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Laxus hurried through the crowded ballroom with his fists tucked deep into his pockets and his head kept down. The sound of music and laughter bouncing throughout the castle walls did nothing to calm his nerves nor did it quell the uneasy feeling he had in his stomach. He was not supposed to be here tonight. Tonight was meant to be spent locked in his cellar masquerading as a room while his step-father and step-siblings kissed up to the royal family in hopes of seducing their way into riches. They did have riches once. In fact, they were once one of the most promising families in the land. They were the top gossip of the village; the beautiful lonely widow being seduced by a rich powerful wizard who happened to past by her shop on his way through town. ‘It was love at first sight,’ his mother would say wistfully. ‘It was a spell for disaster,’ Laxus would think to himself now. Either way, his mother and Ivan had always been connected since that day.. His mother, who had not been wooed since the death of Laxus’s father, loved all the attention from one of the most desirable wizards in the land and had fallen hard. She even introduced him to Laxus who had been won over after seeing how happy his mother way now. In turn Ivan introduced them both to his twins who were around Laxus’s age and plans of marriage and happily ever afters began. He was kind, gentle, and always generous when it came to providing for Laxus and his mother. And even though the twins had always rubbed Laxus the wrong way with their condescending attitudes and snide vague comments about him and his mother, Laxus was prepared to grin and bear it for the sake of his mother’s happiness.
That happiness shattered after they moved in with Ivan after the wedding. Out in public, the man is a generous kind wizard. But behind closed doors, he was a tyrant lording the household and controlling their ever move. It had gotten even worse when his mother died suspiciously only a few months after the wedding. Ivan, who was as equally paranoid as he was cruel, blamed Laxus for his mother’s demise and began to fear Laxus was planning against him. He ordered the then young teen to be treated like a servant, banned him from using magic and cursed him never to leave the house without an escort.
A curse that he only has an exemption for a few hours tonight.
‘Once the clock strikes midnight you need to be back in your room. Otherwise…well I think you know what happens to those who defy curses’
A crunch rang out in the room. The glass Laxus was handed by one of the servers laid shattered at his feet. The gazes of the ballroom guests all turned to him as Laxus anger laid evident by the shards of glass by his feet. He was grateful once again that the kingdom ball was a masquerade ball so the mask he was wearing hid his most of his face. Still, he didn’t want to attract too much attention.
Bowing slightly, he quickly headed out of the back doors and onto the patio. Once there he let out a deep breath into the night. He only had a few hours until he needed to head back to the mansion. Somehow, he needed to convince someone at this party to join his cause of overthrowing Ivan. Preferably someone with strong magic that didn’t have a curse put on them like Laxus did. It was the only way for him to be free.
He heard the sound of the glass doors opening and closing again. Before he could turn around, a glass was thrust into his line of vision. “Forgive my intrusion,” a silky voice spoke as the figure stopped next to him. “If you wish to be alone right now I will take my leave.”
Laxus glanced over to see a man around his height decked in a fancy suit and an elegant mask. His hair was pulled back tight behind his head but Laxus could still see flashes of green slipping out of the band. Light green hair along with the clothes…he must be some kind of nobility. “You aren’t bothering me. Thank you for the drink.” He grabbed the glass before raising it up and discreetly taking a sniff.
“It’s not poisoned.” The nobleman said sounding amused. Ignoring him, Laxus took a hesitant sip then drowned the drink. “Yeah well, you can never be too sure.”
“That’s true.” The nobleman broke their gaze to stare out at the moon. “This land used to be a place of pure magic. One of good fortune and happiness. A place where neighbor helped neighborhood. That place, the country I had heard of since I was young, has long since died.”
It was dark thoughts that Laxus wholeheartedly agreed with, but still… “It’s not often you hear such dark statements come from a nobleman.”
The man stiffened his shocked gaze turning over to Laxus. “You know who I am?!”
“No.” He reached out and tugged on a lose strain of green hair. “But I can guess your family heritage.”
“I do not wish to speak of them tonight.” The man said eyeing Laxus. His gaze suddenly turned serious, searching as though he was attempting to reach inside Laxus’s mind. For his part, Laxus did not flinch nor shy away. Nodding to himself, the nobleman reached out a hand. “I would love to learn more about you, however. There’s something in your gaze that interests me. I know a place in the gardens, if you’d like?” He voice grew softer at the end indicated that Laxus had a choice in the matter. But something about the confidence in his stance and the way his eyes never strayed from Laxus said he knew Laxus was going to accept his invitation. Usually, being read like this would piss Laxus off and he would instead be giving this man a piece of his mind, but there was something about him, about them, standing there under the moonlight with the soft music from the party still playing in the background that urged him to take that hand and let this strange man pull him closer. With the countdown to midnight still fresh in his mind, Laxus nodded taking the offered hand and the two stepped into the night. He only had a few hours and he swore on his mother he would make them count.