Spellblade

“Ngh…”

Groans filled the interior of the mudbarn as Priscilla woke up from the sunlight coming from the gaps and holes in the adobe wall. Her eyes took a while to adjust to the light coming from the outside and after blinking many times she was able to see the interior of the barn clearly.

With her eyes finally adjusted to the dim room—she forced herself to stand up. The hay crunched beneath her weight as she used her arm to propel herself up.

Upon looking around she noticed her jacket was covering her upper body. She glanced around but didn’t hear a single noise inside, so she decided to speak up.

“Rionara?”

Silence. It was all too quiet.

She hurriedly grabbed her belt and secured the weapon to her waist before wearing the chainmail and covering it up with the jacket.

“Where did she go…?” She stepped over the small bump on the dirt floor that served as a makeshift doorway and entered the next room. All the while looking around. “Geralt? Are you there?”

She peeked in the other room but it was also empty.

‘Did Rionara also leave with him…?’

Priscilla was still bothered by what happened last night and the mere act of recalling the encounter at the inn was enough to make her hands instinctively clench into tight fists. However, after a few seconds she let out a long and slow sigh.

“No… I shouldn’t pick unnecessary fights here.”

She grabbed on the frame of the wet twig door and opened it. It was the start of fall but outside already felt somewhat cold. She looked at her own hand and noticed dew sticking to her fingers.

‘She must be freezing without decent clothes…’

Consequentially, her eyes instinctively traced towards the ground and that is where she noticed two distinct footprints in the wet dirt ground.

‘One adult footprint and another much smaller one… I see, Rionara left with Geralt most likely.’ She looked around but noticed there were different footprints all over the place. ‘...unless.’

After closing the door behind her, she wasted no time and started to walk at a fast pace towards the center street. Thankfully it wasn’t particularly far, but it took her a few wrong turns in some alleyways before she made it to the central street.

That early in the morning only peddlers and workers were out around the otherwise busy street of Arivaul. Some carried their goods in large bags to set up shop on the sidewalk while others lugged pickaxes, shovels and other manner of tools for excavation as they headed to the dungeon.

Priscilla’s eyes darted around the street as she picked up the pace towards the central square.

‘Rionara… where are you…?’

Upon reaching the obelisk, the first place she went to look was at the blacksmith where Geralt would be. But strangely, nobody was out in front of the shop.

“Geralt!” She called out as she neared the store. “Are you there?!”

“Aye. Lower ya voice, me hearin’ workin’ just fine.” A grumbling middle aged man came out of the backroom where the forge was located. “Watcha need from good ol’ Geralt?”

“Where is Rionara?”

“Hah? The lil squirt is making herself pleasant near them bellows.” He stepped to the side and pointed to the back of the store with his cross pein hammer. “Come, I’ll show ya.”

She stepped inside without wasting any time. The store itself was plain, something one would expect from a blacksmith such as Geralt. Swords, axes, polearms were all on display either tucked inside barrels or attached to the wall through a mounted support.

“I didn’t know this shop was so big.”

“Aye, last time ye just stood outside while I hammered ye plate.” He stopped by a thick wooden door and flicked his head once. “Ere’, I got sum errands with the guild. Keep an eye on the store for me, aye?”

He then wasted no time in going outside. Priscilla flinched at the absurd request as she tried to stop him.

“Hey! Do you seriously expect me to man your shop?!”

“Don’t getcha knickers in a knot, I’ll be back in a jiffy. Just think o’ it as thanks fer looking out fer yer lil squirt.”

“Get back here! Oi!”

Despite her protests, Geralt simply left the store and as the door closed with the ring of its doorbell. She knew the responsibility of keeping an eye on the goods fell straight on her laps. She sighed tiredly.

“Ha… why does this keep happening to me?”

She turned around and decided to at least check on Rionara. Upon opening the door she noticed the girl sitting on a wooden stool a few meters away from the heated forge while holding a piece of half eaten bread. She wore the same dirty rags as yesterday and her eyes seemed too focused on the red hot coals to notice Priscilla coming into the room.

“Rionara.” The knight called out, but the girl’s eyes were still fixed on the glowing coals. She even held the bread between her hands without even taking a bite. “Rionara?”

Only after touching her shoulder, she finally responded, though a bit delayed as if she was in a daze.

“Huh…?” She blinked a few times before turning to the knight. “Pris? What are you–”

She was met with a gentle headchop that stopped her mid-sentence.

“Always tell your guardian where to and with whom you are leaving.” She lightly scolded her. “You left me worried.”

“Ah… I’m sorry. Geralt just told me to come here since it was cold in the barn.”

Priscilla nodded as she knelt beside the girl.

“Hm, I understand it. But are you feeling okay? You were staring at the forge for a while.”

“I… don’t know. I feel something… familiar, but even I’m not sure why…”

“Hmmm… is it bad or good?”

She shook her head before taking a bite from the hard bread.

“I don’t know.”

Priscilla chuckled while patting her lightly on the head.

“As long as it isn’t something bad, I guess it’s fine, right?”

“Mhm.”

At that point the doorbell rang and Priscilla instinctively clicked her tongue.

“Tsk, just my luck.” She turned around and walked to the left side of the room which would lead right behind the counter in the store. “I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.”

Upon walking to the counter she was met with a towering man. His physique could rival even the most robust of knights in Arcadia’s royal guard. His squared face, dark eyes and gray hair—tied back into a bun with a piece of sharp bone set off every alarm in Priscilla’s mind.

‘What the… this guy is almost like Sir Leonard…!’

His sheer presence was intimidating but she’d fought worse—far worse—in the capital. The man before her couldn’t even compare one of her peers of the knights trio. She cleared her throat before speaking up.

“What can I help you with, sir?”

“Ah, sorry. I’m looking for a pair of handaxes. I broke mine on the way here.” His hands drifted to each side of his hips which prompted Priscilla to fight the urge to draw her own weapon. He then produced two axes heads with part of the wooden handle blackened and splintered off—a sure sign of heavy use. “I, uh… I’d rather not fight with just my bare hands.”

“O-oh, I see. Uh… let me see if I can find something for you.” She quickly glanced around and noticed one of the racks behind her held a pair of handaxes. Though there was no price tag nor a way for her to tell how much it was, a certain feeling of panic started to surge from her gut. “These axes uh…”

Rionara tugged gently at the hem of her jacket. Which prompted Priscilla to glance briefly at the girl, who in turn, silently pointed to a small wooden plaque on the opposite side of where the racks were. A quiet sigh of relief came out of the knight’s mouth as she went over to check the price.

“That pair will cost you fifty silver.”

“Oh…? Thankfully I have just enough.” His low deep voice made him seem even more happy. “Here.”

He placed the small pouch of coins on the dusty wooden counter. After quickly counting the money, she handed over the two weapons and the man adjusted them on his belt before politely bowing and exiting the store.

The moment he stepped foot outside Priscilla let out a long exasperated sigh.

“Ah… that was stressful.” She turned to Rionara and gave her a thumbs up. “Thank you for the help, Rio. I didn’t know you knew how to read.”

“I don’t. I just saw the numbers.”

“You… don’t?”

“Nuh uh. I… never got the chance.”

That made Priscilla feel a bit bitter inside.

“I see…” She then knelt down to face her at head height. “But don’t worry, I didn’t know how to read until I was fifteen.”

“I’m… eighteen though…”

Those words hit Priscilla like a warhammer. She was stunned, her eyes blinked as if trying to make sure she didn’t hear it wrong. Rionara seemed so soft, her frame so small—it didn’t seem possible.

Eighteen.

Priscilla sat back against the dusty wooden wall and took a deep breath. This girl—no, this young woman—looked so small, so fragile. Not just in body, but in the way she spoke and carried herself. It was like time had stopped for her, somewhere in the middle of her suffering.

But, in an ironic twist it all made sense. The cruelty carved in her back and the seemingly boundless strength to keep moving forward despite those scars. The way she wouldn’t even flinch at cold or hunger—weren’t a child’s burden, no… it was a veritable lifetime of suffering.

Priscilla wanted to say something—anything, but Rionara beat her to it.

“I… I know what you must be thinking… that I used you but…” Her voice cracked. ”Miss Knight, Pris… you are… you are the only one who showed me this warmth…” Her small hands gripped the bread so tightly that each nail started to become white. “I’m… sorry…!”

“No… I never thought…” She just hugged her small frame and placed her small head softly against her own shoulder. “Not even for a second…”

She didn’t let go, but neither Rionara pulled away. They remained like that quietly for the next few minutes. The only sound that filled the room was the silent crackles of the coals in the forge. Priscilla didn’t know whether to keep calling her a ‘kid’ or to offer her the same respect she did to any other adult. But deep down she felt like ‘respect’ would feel too cold for someone who flinched at kindness.

‘Protect those who cannot protect themselves…’

Those words echoed throughout Priscilla’s mind as she held Rionara in her arms. It didn’t feel glorious—it felt like a cold dagger sinking in her heart, asking, ‘Where were you all this time?’.

How long must she have suffered to become like this? Who would draw blood from someone who knows nothing but pain? No amount of thinking would give her the answers she wanted, but it served to only fuel her determination further.

“Rio. I, too, have been hiding something from you.” Priscilla pulled back and looked Rionara straight in her eyes. “I’m a royal knight in the service of the Queen.”

“A royal knight…? Wait… are you… one of the Knights Trio?”

She nodded with a confident smile on her face.

“Dame Priscilla Avellion of Blade and Magic.” She chuckled lightly. “A bit of a mouthful, isn’t it?”

“No, not at all…” She cleaned her own tears with the edges of the rag she used as clothing. “If anything, it feels like I’ve met my guardian angel.”

Those words made the knight’s chest feel heavy.

“...Rionara.” Priscilla spoke softly as she squeezed both her shoulders firmly. “I am on a mission for my Queen. I’m not sure how it’ll turn out and there is no guarantee I’ll be able to take care of you, so I must ask, what is it that you wish to do?”

At first she remained silent and her eyes traced down to the bread she held. The faint sounds of chatter and the crackling sound of the forge filled the otherwise quiet room.

But after some time passed, Rionara looked up once again in Priscilla’s eyes and asked.

“Could I stay with you until you need to go?”

The knight’s chest tightened as she nodded.

“Yes, I promise I’ll do my utmost to keep you safe.”

The bell rang and the door swung open with Geralt carrying a plaque of wood carved with different numbers on it. He glanced over the counter and noticed Priscilla glaring daggers at him.

“Lass, that stare ain’t bringin’ any payin’ customers.”

“Speak for yourself. How could you, the blacksmith, leave his own store in the hands of an adventurer?”

“Lass, ye too good mannered fer ye own good.” He made his way behind the counter and removed the previous wooden plaque, before noticing the lack of a certain pair of weapons on the rack. “Lass, where did ‘em axes go?”

“I sold them.”

“Ye what?!”

“Don’t worry, I got the price right thanks to the plaque…” Her voice faded as her eyes traced to the other wooden plaque he held. It was tagged as a much, much, higher price than the previous fifty silvers. “Oh…”

A few minutes later, Priscilla was seen running out of the blacksmith store with Rionara under her arms as she avoided a clearly enraged Geralt throwing tongs, hammers and other manner of blacksmith tools at her.

“Ye dammed adventurer! Give me coins back!”

“Hey! You asked for it!” She quickly turned around in the middle of the street as three different sized hammers were thrown at her simultaneously before she intercepted them with her rapier mid air. “And stop throwing those things! You can hurt someone with it!”

“Aye, that was the intention! Ye sold me masterpiece for fifty silvers!”

“Well you should’ve told me beforehand then!”

Seeing that unfold right before her eyes made Rionara burst in laughter. But she wasn’t the only one watching at the time. The central bustling square suddenly stopped, shoppers and workers alike stopped to witness Priscilla’s swordplay firsthand as she effortlessly deflected every single item thrown in her direction.

At the end some of the nearby bystanders and other adventurers started clapping at her performance.

“Way to go lass!”

“I never seen someone avoid Geralt’s hammers like that!”

With the angry blacksmith out of things to throw, Priscilla elegantly sheathed her rapier. However, the eyes drawn to her demanded some sort of closure and that is when she reminded herself of a play she once saw in Arcadia.

“Thank you for your attention.”

Priscilla said, bowing at the end with a hand across her chest. Rionara, beaming beside her, mirrored her gesture and the crowd erupted in a fresh round of applause.

‘I hope Lord Leonard never hears of this…’ She chuckled nervously to herself. ‘Thank goodness only Rhys knows who I truly am.’

After the laughter and applause calmed down, she made her way to the front of the guild. A familiar silver haired receptionist was standing with one arm beneath the other while trying to hold in her laughter.

“Ah.” Priscilla felt the laughter was indeed directed at her earlier ‘performance’ which made her shoulders tense up slightly. “Miss Lucina, sorry you had to see that.”

“No, no, don’t be, if anything this city needs a bit of entertainment from time to time.” She leaned to the side until her eyes met Rionara’s. “More importantly, who is the small child you’re carrying?”

“Oh, this is Rionara.” She kneeled down and let her feet touch the ground, but in doing so the girl quickly vanished behind Priscilla’s frame. She could feel her small hand trembling on her back, not out of fear—but anxiety. “You can trust her, Rio.”

She held one hand on the half eaten loaf of bread while the other kept hanging on the hem of Priscilla’s jacket as she shyly peeked from the knight’s side.

“I… uh… my name is Rionara. Nice to meet you, Miss.”

“My, how polite!” She smiled warmly. “Nice to meet you too. My name is Lucina, I’m a receptionist here at the guild.”

The girl nodded, keeping herself hidden behind Priscilla, who proceeded to stand up and ask.

“Miss Lucina, are there any jobs related to exploring the dungeon?”

“Dungeon delving as your first official job?” Her eyes widened in surprise. “That is some confidence. But, I’m afraid I cannot permit it. You’ve just enlisted yesterday and to be frank…” Her tone changed as her eyes glanced sideways. “...we should continue this inside.”

As the receptionist turned around with heavy steps into the main hallway, Priscilla looked over her shoulder and noticed some more well clothed individuals looking at her with a mix of disdain and disgust.

‘Those people…’

The knight placed her hand on Rionara’s back before gently pushing her forward inside.

“Eh?” The girl looked up at her clearly in confusion. “Should I go in as well?”

“Of course. I’m not leaving you alone outside.”

“Ah… o-okay.”

Inside, Priscilla was met with even more stares of other adventurers, but this time it felt mild compared to yesterday’s animosity. Even if it was only for a day, she had become one of them in a way. Though easy for the knight to shrug off the pressure, the same couldn’t be said for poor Rionara, who was shaking like a green branch.

It was painfully obvious to Priscilla, whose hand was still touching her back. She stopped and gently asked.

“Are you okay, Rio?”

She held the half eaten bread with both hands with each finger digging into its surface as a way to prevent the shaking.

“M-mhm…”

“Do you need me to carry you?”

“N-no, it’s fine… I can handle it…”

Quiet murmurs stirred within the groups located at the far corners of the hall. Though Priscilla couldn’t make out what they were saying, the mere sight of their condescending gazes was enough to tell her what was going through their minds.

She turned to Rionara and smiled warmly.

“Don’t worry, I can still carry you. Besides, I'd rather avoid you stepping into something sharp on the floor without a pair of proper shoes.” After effortlessly lifting her up, she then gently patted her head. “We’ll talk to Lucina and then we’ll find somewhere to get you clothes.”

Rionara’s trembling hands eased for a bit as she quietly nodded.

As they passed by one of the groups closer to the center of the hall—an offhand comment was overheard.

“Wasn’t she the one who kicked up some trouble at the inn?”

“Hush idiot, do you want her to hear you?”

Her eyes met theirs for a brief moment and while she didn’t do anything to threaten them directly, her presence unsettled them. It was like staring at a lion gazing at its prey.

Priscilla continued following the receptionist to the back of the guild. Past behind the main counter were many individual booths where they could talk privately. After politely opening one door for them, Lucina entered and closed it behind her.

Inside the room was a simple wooden table with four chairs arranged in pairs on each side with a window for natural light to come in. The lack of dust on the wooden surface told Priscilla that place was used fairly regularly.

After taking their seats, Lucina pulled a small sack out of her pocket and placed it in front of Rionara.

“Here, these are sweets that my younger brother and I used to make. I hope you enjoy it.”

Rionara looked at the half open sack. The sweets were dried grapes covered in zenithian chocolate, they were each the size of a marble ball which was even more surprising to Priscilla since she only saw that kind of sweets being sold in a high end patisserie store in Arcadia.

‘To give it for free besides…?! Are you a noble in disguise or something?’

Rionara glanced up at the receptionist without lifting her face as if trying to remain a small ball in her chair.

“Can I eat these…?”

“Of course, eat as many as you’d like.”

She flinched a bit but shyly nodded as she muttered under her breath.

“Ah… thank you.”

Rionara quietly reached for one chocolate and ate it. It was instant gratification for both her and the receptionist, whose face was beaming upon seeing the girl’s delighted face.

After setting matters of sweets aside, Lucina interlocked her fingers on top of the table and started to talk to Priscilla directly.

“I’m sorry for the guild’s attitude. Most adventurers don’t tend to take care of children, you see.”

The knight’s gaze went from Rionara eating one chocolate ball to the receptionist’s eyes.

“Yet, you seem very different from the rest.”

“I was an orphan before coming to Arivaul. I can understand her hardships. But nevertheless, I am employed by the guild and I have a few things that I must discuss with you, Miss Priscilla.” The knight felt like she was being addressed by her Queen, even if only for a brief moment. “We don’t usually regulate how adventurers behave outside of the guild premises, but your ‘threat’ has reached the ears of those higher up the guild and needless to say they weren’t happy with your outburst at the inn.”

Priscilla’s hands started to tighten into fists as she continued hearing her speech. Deep down she knew she committed a mistake—one that could expose her entirely, but at the time she couldn’t just let it slide.

She was about to voice her complaints, when Lucina’s tone shifted for a more calm and glad voice.

“But—given captain Rhys’ influence within the guild and the fact that you saved two people’s lives from armed thieves, I’d say you are in the clear. Just stay out of trouble from here onwards and–”

“Um! Pris was just trying to find a place for me to sleep!” Rionara’s sudden outburst made both Lucina and the knight look at her in surprise. After a few moments of silence, she finally realized where the conversation was heading and her face started to redden. “I… uh… sorry… I didn’t mean to shout…”

“Hahaha! It’s alright, don’t worry.” Lucina knocked on the wooden walls of the booth. “These walls are enchanted with a silence spell, it’s practically impossible to hear what we are saying from the outside.” She turned her attention to Priscilla and bowed slightly. “Thank you for your services to this city, adventurer.”

“Ah… it’s my pleasure.” She lowered her head, which prompted Rionara to do the same. “About the inn, is there any other place that could take us in? We spent the night at Geralt’s home but I’d rather have a better place for Rio to sleep in.”

Lucina’s shoulders softened up as her gaze shifted towards the girl in front of her.

“While I can’t formally introduce you to the inn where I go to, I can give you directions.” She picked a crumpled piece of parchment from her pocket and slid across the table to Priscilla. “They aren’t as strict as to who rests there as long as you pay. But buying better clothes for Rionara may help you avoid unwanted attention. Oh and regarding what you’ve asked earlier, we don’t normally allow adventurers to enter the dungeon until they reach at the very least iron rank.”

Priscilla raised an eyebrow while tilting her head slightly to the side as she was completely unfamiliar with the guild’s policies.

“And that would be…?”

“Right, I never got the chance to explain it to you. In the guild, we divide adventurers by six distinct ranks.” Lucina then pulled six plates of different materials from her pocket, letting the metals clink against one another on top of the table as she rearranged them in order. “Copper, iron, steel, silver, gold and platinum. Quest availability also changes the higher rank you are, for instance, the simple act of entering the dungeon requires an iron plate and exploring the deepest floors requires a silver or better rank.”

“I see…” Priscilla held her chin as her eyes narrowed slightly. “Is there any way I can make it to iron in, let’s say, a few days?”

The receptionist crossed her arms and sighed lightly.

“You really are stubborn aren’t you, Miss Priscilla?”

“It’s what my father also used to say.”

“Is there any reason why you want to explore the dungeon so badly?”

At that moment the knight felt a pang of guilt. Lies and deceit weren’t things that came naturally to her, but her mission demanded no less. She chose to do this alone.

“To prove my parents wrong. That I am no sheltered noble girl but a spellfencer at heart.”

Lucina closed her eyes and lowered her head while still with both arms crossed. She let out a long and slow exhale, clearly showing she wasn’t sure of what she should say, but words kept coming out of her mouth regardless. Maybe out of compassion, or pity.

“Hmm… I can’t say I understand the need for you to rush things, but there is a way.”

That statement lit a fire in Priscilla’s eyes as she leaned forward with both hands on the table.

“Tell me what I need to do.”

“Bounty hunting.”