Chapter 40
Our group was turning heads everywhere we went, and not only because my companions were stunningly beautiful.
It was clear my tall stature caused more than a few people's eyes to widen in easy recognition of who I was.
"Lord Bran," merchants, Mul Branova, and practically everyone greeted me as we walked through the city. I smiled, nodded, and did my best to remain as stoic and humble as I could despite the attention. It was human to let such attention get to you, and I still refused to let it go to my head.
"Would you like a pint of crimson ale?" A bold vendor leaned halfway out of his booth, holding out a thick mug almost overflowing with bright red beer, foam tipping down the side, gesturing with it.
"He would love it," Simone said, collecting it for me and handing it off after taking a sip herself.
"It's delightful," she cheered, then very visibly looked up at the vendor's sign.
"I'll have to remember you for later," she said.
The words nearly came out as a threat with the intensity she said them, but the man was all smiles.
"I'd be honored." He bowed to Simone. "If you're wanting to get the full breadth of Bran Day, you should go down to the edge of old Vein City." He grinned, and I couldn't help but lift an eyebrow in curiosity.
"What's down there?" I asked.
"Why, the fashion show, of course," he answered.
I squinted ever so slightly, turning to look at my ladies.
“We were heading that direction anyway. Might as well check it out,” she said and made a gesture I missed, and the shopkeeper cleared his throat.
"Ah yes, yes. It's a fashion show. Given everything the Mul Branova has done for Vein City, the local tailors and clothiers decided to put on a show to see who can make the best variation of the Mul Branova robes. It's supposed to be quite fun," he added when I didn't say anything.
"I— I'm sure it will be," I said, as diplomatically as possible, and he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
"It promises to be quite grand for Bran Day. They're going to pull out all the stops, I'm certain. They say you're a hard man to impress." The merchant smiled, then backed away from the edge of his stall, going back to work as we stepped away, his stall suddenly flooded with customers.
"Well," I said, glancing at the others, "I suppose if we're here, we're going to have to get the full experience for Bran Day."
I kept moving, my eyes tracking the stalls that stretched from the citadel all the way to what remained of Vein City in the distance.
It was a grander ordeal than the likes I'd seen in either life.
I smiled at the ladies on my arms. "Shall we?
You're the ones who kicked this all off.
Lead me wherever you want to go. Did one of you arrange the fashion show? " I asked, and Simone shrugged.
"They asked, and I gave them the go-ahead. Much of this was put on by the people rather than us. This is their celebration of you, dear," she told me.
I'd been well known in my past life, known for being a warrior, but I'd never had a freaking holiday to celebrate me. This was something else.
Ladies waved strips of red ribbon at me as I passed and turned their attentions on other, less occupied bachelors as we moved on. The longer we walked, the more the revelry of the day picked up. The drinks were oh-so-clearly flowing freely.
I think, for many, this was the first time they'd had the safety and security to go all out in celebration. No one seemed to be holding back as they swayed from foot to foot, sloshing their drinks without a care in the world.
I knew that this frivolity was temporary. The Demon Lord would do something to ruin it eventually, but I could respect that people needed to celebrate and share in joy as well.
We were keeping a close eye on the demons since the Demon Lord’s fragment had been destroyed, and thus far, the demons hadn’t shown any signs of building up.
We got closer to the city and a large building with several criers outside.
"Come on in to the once-in-a-lifetime inaugural Bran Day fashion show!
" a woman yelled at the top of her lungs, looking up and down the boulevard, trying to make eye contact and pull more people into the event.
As she worked the crowd, her eyes landed on our group.
She paused, did a double take, and blinked.
Her eyes went wide, then wider, as we walked closer.
"Lord Bran!" she exclaimed, loud enough for anyone within a mile to hear. "I did not know you'd be gracing us with your presence for the show. You're in luck! We have some of the best seats in the house reserved just for you." She grinned, and Simone stepped forward to shake the woman's hand.
"That's an absolute pleasure. I look forward to seeing what you all can do with the robes," Simone told her.
The woman nodded, blinked, and then beamed so wide I was afraid she was going to do permanent damage to her face.
"Of course, Saintess. I know we told you about this, but I didn't dare dream you'd show yourself, not to mention bring Lord Bran.
" She looked me up and down. "Somehow, he's bigger than expected, and here I thought they'd exaggerated enough. Come, come."
Her words and actions caused more than a few nearby listeners to lean over and try to steal a glance at our group before confirming we were, in fact, who she said we were.
Suddenly, more than a few feet shifted direction and followed along behind us.
I smiled at that, walking with her as she began pointing things out in the building to the ladies.
It was an old college building with massive lecture halls they'd managed to restore and turn into an amphitheater, large enough that they could start hosting shows.
The woman dreamed this fashion show would be just the first of them. I smiled, happy to know that the arts were alive and well. It was a sign that the spirit of the people was alive, too.
As she led us toward the upper floors, a man tried to stop her and fuss, before she said something that caused his eyes to shift to the group behind her.
I slurped my red beer loudly and hefted it in his direction and got the pleasure of watching recognition dawn on his face as his Adam's apple bobbed with a swallowed gulp.
"You are Lord Bran… and the Saintess Simone," he said and began looking through the group, greeting our entire party. "Of course, our best seat in the house, specially reserved for you."
He stepped back into the room and hissed at whoever else occupied it. Several other men, and a few women half their age, couldn't leave the room fast enough, smiles on their faces as they bowed low and greeted all of us in turn.
They got us seated and then made an abrupt exit.
As soon as he left, I turned to the ladies with a raised brow.
Simone bobbed her head. "I'm fairly certain we just kicked the owner out of this suite, but he'll live. In fact, I think getting a handshake with all of us was well worth the loss, if I had to judge by that smile on his face."
"Oh, yes." Merlin nodded. "Just to get Bran and us to know your name is a fairly big deal. I'm sure he'll manage to impress whoever else he was trying to do business with."
I cleared my throat and admitted guiltily, "I didn't catch his name."
Simone grinned. "Yes, you did. I saved it for you and will remind you later."
"Ah, yes," I said and sipped my beer without a care in the world. For now, I had earned this reprieve. They took such good care of me; later, I was going to have to pamper the shit out of Simone.
"Oh, we're just in time." Simone clapped as someone stepped out onto the stage.
I moved to our balcony, leaning on it with my drink in hand. They weren't going to make a secret of my presence, so I figured I'd make myself visible for the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the man I'd kicked out of his suite said, holding the lapels of his jacket, his chest puffed with pride, and his chin as high as it could go without throwing his head back, "we have Bran Day's first inaugural fashion show, and I am proud to present the sponsor of Vein City and much of the world, Lord Bran Heros! " He threw an arm out toward me.
Every head in the place turned to me, and I lifted the mug with a nod of acknowledgment. The whispers that erupted below were so numerous they were practically deafening.
"Then, without further ado, we shall get this show on the road," he called out over the space.
I nodded to him, lifted my mug once more at the crowd, and stepped back to sit on the rather plush couch arranged for us. Simone pulled me down to sit between her and Almeria.
"This will be nice. Let me know if there's anything you particularly take a liking to," Simone said and winked at me. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her antics.
“I promise," I said, pulling her closer against me.
"If you like any of them, we can definitely model them ourselves later. You know… just to confirm," Nyx said, before a flustered blush overtook her cheeks.
"Bold. I like it." Simone grinned, and I gave her a sharp look before she encouraged too much from the rest of the ladies. After all, we were in public.
"Well, since two of the best seats in the house have been taken, I suppose I'll need to find my own." Merlin slid down between my legs. "I suspect after this, Bran will absolutely love fashion shows." She chuckled, and the rest of the ladies pretended as if what she was about to do didn't exist.
I stoically stared forward and began to comment on the various outfits as they came out, one by one.
Meanwhile, Merlin worked me casually, turning to watch the show from time to time.
I managed to catch Almeria staring on several occasions.
Venthra was clearly and pointedly looking anywhere but at me.
And while Simone never looked away, she did grab Merlin by the hair and take control in a sort of absent way.
It was weird, wild, and wonderful, and I suppose I didn't end up disliking Bran Day by the end of the time.
Then again, that was probably also the point.
***
The fashion show came and went, and Bran Day was winding to an end while I felt much lighter on my feet.
It could have been the drinks or our own personal celebration in the booth.
I made a mental note to have someone clean the couches before we left.
But as the time wound down, I felt there was something missing from Bran Day, and I stepped up to an empty raised bed I'd prepared in the citadel courtyard earlier.
"Everyone," I let my voice boom out as I raised my mug.
"I was cautious, but as usual, everything Simone puts her brilliant and beautiful mind to is a grand success.
To our Saintess." I lifted the mug, and they all cheered.
"And to her many, many helpers," I added, "because we all know she didn't do this alone.
I've been waiting for the right time to do this next bit, and what better time than a day we celebrate our continued cause of purging demons from our world? "
I knelt at the empty planter, put my hand into my spatial ring, and pulled out the blood peach pit. I held out the massive seed.
"This was a gift from the Wukong Clan's ancestor.
He said it would bloom one day and would be something that would help us greatly.
" I wrapped my fist around it, cradling it gently, before punching the ground knuckles-first. I drove my fist beneath the dirt, then slowly opened my hand and extracted it while leaving the seed behind.
With my other hand pressed to the soil, I began to pump the demon blood stored in my spatial ring into the ground.
"Today, we celebrate our future and our allies for what will come. "
Simone stepped up and handed me my mug, into which I tipped a few drops before pouring them into the planter. The blood I'd been pumping into the ground took effect.
"This is a beautiful plant that grows on our good spirits and the blood of our enemies!" I shouted.
Many of the Mul Branova rushed forward to tip a few drops of their own drinks into it. To my own surprise, they also pulled out bladders of blood. I suppose they knew they got a buff from drinking the blood of their enemies.
I smiled and nodded, letting it happen as the demon blood began to take effect. The pit sprouted instantly, pushing up, and before all the Mul Branova, like a miracle, the plant grew right before their eyes.
They cheered, and those who hadn't rushed forward before hurried to be part of it, adding their own good spirits and blood to the mix.
"To the Mul Branova, now and forevermore!" I cheered, and the Mul Branova absolutely exploded. The once-dimming Bran Day excitement reignited with enough explosive enthusiasm that I was certain it would extend well into the night.
Simone grinned at me, pulled me down, and kissed me fiercely on the lips. "That was incredible," she said. "And we could even turn it into a privilege. Those who return from successful demon hunts can add their blood to the tree." Simone was all grins, and I gave her a long look.
"Make sure none of them risk themselves to get that blood," I told her.
Simone dutifully bobbed her head. "Of course. I'm a greedy, greedy Saintess, and I refuse to part with any of my ladies. I'll be sure." Then a smirk slid across her face. "As long as you promise to come with me right now."
I frowned at the urgency on her face before realizing there was no concern. Instead, all I found was a raw, insatiable hunger that I'd seen more than a few times. I smiled as she tugged on my hand and turned to several of the others, leading me away.
"Gloria, Nyx, Cersei, Merlin," she called, pulling me away. "Join us?" she asked in a half-question, half-throaty demand. It made me squash down any smirk that might have grown on my face as I realized just how many ladies were going to be following.
"Simone, isn't that a little much?" I asked.
"Bran Day calls for full-bodied celebration," she replied instantly, with eyes that dared me to say no.
I shook my head, unable to turn down such a lovely offer. I supposed for Bran Day this was most likely going to be another repeat occasion, as long as Simone could make it happen. And I was definitely learning that Simone found a way to get what she wanted.