A succession of flowers welcomed the Stormfalcon into the vast port A-2, station no.10, the vibrant petals rocking with the waves, and the droning melody of the scantily dressed girls met the splendor of the spectacle with each note. A ripple of festivities had washed over the citadel in the crater, and the lavish reception divulged the importance of the banquet in the power struggle, so much so that even Ewan and his team received the grand gesture. Declining the contract worked in their favor now, and the favorable change in their allocated port validated their decision.

  “Welcome back to Fallsard Enclave, Sires, Lady, our Seigneur has been eagerly awaiting your arrival.” A man in a maroon swallowtail coat, his slick gray hair combed back, bowed and greeted them when the thrusters parked the warship in the designated zone. “We’ve prepared a restroom along with an assemblage of clothes and dresses for you to choose from, please feel free to pick any if you don’t mind them.”

  “We will, thank you,” Ewan said, walking down the ramp of the back hatch with the four following him. “Please lead the way.”

  …

  …

  “What may I call you?” Kidd asked, matching the man’s strides while Ewan took it easy in the back with Nana, and they trekked down the winding steps.

  “My name is Kase, sire,” the man said.

  “Kase, nice name,” Kidd said. “You guys really went all out with this.”

  “It was going to be just a humble feast before, but things have changed since then,” Kase said with a smile. “I’m sure you’ve heard of the brewing hostility against our Seigneur, sire, those accusations are all hogwash, my liege has no intention of destabilizing the economic status of the area. Instead, he’s prepared well and beyond to ease other conflicts that doesn’t even concern him.”

  “That’s a respectable attitude, he has my admiration. But to be honest, solving small conflicts won't make that big of a dent. Those allegations might be nonsense, but they are grave,” Kidd said.

  “Those are certainly not small conflicts, sire, my liege hopes to settle the chaos that’s expanding because of those children. I wish I could tell you more about his sacrifice, sire, but I apologize, I’m not at liberty to say any more than that,” the man said.

  “That is indeed praiseworthy,” Kidd said and met Ewan’s glance and the nod, and a slight surge of Mystic-Anima paved their way, carrying the threads of suggestion. “But you may not know this since you’re safe in the citadel, the chaos for the children won't settle down that easily. It’s a treasure trove, and everyone wants it. We just happened to witness a massacre for it, so many innocents died in that.”

  “I’m most certainly aware of that, sire.” A hint of annoyance rose in the tug of his smile, but he pulled it harder, and his lips twitched. “My liege is also aware of course, that’s why he’s arranged to give away wealth that rivals what those children possess, he’s ready to sacrifice all that he owns for this, just so that we can have peace again.”

  “I don’t mean to undermine him or his status, but I doubt he can give away something that can replace the thirst for the information porters,” Kidd said. “But his attempt is most definitely commendable, however empty it might be.”

  “It’s not empty, not at all,” Kase said, his agitation eliminating the ‘sire’ from his words. “My liege has readied mines and mines of Anima Crystals just so that those hungry wolves would stop killing each other.” His eyes widened a moment after the sentence, and he turned and bowed parallel to the stone-path, strands of his gray hair dropping down. “I was rude beyond words, sires, lady, please forgive my impudence.”

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  “It’s fine, we don’t mind it,” Kidd said, patting his back with a smile, and they continued, the severe chatter giving way to the casual gossip.

  Soon the man opened the double door to a large restroom with rows of clothes crowding the right corner, and a mirror at the end of the hall that brushed the ceiling. “There are several rooms on the side, you can use any that you like.” The brief tour ended after a circle when Kase showed them the final room. “The banquet will begin shortly, Sires, Lady. Till then, I’ll be at your service, you can call me whenever you want, for whatever you want. Just ring the bell and I’ll be here within a minute.”

  ….

  Ewan fixed his thin snowy jacket over his charcoal-black turtleneck t-shirt, checking the sides in the mirror, tying the laces of his sable shoes, and patting the hems of his inky pants, when Nana came out of her changing room, brushing the pleated long skirt of her navy-blue one-piece dress. And she took his breath away.

  “Does it look good?” she asked, adjusting the wide sleeves around her forearm, the shallow v-neck collar complementing her tear-shaped pendant, her silken chestnut hair cascading down, some strands greeting her shoulders.

  “If I say no, will you take two more hours?” Ewan asked rhetorically, taking out the pearl earrings from a velvet box.

  “Did you go out to buy them?” she asked, wearing the first of the two with a grin.

  “You were taking too long,” Ewan said, moving her hair aside to see it better—the blood orange of the dusk softened its glare on its lustrous curve, it matched her well as it dangled from her squishy lobe.

  “How does it look?” she asked, wearing the second, then swirling around, the swing of her hair blending with her skirt’s rhythm.

  “It’s a defense artifact, don’t focus on the looks,” Ewan said, pulling her cheek.

  “You could’ve bought me anything then, why earrings?” she quipped.

  “Your pendant looked lonely,” he said, and she giggled. “Let’s go now, those three are already waiting outside for us.”