The Joust and the Milady

There was no denying that Reverb Inn was a place meant for spectacle as Mitsu took in the inside of the inn with wide, bright eyes. It was almost egregious how the tent itself seemed to create a vision of its own, with ceilings high enough that acrobats could perform any myriad of stunts without worry as the children watched on from below and shoved candy novelties into their mouths in delight.

As Amber led him to a row of inconspicuous seats in the crowd and practically shoved him into the plush chair, he noticed that the left and right wings of the tent had been partitioned off. The one on the left was clearly labeled as the hotel side, while the right wing held the dining area.

Of course, these were just the small things Mitsu noticed—this wasn’t even mentioning the mid-air joust happening before his naked eyes.

The cries of the horses reverberated loudly within the performance hall as the two riders tightened their grips on their lances and charged at each other with roaring battle cries.

Unlike a joust fought on the ground, they didn’t have to come at each other directly and maneuver freely into more advantageous aerial positions, creating a dynamic and breathtaking clash of grit and metal as sparks flew from their lances colliding against each other.

Mitsu trembled under the ferocity of the display, finally understanding why there was an overflow of spectators gathered in front of the inn. Even if they couldn’t watch the show properly, there was a frenetic energy in the air that was intoxicating enough to make them want to stay.

Even Mitsu could sense it—the rush, the thrall, the euphoria. It was this kind of atmosphere that had originally inspired him to take up racing, and it had transformed his life.

While the joust likely hadn’t been going on long before they arrived, Mitsu could see how the forms of both riders wavered more and more with each clash, and he gripped the edge of his seat with bated breath as he waited for the final blow to be dealt.

With one rider high in the air, and the other closer to the stage floor, the two readied their weapons, rallied their horses, and charged one last time.

The jouster that had ascended from above the stage to meet his opponent exploited the slightest slip in the other rider’s grip on his lance, thrusting the other back and causing the lance to clatter to the floor with a rancorous clang. There was dead air in the hall for all of a second before the crowd erupted into cheers.

Mitsu joined them, rising from his seat and shouting at the top of his lungs as he pumped his fist at the jouster’s victory. It didn’t take long for a familiar voice to join him, and Mitsu glanced over at Amber in surprise. She was whooping and cheering with her whole body, jumping up and down and winding her fists as she punched them in the air. Her face was so radiant as the particles of light played off her face that he couldn’t resist grabbing her hand in his. Not minding the startled look on her face, he lifted their joined hands in tandem so they could cheer together.

It was only as both jousters floated down from the air, bowed, and left the stage that Mitsu finally lowered their hands. He decided not to let go, and Amber didn’t ask him to.

The stage went dark briefly before a lone spotlight appeared in the center of the ring, and Mitsu felt Amber squeeze his hand tightly.

With triumphant music at her back, and silky black hair flowing behind her like a veil, a woman stepped confidently into the spotlight, her dark skin glimmering as if it had been dipped in stardust.

Amber pulled on his arm and tugged him down. “The woman on stage is my friend Mercy, the one I was talking about.”

Mitsu nodded in understanding, continuing to watch her, and just so happening to catch her eye between her arrival and her impending speech. He stiffened as she offered him a sweet little smirk.

Amber mustered up the courage to give her a smile and a wave, and from Mercy’s expression alone, Mitsu had a feeling their first meeting would be far from the simple exchange of pleasantries he’d been expecting.

“Gentle audience, how are we enjoying the evening so far? The joust was absolutely incredible, am I right?”

Of course, there was not a single dissatisfied person among the spectators as they offered their applause and voices up as further praise for the incredible performance.

Mercy walked the perimeter of the stage, her thigh-high boots clicking against the floors with each deliberate step. “Normally, the joust would have been the final performance in our show for the evening, but tonight, we have a special guest joining us here at the inn.”

Murmurs erupted amongst the crowd as temporary seat neighbors began to speculate who it could be. Mitsu and Amber, however, both remained frightening still. Not a single word was breathed between them.

Mercy made a sweeping arch with her arm in invitation. “Please welcome to the stage my close friend—the next Royal Beekeeper—Amber Lamanne, and her new beau!”

The crowd roared so loudly Mitsu could feel it vibrating in his bones.

“Congratulations Amber!”

“You deserve it!”

“Cheers to the new Royal Beekeeper!”

Mitsu’s head felt like it was filled with fuzz. Amber hadn’t mentioned anything about being a Royal Beekeeper—and honestly? As Amber pulled him by the hand up the steps and under the spotlights, there was no time to question it; Mitsu was going to trust her and hope the rest would eventually follow.

Mitsu let go of Amber’s hand as Mercy wrapped an arm around her shoulder with a grin, the golden bangles on her wrist gliding together to produce a melodious jingle. “It’s exhilarating to stand here together, am I right?” Mercy asked, her voice loud enough to be heard even over the sound of the crowd.

The audience responded with enthusiasm as Amber laughed. The sound was only slightly nervous around the edges. “It is,” she said. “I know you’ve been waiting to get me on stage since the first performance.”

“Can you blame me? Your magic skills are world-class. If you weren’t so set on being a beekeeper, I would have pushed harder for you to join me here.” This seemed to excite the minds of the audience as they spoke amongst themselves in speculation.

With the audience preoccupied for the moment, Mercy glanced over at Mitsu. He felt a bead of sweat dribble down the side of his neck. “Is this the boyfriend you wanted me to meet?” she asked in a low voice.

Amber swallowed nearly imperceptibly and nodded. “Mercy, this is Mitsu. Mitsu, this is Mercy,” she said stiffly, gesturing between the two of them. “I hope you both will be able to get along with each other.”

Mercy laughed before patting Amber on the back reassuringly. “Don’t worry,” she said. “I’m sure I’ll love him.” Not bothering to wait for a response, Mercy stepped toward him with all the gravitas someone like her should possess and offered Mitsu her hand in the same fashion as a European maiden might have in centuries past.

“Mercy,” Amber scolded, voice hushed. She glanced at the crowd warily, and Mitsu noticed all the attention was back on them. Mercy seemed unbothered, however, and just continued to smile innocently, patiently waiting for Mitsu to make a move.

With the experience with Finch fresh in his mind, Mitsu was still unsure of the social protocols within Ferris; however, he couldn’t risk his first impression with Mercy, or this whole charade would be for nothing.

So, Mitsu knelt down, took her hand, and kissed the back of it with just the barest touch of his lips. “Amber has told me much about you. It’s an honor to finally meet you, Mercy.”

Mercy looked surprised as she stared down at him, a curious expression on her face. It was as if she hadn’t expected him to actually follow through with it, and Mitsu wondered if he had unknowingly screwed them.

The truth was, Mitsu’s words and actions were stripped entirely from a play that he had been involved in during middle school. His classmates had written the script, and Mitsu had played the prince—against his will, he might add. He would have been perfectly content painting the set pieces, thank you very much.

Anyways.

While he never claimed to be a particularly gifted actor, apparently those frustrating nights memorizing the script by himself were engrained deeply enough in his mind for him to fall back on it all these years later. He could feel the crowd watching them curiously, but Mercy just smiled and helped him to his feet. “It’s great to meet you too, sweetheart. I’d love to chat some more, but I can’t keep the crowd waiting much longer. Do you think you could help me with the finale?”

Mitsu blinked; of all the scenarios that he had conjured in his mind, he never imagined he would become part of the show. Luckily for her, Mitsu was feeling agreeable, so he said, “Of course. What would you like me to do?”

Mercy wrapped her arms around Amber and Mitsu and pulled them against her sides. Amber sent him a panicked look, but Mitsu ignored it in favor of the whisper of excitement tickling up his spine. “You’re going to dance.”