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Alain had requested his presence at the altar in Palevia tomorrow.
Or so Travis had heard from one of the mercenaries they’d hired. He wasn’t sure why Alain hadn’t simply asked the spy himself, but perhaps that was simply the start of the distance that would inevitably grow between them. Alain was the Prince of Cornia, however far he was from his throne, and would become a man far too busy and important for idle if animated conversation about the meaning of this passage or that in some book Travis had gotten lost in.
He knew this. They’d spoken of this before, when the spy had tried to convince the prince-in-exile that things would change. Alain, stubborn as ever, had insisted they’d always be close. But the indirectness of his present summons had vindicated his viewpoint - a victory tinged with a touch of bitterness.
In any case, Travis had never visited the altar before, and it wouldn’t fit his nature nor his occupation to neglect scouting it in advance. Making his way through the forest and taking respite in how the trees cleansed the salty brine from the Palevian sea breeze, he arrived at the altar in question to find a sunlit clearing dominated by a masterfully carved statue in a style common to the Orthodoxy. A maiden and unicorn of brilliant white stone - like something out of a fairy tale.
An indiscriminate reader, he counted more than a few collections of fairy tales among the books he’d read, but not being of the pious persuasion, had never read much about the legends of the Unicorn. Short on time and low on funds owing to having already purchased new books at the provisioner’s shop, he spent the rest of the day asking around the camp as though gathering intel on enemy strongholds, and was met with a wide range of responses.
Many knew less than he did - while there were hardly any competing religions, most folks prayed only when they had a problem, and had trouble even naming the four divines of the Orthodoxy. Scarlett had known a vast amount more and had been happy to instruct in the teachings of the church, but upon learning why he was asking - that he’d been asked to meet Alain at the altar - she’d grown quiet before making an excuse and hurrying away. After similar responses from Rosalinde and Eltolinde, who’d been the ones who’d given Alain a second ring and told him to come to Palevia, he came to wonder if his questions were offensive to the devout, and decided to pursue a more academic expert.
“Oh my. He asked you to meet at the altar?” Selvie’s hand pressed to her lip in deep contemplation.
Travis tried to look unbothered, even as he grew increasingly anxious for reasons he couldn’t quite place. “Is there something weird about that?”
“Well, hmm. I don’t know, I’m not a member of the church - I only know legends. But…”
“But what? What do the legends say?”
“We have both the Ring of the Unicorn and the Ring of the Maiden in our possession, which are used in the Rite of Covenant,” the druid explained, resting on her staff.
“Yeah, I heard about that.”
“The Rite of Covenant is meant to take place at that altar. The holders of the Ring of the Unicorn and the Ring of the Maiden enter a blessed covenant that centers on the depth of the bond between them. I’ve heard variations of what that means - one frequently repeated bit of legend is that the stronger the bond, the stronger the power of the rings. The other…” At this, she paused, her head tilting with a look of indecision.
“Yes?” he breathed, mired in confusion at his own racing pulse.
“Well, it’s the Ring of the Unicorn and the Ring of the Maiden.”
He was now the one to hurry away at Selvie’s words, a strange blend of thoughts following every footstep. Right - it was a unicorn and a maiden. He hadn’t known what the church’s legends were, but he had seen such things in fairy tales - and they’d often been emblematic of some kind of deep and pure bond or another. Love, even.
It’d crossed his mind once or twice - like on that starlit beach, when he hadn’t wanted the night to end, when he felt a tightness in his throat at the thought that Alain would eventually drift away from him. It was both like and unlike the ache he felt for his sister - a sharp pain at the memory of her back as she walked away and left him in pieces. While it had similarly ached to think of, his feelings toward the prince had been a longing, a wish for something he wasn’t sure he had but didn’t want to lose, something he’d papered over with the happiness at being reunited with Bruno and then Berengaria, with the books he’d gotten from every corner of the world, with his scouting and battles and victories and all of the everything that was going on at all times.
But now that feeling had been uncovered, and he had no idea what to do about it, even as a sleepless night passed into day and he found himself making his way to the altar. Alain appeared from the other side of the woods, and as though he’d stepped out of some maiden’s dream, the prince was ringed by the morning light. Noble, like the unicorn.
But on the other side was a person who was nothing like a pure maiden. Something was wrong, and that something was the spy that had no business being here. He waited for Alain to confirm his suspicions, but the latter stood in silence with an unreadable expression.
“It’s funny. I’ve spent some time looking into the legends about the Unicorn, and… I dunno. I just don’t see where I fit in.”
The words were a shield against the anxious fear of disappointment he faced. And though he couldn’t quite strike down the small bit of hope for something he couldn’t name that fluttered tenaciously in his chest, the words from Alain pierced it like a sword.
“Sorry. I think there’s been a mistake.”
The imperturbable mask he wore when scouting dropped instinctively onto his face.
“Heh, I thought as much. You had me worried for a second there. Maybe lay off the jokes for the rest of the day, yeah?”
What had he been expecting? No, what had he been hoping for? The forest answered his unspoken questions with the rustling of leaves and shadows, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
He sighed.
Such questions were pointless now. Besides, there were more important things, and people he could rely on. He still had his new comrades in the army, still had Bruno.
He still had Ren.
”…”
He knew what his next thought would be, and tried fervently to push it out of his mind. But it was no use; it rushed through him like a chill gust that his cloak could provide no shelter against, no matter how tightly he drew it around himself.
For as long as she wants to stay around.
He knew it wasn’t fair to her. Berengaria had promised she’d never leave him again. But she’d already left him once, slipping away like the sands of Drakenhold’s deserts, showing him that words made a poor chain. And however desperately he wanted to believe in her, the seeds of faith felt like they could so easily turn to dust, even as she stayed by his side in every battle they’d fought and at every camp they’d made.
Why did he think Alain would be different?
~~~~~
The next day, the same hired mercenary asked him to go to the altar to meet Alain again. He’d nearly snapped at her, but her apologetic bow and skittish glances everywhere but his eyes suggested she was just as lost as he was.
“I’d like you to have the Ring of the Maiden.”
Cruel. The first word that came to mind - this was cruel. But once again, a mask dropped into place - a mask of indifference that kept him from showing how much such callous treatment hurt.
“Hey, didn’t I say to lay off the jokes? If you’ve got nerves and need to practice, at least try it on someone else for a while. Josef would probably be happy to help you with that.”
Alain flinched; it was evidently not the response the prince had expected. After a moment, he spoke, his voice softer and lower. “I’m sorry for yesterday, and you are more right than you know about my being afraid. I was afraid, and I hurt you. I should’ve known better, and I can’t apologize enough. But it was never a question who I wanted to give the ring to - that I want you to have it.”
“Is this because of the war? I heard that the legends say the covenant between ring-holders bestows them with power. I guess you couldn’t decide on a girl yet, but it would be good to use that power as soon as possible.”
He knew he was babbling now, but for once, he couldn’t stop the torrent of words - words to distract himself, to protect himself, anything to keep from latching onto something only to be left alone again.
“Wouldn’t Lex be a better choice, though? You’ve been friends forever. Or Josef - he’s like a dad to you, right? Or -”
“Travis.” Alain’s voice was firm as he stepped forward, the pair of rings in his hand gleaming like stars.
“Yes?” The spy inhaled, the breath sharp and tight in his chest.
“This rite is all that I desire, and I want it to be with you.”
Ruby eyes fixed upon him with trust and certainty, like earth restored beneath his feet after having been cast adrift. Finally, he exhaled, days or years of anxious fear flowing out in his breath.
“Fine. I can tell you’re serious about this,” he replied, “Now come on, hand that ring over.”
Alain complied, and as wisps of blue light surrounded the pair, warmth seemed to infuse his very being. Then, as quickly as it had started, it was over, leaving behind only the softly glowing rings in their hands, their light a symbol of the strength of their bond. He wondered at what that bond was; he decided he didn’t care - at least, not right now. He wasn’t of the pious persuasion, but he could have faith in the prince who led their armies - and had become so much more to him than just a leader he followed.
“You know that means there’ll be no getting rid of me, right?”
“I know,” Alain replied, his words as deeply appreciated as they’d become predictable to Travis. “Even should our war efforts ultimately fall short, it’s an honor. Truly.”
“Don’t even talk about losing. It’s not going to happen,” Travis groused.
There were all sorts of questions swirling around his head - what would his position in the royal court be? Could they maybe build a library? Have those animated conversations about books they’d read together on some quiet afternoon?
One question, however, made it to the forefront of his thoughts - a question that by all accounts, should’ve been in his mind from the start.
“Hey, so this is the Ring of the Maiden, right? What made you think you should give it to a guy like me?”
Alain blinked as though the question confused him. “I didn’t think it an unnatural choice.”
“Wait.” Heat flushed the spy’s face. “Do I look like a maiden to you?”
“It doesn’t matter what you look like,” Alain replied, his tone unchanged. “I ask this covenant not for your appearance.”
“...You didn’t answer the question.”
“I’m afraid that’s because I’m not sure you would like the answer.”
“That’s a joke, right?”
No response.
“Alain?”
The prince simply pointed off into the woods and said, “I believe I hear Rosalinde and Scarlett coming towards us.” Then, he smiled, turned around, and started to walk in the direction at which he’d gestured.
Travis, meanwhile, tried his best to blend into the shadows of the trees. He wasn’t sure what color his face was, but he was sure it wasn’t a color he’d want anyone to see.