What time is it? I thought as I opened my eyes.
I looked out the window only to find the bright, morning sun with its perfect aim shining between the peaks of the distant Rhydian mountains and beaming into my eyes. I was in a room that took me a few seconds to recognize, since the dream I had was still a little too fresh in my mind. I decided to get up and wash my face after having noticed that the sun was already bleeding its light over the distant peaks.
"Thoma, come back to bed already. It's too early, and I'm too cozy to follow you anywhere right now," I heard Meliss groan through a raspy voice. "I know you are, darling, but unfortunately for both of us, we have to get going," I said, knowing it would take her about as long as it takes to bring a kettle to a boil for her to get out of bed. The protesting groan that resounded from her lips forced mine to bend into a slight grin. "Come now, my love. We have to get up," I said, kissing her forehead gently after brushing her hair aside.
Just as I was pulling away, she grabbed the back of my nape, and pulled me in for a good morning kiss, as she liked to call them. The smell of the lavender-scented sheets nearly made me fall back into bed. "Okay, now I can get up," she said, her phthalo-green eyes darting to each of mine as a smile grew on her porcelain face. I smiled in return, stealing one or two more kisses before finally moving towards my gear. She reluctantly tore the covers off her body after a brief moment of what could only be described as a mental fortitude enhancement exercise.
A few little jumps to ensure my hose was on securely, and a few splashes of water to my still-puffy face later, I was ready to go and meet the others. Today, after about three solid weeks, was the day we were going home to Codrean. "Meliss, are you ready?" I asked, though I probably already knew the answer to that. Surprisingly, she jumped out from behind the changer in the corner of the room in a beautiful, blue dress. "Do you like it? Leona has one that's similar to this, but her figure is much less brutish than mine. She had to have one made for me," she said, a slight gleam growing in her eyes as she watched the excitement on my face begin to show.
"I think it looks incredible on you. Give us a twirl, will you?" I asked, not bothering to hide my genuine happiness at the sight of her smile. She twirled back and forth, and then completed one final spin, grabbing the sides of her dress and bending into a graceful curtsy. "Do you wanna know the best part about this dress?" she asked, a mischievous grin showing on her face. "Of course I do," I said matter-of-factly. "It should be obvious that I want to know what part of this beautiful dress makes you the happiest."
She pulled out two, dog-ear looking flaps of cloth near the height of her waist. "It has these things called pockets," she said excitedly. "You didn't know what pockets are?" I asked, rather incredulously. "First off, I thought you wouldn't know what pockets are. Second, it's not common for dresses to have pockets, as it's considered unladylike to put your hands in them for any other reason than pulling something out of them," she retorted, a slight pouting attitude resonating from her. My eyes squinted, as I tried to figure out the reason for it to be unladylike. While I had never been formally trained for royal courts, I had at least some education in formalities.
"Well, either way, I'm really glad you enjoy the dress," I said, ending my effort to find the reason it would be unladylike. I looked around the room, and noticed she only had a small bag with her. "Are you sure you have everything you need?" I asked. I had always heard women needed more things than men do. Something to do with looking pretty for other women rather than for men, or at least that's what my older brother, Bernar, told me.
"I have everything I own in that bag," she said somewhat solemnly. Only then did I realize what she meant by that. She has been a slave most of her life, after all. I picked up her bag, smiled, and kissed her on the forehead. "Then we're all set to go. I also have everything I need," I said, patting the blackened, wire-wrapped hilt of my blade. She glanced down at it, but where her thoughts went, I could only imagine. Until a few weeks ago, she had never even considered what it would be like to kill a person, let alone a person and a monster within the span of roughly two weeks.
We eventually made our way downstairs to where the others were gathering their things and preparing to leave. I greeted Edryd who was looking a lot better with his dark brown hair still tied in its short ponytail and whiskers finally shaved off. "Ready to go home?" I asked, cautious of my words. Batch's death still took its toll on him, and while he seemed to finally be over it, I didn't want to accidentally trigger any sort of emotional response. Like walking on eggshells with an explosive mana-crystal strapped to your chest.
"Oh, yeah. I'm more than ready to go home and eat nothing but snot-like gruel and get my ass kicked by your brother again," Ed replied sarcastically. "It's not like I have an easy time with him, either," I retorted. "He's a fifth-stage mana manipulator, after all. I've only just broken through the second, so there's still a massive gap in our abilities," I continued. "Massive gap? I heard you speed-blitzed the absolute fuck out of Irun during your fight," Edryd said emphatically. "Is that jealousy I hear in your voice?" I asked, trying to sound as playful as I could.
Ed cast his eyes downward, and I realized where that jealousy stemmed from. Egg shells, I thought. "Listen, I'm sorry. I know it still hasn't been a long time since Batch's… well, you know," I began. Ed didn't look at me, but simply nodded. "I know you mean well, Thoma, and there is a slight bit of jealousy indeed. I wanted to beat the absolute shit out of Irun when I heard he was at the castle. I know it couldn't have been an easy fight, but I just wish I could have been there to help take him down," he said, dodging my gaze and focusing on securing his equipment.
"It's okay," I began. "I'm sure there are going to be other opportunities to kick his ass. Now that he's with the Masked One, it's not too unlikely that we'll never see him again," I said, trying to bring some positivity into the conversation. "Yeah, but if you end up getting to him first, make that fucker wish he had never been born," Ed said, his tone darkening to a depth I didn't know he had. He'll be alright, I thought. "Don't worry, I will," I replied, patting him on the shoulder. Meliss said nothing during the exchange, but gave him a warm smile, and a quick, friendly hug.
Making my way to Celer, the black stallion my older brother gave me for my birthday a few months prior, I tied my bag and Meliss' to the saddle. My brother noticed me from across the room, and began to make his way over to me. "There you are, shit-bird," he said in his usual, playful tone. "Ah, the leather donut himself," I retorted. He clasped my hand, and pulled me into a brief embrace. It had been at least two weeks since I last saw him.
Obviously, I knew where he had been the whole time.
"So, tell me, brother; how is Leo-..." I began, but he stopped me by putting his hand over my mouth. "Shhhhhhhh," he hushed, his glowing, yellow eyes flaring as they stared into mine. "For the love all the breasts and buttcheeks you've ever wanted to grab, shut the fuck up," he said quietly. His leather glove smelled of horse and old sweat from past battles and training, even after a few cleanings from the battle. I nodded my understanding as best I could, with a muffled sound from my mouth exiting the cracks between his glove and my skin. I pulled his hand off my face, and stared at him curiously.
"What the hell happened?" I asked, trying to figure out why he was asking for so much secrecy. "I know she's still technically the queen and all, but she up and murdered Truls not too long ago," I said quietly. "That was in self-defense, and you really should shut up, now," he said quickly and quietly. "Just tell me what's going on and I will," I said, trying to appease his better nature.
He pulled me aside and took a deep breath. "You know Leona is of royal blood, right?" he began in a hushed tone. "Duh, but what of it?" I asked, not fully understanding what he meant by that. He sighed in response. "Remind me to give you some court lessons when we get back. Listen, royal blood can only marry into other royal blood. It's how these families stay in power for so long," he said in a tone that reminded me of Taegin, the Master of Codrean, when he would give his lessons.
"Okay, and that means what? That she can't have some fun with you? She's the queen, for fuck's sake," I said, still incredulous at the ridiculousness of the situation. "That's the problem; she's the fucking queen. If people she doesn't trust or know well begin to find out about our relationship, how do you think it will end, eh?" he asked. I still didn't understand what he meant, but I could guess.
Many of the royals, at least from what I had read in books and learned from overhearing conversations in the castle, were capricious as hell; bowing only to their own whims and willing their desires into existence, even if it meant destroying someone's life.
"Alright, alright. I get it, but why couldn't she take you in as some sort of consort? Wouldn't that make your relationship more legitimate?" I asked. I watched his face pale for a moment at the thought of being married, but the pale aura was soon replaced by a massive flush of blood. "I-I-I g-guess it wouldn't be so bad to be a c-consort," he struggled to say the words. "I don't fucking believe it. My own brother is scared to get married?" I jested, poking his shoulder playfully as I accented my words. "You're dead when we get back," he said, grabbing my hand and trying to sound serious behind the beet-red face he held.
"Not as dead as you're about to be if you don't let go of him," a soft yet forceful voice said from behind him. "My lov-... I mean, Queen Leona," he stammered, scratching the back of his head as the smile grew on his face. "Your majesty," I bowed, grinning from ear to ear as I pulled my own brother down to match my height. "You two really are something special, aren't you?" she asked through a stifled giggle. "Arise, my two, brave and wise synners," she accented, gesturing for us to raise our heads.
We lifted our heads to admire her beauty. The pale blue eyes, accented by her luscious black hair, pierced into our very cores. "Now, Thoma, if you would be so kind as to say what you just said again, please," she asked me. I would be lying if I said that her tone and use of the word please didn't immediately send a slight chill down my spine. "Your majesty," I began but she held up a hand. "Remember what I said before? So long as there are no royals around, you don't have to address me like that, Thoma," she said, her tone lightening a little.
Bernar's face in response to her comment was priceless.