Book Two - Chapter Twenty-Two

“I think we should stop here for the night,” Ander said, slowing the carriage to a halt by the side of the road.

The location seemed rather arbitrary. There was nothing noteworthy about the random spot in the open field. The timing made sense, however. The last of the sun’s rays peeking over the horizon still provided enough light to see, but it would be a matter of minutes before black night dominated the sky. Lusya would have been fine continuing to travel. In some ways, she would have preferred it. But pacing oneself was an important part of any endeavor, and neither Ander nor the horses had the same stamina as her. Besides, it was not as if she always had a meticulous plan for where she camped. Many of her stops in town were planned, but camp locations did tend to be the first convenient spot she came across once it started getting dark.

“That is fine,” she said.

It took a few minutes to set up camp and get a fire going. They were not in the forest, and there was only one tree in sight, but Ander carried firewood. Convenient. Lusya only had room for so much in her pack, so she had never been able to do so. Were it not for her agreement with Ariya to improve their food, they would have gone without a fire most nights.

“I’ll cook tonight,” Ander said once everything was set up. “Unless you want to, that is.”

Lusya shook her head. “I have no strong feelings on the matter.”

He nodded. “I figured you’d say that. I take it you don’t have any requests, then?”

“I do not,” she said. “Make what you wish. I am not selective.”

“I figured that too.”

He got to work on the meal. Even if she had been a picky eater, there were not many options on the road. There were only so many preserved and nonperishable foods fit for cooking with, and only so many dishes one could make with them. Even in the tome of recipes Lusya carried, many were quite similar to each other. Ander’s carriage allowing him to carry a larger variety of ingredients had bolstered the variety of dishes available, but even then, most of the new ones were effectively minor expansions on old ones. The biggest additions were stews and soups, one of which he seemed to be making at the moment. Lusya could only carry so much water, so using any to make a broth had seemed wasteful. Between the two of them, however, they could spare some for the night’s meal.

Though Lusya had had no objections to doing everything that needed doing with Ariya, it was nice to have someone else taking some responsibility. Lusya was less affected by boredom than most mortals or demons, but she did enjoy being able to use the time Ander was cooking for some additional reading.

“You know, for someone who’s not picky, you cook pretty well,” he said as he fussed over the sizzling pot before him. “I would have thought you wouldn’t have bothered to learn.”

“I used to eat the ingredients alone,” she said. “Ariya complained.”

Ander chuckled. “What you mean you’d just take a handful of meat and whatever else and eat it like that?”

“That is correct,” she said.

“…You’re serious?”

“It was sufficient and efficient,” she said.

He fixed her with a scowl. “There’s more to food than that. It’s not just about being happy in the moment. A good, warm meal can really lift your spirits, you know. And, on the other hand, bad food can ruin your mood like nothing else.”

“I have not noticed any particular changes since shifting,” she said.

He sighed and offered no further response.

They continued in silence as he finished the meal. Once he was done, he portioned out two bowls and handed her one. It was decent enough. The dish was in line with what she made, albeit floating in a light broth. He also had added a few seasonings he carried with him. They did add a bit of nuance to the salt of the ingredients, and eating a soup was quite different from a simple heap of food.

“I am curious,” she said as she ate, “how powerful is your father?”

His father was a nobleman. But aside from that and not being well-known outside his country, Lusya knew little about the man. She knew little about Ander, for that matter, and this seemed a decent avenue through which to learn more, which seemed wise if they were going to travel together for the foreseeable future.

Ander frowned, stirring around his food as he thought. “I’m not sure how to answer that, honestly. He owns a decent chunk of land, and he’s technically not a direct vassal to anyone but the king. But compared to the real big shots, it’s not that much land, and he doesn’t have the ear of the king the same way they do.”

“I see. Is there anything of value on this land?”

“We’ve got a good supply of iron,” he said. “It helps keep the coffers full. There’re a couple farmers who make the best cheese you’ve ever tasted, too, but they don’t produce enough for us to see much from that.”

It did sound a bit difficult to categorize Ander’s father. He seemed to be well-off and powerful, but not influential outside his own lands. In some ways, that may have been a convenient position, with no superiors save the king to worry about answering to, but it also seemed a precarious one.

“And is your father satisfied with that position?” she asked.

Ander wriggled his hand in a so-so gesture. “Our family’s been in pretty much the same place for generations, and I don’t think he really has a problem with it, personally. But during the war, some of the more powerful nobility took the opportunity to try to take our lands or make Father their subordinate, under the pretense of promoting strength and unity.

“They failed, but, because of that, I think he feels like he needs to be more proactive in improving our position. He’s been working a lot on making ties with similar families, and one of my sisters is engaged to the heir of one of the most powerful houses in the country. One was even in the running to be betrothed to the crown prince at one point.”

Lusya had heard of similar events. Mortal political machinations did not stop just because the world was about to end. Father himself had exploited that, winning the support of certain mortals—some covertly, others in the open—in order to bolster his forces. Most had been swayed with false promises of being spared or granted power. A few had been more than happy to join in laying the world to waste, with no pretense needed.

It sounded like Ander’s father was handling the situation well, though it was difficult to say with certainty. Politics were not her strong suit, nor had Father ever involved her in them to any large degree.

“It sounds as though you have many siblings,” she said. Being the third son and mentioning two sisters meant he had at least four, though nobles often had many children.

He nodded. “Two older brothers, one younger…” He counted on his fingers as he spoke. “…two younger sisters, and one older.” He shrugged. “It’s the nature of things. Gotta have a few backups in case something happens to the heir, plus more kids to marry off and forge connections with other families. Even before my father, it’s not like my family wasn’t playing the game at all.”

“I see.”

His eyes suddenly widened. “Oh, I don’t mean to say my parents just think of us as tools or anything.” That had rather been the implication, not that Lusya cared either way. “Some people do that with their kids, but I think getting me a mentor like they did and supporting me joining the Sacred Knights is a pretty good indicator they care about us outside of that.” That seemed true enough. “But that’s also not to say those concerns didn’t play a role at all.”

“You have mentioned your mentor several times,” she said. “But you have never elaborated on his identity.”

Ander laughed and scratched his head. “That’s right, isn’t it? I guess it’s only fair I tell you a little now, since you shared a little about yours.” He hummed in thought. “He’s a former Sacred Knight himself, but you probably could have guessed that. I think he got pretty far up back in the day, but I’m not sure what his exact rank was.”

“What is his name?” she asked.

Ander smiled. “I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours. Not that I need to hide it, but you can’t go prying when you’re not willing to answer the same questions.”

That was…fair. And she certainly was not willing to tell him. Father’s name, Romoro, was not well-known, but she was not going to take the chance that Ander had heard it.

“I suppose that is the end of that conversation then,” she said.

There was another brief silence before he spoke again.

“Have you been enjoying Dancing Tigers?”

She nodded. “It has been quite interesting.”

Though there was plenty of action, as Ander had promised, there was also a good amount of political intrigue, and the narrative took pains to explore each major character in depth.

“Who’s your favorite character?” he asked.

“I do not usually think of things in such terms.”

He shrugged. “Well, try now.”

She blinked and took a moment to mull over the question.

“Makwell is interesting,” she said at last.

Ander frowned. “I guess. I didn’t like what a hypocrite he was.”

“That is what makes him interesting,” she said.

“I can see that.”

“I do not understand the title,” she said. “There are no tigers, nor any motifs I would identify with them.”

“Yeah, I don’t get it either,” he said. “Then again, I don’t know that much about tigers.” She was no expert either, so it was possible they were both missing something. He pursed his lips. “I’m kind of surprised you like reading. You struck me as the type who would think reading fiction was a waste of time.”

“It is enjoyable, and I primarily do it during time I would not have spent on anything productive anyway,” she said. “However, I would not agree with such an assertion even if that were not the case. Fiction provides an…interesting look into people’s hearts.”

A story was a peak into a world that worked only as the writer thought it would or should. It was not the only reason Lusya enjoyed them, but it was an unusually thorough look into the often enigmatic and fascinating minds of mortals.

“When taken as a group, they can be especially enlightening,” she continued.

“Right?” Ander said, grinning. “Nothing tells you what’s important to people like what keeps popping up in their stories. Well, sometimes writers specifically avoid including what’s important to them, but that’s interesting in its own way.”

Lusya nodded. “Indeed.”

He gasped and smiled, even wider than before. “Did I just get an eye-widen?”

She cocked her head, blinking twice. “What is an ‘eye-widen?’”

“It’s…when your eyes open a little wider,” he said.

She blinked again. “And you believe there is some noteworthy significance to this?”

He frowned. “Do you not realize you’re doing this stuff?”

“What are you referring to?”

He cocked his head to the side, blinked twice, and gestured at his head. “All this.”

“There is no way I could not notice my head tilting that far or my eyes closing,” she said. “I have simply never paid it any particular mind.”

“Interesting. So, you don’t know what it means?”

“I am aware I do that when my curiosity gets the better of me, among other, similar situations,” she said. “If I have other, similar such expressions, I have not taken note of them.”

Ander let out a contemplative hum and took another bite of his food. “Ariya says an eye-widen means you’re happy. Like a smile.”

“She has been keeping track?” That explained Ariya’s apparent ability to interpret some of Lusya’s thoughts and intentions.

“I guess,” he said with a shrug. “I have too, for the record. We kind of have to, if we want to have any idea what you’re thinking. It’s not like you smile or frown.”

“I see,” Lusya said. “I cannot confirm or deny whether that conclusion is correct. I rarely take note of how wide my eyes are open.”

“Well, it is pretty hard to see,” he said, chuckling. “I would actually believe you don’t know you’re doing that one.”

“I will attempt to be more observant in the future.”

She had rarely spent much time in close contact with others. Even during her time with Father, she had kept her distance from most demons. As such, demons and mortals alike had trouble reading her through her stoic demeanor. That was useful at times, and it was good to know that sustained contact could erode the mystery for them. Father and a few others, like Rahgrahb and her other teachers, had seemed better at guessing at her inner thoughts. Perhaps that was why. It was a potential inconvenience, but there may have been some situations where it could be a boon as well. None of the others—Ariya included—had ever mentioned it, but, like Ander, they may have assumed Lusya knew.

She did not know why she would have been “smiling.” Much like splitting tasks, being able to have a proper conversation with someone was not an unpleasant change of pace. She never longed for company, but she did not shun it either. Still, she had not been enjoying it that much.

“Anyway, how’s my cooking?” he asked.

She took another bite. “It is quite good. The extra flavoring is appreciated.”

He gave a smug smirk.

“Your reaction seems disproportionate to my comment,” she said.

He shrugged. “Who wouldn’t be happy that a pretty girl gave him a compliment?”

“My attractiveness makes the compliment more impactful?”

He chuckled. “You don’t believe in false modesty, I see. And yes, it does.”

“That is good to know.”

She had known it could influence people’s reactions in useful ways, but this particular interaction was new to her.

“Oh, I meant to ask earlier,” he said, “but do you have any siblings?”

“Not that I know of,” she replied. All things considered, it would have been no great surprise to learn of half-siblings through either of her parents. “What is having siblings like?”

He scratched his head and hummed in thought. “I’m not sure how to explain it to an only child…It’s kind of like having friends, I guess? Except they live with you, and you don’t necessarily like them. Not that I hate any of mine, but we definitely wouldn’t all be friends if we weren’t family.”

“I have little knowledge of what having friends is like either,” she replied.

“Oh,” he said, frowning. “Well, I’m sure you know the definition…” She nodded. “…and I’m really not sure how to explain it beyond that.” He paused for several seconds, muttered something to himself, then smiled. “But, hey, we’re friends.”

“So you have said,” she replied.

“And I’ll say it again,” he said. He blushed. “Do you not actually agree? Were you just being polite in front of Puvica? That would be unusual for you.”

She shook her head. “I do not have any strong feelings on the matter, but the term is an adequate fit.”

“I think I’ll take that as a win,” he said.

“Do as you wish.”

She finished her food and put the bowl aside.

“You may get to sleep when you are finished,” she said.

Ander clicked his tongue repeatedly, shaking his head. “Oh no you don’t. You kept first watch yesterday. You shouldn’t skimp on sleep like that. Maybe that’s needed when it’s just you and Ariya, but I can handle carrying my weight. I’ll stand guard for a few hours, then we can switch.”

“I am more capable than most of functioning with little sleep,” she said.

“Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get it when you can.”

She nodded. “I suppose that is true.” Once again, she found herself thinking that she could get used to having a companion who was capable of contributing. She stood, but paused before heading to the tent. “Were you not going to tell a joke tonight?”

He grinned, almost victorious. “Are you starting to look forward to it?”

“That is not what I said,” she replied. “It has become customary, so I was expecting it.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want to miss a day,” he said. “I’m getting close to cracking you, I can feel it.”

“You are mistaken,” she said.

He gestured to the ground. “Sit down, I’ll think of one real quick.”

“Very well.”