Chương 81: Chapter Eighty One

William turned to see Verity, standing completely naked on the lakeshore, the last light of the setting sun illuminating her perfectly. And it was a hell of a view – for all that he should have grown inured to it. They'd showered together often enough after all. Yet, here and now, he found he couldn't look away with the same ease had all those hundreds of times before. Instead, he felt his throat tighten slightly as his eyes started tracing a slow path down the glistening curves of the Orc's rather ample breasts.

They lingered for a moment on her nipples, dark green little nubs that had either been hardened by the cool night air… or something else. His eyes moved on. To the flat plane of her stomach. And then the gap between her- He stopped himself at the last moment dragging his attention back to his teammate's face through sheer force of will. She looked determined; equal parts fierce and vulnerable - shoulders squared, chin lifted, fists clenched at her sides. It was an expression he recognized.

It was the same one she usually wore before an exam or a practice fight. And he supposed this was a fight of sorts. Unfortunately, it's one you're going to have to lose, kiddo, he thought. He really should not have said anything about this being a date, or even corrected himself instead of assuming she'd take it for the harmless indulgence he'd meant it to be.

Oh, he'd expected she might push for more, but he'd expected it to be some soft-spoken request at the end of the day that he'd inevitably have to turn into a difficult conversation. One he honestly shouldn't have put off for this long. Instead, he'd gotten… this. Now, admittedly the women in this world weren't like the ones back home. Nor were they strictly like the guys back on Earth either, despite the basics of relationships and gender roles being more or less reversed.

No, a fair comparison couldn't be made because the romantic competition women faced here was more intense than anything a man might face back home. Yes, polygamy was more common, but even with that, there just weren't enough men for every woman to be able to attain romantic success. At least so long as they were actively seeking a man. If they leaned towards women – as more than a few did – they likely saw more success than those of a similar inclination back home.

Still, for those that did desire a man, the competition remained intense. And that meant that those who hoped to succeed needed to bring a similar level of intensity to their romantic pursuits. … Something he'd honestly been spared from until now. Before, he'd been betrothed. Then he'd been isolated by his work outside the academy. And finally those women whom he had engaged with romantically had more or less been ones he'd pursued.

Neither Xela or Griffith had been exactly looking for romance and so he'd been the one to go after them. However, even with all that cultural context in mind, Verity's decision to strip down to her birthday suit in a more or less public environment while he wasn't looking was… Well, it's definitely forward, he thought. And I don't think I can be blamed for not really anticipating that she'd choose to act on her crush quite like this.

"My Mas suggested it," Verity said, as if reading his mind. Her voice was steady, but a deep flush had spread across her cheeks and down her neck and chest. She looked embarrassed, but determined as she stood there, totally bare.

"They said it'd get you to finally notice me."

"Plural," he said, slowly gaining his equilibrium.

"Multiple people thought this was the move to go with?" She chuckled, still looking embarrassed.

"They said this is how they landed my Pa. Which is how I suppose I'm saying that I like you, William. I'd like to court you." Those last words were sort of how he'd expected this 'date' to end. Or perhaps the next one. Without the nakedness. Still, very aware of the sheer amount of courage it took for someone to leave themselves so 'exposed' like this, William picked his next words carefully.

"Verity, I like you. Any guy would be lucky to have you. And I mean that. But I don't see you that way." He had a few expectations of how she'd respond to that. Anger. Sadness. Fleeing. Crying. Any variation on the above. Yet, the Orc surprised him.

"Any guy except you, huh?" She said, her tone almost clinical, as if she'd expected his response.

"Because I'm too young for you, right? Because you're Harrowed and you think you're old?" He didn't think he was old. He was old.

"Have you been speaking to Marline about this? I don't think I ever actually got into specifics with the rest of you last time," he asked instead. She nodded, still eerily deadpan.

"We all have."

"Well, essentially, yes," he said, deciding to bite the bullet.

"You're an incredible person, Verity, but it would feel… wrong to be romantically involved with someone so much younger than myself."

"Younger than you think you are," Verity countered, some heat entering her voice once more.

"And that's why you went after Instructor Griffith. And Xela. Isn't it? So it wouldn't be weird." Idly he scratched the back of his head.

"Well, not entirely, but that's more or less correct. I do like Griffith. And Xela. So it's not just that they're more age appropriate for me."

"So you like them," Verity said, "but if they were my age, would it be different? You wouldn't have gone out with them?"

"Well, yes," he nodded, wondering where she was going with this.

"Okay. So what about the twins?" she asked. Ah. He had walked right into that trap. He really should have seen that coming, but the whole Verity being naked situation had thrown him off balance. It was distracting.

"That's… a little different," he argued.

"It was mostly a political match. To give me access to the Summerfield Duchy. So that we can win this war."

"So you don't love them?" she said dryly.

"It's purely for politics?" He knew that was another trap. He could lie. He should lie. But the words stuck in his throat. Love was too strong a word, admittedly, but he did feel real affection for the twins. As he'd found, they were smart, funny, passionate about the same things he was, and yes, undeniably attractive. …Even if he still felt a little skeevy thinking that. Verity read his silence correctly.

"You do, don't you?" she pressed.

"So why am I different?"

"I…" He trailed off, trying to think of an argument that didn't make him sound like a cad. Because now that he needed to say it aloud, arguing that the twins being a whole two years older was different felt a little… weak. The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Unfortunately, Verity didn't let him off the hook as she continued, eyes blazing as she steamed ahead.

"If you don't like me that way, I can accept that. I can. But I refuse to be rejected because of something as absurd as me 'not being mature enough'. So, do you like me? As a person? As a woman? Not just a teammate? Or as some kind of faux-little sister?"

"Verity, you're still just a kid."

"A kid?" She sounded genuinely offended.

"I'm a grown woman, William. I'm a soldier. One you've commanded in battle. Had the Jellyfish been boarded that night, I would have fought for you. Killed for you. Maybe even died for you. So you clearly think I'm mature enough to take a life at your command – but somehow not mature enough to be seen as a romantic partner? Don't you see how absurd that is?" She shook her head.

"And it's also absurd that you're arguing about this. Because you're not older than me! You have memories of some other man's life in your head. You're not him though." She was clearly venting now, words tumbling out faster.

"I'm older than you! Older! By two months! In the real world."

"Not really though-" he tried, but she overrode him.

"The fae give people knowledge, they don't transplant souls! You aren't that guy. You just have his memories," she insisted.

"I'm not exactly the average Harrowed," he said weakly. She laughed - loud, deep, and genuine. He actually felt a little offended by that. Because he wasn't!

"Ok, let's assume my own issues are… a non-factor," he continued, trying to regain control of the conversation and steer it away from a topic that made George roil in his guts.

"Are… are you sure you're not just latching onto me as a romantic partner because I'm one of the first guys you've actually been able to spend any amount of real time around? That you're not related to."

"I've met other guys!" she argued – flushing crimson now.

"I'm a knight now. I've got guys all over me! Not that you've ever noticed. But that's fine because I don't want other guys! I want you! You're smart when you're not an idiot. You're nice. You've always treated me like a person and not just some… upjumped greenskin." She leaned in – and the look in her eyes made him almost stumble back.

"So no. I don't want other guys. I want you. And I refuse to let some stupid notion you have be the cause of me not getting what I want!" And at those words – and that tone - William was suddenly reminded that for all Verity's usual quiet, unassuming nature; she had once been a slave who clawed her way up to knighthood. That was no simple feat. He'd honestly thought of her as someone without ambition. And he now realized that was a mistake.

The Verity he knew, the Verity he'd gotten used to, was a Verity who'd already achieved what she'd set out to do. Which was to pull herself out of the muck of indentured servitude. He knew Verity when she was proverbially resting on her laurels. Now though? Now he was meeting a new side of the woman. A side he'd never seen before. Verity when she wanted something. And right now, she wanted him.

"So I say again," she continued, voice softer but no less intense.

"If I were the same age as Griffith or any of those other women, would you want to court me?" Those eyes pinned him in place – and he knew he could lie here. He should lie here. George certainly would have.

"…Without a doubt," he breathed. He had a type. He knew it. Confident women. Driven women. Xela. Griffith. Yelena. …And now it seemed Verity too. The admission seemed to be all the permission she needed. Before he could say anything else, Verity closed the distance and kissed him. It was clumsy, eager, and full of pent-up longing, but it more than made up for any lack of finesse with pure enthusiasm. He didn't resist. He leaned into it.

Marline leaned against the rough bark of an ancient oak, arms crossed and deliberately facing away, not watching the shoreline. The last thing the Dark Elf wanted to do was catch a glimpse of what was hopefully going on behind them. Admittedly, that was unlikely with a ridge between them, but Marline wasn't taking any chances. Olzenya was of a similar mindset. Unfortunately, they couldn't just move further away. William was important enough that he required an escort detail pretty much everywhere he went.

And while his two teammates had the authority to dismiss that protective detail to give their other two teammates some privacy, the two still needed to stick around to keep any opportunistic spies or assassins at bay. Not that they were expecting any. For the most part, their time had been spent warding off any opportunistic nobles looking to meet with Count Redwater.

Fortunately, while such a role necessitated them to be just over and up the beach from the Orc and Human pair, the ambient noise of the lake and local wildlife meant that they couldn't make out any of the details of what the two were talking about. Or anything else they might be doing. Only when Verity had started shouting could they make out any specific words.

"Do you think the Orc succeeded?" Olzenya asked.

"They stopped shouting a few minutes ago." Marline exhaled slowly, a faint smile tugging at the corner of their mouth.

"I have no clue. Trying to predict what William might do is near impossible on a good day. I'd have put even odds on him sending her away with a gentle pat on the head as bending her over the nearest log." Olzenya snickered softly, the sound warm and familiar. The silence that settled between them afterward was comfortable – if tinged with a certain tension that hadn't been present just a few weeks ago. One Marline wouldn't say they minded. Olzenya plucked a leaf from a nearby branch and flicked it away.

"Do you think William has even noticed that his protective detail is missing?" Marline's lips twitched.

"I doubt it. Verity likely has him thoroughly distracted." The High Elf hummed in agreement. After a moment, she glanced upward through the branches.

"The moon is pretty tonight." Marline followed her gaze. The moon hung low and full, casting a soft, ethereal glow over the entire lakeside.

"It is." They noticed Olzenya edging a little closer. Their shoulders nearly brushed. Marline didn't lean away. Marline was about to do… something, when a flicker of movement deeper in the trees caught the Dark Elf's eye. They straightened instantly, hand drifting toward the hilt of their sword.

"Who's there!? Show yourself!" Olzenya practically leapt out of her skin at the sudden shout, but a moment later she too turned towards the intruder – reaching for the bolt-bow strung over her shoulder. Though she needn't have bothered, as Instructor Griffith emerged from the treeline a moment later, looking unusually sheepish. In her hands the woman carried a bottle of fine wine and two crystal glasses. Marline raised an eyebrow, unable to hide her amusement.

"Instructor. What are you doing out here?" Olzenya was already glaring daggers at the older woman for the interruption. Griffith, for once, didn't seem to notice the hostility.

"Ah, Cadets, it's good you're on guard. I was just out here as I heard William was out here testing something," Griffith said, trying - and mostly failing - to hide her sheepishness behind a firm tone.

"I thought I might join him. To report any results back to Her Majesty." Olzenya muttered under her breath. Marline opened their mouth to politely deny her and give Verity a little more time, when Olzenya suddenly perked up, a wicked little smile spreading across her face.

"That actually sounds like an excellent idea. You should go on through, Instructor." The High Elf spoke cheerfully.

"He's just down by the water." Marline shot their teammate a sharp, questioning look. The two of them instantly launched into a silent conversation with their eyes.

'What the void?' Marline's gaze demanded. Olzenya's returned a gleeful, almost mischievous sparkle.

'Oh come on, if Verity was going to make her move, she'd have made it by now. Which means she's either been sent on her way – which is unlikely as she's not run past us in tears… or she's currently getting railed over a log!' …Or at least, that was what Marline assumed their teammate was saying. It was equally likely something else and Marline was just making assumptions. Either way, they tried to convey their intent back as best they could.

'Isn't that all the more reason to keep our instructor away from said… railing?'

'Perhaps.' Olzenya shrugged.' But remember that time at the end of our first semester where Griffith made our entire year run extra laps because team one-four got caught trying to bribe the serving staff to do their laundry for them?' Marline did remember that. Mostly because the Dark Elf had actually been forced to run nine extra laps – because Griffith was well aware of their above average fitness level and tailored their exercises appropriately.

Now, Marline was no stranger to hard work, but given they'd already spent most of that day doing combat exercises? Well, the Dark Elf had been quite spent. So those extra laps had been… rough. It was made worse by the fact that Griffith had just casually followed along, doing the exact same exercises - while refusing to look even winded at the end.

'I remember.' Olzenya smirked.

'Well, her getting an eyeful of Verity going to town on William would be a pretty decent bit of comeuppance, don't you think?' Marline mentally sighed. They supposed their mental construct of what Olzenya might be saying wasn't wrong. If Verity had already made her move, there was little danger in Griffith showing up right now. And it would be… satisfying to get some level of revenge for that day. And many more besides.

"Go ahead, ma'am." Marline waved the woman forward.

"He's just over that ridge." Griffith didn't question her good fortune – or why William's usual guards had been replaced by just two of his teammates. Instead, she simply offered a quick nod of thanks and slipped past them toward the lake, wine bottle and glasses clutched carefully in her hands. Once the instructor had disappeared through the trees, Marline turned and shook their head at her teammate. Olzenya just laughed.

"You're worse than Bonnlyn sometimes." And those words didn't send a small pang through the Dark Elf. The whole team missed the dwarf. Though fortunately, her and the rest of the sea-borne craft that had fled the capital would likely be arriving in a day or two.

"Perhaps. She's an annoying brat, but she isn't always wrong," Olzenya murmured. Both of them pretended they weren't quietly listening for what the result of their little prank might be as their former instructor drew ever closer to where their teammates were.