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Ever since they had arrived in this town, it had been nothing but ball after ball. The first ball they attended had been a complete surprise, thrust onto the party of heroes as soon as they stepped into the city walls. Without explanation, the guards took them straight to the stronghold to see Graf Alden, a serious looking man with a bushy white mustache. Frieren had eyed the muscles of his arms with suspicion and prepared to meet a foe, but when the Graf opened his mouth and cheerfully announced that a ball would be held in their honor, she feared they were in the presence of a fool.
The four of them were whisked away from his office and put into separate chambers. Frieren was disrobed, bathed, scrubbed, dried, shoved into fresh undergarments, and fitted into a flouncy pink dress by a pair of maids possessing an alarming amount of efficiency. Her head was still spinning as she sat in front of a vanity, kept in place by the maid brushing and braiding her hair while the other adorned it with gold pins. Frieren made a mental note to ask the Graf if she could keep any of the things they put her into. Not to wear, for it was really unnecessary and impractical on the road, but to sell for quick money.
She was allowed to emerge from her chamber a couple of hours later, and she met up with the rest of her party. Similarly treated, she presumed, as they were all fitted into elegant suits with floral embroidery up and down the sleeves. Eisen fiddled with his jacket buttons, clearly not used to being dressed in finery. Really, none of them were used to such elegance, having grown up without much material wealth.
Which is why they could do nothing but smile awkwardly and wave to the crowd of nobles as Graf Alden presented them at the start of the ball. Well, three of them. A certain blue-haired hero naturally glowed in front of a crowd.
"We're gathered here tonight to celebrate our brave heroes who have done many grand deeds across the continent," the Graf orated, his voice booming across the ballroom. "It is commendable, their courageous journey north to slay the Demon King!" The crowd cheered.
Heiter leaned in to whisper to the rest of his companions, "Graf Alden certainly has a lot of faith in us."
Himmel flipped his bangs. "Why wouldn't he, we're the famed heroes! We're worth celebrating tonight!" Frieren rolled her eyes; his ego was climbing higher and higher.
"Which is why," the Graf continued, "They're going to defeat the demons who have stolen from us and retrieve the city’s lost treasure!" The crowd cheered even louder.
Frieren sighed. "And there's the catch."
With the ball officially started, Frieren decided if she was going to be forced to attend a party and have a quest sprung upon them, she might as well take advantage of their dessert table. She hunkered down at a table in the far corner and stuffed her face with cake, politely ignoring nobles and high-ranking officials who attempted to make small talk with her. Eisen had taken refuge next to her, also unwilling to socialize. Both of them had declined Himmel's offer to join them in dancing. He and Heiter were excited to dance—Heiter snuck in gulps of ale between songs and loosened up—but Frieren noted that their level of enthusiasm did not match their skill on the floor. Still, they danced for hours.
Thus, the first ball came to an end. When they prepared enough for the journey and announced they were setting out to find the lost relics, the Graf threw another ball that evening. When they successfully returned, the Graf threw another ball. Frieren's intuition was right. This guy was a fool for balls.
"Let's leave early in the morning," Eisen said, his grave face illuminated by dim candlelight. They sat huddled around a candle in Himmel's room after leaving the third ball, all exhausted. "If we tell him we're leaving, he'll want to throw us another ball."
Heiter nodded glumly and Frieren pointed a finger at him. "This corrupt priest loves alcohol, but if he drinks at another ball he might not make it to see the Demon King." Heiter groaned in agreement. The man had drank enough wine and ale to knock out a whole squadron of guards. It was a miracle he was still lucid at this point in the night. And (Frieren hoped) if they left early enough, no one would notice a few gold pins and hair ornaments had gone missing from her dresser. They needed money, but the only currency the Graf seemed to believe in was partying.
Himmel stroked his chin pensively. Then, his face brightened, the flame dancing in his blue eyes. "Actually, another ball is an excellent idea. I'll speak with him in the morning about it."
The three of them groaned.
Despite his party's wishes, Himmel dragged them all to Graf Alden's office in the morning to tell him they would be leaving town soon. As expected, the Graf's bushy mustache shot up with glee and he promptly declared a farewell ball in their honor. Frieren swore she saw the butler standing quietly in the corner shudder at his words.
"But," Himmel cut off the Graf's rambling plans about tonight's ball. "I want the ball to be open to everyone. Your officials, court members, guards, house workers, groundskeepers, villagers, everybody should be invited. Graf Alden raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Your balls have been so much fun," Himmel amended, "shouldn't the whole domain be invited to see the party of heroes off?"
Graf Alden smoothed his mustache as he contemplated the request. "Very well, if you insist. I'll let the town herald inform the people. The ball will take place tomorrow night to make sure we have enough food for everyone." The butler sighed.
"That was nice of you," Frieren admitted to Himmel as they walked out of the office.
Himmel gave a smile. "I was telling the truth. I think everyone could use a party like the Graf's. And," he said, taking Eisen and Heiter's hands, "dancing with everyone has been so fun!" He swung their arms around and skipped in the hallway. "Let's enjoy one more night together!"
"I'm still hungover!" Heiter complained and covered his mouth as Himmel dragged him across the hallway in an attempted jig. Eisen grunted but Frieren could tell it wasn't purely out of annoyance. At the third ball, he'd abandoned her at their usual table and danced for hours with Himmel and Heiter. Traitor.
Frieren sighed at the three of them. "At least I'll get to eat cake for one more night."
The ball had begun, and Frieren was succeeding in her objective.
She sat at her table in the corner with a plate piled high with cake while also keeping an eye on the dance floor. Himmel's request had proved fruitful, for the ballroom was livelier than ever. The past three balls had been with the same people: higher officials, noblemen, and their families. But this one was bustling with fresh faces of shopkeepers, farmers, maids, gardeners, off-duty guardsmen, and young village children. Everyone had dressed in their best clothing. The party spilled out to the gardens outside the ballroom's glass doors, where nobles and villagers talked and laughed loudly, holding each other as they did. She had to hand it to Himmel for the idea. It was clear to see that everyone was enjoying themselves.
Himmel sat with Frieren, his body turned towards her but his face out to the dance floor where Heiter and Eisen tried to keep up with the current waltz. For their last ball, the men had been dressed in sleek black suits with coat tails, and Frieren was dressed in a flowing white dress. She was glad for its simplicity. For the second ball, they had put her in a large green dress that was uncomfortable to sit in. She got a lot of cake crumbs on it.
Frieren swallowed her bite of cake. “You don't have to sit with me all night,” she said, just she had said the past three balls. Himmel was always polite enough to keep company with Frieren for a while before dancing.
“I know,” he said, echoing his words from the past balls, “I'm having fun sitting here with you too.”
“I doubt it.”
"Dancing is fun too, you know," he said with a smile. Another attempt to convince her to dance. "Even Eisen thinks so." They looked towards their companion who was laughing heartily as Heiter spun him around. A stark contrast to how he acted at the first ball.
"I don't know how to dance." The usual excuse.
"You know I don't know either." He chuckled. "It's fun even if you're not good at it. Besides, the Graf's been throwing all these parties for us. Dancing is a way we can show we're enjoying them."
"He can see me enjoying this cake." Frieren turned her attention back to her cake and took another bite. She felt Himmel's gaze on her as she chewed.
"Go," she said, raising hand to shoo him away. "Have fun with them."
Himmel sighed. A small part of her hoped he wasn't frustrated with her. But it was silly to even think that. Himmel never got frustrated with her.
He stood up and pushed the ornate chair back under the table. "I'll be saving a dance for you," he said cheerfully, then rejoined the rest of their party to dance.
Frieren took another slice of cake as the band launched into another song, and groups of pairs began to form throughout the hall. A "quadrille," as she learned from a passing nobleman, where groups switched partners to the tune of a jaunty song over and over again. Due to their histories, nobody in their party had been taught these particular dances, so Frieren watched as the three men stepped on each other's toes, hooked arms with the wrong partners, and moved too fast or slow for the dance. Their dancing partners laughed at their efforts. Frieren began to worry that they were being made fun of, but then the other dancers took the time to teach each of them the steps, demonstrating with each other and letting them each try for themselves. It resulted in a lot less shoes being stepped on and more laughter and cheers as they performed the dance correctly. She felt herself smiling a little. It was nice to see them have fun, at least.
Contented by this scene, the band's conductor switched to a waltz. Men and women turned to each other to partner up and took each other's hands. A young lady caught Himmel's arm and he smiled at her. He took her hand and they began to dance. Frieren recognized her face; she bore a striking resemblance to one of the Graf's most trusted confidantes, a man by the name of von Trapp. She guessed she was his daughter. Her father exuded stern and sharp confidence, whereas she carried her features with a cool and feminine charm. She had been to all the balls hosted in their honor, and Frieren recalled she and Himmel had danced together at least once each of those nights. They seemed to be slowly getting to know each other with each dance.
The young lady's lavender dress swirled gracefully with each movement and spin around Himmel. She smiled, then spoke something into his ear. He laughed and leaned in to respond to whatever she had said and left her giggling, cheeks flushed. Observing, Frieren was intensely curious to know what they were laughing so hard about. They seemed to be enjoying themselves. She stabbed her fork into her cake and took another bite. Maybe she had had too much already, an ache was already starting to form in her stomach.
Four balls and all she had done was stuff her face with sweets. Not a terrible thing for her, but as she looked out to all the people whirling about in boisterous joy, she felt a small desire to be a part of it.
She tore her eyes away from them and observed the other dancing couples. She took note of where their hands were placed on each other, how their feet moved across the floor, when they spun and twirled around each other in time with the music. She had studied magic in the same way before, observing how it worked, how it behaved. Then, when she felt she had learned enough, she could put a spell into action.
She stood up from her table and wove through the crowd of dancers. Fortunately, the band was in the middle of changing songs, and the young lady bowed goodnight to Himmel and went off in search of another partner. Frieren came closer and tapped his shoulder. When he turned around and glanced down at her, his eyes widened.
Frieren cleared her suddenly dry throat. “May I have this dance?” She held out her hand like she had seen the gentlemen do when inviting others to dance.
Himmel’s smile couldn’t have been brighter. “Of course!” He stepped forward to take her hand and pull her in close.
…Except Frieren got their first, taking his hand in hers and settling her other hand on his back, just as she had observed the men doing. Himmel was startled.
“Uh Frieren, did you want to take the lead?”
"The lead?"
Himmel smiled and shook his head. "Never mind." He placed his hand on her shoulder. The music started, and the couples began to dance around the room. As they danced, Frieren watched the other couples, imitating their movements as best she could without prior experience. She found herself moving too slow and then too fast, and nearly crashing into other dancers a few times if it had not been for Himmel pulling them out of the way just in time. As they spun around the room, she glimpsed Heiter and Eisen sharing a slice of cake and watching them eagerly. Her foot moved too fast and landed on Himmel's shoe. He yelped.
"Sorry." Dancing was very different from watching it. The music crescendoed, and the women twirled away from their partners in a dazzling swish of their dresses, then twirled right back into their arms. Himmel, understanding his role, also twirled away and right back to Frieren’s arms, who successfully caught him.
A laugh bubbled up from his lips. Side by side and hand in hand, Frieren felt infected by his joy and smiled. "See?" he said, a wide grin across his face, "Dancing is fun!"
Dazzled, Frieren nodded. She spun around so they were face to face again, then tiptoed and leaned in to whisper in his ear, the same way the young lady had. "See? I can be fun too."
She pulled away. Somehow, Himmel’s face had become very red. He had on a quizzical expression that Frieren couldn't quite place. "Himmel?" The band picked up their tempo and she stepped backwards, but her foot landed on the parquet floor awkwardly and she felt herself lose contact with the ground.
"Ah." She fell backwards and squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the hard floor to meet her back in the next second, until—
—Steady hands caught her by her waist and back, suspending her in the air. Frieren opened her eyes and saw Himmel’s concerned face looking down at her. He lifted her up and back on her feet, his hands lingering near her.
"Are you alright, Frieren?" Himmel asked, peering into her eyes.
She nodded, suddenly unable to speak. Her pulse was running like mad. Perhaps it was the embarrassment of nearly smashing her head against the floor in front of the whole town, or just not being using to physical exertion like dancing.
But as she caught her breath, her heart returning to its normal tempo, she realized something. Himmel was right.
She fixed her hair and cleared her throat in an attempt to compose herself. "Thank you. Now, shall we?" She lifted her arms again for Himmel to take.
"Are you sure? Don't you want to sit down for a minute?"
"Not at all." She smiled. "I'm having fun right now.
They danced an inelegant waltz, not caring if they weren't in time with the music. After a few songs, Eisen and Heiter came up to join them, and the four heroes danced the night away. Frieren had danced more that night than the rest of her life combined. It didn't matter that they stepped on each other's toes, fell over each other, or that her feet began to hurt. It was something new, and it was just as Himmel had said it would be.
"Frieren."
"Hmph?" Snapped back into the present, she realized she daydreamed while watching Fern and Stark dance around the room. She swallowed the bite of cake she had been chewing on.
"I asked you if you had any experience dancing," Sein said, his eyes trailing over the couples dancing. She saw his gaze linger on tall, elegant woman standing alone near the wall.
"Only a little bit. Himmel and the others were the better dancers, but they still weren't that good. I'm more experienced in eating cake." She took a big bite.
Frieren looked back to Fern and Stark. He leaned in to say something in Fern’s ear. She shyly nodded, a smile creeping up on her face.
"You should go dance, Sein." He looked at her and raised an eyebrow. She smiled. "It'll be fun."