Aspirations

The older of the two smiled gently when Emma introduced Arthur. It seems they have mistaken Arthur to be a young noble trying to hit on Emma. The older of the two patted Arthur on the back. 

"I'm Venkov Agard, Grandmaster of The Twilight Workshop." He said with a gentle smile. Arthur realized that some of his hair has gone gray, unlike his son. "Emma wouldn't stop talking about you, and I guess it wasn't only for your skills." He said as he studied Arthur from head to toe, implying that he looked good. 

"Thank you, Grandmaster." Arthur bowed slightly, feeling flattered. It was the first time anyone had complimented his looks with such sincerity and it didn't feel bad to be validated. "Emma has also mentioned how much love and praise she has for you." 

His words made the grandmaster laugh loudly; pride was written on his face. His laugh was unlike his gentle face, thundering through the hall. More than a few turned his way and one of them was the royal family.