Chapter 171 (Patreon)

Chapter 171

The food courts at the academy were truly something to behold, and were actually lined up corridors of individual restaurants set up on two different plazas.  There was one in the East and one in the West.  Allie had chosen to take them to the Eastern plaza.

“There’s someone I’d like you to meet!” Allie exclaimed excitedly while rolling Lahn down the cobblestone pathways lined in marble that’d been swept free of snow.  “I’m stoked!”

Lahn looked back over his shoulder and gave an interested smirk.  “I’m not too sure anyone would be all that excited to meet me, but I’ll do my best to give a good impression for whoever it is.”

Allie only rolled her eyes.

Coming up to one of the restaurants where two butlers and a maid in very high-life style uniforms greeted them, Allie stopped when they gave her a bow.  The entrance was created from elegant crystal, the floors were made of polished wood lined with gold, and it had to be the gaudiest place Lahn had ever seen.

“My lady, my lord.  We’ve been expecting you.”  The foremost butler gave a low bow, then gestured them inside.

Lahn looked over his shoulder again.  “They were expecting us?  What exactly is this place?”

“You don’t get out much do you?” Allie asked with a chuckle - following the man inside where numerous flowering plants were in full bloom and illusionary butterflies soared through the air.  There was even an artificial sun overhead, burning with a dull warmth in the main lobby that had a glittering pool underneath with multi-colored fish - and it was surrounded by numerous tables on the bottom and top floors of the two story establishment.

Lahn gawked, looking around and seeing numerous high-profile people he’d seen his father talk to in the past while at house parties - though Lahn had never once been introduced to them himself.  Still, he got recognizing glances from time to time due to his unique look, and even one wave from a high ranking general that oversaw the recruitment of new officers into their military from this very academy.

“What is this place?” Lahn repeated as they circled around, following the butler into a secluded hallway that led to a double-door twice the size of a normal man on either side.  Two heavily armored soldiers in heavy plate armor bearing the king’s sigil of a sun on their breastplates stood at attention on either side of the hallway, but they shifted at Allie’s approach to open the doors and let her in.

Inside was a private room.  The scent of sweet aromas lingered in the air, an artificial sky overhead showed bright blue with clouds dotting the ceiling, more illusionary butterflies permeated the air here as well - and there were at least a dozen different servants all wearing butler and maid uniforms standing along the walls.  Three personal chefs were cooking food in front of a small group of onlookers sitting at a square table, where two men and a woman sat eating.

The first man was familiar to Lahn.  He had a short, neatly trimmed beard with red hair and a wide happy expression, laughing alongside the other man while downing a swig of very expensive alcohol from a golden bottle.  He was burly, roughly mannered, yet wore exquisite clothing with the king’s sigil on the front of his shirt as well.

The second man was very pale, extremely good looking, wore a basic black combat robe, and Lahn could immediately guess at who he was.  He had to be a relative of Allie’s, possibly even a brother, because he had the same striking blue eyes and the same strange amulet around his neck that she did.

The last at the table was also extremely pretty - even giving Allie a run for her money in the looks department.  She was blonde, fit, with a striking silver dress and proportional curves with a nearly perfect face.  Lahn couldn’t see a single blemish on her, and she had both hands wrapped around the second man’s hand - as he’d left it out on the table for her to hold.

“Lady Allie Wraithtide!” The first man called out with a wide grin, beckoning her to come join them at the square table and motioning at a servant.

Immediately one of the servants pulled out a chair, but hesitated when they saw Lahn.

“I’ll be sitting next to him.” Allie stated simply with a gentle nod, and she pushed the chair over a tad in order to make room for Lahn.  Putting Lahn's wheelchair in place and pulling the chair back behind her she slumped down and immediately started picking at some of the exquisite fruit displays that'd been thoroughly decorated with chocolate.  “Hello your majesty.  How are you this afternoon?”

“I’m quite well!”  The bearded man said with a hardy laugh, slapping the pale relative of Allie’s on the shoulder as they smiled at one another.  “Especially since getting to know this fine young man.  Your brother is quite the guy!”

Lahn’s heart immediately dropped into his gut as he realized just who the first man was.  This was the king.  King Arthur Brix, the man who’d sat on the throne of Dawn for well over two centuries now.  He didn’t look a day past 40, and Lahn had a very faint memory of meeting him once as a child at a palace party.

Lahn stuttered when the king’s eyes rested on him, and he attempted to wheel himself out for kneeling and bowing as was proper - but he was immediately stopped by Allie as she firmly caught his wrist.

“You’re fine.  This is a private meeting so there are no needs for formality.  Right, your majesty?” Allie stated with a look of intent to Lahn, then glancing over at the king.

“She’s right.” King Brix said with a grin, then he gestured to Lahn’s chair.  “I remember you.  You’re that Lucio boy, the second son.  Is that correct?  Your father is a close friend of mine.”

Lahn’s eyes went wide, and he immediately caught a lump in his throat.  Clearing his head, he took in a deep breath and nodded mechanically just once.  “Yes, your majesty.  I am sorry for my improper attire, I was not aware that I’d be meeting you today!”

He shot Allie a glare, who just smirked back and teasingly poked his ribs.

King Brix watched the interaction with interest, though he feigned ignorance when Lahn’s gaze returned to him and downed more of the alcohol.  Passing another entire bottle of the gold over to the second man and woman who were still holding hands, he gestured to them next.  “Have you both met Mr. Lucio yet?  Or is this your first time?”

“Travis Wraithtide.” Riven said, extending a hand to introduce himself with a warm smile of his own.  He shook Lahn’s hand, then pulled it back to look at Fay as she held his other one.

She only looked back, blinking rapidly and then furrowing her brow in confusion.

“You can let go of my hand now.  I promise it’ll be here when you're done introducing yourself.” Travis stated, amusement creeping onto his lips as she immediately flushed a bright red.

“Sorry!” Fay said in her illusionary form of a blonde woman - and she extended her hand out rather aggressively to shake Lahn’s own a second later.  “My name is Fay Wraithtide!  Er- not Wraithtide, just Fay!”

The admission of her last name caused her to blush an even deeper red.  Her eyes went wide, and she squeaked something inaudible under her breath as Allie and Travis both loudly laughed.

“This is my brother.” Allie said, pointing to Riven - or ‘Travis’.  “He’s kind of a knuckle head but I love him.  This is his new… Friend?  Girlfriend?”

Allie raised an eyebrow in question, and Fay covered her face with both hands while groaning.

“I’ve been giving her shit about that all day.” Travis said, pouring himself fine wine out of the bottle and into a crystal glass.  “Apparently she’d rather just be my hoe.”

“That is NOT what I said!” Fay demanded, slapping his thigh and getting an ‘OW!’ from Travis.  “I SAID, that I just need time to think about how I can avoid ASSASSINATION from competitors if I’m dating you!”

“That is definitely not what she said.” Travis mused, swirling the wine in his glass and sipping at it while staring back at Fay - who only glowered back at him in an unsaid threat.  “Honestly I don’t think she knows what she wants.”

“Travis!  Stop it, that isn’t true!”

“I do believe it is.”

Allie and the king exchanged looks.

“Is this how it’s been since he got here?” Allie asked King Brix rather curiously, giving Lahn a comforting nudge when she realized he’d gone nearly as pale as she was.

The king smirked, nodded, and made room for a plate of food that’d been freshly cooked in front of them.  Venison slathered in hot butter, steaming vegetables decorating a mashed potato half-sphere, and finely cut fruits creating a cylindrical tower made of ice cream were the first course.  “Yes that’s how it’s been since they got here.  Riv-Ahem.  I mean Travis has been telling me all about how he and Fay went on their very first date only for her to not want to really date him. It’s been quite a… what was it you called it?  A soap opera?”

“That is not how it is!” Fay exclaimed, clamping hard onto Travis’ hand so that her knuckles turned white.  Tears were welling up under her eyes and her lips were pouting, it looked very much to Lahn like she was going to cry.  “It was just a misunderstanding and I’m worried!  Stop teasing me, this isn’t funny!”

Allie side-eyed the succubus, shrugged, then pointed to the king’s plate as she got one of her own set ahead of her..  “These are quite interesting first courses.”

“Travis told me you were more informal and that desert always comes first with the meal.  Is that not true?” King Brix asked curiously, only to get a smirking laugh from Travis a moment later.

Allie sputtered her own laugh and shook her head, sighing dramatically and leaning over to put an elbow on Lahn’s shoulder.  “My brother has always eaten desert at the exact same time as the normal meals.  It’s weird.”

“You can’t dip your sausage-egg muffins in ice cream if you don’t have the ice cream with the muffins!” Travis chided Allie from across the table, getting a scoff of disgust from one of the chiefs and laughter from another.  Travis then pointed to the chef who’d scoffed.  “And you stop giving me attitude Jerrard!  I’ve had enough of your shit for one night!   I eat as I please!”

This time the entire room with the exception of the man who’d been singled out erupted into laughter, including the king and all the servants.  The rather thin chef who’d been called out muttered something under his breath after that.  “No self respecting person would dip sausages, eggs or muffins in ice cream.  It is a disgrace.”

Travis belched in the king’s presence, to Lahn’s horror, and he got up while gesturing to a back hallway.  “I’m going to hit the restroom.  I’ll be back in a bit.”

“Take your time!” King Brix said with a chuckle, watching Travis go until he disappeared - then he turned around to face Allie.  “I do believe I very much like him.  Reminds me of one of my sons, certainly not what I expected.”

Lahn’s brain was still trying to catch up to the present.  Just who were these people?  Who was Allie truly affiliated with, in order to get a seat here so informally with the king of Dawn?  Was their family somehow related?  Were their parents childhood friends of the king?  Why was he, Lahn, invited to this luncheon as an absolute nobody?  His mother might congratulate him for finding a way here, but his father and his siblings would have had heart attacks thinking about how many different ways Lahn would bring disgrace to the family name in their absence at such an important social viewing.

All eyes at the table turned to Fay next when she let out another low groan, putting her elbows on the table like no proper lady would do, and swept her hair back to stare at the food that’d justs been placed in front of her.  “I screwed up that date so badly.”

There was a pause.

Then Allie took the bait.  “Why?  What happened?”

Looking over her shoulder to make sure Travis wasn’t back yet, Fay smacked herself upside the forehead in a form of self punishment.

“I don’t think that’s healthy.” Lahn said with worry tinging his voice.  “Are you ok?”

“I’m anything but ok!” Fay muttered.  Then, raising her eyes to Allie, she let out a long sigh.  “Allie, I know we don’t know each other very well but I need your help.  The date was just… perfect, until I screwed it up.”

“Yes but you haven’t said what you did…” Allie muttered with furrowed brows and steepled fingers.  “He doesn’t seem upset…  What did you do?”

Fay glared up at Allie from underneath the hands supporting her forehead.  “The very short version is that I told him I didn’t want to be his girlfriend publicly, because I’m afraid someone like Kathrine would eventually assassinate me to get me out of the way.  When I tried to tell him why, I could tell he got upset even if he didn't say it… and then I brought up… the other girl he’s close with.”

“Why would you be assassinated just for dating someone?” Lahn asked hesitantly, getting looks from the others but no outright answer.

Fay turned to Allie again.  “I talked about how the other woman… she’s coming back, and that she’d be angry if I went ahead and took Travis for myself.”

“But do you want Travis for yourself?” Allie asked curiously, putting her chin on her hands with a confused stare.

“Of course I do!” Fay hissed in irritation, throwing up hands to either side as the king chuckled and continued to drink or pick at his venison.  “That’s the problem!  He’s a very important person and if I’m seen as an obstacle, I’m as good as dead!  Not necessarily by that other particular person, but by ANYONE in the future who sees him as an opportunity!  So I told him he should also court other girls, that way I wouldn’t be a target!”

Allie’s eyes rose in shock, and she frowned a little more deeply than she had been.  “You don’t think Travis could protect you?”

Fay huffed, looking rather conflicted as her eyes darted back and forth, and then she hung her head.  “I don’t know.  I’d hope so, but the kind of people he’s going to be mixed up with are far beyond what you two can manage right now.  It’d be safer for everyone if I remained a background character.  But I don’t want to be a background character!”

Lahn’s brow silently furrowed.  If they knew the king to talk with him so informally, couldn’t they just ask him to help with potential assassins somehow?  Surely that would be the case.

Allie churned over the information bit by bit, putting the pieces of the puzzle together while twirling a fork in her right hand.  “What I’m getting out of it is you’re upset that you want Travis for yourself, but believe you can’t realistically or safely have it that way.  Yet, you’re the one pushing the agenda of remaining a background character, and not to be his actual girlfriend - or the woman he is ‘courting - from an official point of view.  Because you’re afraid of being killed, and because you’re afraid of hurting that other particular woman’s feelings when she returns from… her extended vacation.”

“Exactly!”

“I’m still confused.” Allie said bluntly.  “Is Travis truly upset about this too then?”

Fay growled under her breath, fingers clenching the wooden table in a vice grip.  “The problem is that I don’t actually WANT him to see other girls because I WANT him for myself!  But I’m scared.  And when I told him as much, he took it to mean that I am not interested in dating him but rather am just wanting him for other reasons.”

“Like?”

“I don’t know!  But I could immediately tell that he was put off by the idea!  At first I’d thought letting him see other women while also dating me would be something any normal man would want!”

The king raised a toast to that.  “Here here.”

Fay ignored the king despite a snickering laugh from Allie.  “But instead, Riv-uhm-Travis  gave me a speech about how he’s wanting to find a soul mate!  And that it might not be me, because we want different things!  But I DO want only him and I want him to only want me, and I think that he doesn’t want me anymore because he doesn’t think I want him the same way!  I WAS JUST SCARED AND THOUGHT HE’D WANT TO BE WITH OTHER GIRLS WHILE DATING ME TOO!”

The very end of her admission went up an entire octave as she clasped her lips with both hands and let out a squeal of despair, tears starting to stream down her cheeks while the king across the table tried to hide his amusement.

Meanwhile, Allie just flatly stared back at the succubus with a puzzled expression - and the king outright laughed.

“THIS ISN’T FUNNY!”  Fay screamed before hiding her face in her hands again and letting out a sob.  “I’m genuinely upset!”

"Fay, you're overthinking things."  Giving Fay a pitying look, Allie noticed 'Travis' was standing in the hallway now, listening to their conversation while leaning against the wall with a soft expression directed at Fay's back.

Clearing her throat, Allie then touched Fay’s arm and urged her to look up.  “Hey.  Perhaps instead of spilling this to us, you should just talk to him about it again to clear the air.”

“Ah, to be young.” King Brix stated before munching on some chocolate covered fruit.  “But yes, I do believe the topic of conversation has arrived.”

***

Fay had been taken to the back by ‘Travis’ where they could have a private conversation after her mental breakdown, leaving Allie, King Brix, and a very nervous Lahn to eat on their own.

Lahn’s hand trembled slightly, still very nervous that he would do something stupid in front of their kingdom’s legendary leader, but Allie was speaking to King Brix almost as an equal.  As if they were even friends to some extent, though Lahn knew that couldn’t be the case.  No, there was something more to this odd scenario that he just hadn’t grasped yet.

But his thoughts were snapped out of the trance-like state when he heard his name brought up.

“So Lahn is the one you’re bringing to the Royal Ball?” King Brix asked, intrigued as he leaned back in his chair to re-evaluate the young crippled man across the slew of food and drink.  “Very… Very interesting.  I’m sure that his father will be proud to know he’s attending such a grand event after all, especially with such an esteemed guest.”

Lahn’s face twitched with confusion.  “Did you say Royal Ball?”

He turned to look at Allie, who was fondly smiling back at him from a chin resting on two hands.

“That’s what he said.” Allie replied with a wink.  “As long as you’re up for it.  I hear that the rest of your family is already invited, so you’ll know at least a few of the people there.”