AO 4 Ch 36 (Patreon)

Chapter 36

“Arden.” A woman nearly fell into my arms. “I’m so happy to get this dance.” She giggled and blushed.

“The Strathmoores are always a valued ally.” I answered diplomatically as I took her hand as the music picked up.

Dancing was easier now, and I enjoyed it despite groaning every time Emlyn insisted I keep up my practice. Thankfully she made it fun enough that I never turned her down.

Though, I couldn’t dance the way Maribelle tried with me. That wasn’t suitable for the public, as it involved a lot of skin brushing and some magical stimulation of her chest.

I twirled Quinn Strathmoore as she looked at me up through her lashes.

“Only as a strategic decision?” She pouted and pulled herself close. “I’d have thought I could be a little more.”

“Depends.” I said. “Certainly not tonight. I’m off to war tomorrow as soon as the sun rises.”

“You gave a woman a courting gift tonight. I don’t think anyone expects you to be on the road that early.” Quinn twirled when I held her hand up and then started dipping her into a backwards fall that forced me to catch her and hold her close to my chest.

She used the moment to grab my face and try to pull me down into a kiss, but the music abruptly cut off as the king finally made a very late entrance to his own ball.

“Sorry.” I apologized for leaving the woman hanging. “That is going to need my attention.”

Quinn looked disgruntled but accepted. She noted the sour look on the king's face in my direction and made herself scarce.

Maribelle slipped to my side. Her dress did not go high enough and showed an entirely inappropriate amount of cleavage. Though she had the decency to have sheer material added over it to somehow blunt it. I thought it was a silly way to consider it suddenly decent.

Not that I particularly minded.

Maribelle was always a treat and personally I thought covering flesh with something sheer was somehow more enticing.

“The king appears quite angry.” She observed.

“Mmm.” I hummed. “Want to make it worse?”

“Sir. You are more devious than I first thought.” Maribelle said.

“No, I just have a penchant for rubbing in my victories. Ask Emlyn.” I found the collar in my suit and rubbed it in thought.

“My people.” The king’s sour expression shifted instantly to that of a magnanimous ruler and held out his arms. “It pleases me greatly to see you all enjoying your time at my palace. Sadly, there were matters of the war to the east that needed my attention.”

“Bullshit.” I said under my breath.

Maribelle shot me a look.

“What? We all know it is. There is no news. The latest letters from House Trevis are still going out.”

Yet everyone was giving the king a polite clap and welcoming him to the ball. I liked to think this one was in celebration of Carmilla’s death.

The only people that weren’t paying attention was a cluster of red hair in the corner that were all engrossed in a certain axe. Every now and then, a small burst of fire rose up from that group.

Aurelia was having fun showing off her axe and getting praises from her family.

Her father had put in his not-so-subtle request for one like it as if he was selling his daughter and I owed him. Thankfully her mother intervened and dragged the large man away by his ear.

I almost felt bad for the man.

“Ah. Well, your dance is next, isn’t it Maribelle?” I spoke loud enough to garner some attention from those surrounding me. “The music should pick up soon.” I thought aloud.

Maribelle’s eyes sparkled; she knew what was coming.

My words caused some of the crowd's attention to shift away from the King’s late entrance.

Perfect, I was happy to steal the seat at the center of attention from the king.

“Maribelle.” I made a small platform under the two of us so that everyone could get a good look. The floor was inlaid with metal, probably to stop someone from doing what I was doing. What was the point of putting on a show if you didn’t have a stage? With a touch of soul magic in the mix, the metal listened to my call and the floor extended upwards for me to put on a show. “Maribelle, would you do me the honor of not just being my anchor, but allow me to court you, and one day bond.”

Maribelle smiled at the deviation in practice. We were already bound and this was mostly just a formality. Still, it was a very fun formality and I knew she was going to be pleased.

She stepped up and lifted her chin to me, exposing her neck. “I am yours, now and forever, Sir.”

I pulled out the collar. The bluesteel gleamed at the ball. A giant diamond was set into the center that caught the light and sparkled like nothing I’d ever seen.

The collar was broken on one side so that it could be flexed and fitted around her slim neck.

Rather than put it on quickly, I held it for the crowd for a moment.

“I’ve received your oath and will hold you to it.” I said, struggling with the collar for a moment to get it wide enough and she helped me, using an anchor’s strength to bend it open.

It nearly took my fingers off when she let go and it snapped back around her neck.

Then something I wasn’t expecting happened.

The collar glowed, and the opening turned molten red as it bound itself together before the gem glowed and the whole thing seemed to take on power.

“Didn’t know it did that.” I said, staring at the collar.

“The Mistress of the Night promised that it would never be removed.” Maribelle touched it with a delicate finger. “I love you Arden.” She jumped into my arms and kissed me feverishly.

I held her and kissed as I lowered the platform.

The ballroom boomed with applause as we touched down.

“Music! Give them a dance!” Elder Virel shouted from the side.

The King fumed among his crowd, glowering at me.

I blew him a kiss. Suck on that. I was high on life right now and I was going to hurry the fuck out of the city to go see Melida in the morning.

My mother and grandfather could deal with the consequences; it was the least they owed me after making me the villain of House Aldis.

The music kicked on and I took Maribelle’s hand to step into the throng of dancers as the ball recovered from the paralysis of the king’s entry.

Maribelle pressed herself up against me, letting me savor every supple curve as we danced intimately in the middle of a crowded room.

Yet, she wasn’t concerned for anyone except me.

Her eyes bore into my own with a feverish devotion.

I got a little lost in them as we danced. The blue pools were windows to the bridge between our souls.

“Sir.” Her voice resonated and set the hairs on the back of my neck on end. “Thank you for my collar.”

“You’re welcome. I hope you never forget who you belong to.” I pulled her close with the dance and kissed her, leaving her breathless as I stepped back into the beat.

She had a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Never. Only you get to hunt me and take me.” Her chest brushed against mine and a small shock of life magic jumped between us.

Damn, when did she get so good at wielding life magic like that?

“Tonight is Aurelia’s.” I warned her.

“She can’t handle you.” Maribelle whined. “Only I can handle your truest desires.” She was testing boundaries, even as submissive as she was she liked to constantly test me. Part of it was because she wanted to be punished, the other part because she wanted my attention.

“You will do as I say. Are you not mine?” My needy little maid.

“Yes.” She brushed up against me again, sending another shock of life magic. “If I can’t join you tonight, then I want to go play.”

I raised an eyebrow at that statement. “How so?”

“I want Claire.” That sexy act faded to one with a slightly different heat. “Let me?”

“How much trouble will you cause?” I asked, squinting at her.

“Lots. But not trouble for you, trouble for the Royal Family. I want to ruin everything that Carmilla tried to build.” Maribelle’s cheeks were flushed like she was talking about far more attractive concepts.

“Fine. You’ll wait until we leave to use her body for anything.” I promised, wondering what I was signing up for by allowing her wish.

But I did trust her. Maribelle wouldn’t ever hurt my interests.

“Thank you Sir. Are you sure you wouldn’t like me to change some things up, let you hunt something fresh?” She batted her lashes at me. “I could be whoever you wanted.”

“Too bad this is my favorite.” I squeezed her hips and teased her with my own burst of life magic. Though, that move might have been a mistake as her eyes dilated to dangerous proportions with just a small dose of my magic.

Right, don’t tease the crazy woman unless I’m ready for the consequences.

“Another night, Sir.” She pulled my head down for a kiss as the dance ended and then disappeared into the crowd.

“Is she okay?” Aurelia asked, stepping up to me for the next song.

“I think I made a wicked little maid. She’s going to be off on her own tonight. I thought it best to reserve everything for you.” I held out my hand to the beautiful anchor.

There was just the slightest bit of white in the corner of her eyes but it made them so much brighter, along with the smoky blue on her eyelids that caught my attention every time she blinked.

It made it hard not to keep my eyes on hers despite the cleavage that she had on display.

Which was a very difficult sight not to stare at.

Two earrings dangled from her ears and glittered among all the light in the ballroom.

“You are a lovely sight Aurelia. Who knew that the manticore could be so beautiful?” I teased her as I took her hands and swayed before the music started.

“You aren’t half bad yourself.” She put a soft hand on my shoulder as she pressed up close for a different kind of dance.

I switched and wrapped an army around her back, feeling the axe missing. “The courting gift? Don’t tell me the guards took it?”

“Uncle Silver is holding it for me. No one would dare take it from him.” She was only a hair shorter than me with her heels on and our faces were so close I couldn’t look away.

“He scares me.” I said.

“The man is the last line of defense for my house. He’s just concerned.” She said before pausing. “Yet if he were to attack you, I’d stand by your side and defend you.”

A smile stretched across my face. “You really know how to sweet talk me. Thank you.”

“It was something I had to do. You were right, if I’m to bond you as tightly as Maribelle, that means I have to be all in and put you first at every turn.” Aurelia said as the music started and we moved with the crowd while pressed together.

Her dancing was far more aggressive than Maribelle’s.

I had to keep up rather than her moving to my every step. Though, it was nice to have someone challenge me.

“Again, thank you. From when I awakened my magic to now, it hasn’t been long, but you and the rest of my anchors have been there to help me and most importantly keep my head on my shoulders.” I flashed her a smile.

“That’s our job as anchors.” She huffed, but still a smile bled through. “You don’t make it easy.”

“Would you want it to be easy? Stay in the city, put out a brood of children and play politics while your sword rusts in the corner?” I teased her.

“My sword nor my axe will ever be so abused as to become rusty. As for the children, that sounds nice eventually.” She had a far off look on her face. “I don’t think that’s going to be anytime soon. Zuri packed a lot of witchweed for our trip.”

“Of course she did.” I swung her around with the rest of the ballroom.

She stepped into it gracefully and then pressed herself back to me. “I have some for… tonight.”

“Good. I hope someone prepares plenty of pitchers, because after you became a little manticore kitten on me, I have been looking forward to this.” I teased her.

“I was not a kitten.” She huffed, but she couldn’t meet my eyes.

“Really? Then what do you call curling up in my lap and begging to stay with me?”

“I didn’t beg.”

“You will tonight.” I flashed back.

It took her a moment and then her cheeks turned as red as her hair. “T-take care of me. It’ll be my first time.”

“Huh? With all the… wait a second.”

She glared back at me. “I didn’t take the classes, and I just beat anyone up who suggested giving me magic with anything more than kissing hands.” She admitted in a rush.

Pulling her close, I kissed her, dumping a ton of magic into her and sending literal sparks between us.

“As your anchor and now someone courting you, it will be on you to teach me how it’s done rather than me learn from some class at The Enclave.” She pulled at where she held my jacket and looked up at me through those lashes.

I swallowed. “It would be my honor and my solemn duty as your mage.” I leaned in and whispered in her ear. “One day you’ll be like Sienna and bear my children.”

She sighed softly. “I want a little Ard. A willful child that I can teach to fight.”

“Of course that’s what you’d want.” I continued to dance with her, a smile on my face.

“But you and Sienna?” She asked.

“I’ve confirmed with life magic. She went to the Thorne’s estate this morning and got it in writing for her family. She’ll give it to them tomorrow before we leave and move out of Graystone castle for Aldis manor. Selina too.” There was a slight smile on my face at the idea of two little Ards by the time I got back. Because I would be back.

“They’ll be so much trouble.” Aurelia laughed. “I can only imagine what little Ards will do.” She paused. “Well it might split, they’ll either be little hellions or little angels if they take after their mothers.”

“Sienna is naughtier than you give her credit for.” I said. “You are too for that matter. Remember a time when you tried to fight a manticore on your own?”

“It was a manticore duel, thank you. We manticores have a sense of honor.” She playfully rolled her eyes and laughed a musical laugh.

“I like it when you laugh.” We continued to dance trading jokes until the song ended far too early.

I cleared my throat. “The rest of my dance card is irrelevant. How about we ditch the rest of the ball and head home early?”

Aurelia’s face turned bright red, but she nodded with a smile growing on her face. “Let’s get my axe first.”

“Of course. Can’t forget the axe.” I teased her as she quickly dragged me through the crowd to get her courting gift back from Uncle Silver.

My next partner was supposed to be Claire, but Aurelia blew past her and I saw Maribelle waiting in the shadows for her.

Perhaps I could warn her, but where would the fun in that be?

“Uncle, we’re leaving early. Can I have the axe?” Aurelia pulled me into a crowd of Virels that were avoiding the dance floor.

“Leaving early?” Louise perked up. “My daughter who just got a courting gift can’t wait until the end of the ball?”

Some of the older Virels let out a knowing chuckle.

“Let the young have fun. Who knows tonight could be the start of the revival of House Virel.” The Old Elder let out a rough laugh.

Aurelia’s face remained red and she couldn’t look at the older generation, instead holding out her hand for the axe.

“The weapon is a marvel.” Uncle Silver handed it to Aurelia. “Hold on tight to it. There’s likely to never be another like it.” He flashed his eyes towards me. “Take good care of her.”

“On my honor, I’ll treat her like a princess. Well, warrior princess. She’d never stay back and let me protect her.” I thought about my statement for a second.

“Damned right. She’s a Virel! Virels fight.” A drunk Sean shouted only for Louise to try and stop him from being so boisterous. He’d gone through the phases of drunkenness tonight.

“He’s an honorary Virel, fits right in with the family.” Uncle Silver shook his head at the two.

Aurelia gripped the axe tightly and then took my hand. “Thank you all. We’ll be off.”

“Don’t stay up too late.” Louise waved goodbye. “You have to travel tomorrow and it can be hard on your hips.”

Aurelia pulled me away faster through the crowd.

I spotted Emlyn and waved her down as we went through the crowd.

She gave me a thumbs up and quickly went to collect Zuri and Sienna.

Maribelle was nowhere to be seen, but then again, neither was Claire.

Rest in pieces Claire. Well, not too many pieces because Maribelle was going to make me put them back together.

Whatever, I was on a high. People hurried out of my way as no one wanted to clash with the mage who just killed two Elders.

At the same time, I was now courting four beautiful anchors, all of whom would go into the fires of war with me without blinking and join me for whatever crazy idea I had next.

Pulling Aurelia to my side, I vowed to treat her so well tonight that she’d be even more obsessed with me than Maribelle.

“We’re leaving early?” Emlyn caught up to me. “I couldn’t find Maribelle though.”

“Uh… she’s off hunting Claire I think. I decided that after dancing with Aurelia I wanted to end the night on a high. So we’re heading out. Sienna, you are welcome to stick around.”

“It’ll be boring without you.” She waved away my offer. “The way that you stole the attention from The King.” She made a noise of satisfaction.

“Can’t wait for that to come around and bite you.” Emlyn snickered.

“That’s for Gwen and Anadonis.” I used their names. “Tomorrow we’re off to Chillwind Fort. It’s less than a week’s travel.”

Sienna was downcast for a moment and sighed.

“We’ll be back soon.” Zuri reassured her. “Knowing Ard, he’s going to solve the war within a month and we’ll return as champions just in time for Ard to receive that bite that the king owes him.”

The whole group snickered and I summoned Cyam and the carriage as soon as there was space to do so. “You all think you’re so funny.”

“We are, but we tease you because we love you.” Sienna kissed my cheek as she stepped into the carriage. “Now don’t jump him in the carriage, Selina. Tonight is for Aurelia.”

“I told you it was a joke.” Her stoic anchor facade shattered.

“Uh huh.” Sienna wasn’t convinced.

Cyam huffed and wiggled his ears as they became little bird wings and he shot off into the night.