Part 7

When the pledge was finished Abenander moved beside the gilded golden box and began clicking open the locks on the side. Adella did the same on the opposite face of the box. When all the locks were open Corvus and Victor took off the disconnected walls of the box revealing a glowing yellow crystal inside-the emperium.

Jared perfectly pulled off a fake look of surprise and awe as the emperium was revealed. Abenander placed his hand on the crystal and it glowed even brighter. Suddenly swathes of light began erupting from the jewel and veiling the new recruits with some form of energy. Jared took a gulp silently praying that the potion would work. In a matter of seconds the light around him compressed into a ball and entered through his chest. There was a split second when he felt he had been dunked in a pool of crushed ice but it quickly faded leaving him gasping for breathe. Jared had experienced this before with joining Suldam but having experience it once didn't prepare you very much for the second time.

"Welcome brothers and sisters, you are now Red Stallions." Said Abenander though his mouth didn't open showing that the guild telepathic link was established.

Abenander turned to the crowd and officially opened the celebration. Music erupted in the room and the scullions burst in performing a more elaborate dance than before.

Jared immediately rushed to Persha and she gave him a light hug "You're one of us now!" she said giddily.

"Yeah I can't believe it myself. Jared Shaw, Red Stallion!" replied Jared. Persha's smile widened before she pulled him towards two people whom he recognized as the knight and the crusader.

"Victor, Corvus!" called Persha getting both the men's attention "I'd like you to meet Jared. He's my new ensemble partner."

Victor, the crusader was the taller and the wider of the two; he had dark violet hair that Jared could only describe as unruly. Corvus on the other hand had auburn colored hair that reached to the nape of his neck and he sported a short cut beard. The two armored men eyed Jared from head too toes without saying a word. Little beads of sweat would have begun forming on Jared's forehead if he wasn't trained to hide it. Corvus slowly stepped up and even though he was a few inches shorter than Jared, managed to seem to be the one looking down. The Knight's face was so close now that Jared felt as if a bloodhound was sniffing him. Corvus raised his gauntleted hand over his head and Jared braced himself for a blow if he ever so one coming.

Too his surprise, and relief, Corvus' hand clamped down on his shoulder and the Knight gave a boisterous laugh and began hugging and welcoming him. "Persha you've managed to get yourself a rather decent catch here!" said the Knight jokingly. "You'd better watch him or I'd be able to persuade him to train for a swordsman and become a knight!"

Persha pouted her lips and her hold on Jared tightened defensively "Jared won't be a swordsman Corvus, he's my bard and he won't exchange it for anything else! Right Jared?"

"Um…yes…0…of course."

"She's a fiery one there, Jared." Began the Crusader "But all of us love her, we hope you will too soon." Victor put different tone with his last few words that Jared had difficulty catching. Jared felt embarrassed and he looked at Persha. She looked up at him at the same moment and an awkward silence began between them. They were beginning to blush when a voice from the crowd yelled Persha's name.

An emerald-haired sage began running towards them. Her hair reached to the small of her back and she wore silver rimmed glasses. She had a sort of scholarly beauty that was somehow enhanced by the slight ink stains on her cheeks, probably from scratching her face after writing scroll after scroll like sages do all the time.

"Look Persha, Rhozen finally asked me!" squealed the sage while waving a ringed finger in front of Persha.

"Oh my goodness Maharet, that diamond is gigantic! Rhozen's salary at the Geffenese academy must be enormous to afford that." Said Persha giddily.

"He didn't even buy it!" said Maharet tears of joy beginning to appear on her eyes. "He said that he couldn't find any jeweler who had one big enough to be what I deserved, so he began hunting for this!" The two women sighed in unison.

Victor cleared his throat to get the women's attention before he spoke "Congratulations Maharet, he are very happy for you. We must find Rhozen and congratulate him as well, come now Corvus."

"It's about time if you ask me" said Corvus as they turned and began to walk "Rhozen was beginning to get silver-haired with all that time he delayed."

"His hair has always been silver, Corvus," replied Victor, as the rest of their conversation was lost in the crowd.

"You have to excuse me as well Persha," said Maharet "I have to tell Adella and Lucia about the good news!" the sage immediately took off in search for the people she mentioned.

Persha was smiling as she watched the sage run off. "You see, our other guild mate, Rhozen finally proposed to her."

"I figured as much. She does seem to be happy."

"I know, all of us have been waiting for this too happen. You'd think a powerful wizard like Rhozen would have more self-confidence. Oh I wish somebody would love me like that." Persha sighed again before she realized what she had said and a look of horror replaced her smile "Oh, I didn't mean you! Well…it's not that I wouldn't like it to be you! It could be you if you wanted!" she continued a series of stutters and unintelligible explanations before Jared burst out laughing and Persha began to blush harder than ever.

"Relax, Persha" said Jared with a slight giggle in his voice "Just don't think about that now. Who knows maybe it will be me in the future? I wouldn't mind, in fact I think I'd like to be the one." Jared smiled and offered his arm and Persha took and together they walked towards the balcony.

The sky was cloudless that night, and the shining crescent moon that was just beginning to wax accented it. Jared and Persha stepped out into the balcony and the outside air immediately hushed the noise from the gathering inside. A cold gust swept past the guild house and caused. Instinctively Persha folded her arms over herself to block out the cold. A jacket immediately was swathed over Persha's shoulders. She looked up at Jared and saw that he was only wearing his thin-fabric shirt and that his bard's jacket was on her shoulders. She fingered the ends of the jacket as she spoke. "Aren't you going to be cold?" she asked not making any eye contact.

Jared smiled at her "Maybe if we cuddled I won't be so cold."

Persha giggled and wrapped her arms around Jared's waist and laid her head on his chest. Jared's hand rested on her shoulder and they stared at the night sky. The moment was quickly brought to halt when a metallic click came from behind them.

Persha and Jared turned their heads and saw a blue-haired blacksmith leaning on the wall beside the door. There was a cigarette in her mouth and a metal lighter held in her hand. She gave no sign that she knew she was already seen.

"What are you doing here Lucia?" asked Persha. Realizing her arms were still wrapped around Jared's waist she immediately took them off and folded the jacket around her as much as it would go.

"I wanted to get away from the party inside; you know how I am with social gatherings." Replied the blacksmith "Then the two of you came out a minute later."

"I'm sorry Lucia, we didn't see you." Said Persha embarrassedly

"The way both of you were lovey-dovey you wouldn't have noticed if a hurricane destroyed anything I front of you." The black smith walked towards them then held out a hand for Jared "I'm Lucia Otreibal, third in command of Malacca."

Jared shook her hand politely and introduced himself in turn.

"Listen here Jared, if you break our little Persha's heart I'll break your legs." Said Lucia as if stating what she had for breakfast. Jared was stunned and looked at the black smith not knowing what to answer back. "I'm going to bed now Persha. Both of you don't stay up too late." With that Lucia turned around and exited the balcony.

"Don't let her get to you Jared." Comforted Persha "She was just joking."

"Her expression was serious enough for me I think I won't take any chances. I will never break your heart." They looked at each other for a while before Persha wrapped her arms around Jared's waist and Jared stroked her hair gently. The moon was now at the peek of it's brightness and a beam of it descended down on both of them as if giving a sign that they were supposed to be together.