Chapter Text
It was early morning the next day when Naga and Leodin found themselves in a large dance hall at the back of the villa, a wide open space with a tiled floor where a cool breeze was blowing and the morning sun could be seen on the horizon out the window. Near the wall was a piano with a book of sheet music and a small table with a metronome. They had eaten an ample breakfast, but Naga was still sleepy and loudly yawned. They turned when they heard the door open and Madame Cadenza stepped out to join them.
“Alright, you both have good stamina and natural talent,” Cadenza said as she went to the middle of the floor. “What you need to learn are the proper forms and movements to master the Wine Dance.”
“I'm already an excellent ballroom dancer, I'll have you know,” Naga said confidently. “This won't be too hard.”
“This is not the same as some upper-crust soiree,” Cadenza interjected. “This is an intense battle of attrition between multiple pairs. You cannot simply waltz to the finish line. You must always match an ever-increasing tempo, and you will be constantly judged on your performance. The longer it lasts, the more likely you are to slip.”
“We get it, it'll be grueling,” Leodin said. “But I wanna beat that pompous jerk at his own game, so I'm not backing out.”
“Good, you'll need that spark of determination,” Cadenza replied. “And I can already tell you're used to this kind of practice.”
“Wait, you can?” Leodin asked.
“Why don’t we start with the basics?” Cadenza continued as she took a stance, arms raised, and leaned back on one foot. “ This is what it looks like…”
With cane in hand, Cadenza stomped her foot, the loud tap of her hard shoes on the tile ringing through the villa and getting Naga and Leodin’s attention. She stomped again, then again, and her feet moved in a blur as her speed increased until finally, the old woman really began to dance. Cadenza moved gracefully across the floor, her eyes closed as she imagined herself with her late partner and husband, rehearsing the outline she once did decades ago. Naga and Leodin watched, mesmerized as she spun, shook her hips, and twisted around with a passion that belied her age.
Cadenza spun and tapped her foot in a flurry once more before finishing her dance with a lean and a flourish of her arms. The two adventurers were awestruck, at a loss for words but could not help but clap. Cadenza took a deep breath, then released a long sigh of exhaustion as she keeled over.
“Whoa, you okay?” Leodin asked as he ran over to the old woman to help keep her steady. “That looked intense.”
“Yes, it was, don’t ask me to do that again,” Cadenza replied as she straightened herself up. “I have some illustrations to help give you a visual reference, but every dance is unique to each pair. You’ll need to come up with your own routine together and be able to improvise as well. It’s a marathon of creativity.”
“Well I’m great at thinking on the fly,” Naga said as she stepped up and grabbed Leodin by the hand. She pulled him close, placing his free hand on her waist and then placing her hand on his shoulder. Leodin’s face turned pink at the sudden contact, and then red once he felt their chests squish together. “Come on Madame, put on some music and we’ll show you what we’ve got!”
“Yes, do show me,” Cadenza said as she walked over to the piano and took a seat. She tilted the metronome and set it to a moderate tempo before placing her fingers on the keys. “And a one, two, three…” The madame began to play a tune on the piano similar to the one played at the grape treading the day before. Before Leodin knew what was happening, Naga started to dance, dragging Leodin around the floor.
“One, and two, and one and two,” Naga recited as she stepped this way and that, pulling her partner along with her. “Keep up Leodin!”
“I am, just hang on,” Leodin protested. The speed was not an issue for him, but Naga’s movements were almost random and he had to correct himself when he stepped in a different direction, doubling his difficulty. “Who’s leading here anyway?”
“If you’re not going to lead then I am,” Naga answered. “You need practice Leodin, ooohohoho- whoa!: Naga found her foot bumping into Leodin’s shin, causing her to stumble into him just as he had lifted his other foot. The result was the two of them in a pile on the floor. Cadenza ended the song early with a sigh and stopped the metronome.
“I should have expected as much,” Cadenza said as she got up from the piano. “What you both lack above all is coordination between each other. You, Naga, need to reign yourself in, and you, Leodin, need to assert yourself and stay steady.”
“Are you saying he should lead the dance?” Naga asked, pouting. “He barely knows how.”
“Neither of you leads the other,” Cadenza replied. “You move together as one, synchronized, which means intimately knowing and trusting one another without even speaking.”
“ Intimately?” Leodin scoffed as they stood back up. “You haven’t known Naga long, but her mind is like a bag of lit fireworks, she’s totally unpredictable. How are we supposed to coordinate?”
“Like this,” Cadenza said as she slipped out a small, metallic object from her sleeve. Before either of them could react, Naga and Leodin heard a CLINK and felt something cold around their wrists. They looked down to see a metal ring around Naga’s right wrist, a ring around Leodin’s left wrist, and a short chain connecting them. “Now you’ll have to learn.”
“Wait, handcuffs!?” Naga asked as she looked at their new accessories, yanking Leodin’s hand up with it. “Ohoho, delightfully devilish, Madame.”
“You’ve got to be kidding!” Leodin shouted tersely. “She was bad enough to deal with without being cuffed together!”
“Well perhaps if you take the time to really know each other, it won’t be so bad,” Cadenza replied. “Trust me, if you want to win this competition, this is how you do it. Over the next several days, I want you two stuck together like glue as we not only practice the dance but also take care of my daily tasks. You’ll quickly come to understand the other. You’ll have to if you want to get anything done.”
“This should prove very interesting…” Naga said with a sly grin.
“Fine…” Leodin responded with a grumpy frown. “If it will help us win.”
“It will do more than help you win,” Cadenza said with a nod and returned to the piano. “Now, we continue dance practice, and after that, we do a bit of shopping. One, two, three, and…!”
Naga and Leodin spent the next couple of hours going through the steps and trying to work out a simple routine. Leodin did his best to follow Cadenza’s instructions while also wrangling Naga to keep her under control. Naga, for her part, found the lessons painfully boring, and having to slow down for Leodin tested her patience. It took many tries, but eventually, they got through a set without any stumbles or missteps.
“Ha, a perfect performance!” Naga exclaimed happily as she placed her hands on her hips, inadvertently yanking Leodin’s hand down with her. “I barely noticed the cuffs at all.”
“What you performed was for beginners, but you did well to get the hang of it,” Cadenza said as she closed the cover over the piano keys. “We’ve practiced enough, now I need to pick up some things from the market for lunch later. I’ll need you to help me carry it.”
“How much are you getting?” Leodin asked.
“Enough to fill this basket,” Cadenza answered as she pulled out a sturdy wicker basket that was half as tall as she was, much to Naga and Leodin’s shock. “Let’s hop to it then.”
The three gathered their things and set off down the hill towards the town market. It was another sunny day as they approached the stalls, many just opening and displaying their freshest produce. Cadenza always made sure to come early before all the good picks could be taken.
“So, what do we get first?” Naga asked as she and Leodin walked side by side, swinging her arm and his with it. “I feel like having, mmm, cantaloupe melons!”
“And look at that, cantaloupe is on my list,” Cadenza noted. “And here are some ripe ones just waiting for us.”
They approached a stall displaying several large cantaloupe melons, each one as big as a head. Cadenza gently tapped on a few to check their ripeness. She picked a couple and paid the seller in coins before placing them in the basket.
“I’ll get that,” Leodin said as he picked up the basket with his free hand.
“Don’t overburden yourself,” Cadenza remarked. “We still have a long list left.”
“It’ll be nothing,” Leodin said with a smirk as he did a curl with the basket, flexing his lean bicep. “I’ve slayed monsters, a few groceries aren’t going to beat me.”
“We’ll see…” Cadenza murmured before nodding towards the next stall.
The three continued down the grocery list, picking up items like corn, onions, potatoes, and cabbage. The more that was added to the basket, the heavier it became, and Leodin’s arm strained to keep it off the ground. He began taking every chance he got to set it down, and he flexed his fingers to get some feeling back, the basket’s handle leaving a mark on his palm.
“How are you holding up?” Naga asked cheerfully when they stopped at a stall selling apples. “Oh, your arm is looking all veiny now.”
“Still doing fine,” Leodin replied through grit teeth as he went to check out the apples. “I could do this all day.”
“I’ll take these six,” Cadenza said as she paid for the apples and added them to the basket. “Alright, now I need some radishes. Bring the basket over this way”
“Sure,” Leodin said as he grabbed the handle once more. He pulled up to lift, but the basket did not budge.
“What’s the hold-up Leo?’ Naga asked.
“Just give me a second…ngh!” Leodin strained to lift the basket with his right arm, but his muscles were so worn out from carrying that they refused to budge. “Rrg, come on…!”
“We’re waaaitinnnng …” Naga sang teasingly.
“Oh for Heaven’s sake,” Cadenza heaved a weary sigh. “Would you two just lift it together already? This was supposed to be a lesson in cooperation, but you young man are too proud to ask for help and you young lady need to be more considerate.”
“Oh,” Naga and Leodin said in unison. Cadenza muttered some Zephilian curses under her breath as she took their cuffed hands and placed them both on the handle of the basket.
“Now, would you both please lift it together?” The old woman asked. The two adventurers glanced at one another for a moment before they each pulled up. To Leodin’s relief, the basket was much lighter this time, and he could give his other arm a much-needed break.
“See Leo, this is much easier,” Naga said with a wag of her finger. “You really should mind your limits, though seeing how long you could carry it with one hand all by yourself was quite amusing, ohoho! *SMACK* Ouch! What was that for?”
“That was for being insensitive,” Cadenza said after having given Naga a quick whack to her backside. “A good partnership needs trust, and that means both knowing you can depend on each other for help when you need it AND not being afraid to admit when you’re weak.”
“Yeah Naga, be a little considerate,” Leodin added. “If you knew how hard this was, you should have done something *smack* Ow, hey!”
“Don’t try to backtrack, you’re still at fault for trying to act tough,” Cadenza scolded after giving him a lighter whack on his buttocks. “I’m not going to think less of you if you can’t do everything on your own, and Miss Naga here won’t either, even if she seems to enjoy teasing you.”
“...sorry…” Leodin mumbled with embarrassment.
“Ah, but I do think less of you!”
They turned at the sound of the familiar voice to see Matteo and Jazel approaching them with smug expressions whilst carrying their own baskets of groceries. Leodin frowned visibly at them, while Naga matched their smirks with her own and Cadenza kept her face neutral.
“Good morning, Matteo, Jazel,” the old woman greeted coldly.
“The grape thieves are still here?” Jazel asked. “Don’t tell me you’ve taken a liking to them.”
“It’s more than a liking, isn’t it?” Matteo asked knowingly. “You really are training them for the Wine Dance, aren’t you? Of course you are, you’re still doing that tired old handcuff lesson. Trying to relive your glory days?.”
“I think you better watch it,” Leodin growled as he thumbed his axe head. “I don’t take kindly to pompous rich kids who run their mouths.”
“Ah-ah- ah , I think you better watch it,” Jazel interjected. “Try to get rough and you’ll get reported to the constable, then no more contest for you, ooohohoho!”
“Tch,” Leodin felt his blood boiling at her laughter, and he was ready to throw down regardless of the consequences, but his anger was quelled when Naga’s own laughter overtook Jazel’s.
“ OOOOOOOOhohohohoho! ” Naga laughed, especially loud and obnoxious this time. “If you dance as well as you laugh, then I think we are the ones who have nothing to worry about!”
“I beg your pardon?” Jazel asked, clearly taken aback.
“Your laugh has no passion behind it, even if you have the right form,” Naga continued. “You’re just going through the motions hoping you’ll get a high score on only that, but it will never be enough to reach the heights of my magnificence! OOOOhohoho!”
“Uh huh…” Matteo said as they all watched Naga laugh. “Believe what you want, there’s no way we’ll be beaten by a couple of amateurs. See you at the contest, ciao!”
Mattea and Jazel walked off down the street. Leodin grumbled as he watched them go. “Uhg, I… hate those two.”
“Mmm, had I known how they would turn out, I might not have taught them,” Cadenza said grimly.
“They learned from you?” Naga asked once she stopped laughing.
“Yes, I taught many young students through the years,” Cadenza replied. “Matteo and Jazel came to me because I was once the best, but eventually, they began to think they knew everything there was. Now they just like to show off, with no real love for the art.”
“All the more reason to beat them,” Leodin said as he lifted the basket. “Come on Naga, help me carry this so we can get back and practice.”
“Okaaay,” Naga replied as she lifted with him and they continued down through the market to get the necessary food items. With both of them carrying the basket, it proved little challenge, and they were able to take everything back to Cadenza’s villa in one trip.
“We'll have a light lunch,” Cadenza said as they entered the kitchen. “Then we’ll do more practicing, and later, you'll help me prepare dinner. For now, help me put these ingredients away.”
“While still handcuffed,” Leodin remarked. “Okay, this shouldn’t be too hard.” Leodin grabbed a cucumber with his free hand and passed it over to Cadenza, who then placed it on a spot on the tiled countertop. At the same time, Naga took a tomato with her free hand and passed it over as well.
“We can go faster if we use both hands you know,” Naga said as she grabbed a radish with her cuffed hand, taking Leodin’s hand with it. “Grab something too.”
“Hang on a second, will ya?” Leodin said as he snatched a carrot before Naga could pull his hand away from the basket. They handed the vegetables to Cadenza, who nodded with approval.
“Good, just like that,” the old woman said. “Keep up that pace, grab the next item with your free hand, then the cuffed hand moving in sync.”
“Oh, so it’s another lesson,” Leodin grumbled. “Alright, fine, here.” He took an apple with his free hand and passed it over as Naga passed another carrot, at the same time reaching with their cuffed hands for their next item.
Together they matched each other’s pace and moved in sync, slowly emptying the basket until they reached for the pumpkin near the bottom. Leodin felt Naga’s hand cover his as he grabbed the rigid stem, and he hesitated for a moment before Naga pulled it up.
“Heave-ho, Leo!” The sorceress said cheerfully as they lifted the pumpkin up and out, passing it together to Cadenza. They did the same for the cantaloupes and the other large items, leaving the basket empty.
“Good, you’ve earned your lunch,” Cadenza said as she took a large baguette and knife and began cutting. “Now, be patient and I’ll make you some sandwiches.”
Naga and Leodin took seats at the dining table as Cadenza quickly began constructing sandwiches made from slices of capicola, salami, pepperoni, and ham they had bought from the neighborhood deli. Naga was practically drooling with anticipation as she watched while Leodin’s stomach growled impatiently.
“So, if I may ask, why are you two traveling together?” Cadenza asked, trying to break the silence. “I’d like to know a little more about my guests.”
“We’re both searching for someone,” Naga answered first. “Leo is looking for revenge against a group of brigands that wronged him, and I’m looking to defeat my most infamous rival, Lina Inverse!”
“Inverse?” Cadenza asked, pausing a moment when she heard the name. “Hmm, now that sounds familiar. There once was a traveling merchant who went by Inverse. She came through this town a few times, but it’s been quite a while. I wonder if they’re related.”
“Perhaps, but I’m only interested in Lina,” Naga replied. “She’s from Zephilia, maybe you’ve heard of her? A powerful sorceress sometimes called the Dragon Spooker. She’s short, flat-chested, and has an awful temper.”
“I think I would remember someone like that,” Cadenza responded bluntly. “What about you, Leodin? Who are these bandits you’re searching for?”
“They’re from around the Kataart Mountains,” Leodin said. “Their leader is a huge man named Grohl, with shaggy brown hair, wears furs and is missing one eye. His second is an archer named Vulk. He’s got ashen skin and black hair tied back.”
“Sorry, can’t say I’ve heard of them either,” Cadenza responded. “While I can’t give you any information, I hope this makes up for it.” Cadenza added some cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a dash of oil and vinegar before handing them over to the two adventurers.
“You call this a light lunch?” Leodin asked as he marveled at the extra thick sandwich, holding it up to his face with his free hand. “I could barely get my mouth around this.”
“Speak for yourself, I’m not complaining!” Naga said. She picked hers up with both hands before taking a big bite, the onion and lettuce crunching audibly.
“Okay, yeah, no complaints from me,” Leodin agreed. “Now quit yanking my arm and let me eat!” Leodin had to lean in to eat with both hands due to the cuffs, putting his and Naga's faces rather close. He somehow managed to squeeze the bread enough to get it past his teeth and into his mouth. Cadenza let slip a little smile before she began to nibble on her own sandwich.
“If you’re both after different people, why are you traveling together?” Cadenza asked. “Are Lina and Grohl working together?”
“Oh Lina would never work with bandits,” Naga said after swallowing. “In fact, she regularly blows them up and steals their treasure. I just figured that she would go after this Grohl guy eventually. Besides, I also owe Grohl back for the trouble he caused me.”
“Oh?” Cadenza raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah, Naga decided to get herself involved in my battle with Grohl and I had to save her,” Leodin said with his mouth partially full. “But Grohl got away, so now we’re both after him, I guess. Traveling together is just more…convenient.”
“Ah, convenience,” Cadenza murmured as she watched Naga and Leodin wolf down their thick sandwiches side by side, face to face. “I see…”
“You should try dipping me!” Naga exclaimed towards the end of their practice set. “Like this!”
“Whoa, Naga!” Leodin exclaimed as the tall sorceress dipped him to demonstrate. He found himself staring into Naga’s eyes as she held him, their noses a mere inch apart. Once they had all finished lunch, it was back to dance practice, and the sorceress wanted to have a little fun. “Come on, take this seriously.”
“You should dip,” Cadenza said. “You’ll be judged on style and flair as much as your speed and form. Go on.”
“Oh, fine,” Leodin acquiesced as they straightened back up. He placed his hand around Naga’s back, twirled her around, and dipped her low to the ground. She smirked up at him and let out a soft chuckle.
“Hmhmm, how romantic,” Naga purred.
“D-Don’t make this weird!” Leodin protested as he pulled her back up. “Whatever helps us win.”
“The judges do tend to like that sort of thing,” Cadenza remarked. “The spicier the better.”
“Ohohoho, another advantage of Naga the Serpent!” The sorceress proclaimed. “I AM the spiciest one they’ll ever lay eyes on!”
“Somehow I doubt they’ll think the same of me,” Leodin grumbled.
“Don’t be so sure,” Cadenza replied sternly. “With the right clothes and a few adjustments, you should clean up nicely. There’s a bit of ruggedness I think I can work with.”
“O..okay,” Leodin said, a bit surprised. “If you say so. We should really focus on dancing.”
“I think that’s been enough practice for today,” Cadenza said. “I could drill you until your feet bleed, but…” Her voice trailed off a moment as she gazed off into the twilight horizon. “Eh, I’d rather not drive away another pair of students. Four hours at a time is enough.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize how late it was,” Leodin said as he looked at the darkening sky. They had already been practicing for hours, and the blond just realized how sore his feet felt.
RRRRRRRrrrrrrggggllll~
It was then that Naga’s stomach let out a loud rumble, and the sorceress clutched her stomach.
“Mmm, I’m hungry again, that sandwich wasn’t enough,” Naga whined. “Madam Cadenza, can we have dinner now?”
“Yes, but you’ll need to help me prepare it,” the old woman said as she shuffled towards the door and the two followed. “This time you’ll be cutting vegetables together.”
“That doesn’t sound dangerous at all,” Leodin replied snidely as he jangled the handcuffs that still attached him to Naga. “Uhg, okay okay, not hard…”
“Leodin, stop worrying,” Naga said as they entered the kitchen again. “Whatever shenanigans you think are about to transpire because we’re connected at the wrists, I can assure you are all in your head. Now then…” The sorceress picked up a knife and twirled it between her slender fingers. “What’s for dinner?”
“We’ll be having baked feta pasta, caponata, and bone-in pork loin,” Cadenza answered as she took out the ingredients. What she ended up producing was a large pile of capsicum, onion, cucumbers, celery, eggplant, zucchini, and all sorts of plants. “I need you to chop up all these vegetables.”
“All this?” Leodin asked, dumbfounded as he looked at the pile. “This is almost everything we just got from the market.”
“I know, we’ll be cooking a big dinner,” Cadenza said. “You’re adventurers, right? You’re used to eating large meals to get your strength up for battles, and the contest is no exception. I can tell by your appetites.”
“You’re not going to say no to more food, are you Leo?” Naga asked. “Mmm, big meals are the best.”
“I just don’t want us to be a burden, that's all,” Leodin replied, but his stomach growl betrayed him. “Uhg, alright, if you insist.”
“Don’t worry, I quite enjoy cooking for three,” Cadenza said as she prepared more ingredients and utensils. “Or in your case, nine.”
“Enough waiting around,” Naga said as she put a knife into Leodin’s right hand and dragged him over to the counter. “I’m hungry, so chop chop!” Naga grabbed a zucchini and placed it on the large cutting board. She failed to notice that her knife hand was the one handcuffed to Leodin.
“Hey, Naga!” Leodin began to protest. “You’re not going to be able to cut while we’re-”
THACKTHACKTHACKTHACKTHACKTKTKTKTKTKT!
Naga’s knife flew with lightning-fast speed, causing Leodin to nearly have a heart attack as his wrist flew with it. A moment later the zucchini fell apart into perfectly cut quarter slices. Leodin stared in stunned silence until Naga took another zucchini and did the same again.
“Leodin, what’s the holdup?” The sorceress asked as if there was nothing out of the ordinary. “If you want to eat, you need to help cook.”
“What the hell was that?!” Leodin asked incredulously. “I thought you were about to chop off my fingers! How-how are you so good at cutting vegetables!? I never see you use your sword!”
“Leodin I told you repeatedly, I am supremely talented in all things,” Naga replied. “It’s not like it’s hard. Go on, show me what you can do.”
Naga handed Leodin a carrot. The blond frowned at her before he positioned the vegetable and knife, readied himself, and then violently hacked away at the carrot, trying to match Naga’s speed. The result was an orange mess of varying sizes and shapes.
“Please try not to get food on my floor,” Cadenza said while preparing the meat.
“OOOhohohoho!” Naga laughed. “Did you really expect you’d be able to match my homemaking skills? You’d need to practice ten more years before you reach my level!”
“Oh shut up,” Leodin shot back as he grabbed another carrot and began cutting, slowly this time into even slices. “Why the hell would I need to know how to cut anyway, it’s not like I ever needed to cook for anyone before you came along…”
Naga was about to continue her teasing when she heard Cadenza clear her throat. She looked to the old woman, who gave the young sorceress the stink eye and glanced at her cane. Naga felt a cold sweat, and she looked once more at Leodin, who was sulking in silence with a red face as he kept his eyes down on the carrot he was still chopping. Naga gave a heavy sigh of frustration before turning back to Cadenza.
“Madame, I have a request,” Naga said. “Can you cuff my left hand to his left hand instead of his right?”
“Huh?” Leodin looked up in confusion. “Naga, that’s just going to make things more difficult! I can barely get this carrot done already.”
“Hush,” Naga held up a finger. “Just trust me.”
“Very well,” Cadenza said as she shuffled over to them. She fished out a small key from her pocket and used it to unclasp the cuff around Naga’s right wrist. Naga smiled approvingly as she turned around and attached the cuff to her left wrist. “May I ask why?”
“Just fixing the weak link, that’s all,” Naga replied as she moved around to Leodin’s back. “Here, I’ll show you how it’s supposed to be done.”
“Naga, what are you doing?” Leodin asked as she took his hands in hers from behind. He was taken off guard when she gently placed her chin over his shoulder and leaned against him, pressing herself against his back.
“Don’t just push the blade in with force or your pieces will go flying everywhere,” Naga explained as she held Leodin’s knife hand and placed the blade on the carrot. “You need to slide it, like this.” The sorceress guided his hand and slid the knife forward and down, the sleek metal gliding through the hard orange flesh with little resistance.
“Oh,” Leodin said, suddenly understanding what she had been doing. He felt Naga guide him through cutting the rest of the carrot, slow enough for him to get a feel for the technique. “I guess it’s not so different from cutting through meat.”
“Exactly,” Naga smiled as he placed another carrot on the board. “Once you get that down, you just need to speed it up, like this!” Still guiding Leodin’s hand, Naga diced the carrot in the blink of an eye.
“Krom damn it, don’t do that!” Leodin shouted, causing Naga to laugh once more. Still, he understood the technique, and he felt just a smidge more appreciative towards her.
Naga demonstrated more cutting techniques to him on other ingredients like onions and tomatoes, all while Cadenza supervised them. Once Leodin had seen enough, the old woman switched the cuff back to Naga's other hand and they each cut separately, albeit Naga used her left hand to hold the knife this time, and she sliced just as well as she did with her right. Leodin was somehow not surprised Naga was ambidextrous.
Once all the vegetables were cut, Cadenza had Naga and Leodin help with the rest of the dinner preparations. The two of them had to quickly learn to move in unison after one too many dropped ladles and a few spills. Soon enough, their food was baking in the oven and simmering on the stove.
“Finally,” Leodin sighed. “I've never had to cook so hard before out in the field.”
“And now we wait,” Cadenza said as she turned over a small hourglass. “It will be about half an hour, so I suggest you-”
“I need to use the bathroom!” Naga blurted out. There was a brief pause as Leodin slowly turned his head towards Naga with an intense stare, then slowly turned to Cadenza.
“...wash up,” Cadenza finished awkwardly.
“Okay, so you'll take these cuffs off and we can do our business in private, right?” Leodin asked as a bad feeling formed in the pit of his stomach.
“...mmm…no.”
“.... WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO?!” Leodin shouted with disbelief. “You don't expect us to do everything chained up do you?!”
“Yes, I do,” Cadenza answered, unfazed by his volume. “You only have one week to master this, and every moment counts.”
“But-but-but-!” Leodin sputtered.
“Leo, I haven't got all day,” Naga spoke up as she tugged at the handcuffs, pulling him towards the bathroom. “I really need to go, right now.”
“Dressing like you was one thing, but this is going too far!” Leodin wailed as Naga dragged him by the wrist. “Naga, you can't seriously be okay with me in there with you right?”
“Oooohohoho! I'm perfectly comfortable in any situation!” Naga replied.
“You need to learn to be comfortable with your partner wherever you go,” Cadenza called out. “Don’t worry, I'll free you before you take a bath and go to bed.”
“Oh not this lesson again…!”
Through a combination of squeezing his eyes shut and loudly singing an old tavern song, Leodin managed to endure the awkwardness of shared bathroom time. With that out of the way, the two washed their hands and returned to the kitchen. They helped set the table and got out the wine until the food was finally ready to be served. Naga and Leodin marveled at the spread of dishes and were entranced by the heady aroma.
“Alright, dig in,” Cadenza said as she poured the wine. They all took their seats and began to devour the pork and the feta cheese pasta. Cadenza carefully served some extra pieces of meat onto Leodin’s plate. “Here, have some more.”
“Oh, thanks!” Leodin replied with a grin before picking up the pork loin by the bone and biting into the juicy, savory meat.
“Hey, why does he get extra?” Naga whined as she tried to reach for another pork loin, but yelped when the old madam rapped her fingers with the serving spoon.
“They say the heat that softens the potato hardens the egg,” Cadenza responded calmly.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Leodin asked before sipping some wine.
“You look like you could use some more meat on your bones,” Cadenza said as she took some caponata. “And you young miss still need to learn some restraint. Your parents must have spoiled you silly.”
“Well, perhaps…” Naga said cooly as she twirled her pasta. “But never spoiled rotten.”
The three of them ate their meals with vigor, and what would take most people more than an hour to finish was done in less than half the time by the two adventurers. By now they had gotten more familiar with each other’s arm habits, so cutting the meat did not prove too cumbersome, though they did need to wait their turn. Their bellies were soon full and they took special satisfaction knowing that it was all free.
Naga downed the last of her wine and let out a happy sigh. She stretched her arms upward, bringing Leodin’s up with hers. “Ah, that was as good as a five-star restaurant.”
“I’m glad you liked it,” Cadenza said as she wiped her mouth. “Now for the cleaning. Eat a lot of dishes, clean a lot of dishes.”
“Aw…” Leodin huffed as he looked at the pile of plates they had left behind. “Okay, I’ll wash, you dry, and you better not make me drop any.”
Cadenza passed Leodin the dirty plates as he stood by the sink. He dunked them in the soapy water and did his best to scrub them with one hand before passing each to Naga, who dried them with a small towel until they shined and stacked them to her left. It took longer than either would have liked, but one by one the plates and bowls were done. Naga stacked the last plate with a satisfied smirk. It was then they heard a CLINK and felt a lightness around their wrists.
“Alright, that’s enough of that for today,” Cadenza said as she put the handcuffs and the key into her pocket. “Not bad for your first day. It helps that you two have already spent plenty of time together.”
“Thanks for not making us have to sleep together,” Leodin said as he rubbed his wrist. “Uh, I mean, with the cuffs on.”
“Aw, that could have been fun,” Naga said wistfully. “So, how ready are we for the contest?”
“You still have a long way to go, but as long as you don’t slack off, we have a chance,” Cadenza answered. “Now, it’s been a long day, so take a bath and get a good night’s rest, because we’re doing it all over again at the same time tomorrow morning. I’ll see you at breakfast.”
For the next several days, Naga and Leodin went through a regular routine. They would wash up and have a light breakfast made by Cadenza, where she would handcuff them and they would proceed to the back courtyard of the villa to do their dance training. After a few hours of that, they would either head into town to do some shopping or do housekeeping around the villa, each task testing their synchronicity with varying levels of success.
After that, they would have lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon dancing until dinner time. Naga and Leodin would help prepare the food, their assignments increasing in difficulty from cutting vegetables to rolling dough for dumplings. After a while, Leodin came to know by instinct whenever Naga was about to make some sudden gesture and made sure he held on tight to whatever was in his hand. Naga for her part did try not to move so erratically, though she never seemed to wait until they were uncuffed to use the bathroom.
All the while, Cadenza took note of their progress. While Naga and Leodin had easily gotten the basic movements down and had already perfected a routine full of advanced techniques after much drilling, it was their freestyle dancing that would be the most critical element of the competition. While they had started out stumbling over each other just trying to match directions, the adventurers now seemed to understand each other’s intent as they stepped to the rhythm, not quite moving as one mind, but taking turns to allow each other the chance to lead or follow.
At present, there were no chores to take care of, and the three found themselves inside of a tailor’s shop getting their measurements taken. They were uncuffed for the time being just so they could actually get their clothes changed. Leodin was looking at himself in a mirror as he wore a loose, white, long sleeve shirt.
“Mm, I don’t really know if this is “me,” you know?” Leodin said. “It’s a bit fancy.”
“Fancy is the whole point!” Naga said as she walked up and unbuttoned the front, revealing more of Leodin’s chest. “There, that’s definitely you!”
“Hey! Well, I mean…hmm…” Leodin examined the slight modification, and he did not find it bad looking. “...okay, that’s not bad.”
“Your regular shirt is already pretty low cut,” Naga said. “You just like showing off those little gold strands, huh?”
“I don’t need you lecturing me about showing off,” Leodin replied as he stepped behind the changing screen to switch back to his usual clothes. “Are these fancy threads really necessary?”
“Absolutely,” Cadenza answered as she inspected the leggings. “You go dressed in all that leather and armor and you'll be laughed off the dance floor. Come now, we’ve chosen what to wear, so let’s pay and get back to training.”
Cadenza gave some silver coins to the tailor as payment for his service. Their new clothes would be custom made and ready before the competition. As the three exited the shop, the bell tower rang to indicate it was noon. Leodin looked off to see the large bell swinging when suddenly, he stopped in his tracks. Naga and Cadenza turned to look at him in confusion.
“Something catch your eye?” The sorceress asked. Leodin kept his eyes on the rooftops of the surrounding buildings, his brow knit in concentration. He felt something out there, not quite a sense of hostility, but as though he were being watched, and the blond warrior felt a great sense of unease.
“It’s…it’s nothing…” Leodin finally said as he continued forward, a hand resting on one of his axe heads. “I guess it must have been a bird or something. Let’s get back, I’m hungry.”
The three continued onward back to the villa. Leodin tried to put the feeling out of his mind. Naga did not seem to care, but Cadenza glanced out towards the rooftops as well. There was not a single bird in the sky, nor clouds for that matter. Pienza was not as large as your typical city, but it was large enough and had enough people passing through that strangers were not out of the ordinary. Still, the old woman began to share Leodin’s sense of unease…
“Let me go over the rules of the competition,” Cadenza said as they were seated for lunch. They were having dishes of meatballs in cream sauce. “The first phase is a test of endurance. All the competitors will be dancing in the same area at once. You just have to keep yourselves moving. If you stop or drop, you’re out.”
“Well that sounds easy,” Naga said before popping a meatball in her mouth. “We both have energy to spare.”
“What’s to keep someone from just doing the bare minimum?” Leodin asked before taking a sip of grape juice. “We could just shuffle around until we’re the last ones standing.”
“You’ll also be judged on how well you’re dancing,” Cadenza answered. “If you get too sloppy, can’t match the rhythm, or are just plain bad, you’ll be disqualified. You need to make sure you are at least not the worst.”
“And the next phase?” Naga asked curiously.
“The next phase is where things get serious,” Cadenza continued. “Once there are only two pairs left, there’s an intermission where they can rest and prepare for the dancing duel.”
“Wait, a duel?” Leodin asked in confusion. “As in fighting?”
“Of a sort,’ Cadenza replied with a nod. “Each team will take turns showing their dance moves, each one more impressive than the last. You’ll be judged on athleticism and creativity. I’m sure the two of you can pull off some thrilling stunts, so that’s what we’ll work on until the competition. For this, you won’t be needing the handcuffs.”
“Oh thank Krom,” Leodin said with a sigh.
After lunch, the three got back to their dance training, now focused on developing a set of moves that would wow the judges. With their previous experience, acrobatics were already mastered, they merely needed to coordinate. Cadenza allowed Naga and Leodin to create their own maneuvers, with Leodin tossing Naga into the air and catching her on the way down after she had done a tricky twist and twirl. The sorceress did receive a stern warning from Cadenza not to use magic after she had used Levitation to gain a little more height. Using magic to enhance one’s dancing was against the rules, much to Naga’s dismay. Nevertheless, the two developed an impressive repertoire to use for the coming competition.
After training, the three cooked and ate a hearty spaghetti dinner and cleaned up as usual. As they were washing the pot, Naga accidentally dropped a bowl into it, causing the murky water to splash out and all over Leodin.
“Hey, watch it,” the blond said as he looked down at his shirt, now slightly stained with tomato sauce. “Aw, come on, how are you clumsier when we’re not cuffed?”
“I guess I got too used to being attached to you, ooohoho!” Naga laughed.
“Go clean yourself up, we’ll handle the rest,” Cadenza said as she shooed Leodin away towards the bathroom. He walked off and removed his shirt. It was not bad, but he would not want his favorite veridian top to have a brown spot on it. That left Cadenza and Naga alone together, and the old woman took the chance to make some small talk with the young sorceress.
“You two do work quite well together despite your bickering,” Cadenza said as she dried a plate. “How long have you been partners?”
“Oh, almost two months now,” Naga answered as she scrubbed the bowl she had dropped. “But it does feel longer. We go everywhere together. Can you believe at one point he actually thought about splitting up? With me? A well timed Resurrection spell put a stop to that nonsense. He'd be dead without me around.”
“I see,” Cadenza murmured, wondering what had happened to require bringing him back to life. “So, you’re helping each other hunt down some men who have wronged you, yes?”
“Well, it’s like I said, I’m really just after Lina Inverse,” Naga answered. “She’s drawn to bandits, and these bandits happened to cross me, so if I can take them down as I search for Lina, that’s a plus.”
“If you don’t mind me saying, that seems a flimsy reason to be traveling together as closely as you are,” Cadenza replied. “Is that the only reason?”
“Mmm, Leo is a very decent fighter,” Naga began to muse. “He’s good to have when hunting down bounties or treasure, and it’s so amusing seeing him get so worked up, but…”
“But…?” Cadenza waited for Naga to continue. The sorceress paused a moment as she pondered over her reasons, then gave a smug smile.
“No matter how mad he gets at me, he’s always looking out for me,” Naga finally said. “He even gave me a lollipop once. No one has given me one of those in a very long time…he’s much nicer than Lina ever was. Besides, I consider teaching him the ways of overconfidence to be my greatest endeavor.”
“Ah, I can agree with you on that,” Cadenza said as she turned back to the plates. “It’s good that you want to make someone who cares about you feel happy.”
“Uh-wha?!” Naga nearly dropped the plate she was cleaning when she heard those words. “Aha, that’s such an odd way to put it! I am merely a goddess of nature turning a lowly worm into a butterfly in order to improve the world that I will rule over! Such trite concepts like caring and happiness are for ordinary people, ooohohohoho!”
“If you say so…”
Leodin stared up at the dark ceiling as he lay in the guest room’s bed. He had the window open and could feel the cool night breeze wafting inside. He glanced out and could see the stars, but his window did not face the town. It was late at night and everyone had gone to bed, but the blond warrior found it hard to sleep. Leodin began to wonder why he seemed to sleep better when Naga was around, but he put the thought out of his mind. The sorceress had nothing to do with why he was awake at the moment.
With a sigh, Leodin got out of bed and exited the room, quietly walking down the hall and to the stairs. He paused briefly at the door to Naga’s room and put his ear close to it. The sound of loud snoring could be heard, and that seemed to fill Leodin with some relief, but he did not get up just to check on his partner.
Leodin headed down the stairs and went to the kitchen to get some water to drink. The moonlight shone through the window, providing him enough to see. He could already see well in the dark, thanks to all his time spent hiding in the woods at night from beasts and worse creatures.
With a little fumbling, he found the water pitcher and a cup and poured himself some cool water. Leodin drank deeply, taking a moment to enjoy the refreshment before he sensed a presence…in a flash, Leodin grabbed a kitchen knife from the rack and whipped around, teeth bared as he brandished it.
Before Leodin stood Madame Cadenza, holding a small candle and wearing a modest nightgown. She raised her eyebrows at the sight of Leodin pointing a knife at her and glaring like an animal, but she did not allow herself to show any sign of fear.
“Having trouble sleeping?” Cadenza asked as she entered the kitchen and set the candle down on the counter. “Me too.”
Leodin relaxed when he realized it was just his teacher, then felt a wave of guilt and embarrassment at his instinctual reaction. “Yeah, uh, sorry,” He said as he put the knife back. “I don’t know what it is.”
“Feeling nervous before the competition?” Cadenza asked as she poured herself some water as well. “It’s natural, it is your first.”
“Maybe, but…maybe something else,” Leodin replied as he rested his elbows on the counter. He looked out the window and could see some lights in the distance where the town of Pienza was, and he remembered what he felt when they left the tailor. “Something just doesn’t feel right. This is a nice, peaceful town, but I don’t think it’s safe.”
“Why might that be?” Asked Cadenza. “We have plenty of guards and we’re far from any bandits or foreign enemies.”
“I guess it’s just me,” Leodin said as he shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe I’m just worried I spent too much time here, and not enough time hunting down Grohl.”
“You know, to be frank, a lot of people would say that revenge itself is a waste of time,” Cadenza said and took a sip. “Would you really feel better killing the men who hurt you over learning how to dance?”
Leodin was silent for a moment, and he slowly clenched his fist.”I don’t know.”
“Have you thought about what you’re going to do after you’ve gotten your revenge?”
“...of course I have,” Leodin answered as he turned his gaze to Cadenza. “Once I’ve proved them wrong, I can finally start living the life I want, being a real adventurer, a warrior, fighting monsters and hunting treasure until the day I die, and no telling me I can’t! Then I can be happy.”
“I see…” Cadenza responded thoughtfully. “And will you still be partners with Ms. Naga?”
“Huh? Naga?” Leodin asked, not expecting such a question. “Tch, I don’t know, I hadn’t ever planned on having a partner. I…I guess if she wants to keep sticking around…”
“You seem to have a lot of concern for her,” Cadenza said as she put the pitcher of water aside. “I see the way you keep putting yourself between Naga and any harm.”
“What do you mean?” Leodin asked, his cheeks flaring.
“Like when you broke her fall into the grape vat,” Cadenza answered. “You’re always trying to catch her when she stumbles during practice.”
“That…that’s just what any decent person would do, for anyone,” Leodin replied with some irritation. “She’s annoying, yeah, but she’s not…she’s not mean to me, exactly , so it’s not like I’d enjoy seeing her get hurt or anything.”
“You’re partners because she isn’t mean to you?” Cadenza raised an eyebrow. The question seemed to fluster Leodin even more.
“I don’t know, alright?” Leodin answered, at a loss for words. “She’s…she’s the only person who’s ever really stuck by me, at least for this long…” He turned away and let out an exhausted sigh. “Most people leave me pretty quickly. Naga’s weird, but...well, she hasn’t turned her back on me…she’s one of the only people who’s bothered even helping me, so…I owe that to her, at least. Someone has to look out for her or she’d get herself killed, right?”
“Mmm,” Cadenza murmured and nodded to her student. “If nothing else, it’s good to have someone to lean on every once in a while, and it seems like you trust Ms. Naga.” She picked up her candle and shuffled towards the hallway. “I hope you two stay together a while longer. Friends or family, we all need someone. Goodnight.”
Leodin watched Cadenza shuffle off back to her room, his eyes readjusting to the darkness as the candlelight disappeared around the corner. After a moment, Leodin headed back up the stairs and paused outside Naga’s door once more. Cadenza’s words ran through his mind as he stared at it. He raised a hand as if to knock, but Leodin shook his head dismissively and quickly went back to bed.