Edian let out a shaky breath as she rested her hand on the cold pillar. The crowd of the oncoming guests continued to fill up the room. The banquet hall was teeming with all sorts of Nobles from all of the families. It was a time for observance as everyone was introduced to the new Family Leaders and the new Lord.

Even though Edian always knew that she would be the Drosia Heir to the Drosia family, she was still coping with the events that had transpired so far. Now, she could feel the whisper of her new Soul Weapon fill her. It was a new comfort, and something she would have to adapt to.

However, this moment was anything to be comforted by. In this event, she could not enjoy herself.

She let out another pained sigh, shifting her feet. That proved to be a mistake as the soles of her feet flared with a burning discomfort. She glared at her shoes, the four inch heels the true source of her discomfort. Why anyone would want to wear something so discomforting was beyond her. Barely three hours into the banquet, and she already wanted to go home and burn them.

It took all of her willpower to focus on any conversation she was dragged into. She did her best to plaster a smile on her face, hoping she wasn't grimacing. How long would this banquet last anyway? If the new Lord was anything to go by, it could go on considerably longer than usual.

Her eyes flickered over to the new Lord, his flamboyant movements and long blonde hair easy to spot. She heard his laughter before she even saw him. This time, she did grimace. It was clear he was enjoying himself, and would therefore see no reason to end the banquet. To her growing dismay, she had yet to see a single chair to sit on.

Leaning against the pillar would have to do.

She let out another breath, lifting her left leg slightly to ease the pressure on that foot for but a moment. She slowly counted in her head before lowering it back down and lifting her right foot. She had been doing this for the past ten minutes, and though the relief was not much, she would take anything at this point.

Her eyes flickered over to gaze outside. The moon hung in the sky, casting a silver glow on the large garden below. Her red eyes landed on one object that was truly God-sent. Almost hidden from view because of the trees, Edian caught a glimpse of what she so desired and sought after.

A bench. A stone bench in the garden. Edian's heart leaped for joy at the sight of the bench. Without even thinking about it, she made her way to the outdoors, stepping outside and unnoticed by anyone.

The night air was cool, but not at all chilly. There was a slight breeze that made the trees rustle as the leaves shook. The flowery smell of the garden was pleasant as it reached her nose, and she could identify one distinct flower as that of a rose. Yes, this garden was well maintained, and she could only imagine what it would look like in the daytime with all its colorful plants and greenery.

He heeled shoes crunched against the pathway, her feet protesting at the movement. She hesitated, her eyes flickering around. So far, she could detect no one around. As far as she knew, she was the only one outside in the garden.

With that thought in mind, she kicked off her heels quickly. She winced as her feet once again strained after being subjected to the heels for so long. She let out a breath, feeling slightly relieved as she picked up her shoes before making her way further into the garden.

If she was remembering correctly, the stone bench she had spotted should not be too far ahead. She carefully picked her way over in that direction, the trees growing thicker and offering a sense of privacy. She liked that. No one could see the new Drosia Clan Leader stumble her way through the garden while barefoot.

The very thought made her giggle, even as she found the stone bench. She sat on it immediately with a sigh, her feet finally allowed a moment of rest. She wiggled her toes, the cool air touching them. She was certainly glad that the trees and bushes blocked the view of the window. Anyone looking out would not notice the blonde Noble sprawled on the bench, barefoot and relaxing.

She giggled again before covering her mouth, laughter bursting forth despite her efforts. If only her former Family Leader could see her now. Here she was, unable to handle three hours of a party without running to the safety of the Lord's garden.

Movement to her right caught her attention, and the smile disappeared from her face as she looked up sharply. Her eyes widened as she realized that she was not alone.

A Noble stood not even six feet away from her, observing her with an unreadable expression. His neat, black hair seemed to blend with the darkness of the night, yet his red eyes were just as bright. It was those very red eyes that seemed to observe her with open curiosity.

Edian yelped, leaping from her relaxed seat on the bench. As she scrambled to collect herself, her bare foot landed on something hard. Gasping in pain, Edian jumped backwards, clutching her injured foot. Gracefulness seemed to desert her in that moment, as she lost her balance and fell back on the bench rather roughly.

She bit her lip, clenching her eyes shut as her face flared up with embarrassment. She hoped and prayed that the Noble she thought she saw in the garden was nothing more than a figment of her imagination, and that she was in fact alone with no one to witness this embarrassing display.

However, when she dared to open her eyes, the Noble was still there, now observing her with slight concern.

"You, uh," she started, clearing her throat as she rubbed her injured foot while trying to maintain some dignity. "You wouldn't by any chance know who I am, right?"

The Noble blinked before shaking his head.

Edian grimaced. Well, that was a good sign as he wouldn't know that he had witnessed a Family Leader flounder about. Though she did feel slighted that she was not recognized as a Family Leader in the first place. "I guess that's not important." She ran her fingers over her foot, locating where the thorn was embedded. She bit her lip before pulling the long thorn out, wincing. "One problem solved," she muttered to herself, tossing the thorn away. She went back to rubbing her foot, purposely ignoring the Noble.

Her eyes flickered over to the Noble once more. He had yet to move, but he continued watching her. If she hadn't known any better, she would have thought that he was a beautifully carved statue.

In fact, he was beautiful. Handsome even. She blushed at those thoughts and averted her eyes. She didn't recognize him, that much she could tell. She already knew Urokai, Zarga and Gradeus. She also knew of Rayga Kertia and Gejutel K. Landegre. Both had been fairly well known before becoming Family Leaders. She had met the other Family Leaders, but only briefly at the banquet. This Noble in her presence might not even be a Family Leader.

She frowned, glancing at him once more. Now that she thought about it, she found it odd that she had not detected his presence until she saw him. Even now, she could only feel his power as if it was a tiny flicker, like he was trying to hide it.

She hesitated. "Are you...enjoying the banquet?"

The Noble blinked before looking upward in the direction where the festivities were taking place. Finally, she heard his voice. "It's not my style," he confessed.

His voice was soft, yet it was easy to hear with the gentle way he presented his simple, yet elegant message. Edian blushed once more. She went back to rubbing her sore foot, feeling the small prick from where the thorn had pierced her closing up. Though the wound may be healing, the pain was still there.

"It was a rather sudden banquet," she confessed. "But the new Lord does seem to thrive in this atmosphere." She grinned. "I wouldn't be surprised if we found ourselves hosting more banquets in the near future." She looked up at him. "What clan do you belong to?"

The Noble seemed to hesitate, his mouth quirking downward. Edian immediately got the distinct impression that he did not want to talk about that sort of subject. "I am from the Drosia Clan," she hurriedly stated. She struggled with what else there was to say, as the Noble did not seem capable of carrying on a conversation. Maybe she should leave and rejoin the banquet. But one more glance at her red, swollen feet had her grimacing and rethinking her decision.

But maybe a walk on her injured feet would be less painful than the awkward silence between her and the strange Noble.

"I do apologize for interrupting you when I came in," she started. She cocked her head curiously. "What were you looking at in the dark?"

The Noble gazed at her before stepping back in response, gesturing for her. Edian slowly got up, cringing at her inflamed feet. She ignored it as she hobbled over to his side where the small trees created a small, almost hidden space. He made room for her, but still stayed close, their shoulders lightly brushing against each other. Edian peered over the shrubbery, the green bushes parted slightly. She peeked out and saw the open green field laid out before her. The tall grass swayed in the breeze as the trees danced in the wind. The land seemed to stretch out on the flat horizon.

"It's so... open," she breathed. She glanced at the Noble. "What do you see?"

The Noble did not glance at her, but his gaze did soften. "The trees, the grass, the leaves dancing across the field." He took one step closer. "I see it all."

"I see…" she trailed off, not sure what she could see. It was just an open space; a field. What was so captivating?

Then she smiled. "I see little critters darting out into the field." She gently touched his arm to direct his attention. "See? It's a rabbit trying to avoid the owl. And there in the thicket is a fawn and her baby."

The Noble moved closer, watching everything. Both of them were quiet, content with just watching. This was rather peaceful and a bit more enjoyable than the noisy banquet.

But...speaking of the banquet…

Edian pulled back with a reluctant sigh, closing her eyes with regret. "I have to get back." She should have been at the banquet, introducing herself as the new Drosia Family Leader and making connections with the other Family Leaders. She didn't know if her presence would go undetected. She wasn't exactly the most noticeable compared to the others, but she didn't want to make a bad impression as a Clan Leader and insult the new Lord.

But, she didn't really want to leave the garden. Despite not talking to her, she rather liked this Noble's company.

As if sensing her thoughts, the Noble glanced at her, and she ducked her head. Her cheeks warmed up at the attention he was giving her. She straightened up and nodded to him before making her way to the bench where her shoes were.

She hissed as her feet protested at the movement, and she hopped on one foot to get to the bench. Great, did she have a blister from those cursed shoes? One glance at her right foot showed the swollen blemish.

She grumbled under her breath, running her hand over the blister. Just what she needed for the night. The banquet wasn't going to be anymore bearable. Maybe she could fake a sickness? Though, did she really want to be remembered as the Noble who got sick over crab cakes?

"This will hurt," she muttered, looking up with growing dread at the long path that awaited her to the mansion. She glanced back at the Noble who was watching her with concern. It seemed to be the only emotion he had displayed so far.

She waved a dismissive hand. "It's alright," she assured. "I just...hurt my foot."

The Noble stared. "Oh."

Edian swallowed. "Yeah." She bent over to retrieve her shoes, already making plans to fly up to the backdoor. Might not be as subtle, but it would spare her feet.

She felt a warm body press up against her, and she let out a startled gasp as she felt a strong arm wrap around her waist. Her legs were swept out from under her, and Edian found herself being carried by the Noble.

She squeaked, wrapping her arms around his neck as she was carried bridal style up the dark path. Her cheeks further reddened as she breathed in deeply. Her subconscious mind noted how nice he smelled.

"Y-you don't have to do this," she stuttered as she quickly placed a hand on his chest. She immediately withdrew her hand, uncertain what to do.

The Noble glanced at her, and Edian breathed in deeply when she noticed how close their faces were. Her blush grew, and she prayed he could not see her red cheeks.

A small smile tugged at his lips before he looked back upwards, walking up the path with her in his arms. Edian had no choice but to remain still, hoping she wasn't too heavy. Lord, would that be embarrassing!

But the Noble did not seem to be struggling. In fact, he carried her with ease. Slowly, Edian relaxed in his hold, but she resisted the urge to rest her head on his shoulder. But the idea was tempting.

He stopped when they neared the mansion door, still hidden from view by the trees and thick bushes. Edian loosened her grip on him as he set her down gently, though he maintained a light touch on her back as she steadied herself.

"Thank you," she said with a shy smile. Her smile grew at his nod. He may not talk much, but she didn't mind. His actions and small gestures were enough.

She glanced at her heeled shoes with a grimace. She would have to wear them again, and suffer through the night. She had no choice, as she most certainly couldn't walk around barefoot.

He stared at her, understanding her predicament. With an outstretched hand, he lightly touched her shoes. The heels glowed with a red aura before shifting and forming into fancy black flats. The heels were gone and replaced with a more comfortable wear of shoes.

Edian gaped before staring at him with admiration. "Thank you...again," she exclaimed joyfully, slipping the shoes on. The blister and red sores were still present, but at least the night would be somewhat bearable.

With her shoes now on, she looked up at him again. "I'm Edian Drosia. I cannot believe it took me this long to introduce myself." She bowed her head. "Thank you so much...for what you have done."

The Noble nodded his head in greeting.

Edian cocked her head. "And what is your name?" she prompted.

The Noble hesitated, yet he seemed ready to answer until a different voice interrupted them.

"Cadis Etrama di Raizel," the intruder stated, striding towards them. Edian looked up to see two Nobles approach them calmly. She recognized the one Noble as Zarga, and she couldn't help but feel dismayed at the interruption. She frowned as she observed the other Noble who had spoken, noting his similarity to her companion, aside from a slight curl to his black hair.

Well, at least she learned the handsome stranger's name.

"What are you doing here in the shadows with Edian?" the stranger asked, eyeing her.

"We were strolling through the gardens," Edian defended, her cheeks slightly pink at the implication.

The stranger's gaze softened somewhat. "Ah, I see. My brother has always been fond of gardens." He glanced at Raizel. "It's no wonder he visited that area."

Edian nodded. "Well, I shall leave you two in each other's company." She was reluctant to leave, but it was obvious that the other Noble wanted to speak with Raizel, and not in her presence. She bowed to Raizel. "It was a pleasure being in your company, Sir Raizel."

"A pleasure, Edian," Raizel said softly.

Edian smiled at the sound of her name coming from him, and she gave him one more glance before leaving with Zarga, but not before she heard Raizel's brothers last comment.

"What were you doing carrying Miss Edian? Oh, don't look so surprised my dear brother. I saw you when no one else did."

"I was being a proper gentleman, as you told me to be," was Raizel's response.

Edian's blush returned, but her smile did not fade. In fact, she did not notice Zarga's presence until he spoke to her.

"What were you doing in the Noblesse's presence?"

Edian looked at him with confusion. "The Noblesse? I wasn't with the Noblesse. I was with Sir Raizel in the gardens."

Zarga sent her a disbelieving look. "Edian, Cadis Etrama di Raizel is the young Noblesse. He and his brother rarely leave their mansion, but everyone was scrambling for a chance to finally meet them here at the banquet. Are you telling me you spent...time with him in the garden?"

Edian stumbled to a halt, resisting the urge to look back wildly where she knew Raizel was. Her heart thumped in her chest as she gasped, her cheeks red once more.

She would not faint. She would not faint…Nope, not in front of everyone. Not in front of Raizel.

But that did not change the fact that the Noblesse...had carried her. He had carried her! In his arms!

The Noblesse had carried her!

Because being carried by Rai is every girls dream. Am I right ladies? ;)