Chapter 11: Dance in the moonlight

"PLEASE SAVE ME!" The young girl was pleading to Leo. "Save you from what?" Leo asked a little confused, but before the girl could answer a pack of wolves surrounded Leo and the girl. "Wolves? Too weak for me." The wolves felt through their instincts that they had no hope of beating Leo so they dispersed. The little girl looked at Leo in awe, "So is that what you wanted me to save you from?"

The little girl shook her head. Leo looked around but he couldn't sense any danger in the surrounding area. "Well it seems it's not here yet. So what's your name?" The girl gasped "I'm sorry I haven't introduce myself." The tiny girl sounded very polite and did a curtsy "My name is Adela, may I ask your name kind sir?"

"It's Leonard but you can call me Leo and I'll say this in advance but don't call me sir. Just Leo is good enough."

"If that is, what you want Leo." The little girl smiled innocently. Her heterochromatic eyes were sparkling as she looked at Leo. "So what am I suppose to save you from?" Adela shivered, she looked at Leo misty eyed. Leo hugged the trembling little body of Adela. "Don't worry I'll protect you no matter what. So don't be afraid, tell me who wishes to harm you?"

Adela's teary eyes looked at Leo. She nodded her head and answered. "The people that lurk in the shadows. They killed all of my escorts, while they were protecting me they asked me to run away as far as possible."

People who lurk in the shadows? She has escorts. So that means the one who wants to kill her are assassins, and she must be a noble of some sort, While Leo was thinking he felt a number of people approaching. He picked up Adela and held her in a princess carry.

A knife came flying heading toward Adela's face. Leo started running, the priority is to protect Adela can't waste my time fighting those guys. If their able to hide their presence this well I might make a mistake and get Adela hurt.

"I need to find my companions is that alright with you Adela?" "I will entrust everything to you Leo." Adela's eyes lost their fear and was replaced with a hardened resolve. "Ok hold on to me tightly." Adela did as she was told, after confirming Adela was secured Leo jumped. The distance he covered in one jump was great.

Adela looked at Leo completely amazed. Leo kept on jumping until he reached the place where he and his group stopped to rest. On reaching the spot none of his companions where there. Moreover there was no sign of anyone being there recently. Leo placed Adela in one spot before he started searching.

He kept on searching but couldn't find any trace of his companions. "Where are they?" Leo mumbled. Adela looked at the worried Leo "Leo are you alright?" Leo looked at her for a while before he nodded.

"Yeah, I'm sure those guys are fine by themselves. So where were you going before those people attacked?" "I was heading back home." "Home? Where is that?" Adela pointed northward. "It's in a town called Vorn near the field of flowers where we met."

"What about your parents were they with you?" Adela was shaking her head "no their at home." "So what were you doing out here without your parents?"

"I was sent to another town to hide until father says it's alright to come back. A few days ago father sent a letter telling me the danger had passed and I could go home. But as my escorts and I were heading home we were attacked by those people in the shadows."

"That's strange" Leo said deep in thought. "Strange? What do you mean?" "No its nothing. We better get you back home, before your father worries." Before Leo could carry Adela two assassins were bolting towards her. One of them threw a knife but Leo easily deflected it with his hands. The two assassins threw chains aiming at Leo's arms. "Damn it you guys are starting to annoy me!" Leo evaded and did a roundhouse kick and drove his foot at one of the assassin's solar plexus. Before the other assassin could do anything Leo did a palm strike to the jaw leaving the two assassin unconscious. He held Adela and jumped away heading toward the town called Vorn.

†

A few minutes have passed since their escape from the assassins. Leo and Adela were able to reach Vorn safely. The town was huge compared to the village where Leo started his journey. The town had the same shops like those in the wood elves fortress plaza. Yet this time it was much livelier Leo could feel the hustle and bustle of the town unlike the quiet plaza in the elven fortress.

"So where's your house Adela?" "It's over here follow me." Adela started walking to the inner areas of the town. Everywhere they turn there was a person either selling or trying to buy something. After a while, Adela stopped in front of the largest mansion in the area. It was huge they were five guards at the gate and you could see more than a dozen roaming inside. On approaching the gate the guards noticed Adela. "Lady Adela!" They run toward Adela. One of them headed into the mansion.

Seconds later a man wearing a long robe with long flowing sleeves was approaching Adela. He wore shoes with a long pointed end. His brightly colored silk and velvets trimmed with jewels and fur clearly indicated him as one of those nobles. He hugged Adela who hugged back. Behind the man was a woman who looked like an older version of Adela without the heterochromatic eyes. She was wearing a dazzling red gown. Her eyes wear red with tears. "MOTHER! FATHER!" Adela screamed as she hugged her parents.

†

The group entered the mansion and went into the dining room. The dining room had one long table and by the walls were windows that looked like doors. The room was surrounded by people in maid and butler uniforms. All of them were attending to the needs of each individual sitting in the dining table. Even the perplexed Leo was served perfectly.

Adela was currently recounting the events that transpired. At one point in the story the father looked furious and when the story reached the part of when Leo saved her, they all looked at Leo in assessment. The father smiled and so did the mother. "So we have heard the tale, and we already know who you are but we haven't done our proper introductions yet." Adela's father said heartily.

"I am Bertram Wingled the father of Adela Wingled one of the lower nobles of Regon." "I on the other hand am Edith Wingled the wife of Bertram and mother of Adela." Both the father and mother started introducing themselves.

"My names Leonard you can call me Leo and like I said to your daughter there is no need for formalities." Bertram started laughing "Then there is no need for formalities between us. You have saved my daughter and for that I thank you." "There is no need to thank me, I didn't really do anything."

"Hahaha I like you Leo. You can stay here as a guest for as long as you like." "Sorry but I need to get going now." Betram looked at Leo disappointed so did Edith and Adela. "Why the rush Leo?" "Well my friends are missing, or to be more accurate I'm the one missing." "What do you mean?" Leo explained his situation to Betram.

"So when you woke up after collapsing your friends where nowhere to be found." Leo nodded "Then I will send some scouts to look for them. You could stay here for the meantime. This is much quicker than you carelessly searching with no clue." Leo pondered for a moment before he consented "I' am sorry for bothering and thank you."

"It really is no bother. But can I ask a favor of you while you're staying here?" "Sure what is it? If I' am able to I would gladly help." "Could you please become Adela's knight? Only while your here." "Knight?" Leo looked at Betram bewildered, Edith was nodding her acknowledgement, while Adela was blushing. "Please become a knight that would protect her." Leo finally understood what Betram meant "If it's alright with you, then I will be her knight. Only while I'm here."

†

Leo was thinking inside the room provided for him. The room was excessively large for one person. The bed was so large you could fit six people in it, yet even with that there would still be some extra space. There was even a table for tea time in the room. Leo couldn't think straight inside the large room, so he decided to get some fresh air.

†

Adela was in her room fidgeting about Leo being her knight. "How did this happen?" She started twisting about in her bed, she couldn't think straight so she decided to clear her thoughts by looking at the stars from her veranda. There she noticed Leo was practicing his swordsmanship. Leo's movements were swift and flexible.

The two swords were illuminated by the moonlight. It was as if the moon itself was watching Leo dancing with his blades. Each strike each step made Adela's heart skip a beat. That scene was the most beautiful thing Adela had ever seen. Beautiful, breathtaking, astonishing, stunning, overwhelming, wondrous. None of these words could describe Adela's feelings as she watched Leo's swordsmanship. Then and there unknown even to Adela herself. That night her heart was captured as she continued to watch Leo dance in the moonlight.