The Meaning of Potential

Over the course of a week, Terrence continued to train under the guidance of Captain Lucius. Not only that, the Captain brought in a young woman named Kayla, who was his Lieutenant. Today, Terrence was having another sparring session with her.

Her waist-length braid of hair, colored like the sky, swayed with every move she made. Her emerald eyes twitched frequently, as she was unable to maintain her composure. Despite her height, which was a full head over Terrence, her meek demeanor made her come off as smaller.

It always felt bad to spar with Kayla, at least at first. She was just so…scared, that Terrence wondered how someone like her became a Lieutenant, much less a knight. But yet, every time they fought, he felt there was something off about her…

She let out a yelp when he slipped past her guard and cut the side of her training tunic. As he tried to follow with a punch under her chest, she somehow sidestepped it and retaliated with a horizontal. He barely blocked it, struggling a little from the sudden surge of force.

Then as quickly as Kayla's wind came, it faded, and her body was once more unsteadied. Terrence knocked her sword aside, sending it flying out of the ring. She gasped in shock and fell back, and at that point Lucius called out.

"That's the match! You've won again, Prince Terrence!"

Bjartbrandr transformed out of Terrence's hand, and he leaned down to offer it to Kayla. She blushed lightly as she accepted it, allowing him to help her up. She then sighed sadly and gave her Captain an apologetic look.

"Once again…I'm sorry, Captain." She lamented.

Lucius shook his head. "It's alright, Miss Kayla, you've improved a little more. Just go take a bath and rest, for now. Tomorrow, you'll be back on patrol duty."

"Aye, Sir."

The Lieutenant saluted, then gave Terrence a nod before walking away, slouching as she did so. When she was gone, he decided to ask the question he had been pondering for a while.

"Lucius, are you sure it's right for her to be a knight?"

Lucius smiled wryly. "I admit, it may be hard to believe. But I know she has great potential. When I met her a year ago, I sensed it. That's why I took her in as my second-in-command. You've noticed what she can be capable of, yes?"

Terrence thought about how Kayla almost had him. The way she dodged, the power in her swing, and the momentary determination in her eyes. She had times like that in every sparring session, and now it made sense to him.

"She's really more skilled than she lets on." He voiced.

Lucius nodded. "Yes, she can be a great fighter when she puts her mind to it. However, as you have seen…"

"She can't handle the stress of fighting. It keeps her from performing at her best."

"Not only that…her repeated failures have stunted her self-confidence. Her true potential is locked in a cage of doubt and fear. But there's still a possibility for it to break free, and I think you may be the key to that."

Terrence was taken aback. "Why me? What can I do?"

Lucius smiled pleasantly. "By training with her, you're showing her how even the worst can become great. She can learn courage from you, that's what I believe."

He placed a hand on the Prince's shoulder, and gave him a more serious gaze.

"Tomorrow, you'll be testing your growth by taking a commission. I've decided to assign Kayla to go with you. Please, show her what it means to be a hero."

Terrence looked aside as he considered that. He didn't think very highly of himself, so how could he inspire someone like Kayla? Would she even be okay with a commission? Would he fail her?

Yet, as he looked into Lucius's eyes, he saw all of that confidence in him. The Captain was trusting Kayla's wellbeing to the Prince…how could he say no? So Terrence took a deep breath, then answered firmly.

"You can count on me, I swear it."

Lucius smiled with slight relief. "Thank you, milord."

Bjartbrandr smiled at her wielder. "You really are brave, Master Terrence."

Terrence blushed lightly and chuckled. "That's a bit much, but thank you."

____________________________________________

Afterward, Terrence and Bjartbrandr went to the kitchen. There, they saw Mai in an apron, working along with the maids. When she noticed her betrothed and the Sacred Treasure, she stopped pounding flour and quickly excused herself.

"Dinner will be ready soon." She said upon getting close. "How was training?"

"More or less the same, as always." Terrence replied wryly. "But uh, there's something we have to tell you. We'll be taking a commission tomorrow, and Lieutenant Kayla will be joining. The Captain wants me to show her how to be a hero."

"This will be his greatest test." Bjartbrandr added. "If he can complete this commission, then he'll be considered ready to go on the Pilgrimage with the other Heroes of Arum."

"So…are you going to come with us? I'm not sure about leaving you here alone."

Mai shook her head, frowning a little. "Do you remember what I said before? I don't want to fight, that's not me. But I don't want to be a burden either, so that's why I'm working with the maids."

Terrence sighed. "I know, I know…Maybe I'm just anxious because this will be the first time we've ever been apart."

"I get it…I'm feeling that way too. I'm worried that you'll get seriously hurt out there, or worse."

The cat lady gave a serious face to Bjartbrandr.

"So please, keep him safe for me. Don't let him push himself too hard."

"I promise, he'll be safe with me." The divine weapon said in assurance. "You can work here with no worries, Lady Mai."

Terrence gave his best friend a soft look. "Yeah, I swear I'll be fine with her. We'll definitely complete the commission, and I'll come back as a proud Hero of Light."

It took a moment for Mai to relax. "Mhm…Okay, I believe in you both."

____________________________________________

Early the next morning, Terrence woke up and got ready for adventuring. While he still wore the coat from Cress, he now had a white suit that most young royals wore. Seeing it reminded him of the dream he had last week, about Prince Henry III and that girl called Hart.

He hadn't had any dreams since then, which made him confused. What prompted such a dream? Would he ever get another one? And what did it mean?

He was torn from that thought when something divinely warm hugged him from behind. In the mirror, he could see Bjartbrandr peeking over his shoulder, a fond smile on her lips.

"You look just like a royal." She said softly.

Terrence blushed lightly. "Thank you. Are you ready to go?"

She closed her eyes and became a ball of light, which floated into his chest. He could feel her settle within his soul, providing him with that divine heat.

"Whenever you are, Master." She replied.

He nodded, then looked to the bed and saw Mai sitting up with the covers in front of her. He went over and cupped her cheek, and she brought a hand over his. Her ears drooped slightly, indicating her worries.

"Do your best, but be careful, okay?" She murmured.

"Relax, I'll be back." He promised. "I have Bjartbrandr with me, and Kayla will be there too. It's you I'm worried about."

"Well, Patricia and maids will help me, so you don't have to worry either."

They smiled at each other, then shared one last kiss before Terrence went on his way.

__________________________________________

Lucius and Kayla were waiting at the palace entrance, and they weren't the only ones.

"Hey, Terrence!" Cress greeted enthusiastically.

Satin waved in merriment. "Hiya! Good to see you again!"

Elijah just gave the Prince a slight nod, which he returned before greeting them all.

"Hey guys. What are you doing here?"

"The King asked for us to join you for the commission." Cress explained. "Of course we agreed, gotta earn that money, ya know?"

Terrence smiled wryly. "I suppose so."

Lucius cut in. "The commission we chose for you will be difficult, so you'll need plenty of more experienced adventurers. They can even help you train along the way. You'll need to learn how to work in a team as well."

"I may not be much," Kayla added. "but um, I'll try to keep up!"

Terrence looked around at this new party. Cress was grinning confidently, while Satin was beaming and holding up two fingers. Elijah looked quite serious, while Kayla was trying her best to appear composed.

Terrence didn't really think much of himself, but as for everyone else…he trusted them to have his back. So with a more firm expression, he spoke to them.

"I look forward to working with you all. Let's do our best, together."

"Yeah!" Everyone said in unison.

__________________________________________

While the party rode away on a carriage, they reviewed the commission they had been given.

"We got Kobolds taking over the town of Cocola, a week away from here." Cress said with a frown. "We're to meet up with a knight brigade in Laplace, the town before that. I guess that's why the Lieutenant is here."

Kayla nodded, looking hesitant. "Yes, Captain told me to take command of them. But…I don't know if I'm capable of it."

"Then what are you a Lieutenant for? If ya can't step up, you may as well turn tail right now."

"That's a little harsh, don't you think?" Satin lightly chastised.

Kayla waved her hands. "I-it's okay! He's right…I have to step up. It's just…my first commission, so I'm nervous."

Knowing that she needed the support, Terrence spoke up for her sake.

"It's also my first, so I'm a bit worried too. You guys are more experienced than us, so I hope you don't mind showing us the ropes."

Cress snickered. "You got it, my friend! We'll help you two with your training, free of charge!"

Satin nodded with enthusiasm, while Kayla gave Terrence a grateful and relieved expression.

__________________________________________

A few hours later, the party stopped by a river to have lunch. While they ate, Terrence looked to Elijah, and recalled when he had gone to his father the week before. Curious about that, the brunette spoke his question.

"So your father, he's the High Captain, right? I haven't met him yet, or any other Royal Knights for that matter."

Cress shook his head. "Better that you haven't. The whole lot of them are wackos. I swear, even Lucius seems like he's hiding a loose nail or two."

"D-don't talk about Captain like that!" Kayla protested.

Then she blushed and murmured a sorry, then shrunk and went back to eating her stew. Elijah sighed as he answered the initial question.

"Yes, I'm the son of High Captain Taurus. I don't particularly like it."

Terrence raised an eyebrow. "Can you tell me why?"

"Because of all the expectations placed on me. You've heard of my family, haven't you?"

It took a moment for the former townsperson to think, but he did recall the stories of a line of powerful Royal Knights who served as the right hands of the royal family.

"Yes, generations of High Captains." He replied, crossing his arms. "They say your family has power that could match a Sacred Treasure. That's unbelievable. If I recall correctly…High Captain Taurus is truly exceptional, even among his family."

Elijah clutched his bowl tightly. "And ever since I was young, he's been pushing me to be just like him, or even better than that. He put me through training that would have killed any other person, and punished me if I messed up. I put up with it all because back then I genuinely looked up to him."

He shook a little, then stopped when Satin held his arm and gave him a worried look. He sighed wearily before speaking again.

"Anyway, that's why I'm not so fond of knighthood. Cress has a similar experience. We actually met through our fathers knowing each other."

Cress grimaced. "Yeah, my father is also a Royal Knight, Captain Rubrum. He wanted to follow the High Captain's example and cultivate a powerful bloodline. But it wasn't that simple."

He set his empty bowl down and leaned back, glowering at the sky.

"For most Humans, power isn't passed down by blood. It's very random, and only certain families have shown it being passed down over multiple generations. That's why Royal Knights seek those with great potential, so they can help bring it out and make new Royal Knights."

"You weren't born with potential, despite being the son of a Royal Knight?" Terrence guessed.

"Not just him. He went and found a girl with great potential, and not only made her his Lieutenant…he married her so her blood could mix with his. The result was me, a complete failure."

Cress sighed heavily, then gave Terrence a wide grin

"But hey, who cares about all that? I'm an adventurer, living the way I want to! That old man doesn't matter!"

The older boy grabbed his bowl and got up, then started heading for the carriage.

"Okay, let's get moving!" He urged. "Can't waste time!"

Terrence gave Satin and Elijah a concerned face, but they shrugged and went after their friend. Kayla hurried behind them, and Terrence finally followed suit.

___________________________________________

That night, the party stopped at a town and got settled in an inn, and Terrence decided to take a bath.

Just before he got in the tub, Bjartbrandr came out of his body and startled him.

"May I join you?" She asked coyly. "It's about time we get to speak face-to-face again."

He nodded, smiling awkwardly. "I guess so. Come on in."

He blushed slightly as her clothes disappeared, and he watched as she stepped gracefully into the tub and sat down. When she giggled at him, he hurried in and almost slipped. Now they were inside together, facing each other.

"We had yet to be alone." The sword girl mused. "It's quite calming like this."

Terrence chuckled a bit. "I hadn't realized. I've been so used to being around both you and Mai. Now that I think about it…when Mai and I used to be alone together, it felt just like this."

"Does that mean you feel for me like you do for her? Heh heh, I'm glad."

She gave him a smile that was much warmer than the steam around them, then that turned into a more concerned face.

"Master Terrence, I felt it earlier. That talk with your friends bothered you."

"...Yeah, it did." He admitted, frowning slightly. "That whole talk about inheritance and potential…It reminded me of my duty to protect people. Even for people like Cress, who work so hard to be capable…they have to rely on people with greater potential than them."

"And you're wondering if you truly have potential, correct?"

"Yeah, that's it. I get that I may just be behind, since I just started training…but what if it never becomes enough? What if I'm never able to live up to the title of Hero of Light? Will I be a disappointment, failing all those who need me?"

Bjartbrandr slowly moved over to sit beside Terrence, and gave him a hug that was a bit tight due to the lack of space. He relaxed under her comforting divine aura, and listened to her soothing voice.

"Believe me, Master. You are worthy of your role. The fact that you're stepping up to it is proof. I believe in you, and Mai does as well. I'm sure everyone else has faith in your potential."

Right…even if he didn't believe in himself, there were people who did. Those people who he had to fight for, even in the darkest of times. Even if he continued to doubt himself, for his loved ones who never doubted him…he could go on.

"...Thank you, Bjartbrandr." Terrence said softly.

"Anytime, Master Terrence." She replied.

They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, then shared a chaste kiss before relaxing together. They stayed like that until they had to get out and go to his room.

_______________________________________

"Hey playboy, get up!"

Terrence awoke to someone shouting at him. He blinked, then sat up and stretched before looking around groggily. Cress and Satin were at his bedside, giving him rather cross faces. Kayla was at the doorway, looking ashamed. Elijah was leaning against the wall, his cool gaze to the window.

"What's…going on?" Terrence wondered, getting fully awake.

Cress pointed down. "You tell us."

The Prince blinked, then looked down and froze. There was Bjartbrandr, still asleep with a content smile on her face. Oh right, she was with him last night…Thankfully, nothing in particular happened, but it still wasn't good to get caught like this.

"I know you're royalty, but could you have kept it in your pants until after the mission?" Cress accused. "And how would Mai feel about this?"

"You two-timing playboy!" Satin said with spite. "Some prince you are!"

Bjartbrandr groaned as the noise woke her, and she sat up in a daze.

"Mmm…Master Terrence…" She murmured. "Is…something wrong?"

She shook off her drowsiness, and looked around at the visitors. She blushed slightly as she seemed to realize what kind of situation this was, and gave a bow as she spoke again.

"Oh my, I should have considered. Forgive me, this wasn't supposed to happen."

Cress scoffed. "It's not your fault, Miss. It's that two-timer right there that needs to answer to us."

"Just let me explain!" Terrence protested.

With that, he told the adventurers about Bjartbrandr's true nature, and she turned into her sword form as proof. That appeased them a little, but Cress still had concerns.

"Even if she is the guardian spirit, that doesn't explain her sleeping in the same bed as you."

Terrence looked aside. "Uh…Okay, she's my other lover. It started on the first day she appeared to me. Mai accepted her, and the three of us have been together since then."

Satin put her hands on her hips. "Thanks for the honesty. Still, do you really think this is okay? I've never heard of the guardian spirits being lovers with the Heroes."

"Bjartbrandr doesn't know if it's always been that way. Well, she doesn't emember anything about her previous lives. That's just the way the Sacred Treasures are."

Cress sighed and scratched his head. "I dunno man, this is all strange. Just be careful with her, ya hear? Anyway, get ready and meet us downstairs."

He and Satin walked out, with Elijah right behind them. Kayla stepped aside as they passed, then went into the room and bowed to Terrence.

"I'm so sorry, I tried to stop them!" She said hastily.

He smiled wryly. "It's alright, Kayla. Head downstairs, I'll catch up in a bit."

He got a sudden idea, and he looked at Bjartbrandr as he spoke his mind.

"Why don't you go down with her? No point in hiding anymore."

He sensed her hesitation, before she reformed and gave him a pleasant smile.

"If you're sure, then I will." She complied. "Miss Kayla, let's go."

She turned to the Lieutenant, who nodded hesitantly before going out with her. With them gone, Terrence was finally able to breathe easy and lay back for a minute. A disaster thankfully averted. Still, there was something bothering his mind. Bjartbrandr's memories…

His friends were right, he needed to be careful with her. There was so much Terrence didn't know, and if he didn't take care of his Sacred Treasure, she could be seriously hurt. Her wellbeing was the most important thing, in order for their relationship to work.

And when Terrence thought about it, he realized this applied to Mai as well. After all, he knew nothing of what her past had been like, despite being childhood friends. Her own memories were a sore subject for her, and it could hurt her to dig them up…

"...So damn complicated." He muttered to himself.