A few days later, the big event happened.
A grand feast and ball to celebrate the continued alliance between Morya and the Wolves.
It wasn't Abel's idea of a great time. More painful was the extensive preparation he had to undergo to even participate, since they would be in the presence of aristocrats and the queen of Morya herself.
The pageantry involved was loud enough that everyone was talking about it. It was rather obvious propaganda, but it was propaganda with the promise of good food and music, so no one was really complaining.
The wolves had even been given access to the palace tailor, to make sure they would be both well-dressed for the occasion, as well as be comfortable and able to have a say in what they wore.
Everyone except Cricket anyway.
She discovered on her visit to the tailor that the Queen of Morya had selected a specific dress design in her honor, which Cricket found the idea bizarre. An elegant green dress with bell shaped bottom. It looked as if it were pulled straight from a fairy tale.
But she didn't feel like she could argue against a Queen in her own kingdom.
Abel, like most of his time since the bond, had stuck beside her. And Cricket's own dress had left his skin flush with the small glances he had taken of her.
When the feast came, the Wolves were welcomed into the room with trumpets and a round of applause. The nobles, politicians, and those wealthy enough/influential enough to get invitations to the ball applauded the arrival of the twenty mercenary members. The feast was much more extravagant than he would imagine, the sound of trumpets and applause was as impactful as the parade in their honor when they first arrived in Morya.
And seated upon an oversized throne on a raised dias was the Moryan queen herself, the last person in the room to applaud the arrival as the group made their way to her Royal Majesty.
She had raven dark hair and almost glowing green eyes---a beauty by any sense of the imagination; and on her face was a smile of absolute delight. She wore a seductive 'dress' that left little to the imagination.
Velstadt, a renowned heartbreaker and ladykiller, drooled with admiration as Sophia had to elbow and smack him every few minutes to keep him in check. And the way the Moryan queen sat on the throne, she may as well have been sprawled out on a beach; she was so comfortable.
"Welcome, I hope you've been enjoying your stay in my home." She rose to her feet, slowly making her way down the steps towards the group.
"There is plenty of food for everyone. And more than enough entertainment for the evening. Please, eat; drink, and be merry."
She raised a hand and the music struck up again, and the crowd seemed to relax all at once--conversation and dancing flowing with ease.
As for the Queen?
Since they had arrived, she hadn't taken her eyes off of Cricket once.
"I've been waiting a long time for this." The raven-haired woman said to the blonde. She placed a hand on the other girl's waist, and the other on her bare shoulder.
"...We only arrived in Morya last week." Cricket didn't know what to do with this much touching; and her wide eyes and stiff posture said as much.
The Queen tilted her head back and laughed, still as relaxed as when they'd first arrived.
"Come, sit with me. We have much to discuss."
She felt the chain on Cricket's neck and slid her fingers down until it reached the crystal, before pulling Cricket up the stairs with her. Cricket spared one last nervous look at the Wolves, and at Abel in particular, before she followed the Queen up the steps.
With a sigh, Bolvin placed a heavy and comforting arm around Abel's shoulder.
"I think the Queen wants to fuck your girlfriend." He pointed out.
A few of the other wolves gave instant small words of affirmation.
Abel immediately felt uneasy at the sight of Cricket being separated from him. Her uncomfortable look towards him had even caused him to scowl a little, but the bass in Bolvin's voice removed the expression. Or rather, his words.
"Huh?"
The collective agreement between the other wolves made Abel's brows furrow, glancing back at the two queens with just a small bit of confusion.
"She does not want to...—"
The way the queen had held Cricket in combination with how much she watched her had slowly made Abel halt the rest of his words.
Then there was a realization with Bolvin's statement.
"Cricket is not my girlfriend. And she isn't doing anything....like that...with the queen."
He didn't sound convinced and he looked annoyed by his own words, brimming with jealousy. An emotion he did everything in his power to hide between his body language and expressions.
"Gods, I remember being that young." Avarra snorted.
"Yeah, gotta agree with Avarra on this one old friend." Bolvin continued to pound away at Abel's back in support---even in all the tailored finery that had been prepared for him, the bearded man still looked more suited for a tavern brawl than a courtly ball.
"The two of ya spend all your time together," He raised a finger, "Slept together when we were traveling," Another finger, "And can't take your eyes off each other whenever any of us are heartless enough to separate ya."
He dropped his hand down and gave another pound on Abel's back. The ascent from the wolves was the same as Bolvin's earlier statement, with a quick assent of, 'yup' 'sounds about right' and 'young people are disgusting'.
"But hey, if you aren't worried, then you've got other options in front of you." And one of the men redirected Abel's body in the direction of a group of aristocratic young ladies who were eying the wolves like they were wolves themselves.
"Cricket shouldn't have all the fun!" And another rolling burst of laughter.
Abel folded his arms and closed his eyes, tapping his foot at Bolvin's list. Between the abrupt pound on his back and the forceful toss in the direction of some women, Abel opened his eyes and turned to all of them with a massive defense on his and Cricket's behalf.
"We do not spend all of our time together. Besides, who else is she going to go to when she doesn't know any of you? You?" He pointed at Bolvin, more specifically his stomach.
"And just because we sleep next to each other doesn't mean anything."
"That hurts my feelings!" Sophia playfully frowned and covered her eyes with the back of her wrist with fake sobs. Abel didn't even bother to address the final point, rolling his eyes at Sophia's tease.
Despite it all Abel found himself stealing a glance, almost anxious about Cricket's current predicament.
Cricket, meanwhile, was quite obviously not having fun. She was seated in the oversized throne with the Queen--stiff as a board. She was currently holding a goblet of wine that she had been offered with both hands, and the Queen of Morya was playing with a loose strand of her blonde hair. Whatever they were discussing seemed to leave Cricket incredibly tense, while the Queen maintained a rather lazy-looking smile on her face. General Liam was summoned over by the Queen and conversation once again continued, all tension and nerves from Cricket--all calm ease from the Moryan elite.
"Look, nobody has time for things like that in times of war," Abel explained.
Velstadt, drunk with three other intoxicated women, stumbled laughing with them.
"Oh yes, we do. Especially in times of war!!! People like you? Me? Her? We can die tomorrow! We can die today!"
He continued his walk with the giggling girls, waving his hand behind him.
Abel's lips thinned, the words of all the wolves starting to weigh on him.
It was at that moment that Sophia shook her head and grabbed his sleeve for his attention.
"Don't look so stressed. It's a party, everyone's safe."
"Yeah...Yeah, I know." He nearly whispered, looking at the general make his way over to the queens.
"I'm surprised you came." Abel diverted.
"And miss out the fruit of Thorne's efforts? Hah."
Sophia folded her arms and looked at some people on the ballroom floor dancing gracefully.
"I wanted to see with my own eyes, the life Thorne would give us."
The General introduced himself, and the Queen and he had immediately begun to discuss politics with her. They discussed the state of the war effort; the front, and the resources that Morya currently had. All while the Queen continued to...well, basically fondle Cricket.
So Cricket was drowning.
"And twenty will be incredibly useful, but consider the power of thirty--or fifty? It will change the face of the entire war." The General was expounding.
And then Cricket realized it. They thought that all of the Wolves had bonded with Cricket. Or at the very least were going to.
"I'm--I'm not sure if that's really, really--I mean, Thorne is in charge of the Wolves, I'm just-Really, I'm a new member, just joined. This conversation sounds more like something that-"
"Cricket." The General stopped her speech with eyes made of steel. "A Queen that acts like a pawn won't survive the chessboard."
There was a tense moment of silence between all three of them, before the Queen took hold of Cricket's jaw and turned Cricket to face her once again.
"There's another option I've always been curious about." She practically purred.
"Have you ever imagined what it would look like for Queens to bond with each other? It's never happened before. What could it do to our bonds? Our strength? What could we share?" She smiled indulgently.
"I've always loved sharing."
"You can't force a bond," Cricket said, her favorite statement to Bolvin echoed before the Queen of Morya.
The dark-haired woman released a dark chuckle in response.
"Oh darling, of course you can."
Even as her face remained close to Cricket's, her eyes rose to the General and some sort of unspoken something was expressed between them.
Cricket eyes darted to the main festivities. She watched Bolvin laugh, Abel looking irritated, and Sophia being overdramatic. Their evening looked so much more fun than hers.
"Your highness, General Liam." Thorne was spotted with a large grin, the dark hair that was usually tied up was all let down in a fall of locks. He was handsomely dressed, a burgundy long-sleeve with a fluffed out collar and wrists that were tucked in. Dark colored pants that were a bit tighter than he had liked. He also held a goblet of wine, bowing before the two of them politely.
"Ah, Cricket! Fancy seeing you up here." He took a small sip of his wine, clearly noting her distress. Still, his smile was as wide as it had been, maneuvering to the three with a laid-back demeanor.
"Cricket, shouldn't you be enjoying the party? I would hate to bore you with political plans. It's honestly a lot to discuss. By the time you leave, Bolvin will have eaten everything!"
He looked over to Liam and the queen, his smile never wavering.
The relief Cricket felt when Thorne finally arrived on the scene was palpable. She'd been completely outmatched by both General and Queen, and when Thorne gave her an out, she practically ran down the stairs without a single word about her leaving.
Was she embarrassing herself in front of another queen? Undoubtedly. But the alternative meant staying where she was, and no way was happening.
Abel was found with Gael on the balcony, both of them leaning forward over the stone railing. Gael hilariously did not entirely fit his attire despite the best tailors in Morya working with him. They were absolutely terrified to spend more than a few minutes with him. His expensive long sleeve had tears, the black pants that failed to hide his protruding hind legs were torn just so he could be comfortable. And the claws on his feet left excavations in his classy shoes.
"I wouldn't have told anyone. I'm surprised you even trusted me." Gael spoke, staring out into the dark of night.
"Yeah well, I figured you'd deserve to know first," Abel said, his eyes settling down below. "After all, you were considered my first friend in the band."
Gael laughed, looking behind him to see if anyone was listening in. The large doors to the balcony were open, spotting the dancing people inside. "Well. I've always told you, you were too kind for your own good."
"Didn't I say that to you?"
Gael laughed again. "Abel, it's a while away but...I wish you good luck."
The fresh air was just what Cricket required after...getting rather hot and heavy on the throne. She wasn't dressed for the outdoors at the moment, the green dress she wore leaving her with bare shoulders and back, and it wasn't exactly high collared--but she appreciated the chill.
She greeted Gael and Abel with an almost relieved smile.
"I hope I'm not interrupting." She offered up as her greeting. She finally felt she could relax again. Thank goodness Abel was here, and not thick in the crowd.
The sound of Cricket's voice had caused Abel to turn around, the smile on her face contagious enough for him to smile back.
"Not at all. Not at all." Gael motioned her over, leaving a space for her between him and Abel.
"We were just discussing you, actually." Gael looked over to Abel and pushed himself off the railing to stand up straight. He really did tower over them entirely.
"How will you both be leaving the band. Granted, we'll be nobles but incredibly likely to be the Queen's knights rather than some snobby highborn."
"Better than some ragtag mercs," Abel added.
"Mm, perhaps. Thorne and I started the Band of Wolves because we strongly believed that companionship and family were extremely important values. Bonds like those are powerful and with those bonds, queen or not, we would be capable of anything. As nobles, we still have that companionship and feeling of family...but in a lot of ways, we lose it too."
"I've... I've been seeing what you've been talking about. I know I'm more of an outsider, but--but it's real." Cricket agreed.
Abel looked over at Gael and then back out towards the moonlit horizon.
Gael turned his back from the railing as he continued.
"I cannot blame Thorne though. He's been through much and deserves a happy end. He thinks we all do. But I just can't help but feel as if he is settling for less for our sake. His dreams, his aspirations, are much bigger than us."
Gael began to step towards the large doors. "It hasn't been very long, but both of you leaving the wolves ironically embodies the band's spirit. It's amazing, truly. Poetic."
"....." Abel stayed silent.
"I'll leave you two be. Sophia and Bolvin are fighting over beef." His arms stretched and closed the large doors to the balcony, leaving both Cricket and Abel alone.
As Gael left, Cricket moved over to Abel on the railing, leaning against it and staring out into the evening sky.
"You okay?" Abel asked, eyes going over to Cricket unaware of how distressed she had been.
"I have trouble accepting the experiences and people I am faced with." She admits after a moment.
"Three months ago, the idea of attending a ball in a fancy dress would have been a literal joke. Being asked to join a group of mercenaries who all seem like sincerely good people--even if Velstadt will just not let that nickname he's got for me go-"
She joked, trying to relax some of the tension she herself had created. "It all feels like it's pretend, like it's all going to go away, or it's one giant trap."
Abel listened silently, understanding how she felt trying to hold the situations and people that had been thrown her way. She was running for her life months ago. Weak and straining. He wasn't sure if he himself would have been able to run as she had done with little to no food or water. Her life was moving at a breakneck pace, difficult and troublesome to simply accept things as they are. It was possibly her way of steeling herself for things to be stripped from her.
After all, it's been happening to her all her life.
She didn't look at him as she spoke. "The only thing I've never doubted in all of it has been you."
There was a micro expression of surprise that Abel had when Cricket mentioned him, his eyes going over to hers to see the truth in them.
To think that she hadn't truly doubted him this whole time had him look down in response. It only made him want to do better. He wanted her to trust him for everything she needed.
"You know,"
He looked over to her as he explained, putting pieces together in the process.
"Ever since the fight with the executioner, I have been devoted to training. I get this deep sense of fulfillment in fighting ever stronger opponents. Honing my craft as a swordsman is my passion."
He looked down with a soft smile again. "I know how you feel about bonds and I know it might sound crazy or even contradictory in your eyes. But I wanted to let you know that this whole idea of traveling with you, it fuels my passion. For the first time, I think...it gives me true purpose. So...Thank you."
Abel's eyes met with the sunset as Cricket had, his hands folding over the thick stone in silence. He figured he had said too much, Abel himself being someone who typically avoided revealing his own emotions. For some reason, with Cricket, however, Abel found himself opening up more than ever.
She listened as the sun set against the backdrop of the Moryan sky, watched him in silence, and blushed with a look away when he said that it was all because of her.
Pushing some of her hair behind her ear, she considered carefully just what she wanted to say to the man who'd rescued her, who had made a space for her in his community, who had made a space for her in the future he envisioned for himself.
"Abel?"
"Hm?" His smile faded into an attentive countenance.
"Let's dance."
There was a slightly surprised look that quickly melted into a soft smile, deciding to let her take him away onto the ballroom floor. There was a common and basic waltz that others around them had been doing, leaving Abel somewhat struggling to keep the pace due to a lack of knowledge of the dance. Still, the laughter between him and Cricket would throw out any insecurities he may have had about it.
And eventually, Cricket's own smile made him not care for the Wolves that quietly teased him upon seeing them. Or the Royal Queen who watched them silently from afar.
Everything melted away aside from the joy, laughter, and happiness.