Welcoming Party (2)

In no time, Mikael and Beth found themselves wearing the seashell necklaces given to them by the children.

They must have had more than ten of those hanging around their necks, but the weight was nothing compared to the warmth they brought to their hearts.

Mikael looked at the children and saw their proud faces gazing up at their masterpieces, their eyes gleaming with accomplishment.

An unexpected presence disrupted the scene as the kids marveled at their work. Nicolaus approached the children, shooing them away with a wave of his hand in a playful way.

Laughter burst out of the kids. They scattered in all directions like a flock of birds taking off. Their giggles filled the evening air as they dashed into the crowd.

"He's here!" one of them exclaimed.

"Run!" another chimed in, her little feet kicking up dust as she zoomed away.

"You little troublemakers," Nicolaus called out, watching as they vanished in different directions.

Mikael stood beside him, a grin stretching across his face as he observed the delightful chaos. He could not help but chuckle at the infectious energy the kids brought with them.

"You know," Nicolaus began, turning to Mikael, "these kids haven't been pulling off this act for long when it comes to visitors from other cities. 'Cause usually, they would either be brushed aside or have their necklaces chucked away like garbage."

"But today, they all came out," Mikael pointed out.

"Yeah," Nicolaus affirmed, his eyes softening, "that's because of you. You gave them a chance to show off their crafts to someone who cared."

Nicolaus' eyes drifted down to the necklaces adorning Mikael's neck. Suddenly, an unexpected request slipped from his lips, "Let me have that."

Instinctively, Mikael hesitated, a touch of reluctance flickering in his eyes. But Nicolaus quickly reassured him, saying, "Cade will take care of them. You will have them back later."

Nicolaus reached out, his touch gentle as he stretched his hand toward the necklace, his fingers lightly taking the seashell chains. His fingertips touched Mikael's cheek in that fleeting moment, sending a subtle electric shock through his skin.

Nicolaus then signaled to Cade, who was hanging out nearby, all set to do what Nicolaus asked. Cade stepped up and took hold of the necklaces, treating them like they were the world's most precious treasures.

However, while Nicolaus was busy with this necklace handover, a young teenager strolled up to Mikael. Her presence had gone unnoticed until she stood right in front of him.

"Come, my lady," the young woman softly invited, capturing Mikael's attention. She had come to invite him somewhere, though where that somewhere was remained a mystery.

'W, Wait.'

Mikael glanced around, searching for Beth, only to realize she had been swept off her feet by another teenager who had lured her onto the low wooden platform doubling as a dance floor.

And there, with the music swirling around, Beth seemed to be having the time of her life.

Before Mikael could even process what was happening, he felt a gentle tug. Another teenager was holding his other arm, and he was quickly pulled into the dance.

"I swear, I just looked away for a second," Nicolaus muttered, his head shaking in mild disbelief.

Two friendly girls had hooked Mikael. They were beaming these warm smiles and taking their sweet time explaining the Odelle dance.

They casually glided their fingers over their dress fabric, lifting it a bit to show their ankles, and then they broke down the dance moves, one by one.

Mikael couldn't help but think, 'What did I catch myself into?'  as they demonstrated each step, all while dancing to the lively beat, with their dresses twirling around with every move.

He was utterly fascinated, just watching these girls guide him. They had a way of teaching that made it super easy for him to keep up with them.

Just as he was getting the hang of things on the dance floor, a middle-aged lady suddenly jumped in, gently spinning him around.

At first, Mikael wasn't quite sure about the steps, but before long, he was catching onto the infectious rhythm of the music.

He adjusted the drape of his dress and started tapping his feet in time with everyone else. He mimicked the steps and twirls of those around him, eager to blend right in.

At some point in the dance, Mikael and Beth ended up facing each other, spinning and swaying together. Beth's face lit up with this big grin that went ear to ear.

She hollered, "I'm having a blast, my lady! I haven't danced like this my whole life!"

As Mikael became immersed and lost in the joyful moment, his senses heightened to the melody that filled the air. However, a subtle shift in his awareness led him to notice the presence of someone nearby.

There Nicolaus stood a silent observer, his gaze fixed intently, wearing an enigmatic expression on his face. Mikael couldn't quite decipher the thoughts swirling behind his eyes.

…

Mikael could finally step back and catch his breath from all the energetic teenage dancers. However, Beth was still strong, insisting she could dance the whole night away.

As he caught his breath, he noticed Nicolaus approaching him. Nicolaus raised an eyebrow and commented, "Well, it looks like you're having quite the time, wife."

After all that dancing, Mikael was too wiped out to go along with whatever Nicolaus had in mind. So, he rolled his eyes, still huffing and puffing, trying to catch his breath.

Nicolaus' tone softer now said, "There's something I need to talk to you about. It's about that potion we talked about last time."

Mikael's eyes widened a bit, and he got a bit curious. But he asked cautiously, "I thought it would take a while for you to find it."

Nicolaus replied, "I thought so too. But I got my hands on one sooner than expected." He looked earnest as he continued, "I tested it on someone, and the results were... well, they were something."

Intrigued, Mikael asked, "What do you mean by 'something'?"

"The voice changer did its thing. The guy I tried it on couldn't talk in his voice. He legit sounded like a girl."

Nicolaus gently reached out and held Mikael's hand, passing him the small vial.

Mikael brought the vial close to his face, scrutinizing it meticulously. Little sparkly bits were moving around in the liquid. He could feel the glass' cool against his fingers, and the vial felt like it hardly weighed a thing in his hand.

Nicolaus went on, "You've got, like, four sips left before it ran out. But to be honest, I can't say how long the effect is going to last." He shrugged, saying, "You'll have to be the one to figure that out."