4.7

"Announcing the entrance of the splendid Imperial family of the Yulard Empire. His Majesty, the Sun of the Empire, Emperor Felix Varkin Yulard. His Imperial Highness, the Heir of Soleil, Crown Prince Aiden Valkirien Yulard. And Their Highnesses, the First Prince Daniel Venion Yulard and the first Princess Elise Vied Yulard." The man at the entrance called out to all the guests, introducing those entering through the door that opened shortly after his speech.

The worthy man that many of them had seen before and watched from a throne during the temple's awarding, Emperor Felix, walked into the hall.

He carried a long red cape that reached to the ground, bearing the symbol of his family. Next to that, there was his red outfit with black and special details, all hand embroidered and with the highest quality, stuck to his body so that the muscles seemed to be jumping. Its big body and huge aura that it possesses makes everyone unconsciously lower their heads and show respect. The same grandeur seen in the temple was not even diminished in the slightest at the family feast itself.

Behind him stood the Crown Prince, not unlike his father, but with a shift of colors, white and gold, that edged the edges of his clothing and outlined the buttons of his shirt and shoulders. The blond curly hair danced on his head as he walked, giving off an air of grace and charm, while his bright brown eyes looked at everyone with some kindness and politeness, like a good boy seeing guests in his house. He didn't seem to have changed after being named crown prince.

Prince Daniel was behind them both and next to him was Princess Elise. The two were dressed formally in the same way as the other guests, in clothes perfectly tailored for the occasion, only with a higher degree of quality and design.

Daniel wore a dark blue coat with a somewhat innovative design and new details. His look was different from any clothing seen before and was made by himself during a moment of inspiration. The clothes and his gentle appearance formed the image of a friendly and very polite man, although his very masculine features are a copy of the emperor's face and with it his coldness. It was contradictory, but because of that, no one could figure out if he was affected by his brother, Prince Aiden, being named heir or not.

Elise, the first princess of the empire, wore a bright yellow dress designed by her first brother, highlighting her voluminous curly blond hair, which stood out with the ensemble of the outfit and on her chocolate skin. She was a beauty and admirers of her felt their hearts skip two heartbeats and quickly had their faces flushed at the sight. She smiled as gently as her second brother and as elegantly as her father.

She was so beautiful. Many of the guests at the banquet just looking at her couldn't think of how two men, the Grand Duke and the mercenary Celestia, had turned down the proposal to marry her.

The imperial family walked to the middle of the hall and spread out, the emperor to his seat and the trio to socialize.

Aiden skillfully sought his best friend out of all the people in the room without making it obvious, as he dealt with those who approached him with a smile and in the same sociable manner. Nobody had a complaint and he had pleasant conversation with all the nobles, even whom he hated or disliked.

A prince, specifically the heir, had to know how to deal with all kinds of people. And this he did very well.

He found him and approached, smiling happily, but his brown eyes sparkled when he noticed his friend's condition.

Cédric was standing at his desk, sitting in his chair, posture upright with his hands on the flat surface. His black eyes were focused on the glass of champagne in his hand, but obviously his mind was flying somewhere that wasn't in this room, let alone the banquet. Maybe he's thinking about a certain redhead he saw earlier.

Aiden narrowed his eyes. The conversation he'd had with Cédric came to mind, reminding him of the effect it had on his friend's Mark to see the boy. He didn't think there was anything too much about that boy, after all, he didn't feel anything too much. It was mysterious and he was a little curious indeed, but it was Cédric's business. If it was him, he'd do the same and dig deep, which he was sure his friend had done.

However, seeing him that way, thoughtful, made him feel like something else had happened. Noir didn't even notice him approach and stand beside him, he just turned his head in his direction as he sat on the other side.

"A gold for your thoughts." He said jokingly. If he had a coin, surely he would have shown it.

Cédric remained expressionless, looking at him. Aiden nearly clicked his tongue and complained about his friend's lack of humor before getting down to business he was curious about.

"Did you ask about the brand after the party?" He asked, taking a sip of the drink in his hands. "Don't answer me, I'm sure you will. Just tell me what you found out."

The atmosphere near their table became colder and stronger, exerting a little more pressure, pushing people close to them away. This was so that their conversation would not be overheard. Of course, this was just a precaution, because Aiden put on a soundproof spell the moment he sat down, as he knew it was necessary.

"Are you going to be in suspense? It must be something important to keep them away, even knowing about the magic."

Cédric sighed, he didn't know what to think or what to say. Recalling the conversation and telling it still felt unreal.

"After the party, I went to Bishop Martin to ask about the mark." He started to say and Aiden listened. "I told him that when I saw him, my mark started to hurt and burn. The skin around the ant turned red afterwards. I didn't know why, but it only happens when I look at him or I'm close to him. Also when I think about him, but it's weak and very bearable ."

"It's just…" He hesitated, not knowing how to tell Aiden what Bishop Martin said and how he acted afterward.

The prince said nothing, seeing how his friend's indifference was cracked and a trace of emotion was on his face. It's obvious that this is important to him by the way he's been talking so much, it must have been surprising and affecting him too much. He just got more curious to know what it was.

"But as soon as I finished speaking, Martin was looking at me in disbelief, surprised. He didn't ask me if it was true, he just pulled a thick book from his shelf and opened it for me, explaining what it is and with examples."

"He congratulated me." Cédric looked seriously into the prince's brown eyes. "For finding the one that completes me, my soul mate."

Aiden stared at Cédric's face and seeing him drink all the alcohol from the cup, he couldn't say anything. He followed and took some of his drink, but left enough. He watched his friend closely to see how he reacted, but found nothing that marked a major abnormality, only what he recognized as surprise and a sense of unreality.

The prince understood his friend's reaction, especially knowing some of his motivations and personality, and believes that this is a good response to this unexpected discovery. If anything, he's also surprised that Cédric has a kindred spirit. The story of Celestias finding his soulmate is not something that is so famous and known by everyone, but he, as a Celestia and heir to the throne, is naturally aware of the fact, as it is part of the stories of the empire.

Such facts can be found in the imperial library and in the temple, just not much researched, but not that it wasn't important for the people of the time, just that it wasn't very widespread or talked about, even forgotten. The records claim that such an event is so rare and precious that it borders on impossibility, but that it happens with the help of the grace of the gods. In all, in the territory of the empire, it happened five times, dating from the Dark Ages to the first half of the empire years.

So it's shocking that your friend has one. And, in his opinion, good too.

Cédric was someone who deserved to have someone to love him and that he could open up to him, share his problems that torment him, dismantling a little of the man of ice and iron that was created to protect him. He knew that his friend was and is very much influenced by the ghosts of the past and that it interferes and doesn't do any good. Therefore, he always hoped that the cold heart would be melted by someone.

Even if he was a man.

The Crown Prince has no prejudice towards those in same-sex relationships. How many stories or cases he would have heard from men who had had relationships during their stay in the army or in wars. Even one of his most trusted subordinates was dating another man and had his blessings, so for him it wasn't the end of the world.

And from what he's seeing in the Grand Duke, there's not a hint of prejudice or distaste in his face, voice or attitude. It's more like he's accepted an already discovered fact and it's not a problem. The red-haired boy must have affected him more than he realized, if he was like that just by seeing him.

Was that the effect of a soulmate?

"Congratulations. That's good, isn't it?" He said, smiling, raising his glass a little in a toast. Cédric looked at him a little questioningly. "It means he's perfect for you. I'm jealous, not gonna lie."

The Grand Duke did not speak, remaining expressionless and serious. Soon, the blonde discovered that there was a problem.

"Is there a problem? Does the boy know?"

"He doesn't know. He's not one yet." He said, his voice low.

"Isn't he one?" Aiden repeated, soon coming to his senses.

The Celestias who found their soulmates in the past were all Celestias, there was no Celestia who had found their soulmate in an ordinary person. The reason is that the mark itself is a "compass" or "sign" that indicates the presence of the completer. And if the red-haired boy is a Celestia, it's impossible for him not to have reacted with Cédric also in the same room with him during the after-awards party. However, from what he saw, he acted normally, with nothing unusual.

"Do you think he's a candidate?" Questioned. "But if it were, should your brand react?"

"Bishop Martin says no. He thinks he's a thoroughbred."

"A purebred…" The blonde muttered. It weirded him to think if he really was one. But it wasn't uncommon, he could be a bastard of some Celestia that somehow came to the empire. "That might explain it, it also means he's not awake."

Aiden looked into his friend's face. He was swirling the alcohol in his glass while he thought.

"Are you going to wait? Or… Go to him?"

"..." Silence arose between the two. Cédric pressed his lips together as he fiddled with his sleeves so Aiden couldn't see. "I don't know."

"Hmm…" He lifted the corner of his lip and smiled. "This conversation had to have more alcohol." And he laughed.

The man saw his friend finishing the drink he was holding and was hesitant to ask. He, in his 25 years, has grown up to become one of the best swordsmen in the country and who is not afraid of the battlefield, does not know how to behave and wants to ask his friend for help. Aiden chuckled at Cédric's face for seeing him in such a manner, earning a frown.

The image of the Grand Duke, the tall man dressed in the best way, with a cold and elegant appearance, in addition to the alienated and indifferent personality, was behaving like an inexperienced teenager in front of his first love, was quite a sight. Unique, it should be said.

It reminded him of his adolescence, when he liked a lady he saw at one of the parties.

"Tell me. Don't be ashamed. I can help you."

"How do you think I should behave?" he asked at last. "Should I go after him?"

"First, you have to ask yourself." Aiden smiled, a twinkle in his eye and curious about his friend's response. "Would you give him a chance?"

*

The light of a small candle shone in the dark room, while a fresh wind entered through the window and ventilated the place. The dim lighting was enough for the red-haired young man, who was in his bed, to read one of the books he bought on his walk through the capital. He was enjoying himself, in the silence and calm that came with being alone.

Brandon had been in his room since the Miller family left for the palace feast. Since he knew he wasn't allowed to go because of his status as a servant, he took the step of appeasing James and calming him down enough and preparing him so that he would be well. It wasn't an order from the Countess or the Earl, but he knew James would come to him for opinions and he enjoyed his company too.

He had gone and said goodbye to James and the others at the manor's entrance yet, despite the Miller boy's wails for him. Naturally, he didn't pay attention to the couple feeling that he was going too, nor to the less than discreet glances he caught from Phillip about him. And then he went back to his room and read, because he had no work to do.

Brandon was a servant to the Miller family, but he was more of an earl's assistant and James' nanny than a servant. That didn't change the fact that he helped with a few things around the county manor or the capital itself, but that he didn't have much work now that he was in the capital and the Miller family left.

His plans for the night only included staying in his room and enjoying the peace he felt by reading a book until James arrived or getting sleepy, whichever came first.

It was nice and good for him.

However, it would not be that day that his ideas came to fruition, because after a while that the carriage had left and he was in the room, knocking sounds were made at his window, attracting his attention. He lowered the book he was reading and directed the view of the emeralds in his eyes to the window, seeing a tan hand, with his index finger tapping the wood of the object.

He knew that hand and would know it was Nott, just by the image.

Brandon straightened up on his bed and sat up, then got up and walked towards the window, seeing the young man with brown hair and whiskey eyes, with a kind face and smiling at him in an excited way. He also smiled, reciprocating and greeting him, after leaning over the frame, with his body and head slightly out, while looking at him.

"What are you doing here at this hour, Nott?" He asked, curious. It was after 7 pm, and at that time the knight should be having dinner or training, maybe even in his room resting, no matter how early.

"I came to ask you out." The knight said. "The Victory Celebration festival is on and I thought we could go together. Want to go?"

The redhead thought. The festival is the way commoners celebrate the Victory Celebration, as they cannot all enter the temple or be at the banquet given by the palace to the nobles. The streets will be busy, with all kinds of events and very lively.

The gentlemen left and released most of the staff today, since it's a holiday. And they sure would. Besides, in case James arrives early, he would like to know what the festival was like outside the imperial castle.

It is by no means a bad idea. It's even better than staying in his room. It's pretty fun.

"All good." Agreed. "Meeting at the front door."

"Ok, see you there." Nott nodded, smiling, and turned away from the window.