Twisted Fate of the Knight

Preparation

"Do you know how to dance?" He asks me.

"No," I plainly answered him and look at him with a questioning because why is he asking me that since I will just attend and there is no need to participate in dance or what.

"Do you remember how to ask a woman to dance with you?" he asked again so I frowned at him.

"Why would I ask a woman?" I ask him so he looked at me with an unbelievable look.

"Did you not read the event theme is Hunt ball," He said.

"Hunt ball?" When I repeat.

"Yes, it is an annual event after the hunting event since it was done 2 weeks ago. Oh, you didn't know since you left after the hunting event," He said so I looked at him with a questioning look.

"We really don't have any idea of it?" He asks me as he looks at me unbelievable since I really don't have any idea aside from eating and dancing but never tried at all especially dancing. I shake my head as a response and because of that he sighed while troubled looking at me.

"Is there anything else aside from eating and dancing?" I ask him while tilting my head since I am really curious what was the Hunt ball he is talking about.

"*facepalm* there's more Avy. The first hour of the event is the cocktail hour, followed by dinner and dancing. All male attendees must dance at least once and after that, an auction for the stones in which items donated by members are sold to raise money for the barrier that weakens the magical animals in the forest.

"What?! Is dancing required for all?" I said in surprise since I am really terrible at dancing such as stepping on the foot of my partner, or I can't follow the steps at all. 

"Yes, that's why I am asking you if you know how to dance since I thought her Grace teaches you the basics," He said. I remembered when Lady Miary tried to be my partner but I always refuse her that I am busy with my training, and I was not really listening when she tried to teach me how is the proper way to ask a lady. 

"She teaches me how to ask a lady but..." I could not continue what will I say that I did not listen to Miary when she was teaching me.

"But? You didn't listen, right?" He said as he sighed the second time so I looked at my feet because what he said was true.

"We have 5 days to have a practice. You can change your clothes," He said after I sneezed because I hadn't changed yet and it was only then that I noticed that Ash was no longer behind me earlier. 

"Ugh. What a pain in the a*s," I commented because I really don't want to dance since it is out of my league. 

"I know, but you need to practice it since you are invited and you can't just be standing there," He said as he pushed me to go to my room as he leaves.

After I changed, I went to Collins State with Ash since he insists to go with me. We arrived at the state and I found them Gin in the training ground. They looked at us but continued what they were doing and only Gin comes over to greet me. 

"I'll talk to you later, Gin," I said to him, and he nodded as he goes back to the training ground.

"Let's go, Ash," I called Ash since he was looking somewhere else when I looked at him. He looked at me before following. 

"What are you looking at?" I ask him when he could get close to me.

"Nothing," He said.

"Okay," I said as we went in, and I look for Lady Miary as for Ash, he followed Sofie when we saw her in the hallway going to the kitchen. I didn't know they become so close when Sofie was being wary of Ash but now they are having fun. I went to the Duke's office since Lady Miary might there. I knocked first before I entered and there she was talking to the Duke.

"Greetings, Duke Collins and Lady Miary," I said as I look at them, and they both look at me. 

"What are you doing here, Avy?" Miary asks me as she looks at me as she calms down since she was arguing with the Duke about something. 

"I want to talk to you, and Duke Collins about the party," I said so Lady Miary looked at me with a shock, or I should say surprised look.

"What?! You are also invited?!" Lady Miary said as she looks at me while the Duke looks serious as if he is thinking something.

"We are just talking about that since Miary doesn't want to go but she can't do anything to refuse," He said.

"Yes, I received it a while ago, and Ian also," I answered Miary as she looks at me anxiously.

"So, what do you to talk about it?" He said as he looks at me.

"I want to take a day off for the next few days until the party," I said since Ian told me to take a day off for a few days to train me and teach me the basics of etiquette in the palace.

"Why is that?" Miary replied while looking at me so Duke could not continue what he was going to say.

"I need to learn how to dance and the basic etiquette," I said while being embarrassed and could not look at them.

"Pfft," Lady Miary laughs at me until you can see her tears of joy as she looks at me.

"Stop it, Lady Miary," I said to her because he never stops laughing at me.

"I thought you know how to dance? though the etiquette in the palace is a little bit different, you can easily learn it," He said.

"Your Grace, he always refuses me when I called him," Lady Miary said as she wipes her tears from laughing.

"Okay, I permitted," He said.

"Do you want me to teach you?" She said while refraining from laughing.

"No, thanks," I said since the female dance step is different from the male.

"Although, I can dance the step for the guys," She said confidently.

"Is that so? I humbly refuse your help Lady Miary," I said.

"Also, Miary you can't do it even if he will agree since you will help her Highness to hold the Hunt Ball," He said as he looks at Miary while she was stunned to hear because you can not explain the face he was looking at Duke Collins.

"What?~" She said with her face is uneasy when she asks the Duke.

"Did you not read the last part of the letter?" He said as he showed her so Miary immediately read.

"No~~ it can be," She said as she crumpled the letter that she holding.

"So, you will go there tomorrow, and bring Gin with you since Avy can't come," He said as he continues to sign the papers that he was reading a while ago.

"Yes~~," She said with no energy left in her so I looked at him as I look at her saying 'I pity you but I'm saved'-look. 

"Thank you, your Grace," I said when I left and Miary was left inside who was still not on herself.

I left to go to the training ground to check Gin and my colleagues. I saw them taking a rest so I approached Gin. 

"Gin," I said as I tap his shoulders so he looked at me after he drank.

"Sir Avy, are you done talking with her Grace?" He said as he wipes his mouth.

"Yes. Gin, I decided that you will take my spot," I said casually while looking at the training ground.

"What?! So suddenly?" He said with a surprised look as he looked at me.

"Yes, since I have so many things at hand for me to supervise you," I said as I smiled at him.

"Why? Are you going to quit as a knight of her Grace?" He asks me with uneasy looks.

"Nope, but I don't have enough to personally train you guys," I said since I will be busy especially since they have started moving and we need to investigate.

"Is that so? then, I am willing to take your spot," he said after hearing my reason.

"I am glad. Anyways, I have to go," I said and called Ash who was in the kitchen while eating so I raised an eyebrow looking at him.

"Avy, try this," Sofie said as she showed me the tart with strawberry-chocolate fillings so I was swallowed up because of the new and delicious look.

"It's delicious," I said when I tasted it and I was fed so much in no time.

"Ash and I made it," Sofie said as she packs some of it.

"Woah, I didn't think Ash will help you," I said as I mockingly looked at Ash who is glaring at me but I just smiled at him. Sofie just smiled at me.

"I can help too," He said as he looked at me with an annoyed expression.

"Thanks, Sofie," I said when we left and returned to Ian's residence.

When we got back I went to the library to read a book about Royal etiquette and about Hunt ball since I can't face Ian without any idea before he will teach me tomorrow. I have read many books related to balls and events but...

"I did not expect it to be harder than I read in the book," I said while kneeling because Ian and I were tired from practicing from morning until today for lunch.

"Well, it looks easy but it's not," he said as he brushes off his hair.

"I give up. I don't want to dance anymore," I said as I sat down because I really had no dancing talent.

"Are you giving up already?" He said with a mocking face as he looks at me so I was annoyed because of that.

"..." I did not answer because I was not sure yet since I am really terrible at dancing. 

"I know that you can do it, Avy. What I know of Avy will not back down no matter how difficult it is," He told me as he faced me.

"Yes. I will do my best," I said and stood up.

"That's the Avy. I know," He said as he smiled at me with a relief look on his face so I just smiled at him.

"But don't blame me if it happens that you can't walk properly until we finish practicing," I said while looking at his feet that were full of stains on my feet.

"I hope you are not intentionally stepping on my feet," He said as he looked at me with a little bit worried on his face but I just smiled.

"Maybe," I said as I grin at him so his face looked serious at me.

"If I find that you are intentionally stepping on my feet, I will make sure you repent," He said while looking at me with a smile but a scary smile.

"Hehe, Of course, I did not mean. I really don't know how to dance," I said and also averted my eyes because I was nervous with his smile.

"Is that so? Then, let's start practicing again," He said as he claps for the count of the step as I follow him.

"Raise your hands properly," He said as he positioned properly my hands as if I was holding a partner.

"Why is it so hard to dance? How was it fun?" I said when he thought we would rest since he was very strict with me. 

"It's fun, sometimes," He said after he drinks water so I frowned at him because I could not say it was fun to dance.

"Really? For me, it is not fun," I said with an uninterested look on my face since I can already feel the pain on my body.

"Yes, you will find it fun if you will enjoy it not just a needed to do it," He said as he looks at me with a delighted expression.

"Fine, I'll enjoy it," I said because he was absent just to teach me to dance even though I still stepped on his foot a few times. I feel guilty about it since he was really dedicated to teaching me how to dance.

"Then, let's call it a day since you manage to follow me," He said since it almost dinner time so we got up to change our clothes because we smelled of sweat and our clothes were already wet.

~~~

"You are improving Avy," Ian said to me since I can follow him smoothly.

"Of course, I really did my best not to embarrass my teacher," I said confidently but then I accidentally his foot and I close my eyes because I will fall.

*stud* " Are you okay?" He said so I slowly open my eyes since I didn't feel anything, and our eyes meet since his face was so close to me since he supports me so that I do not stumble on the floor. 

"Eh, I am okay. You can let go of me," I said because he seems to have no intention of letting me go and is not our position awkward because he is kneeling while holding me. 

"Ah, right," He said as he let go of me, and we stand awkwardly.