Chapter 10: STOMP! The Grapes and Wrath!

"Naga, tell me again why we're in Zephilia."

The buxom sorceress Naga the Serpent and her axe-wielding companion Leodin were walking amongst the rolling hills of the kingdom of Zephilia on yet another sunny day. It had been some time since the incident with Naga's fan club, and the two had been heading north, passing across the border and out from the edge of the Duchy of Kalmaart.

"It's the season for wine festivals," Naga declared, her nose between the pages of her little tourist guidebook. "At this time of year, many towns in Zephilia harvest their famous grapes to make wine."

"...and what does that have to do with us?" Leodin asked as he crossed his arms, feeling a tad irritated.

"Because Lina is from Zephilia," Naga answered as she shut her book and stashed it away in her cape. "I heard that Lina's been back in the area recently. I just bet she's feeling a little nostalgic and can't resist some hometown fun."

"Uh-huh, and I'm sure all the wine is a nice little bonus for you," Leodin said dryly before sighing heavily. "Whatever… it's not like we have any leads on Grohl anyway…"

"Hey, I've been helping you, it's your turn to help me," Naga chided. "Not that I can't take Lina on myself, but who knows, she might have allies, like a burly bodyguard."

"Yeah, okay, fine," Leodin threw his hands up in defeat. "A deal's a deal, just don't expect…me…"

"What is it?" Naga asked as their path came around a hill. Leodin was looking off to the side, and Naga followed his gaze to see a vineyard stretching out towards the horizon, with countless rows of big, juicy red grapes growing from tall vines on posts. She looked back to Leodin, whose eyes were wide and alert.

"Get down," Leodin whispered in a hushed voice as he crouched low and pulled Naga with him. "Stay hidden, I don't think anyone's seen us."

"Do you sense danger?" Naga asked, her eyes darting back and forth. "I didn't see anything…"

"Not yet," Leodin whispered. He signaled to Naga as he stealthily snuck over to the vineyard's wooden fencing. The sorceress followed, curious about what was up with her companion. "Okay, here's what we do; we stay low, stay quiet, fill our bags with as much as we can cary, and get out before they see us."

"Wha…Leodin, what are you talking about?" For once, Naga was the one on the back foot. She watched as Leodin took out an empty sack from his bag and unfurled it. "Are you…are you stealing grapes?"

"Yeah, duh," Leodin said plainly as he hopped the fence and went to the nearest vine."It's easy when farms are as big as this. There's too much area to cover. Just keep your ears open for any guard dogs. We'll have enough food to last for a week if we're careful."

Naga stared in confusion as Leodin filled his sack with grapes. The sorceress was not expecting such blatant disregard for the law from Leodin. Then again, he had been rather opportunistic before. Naga quickly got over it.

"Oooohohoho! Petty theft, Leodin?" Naga laughed in her usual method. "I never expected you to stoop so low! Ohohoho!"

"Quiet!" Leodin hissed at Naga with his sack half full. "Are you insane?! You're gonna get us caught!"

"Hey, you!"

"Krom damn it!" Leodin cursed when he heard the shout of an angry farmhand followed by dogs barking. "Run!"

The blond hopped over the fence and grabbed Naga by the arm as he pulled her back onto the trail, the sorceress still laughing much to his chagrin. Leodin could see several farmhands and their dogs coming out from among the rows of vines. All were ready to chase them down.

"Thieves!" Another shout came, and footsteps thumped on the dusty trail. Leodin and Naga kept their eyes forward and saw a line of farmhands forming ahead to block their escape.

"Naga, fly us out of here!" Leodin shouted.

"Ohohohoho, I shall not!" Naga stated defiantly. "I would never aid and abet a filthy criminal!"

"Are you kidding me!?" Leodin shouted incredulously as they skidded to a stop. "Now?!"

"Quick, the net!"

"Huh?"

While Leodin was busy yelling at Naga, one of the farmhands threw a net over him and Naga, tangling them both up. The blond struggled to throw it off, but the corners of the net were pulled to the side, fully ensnaring the both of them.

"Oooohohoho! A fine mess you've gotten us into!" Naga laughed, unperturbed.

"Shut up Naga! Damn it, damn it, damn it!" Leodin swore up a storm as he tried to reach for his knife. "Why the hell would farmers have a net?!"

"To catch grape thieves, of course," came a new voice. "Now, who has been trespassing in my vineyard?"

All the farmhands hushed and made way as the new arrival stepped forth. It was an old woman with sharp features, grey hair held in a tight bun, and walking with a wooden cane. She had steely eyes as she looked down at the two caught in the net. Leodin glared back up at her.

"So you own this place huh?" Leodin growled at her. "Some rich old countess with huge tracts of land who just can't stand losing a few pieces of fruit to some poor nobodies, am I right? Well let me tell you, nobody should get to own this much property, it ought to be public, where every-ow!"

"That's enough of that," the old woman said after rapping Leodin on the top of his head with her cane."I am Madame Cadenza. I'll have you know, young man, that while I run this vineyard, I do so at the behest of the community here in Pienza. If you thought you were robbing the rich, you are mistaken."

"...oh…" Leodin muttered awkwardly, a great wave of shame washing over him. "I'm uh…sorry…"

"Oh what a flimsy excuse," Naga chuckled as she grabbed Leodin in a headlock from within the net. "You were just hungry for those famous Zephilian grapes."

"Naga, your melons are suffocating me!"

"Grapes, not melons, Leo! Ohohoho!"

"Madame Cadenza, shall we bring them to the constable?" The farmhand holding the net asked. "Trying to steal our harvest, and right before the festival. What audacity."

Cadenza watched Leodin and Naga wrestle in the net, studying them closely. She shook her head and turned to the farmhand. "No, it was barely a bushel. Besides, I don't think jail would hold these two. However…" The old woman whacked the two adventurers on the head.

"Ouch, what was that for?" Naga whined.

"Stop smacking me, damn it!" Leodin shouted.

"If you want to make up for your crime, then you can help with our harvest festival," Cadenza said. "If you do a good job, you may even get a reward, but if you don't want to help, we can let the guards handle you."

"Hah, no cage can hold the great Naga the Serpent!" The sorceress declared. "Not that I did anything, it was all Leodin's fault."

"Leodin was it?" Cadenza asked, and she and Leodin locked eyes for a moment. "It's your choice then. Know that if you run away without paying your dues, you will be a wanted thief."

"Tch, wouldn't be the first time," Leodin grumbled. He could feel everyone's eyes on him. The blond warrior let out a sigh. "Fine, I'll help, but only for a day."

"That will suffice," Cadenza replied. She snapped her bony fingers and the net was lifted off the two, allowing them to get to their feet. "First you'll help us harvest the grapes. Once you've completed your quota of ten bushels, you'll help with the stomping."

"Hm, sounds easy enough," Leodin said as he dusted himself off. "So, how much is a bushel?"

"This is," said a farmhand as she handed Leodin a large, wooden bucket. "You can start on the row where you stole from, Mr. Thief!"

"Uhg, I thought this would be faster," Leodin grumbled as he snipped another bunch of grapes from the vine. "This is gonna take me all day, isn't it,"

"Ohohoho, poor Leodin, suffering from the consequences of his actions," Naga crowed while she watched her companion work in the hot sun. "Crime never pays."

"What are you even still doing here?" Leodin asked as he lifted his second full bushel of grapes to bring back to the grape vats. "It's not like you're being punished. I thought you'd be off stuffing your face or getting wasted."

"In due time," Naga replied with a smirk. "But I can't pass up on a little bit of schadenfreude. Hmm, I'll tell you what, why don't I lend you a hand."

"Eh?" Leodin stopped in his tracks and turned to see Naga's hands raised, chanting an incantation. "Naga….Naga, what are you doing?!"

"Vu Vraimer!" Naga shouted as she planted her palm into the soil below. Magical light flashed from between her fingers, and a moment later the ground began to tremble. Leodin watched as a small mound of earth and stone rose to about chest height and formed itself into a stocky, crude shape of a man. The figure was mostly made of grey stone. It had long arms, large hands, stubby legs, and a dome-shaped head with two holes for eyes.

"A golem?" Leodin asked warily. "Huh, I didn't think you could make one that small. Naga. Way to show some restrai-wait, hey-!"

"Vu Vraimer!" Naga shouted again with delight as she repeated the ritual. "Vu Vraimer, Vu vraimer, VU VRAIMER!"

Four more identical golems popped out of the ground on the trail, catching the attention of the rest of the farmhands. They all lined up and faced Naga.

"Oohohoho, why do all the work yourself when you can get someone else to do it for you?" Naga asked rhetorically. "Alright, my little rock babies, I want you to start filling those wooden buckets up until the whole vineyard is empty, got it?"

"Grrg!" The five golems gave Naga a salute. Each went and grabbed an empty bushel and took it over to a grapevine. "Oooohohoho, you're welcome in advance. Hmhm, I'm sure to get a reward for my generosity and ingenuity…"

"Hey, so she is a sorceress," One of the farm maids exclaimed. "Oh, her golems are so cute. With them helping, we'll harvest these grapes in no time."

"Thank you, Miss Naga!" Said another farmhand. Leodin, meanwhile, had a bad feeling as he watched the golems.

"What's going on now?" Madame Cadenza asked as she approached, with a cup of tea in one hand.

"Miss Naga made a bunch of golems to help harvest the grapes," answered one of her employees. "We ought to give her something in return."

"I see," Cadenza replied as she observed the golems approaching the vines. "And how, may I ask, are they going to pick the grapes with such large, clumsy fingers?"

As if on cue, the first golem to reach the grapevine grasped at a bunch of grapes and subsequently squashed them in its grasp before depositing the juicy mess into the bushel. Everyone's smiles faltered immediately. A bead of sweat ran down Naga's cheek as Leodin glared at her.

"Oh, aha, perhaps I should have made them a bit more dextrous…" The sorceress whispered meekly. Indeed, the golems squashed every grape by the handful as they attempted to harvest.

"Damn it Naga, this is why everyone uses shears!" Leodin shouted as he tried to stop the closest golem, but it was too heavy and strong to budge. The other farmhands attempted the same, but the golems simply ignored them. "Call them off, would ya!?"

"Now now, hang on, I just need to make some adjustments…" Naga pleaded.

SNAP! CRACK!

Naga's eyes snapped open wide at the sound of wood breaking. She looked and saw one of the golems, having taken all the grapes from the vine, had now broken the post the vine was attached to and was shoving it into the bushel, breaking it into pieces to make it fit.

"Until the vineyard is empty, you say!?" Leodin yelled with sarcastic rage. "Empty of what, hmm?"

"Good grief," Cadenza sighed as she watched the events unfold. "Young lady, I suggest you get your creations under control."

"That's a little tricky…" Naga said nervously.

CRUNCH! CRICK!

The other golems were now pulling up the whole vine and stuffing them into the bushels.

"Enough of this," Leodin growled as she drew his axes, turning them around so the backs with the lion heads faced forward. "Sorry, Naga."

Leodin raised both axes high and swung the back ends down upon the golem's head like hammers, shattering the grey stone. The golem stopped and crumbled, dropping the grapevine. He dashed over to the next golem, swinging his axe blade at the head and splitting it down the middle. The warrior continued with the other three, hammering their stone domes into dozens of fragments and ending their brief rampage.

"Noooo, my babiiieeessss…." Naga whined as she slumped to the ground and frowned pitifully. "Leodin, that was very mean of you, destroying my-"

THWAK*

"Ouch!"

The sorceress then received another strike to the head from Madame Cadenza, who glared down at her.

"You really should wield that power of yours more carefully," the old woman said sternly. She glanced at the destruction. "You're lucky it was only a few vines lost, we can still recover some of those grapes…but you've done a lot more damage than your friend has, so now you'll be the one harvesting."

Madame Cadenza shoved an empty bushel into Naga's hands. The sorceress blushed and pouted as she began harvesting.

"Don't I at least get some shears?"

"No. And no using magic to cheat either."

As the grapes were harvested, they were poured into two large vats, one for the green grapes and the other for the red ones. Leodin grunted as he lugged his bushel towards the green vat and dumped his last load in.

"Alright, take a break," said the vigneron keeping track. "You earned it, Thief."

Leodin groaned, slumped down onto an overturned bushel, and sighed. He glanced over to see Naga hauling her bushel of grapes over to the red vat and dumping hers in as well. The sorceress shook her hands, stained red with grape juice and sore from picking.

"Uhg, this is making me…uncomfortable…" Naga lamented. "How much more do I have to pick?"

"You've still got two bushels left," the grape farmer told her. "No slacking off, or you're going to jail for destruction of property."

"Grr, Lina never had to go to jail…" Naga mumbled as Leodin watched her go. He stretched and enjoyed his break while he could, waiting for Naga to be done with her harvest.

Soon enough, the grape vats were filled almost to the brim as Naga dumped in her last bushel.

"Ah, now the real fun can begin," Madam Cadenza murmured from the little table by which she sat. The rest of the harvesters had put down their tools and swapped them out for musical instruments, including a fiddle, an accordion, a mandolin, and a small drum.

"Ohohoho, a party!" Naga exclaimed, her fatigue vanishing. "Let's break out the wine!"

"Settle down!" Cadenza barked, making Naga flinch. "We're not celebrating just yet. We just need a little rhythm for the grape treading."

"Treading huh," Leodin remarked as he watched the various farm girls take off their shoes. "Oh, right, the stomping…"

Leodin and Naga both removed their boots, gear, and armor and rinsed their feet off with everyone else as the little farm band got ready to play. When Naga removed the wrappings around her feet, the farmers all took notice.

"Whoo, the tall girl's got some big stompers," said one in admiration. "Gonna get a lot of juice with those."

"Ooohoho, why thank you," Naga beamed proudly as she wiggled her toes. "I got them from my father, ooohohohoho!"

"Ohoho gimme a break…" Leodin muttered as he looked down at his feet, smaller than average even for a man of his stature.

Naga, now in a much better mood, was about to climb into the vat of red grapes when she felt Leodin grab her by the arm.

"Hey, why don't we stomp the green grapes instead," Leodin suggested. "They're firmer, so, uh, I think they'll feel better when they burst under your feet."

"Hah, what an odd thing to say," Naga snickered as she walked towards the vat of red grapes. "Leo, they're grapes, what difference does it make? Just get in."

"What? That's not…" Leodin wanted to protest, but he knew there was no point. "UHG, never mind…" He had thought that the color would remind Naga of blood, but it seemed he was overly concerned over nothing.

The warrior and the sorceress climbed gingerly into the grape vats. Leodin shivered when he felt the cold, juicy grapes burst as his feet sank in. Naga did not seem to mind in the slightest. The other farmhands were climbing into the vats as well, trying to keep themselves steady on the unstable surface.

"Alright, get ready!" The drummer shouted as he tapped his stick on the rim of his instrument. "And a one, and a two, and a-!"

The band stuck up a jaunty tune with a steady rhythm and the farmhands got to stomping in time with the beat. Leodin grimaced as he started to tread on the grapes, shivering with each step. He glanced at Naga, who was happily stomping away with a big grin.

"Come on Leo, keep up!" Naga said. "You wouldn't fill a single bottle by sundown at the pace you're going!"

"Oh yeah?" Leodin growled, the comment having struck a nerve. "I'll show you grape stomping, you big dumb beanstalk!"

With sudden vigor, Leodin picked up the pace and began stomping in time with the music. The farmers cheered and danced along with the stomping, passing a few drinks and snacks around like cheese, bread, and stray bunches of grapes. Gradually the vats became wetter and every stomp created a bigger splash. Some of the stompers began to tire and swapped out with those on the ground, but Naga and Leodin stayed in, Leodin refusing to give up before Naga especially.

"Alright, time to speed things up!" Shouted the drummer. "Double time!"

The beat of the music kicked into high gear, and the dancers instinctively moved their feet faster, as did the grape stompers. Leodin grunted as he tried to keep up, knowing that slowing down would look bad in front of Naga. The sorceress still seemed to be having fun, her long legs thoroughly stained with grape juice. Very quickly, more stompers began to tire out and joined the others in relaxing on the ground. One by one they left the vats until there was only the grape thief and vine destroyer left.

"Looks like we have our two finalists!" The drummer said with a grin. "Here we go, the final stretch! One-two-three-four!"

The band broke into one last song with a frantic, almost chaotic rhythm that few of the farmers even attempted to match. Instead, they all watched Naga and Leodin treading to the frenetic beat, grape juice frothing from the vat and splashing all around. There was hardly a solid grape left as the liquid came up to almost their knees.

Leodin was huffing and puffing and baring his teeth as he willed his legs to keep pumping. Naga was sweating and moving unsteadily, but the grin never left her face.

"Face it Leo, I've got you beat," Naga taunted between breaths. "You're no match for my superb stomping skills, you might as well give u-whoops!"

Naga was cut short when she made a wrong step. Her foot slipped and she felt herself beginning to fall backward, her arms flailing and her face a look of fright.

"Watch it!" Leodin shouted as he reached out to grab Naga's hand. He caught her, but the blond was too off-balance to hold her up properly. Leodin found himself being pulled down with her, and at the last second, he pulled Naga into his chest and twisted around to take the brunt of the fall.

Just as the song reached its crescendo, the two adventurers fell into the vat with an enormous splash. The small crowd that had formed around them let out a torrent of cheers. Madam Cadenza stood up from her seat where she had been watching the whole affair.

"Hmm, impressive," Cadenza said with admiration. "A lot of stamina, those two."

Leodin sat up out of the grape juice and gasped for breath. Naga rose beside him, her drenched hair covering her face. The blond sighed with exasperation as the sorceress pulled her bangs apart and grinned at him.

"I guess it's a tie then," the drummer said as he laid down his instrument. "The both of you are naturals, not many can last that long, not at that speed. You ought to join the competition."

"What competition?" Naga asked as she and Leodin climbed out of the vat. "A grape stomp comp?"

"No more stomping," Leodin groaned as he tumbled to the ground in exhaustion, too tired to stand any longer. "Krom, I just want to eat and sleep."

"Ha, don't make a' me laugh!" All eyes turned to the new voice. A tall, handsome man with a hawkish face and slick black hair in tight, expensive clothes approached. He had a stunning cerulean-haired woman in a red dress around his arm. "I've never seen such sloppy form, you move like a couple of baby goats jumping around."

"Excuse me?" Leodin asked as he forced himself to sit up. "Who are you supposed to be?"

"He's Matteo DeVallo," Cadenza answered. "And his partner Jazel Farinacci. They're the five-time Wine Dancing champions."

"It's gonna be six times, Cadenza," Jazel declared haughtily. "Not much competition, ohohohoh!"

Naga raised an eyebrow and gave Jazel a side-eyed glance of disapproval at her laugh. Cadenza cleared her throat.

"And to what do we owe this visit from the dancing champions?" The older woman asked.

"We heard you were having some trouble with thieves and we were curious to see how they were being dealt with," Matteo replied. "I see you've got them working off the damages. I suppose you need the extra help. Tough times, ah?"

"We're doing just fine, thank you," Cadenza said coolly. "These two have already paid off their debt, so everything is taken care of."

"Yes, I see you've had plenty of time to fool around," Jazel said as she glanced around the area littered with farmhands on their break. "Well, if you'll excuse us, Matteo and I will be practicing for the competition. Can't slack off, ohohoho! Ciao!"

Matteo and Jazel walked away down the path to a carriage waiting for them on the road. Naga and Leodin watched them drive off towards town, the horizon a mixture of orange and violet as the sun was beginning to set. Leodin pulled himself to his feet and ran his fingers through his grape-soaked hair.

"Wow, they're full of themselves," Leodin murmured.

"And such an amateurish laugh," Naga said with a shake of her head. "So weak."

"Mmm…" Cadenza watched the carriage drive out of sight before turning to the adventurers. "You two, you don't have a place to stay, do you?"

"Oh? How did you know?" Naga asked.

"We're wandering mercenaries, I think it's easy to tell," Leodin said. "Why do you ask?"

"If you like, you can stay the night at my home," Cadenza replied. She pointed her cane at a large villa in the distance on a hilltop. "I have enough room and space for the both of you."

"My, that's quite generous," Naga mused with a tilt of her head. "Considering we robbed your produce and destroyed your property."

"True, but the two of you managed to completely juice all the grapes in the vat," Cadenza said with a nod to the barrels of grape juice that the farmhands were filling. "And for all that extra work and helping us finish early, I think you deserve a hot meal and a soft bed."

"Can't say no to that," Leodin said with a shrug. "Lead the way, Madame."

Naga and Leodin gathered their things and followed Madame Cadenza up the path towards her home. Along the way, they passed various workers and employees who all wished her a good evening. Her villa was expansive and made of grey stone, but rustic and modest in design with a garden out front containing several kinds of herbs and produce. There was a bench on the front porch, and from it was an excellent view of the town of Pienza and the sun setting beside it.

"You two had best wash all that juice off yourselves," Cadenza said as she unlocked the door. "I'll get dinner ready in the meantime."

The older woman opened the door and the three entered inside. It was surprisingly rustic and cozy within the foyer, especially as the last rays of the day's light streamed through the windows. To the left was the dining room and kitchen, and to the right was a living room with a fireplace. In front of them was a doorway leading into another hall, and a staircase leading to the second floor.

"The bath and bedrooms are upstairs," continued Cadenza as she shuffled into the kitchen. "Just don't try to steal or destroy anything, understood?"

"Yes, we understand," Naga replied as she and Leodin made their way up the stairs. "Bold of you to invite two strangers you don't trust into your home."

"Behave, Naga," Leodin chided. "Let me use the bathroom first, I'm all sticky now."

"No, do your clothes first, I need to wash my hair out."

"Uhg, fine…"

Cadenza listened to the two bicker as she prepared her ingredients. It was true, she was taking more than just a bit of a risk by inviting the adventurers to stay the night, but Cadenza had a good feeling about them, if only after seeing more of their behavior. Things had been a little too quiet around Pienza anyway.

Naga and Leodin took their turns washing the red grape juice and stains off their skin, clothes, and hair. Leodin tried to discreetly apply his homemade hair product to make his dark blond locks stand up just right, but Naga was already well aware of the little container of beeswax and oil he kept in his bag. By the time they were done freshening up, they could smell the scent of something delicious baking down in the kitchen.

"Mmm, such a heavenly aroma," Naga said with a smile as she practically floated down the stairs. "Smells like meat, bread, tomato sauce, cheese…what could it be?"

"Don't go eating Madame Cadenza out of house and home," Leodin called after her as he followed. "She's being nice, so don't ruin it."

"Leodin, I, Naga the Serpent, am a model house guest," Naga replied with a wag of her finger. "Now, let's see what's cooking…oh!"

They entered the dining area to find on the table three saucers made from bread, fresh out of the brick oven, covered in olives, capsicum, onion, pepperoni, ham, and melted cheese perfectly seared on top. Along with them was a salad bowl full of fresh vegetables and a bottle of wine to round everything out.

"Please, have a seat," Cadenza said from the table with a gesture. "It's not much, but I think this should be enough to pay you back for the extra work."

"Whoa…thanks," Leodin said as he took a chair and sat down. "It smells great, but what are they? Some kind of cheesy meat pie?"

"It's pizza, Leodin," Naga responded as she took a slice from one pizza, the melted cheese forming strings as she pulled. "And yes, they're like pies, a Zephilian signature."

"I see," Leodin said as he gingerly took a slice, wrangling the cheese. He carefully put the pointed end into his mouth and took a bite. It was only a moment before the flavor hit and his eyes lit up. The combination of the sauce, the pepperoni, the gooey cheese, the texture of the vegetables and the perfectly crisp bread was like nothing he had ever eaten before. "Oh…oh Krom, that's good!"

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Cadenza said as she started with the salad. "But thank you. It's been a while since I had an excuse to cook for three."

"Why's that?" Naga asked between bites. "Do you live here by yourself? This house is pretty big for one person."

"I do, but I didn't always," Cadenza answered pensively. "Much of my family has either moved out or moved on over the years. There have been some hard times as of late, and they sought opportunity elsewhere while I stayed here."

"Tch, family," Leodin scoffed as he poured himself a glass of wine. "Blood ties don't mean anything. You seem pretty well-liked by the people you work with anyway. You can't be that lonely."

"The farmhands and townsfolk do keep me company from time to time," Cadenza said with a nod. "But they have their own families, and it's…not quite the same."

"Ahhh, family," Naga said wistfully as she swirled her wine glass. "I always get a little homesick thinking about them." Leodin could not help but roll his eyes.

"Hey, uh, what's this Wine Dance thing again?" The blond asked, wishing to change the subject. "Is there some kind of prize for winning?"

"The Wine Dance is our yearly competition to see who is the best dancer in town. Our ancestors would dance as a tribute to the gods and spirits to give thanks for our harvest and to gain a blessing for the next one," Cadenza explained. "There was a time when these dances held magical powers, but now we do it out of tradition."

"I think I've heard of rituals like that," Naga said thoughtfully. "but those had singing, which yes, I am also quite gifted in."

"The prize varies from year to year," Cadenza continued. "In the past, the winners would receive a year's supply of wine."

"A year's supply?!" Naga gasped. "Leodin, we have to enter!"

"But the harvest in Pienza isn't what it used to be, so that's been reduced to just one bottle of our finest," Cadenza interjected. "However, this year the winners will also get an all-expense paid vacation to the Mipross Island Hot Spring Resort just across the sea."

"Mipross Island?!" Naga gasped again, grabbing and shaking her companion by the collar. "Leodin, we have to enter!"

"What's so great about Mipross Island?" Leodin asked as he forcefully pulled Naga's hands off him.

"It has only one of THE best hot spring resorts in the world!" Naga exclaimed. "I should know, I went there once. Lina and I had this whole quest of restoring the hot springs to their former glory when this evil jellyfish syndicate tried to scam everyone using phony hot spring water. There was a frog demon and time travel and an old wizard and everything."

"...sure there was," Leodin replied doubtfully. "Hey, Madame, what happened to all the wine? A year's supply down to one bottle is a big change. It didn't look like you were short on grapes either."

"The fact of the matter is, we can't afford to give out as much as we used to because much of the land has been bought up," Cadenza explained. "Some time ago, there was a grape famine and the people here were in dire straits. To make ends meet, much of the farmland was purchased at a cheap price by the DeVallo family."

"You mean that dancer guy and his pitiful girlfriend?" Naga asked. "He owns it?"

"Not him directly, but his father does," Cadenza replied. "I technically own the bit of land where we can still grow our grapes, but only to make sure that the DeVallo family can't get their hands on it. DeVallo refuses to contribute much of his land's harvest towards the festival or the prize while having the gall to enter his son into the contest and take away what little we could gift back. It wouldn't be so bad if he did not always win."

Leodin listened carefully to Cadenza's story as he chewed his pizza, and slowly his heart welled up with righteous determination. The blond took a sip of wine and cleared his throat.

"So he's a smug rich boy who thinks it's funny to humiliate people below him…" Leodin said in a low voice which immediately caught Naga's attention. "Naga…I think I would like to enter this dance competition…"

The sorceress's face lit up with a wide, bright smile. Madame Cadenza herself could not hide her slight smirk of approval either as she nodded to Leodin.

"The contest is in one week," Cadenza said. "But I think an athletic pair like you has what it takes, with the right instructor."

"But who's going to teach us?" Naga asked and finished up her pizza. "And on such short notice?"

"Fortunately for you," Cadenza replied. "My husband and I were the former ten-time Wine Dancing champions…"

Author's Note:

Sorry again for the long wait. Life has been busy, but you'll be glad to know that the next chapter is already written and part three is in progress. This was all inspired by Lina's halucination in the first movie.