Chapter 36

Gerdi had wanted to join Veli at the feast but her parents had forbidden her from attending, as her mother and grandmother had their own tradition on how the day of the dead was to be concluded. Even though she understood that perfectly clear, she still wanted to go and join Veli at the feast and maybe even get a little bit closer to him. But no, her stupid mother had to spoil her plans and instead have her join the two older women in another prayer, as if they hadn't had enough of those today already, to honour the memory of her father and grandfather, both people she didn't even know in the first place, and it drove her up the wall!

Gerdi had never really understood why her family was so fixated on the past and dwelled so much on their sorrow for the two that had passed on shortly before her birth. When Veli was not involved she was a very calculating person, both traits she had inherited from her mother, so she thought it was kind of understandable that her mother and grandmother were so attached to her father and grandfather, as they must have been to them like Veli was to her.

But that fact alone was something that made her furious sometimes. Couldn't they understand that she had someone like they had had in the past and should, instead of binding her to the past encourage and help her for the future she would have together with Veli?

But no, no matter what she had said her mother and grandmother hadn't budged on the matter which resulted in her current position, kneeling behind her captors in frustration.

But a light on the horizon was in sight as the two older women usually drowned themselves in their sorrow on this special day, which would provide Gerdi with ample opportunity to escape this hellhole through one of the open windows and join her love in the great hall.

Once she sensed her opportunity was ripe she slowly stood up and soundlessly snuck out of the window and into the night…

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As soon as Veli had spotted his friend Alvar that night he knew something had happened to his friend, again… Sometimes he wondered if his friend was just some kind of special magnet for trouble as he had a hand for getting into weird and not so funny situations from time to time without doing anything to cause them.

Thus, it only mildly surprised Veli when he saw his friend stand up and walk over to the one person Veli was not so eager to help solve problems or something alike. The necromancer, if he remembered correctly from the day they were introduced to the various instructors, a person that had and still was giving him the creeps in epic proportions!

His attention though was ripped away from his friend by the sight of the one girl he had hoped would appear tonight, the brunette from his squad and he had tried to prepare himself mentally as much as possible for this occasion! Of course Alvar had left him hanging right about now, that traitor… No matter, Veli wouldn't let such a chance slip right through his fingers. Thus, with an intake of air to muster up his courage, Veli stood up and walked over to the girl that always caused butterflies to nearly burst out of his stomach and sent tingles all over his limbs every time he saw her smile…

With a hand slightly wet from sweat Veli tipped the brunette on the shoulder, causing her to turn around only to come face to face with the brightly red glowing face of Veli who tried his best to remain calm.

"H-hi! I was just sitting over there when I saw you sitting not far away from me." Veli spoke while swallowing the lump of jittery in his throat down, causing the girl to smile at him, again in that way that sent him float through clouds 1-500!

"Veli, right?" She asked with an impish smile to which Veli nodded with barely supressed glee at the fact that the girl still remembered his name!

"YES! I mean, yes. I was wondering if you would maybe like to dance? Only a little of course and if your par—" Veli began brambling only to get interrupted by the further brightened face of the brunette who furiously began to nod and rushed of to the bonfire where some people where already dancing, pulling the overtly surprised but still happy Veli behind her like a doll.

Soon the two were shyly standing opposite each other, none sure who should make the first move until Veli mustered up his courage and held out his hand which she promptly took, followed by the two slightly embracing each other in order to sway to the rhythm of the music, their hearts booming like thunder in their chests from its rapid beating.

"You know, I never got your name?" Veli said to which the girl only smiled before responding with a grin.

"I never told you now, did I?" her words causing Veli's face to heat up once more in embarrassment but he still wanted to know it so he kept going.

"So, what is your name then? Or is your name embarrassing?" Veli asked, earning him a slight smack to the shoulder to which he yelped a little in surprise.

"No, my name is not embarrassing! I personally really like it. It's Brunhilde…" The brunette said, though her words drifted of in uncertainty to the end but unnecessarily so as Veli really liked the name and nodded furiously in agreement at her statement, which in turn blossomed another happy smile on her face.

Afterwards the two simply danced in silence, though not without awkwardness, as none of the two knew what else to talk about. But none the less Veli enjoyed their time together immensely.