Looking up, they realized they were dancing to enchanting tunes.
"In that case, why don't you accompany me for a dance?" Orion suggested, flashing a broad smile at the Princess of the Garden.
"Ahem! I can't dance," the Princess of the Garden replied, shifting her gaze shyly in another direction. "I've never attempted to do so my entire life."
"Well, though I've danced before, I don't have much experience in dancing. Why don't we use this opportunity to learn? Since you don't yet know how to use your wings, we can dance on the ground," Orion suggested, glancing at the Pixies flying around.
The Princess of the Garden nodded in understanding.
Orion grabbed her hand, about to lead her to the centre of the dance floor, when he noticed a few familiar faces heading towards them.
"Mr. Orion, it's a pleasure to meet you again. I heard that you were also attending the banquet and couldn't stop myself from coming to greet you personally. Allow me to introduce my wife, Alaia," Guildmaster Alaric said, smiling as he introduced the woman beside him.
She was a voluptuous woman in her early fifties, wearing the same red and blue matching outfit as him.
"It's a pleasure finally meeting you, Mr. Orion and Princess of the Garden. My husband has told me a lot about his first encounters with you," Alaia said, smiling as she bowed slightly towards Orion and the Princess of the Garden.
She didn't dare to be relaxed and show her respect; after all, these were individuals that even the High King and Queen had to treat with the utmost respect.
"It's a pleasure to meet you too," Orion responded, nodding as he shifted his attention towards Guildmaster Alaric before focusing on the third person beside them.
On his other side was Meave, wearing a long, silky violet dress. When their eyes met, she smiled and nodded at him.
The Princess of the Garden nodded silently at all three of them.
"We just came to greet you as it was the right thing to do. I hope you enjoy the rest of your time at the banquet. We'll be taking our leave now," Guildmaster Alaric responded.
He could feel the many hostile eyes on his body and understood that this was a clear warning from the High King that no one should disturb Orion and the Princess of the Garden's time at the banquet.
After all, who would be foolish enough to make such apparent threats in a hall filled with the most influential individuals in the Pixie Kingdom and the Guildmaster of the Gardener Guild?
Fortunately, he wasn't foolish enough to ignore the warning and gave one final nod to Orion and the Princess of the Garden before he turned around and left with his wife.
Orion and the Princess of the Garden nodded and observed as Guildmaster Alaric and his partner soared into the air to join in the dance before refocusing their gaze on Meave.
"Ahem! Mr. Orion, I came here to greet you and thank you for the gift you had sent Princess Morgana to deliver to me. I have shared everything with the other women, and they are very grateful for it. Also, they are all prepared and can't wait to meet––" Meave cleared her throat and began; just as she was about to complete her sentence, Orion interjected.
"You don't need to worry about mentioning that, Vice Guildmaster Meave. I only did what was reasonable for me to do as I don't require payment. Also, I'll come to the guild to meet you on that matter when I am free," he slightly coughed and said.
"Okay. That means I will be expecting your visit soon, Mr. Orion. I'll take my leave then," Meave nodded, smiling appreciatively.
She gave the Princess of the Garden one final nod before she turned around and left.
Orion briefly looked at her and understood that she had come to the banquet alone, confirming what she had told him, that she didn't have a partner.
Suddenly, Orion felt a painful pinch on his stomach, dragging him out of his thoughts.
"Can you explain in detail the contents of your conversation with that Pixie woman just now?" The Princess of the Garden asked with a raised brow, her hand painfully twisting his skin as she awaited his response.
"It's nothing. I donated the paymentsI earned during my task to her after finishing the tasks High King Eldric had given me," Orion responded swiftly.
Though he knew that the Princess of the Garden didn't oppose his 'habits,' considering this was her moment, he didn't want to put her in a challenging position or hurt her feelings.
The world may be vast, with different races filled with strange cultures and traditions that allow for behaviours considered strange in his former world. However, that didn't mean there wasn't a limit to it, such as the emotions of his women.
Now was the time to show the Princess of the Garden that no one mattered to him right now except her.
"Humph! Are you sure that is the truth?" The Princess of the Garden asked, slightly reducing the intensity of their grasp.
Orion nodded firmly. He wasn't lying after all.
The Princess of the Garden loosened her grip on Orion, glancing at Meave, who was now conversing with several influential individuals, before refocusing on Orion.
"Now that we don't have any other interruptions, can we continue with our dance?" Orion asked, quickly changing the topic.
The Princess of the Garden sighed tiredly before nodding with a smile.
Orion grabbed her outstretched hand and led her towards the floor so they could dance.
They began their dance slowly, mimicking the elegant movements of the pixies soaring above, until they found their rhythm and quickened their steps. Locking eyes with each other, they shared a smile, immersed in the enchanting melodies filling the air.
"Orion, I know I've said this countless times before, but nevertheless… I love you more deeply than you could ever fathom," the Princess of the Garden confessed, her arms encircling his waist as she snuggled her head against his shoulder.
Despite their tender embrace, their legs swayed, dancing to the instrumental music.
