?" 

"It is because my third grade cousins and their family will be here. They are pestering my father, to have one of them marry me, since my birth. But i am not into incest and they are brutish idiots on your scale, from what i have heard." 

Her face distorts in disgust, while talking. 

"Their names are Sarda Meltheim and Senda Meltheim. They should be about 9 years old. Their parents are Marta and Odlef of Meltheim. They are sure to cause a ruckus.", Arthur informs me. 

Father Nicol shakes his head, "Unfortunately there are people like that from our side too. You should be wary of the Tuhelm family. Marta Tulhelm and Vaida Tulhelm are the leaders, Iris Tulhelm is a 7 year old daughter of theirs. They are controlling a great area in the north of Stricc. 

It is hard to keep their advances in check. I almost would have gotten them for treason several times, but somehow they always come out clean, after the investigations. It's mortifying. In case of rebellion, they would stand in the first line. If I could I would execute the whole bunch on suspicion alone!" 

Wow, that's the first time we heard so much about politics from our parents. Is the end of the world near? 

"Yes, there is also a high possibility that someone will challenge you to a duel, if they get the chance. As long as there isn't a five year difference in age, they can do it. It's an easy possibility to kill you in a legal way! So don't give them an opening by insulting someone. 

And if they challenge you anyway... refuse! It will hurt our reputation, but so be it.", Arthur has a complicated expression. 

"That's Barbaric!" I call out. 

"It's an old tradition and hardly used anymore. If they play this card, they surely won't get any credit for it from the other houses. It's not allowed to deal killing blows to a defeated opponent in a duel, but accidents can happen.", Athur warns us. 

I grumble to myself, while looking out of the window. This will be even less fun, than i thought. 

"Fufufu, if they are so stupid, they will be used as pincushions. I wonder where should i stab first?", Celes has a scary expression. 

Arthur sighs, "Please! Just refuse! They will surely have some nasty trick and send someone older than you. That will be a big difference in natural ability!" 

Arthur would be right, but i don't believe it. They may have the better bodies, but i don't think that they are that adept in using magic like me and Celes. 

We have hardly showed anything, by now. 

"Talk of the evil, and it is bound to appear. Don't scare the children, they can look out for themselves. Let's make our entrance. The guests surely are waiting quite a while by now.", Nicosar ends the discussion. He is has at least some idea of our abilities, so he doesn't fear for us that much. 

We get up and make our way to the palaces festival hall. It is surely impressive. They build the new palace in Midhold within two months, from the moment the joining of the house of Tirna and Stricc was announced. 

Hordes of workers worked day an night. You could watch the thing growing by the day. Like i assumed a while ago, the art of building something is really on another level in this world. 

Oh, that reminds me: I haven't told you the name of the world! Well. That's because everyone calls it simply "the world". The people here are surely on the same level of creativity, as the people of earth. Nothing against you guys.... 

Arriving there, a huge amount of people bow to us. Rose is there, waiting for our arrival. The hall is nicely decorated and huge rows of tables with finest food are arranged through the hall. In the middle is an open area for dancing. 

Distributed through the hall are many Tables with chairs. Nicely done, i admit. 

"Guests! The rulers of Tirna and Stricc welcome you to the festivities! Let us celebrate the joining of the ruling houses and thank them for holding up the peace. 

As of today they introduce to you their heirs. Prince Angrod of Tirna and Princess Celes of Stricc!", Rose declares in a clear voice. 

I force a smile on my face and wave in a kingly way to the masses. Celes smiles and does a curtsy. The masses begin to clap. Stupid events like this are the worst. I already hate this. 

"Then let the festival begin!", Nicol announces. 

The masses start to disperse and an orchestra starts to play music. Some couples start to dance. We start to mingle with the crowd. Well, as far as it is possible. Everyone gives us at least three meters of space. 

Our fathers spot Ireth and Katrine, so they rush off. Both of them were entertaining some important persons, it seems. 

"I will be off too then, haha there are many skirts to be chased!", the pervert rushes off too and leaves us standing alone in the rain.

"Humm!", Celes grabs my hand and leads me to the dancing area. "We will dance, as long as we do that, no idiot can come up to us to cause problems!" 

She is right in that regard. You would have to be a extremely rude person to disturb a dancing couple. 

And so we start a silent dance, while smiling at each other. "We will get wrinkles at a very young age, as much as we have to smile." -Me 

"That seems to be our fate my love!" She grins. "You don't have to play now, we can't be heard at this distance anyway." I answer. We are whispering and have at least a distance of five meters from the other dancers. 

"It is good to keep it up under people, just in case." Again that heartwarming smile. I wish someone else would smile at me like that. 

I shrug and we continue dancing. 

We are at it for quite a while, when the music stops and the musicians walk off to take a break. At that the people stop dancing and join one or the other group of talking people. 

Celes and i wander off to a more quiet place in the hall. There are some children here, but most of them stick to their parents. 

Celes sighs. "It is boring, as expected. Nobody even cares about us, it surely doesn't feel like this is meant for us." 

"What do you expect? To them we may be the heirs, but on the other hand we -are- children after all?" -Me 

Thats when Celes spots a group of girls and boys around our age and pulls me off. She sure likes to do that. "May i have a word in this? I am not a pet!" I complain. 

"Hush! Everytime you shut me off with children this, children that! Like you say, we are children. So wouldn't it be strange if we aren't interested in other children?" -Celes 

I understand, but talking to children while being mentally an adult is just a pain in the ass. I make a grimace, but set up my perfect smile again when she looks at me. 

"Hi, i am Celes and this is Angrod. Can we join you?" Celes opens the conversation, as we reach them. 

"S... Sure. I am Margerie Cygnus! This is my big brother Stephen Cygnus. We are from Tirna." A little girl of around seven introduces herself and taps the boys back beside her and he bows to us. He is around nine. 

Both of them have fox ears and tails. Right now i want to know their abilities. Would it be rude to ask? 

"I ....am Sven Hjavars. ...from Stricc." Another boy of seven introduces himself shyly. He has elven ears. 

The next girl with a cat tail jumps at Celes and grabs her hands! 

"Tanja Morden here! I am nine and from Stricc! Oh i wanted to talk to you. I have heard so much rumors about you two. Which ones are true? Have you two already kissed? How is it to live with a boy? Have you already been in his room? Is it true that the goddess herself ....." 

I get a devilish grin on my face. Celes surely found the right one there! She isn't even able to answer, as she is bombarded with a never ending stream of questions. 

"Whoa! The prince surely has a nasty side to him!" Margerie observes. "What do you think about the party? Boring is it not?" 

I nod, "Yeah reading a book would be more interesting." 

"You like reading books at your age? I like reading the "Science And Magic" journal here from Midhold! They have published a book every year since the founding of the university." 

"I...Isn't that quite the heavy stuff for someone our age?" -Me 

"Oh, no problem, we from Cygnus are all very smart from birth! I have to show you my laboratory if we ever have the chance! I am researching a way to levitate stuff without magic devices! It would lessen the strain on recources and conflict potential between our countries....." 

Anyone, help me! What are these children!? I notice that i have a prickling feeling in my hand. Celes still has it in her grip, while she smiles at Morden, which is still talking. She hasn't said a word yet and her grip on my hand turned tighter and tighter like a vice! 

I look down and notice that my fingers turned blue! 

"Celes?" -Me 

"Yes, Angrod?" -Celes 

"I really like you, but any further and my fingers fall off! Control your strentgh!" -Me 

Celes looks down, "Oh, sorry!", she abpruptly lets go of my hand..... that was exactly the wrong thing to do! 

IT BURRRNNNNNNSS!!! 

"H.... H.. Heal!", thank the multiverse for this spell! 

"Honey, i am so sorry!" 

Why are you grinning then? Witch! 

"Hahaha, you two are funny", Morden is unfaced. 

"Wow! You can use healing magic without a full incantation!?", both Cygnus siblings look at me like they found a new labrat. Better they not find out, that i don't need to recite spells and just do it half assed to lessen the burden! 

"Hahaha! Yeah, my only good point! I will excuse myself for a moment to get some cold water over it!", with that i run off to leave Celes to her doom. 

I slowly walk to the toilets, no haste here. As i do so, i take another look at the party. Our parents are still talking to the same people. They don't look very happy. As i think about it, i reach the toilets. 

A few minutes later i am back at the party. I walk to where i left Celes. She is still there with the other kids, but two new faces are with them. 

They are two boys, who look almost identical. With those Horns, they surely are royalty and Celes looks really pissed. Everybody else would think she is happy and perfectly fine from her face and body language. 

But i can see, that she is playing around with one of her hairpins... and when she does that.... you are about to be stabbed! 

The other kids look entirely not happy. While the two boys really break the etiquette by being entirely too close to Celes. 

"Come on we just want to take you to a small date! Nothing harmful in it.", one of the older boys says. "I am sorry, but i am already here with someone.", Celes answers. 

"Hi, i am back! Where you lonely without me?", i ask as i walk up to Celes. 

"Oh! You two have to get to know my fiance Angrod! I don't know what i would do without him.", she grabs me and places me between herself and the two boys. They don't look happy. "Hi! I am Angrod." 

"I am Sarda Meltheim.", the one with snake eyes introduces himself. 

"Senda Meltheim.", the one with normal eyes says. 

To break the following silence I ask, "So what did you want from my most beloved fiancee?" 

"It has nothing to do with you, we just wanted to take her on a little date and a dance, that's all.", Sarda explains. 

Oh that's all I get it... Its unfortunate that I have to play the nice guy here. Otherwise you could take her and be gone for all I care.

"I am really sorry, but I can't allow that. She is my fiancee after all. It would look bad, if she were around other guys alone. Nothing you can do.", I explain smiling. 

"You want to order us around?", Senda asks.

"If I have no other choice and you continue to be persistent, I will have to order you in my function as prince I fear. The party must go on after all and having someone around who spoils the atmosphere is no good.", I want to set things clear here. 

Celes tugs at me from behind and whispers, "You can't order nobels from other countries! Don't you remember Nicosars lesson! They can make a duel out of that!" 

Oh! 

"HAHAHA! NOONE FROM TIRNA CAN ORDER ME AROUND! I DEMAND A HONOR DUEL!"

Sarda screams and the whole hall goes silent..... he has a confident look on his face.

The kids go pale. 

"Oh, Okay! But I refuse to take responsibility for any damages.", I accepted. 

Nicosar is running up to us with two bunny girls in toe. I have absolutely no idea how he managed that. 

"What do you kids think, you are doing?", he asks red-faced. "Accepting a honor duel?", I ask and look him straight in the eyes. 

Our parents come up to us with fearsome faces. The people, who were with them are coming too, they seem to be the parents of the idiot twins. They look like they have expected the situation and are grinning. 

I think we can assume, that this was really planned. I am really mad at this. 

If I hate something, then it is politics. If I hate something more, then it is false games like this one. 

Nicosar shakes his head, "The honour duel has been announced and accepted. Clear the dance floor! Bring some training weapons!", Nicosar probably chose them because they are dull. 

"I demand real swords! It is my honour", Sarda states. 

"I want two!", I follow happily immediately, which flabbergasts everyone. 

Nicosar just nods and the area is cleared. Swords in our size are brought, and we take place in front of each other. 

The geezer is taking place between us and looks at everyone. Sarda is taking a fighting stance, but I just stab my two swords into the dance floor and put my hands into my pockets. 

Some people laugh. I don't know what they expect. I am a mage, I never even touched close combat weapons. I only did some hand to hand combat as a monk. 

"Are both of you ready?", Nicosar asks. 

"I am ready!", Sarda calls. Then Nicosar looks at me. 

I concentrate and both swords lift into the air and slowly start to rotate, growing ever faster until nothing more than two shining circles can be seen and a humming sound fills the hall. 

Telekinesis of that level doesn't take that much magic power. 

I never understood why some mages just use it to throw huge rocks at the enemy or try to move a heavy person itself, collapsing completely exhausted afterwards. 

It's just plain stupid if you could just drive a light, sharp object at high speeds through the enemy. I wait until the humming sound fills the hall nicely. 

*zzZZZzzZZZzzZZZzzz*

"Ready to slice and dice, grandfather!" 

Nicosar needs a second to snap out of it, but jumps out of the way, "Go!" 

One of my weapons shoots out at Sarda, but misses him as he dodges and dices one of the tables instead. The idiot at least has some survival instincts. 

He grins as he advances on me, as I had just lost one of my weapons. Suddenly he jumps forward at  incredible speed, but I move my second weapon between him and myself to block him. 

He tries to get past, but isn't able to, without risking being cut to pieces. 

*Dingg* 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" 

I had pulled my first Sword out of the sliced table. And shot it at him from behind, nailing his left foot to the dancefloor. Screaming, he went to one knee. His sword dropped beside him, I picked it up with telekinesis and pinned his other foot hilt deep to the dance floor. 

By now the idiots screaming was just a small whimper. I walk up to him, take my hands out of my pockets and start beating him with all my might. 

Whew! Its really hard work to educate children, I tell you! Modern societies just pad the heads of murdering minors, saying they can't be held responsible for their actions. 

I don't believe that! He tried to murder me here! Thinking I was just some small kid three or two years younger than him. Punishment must be dealt accordingly. 

The hall is strangely silent and nothing than my beating fists can be heard. 

Someone pats my back! 

"Dear, don't grin like that, you are scaring the people!" 

"Oh, Sorry Honey I was a little caught up in my emotions after he made an advance on you! HAHAHA!" 

…....a bloody something silently slips to the floor, twitching a little.