This came from a funny idea during a bus ride and this is my first fanfic ever, so be prepared.
Critics and more critics are welcomed!
This was it. The worst day of his life. Why things turned out the most embarrassing way possible. It all started a few months ago. No, the problem originated itself from a lot earlier. Maybe it started when he was a mere child and his father isolated him from the outside world. But nothing with those theories could help him now. Standing here like a rigid useless statue, or lamp… maybe a lamp would be more accurate. At least a statue would attract someone. Anyone. But no way that would ever happen. He was standing here,on the very edge of the great hall, waiting for the dread to begin. Until a few months prior he didn't even think about that this night would be inevitable. All his thoughts were around where they have always been: his duty.
As the son of one of the richest people and prominent entity of their country he always had the responsibilities what came with the name atop of his own personal matters. His father was a fine gentleman with enormous talent to make the best armors, equipment and weapons within the kingdom. Even if he himself didn't walk the path of knights he was still simply the best at his work.
A talent his son sadly didn't share with him so he had to purchase other dreams. Of course, dreams that were good enough to uphold the Agreste name. Just like becoming a knight and get to the inner circle of the king. What he would rather not. Not like he had any issues with the king, really, he was a great man and an excellent ruler. He had issues with social interactions altogether.
From a young age he had trained with the best of the bests, always surrounded by knights and some of the greatest swordsmen and warriors. All this life of solitude in the world of adults had led to an outstanding combatant but very awkward teenage boy who freed from his isolation to kids his own age - as he had started the academy with other youngsters – had still been chained to his past experiences, or rather non-existent experiences, and couldn't socially interact with anyone from his class. Even when others had approached him, most of the time he hadn't knew how to react, what to do. As it had frustrated him greatly he had chosen to spend his time with refining his skills. It hadn't took too much time to get the name 'blue blood knight' from others. He was rich, he was cold, he was perfect. Everyone wanted to be him. Exceptt himself. Others would have been very surprised if they knew what his only friend did, that he was not even cold and hell, not a real perfectionist just a really lonely ray of sunshine and a bunch of awkwardness thanks to his family circumstances.
Just like now. He stood there, doing absolutely nothing. Except recalling all the mistakes he had made along the way. He should have expected this. Really. Why hadn't he prepared or something? Maybe the last warning bell, his 25th birthday came just a little to late.
After the four years at the academy, from where he only had got one person he was proud to be friends with, he had become an official knight and started his duty under Commander Jäger, who was more than pleased with him. He had spent all the previous seven years as a knight and now were about to become the youngest commander in their country. His commander went as far as telling him that the only reason he wasn't promoted earlier is that without war the old farts don't die out to give place new promising ones. His Commander was not good at keeping his mouth shut.
So the seven years went by and he had found himself 25 years old a month ago. The age of the matchmaking ritual.
Actually the age of the matchmaking ritual for males. In every year the night of the spring equinox was the time when the holy matchmaking session took place. According to the tradition males at the age 25 and females at the age 23 across the land came together to find their future partner.
The age of men came from the required time of seven years of knighthood before they decide what path they would follow afterwards. When somebody became a knight and spent his or her seven years of duty they received respect and could choose between regular army service or the warriors' path, become a part of the king's guard, retire early and live like a noble or even have a simple life as unlike as it was. Not everybody became a knight. Just a few out of commoners could become one. Soldiers maybe, but knighthood was something what required more than simple talent with weapons. Mostly a good parentage. And not just because noble privileges. The right gens and the magical heritage were the most important qualifications to become one of the kingdom's most respected warriors.
The age of women came from a very similar reason. At a young age they were tested for their magical heritage and trained themselves to become a sorcerer and serve the kingdom and 'The Greater Good' as they said. After the choosing ritual at the age of 18 they started to work under their respective high priest and spent five years there until the age of 23 when they could decide about their future.
Of course with the tradition being so old nobody questioned it even now when there were countless female knights just as male sorcerers. The matchmaking ritual didn't even require being one of them.
He looked around and sighed again. All the nerves in his body filling up with uneasiness.
When a month ago he had been faced with the fact that this day was coming soon – way too soon for him – and he was forced to think. And think quick. Even if the holy ritual was to make matches, most of them had already been made long ago.
Most people – more social people – found their partner long before they were at the age of the ritual. They made promises with each other that they will find the other one and give each other their hearts officially. And this was what took away any hope of a good match for him. Maybe he shouldn't have left it to the last possible minute. He had gone through noble family after noble family but there was no match.
All his desperate search for a still free and nearly acceptable woman had been futile. Every female he, his best friend or comrades knew were already taken or too young for him to wait out. It wasn't set in stone that you have to participate in the first spring equinox after your birthday but it was highly unlike to not to do so. And there was his over-enthusiastic aunt.
After the disappearance of his mother she was the most encouraging and bright person in his life. Sometimes a little too much, but more than lovable. She was the one who always celebrated his birthday, went to his competitions and praised him with no end.
She was more than excited for his favorite nephew and was more than happy to be there for him on the big night of matchmaking. What made the dread even worse. Only a quick glance up to the upper floor's balcony and he easily found his aunt next to his father – a miracle itself that he was present – who was bouncing on her feet with excitement, a giant smile spreading across her face.
This was bad.
He spared a look to the entrance nearest to him. There were guards, but they weren't there to stop him or anybody from leave. Just some commotion control or whatever. But there was no escape. Not when he was already here.
As he was looking around again he saw many overly happy couples already chatting before the ceremony even began, not taking a step from their lovely partner. He didn't know anyone. Two of his comrades and his one and only best friend were somewhere out there, but he couldn't see them. Not like it would do any help. The tension was growing inside him. Should he leave? Then again, the chance to leave flew out of the window when he entered the ceremony hall.
Halls similar to this were full of people just like this one across the country. The times when the hall of the palace could host the ritual for the entire kingdom were long gone. As the country expanded and the population has risen the ritual had got first two then many other separated places as its host. You went where your match was or if you didn't have one prior – a real loser like him – then the one nearest to your home or the one with the most promising outcome. Of course, not everybody could get a ticket to the palace. The main ceremony hall was filled only with the cream of the kingdom and their respective partners. So the humiliation would be even worse here. With all his superiors, the king, his family and guests, many other important people, his over-enthusiastic aunt, and of course, the worst of all, his father were all present.
He was desperate. How could he find a match? Let alone offer himself to her? What if she won't accept? What if there were only the ones no one else wanted? Or worse… what if there wasn't any?
That possibility was worse than finding a nearly acceptable match. The possibility of not finding any terrified him. The shame was too much to handle for him. Even if the opportunity to have another year to find a partner seemed to be tempting, the shame of not finding a partner was much greater.
Adrien Agreste, the blue blood knight, solitary for life.
And then, just as the song of the end, the trumpets rose up, loud sound erupted from them and the ceremony has began. The guests cheered from the upper floor's balcony, the little crystals in the right hands of the males burning up and people were starting their search immediately.
He was frozen in place. What should he do? What if he goes to a woman who was just waiting for her partner and get instantly rejected? Maybe he should just wait out at least until the already set up matches find each other. He couldn't move. Others' excited cheering and the lights became dim to him. His entire body felt numb. Why was he here again?
His birthday had been a big event for the family and almost everyone he knew – what was really just a few – and everyone his father knew had came together to celebrate. With this he was out in the market and should have been ready to decide about his future. His father had great plans with him and urged him to apply for king's guard or commander of the eastern side. A path what was laid down to him. As everything in his life.
His aunt had other plans. She wanted him so badly to start a family and purchase his own happiness. A thought what never occurred to him before. Did he even want a family?
His former commander and now trusted friend had advised him to wait some time before he decides what's the best for him. They were after all decisions he can only make once in a lifetime and followed him though his whole life. For the first time he had a decision to make. But was this really his own? Or he should just act according to his father's will as always? What was what he really wanted?
In the end he didn't know what he wanted so he postponed it. Everybody except maybe his father wanted him to partake in the ceremony and start a family, so he had gave in as the people-pleaser he was and entered.
As it was now he probably had his mind elsewhere or completely evaporated because he didn't even have a match to begin with. What was he thinking?
A load excited shout brought him out from his stupor. He glanced up and saw his aunt with balled fist pumping in the air, shouting encouraging words to him.
''Go! My handsome little cinnamon-roll! Get them!"
It was embarrassing as hell, but he needed this to come to his senses. He stopped just for a moment regarding his father disapproving look then braced himself and finally started moving. But as he was looking around again he saw that most of the couples had already found each other. He had to be fast. Really fast. There were still ladies left, he had to do something.
Straightening his right hand with the blue crystal sprout – really, why blue, he really hated blue – he started squeezing himself through the crowd looking for women still standing alone.
What should he search for? He didn't have something like a dream woman or anything. Sure, it would be nice, if she were pretty or smart or brave – at least one of them – but this deep into this shit he would be satisfied with one he could get along. He had no high expectations, he was content with what he could get.
Then he saw the flash of yellow in the corner of his eye and he had a new, very firm image what he wanted.
She could be anyone but Chloé Bourgeois.
He knew her almost all his life and you could say that they were friends. Chloé was the little princess of one of the richest people in their kingdom, just like his father. On more occasion than not he had found himself with the girl, the only kid at his age. In fact the only kid who he knew and was brave enough to approach him. He should definitely give her credit for her unwavering confidence. In his youth he had been in awe how confident she could be with others, even with adults like her father. Just when they went to the academy together he saw how mean and overbearing she could be. She had been just deepening further his discomfort with his classmates, always clinging to his arm, demanding others to keep distance from him.
He was lucky there was a guy, his dear best friend who didn't give a shit about her throwing a fit or how socially awkward he was.
As they were growing up she became more of an adult and less of an annoying brat, but she was still blabbering about their future together. A thought what caused goosebumps on his back and not the good kind. He was okay being friends with her – against all his best friend's reasoning – but absolutely wasn't ready to spend his entire life with her. You can't share you future and bed with anyone. If he will end up with her he may die an early death on the battlefield to put himself out of misery.
He moved fast to the other side of the hall. He had to keep distance. He was pretty tall, even in this crowd he was likely easy to spot.
But all his evading route wasted opportunities for him again and the number of suitable women decreased rapidly. He was looking around again desperately and zoomed on two women still standing alone not too far from each other. One of them would be good. He started his way towards them when he spotted her.
A woman, lot shorter than himself seemingly not interested in this whole ordeal, preoccupied with the crystal sprouts that the males were carrying on their right palm. She was definitely out of place. Her clothes were unordinary and he recognized them as some short of traditional wear of the neighboring country. A pure white tunic with red and gold accent. Pretty but formal, not exactly suitable for a matchmaking ritual.
After thousand years of war 300 years ago the two nations and its people had came to an agreement and it had brought peace to both kingdoms. The Empire of the Wild, Entarossa had a crisis that time and as parts of the empire have declared themselves independent one after another, the new power what had risen out of the ashes and had took over the throne after many years of war of succession, had wanted no more war instead to strengthen the remaining of the once great empire in peace. Felidera as the first part what had fought so many years for independence had took the chance gratefully and a mutual declaration of peace and a no-fight policy had been made. In the beginning there had been lot of skeptic people on both sides, but as time has passed and no new conflict has erupted the flames of hatred slowly died out.
The two countries were still only neutral neighbors until 15 years ago an attack on the southern region had required both kingdoms to work together. Their relationship had improved, the borders opened from both sides and 3 years ago – after a huge incident and an even bigger argument what involved two lovebirds with high social standing from the opposite sides – mixed marriage has been legalized and extended for all rank and social class. There were still only a few of them, and when someone from another country was here, she or he was most probably already here for someone. As other countries and nations in the surroundings didn't have such a ritual for matchmaking – how much he wanted to live now anywhere else but here – they had no problem to participate in this ritual if they found love with someone from this country.
So any thought of him approaching this woman was most likely futile, a waste of time, as she presumably already had a match she was here for. But still he found himself unable to look away.
The curiosity she surveyed the couples, the setting and most obviously the crystals symbolized their hearts what they offered their female counterparts. As she reached closer he noticed her beautiful raven black hair and the mask she was wearing. It wasn't that weird. Many young ladies who had no match or wanted a match against the will of their social class hid themselves behind a mask or even disguised themselves to make it harder for men to recognize them when they didn't want.
One more thing why he shouldn't have took one more step closer, eyes fixated on her. Somehow… somehow he was drawn to her. As she danced around the hall with easy and carefree steps she got closer and closer to him until she was standing right next to him. She was surprised as she stopped abruptly front of him. He probably stood in her way or something but he didn't move an inch. As she looked up at him with unwavering curiosity he was stunned. Blue eyes. So blue eyes. He had never seen anything like this blue. It was… it was… just like the crystal in his hand. The thought came to him by completely surprise and without a second thought he was rising his hand to inspect the crystal sprout and know if he was right about the color.
But as he awkwardly rose his hand to himself it caught the attention of the woman too. He had stopped in motion and now both of them were staring at the blue crystal sprout. He was right. The item was just the hue of blue of her mesmerizing eyes. It occurred to him that the same thought was crossing her mind too as her face lit up, so he reached out further in her direction to give her a better access.
What he didn't expect that she would reach out too and grab the sprout taking his outstretched then frozen in place hand as encouragement and consent to take it for eyes went comically wide and his mouth hang open. As she took it the sprout immediately blossomed into a rose. She smiled at it warmly, it was beautiful really. She inspected it closely then turned back to him. But as she wanted to give it back she had noticed the arm that gave it to her was already retreated. Peering up at the wide eyed man in front of her, with all the confusion she had from this strange interaction she could only muster out this much ''Thank… you?"