Chapter 5: For Whom Do the Wedding Bells Toll?

Leodin woke with a yawn and a stretch as the sun's bright rays shone through the window of his room at the inn. As much as he would have liked to sleep in, he had work to do. The blond quickly washed himself up before putting on his clothes and armor, grabbing his supplies and axes, and heading downstairs for breakfast. As soon as he entered the tavern, he spotted Naga already seated at a table filled with breakfast dishes. She was cutting up a pancake and wiping up syrup off the plate when she noticed him. The sorceress eyed him coldly a moment before turning her nose up and continuing to eat.

"You're up early," Leodin said as he took a seat across from her "I thought you liked to sleep in."

"I could say the same about you," Naga replied before taking a bite and swallowing. "Also, I don't remember inviting you to eat with me. As you said, we're only in a partnership, or something like that." She sipped some tea and continued. "So, you won't share a room with me but you want to share breakfast? You've got a lot of nerve, Leodin. I won't share my sausages. Hmph."

Leodin felt a slight but sudden pang of guilt shoot through his body. He huffed and shook his head with annoyance. "It's not the same thing…uhg! Fine, I'll go eat over there…"

"Mornin' there Mister Leodin!" Jethro said with a smile as he slammed a huge plate of bacon and eggs onto the table, along with two tall glasses of orange juice. "We whipped up this breakfast platter just for the both of you, free of charge!"

"Free?" Naga and Leodin both asked. Leodin blinked at the pile of mouth-watering breakfast cuisine, but he fought the temptation and stood up.

"Thanks, Jethro, I think I'll take my share over to-" The blond warrior was interrupted as the short old man reached a hand up to Leodin's shoulder and forcefully pulled him back down into his seat.

"Now now, this dish is meant to be shared by two people," Jethro said with a big, suspicious grin. "You two ought to stick together. Trust me, your lives will be much easier than going solo." The old chef put a fork in Leodin's hand and patted both of them on the shoulder before walking off back to the kitchen.

Naga and Leodin followed him with their eyes as he passed through the swinging doors, then turned to look at one another, their eyelids narrowing. Leodin took a knife from the table and cut the platter of bacon and eggs into two equal halves down the middle.

"This side is mine, that side is yours," Leodin said softly. "Okay?"

"...Your side has more bacon…"

"Just eat already," Leodin said before he began to dig in. "I've got stuff to do."

"And what stuff would that be, hmm?" Naga asked, not trusting her traveling companion.

"I'm, uh, gonna hang out with Jeffrey for a bit," Leodin replied and gulped down some of the ice-cold juice. "I'm helping him enjoy his last few days as a single bachelor before his big day, you know?"

"Oh, is that what you're doing?" Naga asked incredulously. "What do you plan on doing, showing him a tour of the red light district? I don't think Josephine would like you having her sweet boy lose his innocence before his future wife could take it, ohoho!"

Leodin nearly coughed up his eggs but washed it down with the rest of his beverage. "That's none of your business. Besides, that guy really needs one last taste of freedom before he gets tied down for good. Not like you'd understand, being a girl and all."

"Oh, I understand it just fine," Naga said with a mixture of smugness and annoyance. "I value my freedom over all else, which is why I'm never getting married no matter how many men propose to me."

"Yeah, I'm sure all the guys are falling over each other to earn your hand," Leodin replied sarcastically. "You might attract some dudes with that getup of yours, but I doubt anyone is staying for that laugh."

"Ohohoho! Then they have no taste or class," Naga laughed enthusiastically. "Anyone who can't recognize the superiority of my fashion or my world-dominating laughter is far too lowly for a woman of my supreme stature, and even if they do, I've yet to meet any man who would be worthy enough to spend my life with, ohohohohoho!"

"Alright, alright, I get it!" Leodin said as he plugged his ears. He quickly finished off his breakfast and wiped his mouth. "I've got to go meet Jeffrey. You go have fun being… you…"

The blond warrior gave a lazy wave of goodbye as he sauntered out of the tavern and down the street. Naga breathed a sigh as she leaned back in her chair. She would get to the bottom of this, one way or another…

Leodin did not need to walk far to find Jeffrey. He and his mother were also staying at the same inn, after all. The green-haired young man was waiting by his ornate carriage and waved to Leodin. Today Jeffrey was dressed in more battle-ready vestments, with a long thin sword hanging around his narrow hips.

"Hi Mister Leodin! Sleep well?" Jeffrey asked.

"Eh, well enough," Leodin answered as he took note of Jeffrey's sword and pointed to it. "You're not planning on getting into any fights, are you?"

"Oh no, but I thought maybe you could teach me some things," Jeffrey replied. "Just, uh, don't tell my mom…"

Leodin cocked his head to the side curiously. "Why? She isn't close by is she?"

"No, she's helping with some last-minute plans for the wedding," Jeffrey answered. "It's just that, well…my mom and dad and Uncle Galda have taught me everything I know about fighting, but…"

"But what?" Leodin asked as he leaned in, intrigued. Jeffrey seemed to fidget uncomfortably as he tried to find the right words.

"I know all three of them are great fighters, my mom especially. With their training, I should be strong too…" Jeffrey trailed off a moment, then seemed to snap back to his usual cheery self. "Um, I guess I'd just like to test my strength against a tough adventurer like you, Leodin! Just a friendly spar! Bandits just aren't a challenge for me anymore, you know?"

"Oh," Leodin blinked. "Okay, sure, I feel the same."

"Okay! I know just the place we can go," Jeffrey said as he climbed into the carriage and motioned for Leodin to join him. "Come on, this'll be fun." The blond gave a small shrug and climbed in with Jeffrey before the carriage driver flicked the reins and they set off for their destination.

The carriage drove towards the edge of town and the street turned into a gravel trail. Eventually, they came to a stop at the edge of the forest and Jeffrey and Leodin disembarked.

"Where exactly are we going?" Leodin asked as the two walked towards the edge of the tree line. The carriage driver sat back for a break as he lit his pipe and took a few puffs.

"It's not far, you'll see," Jeffrey replied. "Just a little spot I come to when I want to unwind."

Jeffrey led Leodin through a path where the trees parted until they came to a small clearing where the grass was short and the ground was flat. The rays of the sun shone through the canopy above, and the sound of songbirds gave the place a feeling of serenity.

As Leodin admired the natural beauty, Jeffrey suddenly turned and brandished a long, fallen branch he picked from the ground, giving the blond a smirk. Leodin raised an eyebrow, then smirked back as he picked up two other branches.

"Not wasting time, huh?" Leodin said as he got into a fighting stance. "Alright, it's only sparring, so let's just go half-strength."

"Hah, I'll be easy on you and go at a fourth," Jeffrey boasted. "But enough talk, have at you!" Jeffrey let out a battle cry as he charged at Leodin.

The warrior got ready for his opponent's approach, wondering what strategy Jeffrey would go for. High, low, or something trickier? Leodin was taught to never underestimate his opponent, never to let his guard down, to treat every enemy as if they were his fiercest, and Jeffrey would be no exception. If Jeffrey was a bandit killer too, then he must have been hiding some hidden strength, just like his mother…

Jeffrey closed in, the tip of his branch pointed at Leodin. He shouted as he thrust his wooden sparring weapon…and missed Leodin by a mile. Leodin stood still as he watched Jeffrey go stumbling past him. The young man kept shouting as he started to flail his stick around wildly in the air. His eyes were not even open.

Leodin just kept watching, not even moving an inch, and he let his guard down despite his teaching. Jeffrey stopped flailing for a moment to catch his breath before he turned around and swung for Leodin's head. All the blond warrior had to do was raise one branch up to effortlessly block the attack.

"HA, you're good, I almost had you," Jeffrey said, though his smirk faltered. "Right?"

"Uh, well…" Leodin began to say, but Jeffrey attacked again. He pulled his stick back and swung for Leodin's knee, but the blond blocked that one as well without even needing to ready himself. Jeffrey was already panting as he tried again and again, aiming for a different spot each time but always being blocked. Leodin kept waiting for Jeffrey to unleash some hidden speed but it just never came.

After a minute, Jeffrey could barely stand, his knees wobbling as he huffed and puffed. "Wow, you're even better… than Mom…"

"... Am I?" Leodin asked, his question simple but carrying more weight than he realized. Jeffrey was quiet for a moment, the wheels turning in his head as his smile curled downward. Jeffrey fell back onto the grass, staring blankly at his feet.

"Mister Leodin, can I be honest with you?" Jeffrey asked as he looked up at the warrior. Leodin nodded, listening. "I don't think I'm very strong… at all…"

"Hey, don't be so down on yourself," Leodin replied, trying to sound supportive, but they both knew Jeffrey was right.

"It's okay, I've thought so for a while now," Jeffrey said, smiling sadly as he rubbed the tree branch with his thumb. "My mom keeps telling me how strong I am, but I think she's just trying to be nice… I wanted to spar with you so I could learn the truth. I think maybe my mom and dad and Uncle Galda are all just… letting me win."

"How did you beat those bandits and save Paula then?" Leodin asked as he sat next to Jeffrey.

"I'm not really sure…" Jeffrey began to say as he recalled the events of that day. "I saw the bandits surrounding her carriage, and I leaped into action like I was taught to… but something happened and I blacked out. When I woke up, the bandits were all defeated. Paula was with me, and they said I fought them off."

"You don't really remember then?" Leodin asked as he tugged his sideburns. Jeffrey shook his head.

"Not at all. It's not the first time something like this has happened either," Jeffrey said as he crossed his arms. "I just… don't think I'm the hero my mom says I am."

"Oh, um… I'm sorry Jeffrey," Leodin said as he patted the young man on the shoulder. Jeffrey let out a short laugh.

"It's okay, I'm a little glad actually," Jeffrey explained. "I think I've grown out of my hero phase… I really prefer writing about heroic adventures."

"Writing?" Leodin asked. "What, like a bard?"

"Sort of," Jeffrey said as he stood up. "I like imagining battling evil more than the real thing. Thanks for not sugarcoating it."

"Uh-huh. So, what are you going to do?" Leodin asked as he stood back up. "Is this going to affect your wedding? If Paula loves you, she'd tell you what really happened."

"No, I still want to get married," Jeffrey said. "I don't know if Paula is being honest about what happened that day, but we really do love each other!"

"Alright, if you say so," Leodin said with a shrug as he and Jeffrey headed out of the clearing and back to the carriage. He did not let it show, but a small ember of righteousness began to burn in his heart. Jeffrey might not have been much of a fighter, he was well below competent, but he was a good guy regardless and he did not deserve to be lied to. Leodin was going to make sure he did right by Jeffrey, money or not.

As the two young men headed off back to Berylberg in Jeffrey's carriage, the trees rustled and a certain tall, buxom sorceress emerged from the canopy, hanging upside down like a bat with her hair and cape swaying below her and her voluminous chest in her face, threatening to spill from her leather top.

"Hmmm, the plot thickens, ooooohohohoho!"

"Oh, Mother, how about this one?" Paula asked as she pointed to an elegant white wedding gown on display in the shop window. Cally made a look of disgust as she shook her head.

"No, Paula, that tacky thing might impress commoners, but we are better than that," Cally replied as she took her daughter by the arm and pulled her away from the window. "Now come along, we already have the right dress picked out, not that it matters…"

"Mother…" Paula whined softly. "Can't we-"

"No," Cally cut her daughter off flatly. "I'm not leaving anything up to chance this time. Everything must go smoothly. I don't want a repeat of last time. No more futzing around or wasting daylight. We have to get you fitted for-"

"Ohohoho well well, if it isn't the bride-to-be!" Naga appeared behind the two, startling them.

"It's you, that strange woman from the rehearsal," Cally said. "What is it that you want?"

"Who's strange?" Naga asked. "I just wanted to see if Paula here wanted to have a little fun before her big day, a little girls' night out to celebrate."

"Sorry, but we're rather busy and I don't think we've even been formally introduced," Cally said venomously.

"Ohohoh, you really haven't heard of me?" Naga began to laugh as she raised a hand to her mouth and puffed up her chest. "It is I, Naga the Serpent, sorceress supreme! Ohohoho!"

"So you're a sorceress then?" Cally asked sardonically. "I'm Cally Blackthorn and you know my daughter Paula. Sorry, but we really must be going, Miss Naga…" The older sorceress turned and Paula followed after. Not ready to take no for an answer, Naga began to follow right along.

"So, where are we going exactly?" Naga asked obliviously. Cally sighed with frustration.

"We're going to pick out the jewelry I'll be wearing for my wedding," Paula answered.

"Paula, don't speak to her," Cally scolded quietly. "I don't believe you were invited, Naga. This is a mother-daughter only outing."

For the briefest of moments, Naga's expression of confidence faltered, the smallest hint of discomfort there and gone. "Perhaps you didn't invite me, but I promise not to hold it against you. I'll help you pick out something everyone is sure to remember. Perhaps crystal earrings, or a ruby tiara, or a tasteful monkey skull necklace, or-"

"Oh enough of this. Levitation!" Cally and Paula were soon floating off the ground. Naga watched as the two rose high into the air and glided over the buildings. They soon found a flat rooftop and landed.

"What is with that crazy woman," Paula said as she looked out over the edge of the building. "What does she want from us?"

"I don't know, but I'll not allow her to interfere with us," Cally replied. "I think we've lost her…"

"Ohohohoho, I know Levitation as well!" Naga's voice came from above. Paula and Cally looked to the side in shock to see Naga flying towards them and landing on the roof. "You won't get away from me so easily. Now, I really think a skull necklace would accentuate your clavicle and bust."

"You've stuck your nose in and your neck out too far now…" Cally hissed. In that instant, a surge of invisible telepathic power shot from Cally's forehead and into Naga's. As it turned out, Cally was a powerful sorceress herself, and one possessed of a very rare ability, that of telepathy. She would see what this garishly dressed strumpet was up to. If need be, she would leave Naga's mind a blank slate, even more so than it was already.

As Cally's psychic powers touched Naga's mind, however, she was overwhelmed by a burst of loud, overbearing laughter.

OOOOOOOHOHOHOHOHO!

Cally reeled back with a grimace. Naga flinched and blinked her eyes.

"Oh, what was that?" Naga asked as she rubbed her temple. "I suddenly have a nasty headache, but I didn't have that much to drink, only a couple of bottles."

"Uhg, why you…" Cally grumbled, She had not seen much in the short time entering Naga's mind, just thoughts of treasure, food, drink, and that obnoxious laughter that nearly caused her to faint. Naga seemed dumb, but she was far from dim and her mind was a chaotic mess. The younger sorceress may have been too stupid to notice what Cally was doing, but that did make it easy. Still, Cally knew better than to let her guard down.

"Are you alright Mother?" Paula asked.

"Yes, I'm fine dear," Cally replied as she composed herself. "Well, even if I can't read your mind, I can certainly write on it…" Another surge of telepathic energy blasted into Naga's mind, carrying Cally's own thoughts and influence.

"You are going to make sure Paula and Jeffrey's wedding goes off without a hitch," Cally whispered as she hypnotized Naga. The young sorceress's eyes went wide, glowing with a pale, blank light. "No one will cancel it or call it off or cause anyone else to have any change of mind or second thoughts. If all goes well, you'll be handsomely rewarded with plenty of gold and jewels and treasure."

"Treasure…" Naga repeated, her normally passionate voice dull and flat.

"Now, go bother someone else in the meantime." Cally ceased her brainwashing and let out a sigh. Naga's eyes returned to normal as she came to her senses.

"Oooohohoho, ow, my head hurts again," Naga whined. "Uhg, where even am I? I'm going to find Leodin and make him buy me a drink… Ray Wing!" Cally and Paula watched as Naga flew off the roof and back to the Purple Posy. Cally rubbed her temples in relief.

"There, we needn't dirty our hands before the big day," Cally said. "Let's hurry Paula."

Leodin and Jeffrey had spent the rest of the morning hanging out around town and seeing some of the other landmarks and places of interest. Jeffrey continued to prove himself a kind and lighthearted young man, and his sincerity helped put Leodin at ease. As noon approached, they headed back for the tavern and once arrived spotted Naga at a table, though strangely without any food before her.

"Oh, so you're back," Naga said offhandedly. "How was your little boys-only club?"

"It was fine," Leodin replied flatly.

"Yeah, we had a little sparring match, no big deal," Jeffrey said with a smug grin. "Just a couple of manly guys doing manly things!" He gave Leodin a playful punch in the shoulder and immediately winced as his wrist popped, clutching it.

"Guy stuff, you know," Leodin added with an exasperated smirk of his own. "What have you been up to?"

"Just this and that," Naga said as she leaned back in her chair and stretched her long, slender arms and legs out. "Then I got this nasty headache all of a sudden, so I came back here. Leo, be a dear and buy me a drink."

"No, buy it yourself, we're getting our own food," Leodin said as he and Jeffrey took a seat. "Waiter, how about a slab of ribs and some mead for the two of us?"

"I'll just have some iced honey lemon tea," Jeffrey called out. It was then that a new figure entered the tavern. They looked up to see Paula, and she and Jeffrey locked eyes, smiling brightly at one another.

"Jeffrey!"

"Paula!"

"I was looking for you," the young woman said as she and her fiancé approached one another and rubbed their noses in a display of sickening sweetness. Naga let out a soft giggle while Leodin merely rolled his eyes.

"I thought you were shopping with your mother. Is something wrong?" Jeffrey asked with concern, but Paula shook her head.

"Nothing is wrong. We just finished early and I thought we could have lunch together," Paula answered. "Not here though, somewhere more, uh, private…" She eyed the two adventurers suspiciously.

"Okay, sure!" Jeffrey said as Paula led Jeffrey out the door, just as the food Leodin ordered arrived and the waiter placed the dishes on the table.

"H-hey, wait a minute," Leodin called out, but they did not hear him. "Aw, damn it…" The warrior quickly downed Jeffrey's iced tea, left some gold on the table, and grabbed a slab of ribs before running after the couple, getting sauce all over his hand. He spotted them before they rounded a corner and followed after, making sure to stay out of sight.

The blond peeked out to see Paula and Jeffrey walking arm in arm down the street, his presence unknown to them. Leodin sighed and ripped the meat off a rib with his teeth, chewing it heartily before quietly continuing his pursuit.

Eventually, Jeffrey and Paula came to a little cafe that was situated next to the river that flowed through the middle of Berylberg. They took a seat with a nice view of the flowing water. Leodin finished the last rib as he snuck towards a spot that kept him out of sight but within earshot, right behind some hedges. He peered through the leaves and listened in.

"I didn't think you were into this sort of thing," Naga whispered before gulping down some mead. Leodin lurched to the side and turned to look at Naga, holding the mead he ordered. "Voyeurism? Really?"

"How the hell can you be so loud and yet so sneaky?!" Leodin asked in an angry whisper. "Also, shut up! I'm not being some creepy pervert, I'm just… making sure Paula's the right girl for Jeffrey…"

"Oh?" Naga asked as sipped more of the beverage Leodin had paid for. "You don't think they're a good match?"

"Just call it a hunch… now shhh…" Leodin hushed her and put a hand to his ear. A waiter arrived and placed two cups of tea and two plates, each with a little club sandwich for them both.

"Jeffrey, I'm really looking forward to our big day," Paula said, a small blush on her face while she stared into her tea.

"I feel the same way," Jeffrey smiled and took a bite of his food. "Feels like only yesterday that those bandits attacked…"

"Yeah…" Paula whispered, her smile faltering. "Jeffrey, you know how much I like you. I know how brave you were to come to my rescue, but…"

"But I didn't really," Jeffrey cut her off. Paula looked up with a small gasp to see Jeffrey giving her a sad smile. "I know I tried, but I also know I got knocked out before I could even do anything…"

Naga nearly spat out her drink into the bushes, but Leodin slapped his hand over her mouth, getting sauce all over her face and mead all over his hand.

"That's… that's right…" Paula nodded slowly. "Jeffrey, even if you weren't the one who fought off the bandits, you still risked your life for me, and…" She clenched the tablecloth in her fist. "Well, no one's really done that for me. You're very kind and sweet, Jeffrey, and even if you're not a warrior like your mother says you are, I think you're still a great person…"

"Oh Paula…" Jeffrey said as reached out and took her hand in his. "That means a lot to me. Maybe I can stop trying to be what my mom wants me to be. But then, who fought off the bandits?"

"Well, the truth is," Paula began to say. Leodin and Naga leaned in, ears straining. "The truth is, my mother and I defeated the bandits, along with your own mom."

"Mom was there?" Jeffrey asked in confusion.

"Yes, she was in disguise," Paula explained. "She came and went before you woke up and took out some of the bandits. As for the rest, well, my mother is actually a sorceress, and I…" Paula held out her hand with her palm up. "Lighting…" A small orb of light faintly flickered and floated for a moment before vanishing.

"Oh…" Jeffrey said in wonder.

"She taught me magic," Paula continued. "After you were knocked out, I stood by and kept you safe. By the time you woke up, the battle was over."

"I see, so really, you saved me…" Jeffrey said thoughtfully. "... thank you, Paula, for telling me the truth…"

"Well, that's not the whole truth exactly…" Paula began to say, fidgeting nervously. "You see, the thing is…"

"There you are," came a voice. All eyes darted to the side to see Cally standing before Paula and Jeffrey. She had a stern gaze fixed on her daughter before turning to Jeffrey and giving him a soft smile, though her eyes remained cold. "Hello, Jeffrey. I see you found my daughter."

"Ah, Mother," Paula began to say as she stood, her voice trembling. "I was just, I just wanted to spend a little time with Jeffrey."

"That's all well and good dear, but it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride so close to the wedding," Calling replied as she took Paula by the hand and began to lead her away. "I'm sure Jeffrey can wait a couple more days. She'll look all the more beautiful at your wedding, I can assure you. Now come along, Paula."

"Oh, bye, Jeffrey…" Paula said sadly as she was led away. Jeffrey raised a hand to reach out for her helplessly, but could only watch her go.

"Bye Paula," said the young man. "I'll see you at our wedding…" Jeffrey sat back down and continued to eat his small lunch, overcome by a great sense of unease and uncertainty. Meanwhile, behind the bushes, Leodin and Naga looked at one another in confusion.

"What was that all about?" Asked Naga.

"Hn, that explains some things," Leodin murmured as he stroked his scruffy jawline. "But Paula was about to say something else until Cally interrupted. I want to know what…"

"And just what are you planning on doing?" Naga asked. "Are you going to spy on them some more?"

"I'm gonna try," Leodin answered. "For Jeffrey's sake of course." He was quick to add.

"Yes, for Jeffrey's sake of course," Naga said with a smirk. Her expression turned to a frown again as she rubbed her temple. "Mmnn, there's that headache again…"

"It's probably a hangover, and you need to stop drinking so much," Leodin chided.

"Mmmmnoooooo," Naga replied slowly as she thought to herself, tapping her long, pointed chin with a finger. "I think… not…"

"Uhg…"

"Hey Dad, how did you and Mom meet?" Jeffrey asked as he struggled to button his white tuxedo. He was making sure everything fit for the wedding the next day. Josephine had wanted him to wear the same suit that his father, Goldias, had worn. Unfortunately, Jeffrey's rail-thin frame did not entirely fill it, so some alterations had to be made…a lot of alterations…

"Hm?" Goldias was caught off guard by the question. He had been sitting on a nearby sofa in Jeffrey's room rather absentmindedly. His wife had wanted him to spend some quality time with their son and he could not exactly refuse. "Oh, that's… that's a long story."

"Did you two meet on some kind of daring adventure?" Jeffrey asked excitedly as he turned to his father. "In the middle of some kind of fierce battle?"

"Ah, not exactly," Goldias began to say. "I used to be a mercenary and your mother hired me for security. We got to know each other and things just sort of went from there…"

Goldias was not lying, but he was not quite telling the whole truth either. While he had indeed been a mercenary hired by Josephine, he had courted her with the intent of marrying into the wealthy Mailstar family in hopes of becoming rich. Little did Goldias know what he was in for after he tied the knot with Josephine.

"I see…" Jeffrey said quietly as he turned to face the body-length mirror. "Dad, do you still love Mom?"

"Huh?" Once more, Goldias was taken aback by one of Jeffrey's questions. He never knew his son to be this inquisitive. Years under Josephine's coddling had left Jeffrey profoundly clueless. "Do I still love her? That's… that's a loaded question, Jeffrey, but of course I-"

"It's just, I know you left for a long time," Jeffrey began to say, cutting off his father and leaving Goldias at a loss for words. Indeed, the man had ditched his wife and child on a flimsy excuse and became a notorious warlord, until two young sorceresses reunited them.

"And I just wanted to know if it was because of her, or me, or if something changed…"

"Jeffrey…" Goldias stood up with a heavy sigh as he walked over to his son and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Listen, uh… things were different when your mother and I first met, and things always change in ways you don't expect. Your mom changed, especially after we had you… but none of that is your fault, alright?"

"Really?" Jeffrey asked as he turned to his father once more.

"Look, let me give you some fatherly advice before your big day," Goldias said with a confident tone. "If you're going to be with someone the rest of your life, make sure it's with someone you love. Don't just marry them because they're rich or look pretty because they might not always stay that way. You've got to be with someone who likes you and looks out for you, and not someone who wants to control you, keep you locked up, and in the dark," Goldias clenched Jeffrey's shoulder. "They might mean well, they might do it because they're afraid of losing you, but it's no way to live. Do you understand Jeffrey?"

"I… I think so," Jeffrey said thoughtfully. "I should follow my heart, right?"

"Yeah… something like that…" Goldias said with a tired smile. He looked at both of them in the mirror and for the first time since Jeffrey's birth, he felt a sense of pride for his son. "You look good, Jeffrey."

"Thanks, Dad…"

"Argh, we're getting nowhere," Leodin complained as he slammed his empty mug on the table. "The wedding is tomorrow and I haven't found any solid evidence of, well, anything…" The warrior ripped the meat off a fried chicken leg with his teeth and chewed as he stewed in his thoughts.

Naga and Leodin had spent much of their time tailing Cally and Paula, watching where they went and what they did. That turned out to be incredibly mundane, mostly shopping around town. The mother and daughter also had a knack for losing them as well. Just as Cally and Paula would leave a building and turn a corner, they seemed to vanish into thin air and the adventurers would have to locate them all over again. Leodin found it infuriating but Naga did not seem too bothered.

"Maybe you're worrying over nothing," Naga said as she sipped some wine. "Maybe those two are up to nothing at all."

"No, it has to be something…" Leodin grumbled. He wracked his brain as he tried desperately to think of a new plan of action, and a drastic measure was what he eventually came to.

"Naga, get to bed early," Leodin said softly. "I have an idea..."

"Pay me."

"..."

"If you want my help, then you'll owe me," Naga continued nonchalantly and finished the rest of her glass of wine. "Or you could always just split the room cost with me, ohohoho! For Jeffrey's sake, right?"

"...Krom damn it…"

Author's Note:

Once again, I'm sorry for the long wait between chapters. I write a lot when I'm really invested, which means longer chapters and more time spent writing. The good news is that I already have the next chapter's first draft written, it just needs proofreading and editing. That's due to me splitting my chapter once again. I do want to take this opportunity to do something special and experimental, at least on Ao3 where it's possible.

In any case, I realize Paula and Jeffrey are a couple of very flat characters, but I took it as an opportunity to play around and really flesh them out, along with their families. It might be kind of unnecessary, but it's been something I've been itching to do and I think it's coming out well. Things will get more exciting next chapter, I promise.