PeaceMaker

Antonio stared at Justin for a moment before turning back to the current performer, soon to be announced. 

"We welcome to the stage the young and only daughter of the Roman family. She was recently admitted into the army as a knight after practicing with her father since she was 6. Beloved by her mother, the new head of the Roman family, Cryst Roman, we welcome Litian Roman to the stage," The announcer grinned and the room broke into a roar of applause.

Justin's ear perked up and looked up to the stage just in time to watch a petite girl walk onto the stage with a large sword in her hand. 

'Cryst Roman?' Justin thought to himself, 'isn't that the woman I met earlier?'

His eyes were immediately drawn to the girl who dragged the large sword by her side. It was a sight to behold. A little girl with long brown hair that was tied up into a high ponytail with an ornament sitting high on her ponytail with a long gold rod going through the ponytail and two large swirls on the end of the rod. One curled up and the other on the other end of the rod curved downwards. 

She was dressed plainly in a long-necked blue and white short square dress with a fitted waist. A long, thick, silver line ran down to the middle of her waist and short silver straps laid across the silver line ran down the line, placed at equal distance from each other. At her waist, there was a silver belt and a long piece of finely cut clothing hung off it, covering the front middle of her short dress. Another long piece was attached to the belt at the back of her dress covering the middle back of the length of her leg exposed. 

She had no sleeves but instead a piece of clothing hanging on her hand acting as a detached sleeve. 

She was dressed simply and elegantly, the mix of the blue dress complimenting her light skin tone and the accents of white such as the lines on her dress and the clouds of dust of silver at the bottom of her dress matched those of the blue clouds of dust on the bottom of the piece of clothing hanging off her belt and on her arm. 

The combination itself was beautiful and then there it sat, tightly gripped in nimble and young hands was a large silver sword. Its grip, a beautiful gold shade, and pommel gold to match. Its guard was the same gold shade and it seemed to blend into the bright silver of the sharp, large blades of the sword.

It stood out so blatantly just like the girl stood out amongst her peers. 

It was intriguing. 

'The only one not dressed in pink and dusted with white power while being adorned with large bows and lovely pearls. In fact- there was only one piece of jewelry on her. Is that-' Justin narrowed his eyes. He was right.

She wasn't wearing an earring but in fact, ear pieces that fit around her tiny ears. They were swirls of silver that stood out against her deep brown hair. 

He smiled a bit. He wasn't the only one that was amused though. In fact, he was one of the many people intrigued by the little girl. 

'She seems to be very trained too,' He thought to himself, 'a sword of that size would be hard for many her age to even pick up. Yet she holds it so easily…'

Justin's eyes scan the room. There were a few frightened by the little girl, they had all the right to be. A little being like that.. Holding something that was half her height and most likely that of her weight too... A little girl like that was nothing short of a monster in breeding. 

The little girl raised her head up to the audience with nothing but blankness on her face. There was not a dose of nervousness expressed on the delicate skin on her face, not a moment of hesitation in her beautiful bright doe eyes, and not a quiver on her tiny pink lips. She was a young beauty, one dripping with confidence. 

She turned around and does a bow, raising her sword before her, its point facing downwards, and jutting it out in front of her with precise posture and a straight arm. The King gave allowance for her to rise and she did.

Her eyes were so calm, not a ripple of stress in the deep brown pool in her eyes. She was unsettling. Her aura was unsettling. 

Justin smiled. 'Litian was it?' his head cocked to the side as he observed the little girl. 'She reminds me of Alice.'

Justin lets out a sigh after being reminded of the servant at home. He isn't given much time to think before Litian raises her sword to their starting position. 

Her hand was behind her back and her sword held in front of her standing straight upwards. She closed her eyes and let out a breath as the music flowed in. 

Justin's eyes widened in amusement. 'Ah… it's-'

"It's a sword dance," Antonio muttered, his eyes drawn to Litian. 

Justin turned to him immediately and Antonio turned to him, flinching from eye contact. Justin's surprised expression eased into a smile and his blue eyes glimmered. He turned back to Litian who had started her dance.

"It seems so," Justin grinned. 

Antonio simply nodded, a bit stunned at Justin's beauty. 'No wonder his sisters looked so beautiful… he looks the same. Stunning.'

Antonino turned back to Litian. It was a bit overwhelming, their beauty that was. Her beauty to be specific. 

He was stressed at his position next to Justin, unknown to him what to do at this chance. So he did nothing. He didn't want to overact.

Litian danced to her music, her little body swinging the large sword with such agility and little to no effort. It was beautiful to watch. A little scary, overwhelming as to how a little body like hers could have so much power over the sword in her hand and in her dance. 

Everything was executed so beautifully. Her steps, her dance, even the gaze in her eyes was so intriguing that it seemed like a trap. One set by a little bunny in the face of the wolves looming over her in the audience. 

Her dance was no doubt elegant and a product of excellent sword control, body movements, and intense strength enhancements. All in a little frame containing strength that wasn't even shone on her slim arms and legs. It was no doubt a beast in grooming. A female general to be born. 

Her dance ended with a single swing of her sword, a long slash in the air shaped in a big arch around her body as she twirled before coming to her stop before the king, her sword pulled to her chest and facing the ceiling. 

She swung it from her chest, twirling it in the air before bringing it down into the ground as she fell to one knee, kneeling before the king. 

"May his graciousness be blessed with the glory from the heavens and bestow us with his graciousness," Litian yelled into the silence of the room, her voice strong and clear.

The room stood in awe of the little girl before breaking into applause. 

Justin grinned, his hands clapping in time with the rest of the room. 'How beautiful.'

The king clapped his hand and broke into a bright smile, chuckling. 

"Nothing short of inspiring, young lady, you have surely made your mother proud," The king praised. 

"All for his graciousness," Litian replied, still in her position on the ground. 

"A sword chosen over a pretty dress and song, why pick that for us today?" The king asked. 

The room laid in silence, their eyes on the little girl in the room. They were curious, eyes prying to see how she was going to answer the question, their appreciation now biting back at Litian as she found her answer.

It was a question of difficulty, not just because of the question itself but because of the atmosphere and the pressure on her shoulders. Being entrusted with a question such as that at her age only showed the interest the King had taken in her and only increased the expectation of those in the audience as a result. 

Justin's head cocked to the side, curious as to how she would answer.

"I have only seen swords. The clashes of practice duels sounding through the house throughout the afternoon while I was playing with my dolls and the swords hanging in the halls and battle talk," Litian began, "I was given the chance to dress in my prettiest dress but having only seen a sword first before dresses, I chose to perform with the item that is the most seen in my life. My father's sword."

There was silence in the room as the people were stunned at her reply. It was simply formed but had the depth needed to answer the question.

The king gave a mini applause, to which the audience echoed. The emerald glimmer of his amused gaze peered down at Litian.

"Then I'm guessing you didn't come here for marriage purposes?"

"Of course not, father! I have never seen her look at any boy her age nor does she flinch when I mention it.. She's an ice crystal I tell you," a young voice interrupts before the girl could answer.