I was lounging around on the living room’s couch with Nieve in her Lobo form, acting as a backrest for Roison who was reading a book, a… somewhat heavy-themed book that I jokingly gave to her.

But… man is she absorbing The Prince like a beast.

“Lord Protector… what’s an Italy?” She asked.

“It’s a country, a realm like Albion.” I replied.

Other than seeing a somewhat 10-year-old elf girl getting back on reading The Prince quite seriously, me lounging around on the couch was more or less waiting for Arthur to come out of his bedroom.

Miss Marie and Eleanna, already dressed in their elegant and quite beautiful cream-colored A-Line dress, were very fidgety on seeing the result of the clothes they’ve been working the last couple of days, for us boys.

“Arthur! Come on! How long does it take to just wear a goddamn coat?!” Eleanna, dying and livid to see her result, snapped at Arthur.

“Jeez… just wait a bit! It’s… alright! I am coming out…” Arthur, finally, came out of his bedroom.

As the door opened right before our eyes, we saw Arthur in full view, dressed greatly and looking slick as hell.

The outfit that miss Marie and Eleanna made wasn’t that complicated in a sense, it was quite simple in fact with the somewhat Victorian era-looking brown coat and brown vest, to the clothes Arthur was already wearing, a clean white long-armed tunic.

For the lower parts, Arthur wore the usual dark brown leather shoes he has been wearing and a pants that is more or less, just a simple brown hose, but I noticed that brown strap looking thing on Arthur’s hose…

Eleanna has always had a thing for pants suspenders.

But looking at it again… not that I don’t appreciate both of their works, the outfit is… not really my cup of tea.

“For a second there, I thought you were Luther…” Miss Marie complement in amazement.

“Haha…” Arthur shyly laughed. “Wait, you know my uncle miss Marie?”

“Yeah, we... used to date...” Miss Marie dropped a bomb.

“Huh…” Arthur doesn’t really know how to respond.

Right there, the room pretty much turned awkward… as Miss Marie from her eyes, I could tell that she was asking herself on why she complemented Arthur that way, and Arthur... just doesn’t know how to respond… haha…

“Okay! That’s Arthur’s! Now…” Eleanna then tilted her head towards me. “MARTYN! Come on! Get your ass off the couch and wear the outfit me and miss Marie made!”

“Pass, I don’t really need it and I am fine just with what I am wearing right now.”

“A green tunic-long shirt hybrid and a brown hose are NOT ball material!!” Eleanna yelled.

“Okay, what’s with this sudden burst of energy for a banquet?” I pointed out her out of nowhere enthusiasm.

“If you don’t wear that coat, vest, and suspenders, I am not going to let you in my bedroom to snugg-”

Quickly noticing what she was about to threaten me with, I hauled my lazy ass off from the couch and went straight to the neatly arranged outfit Eleanna prepared on top of my bed.

A few minutes later…

“There… Jeez…” Coming out of my bedroom, I was greeted with Eleanna’s bedazzled eyes as she saw me in her ‘ideal’ look for me, but seeing from her face, I noticed it wasn’t there yet.

“Hmm… something doesn't look right… ohh!” Eleanna found out what wasn’t there as she shook my green tunic-shirt and changing its colors to a white snow one. “Now that’s more like it! Ohh and for the finishing touches…"

Eleanna then went to the coffee table and grabbed three pieces of sugar cubes that were laying near Roison's tea.

She crushed the three of them, turning them to silver, then she crushed it again for it to then turned to three beautiful, artisanal level, brooch.

The three brooches are pretty much shaped like our Coat of Arms, the first one Eleanna implanted to my coat in the upper right chest area, was my dark grey wolf's head emblem.

Then the second one Eleanna implanted, was Arthur's two swords in front of a shield emblem, same like me on the upper right chest area.

And lastly, hers, she gave me that top view of a rose and a diamond that is in the middle of the said rose emblem, where I gently implanted her brooch on her dress' upper right chest area.

I then stepped a couple of a foot back to see her now in full view, with that cream A-line dress, the light brown scarf and shawl, and now, the brooch… damn…

I really am one lucky son of a bitch, hahaha...

With all of us are now pretty much prepared for the banquet, we left the room as we give our goodbyes to Nieve and Roison, while heading to the main hall to meet with the others.

* * *

Entering the main hall we were greeted by the others who of course were dressed and prepared for the banquet, but… considering all of us were more than just any other ordinary highborns, we were all dressed quite uniquely.

Kristof was wearing a somewhat elegant scarlet red robe and a chain necklace that's patterned between the seven-pointed stars emblem, the symbol of the Church of Lux, and a crown emblem, where on the bottom of it, there was a lone single-chain holding a single emblem.

That emblem is the emblem of house krone, a crowned red lion standing tall and proud, showing its sharp golden yellow claws while raising a sword with a solid jet-black color as a background.

All of this also is covered by Kristof's sapphire blue pourpoint.

Sofía as well wore regal clothing like Kristof, with a sky-blue ball dress, decorated with a top view of a blue tulip around her dress' chest line, which is covered slightly by her velvet based, red riding looking hood.

She also wore many ornaments and pieces of jewelry that she placed all over herself, but there was one that caught my eyes, it was her signet ring.

The signet ring contained the House of Silvaque's Coat of Arms, a plethora of white stars with a solid lavender color acting as the background.

The royals are more less expected to look like this, regal, majestic, and looking expensive as hell, but when I saw Amadela it was the complete opposite.

She's not even wearing something that a royal or even a normal highborn usually wore for these kinds of events.

Amadela instead was in her clergy mode, wearing a long dove white mermaid-shaped dress that look quite tight from shoulder to toe, her shoulders as well were being covered to her elbow with a cardinal red cape, a… mozetta I think it's called.

But not only that she wore a bishop headdress that's decorated with the seven-pointed stars in the middle, a single red garnet on top of the star, and a white diamond on the very top of the headdress.

Aside from those three, the High Nobles, Ruith, Alaxandair, Pere, Chloé, and Sir Fionn, wore what I expected nobles like them wore.

Not as flashy and stand out-ish like Kristof and Sofía, but still expensive looking that it pales in comparison to the majority.

Like Alaxandair with his huge bear furred cloak.

Ruith with her white snow off shoulder dress covered with a white fox fur shoulder cape.

Chloé with her wine purple apron shaped dress covered by a slightly dark orange elbow length cape.

And Pere who looked like a somewhat stereotypical high medieval young noble, with the puffy shoulder, stripe colors, and all.

“Martyn! You look very dashing…” Ruith noticed me first as she complimented my looks, even if it was followed up with a funny-looking blush face.

“Thank you, you look great too Ruith…” I don't know why, I blushed a bit as well when complimenting her back.

“You dressed lovely Lady Ruith!” Eleanna barged in with a more or less a nice complimenting tone, but her actions weren’t, as she went straight to my arm, grabbing it firmly, to somewhat mark her territory.

“Yes… thank you, Lady Eleanna…” Ruith, slightly vexed at the sight, replied as nicely as she could.

“Lord Pro- Martyn!” Pere’s words changed midways when I gave him a reminding look of two nights ago. “Huh… you aren't wearing your green tunic… to be frank, you look like a jester when wearing that color.”

“Well, that's the point." I smiled.

After some pleasantries here and there, we went straight to the carriage where on the way, Eleanna asked me.

“Since when the both of you were on the first name basis?” She asked with a curious, suspicious, and a very much jealous tone.

“Ohh c'mon El, it's just first names, it's not like we slep-” I toned back when realizing what I was about to say. “Look it's just normal friendly mannerism El, and besides I've never liked being called formally…”

“Ohh! Is that so… Lord Protector…” I knew right away where she was going when she said my title with a playful tone and a teasing smile to boot. “And by the way Lord Protector! I can’t wait to see how great your moves are on the floor tonight, Lord Protector…”

“Yours too… Queen of Threads…” With a blush, I retaliate by calling Eleanna by her cringey nickname.

“O-Okay!!!” She replied with a blush as well.

* * *

Creak…

Hearing the carriage in front of me suddenly creaking and stopping, made me realize right away that we have arrived. Me, Arthur, Pere, Kristof, Sir Fionn, and Alaxandair, dismounted ourselves from our horses, where a number of guards that were stationed near the banquet’s place and a couple of Alaxandair’s bodyguard, took care of our horses as we gave them the reins.

We then went to the front, with the ladies, Eleanna, miss Marie, Amadela, Chloe, and Ruith, already went out of the carriage and was heading straight to the banquet’s gate, except for Eleanna, she waited a bit for me and went back to grab my arm.

As all of us finally are standing in front of the gate, the captain who’s in charge of the enterance, ordered his man that was near the gate’s opening contraption, to open it for us. The portcullis opened slowly where it revealed the inside of the place, it was like an outdoors party with many people talking and chatting with one another, where some were talking near a couple of tables, covered in cloth with many foods and drinks served there, some were talking while sitting on the chair, prepared near the table, while some even just talked while standing, where of course, the majority of them are expectedly talking with the opposite gender.

But it rose some questions that Alaxandair clarified before for me… didn’t he say the banquet is inside the building?

“Yes, the banquet is inside the castle… this isn’t the banquet, It’s the preparatory outdoors,” Alaxandair explained.

“Preparatory outdoors?” Arthur asked.

“You see… Sir Arthur, the customs of courting here in the north are different from the south. We don’t plan and launch many banquets and parties over a year, we instead planned one huge banquet here in Geamradh lasting for at least five weeks. Now, when one has arrived at the banquet, they can’t go into the building just yet, they got to have a partner when entering and of course, the invitation letter too, which is why there’s this somewhat outdoor gathering.”

“But wait… if a girl or a guy can’t find their partner… then what happens?”

“Well, that’s why this banquet spans for at least five weeks, and if you still can’t find a partner, then there’s always next year.”

Sheesh…

As Arthur heard that, he turned his head and pierced my eyes with his’, staring at me, like he knows what I need to do, what I promised him… which, I understand fully of course.

“Dude relax, we’re going to find someone for you!” I said as assuring as I could for him.

“Okay…” He didn’t doubt my words, but his tone feels like he is expecting me to fail him on this.

As the portcullis in front of us has opened fully, we entered the ‘preparatory outdoors’ and mingled ourselves with the highborns there.

We sort of split up from there, Me and Eleanna helped Arthur on finding someone, Kristof and Sofia had the same idea too with helping Pere, so we sort of have an agreement on finding the right girls for Arthur and Pere to speed up the process.

Miss Marie, Amadela, and Chloe, bodyguarded by Sir Fionn, were instead just socializing normally with the nobles here, though… miss Marie is making moves at a couple of 30 plus lookin-year-old nobles, that makes me somewhat… uncomfortable.

But… she’s her own woman and I don’t have any rights nor say on this, for the fact, I am not her son after all…

Not, her son…

Well besides them, Alaxandair and Ruith were being the gracious host that they are for hosting the… second I think, Winter Banquet.

“Art c'mon! That girl was nice, well-mannered, and quite cute!" Eleanna said.

“Yeah, but she's a gold digger," Arthur reveals the but.

“Gold digger? I didn't hear her once asking or saying anything related to money!”

“Yeah, you’re not wrong, but she… more or less showed it by asking me more about Martyn, rather than… you know, Me!"

"Ohh… Ohh! That fuckin bitch!" Eleanna, though kept her cuss quiet, was still loud enough to shook the previously said gold digger noble girl.

After that first encounter, it weirdly became a sort of curse as we introduce Arthur with girls after girls.

The second one was a gold digger too, but was nice enough to be more interested on what's in Arthur's pocket, then we were pretty much engulfed on a sea of really snobbish noble girls, all of them more or less made Arthur want to crawl under his skin.

But after that, we were somewhat released from that curse, meeting fine girls after girls, but… this time it was Arthur that's being the hard one.

He pretty much made excuses after excuses to us, like for example we found this somewhat reclusive noble girl, but even then she blew us away of how intelligent she was and how she could hold a conversation quite nicely, but Arthur… made excuses saying things like, she’s not her type and all.

The cycle after that somewhat reclusive noble girl pretty much ended with Arthur this time, so we deep dive again to the sea of highborn girls where! Thank god… we found a catch that Arthur can’t make excuses!

“It's a pleasure to meet you Lord Protector, Lady Florens, and Sir Arthur! My name is Amèlia d’Bruviseaux of Bruviseaux, daughter of Count Ranulph X d’Bruviseaux of Bruviseaux!” Lady Amèlia graciously introduced herself.

“It's a pleasure to meet you Lady Amèlia, Say… your father's name is quite familiar… Ohh!!! I remembered, Margrave Ramon once mentioned him in one of his lectures, He used him as an example on how to be a good Marshall!” Arthur in a somewhat excited tone mentioned.

“Ohh my! I… it's a tremendous honor for me, and father too of course, to be mentioned that highly by our Margrave, I… thank you, Sir Arthur!" She smiled appreciatively.

Seeing that it was going to be a calm sail, Me and Eleanna gave them some room to, socialize more, which gave us a bit more freedom now.

Intentionally after that, we were about to head straight to the castle, but it wasn't as easy as we thought because this was pretty much the Noblization ceremony all over again, but this time… a bit more of a headache because we’re against more people of our age.

Due to that, it pretty much resulted in us being separated, Eleanna was flocked by many Lords and Ladies like me, but somehow, I got out and it's all thanks to Kristof.

“What the enfer are you doing alone?” Kristof asked curiously.

“Jesus christ… Ha…” I took out a massive sigh of relief. “Thanks, almost lost my breath in there…”

“Lord Protector… shouldn't Lady Florens be at your side?” Sofía asked.

“Yeah, I know… but damn are they desperate… I got separated, but it's okay! Jumque is still there with her, and we agreed to meet up in the building's entrance.”

I took another breather again, trying to gather my strength back to swim across this sea of desperate Lords and Ladies, but… I noticed something else than Eleanna that wasn't here, it was Pere!

“Yeah… we kind of lost Pere too…” Kristof shyly admitted.

“Well, no point in standing here? Let's find him!” I said the obvious.

From there we entered back again to this sea of desperate highborns, splitting up intentionally to cover more ground.

And it took roughly about 30 minutes, for me to find Pere talking somewhat cordially but… awkwardly, though the awkwardness is only from Pere side I believe, with Chloé.

“And of course, you were the first one to found him Lady Chloé!” I said somewhat vexingly, but it’s still a praise nonetheless.

“Pardon?” Chloé… weirdly was confused by my statement.

“What are you talking about Lor- Martyn? Is someone looking for me?” And Pere was genuinely confused as well.

“Wait… where have you been Lady Chloé?” I asked.

“More or less with Sir Pere, is something going on Lord Protector?”

“Well… not much now really…” I took a brief pause to gather the words and energy to why I was here in the first place, but then I saw Pere and Chloe…

Standing there I noticed something in front of me and something that might not even be a fluke. Pere, from his eyes, with a somewhat upbeat tone and mannerism near Chloe really is enforcing the thing that he said back at Castle Feannag.

I borrowed Pere for a moment and asked him if he already found a partner and as expected from this handsome boy of a few words, that he hasn’t found one.

“Well then how about Lady Chloe?” I whispered to him.

“What?!” he blushed a little. “I… don’t think I can…”

“Nonsense! Lady Chloe! Have you found a partner yet?” I asked as Pere tried to stop me.

“No, I haven’t Lord Protector!”

“Then how about with Sir Pere here! He himself hasn’t found anyone!” I push him to the front a bit towards Chloe.

“Well… going in there with a partner cover is much better, than going in invisible I guess…” And… well, I mean… she is still on duty technically… but one way or another, Pere got to dance with his crush.

“Alright! I’ll see you both at the castle!”

As everything and everyone are pretty much set, I went back to the sea of Lords and Ladies, swimming again to the castle, but… on the middle of my swim, I saw Arthur… sitting alone in one of the chairs that were set up there.

Approaching him I saw that he was drinking wine alone, quite… sad-looking really, but it raises my question… what the hell happen?

“Dude what happen? I thought it was a hitch with that girl?” I asked while wondering where he went wrong.

“Oh! Hey Mar… it’s, nothing… she’s fine and great… but… I think I’ll pass…” Arthur responded in a somewhat defeated tone.

“Okay, seriously what’s going on Art? After the early shitty noble girls we’ve met, we pretty much landed on gems after gems! Every single one of them are great by their own rights!”

“Yeah! I know… but…” As he was trying to think up of any kind of poor excuse, I saw his eyes, that reluctant eyes again… I knew right away what it was about.

“This is reminding you of Caitlin, isn’t it?” I didn’t mince words.

“…” I hit the mark.

“Dude… look, you don’t need to fall in love or anything, we’re just here to have fun, just like at that karaoke place downtown!”

“I know… but…” He paused for a moment. “Yeah! you’re right… I am overthinking this!”

“Atta boy! Now let’s find that girl, Amelia! And by that! I mean you alone!”

“Yeah! wait… you’re ditching me?” Arthur said in a shocked tone.

“Hey! You lost her, you find her, and besides, I promised Eleanna that I’ll be there at the castle’s entrance in a couple of minutes, so…”

“Hmm…” He smiled a bit. “Fine… go have fun! I’ll catch up soon.”

“You’re the best bro!” I tapped his shoulder in gratitude.

Seeing a disaster was somewhat averted, I went back to where I was supposed to be, but… Jesus Christ… what is this? Kingdom Come Deliverance’s fast travel encounter mechanics? Because now I am faced with another, somewhat sad-looking young adult male.

“Lord Protector, Lady Eleanna and the others are waiting for you there.” Alaxandair, same like Arthur who sat on a chair while wasting away with his wine, pointed at the others who were waiting for me.

“Alax, I told you, call me Martyn, and aren’t you going in? You’re the host after all!”

“You’re not wrong Lor-” He stopped as he saw my insisting expression. “Martyn… But, traditions are still traditions… and I don’t have any religious significance like sister and Amadela.”

“Ohh! Well… so, you’re just going to hammer yourself again?” I said semi-sarcastically.

“Not a bad idea… but I am still the host!”

“Indeed you are…”

“Indeed you are, but rather than being alone here, why not be with me, my broody agápi…” Suddenly out of nowhere, a woman, purple from top to bottom with her very much silk-based dress, appeared right beside us in a calm and playful manner.

Alaxandair as soon as he heard that pretty much nickname, turn his head as quick as the wind towards that woman. She smiled quite happily when she saw how quickly Alaxandair reacted.

“Elenē?!!”

* * *

Standing guard there, while watching many boys and girls, mingling with another to hopefully gain a partner, reminds me of the old days… yes… I remember meeting her here.

It was in this exact spot 30 years ago, I saw her as beautiful as the moon on top of us, with her silky blonde hair and radiant blue sapphire eyes… I still couldn’t believe I was already betrothed to her, to someone this beautiful, it was a blessing nonetheless but… I never loved her.

I never hated her too of course, it’s just I never truly felt passionate towards her, I only see it as another duty to carry on, another obligation as the oldest and father’s heir… I, really am sorry, sorry that you fell in love with me and sorry for being absent in our marriage...

“And there goes another…” Lady Marie, came back to me with that defeated tone of hers. “Huh… I’ve passed my prime, have I Sir Fionn?”

“I don’t think so Lady Marie, you’re not wrong that you are old, but… you are very much still beautiful!”

Lady Marie stopped for a moment, I saw that her face was about to turn livid when I said ‘old’ but when she heard me said ‘beautiful’ it turned to something else… and honestly I do genuinely think she is beautiful.

“By the way, where are the others?” Lady Marie realized it was only the two of us.

“Her holiness joined with Lady Ruith earlier, and I think I saw Lady Chloe with Sir Pere going to the castle’s entrance.” I relayed what I know.

“Ohh! Well, how about we go to!” She suggested while smiling a bit mischievously.

“Well… if it pleases you, Lady Marie.”

“Great!” She then grabbed my arm and we sprint across towards the entrance, passing many nobles, passing even the Lord Protector and his grace, and even passing towards the others there at the entrance as she showed quickly her invitation letter.

At that point I thought she was just excited for the dance, but… we weirdly passed through the hallway that leads to the banquet itself.

“Lady Marie, where exactly are you taking me?” I asked confusingly.

“I heard a juicy rumor from the lords in the courtyard that there were rooms, a couple of quiet rooms in the castle that… are a nice place to do some extra activities with their partners…” She smiled, again somewhat mischievously, but… a bit more concerning as I know what this rumor is.

“My Lady… stop!” I stopped her as I held her arm. “I know exactly what that rumor is… and I don’t think we should do it…”

“Why not?”

“Because we’re not lovers!” I stated the obvious.

But she didn’t get it, she even went dumbfounded as she heard what I said, but she came around, though… it wasn’t the one I was expecting.

“Ohh I forgot… Martyn did warn me about people like you in this frame of period… haha… well… fine then! But…”

She suddenly went close towards me.

“I heard that you have been divorced for… 10 or so years?”

She then caresses my body gently with her hands.

“Well, I know one thing about divorced men back in my world, they, have more experiences…”

She got really close to me as I could feel her breast smothering my chest and feel her breath near my neck.

“And I know… how pent-up they can get especially…”

She then dropped one of her dress’s straps, revealing… a lot of skin that I haven’t seen for a while as well as… a glimpse of her breast…

“But!”

She suddenly stepped away from me.

“It’s fine if you don’t want to! I am not forcing you or anything! But do keep in mind that, I myself have some, bottled, unreleased, feelings like yours… I'll be waiting for you…”

She smiled, not mischievously… seductively.

I was fervent to not give in to her temptation, I couldn’t dishonor her like that! but… damn… she really is reminding me that it’s been a long time… a long, long time since someone like her has touched me like that…

So softly, so evokingly…

WAIT no! get your head straight Fionn! She’s the teacher of the second heroes!

But… she is fine with it, even quite open about it… maybe…

NO! damn it, what is wrong with you!

But… maybe it’s okay… she is the one pulling…

She is… the one pulling… and… she is as pent up as me… But!

But…

Should I?

Maybe…