The Debut of the Hero: Part Two

“No, we don’t want bigger! Bigger turns it into a cannon! Look, multiple smaller cannons get the same volume, but with layered effects. If we want a memorable fireworks show, you want volume, not one big bang. Hunter, back me up on this, will you?”

Hunter walked by his father dealing with the other engineers in his group in the main dining hall. He had covered half the table with blueprints of his own design, all scratched with notes.

“Volume, right. More pops per pound. Best fireworks show we ever saw was the one by Lake Everwind. It was pow, pow, pow, half an hour of those cannons going nuts.”

“Thank you! As I was saying, gentlemen…”

“But the FUNNIEST fireworks show was the one where everything went off all at once. Big boom. Violet was blown clear off my shoulders. Kinda thought she was deaf. I…”

“Hunter.”

He looked across the busy dining room. His mother stood near the entrance with Mira, both of them giving him the same look, eyebrows arched, arms crossed.

“Later, dad. Enjoy your explosives. I’m gonna go get my ass chewed out,” Hunter said, clapping his dad on the back.

“Remember, Heroes are expected to show mercy. Use it against her, son,” Alec said with a wave.

“Why do you keep slipping away?” Mira asked.

“I’m trying to find something to do,” Hunter said.

“You HAVE something to do.”

“Something BETTER.”

“Hunter,” Samara said gently as they walked down the hall, “I know you aren’t thrilled with helping Rose with the wardrobe, but your father has the fireworks display under control, Lily is helping with the banners and Rose is ankle deep in tulle and ribbons. She needs backup.”

“Couldn’t I back up into an oncoming magitech tank?” Hunter sighed as they entered the main room of the guest wing. The king sat with Rose as maids pinned pieces of fabric onto dummies.

“So poofier is not better?” King Allius asked.

“We’re young women, not cake toppers,” Rose said.

“My daughter likes wearing the dresses I commission.”

Mira coughed into her hand, holding up her fan.

“I still think this whole affair is a bit much,” Samara said, helping a maid with one of the dummies.

“I am skilled at many things, Samara. One of those things is politicking,” Allius said, scratching his beard as he looked at one of the dress designs.

“How is us throwing a big party politicking?” Hunter asked. He then grabbed one of the two brooches Rose held. “Go with the blue one. Let’s cut the whole debating over colors thing in half. You always choose blue.”

“You know your sister’s jewelry preferences?” Mira asked.

“I am an expert in many domestic and fashion skills, however unintentionally. Growing up on the estrogen express does something to you,” Hunter said with a shrug.

“To answer your question, Hunter,” Allius said, “the politics of this event is simple. Your mother coming forward as the new Hero is a grand event. It is also the beginning of terrible times.”

The room fell silent for a moment.

“The Hero exists to fight Vigon and the Sickening he brings. Your mother will have to fight monsters, a dark lord in whatever form he takes…but she will also have to fight people.”

Samara’s hand tightened around the ribbon she was holding.

“Brigot!”

“Yes sir!” the twin braided assistant called out as she appeared as if from nowhere next to Hunter.

“HOLY…where the damn…why do you…” Hunter exclaimed, clasping his chest.

“Brigot, please show Samara the latest crime statistics for Centralia alone,” Allius said. Brigot walked swiftly over to her and opened her trusty binder to the correct page. Samara’s eyes crossed each line, growing wider as they did.

“The Sickening is not only a physical danger. It is a malady of the mind. It is hopelessness and desperation turned into rage and grief. We are introducing our new Hero in this gaudy way to show the public exactly who she is and what she is. A mother. A commoner elevated to nobility. She is, and forgive me if you are offended by this statement, not special. The people will trust her. If we celebrate her, it will soothe hearts and minds.”

“So you want my mom to trick people into forgetting about all the monsters and stuff,” Hunter asked.

“Not everyone is eager to fight the forces of darkness, young man,” Allius said with a slight smile.

“Yeah, so leave the politics to the pros,” Rose sniped.

“You wanna trade places with Riktar on Daisy and Violet duty?” Hunter asked, poking her cheek.

“Ah, so his wearing a delightful color of eyeshadow is explained,” Mira giggled.

“Well, I have more than dresses to supervise,” Allius said, standing. “Mira, I entrust you to sufficiently de-poof the dresses. Samara, could you check on…”

“Kitchen next, then meeting with the wait staff!” Samara said cheerfully.

“Wonderful! I must say, I am loving the perks of a domesticated Hero! Come along, Brigot. No more startling the children.”

Hunter kept his eyes on the woman until she left the room.

“She’s not magic, Hunter,” Mira sighed.

“I’m convinced she uses worm holes,” Hunter said, eyes narrowed, disbelieving.

*

Orange afternoon light filtered through the window, causing the snow to glisten outside like frozen fire. Mira stretched as she pinned the last piece of fabric. Rose had left a few minutes earlier after Hunter had helped her finish the last of the dresses. The princess flopped heavily onto the couch.

“Oof. Long day. Still better than speaking with royals. I’d rather do prep than preen like a peacock,” she said while yawning. Then she jumped as she felt hands on her shoulders.

“Relax. I learned long ago how to get Rose’s muscles relaxed. Gotta keep the champ in shape, right?” Hunter began to work on her shoulders and neck.

“Whoa. Your talents know no bounds,” Mira purred, leaning back. She looked up at him, her head tilting. “I like watching you like this.”

“What? Acting like your manservant?”

“No, I mean all day. With your sisters. Like, earlier, Lily didn’t want to draw the banner for the servants until you gave her the festival mask you found.”

“She needs a barrier sometimes. Compliments scare her as much as criticism does. If she could spit out pictures and never know what people thought, she’d be incredibly happy. So the mask let her work anonymously, in a weird way.”

“You know, you’re a good brother.”

His hands stilled momentarily.

“Yeah…sometimes it feels like all I am is a good brother.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing.”

“No, something. I have known you for several months now, and you always get this attitude when talking about your family. You can talk for hours about people who lived hundreds of years ago, but you never want to talk about the people you live with.”

“What’s to say? They’re…”

“What?”

His hands fell away from her.

“You know, growing up people sometimes didn’t even realize the amazing Willingham sisters had a brother. I stayed at home, practicing on my stupid dummy, reading books, while they all…”

Mira spun and grabbed his face, putting hers right in front of his.

“Oh. Oh!”

“Stop it.”

“I get it now!”

“Get what?”

“Why you and I work so well together! You think nobody looked at you, and I’m sick of people looking at me!”

“You are?”

“Ugh. Hate it. Trust me, when this party comes, you’ll see. Oh, princess, your gown is so, your hair is so, what a wonderful joke, how sharp a comment on the topic of, and so on. Fake, all of it.”

She stood, walking over to the window, pressing her palm to the cool glass. The sun highlighted her. Hunter didn’t know why, but for a moment, as he looked at her, it felt harder to breathe.

“There are about five people I actually enjoy being around. I love being princess. I hate the fakeness. But you…your life has never felt fake, has it? More…”

“Pointless?”

“Pointless…”

Mira nodded.

“I’d give everything for a big family. And you’d probably give everything to feel important. This is why we work. We’re kind of…renting the best parts of each other’s lives.”

Hunter couldn’t help but let out a fierce snicker.

“Terrible way of putting it.”

“See?! You’re not fake. Most people I know would pretend what I said completely made sense! You, sir, are the sixth person I enjoy being around.”

“Man, hearing those words from a princess is something.” Hunter walked over and put his arm around her shoulder, leading her to the hallway. “Guess I better make sure the party doesn’t suck for you.”

“With you around, I’m betting it will be the best royal party I’ve ever been forced to attend.”

“I guarantee it,” Hunter said as the guest wing door clicked shut.

*

In a dark corner of the slums of Centralia, a man tore off a butler's uniform. Harsh eyes watched him as he walked through the old apartments, ascending to the top floor. A quick knock opened the door of the furthest apartment.

“You were right. It’s the Hero. She’s here.”

Thin, greasy lips smiled darkly.