A Chance to Hope

The night Simon first cast magic, the entire cloister celebrated. Of course, nothing had directly been achieved, but this was confirmation of some minor form that Hethoria's Knight had in fact come to their aid.

Men cheered his name and praised the Goddess, they sung their hopes and dreams, they sung of their now certain victory over Varok. It seemed their spirits had been raised for the first time in months and they were basking in it as long as they possibly could.

It hadn't been Sonia or Simon that told them, nobody was to know what was happening in their sessions. Sonia had intended to keep that information as restricted as possible to be used as a secret weapon. Gideon, however, had other plans.

Plainly drunk, Gideon wobbled over to Simon, who was himself sat next to Sonia and strictly forbidden from alcohol of any sort. Gideon leaned against his shoulder, his small body deceptively heavy as he used Simon as an armrest.

"So Simon, how's it feel to have used magic. Well other than the pain in your face when you fainted afterwards. That was hilarious just so you know, immediately made me break my cover, couldn't stop laughing for ages. Sonia even joined in, you know."

"That is a lie." Sonia didn't hesitate to retort sharply, clearly both annoyed by the statement and by Gideon's actions themselves. Gideon wasn't lying about Simon fainting though, only a handful of seconds after reading out what was written on the page, Simon had stood up, cheered, and fainted on the spot. His face was still red from where it had hit the ground.

"Ok, ok, it's a lie. But you can't pretend you weren't close to it. That's the most you've smiled in years I think."

"I wasn't smiling. You must have imagined it." Sonia cut in too sharply this time, clearly flustered at being unmasked so effortlessly.

Gideon stood up, walked behind Sonia, and leaned himself forward against her back. She grunted in displeasure as she tried to push him off, mead spilling over the both of them as they struggled. In amongst her grunts and exertion Simon could definitely see her smile here and there. He had yet to see Sonia acting like this, and was honestly surprised to see that she could have this sort of relationship with someone, it was nice to see the reality he thought.

"Oooh no, does little miss Archbishop not like being reminded she has feelings too? How very tragic, how very sad, what will people possibly think of her now that they know? Woe is her, tragedy, oh tragedy." Gideon wrapped his arms around her and held on tight, resisting her attempts to remove him with gleeful laughter.

"Get off me Gideon, that's enough, get off I said! Arghh, why won't you listen to me! Don't think I've forgiven you for spying on us! You were specifically forbidden from sitting in!" Sonia was trying her damnedest to sound angry but couldn't fully contain the mirth in her words, what sounded almost like giggles interspersed in amidst her words.

"Oh but Simon knew, you know, when you left we even had a nice little chat. Can't say I'm to blame when he didn't tell you himself! And you know, I think he has quite the crush on you, or maybe me, can't say for sure."

"Hey, I thought you were the one that told me not to tell her! Sure, she found you out later but that's on you, you can't throw me to the fire like that! Also, no I don't have a crush, why would you even think that!"

"Hmm, is that why your eyes haven't left her since she started smiling? She is a very beautiful woman after all, nothing wrong with that. Move over a bit, you can get a nice big hug in too if you like."

"That's enough, Gideon! Get off me already!" Sonia finally found the purchase to push Gideon off, sending him stumbling backwards and falling onto his butt.

"Oh the sting of being forsaken! Like a thunderbolt to the soul!" Gideon stood up and dusted himself off even as Sonia looked at him with a mixture between affection and fury. "Ah, I know when I'm not wanted, I suppose I'll go grace some table where my ministrations are desired, farewell and try not to have too much fun without me!" Gideon flashed a wink at Simon before immediately joining the party at a nearby table.

"He's really quite fun isn't he? Getting you to laugh doesn't seem like a small feat." Simon smiled as he turned away from Gideon back to Sonia, missing their little show already.

"I was not laughing!" Sonia retorted again, every time she refuted it, it sounded less believable.

"Ah yes, of course. Sonia doesn't laugh, I'll take note of that one. Maybe write it with that invisible ink so I can remind myself." He felt a witty jab may be too strong at the moment but decided to try it anyway. 

To her credit, Sonia didn't immediately retort, instead bowing her head down and letting out a deep sigh. "Yes fine, I was enjoying myself. I suppose I can't pretend I wasn't after that showing. I haven't been able to let myself relax in months, not since we were pushed back here." Sonia's tone was light but firm. "So many of us died, and we were pushed back here, outnumbered three to one. It was hopeless. We could stave off the siege for a while, but we all knew we were going to die." The noise around Simon seemed to drown itself out, his attention fully stolen by her words.

"I'm the only leader, so I can't show weakness. I needed to be strong for them, act certain of our chances, trick them into some form of hope. It's exhausting." She looked at Simon briefly, then scanned the room. "And it destroys you. You're lying to the people around you. Friends, comrades, those who trust you with their lives. You tell them they'll be fine, we'll make it through this; all the while you imagine how their eyes will look when the lights inside have gone out." Her eyes returned to Simon. "I've seen the lifeless body of every man in this room time and time again in my dreams. I prayed to Hethoria for guidance, for help, and received nothing in response. But then Hethoria talked to me directly, for the first time in my life. She told me her Knight was waiting for me, that he would be able to help us."

She stopped, the moisture in her eyes just short of forming tears.

Simon tried to form some form of reply. "I-"

 "Sorry, I think that's enough. This is a happy day. Hethoria finally answered and you are here now to help us. To guide us through this. it will not be easy. You will have to train night and day for months. Even then our victory will rely on luck just as much as tactics or strength. But we have a chance, and that's more than we've been able to say for a very long time." Sonia wiped her eyes.

Simon thought back to the beginning of the day. How he'd viewed magic as some form of entertainment, how nonchalantly he'd treated her concerns and worries. The way he'd thoughtlessly walked into this new world ready to live some sort of easy life.

"I'm not sure what I can achieve so I won't make any promises, all of this is new to me, the world so overwhelming." His guilt overwhelmed his sense. "And even after all you said there's a part of me that just wants to run away and leave. Find some way to get this necklace or medallion or whatever off and pretend none of this ever happened." Simon expected her to be angry or frustrated but the understanding in her eyes just made it worse instead.

"But despite that all I promise you that I'll stay here. I promise you that I'll try my best to learn whatever I can, to try and access as much of this power as I can. It might not be enough, and I'm horribly scared, but I'll do it."

"Thank you. But don't think that means I'll treat you any different. You've shown talent already but that talent needs to be pushed if we're going to have you even slightly ready in time." She patted herself down and stood off the bench they had been sharing. "I think it's best we both go to bed now, it has been an exhausting day and a lot has changed. Ask someone for help if you can't find your way back to your room. Good night." 

Simon's eyes didn't leave her until she had left the room and Gideon's arm wrapped itself around him again.

"It's a crush." He smiled. Simon didn't even bother fighting the claim. "Now, why don't I get you to bed. I have a feeling the Goddess will want to speak with you again tonight, wouldn't want you missing a second of that, huh?"