Age of Heroes

THE BALL

Arial left the balcony and ran upstairs to meet her.

When he reached the top step, he saw her.

How beautiful she was, illuminated by the moonlight, the light bouncing off her lace-trimmed red dress.

Her red dress is high quality fabric from Renasia with lace trim.

Her gowns were made of the most luxurious silk and materials; the colors are bold like the other noblewoman in the ballroom.

She has laces all sewn carefully and beautifully but most of all, her beauty complements the dress.

Arial approached her cautiously. "What are you doing here, Helia?"

"Waiting for you, Arial," she said, gesturing at her dress. "Well?"

"Well, what?"

She smiled.

"It is customary at balls, especially at lavish balls like this one, to praise your betrothed when she has spent time choosing her dress."

"You look… beautiful."

"Just beautiful, huh? I guess I should have expected it from you."

"I didn't mean…"

"I know. It is you after all. Come closer to me Arial. Come closer and hug me. Let me feel your embrace."

Arial slowly approached her from behind and hugged her. "How's this?"

"Perfect." A smile formed on her face.

"How was your journey coming here? Was it bad?"

"Not at all."

There was a brief silence.

"Arial… Why don't you ever let me in on your secret?"

"What secret?" said Arial, his chest tightening.

"The secret you have been keeping close to your heart." She said and in her voice, there is a certain trace of loneliness. Yet Arial did not pick up on that.

"I have no secrets." He said defensively.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Then why do you always brood? I have never seen you entirely happy. It is like you are waiting for something."

"I'm happy with you."

Silence. The wind blows and the songs of the balls could be heard from the balcony. There is this silence between them for a moment.

Then Helia grab Arial sleeve and said

"Sing me a song, Arial."

"I beg your pardon?" he asked, surprised.

"Sing a song for me. My friends have told me that their lovers sing to them. I want you to sing a love song for me."

"Is this your heart's desire?"

"Sing a song and I will forgive you for calling me just beautiful."

Arial grinned, then began to sing:

In days that has passed,

There lived a beautiful girl,

An unmarried virtuous princess,

She was brave, strong and bold with no equal,

One morning while riding around her Isle,

With no guard around,

Armed with her bow and arrows,

She heard the most terrible sound,

A grunt?

Or is it a scream?

The sky darkened and she felt heat on her back,

Her horse frightened and went mad,

And a dragon,

Red as blood swooped and grabbed the virtuous princess,

The princess is now out of sight.

Her father yelled and cried, beats his heart with great sorrow until a Great Hero came,

He asked A knight?

I am, he said

Kill the dragon with your sword,

Return my daughter for a reward,

That you may marry her,

For she is beautiful without equal,

The young hero,

Brave and strong and virtuous too,

Declared the maid will be his,

And the dragon will kneel under his feet.

So with a horse white as snow,

He rode off to rescue her,

He climbed rugged heights,

And he reached a cavern,

Or a cave some say, and heard no sounds when one enters,

The Great Knight called and yelled for the dragon to face him

But only a lady voice came back

"I killed the dragon!" the lady shouts

And she stepped into the sun

The princess dressed in scraps of cloths,

Her hair is burned off and had a muddy face,

But the Knight is in awe,

For she never met such a brave woman.

So, he asks

Can you find me a dragon my lady?

What for young knight?

So, I may kill it and win your hand

The lady chuckled and tells him of the story of Galahad,

The red dragon,

The Knight then promised he will return to the lady after he killed the dragon.

The Knight rode lone into the setting sun

And the princess gets out of the cave and waits for her beloved,

The great Levitia to come and carry her away.

Arial finished and caressed Helia.

"My perfect man," she said, turning around and kissing Arial on the cheek. "Who would have thought you had such a pleasant voice? Now it's my turn."

"Oh, please do."

In days of a Kingdom old, there lived a fearsome dragon,

Not the red dragon Galahad,

Nor the black Dragon Garazel,

But a massive creature,

Father and King of Dragons,

The King is in great distress,

His people in terrible fear, and the kingdom spirit are weakened

Until one day came a Knight,

Handsome,

Bold,

Charming and honorable,

As he seems at first

And he slew the dragon with his sword,

And a smile that was so disarming and with his friend by his side

Said the King "I wish to know your name great hero"

But the hero said not to bother to know his name

Tonight in my daughter bed you shall take your leisure

"Choose" he said "Of my three Princesses"

One daughter had a raven hair, a maiden young and chaste, and naked to the waist waiting for him

The other daughter was fair, fairest in the town

And she too, was naked from her waist down

The other daughter is voluptuous and can tempt any man to want her,

And she too was naked from her waist down.

The Knight spend many hours behind the castle wall

But the ending to my story dear, isn't what it seems at all.

He slept with all three

For this is the story of the cunning Duvan and her conquest

For he deceived the King,

Winning against the dragon using his sworn brother's strength and his trickery.

"Sing no more, my fair Helia," Arial said, trying to hold back his laughter.

"What?" she asked, incredulous.

Arial looked at her. "Helia, you are beautiful, kind and fair, but singing is not your forte."

She hit him in the chest.

"Can I not jest?" Arial said.

"Yes, you can, but never mock my singing. Why tease me so, my dear lord?"

"Dear lord?" Arial was flustered.

"Yes, dear lord," Helia said, blushing.

"Why the endearments?"

"We will be married some day in two years."

"Yes, in two years."

"Yet, we do not have any terms of endearment. I think I should call you dear. Don't you like it?"

"On the contrary, dear Helia. I like it very much."

They embraced once more, and hearing the music coming from the lower floor, Helia said, "Shouldn't we get down and join the ball?"

"Yes, we should, but somehow I feel like we have found the perfect spot and I can't seem to leave."

He kept hugging her and she lean on him and they watched the stars on today clear night sky

"Tell me how much you love me, Arial."

"What would be the perfect words for my love towards you, my sweet Helia?"

This is common in courtship.

Usually Arial would not talk to her this formally but he knew this is common custom of noble lords and noble ladies. He is not one that follows noble custom but manners are important.

"Honest words that come from your sincere and kind heart."

Arial thought for a moment, then said:

'Love me and be in merry. You want a song of love, I will sing it for you, I will live in your heart, die in your lap and be drowned in your eyes for I have never but felt what I felt then when I'm with you. You and I will marry, we will have children and grandchildren and we will live loving each other till we have white hair on top of our heads. And since you have posed me a question I will pose one for you my dear. Tell me how much you love me'

She smiled at him and grinned.

'I suffer love for you for I love you against my will.' She said and then she chuckled.

'Will you die without me?' Arial ask, smiling mischievously

'I will die of thirst for your love my dear' Helia responded back

Arial then hug her tighter

'Then I shall have you, my beautiful but ever so teasing lady who spoke wise words and possesses one of the kindest hearts I have ever experience.  Fair, virtuous and wise. Fair and this is true, virtuous and I have seen no prove of otherwise. And wise for choosing me.'

He said jokingly and she noticed the joke too and she laughed, the sound of her laughter makes him want to dance.

'And I shall have you, for no other man shall compare to my young and handsome prince. Who accept my tender love, for I fear that day you will scorn my feeling and who have given me so much joy since the day you accept my desperate love for you. And such passionate love you spoke, why, it must be requited!'

'Yes, of course, it must!' Arial exclaim while he laughs.

In the ballroom they are dancing but here they are dancing too. Courtship is very important and considering Helia is a noble daughter she surely has been courted before.

Arial decided that he will play along with her.

'Who would have been so blind to reject you, sweet, kind, fair, dear Helia?'

'That is true' and she smile a mischievous smile. Under the moonlight, Helia look extremely beautiful.

His eyes could not leave his lips.

'Enough words' He suddenly said.

And he grabs her closer, their bodies touching each other and heat rises up from both of them as Helia blushes on her cheek.

He then kissed her and she received it and come to him. Slowly they hugged tighter and their kissing becomes furious and full of passion.

'Ehem,' Arial was startled when he heard a voice from behind him. Quickly he turned around.

His face is blushing red as he saw Lisa

'L..isa, yes…. alright this is awkward' he said, stuttering

'Well, it surely is' Lisa said, looking at him and Helia with a complicated expression. Then she said

'Your mother said to bring you back to the ball but I guess you are preoccupied'

Arial look at Helia and Lisa alternating glances.

'Well, tell my mother I am quite busy handling a very demanding young lady.'

And Helia chuckled. Lisa just smiles though Arial noticed a tint of bitterness.

'Will do Arial' and she quickly disappeared from the balcony

'Will you resume your handling of the demanding lady?' Helia said challenging

'Why yes. I will' he said, smiling a naughty smile.

That night will be one of the nights that Arial will forever remember in my life. Such happiness, such inebriation of joy he never thought possible.

They hugged each other tight and danced to the music that night.

The Ball of Acro were then emulated by many of the noble houses when they wanted to find a match for their noble daughters or their noble sons.

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I think this is the last chapter for this month. Though I might chnage my mind and posted one for tomorrow. Anyway, if I do post tomorrow, please vote for it. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chpater before we dive back to the war in the North of the kingdom of Alan