𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑘 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑎𝑤𝑛 | 𝐆𝐈𝐋𝐀𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐒𝐎𝐍

24 ⋆☾⋆ The Last Time

Sitting beside my grandfather I observed the women clad in the most expensive velvets twirling around the dance floor and their male counter parts in equally pricey clothes making eyes at them, while the young girls would quickly change partners if the men got too close. Plenty of them lined up however to be allowed to share a dance with one of the handsome young knights. But through the crowd I spotted the one man that held my heart. He stood talking with Baron Fergus, his father, the Scoti giant and of course his red-headed fiancee had to hang on his arm as well. I could see him raise his brows with a very convincing pretended interest. It took a while before he noticed me eyeing him curiously. It would have amused me immensely to talk with him about those people behind their backs once we were alone again. As that was not something likely to happen soon I only gave him a tired smile.

My heart had been full of worry and heavy pain all evening, not even insulting the elderly man beside me had been able to lift my spirits. The smile I wore became thinner as time stretched on, getting up had been becoming harder every day more than the day before. I was starting how I would ever make the wedding, because at this rate it seemed like I had nothing to live for. The only family I was sure to have was my grandfather. So, I turned to him, hoping to find some ease there.

"Which couple do you think will be disappearing off with each other next into some dark corner?" I asked the grey man beside me.

His silver eyebrows shot up in surprise at the question, but they quickly turned mischievous as he scanned the room with a sparkle in his eyes. After some time he clacked his tongue and turned back. "I think I've found them." 

"Oh?" 

"I'm looking at one of them right now." He declared lively, while staring me straight in the eye. 

"Ah, and which gentleman do you think I'll have the pleasure of to run away with?" 

"Maybe the one you've been studying all night." My grandfather grinned. 

At once I made sure to assure him that wasn't going to happen. He gave me an unbelieving look, so I made a bet with him, whoever won had to wear one of the ridiculous hats the ladies of nobility wore. 

After Lord Picard's speech I wasn't very keen to see Gilan in private anyway, or so I told myself. However I didn't think they would ever really ask us to completely cut ties with each other, he was still my mentor after all. I mean, my exams were coming closer as well, so it could happen that I needed some extra lessons. Because I did not feel prepared at all, I wasn't like Halt or any of the other legendary Rangers who had served such brilliant strategies at Hackaham Heath that they had turned into legends. It was too bad that Halt was on his way to Skandia, he might've figured out some savvy way to get Gilan out of this situation. Or maybe Crowley, but he was at castle-it was in that moment I spotted a dark green cloak and red hair wading through the sea of drunk guests- as if the gods were playing with fate. It amused me that the corps' commandant really did not bother to turn up to a ball in anything other than his usual Ranger's attire.

Crowley was talking to Gilan who shot me a wary look. I raised an eyebrow, but his eyes darted back before I could even really make eye-contact. The red-head's features faltered as the tall Ranger suddenly pushed past him and stormed out of the ballroom. Heads turned at the angry man, but no one followed. On the platform, Sir David put his knife down and frowned. A dark grimace rippled across his features, like thunder clouds rolling over a battle field.  

An inner battle began. I heeded the warning the Scoti Lord had sent me very carefully of course, but I also felt I could not leave Gilan alone right now. He was probably scarcer on people who loved him than I was. So, I sighed deeply and looked to my grandfather who was already wringing his hands and grinning. I hit his arm lightly, he was after all very fragile and old.