INCANDESCENT LIGHTS

The usually somewhat quiet surroundings of the central part of the fortress were now a hub of noise and chatter, as hundreds of pairs of feet ran left and right, in and out, groups forming and dispersing repeatedly around the corners. After all, just a day ago, the Empress herself had announced the Empire's victory and the completed conquest, and, in the name of that, she donned the following week a national holiday, throwing a ma.s.sive ball for the occasion, and supplying any and every other gathering inside the Empire's heart.

Countless stalls already stretched across the somewhat convoluted set of roads spanning the fortress, some leading to the city down below, selling anything from the Empire's flags, small statues of the great people, collections of stories and poems describing the valor and the might of the Empire's top figures, and even cheap replicas of their identifying weapons.

Meanwhile, Lucky stood perched on top of the wall of the fortress, gazing at the sea of people streaming in and out of its walls with a calm expression. She took in a deep breath and gazed up, her cherry-red lips stretching into a content smile. Nearly sixty years ago, when she first entered her teenagehood, she imagined her life taking many routes – yet, not even in her wildest imagination did she think anything close to how it actually played out.

It feels like yesterday that she still struggled to grapple with the reality of things, when a woman promising her stars stole away her heart and heralded her onto the path that led her here. Ever so often, Aeala's smiling face would pop into her head as a swell of regret would a.s.sail her heart; she worked far harder than anyone in that small group, yet fell short of ever experiencing the penultimate splendor it would reach.

At last, however, she could relax; these last few decades felt as though she was constantly walking on the path of swords and needles, never quite certain when one might p.r.i.c.k her an inch too deep. It was over now, however. Perhaps not for forever, but she could put her heart at ease at least for a little while.

She turned into a shadow all of a sudden, rapidly, and vanished from the walls, the liquid-like shape trailing along the walls and rooftops of the buildings, reaching the 'palace' of the fortress before heading in and entering the Grand Hall where the ball would be held. Most of the decorations were already in place, with over a hundred silver chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling, the usually dull, stone pillars decorated with a golden tint, cold floor covered with beautiful rugs and the central carpet, wooden tables replaced by the steel-framed ones, the center carved out into a slightly elevated platform large enough to fit at least a hundred people dancing at the same time, with some room to spare.

The wide edges of the hall were lined by the extruded tables that would be filled with food and drinks when the ball begins, various portraits and mosaic adorning the tall walls of the hall.

"Oh, you're finally here," Alison's voice jolted her back to reality as she glanced sideways, spotting a somewhat disheveled-looking figure holding a giant table in one and a bundle of wooden planks in the other hand. "Could you help me with this?"

"Uh, sure," Lucky said, quickly racing over and taking the stack of planks. "Why are you doing this? Aren't there literally thousands of people who would cut their c.o.c.ks for the privilege?"

"… can't you say something normally just once?" Alison smiled helplessly as the two headed to the backside of the fortress. "Besides, it feels good to work. Break a sweat and all that."

"… I know quite a few ways we could break a sweat without carrying around a bunch of wood." Lucky smiled strangely, causing Alison's cheeks to flush for a moment.

"Hush, I told you not to talk about it in public! It's embarra.s.sing!"

"Why do you think I keep doing it still?"

"Because you're mean?"

"Because seeing you embarra.s.sed gets me through the day."

"So, yeah, because you're mean." Alison rolled her eyes. "Do you mind if I, uh, run something by you?"

"Sure. What's up?" Lucky asked, using her free hand to take out a gourd of ale, taking a sip.

"… if possible, uh, I'd like… uh…"

"… what?" Lucky glanced her dubiously. "Spit it out already."

"… I'd like to adopt a kid… or two… maybe…" Alison's voice fizzled out toward the end as she looked away from Lucky, seemingly too afraid to see her reaction.

"… sure."

"I mean, I know it's a grand undertaking and I know you're not that good with—say what?"

"I said, sure," Lucky chuckled bitterly. "Why? Is it that surprising?"

"Yes!—I mean no, of course not…"

"Nice save, babe."

"… are you sure? I… I don't want you to agree to it just because of me. If you're not ready, then maybe we should wait…"

"Eh, it's fine. I can see myself tormenting a couple of toddlers."

"Tormenting?"

"I meant raising," Lucky said. "I use them as synonyms."

"Yeah, I don't think that's how that works." Alison looked at with a faint smile, extending her free arm and pulling back a few strands of Lucky's hair behind her ear. "Are you sure? Like, absolutely sure?"

"… yeah," Lucky smiled back as the two stopped. "You're gonna be a great mom, you know?"

"As will you…"

"Oh, no, I'm gonna be a dad."

"… a dad?"

"Yeah," Lucky nodded seriously. "While you're teaching them all about histories, art, and whatnot, I'll take them out to brothels, teach them how to drink, and how to fight."

"… on the second thought, let's just not have kids. Like ever."

"Ha ha ha ha, ah come on, you know I'm just kidding," Lucky ran after the annoyed Alison, laughing madly. "So, which lucky kid got your gear spinning?"

"Huh?"

"It's fine; however much of a cripple he or she is, I won't mind so long as you're happy with them."

"She—she's not a cripple!!" Alison exclaimed angrily.

"Oh, so it's a she?" Lucky arched her left brow, grinning.

"… I hate it when you do that."

"Do what?"

"Manipulate me."

"I don't think that really qualifies as manipulation," Lucky said. "Nudging, I'd say, at best."

"Call it what you will, it's uncool."

"… so, tell me about her."

"What do you want to know?" Alison asked.

"What's her name?"

"… June."

"June? Hm, nice name. What's she like?"

"… she, uh, lost both her parents in the Battle of the Mountain Pa.s.s," Alison replied. "She turned nine a couple of weeks ago, in the Military Orphanage down in the city. She's… quite clever, quick on her feet. Saw me roaming about, walked up, asked me if I needed something… and then asked me for a few coins when she helped me."

"Oh? Sounds like my kind of a girl." Lucky chuckled.

"… yeah, she reminded me a bit of you," Alison said. "A tough, greedy surface… yet, after I followed her stealthily, I saw her buying a few sets of clothes and handing them out to other kids. She didn't keep even a copper for herself."

"…"

"I know that, even if I leave her alone…" Alison said, her voice turning slightly quieter. "She'd probably do just fine by herself. She'd sc.r.a.pe and scuffle and fight, and find her path in the world. Just like you."

"… yeah."

"But, I don't want her to go through what you did, just to climb to the top," she said. "I don't want anyone to go through it if I'm being honest."

"…" Lucky said nothing, merely taking a sip of ale.

"I want to give her the best opportunity to blossom into whatever flower she wants to become," Alison said as the two stepped out of the hallway and onto the nearby balcony, leaning against the railing. "That's… what I think, at least."

"… can I be honest with you?" Lucky said after a short silence.

"S-sure. What's wrong?" Alison asked.

"It sounds me like you're trying to project your guilt, Ally," Lucky said, smiling gently and patting the former's head. "From the sounds of it, she's just like Lino. Arrogant, boastful, greedy, the sort you're quick to hate, yet once you get to know impossible not to practically wors.h.i.+p."

"… that's what I love and hate the most about you…" Alison said, her shoulders slumping. "How easy you see through me."

"…"

"On the other hand, I can only pray you tell me, lest I keep walking blindly about, guessing."

"… she sounds like a great kid," Lucky said, chuckling. "But, if I'm being even more honest, we'll have to reign her in a bit. We can't have another Lino-like abomination walking around, corrupting everyone. One generation has suffered enough."

"… you're saying…?"

"Yeah."

"Thank you! Thank you!" Alison spun around suddenly, dropping the wooden table and wrapping her arms around Lucky who stumbled back and nearly fell, bursting out into laughter. "I love you… I love you so much… so, so much…"

"… I love you too." She said, her quivering hands wrapping around Alison's thinly-exposed back.

"… you're the best, you know that?" Alison said, closing her eyes, enjoying the gentle touch of arms on her back.

"Ah, I do. It's both a blessing and a curse…"

"Ha ha ha… yeah, I can imagine."

The two stayed cradled in silence for a long while longer, the streams of gentle sunlight was.h.i.+ng over their inconspicuously tiny figures in comparison to the ma.s.sive world around them. The silence itself was just as, if not more, warming and embracing than the sun itself, lulling them into a peaceful splendor of the ever-fleeting present.