I hope you will enjoy reading this one!

Chapter 28: The Dance

Nova blinked a few times in rapid succession. Finally, she could see again. Will was leading her into a humongous ballroom lit up by lamps and chandeliers, with various nobles in extravagant clothing along the sides. The middle of the floor was devoid of people, despite the music already playing. Instead, the guests were chatting in small groups, drinking something from tall glasses and conversing. Some of them glanced over to the newcomers, but the majority of them were too immersed in their business to pay attention to Nova and Will, which she preferred.

"We'll head for the dressing room and see if we can find our companions, alright?" Will asked in a low tone, but not quite a whisper. "Remember not to let go of my hand, no matter who you see." Nova nodded. There was a set of tall doors to the right which they headed for, but they were almost immediately stopped by the first group they came across.

"The healers!" One of the ladies exclaimed and politely curtsied to them. "Thank you very much for your service to the Kingdom." Will immediately dropped into a low bow and Nova provided her own awkward curtsy.

"The pleasure was all ours to complete our duty to the best of our capabilities," he replied, then straightened. The overly formal speech sounded weird, coming from him, but Nova did her best not to giggle. She noticed that some of the ladies wore longer dresses, but a lot of them were in minis, just like her. Genevieve had been right in her assumption that minis were back in fashion.

"My father does business through the Silver Harbor and we were quite relieved to hear that the situation had been neutralized in such a hasty manner," one of the other ladies commented.

"Indeed, it had been rather worrisome," the gentleman next to her agreed.

"It was our pleasure entirely," Will replied, before politely excusing them. "If you would be so kind, we would continue to the dressing room, seeing as we have yet to greet our escorts and companion, as well as the master of ceremonies." The group let them go with a few words and they continued on. As they were leaving, Nova heard a comment from the group, told from the lady whose father did business at the Harbor to her female friends.

"Perhaps commoners are good for something," she remarked rather loudly.

"It's best to have them exposed to the disease, rather than us," one of the other ladies agreed. Nova's brow furrowed and she was on the verge of turning around and ripping into the group, but Will's hold on her was strong.

"Don't pay any mind to that," he instructed. "We call that the ignorance and audacity of the privileged." He led her onwards with his head held high, smiling politely at everyone who glanced at them. However, the grip of his hand on hers betrayed his inner feelings. He was pissed off, perhaps more than Nova was. Soon enough, with a few more polite conversations with various groups, they were leaving through the side doors. When she made sure that there would be no audience, Nova turned to Will with a hot glare.

"How can you listen to that and not react?" She asked him, fuming. Will shrugged.

"Years of practice?" He joked, but Nova wasn't up for giggles.

"This ungrateful little sniveling sno-"

"Let's put a stop to that right there before someone overhears and you turn into the gossip of the week," Will quickly interrupted, smiling down at her gently. "It's good that you're angry. You should be. We should both be livid. But, keep in mind, Master Julius is doing his best to correct the toxicity of this society, one step at a time. What has spent centuries festering cannot be healed in one day. Keep your anger close to your heart, but don't let it dictate your actions. The reason why we do this is the general population, and they far outnumber the nobility." Nova huffed, blowing a stray piece of hair out of her face.

"I know why I'm a healer and I'm proud of that," she commented. "But their remarks still piss me off."

"Just don't let it show," Will told her, leading her further down the corridor. "It pisses them off even more than you can know. All they want is cause for a scandal and the latest, juiciest gossip. Don't become a clown for them." Nova's grin was positively evil when she heard that.

The corridor took them further into the depths of the mansion. Will led Nova gently down the path, finding his way about with only a few moments where he had to stop and make certain that they were going in the right direction. A few ladies with their escorts passed them, politely nodding, on their way back to the party. Finally, after a few twists and turns, they were in a small waiting room, where trays with confections lay on multiple tables, many gentlemen sitting on cushions of the comfortable-looking lavish couches, drinking and chatting. This area was lit up more than the previous corridor, signaling that they were in front of the dressing room.

"Novako, lookin' good!" Magna's voice made Nova zero in on her companions in the far corner of the space. Immediately, an uncomfortable weight which had been in her body since the moment she spotted the extravagant carriage in front of the Tower left her.

"Magna! Luck!" Nova forwent etiquette, letting go of Will's arm to rush to her companions. She hurriedly embraced Magna, who was waiting for her bear hug and returned it in much the similar fashion.

"Missed us, eh?" Magna chuckled, finally stepping back after a moment. He looked good in his formal wear. Nova could immediately see how it was a bit more modest than what the rest of the guests, and even Will, wore, but she had to appreciate the effort. A white button up, a proper fluffy neck cravat scarf to go with it, and an overcoat in black and red, signaling his Squad affiliation with the subtle design of raging bulls. Even his usual glasses were missing, but his hair was pinned in a different way, not slicked back completely. Some of it was left down, while the side had been expertly braided and pinned back.

"Missed you tons!" Nova came closer, whispering to him behind her raised hand. "You looking to impress some noble ladies, Magney? Lookin' crappy stylish in that!" He promptly blushed, turning away from her and swatting at her.

"Why, you little!" Nova avoided the playful swat, turning to the Knight standing behind him. Then, all of her breath left her lungs and her mind went promptly blank. She didn't know whether it was the fact that Luck wasn't wearing his usual pale colors, but a popular gentleman's getup similar to Magna's. Or if it was the hair, pulled back in a tiny ponytail at the nape of his neck, with some curls still at the front getting loose. Or maybe it was the lost expression on his face. Or the way he was looking at her, almost star struck. It was definitely due to her own feelings, she knew that much. But, the sight of Luck had completely robbed her of her words, clever quips and thoughts.

"You boys clean up well," Will remarked, coming over. "You've officially surpassed my expectations."

"We're not going to embarrass our lovely Novako at an occasion such as this, peasants as we may be," Magna laughed.

"Y-yes, I'm surprised you both look so good in formal wear!" Nova managed to find her voice, and after clearing her throat, it didn't crack again. "You look very handsome, Lucky!" She came over to him, realizing that giving Magna a hug and not him would seem strange. So, she pushed through her initial embarrassment and went for it. Immediately, Luck's arms came around her and enveloped her in the scent of spring rain, the taste of ozone in the air. There was something else there, which usually wasn't, a fresh, musky man's cologne, or something similar. It got her head fuzzy. Nova didn't want to leave that embrace. Ever. But, after a second, Will spoke and Luck let her go.

"Is Miss Vanessa inside?" He asked Magna, but when Nova turned around there were matching sly grins on both of their faces.

"Yeah, went in to fix her makeup," Magna told him. "She should be out soon, she's been in there a while." Nova nodded, stealing another glance at Luck next to her. She found his eyes fixated on her and quickly looked away. He still hadn't said a word to her. Had she done something wrong?

"Nova, mind going in to look for her?" Will asked. "We don't want to miss the greetings from the hosts." Nova nodded a little too eagerly.

"I-I'll go find her," the girl said and hurried for the doors. She felt it, though. As she was leaving Luck's side, his hand brushed against her wrist, like he had reached out to catch her and stop her from going. She glanced back when she arrived at the door, to find him still fixated on her, one foot forward like he'd went to follow her. However, the expression on his face was unreadable. After offering him a small smile, Nova went into the dressing room.

As soon as the doors closed, she reached up, putting her hand over her heart. It was pounding so strongly and loudly that she thought Luck must've heard it during their brief hug. After taking a few deep breaths to calm down, Nova looked up. The dressing room was really more of a large dining room which had been refurnished hastily. There were lines of makeup vanities along the walls, multiple ladies and their servants adjusting appearance there. In the middle there was a long table where sweets and tea lay, a few servants and ladies standing there and chatting as they drank tea. In the far corner of the room, a row of dressing cabins stood, with long drapes either open of closed, where the ladies took the chance to switch outfits or repair wardrobe malfunctions. Nova spotted the witch after a second. She was sitting at one of the vanities, legs crossed, drinking a suspiciously red liquid from a tall glass as she applied lipstick.

Vanessa looked beautiful. Even more so than usual. It made Nova slightly anxious, seeing as her outfit was rather casual compared to the witch's. Vanessa wore a corseted mini dress in her usual purple color, however she had details signaling her Squad affiliation. The boots were different, this time showing the black and red raging bulls. There was a shawl draped over her, in much the similar design. Her gloves were long and white, but the ends of them showed embroidery of the bull. She wasn't wearing her usual hat, but had her hair pinned partially up and curled even more. The makeup she wore was subtle, yet accented each of her beautiful features perfectly. Nova walked up to the woman from behind, grinning.

"Vanessa," she greeted, making the witch look at her through the mirror. Then, Vanessa quickly turned around.

"Nova!" She stood up, reaching out to grasp the girl in a hug. Immediately Nova noticed the slight sluggishness in her movement. "You're so pretty tonight!" The witch praised. When they separated, Nova glanced at the glass Vanessa had been sipping from.

"You look very beautiful, as well, Vanessa," she decided not to comment on the woman's obvious intoxication. "The boys sent me in for you, we're all here and ready." Vanessa nodded.

"Alright, just a sec," the witch said, turning to the vanity. She quickly tossed her makeup products back into her purse, then chugged the rest of her wine in one gulp and reapplied her lipstick, before tucking it also into her purse. "All set!" The two interlocked their arms and headed towards the foyer. "How did you like Magna and Luck in formal wear?" Vanessa asked slyly, grinning at the girl.

"They look very nice," Nova blushed, making the witch giggle.

"You should've seen them getting ready!" She said. "They were panicking over how to put this on, how to get that to stay on, how to do their hair, it was hilarious!" Vanessa giggled to herself, obviously recalling the mayhem which had taken place earlier that day at their base. "Made the whole thing worth the effort, really…" she mumbled, then bent down to whisper to Nova. "The Captain was pissed he wasn't invited, too." At that, Nova gaped at the witch.

"Should I have invited him? Oh, for Wizard King's sake, was that another faux pas?" Panic bubbled inside of her, imagining the terrifying expression which sometimes appeared on Yami's face, this time directed at her. She could already hear him saying 'You dared invite my Squad members, but not me?' in that familiar menacing tone, all the while squeezing her head. She reached up, her scalp hurting at the very thought.

"He got over it quickly after he saw Magna and Luck getting ready," Vanessa waved her off. "He hates wearing the formal suit." Nova breathed a sigh of relief.

"I don't think my heart can take it sometimes," she sighed, the two reaching the door. "Ready for the asskissing?" Vanessa gave her an expression which immediately told her that there would be none of that.

"I can't wait to see Magna attempting to dance," the witch giggled and then, they were leaving the dressing room. The boys stood pretty much in the same spot they had been left in. Will, though, had a cup of tea in his hands, for a change.

"All ready?" He asked, looking over the two and then smiling at Vanessa. "You look absolutely stunning, Miss Enoteca," he left his cup behind and walked over, extending his hand for hers. She gave him her gloved fingers with a soft smile. "It's my absolute pleasure to have the opportunity to escort you to this event." Then, he kissed her knuckles and stood straight again. Vanessa patted the hand which was holding hers with her free one.

"Gotten even slicker with words, haven't you, William?" Nova sidestepped the pair and walked over to Magna and Luck, taking the chance to whisper rudely.

"Did you manage to find some?" At that, Luck seemed to come down to earth and finally grinned at her wide. He motioned for her to come closer and then secretively showed her something hidden in his pocket. Nova grinned wide at him. "Knew I could count on you."

"You can always count on me, Nova," Luck grinned. "Did you learn the stuff?"

"Majority of it," she nodded.

"Remember, there can be no evidence," Magna whispered to the two. They grinned matching evil smiles right back at him, nodding.

"There won't be," the two chorused.

"What are you lot scheming?" Will interrupted them, making the trio put on the best innocent faces they could when they turned to face him.

"Quadrille steps," Luck covered quickly. "Nova was wondering what the etiquette was on whom she could dance with first." The frown Will gave them told them that he didn't really buy the lie, but he didn't comment. Instead, he offered his arm to Vanessa who took it, and they led the group back towards the ballroom. Nova found herself between Magna and Luck, each of her arms looping through one of theirs. And, she really wouldn't be anywhere else in the world, despite the annoying party.

Nozel Silva delivered a lengthy speech at one point, thanking the healers for their work and then called for the official beginning of festivities. As he stood next to the musicians on the raised podium, in order to be seen by all attendees, there were three people next to him. One was the man from the entrance, Solid, and another one was a young woman, whose name Will told Nova. She was apparently one of the Silva siblings, Nebra. The final member of their house was a child, barely into her teens, who kept looking down at her feet. Will told Nova that her name was Noelle and that she hadn't been introduced into society yet, so that she would probably be leaving after the first ten dances were over, before dinner. Nova found the little girl cute somehow. She didn't glare at anyone, unlike her siblings, and she kept to the side shyly almost, which endeared her to Nova immediately.

After the formal speech, the music started up again, this time a little livelier and louder. Will took Vanessa onto the dance floor, leaving the trio to seek out a comfortable corner with some snacks and tea. Nova was left to her own devices with the boys. They found a secluded corner where they could chat, hog some of the sweets and generally avoid the nobility. Nova made sure that she was being proper, always clinging to one of them, which was a bit awkward.

"They really go all out, don't they?" Magna asked, looking about as he chewed on a macaroon. Luck and Nova shared an amused look, both of them noticing his blue teeth. They didn't comment.

"I think it's because of the start of courting season," Nova mused. "Will told me how nobility took the chance to start new relationships and courting in spring, so this is essentially the first party for that." Luck nodded.

"Parties are the appropriate place for one to find a husband or wife, if those things haven't been pre-arranged," he told them. "And organizing a party which isn't up to noble standards is shameful. Essentially, the Silvas have now set a standard for this season. Any other party has to either be on par with this one or be grander." Magna shook his head.

"I just hear the sound of taxpayer yuls going down the drain," he huffed. "I can't believe that in some places in this kingdom we've got people starving, and in other places, we've got this."

"Right you are," a new voice commented. They turned around to find a tall man there, looking out at the dancing couples, as well. Nova immediately recognized him. He was Fuegoleon Vermillion, the Captain of the Crimson Lion Kings and Leo's older brother. She had met him a few times before, and her general impression was that he was rather nice, for a noble. He didn't seem to particularly care for her heritage. "We spend too much and give too little."

"Captain Fuegoleon," Nova whispered to the two confused Mages next to her. "Of the Crimson Lions." She turned to the man. "But, the system can't be changed in a day, we need to all work towards the common goal, and I really don't see the nobility being open to spending less." The man's intense eyes focused on her then, and he offered her a small smile.

"Indeed," he replied. "We've been set in our ways for generations, it would take a miracle to make us change now," then he paused. "Or a very persistent leader."

"The Wizard King is just the Wizard King, though," Nova commented. "He has only reign over the Knights." She received a nod of approval.

"But he has the power to change mindsets," the Captain told them.

"You're strong, aren't you?" That statement changed gears within their little group. Nova saw the expression on Luck's face, immediately smelling trouble. "Want to have a go?"

"Sometime after the party, he means," she quickly added to his words. Luck gave her a look which told her that he really didn't mean after, but right then and there, but she raised an eyebrow at him and he didn't comment. Fuegoleon, however, laughed.

"I'd be glad to have you train with us, young Bull," he told Luck. "Come around our compound any time with your friend." He then turned to Nova again. "I was hoping to give credit, where credit's due. We're very grateful for the quick action the Tower took against the imminent threat of contagion."

"It was our duty," Nova politely curtsied.

"It was quick and meant to protect the general populace," Fuegoleon exposed her reply. "While it may not seem like it, the majority of nobility is very grateful for your actions." Then, with a polite nod, he excused himself and left. Magna turned to Nova.

"You know him?" The Knight asked.

"Not very well," Nova shook her head. "I treated him a few times for minor injuries, but we've never had a proper conversation. He's Leo's brother, though. I feel like I know him from stories."

"Leo's? That little Fire Mage's?" Magna asked, recalling their joint mission. Nova nodded.

"He was strong," Luck added. "His brother looks like a real challenge, though." Nova giggled, putting her hand up over her mouth.

"He ought to be, he's a Captain."

"Maybe I should get better acquainted," Luck hummed.

"Maybe you should make a list," Nova suggested and Luck's face brightened.

"I really should!" Luck was already rummaging around his pockets for paper, and clearly considering writing his list of desired opponents on the pristine tablecloth of their table, when the music lulled. A brief silence ensued, where chatting could be heard quite loudly. Then, an address came from the main podium from one of the musicians.

"As the first quadrille of the night, we invite all escorted ladies to find their gentlemen and take the floor," the man sat back down and picked up his instrument, waiting a few beats for the pairs to change. Nova turned to her two boys, seeing Magna immediately looking much more nervous than before.

"I don't know all the steps!" He told her in a low tone, panicked. "I tried to learn them this morning, but it was much more complex than I thought."

"I'll dance," Luck abandoned his inspection of the easiest spot where to rip off the tablecloth, getting up. He turned to Nova, a more serious expression suddenly on his face. He wasn't grinning madly, but smiling softly at her, an expression she'd seldom seen. "Shall we?" His hand extended to her and Nova took it before her brain gave the command.

"Don't embarrass yourselves!" Magna unhelpfully cheered behind them, leaning comfortably in his chair and grabbing another macaroon. Nova felt her hands go cold and her heartbeat speed up.

"Luck," she began. "I'm not that good."

"I'm good," he interrupted. "Don't worry, I'll lead," he told her as they neared the swarm of people waiting for the music. "If you mess up, it's no biggie, just ignore it." Nova tossed him a worried glance.

"They'll laugh," she said.

"Let them," Luck shrugged. "I don't see them trying to collect herbs, mine for materials or wrap wounds," he told her, positioning her opposite of him in a six person group, so that they completed it. Nova glanced around, realizing that she didn't recognize anyone from it. However, one person was wearing Azure Deer robes, like Will. "If they tried to do your job, you'd laugh," Luck bent forward to tell her. "If you try to do their job, let them laugh. You're not here to prove anything, and if you wanna leave, we can always cause a total scandal and leave," he winked at her, making her giggle. Her heart leapt up to her throat as the music started. It was upbeat, but slow, counting their steps for them. She focused on her feet. Soon enough, the pairs moved, dancing together and then splitting apart. Nova waited for her turn, just like she'd practiced with Will, and then went forward into the circle. Luck matched her pace, which made her endlessly grateful, and kept grinning at her while they were in the middle, when they split up, he made a face at her from the opposite side, which caused her to smile wider.

The dance went on for a few minutes, not really speeding up or slowing down. Luck kept making silly faces at Nova throughout it, whenever he knew he could get away with it, making her giggle soundlessly. The touches which weren't really touches, just as Will had taught her, became something more. Every time she was to take Luck's hand, despite her gloves, her hands felt electrified, and for once, it had nothing to do with his magic affinity. Every time she glanced at his face, grinning at her, she felt breath leave her lungs completely. Every time she spun away from him, to switch partners, she found herself disappointed, eagerly awaiting to go back to him.

By the time the dance was done and they were all bowing to one another, Nova was certain. She was sure. There was no mistake. She was in love with Luck Voltia. Completely and hopelessly. And she didn't know if she would ever be able to let him go.

That's all folks!

Reviews:

KEZZ 1:
Thank you very much for the feedback!
Hope you'll enjoy the update :D

AmericanNidiot:
Thanks so much for the review!
I feel like Luck would definitely come over to the Lions more if Nova was in that Squad, if only because he now has an excuse to constantly attempt to start fights with Fuegoleon xD
The Green Mantis idea sounds hilarious though!
Luck is definitely in for some mayhem in the upcoming chapter!
Hope you'll enjoy the update :D
Best!