15

Sion wakes up and opens the curtains. Light from the rising sun enters through the window, and Sion begins to exercise. When the sun is slightly higher, Sion hears the faint opening and closing of another door in the hall. Sion gets dressed for the day then walks out into the hall. He looks down the hall and sees Scima. Sion approaches him.

“Good morning, Scima.” Scima still looks half-asleep.

“Morning. How do you wake up so early?” Scima yawns.

“The sun.”

“Of course it’s something like that.”

Sion and Scima walk down the stairs to the ground floor. They begin to investigate the kitchen and pantry more closely than they had the day before now that they actually need to use it. Everything is something dried or otherwise preservable. Scima pulls out some of the food and looks at it.

“Well, I understand why this is all he gave us, but it certainly isn’t helping us out right now.”

“I’m sure there’s something good.”

“It’s all good.”

“I didn’t know. We only had grain and dried meat in the village.”

“I never had much more than that either.” Scima grabs several dried fruits. “This should be fine for today, I think.”

Sion and Scima take some fruit and go to the table. They sit down at the end nearest to the door to the kitchen. They eat a piece of fruit. Sion smiles.

“It’s good.”

“Of course it is.”

Eva walks into the room. She looks around and takes stock of the situation.

“Why are you eating in the dark?” Scima shoots a small blast of light shaped like a needle towards the nearest window. It pierces the darkness, then opens the curtains, letting the light from the sun in.

“Who knows.” Eva takes a piece of dried fruit from the table.

“Are we all awake now?” Scima shakes his head.

“No, Anima’s still asleep.” He seems to have a sudden thought form. “Sion, can you go check on her?” Sion stands up.

“Alright.” He walks out of the room, moving towards the staircase. Eva looks at Scima and inquires.

“Scima, why did you send him? It would be fine if we just waited. There’s nothing urgent today.” Scima smiles cheekily.

“You see, Lady Eva, when we were separated in the goblin nest I realized something important. Anima, you see, is very fun to tease. And, as I discovered, it seems I can get a good reaction out of using Sion. So I’ll use that for all it’s worth before I lose the chance.” Eva sighs deeply.

“No wonder…”

“‘No wonder’ what? What are you wondering about Lady Eva?” Eva’s demeanor becomes far less serious as she answers.

“It was nothing much. I was just thinking about how you’ll surely be killed by a woman one day, when you least expect it.” Scima smiles at her.

“Don’t worry, I’ll never let something like that happen. I’ll protect you till my dying breath and I’ll die protecting you.”

“I suppose we’ll be stuck together for a long time then.”

“Yeah. I’ll protect you even once we’re old and gray.”

Sion walks up the stairs. He walks down the hall in the direction he assumes Anima had chosen a room in, but he had chosen one before her, so he doesn’t know which one. He starts to walk through the hall, knocking softly on each door until he gets a response.

Anima opens the door a crack. She still has tired eyes, and she still wears her soft and loose sleepwear. Seeing Sion at the door wakes her up a little, and she quickly closes the door, practically slamming it in Sion’s face. Sion neither minds nor understands, merely accepting that it has happened. Soon after, Anima opens the door again more fully, now properly dressed for the day.

“Good morning, Sion.”

“Good morning. We’ve already started eating.”

“So you came up to get me? That’s… embarrassing. I promise I can usually wake up earlier.”

“It’s fine either way, isn’t it?”

“I wouldn’t want to make you wait for me.”

“I’m waiting anyway, so isn’t it fine?”

“Really? When did you wake up?”

“When the sun rose.”

“That really is early. Do you always wake up so early?”

“Yeah. My father would do exercises with me in the morning, so I learned.”

“That’s a skill?”

“I don’t know.”

Sion and Anima walk down the hall and descend to the ground level. They walk into the dining room, and Scima perks up cheerfully.

“Good morning Anima. Did you enjoy Sion’s wake-up call?”

Eva turns her attention to Anima. Anima covers her mouth with the side of her wrist, almost as if she were covering a small yawn. Any reaction she might have had was hidden with her single small act, and she recovers herself quickly. She pulls a chair out from the table and takes a seat.

“Good morning.” Eva looks over to Scima.

“It looks like you may have lost the chance sooner than you expected.”

When they finish eating, they hear a knocking. Before anyone else can, Scima stands and makes his way to the entrance of the manor. He opens the door, and a well dressed gentleman is standing outside it. The man bows slightly to Scima.

“Good morning, sir. I come bearing a message from Lord Notus.”

“I see. I’ll transmit it to Her Highness Evangelina, so tell me.”

“Very well, sir. He wishes to invite Her Highness to his estate this afternoon to talk in a private setting.”

“I see. Thank you for the message. Goodbye.”

Scima closes the door and returns to the dining room.

“Lady Eva, Lord Notus wants you to go to him later today.”

“In that case, I suppose I should be preparing. Scima and I will meet Lord Notus, so would it be alright to leave buying food to you two?” Eva looks over to Sion and Anima. Anima nods.

“Yeah, we should be fine. Right, Sion?” Sion also nods. Eva looks back at Scima.

“Scima, can you get some money?” Scima gives a thumbs-up and leaves the room. He returns soon after and places a few neat piles of various coins on the table. Eva continues. “This should be enough for whatever you think to get.” Eva walks off.

Later that day, as the sky begins to turn red, Eva and Scima depart for Lord Notus’ manor. Sion grabs the coins and walks out of the manor with Anima. They walk into the city center and enter an open-air marketplace. There aren’t many people, but it is not empty. A few groups, all one enthusiastic younger person and several older individuals standing vigil around them, populate the market. Sion and Anima walk around without much direction.

“Anima, what should we buy?”

“I’m not sure yet. We already have a good amount of preserved foods, right?”

“Yeah. Scima said it was because Lord Notus didn’t know when we would arrive.”

“Do you know if we’d be able to store food for long?” Sion searches his memory of the pantry. He certainly felt a slight chill as he entered, and he remembers the occasional movement of magic in the air, which almost always points towards some slight magic.

“We didn’t think to check. But I think that we should be able to store food.”

“That’s good then. But all that means is that we can buy more. It doesn’t help us at all for what to buy.”

“Fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. Anima, do you know how to cook?”

“Yes, why?”

“None of us know how to beyond the simplest things while we’re camping.”

“Alright. Do you think it would be good to get fruit and vegetables and then maybe some cuts of meat?”

“That should be good.”

Sion and Anima go through the stalls and pick out the goods they purchase. Sion chooses the ones of the highest quality they can find with relative ease. While they walk, Sion breaks away quietly and buys several seeds in secret using his own stock of money to pay. When he returns to Anima, she hadn’t even realized he was gone. She turns to him.

“I think we’ve bought everything we might need for now, but what should we eat this evening?”

Before he answers, Sion’s attention is caught by a stall pulsing with magic. Rather than answer, he gets drawn away towards it. Anima follows after him, confused. Inside the stall is a lone man and piles of raw cubes of meat in a marinade behind him. The area around the stall is notably cooler than the rest of the market, and with Sion’s eyes he can see that there is a film of magic trying to contain the cold. The man greets them joyfully.

“Good afternoon, you’re right on time for me to open shop. Will you be buying two?” Sion answers without a moment’s delay.

“Yes sir.” He takes out several coins from his personal savings and hands them to the man. Anima is surprised.

“Sion?”

The man goes back towards the meat, shuddering as he enters the cold, and places several cubes on two wooden skewers. He holds the skewers of raw meat out in front of Sion and Anima, then envelops them with a magical flame. A few moments later, the flames disperse, revealing the fully cooked meat. The man hands them to Sion and Anima. They both thank him, then they turn to leave. Anima takes a bite.

“It’s good. But couldn’t you have used the money we were given instead of your own?”

“Wouldn’t that be improper?” They continue walking back towards the manor.

Eva and Scima approach Lord Notus’ estate. A guard stops them, speaking somewhat roughly.

“Halt! State your name and business.” Eva answers him firmly, but calmly.

“I am Princess Evangelina of Dracabana. I was told that Duke Notus wished to see me this evening.” The guard falls into a shocked silence for a few moments, and when he continues his voice is weak and apologetic.

“Yes, I was told of Your Highness’ audience with the Duke, but I did not know what you looked like, so please allow me to guide you right to him now.” Eva smiles and says nothing, Scima expressionless behind her.

The guard quickly leads them through the manor, trying to get out of this situation as quickly as he can. The manor is beautifully decorated. The carpets and wall decals are fine works, and the paintings of former lords and locales around the duchy draw the eye. Eventually, the guard turns towards a door and knocks.

“Lord Notus, I’ve brought Her Highness Evangelina and her knight.”

Only a few short moments later, a man opens the door. He wears a fine silk shirt, almost blurring the line between it and his porcelain skin. He has round, light blue eyes, and sharp features partially obscured by the thick, regal brown beard on his face. The starts of gray hair can be found in his hair and beard. He looks just around the same age as King Rihtwis.

“Come in, Your Highness, come in.”

Eva and Scima follow him inside. It’s a comfortable feeling room, with three large plush couches set in a u-shape, a low table in the center. Notus sits on one couch, and Eva and Scima sit across from him. He smiles at them.

“Welcome to Messis, Your Highness. It is an honor to have you here. Soon enough someone will come with a few refreshments, but let us begin talking now, if that is alright.” Eva nods her head.

“Yes, I’d be pleased to do so. But first, allow me to extend our gratitude for lending us that manor. It will serve us very well.” Notus laughs softly.

“Of course. That manor is the least I could do for you, Your Highness.” Scima raises one hand, keeping it beside his head.

“Lord Notus, will you permit me to speak directly?”

Before Notus can say anything, however, a butler enters the room. He carries a tray holding a tea set and some small baked goods. He sets it down on the table and pours tea into three cups. Notus turns to face him.

“Thank you. That will be all, I shall call for you if we require anything else.” The butler bows, then leaves the room. Notus turns back to Scima. “I would be pleased to hear what you want to say, boy, but we have not even been introduced yet.”

“My name is Scima Yslende, personal knight of Her Highness Princess Evangelina. Now then, if you’ll pardon my bluntness, that manor is far more than we require. Is there a reason you gave us so much, all without asking anything in return?” Eva looks shocked, and Notus begins to laugh loudly, unable to contain himself.

“What a paranoid little knight you are, Scima! Though I suppose that is a good trait for a guard to have. The reason is simple: I owe King Rihtwis a great deal, and this is one way for me to repay him.” Eva still looks surprised.

“You know my father? He hadn’t given any indication of that…”

“Perhaps he did not think it important, or perhaps he does not remember at all, but allow me to tell you the story between us. It was around thirty years ago now, when the current relationship Saturgranum and Dracabana now enjoy was just beginning. Just as the alliance was formed, these rebels calling themselves the True Dracabanan Army appeared and started stirring up trouble. My father, the duke at the time, sent me, the youngest of his children, to aid our new allies. I was still inexperienced with battle then, and when they learned I was the son of a duke, they were upon me. It looked grim then, but then King Rihtwis came, fighting like a storm on the battlefield, and I was saved. He was already king in name then, your grandfather having had just passed, but when I saw him I could tell he already had the bearing of a sovereign. In short, I owe your father my life, and I respect him greatly beyond that.”

Scima looks pensive about the mention of the True Dracabanan Army, but Eva, meanwhile, lets nothing show on her face.

“I see. I understand now, Lord Notus. Shall we continue on with conversation then?”

They talk through the evening. Eva and Scima depart late that night, escorted by Notus’ soldiers back to the manor.