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The seemingly endless line of petitioners, well-wishers, and messengers was grating at Adira’s last nerve. If she’d known that clearing out the Keep of its monstrosities was going to result in the tediousness chore of having to listen to the problems of every minor noble and villager within a day’s ride, she might have just kept travelling by. Given the result of her encounter with the old Watcher Maerwald, it might have been the best course of action for everyone involved.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to help people. She did. That was precisely how she’d ended up with the ragtag group of adventurers gathered behind her. She just prefered to help by actually being able to do worthwhile things herself, rather than listen to a hundred petty problems that would solve themselves if only people would try talking to their neighbours once in awhile. How was it that she, a ranger, previously a loner by nature and a solitary hunter by choice, could grasp that concept when so few others could?
Her friends were helping as only they knew how. Standing in a loosely organized formation on the dais behind her, they busied themselves inspecting their deadly weaponry, sometimes brandishing them about, sometimes putting them away and taking a few moments to glare at the assembled masses. She wasn’t entirely sure if the act had any effect, but she was honestly just happy to have the company.
Her patience was at its end when the final occupant of the long line made his appearance. He was a young boy, twelve at the most if she had to guess, and looked so nervous she thought he might bolt even before he reached her. Something about him softened her disposition. Perhaps it was the sheer terror in his eyes as he inched closer to the throne surrounded by her companions who were still doing their level best to appear intimidating. Perhaps it was that he reminded her of someone she’d lost so many years earlier. Either way, she greeted him with a warm smile and beckoned him closer.
The boy, obviously a messenger sent by one of the local lords, stared down at the rolled parchment he held. With shaking hands, he unrolled the scroll and cleared his throat, but as he tried to speak the words his voice cracked and his mouth clamped shut.
Ignoring the chorus of laughter from behind her, Adira rose from her seat and took a few steps to reach where he stood. With a gentle touch, she took the fragile paper from him and began to read it aloud herself while he mouthed the words he’d clearly memorized to his heart.
To the Esteemed Lady of Caed Nua,
Watcher Adira Helfeirch...and Assorted Guests
His Lordship, Feldar the Bold of Strongfatham
Graciously Requests the Honour of Your Presence
At a Gala Masquerade this Folcsdag
In a Grand Celebration of Summer Rising
“How long do you think Feldar spent labouring over the wording on this?” Adira asked the boy lightly, receiving only a shoulder shrug in response. “I feel for the poor soul who had to write out all these invitations. Please tell me it wasn’t you.” She smiled at the vigorous shake of his head. “For that, I’m very grateful on your behalf.
“Now to the matter at hand. We thank you for taking the time to bring us this wonderful invitation.” The words were accompanied by a friendly squeeze to his shoulder. “Kindly inform your lord that, quite regretfully, we are unable to attend and…,” she trailed off at a delicate cough from the Steward and turned back towards the throne. “I suppose you have a different opinion on the matter?”
“It might be prudent to consider accepting the invitation, Lady Adira,” Steward said in the same even tone she always used. “Lord Feldar could be a strong ally, especially considering the relative newness of your occupation here in Caed Nua.”
Clamping down on the first words that bubbled to the tip of her tongue, Adira considered a more tasteful reply. “I have so many other things that require my attention. We were planning on leaving for Twin Elms in two days. I don’t have time to entertain this...frivolity.”
“Would it be so difficult to extend your time here? The event is a mere four days away. In the grand scheme of things a few days won’t really matter much, will it? And I’m certain at least some of your companions would welcome the extra rest and the opportunity to engage in a little harmless ‘frivolity’.”
It did deserve at least a little more consideration. In truth, they’d been working at maximum capacity for some months now. They were only days removed from the disastrous events that left Defiance Bay in a plague of riots and violence. While they’d escaped mostly unscathed, her friends would likely benefit from the extra time to rest, even if most of them wouldn’t admit it. She wasn’t convinced dragging them all to a masquerade ball was altogether the best idea.
“Alright then,” she said, turning her attention back to the youthful messenger. “Tell Feldar we accept his invitation. I’m not sure of how many of us will be there, but we’ll come.”
He nodded and swallowed hard, clearly gathering up his courage. “There is...one...er...one other matter, my lady,” he said haltingly. “Lord Feldar wishes...that you leave your...uh...lion friend at Caed Nua during the festivities. Oh!...and the uh...fox as well.” His wary glances to where the two beasts rested together seemed to suggest he thought the animals themselves might take offence to the request.
“Did you hear that Elith? Itumaak? You’ll have to put your party hats away.” The two rangers shared an amused look. “Oh look how disappointed they are.”
“Do I have permission to leave, my lady?”
“Of course my dear. Run along home now.”
At the wave of her hand, the youth turned on his heel and raced towards the end of the hall, tripping over his feet several times in his haste to retreat. Those still gathered around her seat of power at least had the decency to wait until he was out of earshot before the laughter started.
“I believe that boy may be reconsidering his chosen line of work,” Kana commented mildly. “I wonder if this was his first day. He seemed a little jumpy.”
Edér slid his newly sharpened sabre into its scabbard with a knowing smirk. “Kid looked about ready to piss himself at the end.”
“You would all do well to remember that he’s still just a boy,” Adira addressed them sternly, feeling protective over the now-departed messenger. “He’s just a kid, on the road alone, away from his family, standing in front of the most imposing group of people I can imagine. Of course, he’s going to be frightened.”
“Sorry, Mother Helfeirch,” Hiravias quipped from where he stood well out of her arms reach. “We had no idea you were such a soft-hearted woman.”
“Took you in, didn’t she?”
Adira shook her head at Edér, admonishing his comment silently. “That whole ‘show of intimidation’ thing is great for all the asshole nobles that file through here with their trivial requests, but he was just a kid.” Her eyes glanced in annoyance towards Aloth’s fireball that hovered near her shoulder. “Turn that thing off. The show’s over.”
“Of course, Watcher.” The fireball disappeared quickly and he continued. “If we all promise to be on our best, non-threatening behaviour the next time some youngster shows up in your hall, will you forgive us?”
“I suppose.”
“Wonderful. Now can we talk about how you signed us all up to attend some simpering lord’s masquerade ball? Formal wear...masks...dancing...socialising with people who have no idea what’s going on right outside their stupidly fancy doors? I can’t speak for everyone, but I’m thrilled to be resigned to such an evening.”
“Oh yeah...that.” The full realization of what she’d agreed to dawned on her. “It could be kinda fun, right? Free food and alcohol? That’s a bonus. I’ve never been to one before.”
“And I’ve never been to see a live cow birth before, but I’m not about to volunteer.”
“Okay, okay, I get it.” Adira looked over the closest friends she’d ever had and tried to gauge their moods. “Obviously I’ve been committed to going, but I’m not going to force anyone to go with me...even if it would be far more fun to be there with the people I love most in the whole world.”
"Hear that, Edér ?” Hiravias knowingly dug an elbow into the larger man’s thigh. “Now you gotta go or you’ll be in the doghouse for sure.”
~~~~~
There were few things better than playing hooky on a sunny day when everyone wanted a piece of your attention. The last three days had been a flurry of seamstresses, tailors, dance lessons, and a few halfhearted attempts at etiquette lessons that fell on mostly deaf ears. It was all exhausting. So when Edér had interrupted her meeting with a visiting noble, Adira hadn’t hesitated to leave with him on the blatantly flimsy excuse of an emergency in the kitchen.
Hiding in the hedge maze had been her idea. They’d wandered around through its paths until they came upon a large open square of a spot that was big enough for them to both sit down and stretch out with room to spare. The hours of the afternoon drifted by slowly, but enjoyably, away from the often overwhelming activity of Caed Nua.
He laid his head in her lap while her fingers drifted absently through his short hair. The quiet was a comfortable change from what they’d both become accustomed to. When she noticed his furrowed brow Adira broke the silence, tapping his forehead gently. “Copper for your thoughts?”
“Nothing much. Just noticed that you got freckles on your knees, too,” he said with a grin. He reached up to run his fingers over the dark spots sprinkled over the sun-kissed brown skin of her cheeks and nose. “It’s cute.”
“You’re just noticing that now?”
“You can hardly blame me. Usually, when I’m down here I ain’t focused on your knees.” He winked and caught her hand when she attempted to swat his arm. He paused to brush a kiss against the back of hand before releasing it.
“You’re awful.”
“You like it.”
She had to laugh in agreement. “Fair point.” Her lips pursed for a moment in thought. “That’s not really what you were thinking, though. You had the look of a man deep in thought.
“I ain’t that deep.”
“Edér….”
“Not gonna let this go, are you?”
She shook her head, a small smile curling the corners of her lips. “Not likely.”
“Fine. You win.” His head tilted back slightly in her lap so that he could meet her eyes. “That kid from the other day. The messenger. You seemed to take a real shine to him.”
“Oh, that?” She averted her gaze while the words formed in her head. “Is that so strange? There are so few kids of any age here. Isn’t it natural to feel protective of the ones that survived? And he was so petrified.”
With calloused fingers, he reached up to turn her head back so she was looking at him once again. “That’s not what this was. It went beyond than that.”
Adira sighed heavily, already regretting pushing him to reveal his thoughts. For a brief moment she wondered if there was any lie he was more likely to believe, but she knew the answer to that. She was a horrible liar.
“Adira?” The concern in his voice was evident. “It’s okay...if you don’t want to tell me, you don’t have to.”
For a few long moments she thought about it, chewing her lower lip as she considered her options. As easy as it would be to take the out he’d given her, she would have to tell him eventually. Why not now?
“Do you remember when I told you about the raiders that swept through my village seven years ago? The one's that took my partner's life?” She waited for his answering nod before she continued. “We had a son. I lost him, too.” The words threatened to choke in her throat, but she forced herself to go on. “His name was Madoc and he was five years old.” Her heart ached at the memory of the bright little boy that had been taken from her.
“I’m sorry,” Edér said, his voice thick with unexpected emotion. “I didn’t mean to open up old wounds. You don’t have to….”
The Watcher shook her head, determined to go on. “It’s okay.” She forced a half-hearted smile. “If he’d survived, he probably would’ve been the same age as that messenger. I think when I saw how terrified that boy was, all those forgotten motherly instincts kicked in and I wanted to protect him. If Madoc were still around, out in the world on his own, I hope someone would do the same for him.”
“You must miss him.” A hand not her own wiped away the tears she hadn’t realized she’d been crying. “I can’t pretend to know what you must be feeling, but I’m here...if you need me. Always.”
“Are you saying I’m stuck with you?” Her laugh was genuine even as she swiped at the tears that lingered.
“Guess I am.”
“I can think of worse fates than that.”
“Like being forced to share a bed with Durance?”
Adira giggled with a loud snort at the image his words brought. “You’re awful.”
“You keep saying that,” he reminded her with a grin. “Starting to think you don’t really mean it.”