A knight's Promise

Days passed. Mariah, Tristan, and Rowan split their time between the academy and the guild, rushing out the moment class ended to chip away at as many E-rank tasks as they could manage. For now, that meant herb-gathering runs through the forest, simple, repetitive, necessary work while they waited for their rank to climb. Minato, meanwhile, had been buried in catching up on the lessons he'd missed. With Professor Eirene's patient help, he'd made good progress. But one problem remained, stubbornly unchanged: his arm.

At the healing ward, he sat with his sleeve rolled back while a healer worked light into the damaged tissue. The glow faded after a few minutes. The healer stepped back and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Minato. That's all I can do for today. We've already sent word to the head healer, he's far more skilled than any of us. But he's stationed at the front lines, so it may be some time before we hear back." She paused. "I truly apologise."

Minato gave her a reassuring smile and stood. "You've done plenty. Don't worry about it."

He wrapped his arm again in the shadow-cast he'd been using, and left.

He'd barely stepped into the corridor when a familiar voice called out.

"Excuse me, Minato. My lord would like a word."

He looked up and found Isolde standing to one side, expression polite and unreadable as always. Beside her, leaning against the wall with a grin that promised nothing good, was Prince Caius.

"Hey there, friend. How are you holding up?"

Students passing in the hall slowed, glancing between the two of them with undisguised curiosity. Minato could feel the speculation gathering like static. Without a word, he grabbed Caius by the arm and dragged him down the corridor.

Caius laughed. Isolde followed silently.

They walked through the academy in a parade of stares until they reached the library, where Minato finally let go and dropped into a chair. Isolde set out tea without being asked. Caius helped himself to the plate of cookies she'd brought along.

"So," Minato said. "What is it this time?"

Caius spoke around a mouthful of cookies. "Oh, come on!" He swallowed, took a sip of tea, and grinned. "I barely even bother you that much. You're being dramatic."

Minato picked up his own cup and sighed into it. "It hasn't been a week since we met and I've already seen you over ten times. If you're not waiting for me at the library, you're knocking on my door at the dorms."

"My lord, Minato is correct." Isolde refilled Caius' cup and set the pot down. "Would you like more tea?"

"Thanks, Isolde. Your tea is excellent, as always."

He took another long drink, set the cup down with care, and looked across the table at Minato properly.

"Fair enough you make a good point. But I promise it's not out of malice or anything like that. Just curiosity." He leaned forward slightly. "I've met a lot of people, Minato. Some of them are mages whose magic shines like stars. I can't help wanting to see those people up close to understand how their magic came to be. And yours" His eyes brightened. "Yours is the most dazzling I've ever seen."

He leaned in closer. Minato leaned back. The air between them grew uncomfortably focused.

Isolde placed a cookie directly into Caius' mouth.

"My lord, you're being creepy." She sat down beside them and poured herself tea. "Also, how's the cookie?"

Caius sat back slowly, chewing with visible delight. "These are incredible, Isolde. Your best batch yet. Truly outstanding."

She smiled warmly. Minato exhaled and let himself relax a little.

"Right before I forget." Caius set his cup down. "There's actually something important I wanted to talk to you about today."

"I'm listening."

"Your arm. It's proving difficult to fix with the current staff, isn't it?"

Minato's hand drifted to the shadow-wrapped limb. "That's putting it mildly. They ran a preliminary scan to assess the damage, and it wasn't good. They've all tried since then, but it's beyond what they can handle. Only the head healer has the skill to help and he's currently stationed at the frontiers."

"Yes, I know. My father sent him there to support the soldiers dealing with the beast incursions."

"Right. So there it is." Minato shrugged with one shoulder. "The healing magic they've been using keeps the pain manageable, at least, and I made this cast to keep it stable while I wait."

"I applaud your resourcefulness, but maintaining that constantly must be draining. You've been lucky there hasn't been a situation that required you to fight."

"Well, we haven't had one called yet. Why bring it up?"

Caius rose from his chair. Isolde stood with him, silent and ready. He looked down at Minato with the kind of easy confidence that made it hard to tell whether he was joking or completely serious.

"I have a solution. I know someone whose skill in the healing arts rivals the head healer's possibly exceeds it, from what I've seen. What do you say? Want me to reach out to him for you?"

Minato tilted his head. "What's the catch?"

Caius smiled warm and sharp at the same time. "No catch. I simply want to see my friend in peak fighting condition." He paused. "The school tournament is coming up. I'd like to face you at your best when the time comes."

The warmth in his voice didn't fade, but something in it settled into expectation.

"Take your time and think it over. The offer stands as long as you need it to."

He waved once. Isolde bowed. The two of them left.

Minato sat alone at the table, staring at the remaining tea. He couldn't decide whether accepting help that easily was a good idea or a terrible one. Eventually he gave up, drained his cup, and headed back to class.

When he walked in, he found Tristan, Rowan, and Mariah slumped across their desks like people who had just survived something.

"What happened to you three?"

Tristan managed a tired smile. "Adventurer work on top of academy work has been challenging."

Rowan sat up with visible effort. "This isn't even a fun challenge. It's boring as hell."

Mariah groaned into her arms. "We've done nothing but search for herbs and pick them. Over and over. I can't stand it anymore."

Rowan scratched at her hair in frustration. "I thought we'd be fighting monsters by now. My older siblings always made it sound like that."

The room went quiet for a beat. Tristan looked at her, eyebrows raised.

"That's the first time you've mentioned your family, Rowan. I'll admit I've been curious."

Rowan's energy returned all at once. She clapped her hands together and stood. "You know what? Come visit my place later today. All of you. Come on, let's go!"

The exhaustion evaporated. They packed their things and headed for the carriages.

The ride took them through the capital, first wide streets lined with storefronts selling things that gleamed and cost more than most people made in a month. Crowds moved along the walkways in a constant, glittering flow. Then they crossed through the inner gates and out into the common city, just beyond the capital's edge.

It was larger, quieter, built with efficiency rather than display. The buildings were solid and worn in the way that came from use, not neglect. There was less polish here, but more life. Minato looked out the window and smiled.

They stepped out of the carriage and walked toward the orphanage.

It was a modest building, its walls showing age in the cracks along the edges, but filled with the sound of children running and shouting in the yard. A woman stood at the centre of it all, hands on her hips, trying to corral them.

"Stop that! Honestly, where do you all get this much energy?"

One of the kids glanced back at her and grinned. "You're too slow, Aunty Thessia!"

"Slow, am I?"

She appeared behind him in an instant. The boy froze.

"My, my. Look at that I caught you, young man."

The other children burst into laughter. Thessia ruffled his hair gently, then looked up and saw Rowan approaching with the others.

"Rowan, dear are these your friends? You should have told me! I would have prepared something."

Rowan scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing. Sorry about that."

Minato and Tristan stepped forward. "Please don't worry about it, miss. The warm welcome is more than enough."

"Minato's right," Tristan added. "And you seem to have your hands full with this lot. They're quite the energetic bunch."

The children stared at the newcomers with wide, curious eyes. One of them walked straight up to Mariah, who had been standing quietly at the back.

"Who are you? You look funny just standing there like that."

Minato and Tristan turned in mild alarm. Mariah smirked down at the boy.

"I am Mariah Veymaris, heir to House Veymaris. You should consider yourself honoured young one. You're standing before greatness."

The boy turned back to Thessia. "Aunty Thessia, she's funny. Come play with us, funny lady!"

He grabbed Mariah's hand. The other children swarmed around her, and she was pulled into the yard with a chorus of laughter.

Thessia smiled and gestured toward the house. "Well then. How about the rest of us go inside? I'll have tea ready in a moment after you."

They settled around a low table near the windows, which Thessia left open so they could keep an eye on Mariah and the children outside. Tea was poured, and they spent the next while talking about Rowan's time at the academy, about the others who lived here but were out at the moment, about the small joys and difficulties of running the orphanage.

Thessia set her cup down and smiled warmly at Rowan. "I'm truly so happy to see you doing well. At first I worried about the hardships you'd face, the loneliness, the pressure. But seeing you now"

Rowan reached across the table and took her hands. "I'm doing fine, I promise. Academy life can be boring sometimes, yeah, but it's fun because I've got these guys with me." She glanced at Tristan and Minato. "They're pretty strong, you know. Stronger than me right now. But don't get complacent, you two I'll catch up sooner or later."

Tristan and Minato grinned at each other, then back at her.

"Bring it on."

They all laughed. Then Mariah's face appeared in the window, staring at them with unsettling calm.

"You all seem to be having a lovely conversation."

Thessia turned toward the yard. "I hope the little ones haven't caused you too much what?!"

The children were standing in a perfect single-file line beside Mariah, hands at their sides, expressions serious.

Mariah tilted her chin up. "Behold. They have become knights in service to one as great as myself." She turned to the children. "Everyone bow."

They bowed in unison. Mariah let out a triumphant laugh.

The others stared in a mixture of confusion and genuine amusement.

The afternoon passed in warmth and easy laughter. Eventually the light shifted, and it was time to return to campus. They gathered their things and stepped outside.

Thessia walked them to the gate. "Thank you all so much for visiting. It's a shame the others are away, but I'll send them your greetings when they return."

The young boy who had called Mariah funny walked up to her before she could leave.

"You're a noble, right?" he said. "Do you think when I'm older I could work for you? I want to make money for everyone here. They all work so hard for us, especially Aunty Thessia."

Thessia's hand drifted to her shaved antlers. Rowan glanced at her, and something sad flickered across her face.

"When I grow up," the boy continued, "I want to help take care of them. So they can have all the food they want. So please, Lady Mariah"

Mariah crouched down and placed a hand on his head. "When the time comes, go to my house and tell them one of Mariah's knights has arrived. I'll welcome you with open arms."

Tears welled in the boy's eyes. He blinked them back, straightened, and bowed deeply.

Thessia and the other children smiled. They waved as Rowan and the others climbed into the carriage and headed back toward the academy, the warmth of the visit still lingering around them like something soft and good.