The Forsaken Hero

Aristocrats and Soldiers stood as we entered, their thunderous applause ringing in my ears. Instinctively, I edged closer to Fyren, taking refuge behind his wide back. But as we walked to the Lord’s table, I mustered my courage and forced myself to remain open and unguarded, leaving my slave crest and demonic features on full display. To my surprise, the cheers only seemed to increase, with several soldiers even whistling in appreciation of my beauty.

Growing red from the army’s adoration, I walked faster, catching up to Soltair before Lord Griffon. The soldiers fell silent as the handsomely dressed Lord stood and extended a hand toward us.

"Welcome, heroes, and thank you for electing to join us in our celebrations. Tales of your bravery shall be spread to every minstrel and bard. We also extend gratitude to the second battalion of the Crimson Guard. This venture was only possible because of your experience and strength. Lastly, we hold this feast in honor of all the soldiers in my domain who joined such legendary figures in braving the unknown and driving back the first demons to invade our world. We mourn our dead, but now is our time to live."

With those grand words, he gestured with his hands and maids streamed into the venue, their arms stacked high with delicacies. Within seconds, a mouth-watering aroma filled the hall and the sound of conversation buzzed to life. We were placed at the Lord’s table, in the seats of honor, and served the finest dishes. I was relieved to find myself between Fyren and Commander Riven, finding solace in their friendly presence.

Lord Griffon played the role of host perfectly, quickly engaging everyone in discussion. He carefully brought up the battle, undoubtedly cautious of ruining the mood, and prompted Soltair to launch into a spirited retelling of our victory. I noticed the Sun Hero’s version lacked his involvement in our injuries, but it wasn’t unexpected.

After listening to his triumphs, Lord Griffon turned to me, eyebrows raising as he beheld my garb. "It seems Miss Silpha did her work well. I had asked her to pass you on a certain cloak, but it seems she never got around to it. I pray your reception has been favorable?"

I responded timidly with, "She offered it, but I decided to dress like this here. Wouldn’t a cloak have been out of place?"

As he absentmindedly stroked his beard, a subtle frown appeared on his face. My tail twitched nervously, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I had unintentionally offended him.

"Forgive me," he said, suddenly bowing his head. "I had heard you preferred to hide your presence, and acted presumptiously. If it pleases you, I will have the one responsible for the information executed."

"Wha-?" Soltair’s mouth dropped open, and he stared between us. "Did I just miss something? Raise your head. No one’s getting executed!"

Lord Griffon flinched, but obeyed slowly, tentatively meeting my eyes. My lips parted slightly but words fled my mind, and we ended up staring at each other for some time. Soltair leaned across the table, prodding my shoulder. I glanced at him, finding a curious red flush beneath his hazy eyes