An evening stroll

It was currently two past midnight. The tavern gradually empties as people begin to depart. Despite having a Sunday off for most people tomorrow (or today), sensible people know how to not overdo it with the fun and drinking. Elora and I were in that category of people. We were still at the tavern but finishing our last mugs of ale. We drank a lot. Each of us drank seven mugs. It didn’t help that Sayuri kept bringing us more after we were done with the previous one. The ale did taste better since we were drinking for free as thanks for the performance I gave tonight. Both with dealing with the assholes and playing the music. Despite having drunk so much, I felt fine, more or less. I definitely was tipsy, but nowhere near being blackout drunk. Elora was in the same boat.

“Alright, I think we better get back soon,” she says finishing her last drops of ale and slamming the mug on the table. Her speech is slurred just a little and her face is slightly pink from the ****. Or is it something else?

“Yeah, we better go,” I nod and finish my drink. “Pretty much all the women are gone already. If we stay longer, the drunkards that are still here will switch their attention to you in hopes of taking you home with them.”

Elora laughs. “Hah. Like they have any chance of competing with you. Can any of them fight and play music like you do? I think not.”

“Oh, am I in the competition for taking you home with me?” I ask teasingly.

“Maybe. I do have a soft spot for strong men who can masterfully play the fiddle,” Elora smirks back. The **** lowered her inhibitions a little to the point where she speaks what she thinks without a filter.

“Well, then, my lady,” I stand up and offer her my hand. “Would you allow me to escort you back to home?”

Elora giggles even more but takes my hand. We make our way towards the exit. Elora coiled her hand around my arm.

“Have a good night, Sayuri,” she says to the cat barmaid.

“I hope to see you soon. Don’t be strangers, especially you, Zandor,” she winks and waves back. “And have a good night. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Elora rolls her eyes in response and we exit the tavern. The air is warm and refreshing. It was June already, so the weather was warm. The climate on the northern side of the continent is warmer than on the southern side. For some reason, when I learned this fact, it sounded strange. The southernmost points of the Principality of Hadria, Shavian Theocracy, and the Flademian Empire are covered in snow. It doesn’t get terribly hot in the Kingdom of Astria during the summer. It gets quite hot on the coast, but that’s good since there are a lot of resort towns and villages there where people can go to enjoy the beaches and swim in the ocean. I will go there one of these days. Up until now, I was stuck in the palace in the capital of Astria, learning, training, and practicing everything that a prince of a kingdom must know and beyond. I have a plan to change that. I would need Father’s permission first, but I don’t think it would be too hard to acquire. The reasoning behind my proposal will be too solid to refuse.

Elora and I start making our way towards the palace. She is still holding me around my arm. I noticed that we are almost the same height. Elora is quite tall for a woman. Women tend to be shorter than men, but there are obviously exceptions. Women in Markadia are tall, I have been told.

“Did you have fun tonight, Zandor?” she asks. While we are outside the palace, it is better to keep using my alias.

“I did. I enjoyed it greatly,” I tell her. “Thank you for bringing me there.”

“Glad you enjoyed it,” she smiles cheekily. “You were a rather pleasant drinking companion. You can hold your liquor very well. On top of fighting away the miscreants and playing amazing music. Some princess will be lucky to marry you in the future.”

“That is still a long way in the future. I am young and have a whole life in front of me,” I laugh but add solemnly. “Unless something unfortunate happens.”

Elora frowns. “Like that incident with the assassins? It’s been seven years. I don’t think that whoever ordered the hit will try something so foolish again.”

“I agree, in general,” I nod. “My siblings and I are too strong for any ordinary assassin to try and take out. But that doesn’t mean we are invincible. I need to get even stronger to protect them.”

“You are already extremely strong. Your fire, wind, water, and lightning magic is on an expert level,” she says. “What about you dark magic?”

“Gravity, illusion, and teleportation are on expert,” I reply.

“See what I mean? Not only there are almost no people who have more than three affinities out of six primary elements, but to have reached an expert level in so many elements, sub-elements, and magic types is unheard of. With your versatility, you could probably take down at least some of the master-level mages at this point. And you are only 18,” Elora says in a hushed but excited voice.

“You are quite something yourself, you know?” I reply and smile at her. “I have managed to reach an expert level in fire, wind, and lightning all because of you. You are a great teacher, Ela.”

She blushes at my compliment. “Having a good teacher is not enough to reach this height in such a short time. You are the most talented mage I have ever met.”

I smile at her and we keep walking to the palace. We decided not to take a carriage back and enjoy a nice stroll instead. Half an hour later, we approached the back gates of the palace. I was far away from other people, so I undid my illusion magic and restored my usual appearance before approaching the guards at the gate. They notice us approaching and take a cautious stance.

“Who goes there?” one of them said.

“I am Second Prince Zenovia, returning from a trip to the city,” I state with a voice of authority.

They stand at ease, recognizing me. “Evening, Your Highness. Apologies for not recognizing you sooner. It was dark,” the same guard says.

“Be at ease, men,” I say. “No offence taken. It must be tough standing guard like that all night. You are doing a great job.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” they bow. “We will open the gates for you.”

The gates got opened and I, with Elora still on my arm, went through. Behind our backs, we hear the guards whispering to each other. “That was the mage Elora that the Prince was with, right? Yeah. God, she is gorgeous. No wonder she is with the Prince.”

“I guess rumors will start going around starting tomorrow,” I say to Elora.

She shrugs. “I don’t really care for rumors.”

We keep walking until we finally reach her room. Elora lives in the wing of the palace beside mine, dedicated to the guests and important staff. She is an expert-level mage and a magic tutor for the princes, so it makes sense. We stop in front of her door. Elora looks unsure of how to proceed from here. It is truly adorable how tomboyish she can be in all other matters aside from romance. I will have to step up.

“I am still owed the reward for the wager I have won,” I say smiling teasingly.

Elora smirks back. “Right. I guess it is as good a time as any to pay up. 10 seconds, was it?”

I nod and lean closer to her face. She mirrors my movement, our lips are millimeters from each other. Elora makes the final move and our lips meet. What starts as a tender kiss grows in passion in a matter of seconds. By the 10-second mark, Elora has her arm around my neck and, pressing me tightly to her, our lips and tongues never leaving each other. I hold her firmly by the waist and keep kissing her. We kept making out for several minutes before pulling away from each other to catch our breaths.

When we get our breathing under control, Elora whispers. “Would you like to come in?”

I am not one to refuse such an enticing offer.