Chương 40: The First Question

By the time Garrick realized he had been chewing the same piece of dried meat for nearly a minute, most of the training yard had emptied. He swallowed with some difficulty and looked down at the remainder of the ration in his hand. Around him, the afternoon session dissolved into the usual organized chaos. Wooden practice weapons returned to racks. Shields disappeared into the guardhouse.

Recruits who had spent the last several hours being shouted at by senior guards suddenly recovered enough energy to complain to one another as they headed toward home. Others changed assignments instead. A handful tightened belts, collected proper weapons, and left through the yard gate for evening patrol. Garrick remained on the low stone wall bordering the field, elbows resting on his knees. A few weeks ago, he would have been leaving with the larger group. Now, he trained with Edric...

More accurately, he trained with Edric and the other Awakened guards while attempting not to embarrass himself. Before his First Seal awakened, Garrick had mostly trained alongside ordinary recruits. Stronger ones. Faster ones. People with more years of experience than he possessed, but also people whose bodies still obeyed roughly the same rules his did. Then the system had decided he was a Knight. Apparently that meant the ordinary rules were now suggestions. Garrick looked toward the far end of the field.

One of the Second Seal guards had driven him through three consecutive drills that afternoon without allowing enough time to recover properly between them. Another had spent nearly an hour forcing Garrick to defend against attacks fast enough that he still occasionally wondered whether being struck repeatedly counted as instruction. Still, he understood why he had been separated from the regular recruits. Their training no longer challenged the same things. That did not mean he had stopped missing it, though.

There was something reassuring about being one of many people struggling with the same problems. Now, he had different problems. Knight. The word had sounded simple when it first appeared. Each of the family's classes described something recognizable: Protector, Architect, Caretaker, and Envoy. A Knight should have been the easiest of all. Protect people, stand between danger and whoever could not defend themselves, and maybe acquire shining armor somewhere along the way.

Instead, the more Garrick thought about it, the less certain he became. Orion already protected the family, and Aegis could turn into an actual dragon to erase most threats Garrick would struggle against. So what exactly was Garrick supposed to add? The system had given him an answer. Unfortunately, it was an idiotic one. He opened his status; the translucent display appeared in front of him. Most of it had become familiar enough that his eyes moved past the obvious information without thought.

Sitting apart from the rest, however, was the private quest that had irritated him for days. [Details of this quest are not to be shared with other community members.] [Knight Quest Objective: Rescue the Princess.] Garrick stared at it.

"Ridiculous." The screen offered no rebuttal. Of every possible quest the system could have assigned a Knight, it had apparently chosen the most painfully obvious one imaginable. He almost expected a tower to appear somewhere; perhaps even a monster and a moat. At least then he would know what to do. The problem was that Garrick already knew who the princess was. Garrick was not Roy; Roy would probably spend three days constructing a theoretical framework for every possible interpretation of the word.

He was also not Orion; Orion might stare directly at the answer while trying to determine whether it represented an ambush. Garrick occupied what he considered the useful space between the two older brothers. Smart enough to think, but simple enough to notice when the answer was obvious. Because of that, he knew there was only one person the quest could mean. Aurelia. Her face surfaced in his memory before he consciously invited it.

Aurelia kneeling beside him after the dragon attack, checking injuries while insisting she was fine despite looking half-dead herself. Aurelia threatening him with increasingly creative punishments when he ignored her instructions. Aurelia smiling when he and Talia had finally accepted that the older siblings were not going to stop calling them family. He had received the quest while Aurelia had been safe. She had been standing close enough that Garrick could have reached out and touched her.

At first, he had assumed the danger simply had not happened yet, but that interpretation had survived approximately two days. Talia's letters and shipment notes kept them informed of the settlement. The older siblings had returned safely, Uncle had appeared, and construction was progressing. Kaelu and Kiana had arrived to investigate the settlement, and nothing suggested Aurelia was in danger… Which left an increasingly uncomfortable possibility. Maybe rescue did not mean saving her life.

That should've made him feel better, but somehow that made things considerably worse. What else did someone need rescuing from? A bad decision? A person? Herself? The last possibility bothered him enough that he dismissed the screen; giving it time had accomplished nothing. If anything, the quest had become more irritating the longer he sat with it.

"Still losing arguments with floating words?" Garrick nearly jumped. Rowan approached from the guardhouse with the infuriating grin of someone who had noticed the reaction.

"I was thinking."

"Dangerous."

"You should try it sometime."

"I have. Terrible experience." Rowan dropped onto the wall beside him. He still wore the padded training gear used by the regular recruits, sweat darkening the cloth around his collar. His wooden practice sword hung loosely from one hand. Garrick offered him what remained of the ration. Rowan looked at it.

"No."

"Fair." For a moment they watched the last recruits clear the yard. Rowan sighed.

"I miss you." Garrick looked over.

"That sounded disturbingly sincere."

"I miss certain aspects of your inexperience." Garrick snorted.

"You mean winning."

"I mean instructional opportunities," Rowan smiled.

"You used to make me feel talented."

"The Awakened guards have been taking plenty of advantage of my inexperience on your behalf."

"I noticed," Rowan leaned slightly closer.

"I watched Hale throw you."

"I recovered after bouncing."

"That is not better." Garrick finished the ration and brushed his hands together.

"Awaken. Then you can come get thrown with me." Rowan's smile remained.

"Perhaps someday."

"You want it badly enough."

"I do." The words carried something different. A thin edge beneath the humor that vanished quickly enough Garrick might have imagined it. Rowan looked toward the Awakened section of the yard.

"I'll find a way." Garrick nodded.

"I hope you do." He meant it. Rowan had trained hard; plenty of recruits had. Awakening did not appear to care about fairness, though. Some people found themselves with classes, but most did not. Garrick still did not entirely understand why he had. Rowan tapped the wooden sword against his boot.

"So how are you and Talia surviving without the important members of your household?" Garrick thought about it.

"That depends."

"On?"

"Whether the peace is nice or suspicious." Rowan laughed.

"You are paranoid."

"I lived with Orion."

"That explains it." Garrick looked toward the street beyond the yard. He and Talia had fallen into a routine: Training, embassy responsibilities, messages, meals together. It all worked - and nothing was wrong - but the absence of the others remained noticeable in little ways. Aurelia was not there to ask whether he had eaten enough after training. Roy was not covering tables in papers. Orion was not silently appearing whenever Garrick did something questionable.

"I think I enjoy it," Garrick admitted.

"Then it gets too quiet and I start wondering what is about to go wrong."

"That definitely sounds like Orion."

"Shut up." Rowan grinned.

"And how are you surviving without your silent crush?" Garrick looked at him.

"Buzz off."

"Nice denial."

"I am not denying anything."

"That was very convincing." Garrick stood. Rowan caught his sleeve.

"I am joking."

"You are annoying."

"Also true." Garrick considered walking away; instead he sat again. Garrick looked out over the training yard. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"I do not know." Rowan was quiet, which was rare enough to earn him some credit. After a few seconds, he asked, "You do not think you have a chance?" Garrick frowned.

"It is not that."

"Then what?"

"I think there is something I have not figured out yet."

"About her?"

"Maybe."

"About yourself?"

"Probably." Rowan waited. Garrick rubbed one palm against the other.

"She matters to me. I just do not know what that means yet." Rowan studied him. Garrick continued before he could make a joke.

"And there is something else." The private quest hovered at the edge of his thoughts. He could not tell Rowan; he could not tell anyone.

"I cannot explain it."

"That sounds ominous."

"It is not," Garrick paused.

"I do not think." Rowan frowned, then shrugged.

"So go see her." Garrick stared.

"What? That is your advice?"

"Yes."

"You spent this entire conversation making fun of me."

"You are sitting here wasting brain space trying to solve something involving Aurelia while Aurelia exists."

"She is a day away."

"Is she?" Rowan gestured vaguely.

"You belong to a family with magical drakes. You have a brother who disappears and reappears whenever he wants."

"Orion cannot just—""Aegis flies." Garrick sighed. Rowan spread both hands.

"Distance sounds like a problem ordinary people have."

"That does not mean I can summon Aurelia because I am confused."

"No. But you could ask." Garrick had no answer for that.

"Rowan!" A voice came from the guardhouse; Rowan looked back. One of the senior guards stood in the doorway.

"Inside." Rowan raised one hand.

"Coming." He stood, then glanced down at Garrick.

"See? Problem solved."

"You solved nothing."

"I solved the part where you were pretending distance was impossible." Rowan started away; Garrick called after him.

"You are still annoying." Without turning around, Rowan lifted one hand.

"I know." Then he disappeared into the guardhouse. Garrick remained on the wall as the yard finished emptying completely. For perhaps the first time in days, he thought about the quest without immediately asking what danger Aurelia was in. Instead, he thought about Aurelia. What did he actually know about her? She wanted Orion to stop treating every problem as though it required him to bleed for the family. She wanted Roy to sleep more and remember that eating was not an inconvenience.

She wanted Kindle healed and the drakes cared for. She wanted Garrick and Talia to feel like they belonged. She wanted everyone around her to be safe… But what did Aurelia want for herself? The question should have been easy, but it was not. He knew what foods she liked, he knew what made her angry, and he knew she loved the drakes. He knew she liked teasing Orion when he became too serious and that she had somehow become even more frightening since learning to heal people from across a room.

But what did she actually want for herself? He felt a small chill despite the warmth of the afternoon. Maybe that meant nothing; maybe he was forcing meaning onto the quest because he had spent too long thinking about it. But for the first time, the words felt less absurd. Rescue the Princess. Maybe rescue was not about dragging Aurelia away from something dangerous. Maybe it was about noticing something everyone else had overlooked. Garrick stood.

He still had no answer, but he finally had a reason to stop trying to solve the problem without her. ─── 🐲🐲 ───"I'm home," Garrick closed the embassy door behind him.

"Welcome back." Talia sat at the long counter near the central room, head bent over a sheet of parchment. Spark floated lazily above one of the shelves. Clover occupied a patch of afternoon light near the window, fronds angled toward it with the single-minded dedication only Clover could bring to doing absolutely nothing. Garrick dropped his training bag beside the wall.

"Another shipment parcel?"

"No," Talia dipped the pen again.

"A letter."

"To Dorian?"

"No," Talia glanced up.

"To Aurelia." He slowed; that reaction irritated him immediately. Talia - of course - noticed; Relevant Detail had made talking to her increasingly dangerous.

"How is it going over there?" Garrick asked. Talia looked back at the page.

"Good."

"That detailed?"

"I was going to elaborate."

"Please."

"They finished the warehouse. The waystation is about done. Kaelu and Kiana are staying for a few days." Garrick pulled out a chair.

"The timberwright and his wife."

"Yes."

"The farming one." Talia gave him a look.

"She is a person, Garrick."

"I know." Garrick sat; Talia continued.

"They planted a new test plot. Aurelia sounded excited. Roy apparently discovered he knows nothing about construction despite building half the settlement."

"Orion?"

"Still Orion."

"Useful."

"Aegis has not threatened anyone recently."

"Excellent."

"Uncle may stay." That surprised Garrick.

"Actually stay?"

"Maybe," Talia smiled.

"Aurelia thinks so." Garrick nodded. Everything was safe, exactly as he already knew. He looked at Talia's unfinished letter and Rowan's words returned. Then came the question Garrick had been unable to answer. What did Aurelia want? He drummed his fingers once against the table while Talia kept writing. He could say nothing: Go upstairs, eat, keep thinking… and keep getting nowhere.

"Write something for me." Talia's pen stopped. Slowly, she looked up.

"What am I writing?" Garrick suddenly felt significantly less confident. He pushed through it anyway.

"Tell Aurelia I want to see her." Talia stared, then she laughed. Garrick regretted everything.

"Oh, this is wonderful."

"Talia."

"You are asking me to send a romantic summons."

"It is not a romantic summons."

"Through two brothers who may kill you."

"They are not going to kill me."

"Aegis might."

"Aegis likes me."

"That could make it worse." Garrick rubbed his face.

"Forget it."

"No," Talia leaned over the page with entirely too much enthusiasm.

"I am absolutely writing it."

"Not if you phrase it like that!"

"Dear Aurelia, Garrick desperately requests—""Talia." She looked at him, and something changed in her expression. Her eyes remained on him for several seconds… Relevant Detail; Garrick could almost feel it happening now. Not reading his mind, but making something in his words stand out enough that she knew to look closer.

"This is not only about your crush," she said. Garrick hesitated.

"No." Talia set the pen down.

"Did something happen?"

"Yes." Her face tightened.

"Bad?"

"I cannot explain it." Garrick looked at her, and she seemed to understand.

"The private quest." He did not answer, but he did not need to.

"I need to talk to her," Garrick said.

"About the quest?"

"Sort of."

"That sounds helpful."

"I know," he hesitated.

"I realized something today. I know what Aurelia wants for everyone else… But I do not know what she wants for herself." Talia's expression became much more thoughtful as Garrick continued.

"That might not matter. It might have nothing to do with anything. But I want to ask." Talia nodded slowly. This time, when she picked up the pen, there was no joke.

"When?"

"As soon as it makes sense."

"Orion and Aegis are scheduled here the morning after next." Garrick remembered.

"They are."

"If everything is fine at the settlement…" Talia touched the pen to the page.

"…Aurelia could ride with Aegis." Garrick felt tension leave his shoulders. Rowan was going to be unbearable about how simple it has been.

"I can ask."

"Thanks." Talia began writing. Garrick watched suspiciously.

"What are you putting?"

"That you have requested Aurelia accompany Aegis for a private date during the next embassy visit." Garrick lunged for the parchment. Talia pulled it away, laughing.

"Stop."

"You said I could ask."

"Not like that."

"Maybe she'll say yes."

"She definitely will not if you phrase it that way." Talia grinned.

"I can blame my poor writing skills for the misunderstanding."

"You have spent weeks learning to write specifically so people cannot use that excuse."

"Then it will be very convincing." She was impossible…but the knot in his chest had loosened. That did not solve the quest. It did not even tell him what question he needed to ask after the obvious one. Still, doing something felt better than thinking in circles. Talia eventually stopped tormenting him long enough to finish the letter properly. Garrick was not allowed to read it before she folded the parchment, tied it, and carried it toward Spark. The little yellow Light Drake perked up immediately.

"Ready?" Talia asked. Spark chirped as she set the folded letter before him. Light gathered. For a heartbeat, the parchment glowed…Then it vanished. Garrick stared at the empty space where the letter had been.

"There," Talia brushed her hands together.

"Your fate is sealed."

"I hate you."

"No, you don't." Dinner came later. Leftover stew, bread, and a small portion of smoked fish Spark had helped bring in with one of the day's shipments. Talia talked about archery practice. Garrick tried to listen, but mostly wondered what Talia had actually written. Then Talia asked why he was glaring at his stew.

"I'm not."

"You are."

"Just eat." Talia smiled and obeyed. By the time they finished, the light outside had started turning gold. Talia collected her bow.

"You are watching the embassy?"

"Yes."

"Spark stays inside."

"I know."

"Clover—""Is a plant with legs." Clover made a low displeased sound from the window. Garrick looked over.

"Sorry." Talia laughed.

"I'll be back before dark."

"Have fun." She opened the door, then glanced back.

"I really did write the date part." Garrick stared. Talia vanished outside.

"Talia!" Her laughter carried down the street. Garrick stood in the doorway for several seconds, then sighed and shut it. Quiet settled over the estate as he spent time doing nothing particularly interesting. He checked the front room, made sure the receiving shelves were organized, and looked in on Clover. He confirmed Spark had not somehow eaten anything he was not supposed to eat, then walked the exterior once. The private quest surfaced in his thoughts again.

He still disliked the wording, though Aurelia would probably hate it more. That thought, at least, made him smile. Maybe he would tell her someday if the system ever allowed it. Garrick sighed and headed back inside. As he pushed through the rear door, white light exploded across the room. Garrick jerked backward as Spark chirped excitedly. The glow faded almost as quickly as it appeared, and a folded piece of parchment rested on the floor beside him. Garrick froze, then looked at Spark.

The Light Drake looked exceptionally pleased with himself.

"Already?" Spark chirped again. Garrick picked up the note; his name was written on the outside. His heart did something irritating as he unfolded it. The message was short, which meant Talia had shown some restraint. Not enough, though, judging by the first sentence. Aurelia had agreed; she would come with Aegis the morning after next. Garrick lowered the note; he had wanted an answer, and now he had gotten one. The nervousness returned almost immediately, but he smiled despite it.

Now he only had to figure out what to say when she got here.