(The Surprise Banquet Grounds, Leo’s POV)
As the evening slowly bled into the night, and all the guests finished their meals, it was Luke and Alia who stepped onto the cleared space between the lantern-lit tents first, their hands interlocked as they swayed gently to the soft melody played by the harpists near the center pavilion.
The rest of the banquet simply watched them, some smiling into their wine glasses, others clapping lightly in encouragement, yet no one else felt bold enough to join them.
Which made the scene feel strangely intimate, as though the dance floor belonged only to family.
Moments later, Amanda turned toward Leo with a faint blush warming her cheeks, her excitement barely contained as she reached for his hand.
"Shall we?"
She asked, as Leo accepted the gesture quietly, his fingers closing around hers with a softness that contrasted the dilemma brewing in his heart.
*Step*
*Step*
They stepped onto the dance floor opposite Luke and Alia, moving to the rhythm of the slow, gentle music that drifted through the tents like a calming breeze.
As at that moment, the world around them seemed to dim, leaving only the glow of the mana orbs above and the warmth of one another’s gaze between them.
"Mmm–"
Amanda moaned happily as she drew closer, her hand resting lightly on Leo’s shoulder, as her eyes shone with a tenderness that had gone untouched for far too many years.
For her, just being able to hold Leo again seemed to fill her chest with light, as though some part of her soul had been waiting endlessly for this moment.
"I missed this, Leo," she whispered softly, her smile widening. "I missed you."
Her joy was pure, unfiltered, almost youthful, as if she were finally able to breathe after years of quiet worry and longing.
However, as Leo returned her gaze, he couldn’t help but feel guilty for what was about to unfold next.
’How do I even begin to explain my plan to you?’
He wondered, as his hand settled at her waist, his footwork steady, as they circled the dance floor in perfect harmony.
’How do I explain that you and the kids must leave the Stilled World...
And live on Ixtal under Soron’s protection while I go out and do something monstrous...?’
He inhaled softly, guiding her through another turn with perfect calm.
However, although it looked like Amanda was having the time of her life, with her aura turning deep pink, he himself felt no butterflies stir within him.
It wasn’t that he didn’t love her.
Because he did.
But it was just that the worry he held for the future eclipsed every tender feeling he tried to hold in the present.
"I love you—"
Amanda said cutely at this moment, as she rested her cheek against his chest, her smile soft, her heart full, as she began to imagine the peaceful days ahead.
The shared mornings, laughter and family time.
While Leo, still holding her gently, wondered how long this fragile moment of peace would last before he shattered it with the truth.
—-------
An hour soon passed, and as the soft music faded and the lantern lights dimmed, the time for the banquet to end finally arrived.
One by one, the guests approached Leo to take their leave.
"We better get going, my Lord. We have morning training to report to..."
Commander Anderson Silva said, while Mickey James nodded beside him.
Leo dismissed them with a calm nod, allowing them to withdraw into the night along with the rest of the attendees.
When only a few figures remained, Leo quietly raised his hand.
"Chaosbringer. Dumpy. Su Pei. Stay for a moment."
The three halted instantly, their backs straightening as instinct pulled them into obedience.
Amanda, who had been gathering her shawl and preparing to leave, paused only because she noticed Leo’s gaze softly settling on her.
He did not command her, nor did he need to.
The moment their eyes met, she understood that the upcoming conversation concerned her as well, and she walked back to stand beside him without hesitation.
The other three approached with evident tension, each sensing the weight in his voice.
Only once the last of the guests had vanished and the valley returned to silence did Leo finally speak, his expression composed, solemn, and burdened.
"There is something I need to discuss with all of you."
He said quietly, rotating his gaze between them before eventually settling on Amanda.
"As you all know, Veyr’s execution is set to take place forty-five days from now in the outside world.
Inside the Stilled World, that becomes forty-five hundred days.
And according to my calculations, we must report to Ixtal with the full Cult forces at least fifteen days before the execution.
Which means we have roughly three thousand days to prepare for the war."
He began, as everyone fell into a deep, attentive silence.
"Three thousand days can feel short or long depending on the person...
But when it comes to children and their childhood, it is a very long time.
Time that I cannot afford to lose."
Leo admitted quietly, his eyes drifting toward Amanda, who had raised a single brow in suspicion.
"And since I promised my wife that I would spend more time with the kids...
I have decided to send her and the children to Ixtal for the next month.
I want them back in the wider universe, where time flows normally, so that I do not lose their entire childhood while I remain here preparing to save Veyr."
His voice softened, though the tension in it lingered.
"But I cannot send them out without protection.
Which is why I wish to send the two of you as their escorts."
Leo said, turning toward Dumpy and Su Pei, who both bowed almost immediately in solemn acceptance.
"Rest assured, Lord Father. I will die before I let any harm befall your children."
Dumpy swore, his tone firm and unwavering as Leo nodded in approval.
However, as he turned back toward Amanda, he was met with a full, unmistakable frown forming across her face.
As she let him know through her expression alone that she was not completely onboard with this arrangement.