A parcel wrapped discreetly in brown paper and bowed with ordinary cotton twine arrived for me while I was resting. Upon discovering it on my doorstep, I opened the letter first. The wax seal was still damp. It was an invitation to the annual ball in the palace. My heart fluttered as I read the signature at the bottom of the scroll of parchment. It was not from the Queen, but from Nora.
I would have been infuriated or disappointed, but all I could do was force myself not to hug the parchment to my chest until the giddiness faded. Folding up the invitation, slipping it into my pocket, I took the parcel inside. A good thing I did. The cardboard box contained a beautiful dress and earrings.
I will treasure these forever.
I spent the following days until the party imagining what Nora would be wearing to the party. Not assisted by the communications I made to ensure that Nora secured a room for the two of us to stay at after the pleasantries concluded. The party would be an ideal opportunity to locate my target. However, I would have to do my best not to get Nora involved as my target was probably cursed.
Nora escorted me to the party. My chest swelling and fluttering when my gaze landed on them. They were draped in a beautiful black and white dress, their coat trimmed in gold; flattering their already alluring figure. As my eye roomed over their accessories, I noticed their earrings. I recognized those earrings as being the ones that I gave to them a while ago.
I hope they don't mind if I hold onto their earrings for the rest of the evening.
I spotted my target across the room. It is grossly misleading to assume that two eyes are better than one. I pushed my way into the crowd, after bidding Nora farewell.
By the time that I caught up to the demon, he had vanished. Perhaps this was not the ideal circumstances? I was not one to let the charming face that I mustered go to waste. I passed the time conversing with guests. I smiled way too much, with the advantage of finishing a few drinks. It was a good evening. Everyone done up in finery and their best make-up. All the smiles, food and music. A good vibe radiating from every silly dance and exchange of banter.
After a few twirls around the dancefloor, I caught a glimpse of my target from the corner of my eye. I staggered away from the small clique of jovial guests and through the sitting room after the cursed target. It did not take me long to disarm the demon with my charisma and a few drinks.
"Hey." I put on my best flirty drunk impression, leaning within inches of his face. I want to get this part of the job over so I could return to the company of Nora. I fluttered my eyelashes at him. It was difficult to discern what his opinions would have been of my race if he was not inebriated.
"We should take this conversation somewhere more private. Just you and me. What do you say?"
My target followed me, trying to surreptitiously fondle my genderless figure as if he was not cursed. I decided in a split second that Nora's room was the best for what I had to do next. As a Niryidvatri, I have the power to see curses as timers above people's heads. Because of this, deities like me are usually on basic guard duty to uncover and kill these cursed people before the fairy-like demons finish feasting upon them, turning their victims into man-eating monsters.
The more I spoke to this man, the obviousness of his rotteness sunk in. I rammed a gag into his mouth before I started the messy part of my job.
"Momonoi?"
My blood ran cold as I heard Nora.
What are they doing here? Shouldn't they still be partying? Have I run out of time?
"Uh, yeah! Can you go to my room? I need a minute to unwind. I promise I'll catch up with you later. Don't wait on me. Okay?" I put on my most innocent voice, wiping blood off my cheek with the back of my hand. I waited a moment. My ears craned to make sure they (Nora) didn't linger.
I should have made it quick, but I lost track of the time. The hours are slipping through my fingers.
I was utterly exhausted by the end of it. B-lining for my room, where Nora was fast asleep. I had to make sure. I carpet over to their bedside, reaching over to push their shoulder. They were way out of it. I breathed a sigh of relief and laid beside them. Putting my arm around them. My face buried in their crimson hair that tumbled over their shoulders, framing their gentle face. Their sweet hair. Their body bathed in silver moonlight. I wondered, like many times before, if this would go anywhere.
They jolted awake as disturbed by a nightmare, sitting up. There was no fear or discomfort visible on their beautiful face. I loosened my grip on Nora. Scrunching my eye closed while they looked around the room. It was not too weird for a bodyguard to protect a friend as important to a larger cause. They threw back the sheet, slipping out of bed. Panicking, I sprang up to catch them by the hand. They froze mid-lunge and looked back at me. Their cold-stare penetrated emotions I didn't know that I could feel. I smiled warmly at them, despite my better judgement.
My brain screamed at my hand to let them go. If we stayed like this forever, I wouldn't mind. We had been through so much. With an aching heart, I went about preparing for another ordinary day. The lack of a struggle, paired with Nora's written correspondence to the Queen that the target turned into a man-eating demon and I acted in self-defence would get me out of trouble.
"Oh, before I forget." I began to say, as I was mostly ready to disembark. I kept my hands full of baggage. I am a guard. I don't have feelings. Okay, maybe towards this one person in particular. I was doing my best to dispel the second-hand awkwardness lingering between us. I couldn't read the indifferent expression firmly rooted on Nora's face as they finally looked into my soul.
"Before you leave Unyenzaar. I was wondering, would you like to join me for dinner?"
What felt like an eternity passed before they nodded. I inhaled, not realizing I held my breath the entire time. I was hoping for more time together, but we are constantly separated by our duties.