"Ah, the band is here," Eryk says as we return to the foyer. For a moment, I'm still too caught up thinking about his crazy plan to realize what he just said. But then I look up and see them. Three men standing with a mix of unfamiliar wood and metal things. Instruments, I think they're called. Seeing them, and hearing them pluck and tap on the strange tools immediately shoves my worried thoughts from mind.

I've picked up on bits of music in town before, especially through Riko's ears, but that's nothing like getting to watch someone play it from up close and really listen to it. Right now, they're just getting ready I think, each doing their own thing like they aren't paying attention to each other, or even any of the servants scurrying around them.

Speaking of the servants... when I see it, I can't help but stare. It's not long to the fifth bell now, so they've had some time, but it's hard to believe they made such huge changes in the time they had. All around the foyer, there are big hanging fabric things, all in red and yellow. A lot like my dress, actually. Well, the yellow is kind of darker, more like gold than the pale yellow of my dress, but it's still unexpectedly close.

There's a really big one hanging over the banister on the second floor, a little different than the others. It's almost completely gold, with two red swords on it. They're in the center of the thing, blades crossing in the middle.

"What's that?" I ask automatically, pointing up at it.

"Hmm?" Eryk follows my gaze up to the second floor banister, then says, "Our emblem." Emblem means... a picture that represents something, I think.

"So, that's supposed to represent... your company?"

Eryk looks back down at me and sighs. "No, it's our country's. The Melphiran emblem."

"O-oh..." Embarrassed, I look down at the floor. "I guess we didn't get to that in my civics lessons yet..."

"It's fine." He pats me on the head, and says, "You don't see the red and gold much outside the nobility, or during special events, so it's not all that surprising." The way he says that is a bit odd, so I ask, and he explains a little further. "Red and gold are our national colors. They represent the blood shed for our independence. That's why we bring them out on independence day."

"Oh, I get it." Thinking back on my history lessons, huge wars like those must have cost a ton of lives... It makes me a bit glad that we use rail units now. No more massive armies all slaughtering each other anymore. Even if I'm the one who suffers for it...

I quickly shake my head and turn my thoughts away from that, before I start crying. Today isn't the day for that. I have too much else to worry about already.

"Aria?" Eryk looks concerned, so I wave him off.

"Sorry, I'm trying to keep it together for the party, but it's a bit tough."

Eryk smiles at me, warmer than usual. "I talked to Beth last night, she was... well, rather out of sorts. Yesterday must have been pretty rough for you two."

"Kind of, yeah. But also good." I feel sort of guilty now. I made Beth feel bad last night...?

"Haven't seen her vent like that..." suddenly trailing off in the middle of what he was saying, I look up at him, then follow his gaze. As if talking about her made her appear, Beth just walked in through the front door. She's in a much nicer dress than what she normally wears at the clinic. It's blue, with sections of red patterns that match Taylor's suit as they approach, their arms linked together.

"Beth, Taylor, you're early," Eryk greets them with a quick salute. They return the greeting, and I curtsy slightly as well, before he goes on. "It's not even fifth bell yet."

"I wanted to get here early to check on Aria before the party starts," Beth says. Moving closer, she carefully kneels in her floor length dress. "How are you feeling?"

"Mostly better," I answer honestly. But what Eryk said is still bothering me. "What about you?"

"Me?" I can see it in the details of her face now, the tightness around her eyes as she squints more than normal. "I'm perfectly fine." I frown a little when she lies. I think I recognize this look.

"Do you have a headache?" That draws a few surprised blinks from her.

"Well, yes, but it's hardly anything to worry over, sweetie."

"I told you not to drink so much," Eryk sighs from the side. Drink? She drank something that gave her a headache?

"Are you sure?" I ask uncertainly. I might be able to help, but not with so many people around...

"Absolutely." She rubs my head and laughs. "I'm much more worried about you than I am about a touch of headache."

"Alright..."

Finally standing up, she addresses Eryk again. "Well, we'll be around. Happy independence day."

"Happy independence day," Eryk responds, then Beth takes Taylor's arm again and they move away, heading for a big table near the front of the room. I didn't notice that before. It's right in front of a big glass window, the bright sunlight washing over piles of different foods and drinks. In fact, a servant is still working on getting everything situated on the table when Beth goes over. I can't hear what she says, but the man pours her some water in a fancy glass.

Looking back up at Eryk, I smile, and he smirks.

The preparations proceed smoothly around us until the fifth bell, when the first guests begin to arrive. I stand in the foyer with Eryk. Zole is out at the door, opening it to let each group in, so we can greet them, and they can begin to wander around. With an amused look, Eryk calls it 'mingling.'

"Good to meet you, Vik, Nancy."

"Nice to see you, Fina."

"Palmer."

Eryk greets the guests one after another as the house quickly fills with more and more people. Each time, he turns and explains who they are quietly, whether just family friends, relatives, or people from other businesses that work with metals. And the five members of the metalworking guild who arrive as a group, lead by a man named Palmer. They're all dressed in somewhat less flashy business clothes, unlike the fancy party clothes everyone else is in. They're clearly here for work, not fun...

More people arrive, some that I know already. Norman, the overly muscular blacksmith. He comes with the similarly enormous Montley, who must be the owner of Montley Smithing, together with his wife, Johanna.

Jannette and Linda from the tailoring shop show up too, both smiling and complimenting me on how the dress looks on me, and I thank them repeatedly for their hard work making it in time.

Quietly, Eryk mentions that all of these people are distant relatives of his, second and third cousins. How does that work? You can have more than one second cousin? Then what does third cousin mean? Haven't I already met more than four of his cousins?

Before I can really ask about that, more people come through the door, so I leave the question for later.

Ebbin arrives, with his wife, Rimina. I'm surprised by her bright green hair. A Shona woman? While Eryk and Ebbin joke around briefly, we wind up staring at each other's hair with a somewhat awkward air, before they move away into the party.

Then, "G-Gremory?" I gasp as the enormous blacksmith squeezes into the foyer, a much shorter woman on his arm. He might not be as muscular as those other two blacksmiths, but he's way taller.

"You know him?" Eryk asks.

"Yeah, he was the one who recommended me to your refinery," I explain as the man grins down at us.

"It's nice to see you again, little one," he chuckles. "Happy Independence Day, Eryk," he adds with a respectful salute. It's so weird to see him with a shirt on...

"You too. And it's nice to see you too, Flora," he addresses Gremory's wife, and she responds with a polite curtsy and her own greeting. She has a pretty voice. It seems kind of weird though, Flora's normal size, but looks so tiny next to Gremory...

"Gremory, it's good to see you!" a woman's voice suddenly comes from behind, and we all turn. Johanna is walking over, Norman trailing behind her.

"Johanna, you're looking good, how are things?" Gremory asks, a little louder than necessary.

"Good good," she has a huge smile on her face. How do they know each other?

Norman finally catches up, taking his wife's arm, and the two huge men meet each other's gaze briefly. They reach out at the same time, shaking hands with a strangely serious air about them. "You taking good care of her?" Gremory asks.

"Of course."

As this strange event goes on in front of me, Eryk leans down to whisper in my ear. "Johanna is Gremory's sister."

"Huh..." I mumble as I stare, leaning back so I can look up at the two huge men. So Eryk's cousin is married to Gremory's sister... How big is his family exactly...?

More and more people arrive, and we greet them one after another. According to his earlier plan, I'm doing the higher class divant curtsy, which feels really strange to in this situation, since the whole reason I'm here are the rumors about me as a peasant. He said it will put them all off-guard when we contradict the rumor though, so I'm going along with it.

There are so many people though! Various employees and owners of different shops, like Lance, who runs Lance and Sword, Rolph from Fine Metals, Yori from Milly's Weavers...

"There's no way I can remember all these people," I whisper to Eryk between greetings. It would be hard even with my usual water mana. I've met at least forty different people already and the names are all running together...

"It's fine, no one would expect a four year old child they met one time at a party to remember them by name." I wince a little when he says it like that, but I know what he means. I'm supposed to be pretending I'm younger to make them all lower their guard for later.

"That's... fair..." With that said, we continue to smile and greet all the new arrivals. There are a few things that really jump out at me though. For the most part, everyone is showing up in pairs. The men and women all walking arm in arm. So this is what Irene meant when she said I would be able to tell who's married...

Besides that, there's the slowly increasing issue that it's way too crowded in here!

Even with everyone spreading throughout the house as they mingle, the foyer is slowly getting louder as people begin pressing closer behind us. "Eryk... how many more people are coming...?" I ask nervously, and even he can't hide the stiffness in his expression when he answers.

"About... twice this many..."

I look up at him, trying to wrap my head around that. No wonder why Kathy was complaining about him refusing to hold the party at her house... "Isn't this... pretty bad?"

His cheeks flush just a little as he coughs into his hand. "I'm sure it'll be fine..."

So stubborn...

It's getting close to the sixth bell, the party's official start time, when the main players finally arrive. I stop myself from squinting at them suspiciously when they all arrive together. They're just like Eryk described earlier.

"Good to see you all came," Eryk greets them with an extra polite salute, even bowing his head to them. I follow along, giving my most graceful, deepest divant curtsy. "Allow me to introduce you to this little one." He's trying to hide it, but I can pick up the smallest hint of smugness in his tone.

Keeping my own voice perfectly polite, I tone things back, trying not to sound more mature than they must be expecting. Just like Eryk planned. "Hi Misters and Misses, I'm Aria."

"Aww..." the murmurs and smiles come from the wives, and I have to keep myself from showing my feelings on my face. I can't believe I'm intentionally making them think I'm so young... It's so depressing...

"Now, would you all like to introduce yourselves?" Eryk prompts smoothly, so they'll get into their own introductions.

The first to step forward is Mallory. Like Eryk said earlier, he's around Eryk's age, big and strong looking, and seems to be bursting with energy when he says, "Name's Mallory, owner of Hard Rock Refining. Happy Independence Day! I'm looking forward to the party!"

With a smile to match her husband, the blond woman on his arm speaks up. "Lacey. It's great to be here! Happy Independence Day!" Wow, they both sound so happy... It's kind of funny though, she has this beautiful, form fitting red dress and a good figure, except she's kind of fat. Only her belly though...? And why is she pale and sort of sickly looking?

My confused thoughts are put on hold when Eryk waves forward the next pair. This is the shortest of the men, but he's paired with a very tall wife, which is an unusual sight.

"My name is Arnold, and this is my lovely wife, Meghan."

...

There's an odd, lack of any response following his flat, almost sarcastic introduction, and his wife certainly doesn't seem to be happy to be here. What are they, the opposite of Mallory and Lacey?

Eryk coughs to break the awkward tension that's forming, and moves right on.

At his wave, the third man steps up. Earlier, Eryk told me that Terrance's wife died a number of years ago, so he's alone today. He's really tall, with a serious face without much emotion on it. He looks really old too, with some wrinkles, and these weird streaks of gray in his short brown hair. "Terrance. Surefired Metals." He nods his head.

So short...

Last up is Laslo, the one Eryk was worried whether he would show up or not. When he steps forward and looks down at me, a sudden chill runs down my spine out of nowhere. He looks even older than Terrance, but Eryk said he's actually younger, he just aged very badly. He has wrinkles, and a bunch of the hair on his head is missing. Even what he has is cut almost to the scalp.

Laslo is tall. Not quite as much as tall as Terrance, but still up there. Kind of gaunt in his face too, but with a big belly, kind of like Lacey has. He doesn't have his wife with him, but Eryk did say she's alive, so I guess she just didn't come... "My name is Laslow, chief operating officer of Lord's Refining," he says.

Another shiver runs up my back. Something about his voice puts me on edge...? My intuition is suddenly shouting at me, he's a bad man. But... why? Careful not to show how uncomfortable he makes me, I listen as he goes on. "I sincerely hope this is as worthwhile as your invitation promised, Eryk."

This time, Eryk lets his grin show through a little. "Don't worry, it will be everything I promised and then some."

"Bold words, I guess we'll see, won't we?" Laslo counters, before the four groups break up and move off into the heavily crowded foyer.

As soon as they're away from us, I tug on Eryk's sleeve so he will lean down and I can whisper in his ear.

"I don't know why, but Laslo is a bad man." I don't really understand why I'm warning him about this. I don't get it myself. All he does is lift a questioning eyebrow, and I shrug to show that's all I have here.

"I'll keep that in mind."