NINETEEN
Kon pulled at the stiffly starched collar to the uniform that Benny had presented him. He’d never had to wear something this ornate and compared to his companions he looked fairly bland. The mages wore similar uniforms but had elaborate robes over the top, thin material covered in elaborate stitching of mystical animals for the students. Mage lord Alexandros’s was covered in mathematical equations that Kon couldn’t make heads or tails of.
“Stop fiddling with the collar, you’ll wrinkle everything,” Alexandra hissed at him loud enough that it drew everyone’s eyes. Alice actually snickered while Beto and Loras both tried to cover their laughs. Benny and Alexandros continued to chatter in the front of the private tram car, ignoring the younger crowd as they looked over a holopad.
“Thing is trying to strangle me,” Kon muttered, but let his finger fall away. Alexandra let the annoyed expression fall from her face as she let her eyes drift down Kon’s sharply attired body.
“It suits you. All three of you will stand out if this thing is anything like what we’ve been to before,” Alexandra said. Beto grunted in agreement while Loras kept his silence as he normally did.
“I saw some of them when they dissolve Titan’s Resolve. Looked more like they were ready for a party than for being Knights.” Kon kept the bitterness out of his voice, or at least he thought he did. The looks he received told him he hadn’t been as successful as he had thought he had been.
“Just remember not to punch anyone,” Alice said helpfully. Kon turned to look at her with disbelief.
“That was your warning. Mine was don’t intentionally insult anyone,” Kon said. All three of the mages blanched and looked at the duo before deciding it was a topic better left alone.
“Who are we going to be targeting?” Kon asked Alice. They had a list of targets to try to discreetly woo with him and Alice supposed to be targeting independent Knights who were on the Oasis for whatever reason. Benny would be targeting those older figures who would actually know who he was while the mages worked the softer, civilian targets. Bankers, merchants, politicians, and even members of fleet.
There were too many people to talk to and not enough of them, but they were hoping that they could find enough traction that they’d be able to gather some momentum. It was, after all, only the first social meeting of the season.
Ten minutes later the tram came to a halt, doors opening silently and the smell of fresh vegetation wafted in, so different from the normally sterile air. Kon breathed deep, not realizing how much he missed the smell as Benny and Alexandros took the lead. At first Kon hardly noticed the difference between these halls and the others, aside from the lack of traffic.
Even in the wealthy mage, merchant, noble quarter there had been workers in jumpsuits walking around working. Not here though. As they walked through hall after hall, each of them spotlessly clean and with murals of scenes from different planets decorated the walls, there wasn’t a single worker walking around. It was a void that took a moment to set in but as they entered the gardens Kon finally saw his first workers.
Dressed in form fitting black uniforms that accented their sleek forms, waiters and waitresses walked around with trays of bubbling drinks. Kon took one look at them and knew they had been chosen for their looks. Each and every one of them were beautiful, well groomed, and by their body language, more than welcoming of attention.
“Seems that the Lion is up to his old games,” Alexandros spoke contemptuously as he looked over the crowds. Hundreds of people walked around the gardens, the paths were well marked and clear, vegetation no higher than waist high with discreet roping to keep people from getting into the plants.
“He won’t be here yet. This is just the low level people, independents or young people. This is where you’ll be starting,” Benny said, waving them away as he and Alexandros walked away, still talking to each other as they headed deep into the gardens.
“The moment he found someone else old he left us alone and ignored,” Kon grumbled.
“He doesn’t get to spend time with people that are his intellectual equal often,” Alice said, nudging Kon with an elbow with a sly smile.
“You know that you're insulting yourself, right?” Kon said with a sigh. Alice kept her smile and shrugged good naturedly.
“I’m not an intellectual like they are. Have you been listening to their conversations? I can’t hardly parse more than every third word,” Alice said. The mages had managed to slip away while Alice complained about the intellectualism of people using three syllable words.
“I’ll buy you a dictionary,” Kon said, chuckling at his own joke as Alice barked a laugh, seeming to surprise herself.
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“Come on, let’s go and find someone who can be bullied into fighting a losing fight,” Alice said, wrapping her arm around his shoulders and pulled him tight to her as they walked around the party.
A waiter stalked forward with a tray of smoking drinks and a dazzling smile. Alice abandoned Kon instantly, grabbing a drink and slamming it back in an instant before filling her hands before turning back to Kon with a wild smile.
“I think we can come to these more often,” Alice smiled as she drank, joy in her eyes. Kon grabbed one of her drinks and nearly lost a hand, but Alice relented and Kon sipped at the cool liquid, smooth and refreshing down his throat till it exploded in a burst of fire in his belly, leaving nothing but the taste of fruit on his lips.
“That’s dangerous,” Kon coughed while Alice chuckled darkly. They walked side by side, heads sweeping back and forth to look over the crowds. None of them had a martial look to them. They weren’t sickly or anything like that, but there wasn’t the edge to them that was common among the Knights. That they wore crests on their breasts that were meant to represent Chapterhouses or Orders was irregardless.
“This is the cream of the fleets? The dregs on the edge of the fleets are harder than these soft skinned fools,” Alice whispered as she snagged another drink from a waiter. The woman’s face paled as she looked around frantically to see if anyone had heard Alice. When no one confronted her immediately she retreated as fast as her long legs could take her.
“Don’t scare away the waiters, they’re the only ones worth seeing here,” Kon grunted. Alice chortled and looked over at him and swept her green eyes up and over him.
“Are you drunk already? I can’t believe you're this much of a lightweight,” Alice said, shaking her head. Kon took another deep drink of his newest acquisition and sighed in pleasure as the bomb of heat exploded in his stomach. Warmth had begun to suffuse his cheeks and he felt a smile worming its way to his face without his permission.
“Who should we start with? Not exactly a lot of people here we can relate with.” Kon tried to change the subject and Alice was gracious enough to allow him to.
“Someone decently strong just entered over this way,” Alice said pointing with her drink, sloshing it around but not spilling a drop. Kon fell into step behind Alice as they meandered around the pathways, following her keen energy senses that seemed to lead them to fresh trays of libations with every turn. Drink after drink slid down her gullet without effect other than a hint of wildness starting to appear in her eyes.
“Oh, I know them,” Kon said as they turned around a corner to look over to see who it was that Alice had felt. Knight Jurgen Draconis stood there with Mathis and two other Squires standing in formation behind him. Of everyone here, only he wore the simple, clean, uniform that Kon and Alice wore. A golden dragon was stitched along one arm, but otherwise the crisp black uniform was undecorated.
“Kon, it is good to see you,” Jurgen rumbled, his deep voice filled the distance without hesitation and heads turned to look at them. Mathis perked up and looked over and a smile filled his face as he saw Kon, but he had enough discipline not to break away.
“A dragon,” Alice purred as she slunk forward and that mischievous look filled her eyes as she looked over Jurgen’s muscular body. For the first time Kon saw Jurgen look nervous, not even when he had confronted Benny had Jurgen seemed nervous. Looking up at the taller woman he shuffled a little bit, weight moving from foot to foot.
“Alice Roose, it appears that your death was greatly exaggerated,” Jurgen said. Alice's smile broadened further and Kon felt the urge to slide away as Mathis met his eye and the other man seemed to be having the same idea.
“I’m a hard woman to kill. Would you happen to know a Hans Draconis?” Alice asked.
“The Order is large and I am sure there are several Hans that I know,” Jurgen said, avoiding the question.
“You’d know this Hans. He had made a bet about a wrestling match with a young Knight from a young Chapterhouse,” Alice said. Jurgen’s face became wooden as he looked over her.
“I know that story,” he said.
“Would you like a chance to redeem your Order’s honor?” Alice asked and Kon felt a bolt of excitement and fear spear though him.
“What would be the terms be?” Jurgen said, slowing down instantly and becoming very serious.
“There’s a war going on and we need some people willing to take a contract. You have a squad or two assigned to you?” Alice guessed. She looked over the Squires who were behind Jurgen and back at him. Jurgen nodded slowly.
“Good contract and it’ll likely cause you to snubbing the Lion.”
“You don’t need to sweeten the pot, I was going to accept anyways,” Jurgen said.
“You don’t have any desires for reward?” Alice asked, her smile lecherous.
“I would request a meeting with Benny,” Jurgen said, looking past Alice’s shoulder to Kon.
“I can do that,” Kon confirmed.
“Good. Then after this, a standard wrestling match for agreed upon terms.” Jurgen offered his wide hand and Alice took it instantly, the two of them pumping twice before disengaging.
“It seems our juniors would like to converse. Kon, I will be seeing you later,” Jurgen said before throwing some hand signal at Mathis and the squires. Jurgen departed with Alice in tow while Mathis waited for the two Knights to go several feet away before turning back toward him.
“Was that flirting or hatred?” Mathis asked and his fellow Squires awkwardly laughed.
“With Alice it can be both at the same time. Tell me how the dragon has been treating you,” Kon said, slapping Mathis on the shoulder and letting the Squires surround him and begin to talk about his experience with the Order.