Chapter Text
Acri glanced back at Matty, trailing behind him as the boy searched the sky with eager eyes. “Prince Lucien said it was most active on the south side. You probably won’t see it.” At all, if Acri had anything to say about it. He didn’t want the boy put in danger.
“Well that’s no fun.” The boy complained, but he was grinning. “What do griffins look like?”
“Big and feathery and dangerous. If the claws don’t kill you, the beak will.” Acri answered, doing his own scan of the skies above them before returning his attention to the road that led into the relatively small village of Coteau. He’d get an update from the village leader and leave Matty while he dealt with the monster.
He and Matty had left Carabas a couple of months ago in favor of exploring the world, often stopping to do some odd jobs here and there so Acri could stretch their savings and Matty could make friends. Well, sort of. Matty made friends regardless, and half the jobs Acri and Matty ended up doing were for people who needed the help but weren’t always able to pay to get them done. By the time they were finished, the people were usually willing to count Acri as a friend despite the fact he was often quiet or occasionally sarcastic.
Then, a couple of days ago as they wandered into Loire, Acri had been contacted via magic mirror. Prince Lucien had informed Acri that he knew he was in Loire, and asked him to take care of a supposedly small problem a village he was near was having. Never mind that if Lucien knew there was probably an intelligencer nearby that had told him and might be capable of taking it out, or that Lucien could just as easily have contacted Evariste and Angelique to try to get them to do it. Acri had chosen to accede to the request, partially because Lucien was one of the royals whose favor he did not have and whom he had threatened in the past.
Now Acri had a griffin to put down, and he couldn’t say that he didn’t look forward to a bit of action after months of trying to live a relatively common life. Sort of. He’d taken out a small group of bandits last month, but that barely counted. The Continent was much safer since the Chosen had been taken out, and he didn’t expect to have to deal with dangers of that type often.
“Hello!” Matty called out cheerfully, waving wildly at the people along the street of the small village as they came into sight. Acri’s mouth twitched upward ruefully. The child was going to get himself in trouble someday being as open as he was, but it did smooth some of these interactions out. Already a few women were watching the boy with indulgent smiles as he greeted each with a wide grin.
“We’re here to deal with a griffin, I think. Could you tell me who we talk to about that?” He asked a middle aged woman who carried a basket that he offered to take for her.
“Oh, how kind of you!” She exclaimed, letting the young teenager carry it. “Right down here is Lukas’ home, he’ll be able to tell you about it.” She pointed out the house, and Acri paused to wait for Matty to finish escorting his new friend home.
“That might be a new record for how quickly you made a friend in a new place.” He commented dryly when the kid returned to him.
“It’s not hard. You could do it if you smiled.” Matty pointed out, his tone conveying that he meant for Acri to take it as a challenge. Acri knew better than to do so.
“You’re the one who prefers I don’t smile.” He responded. He stepped up to knock on the door before Matty could respond.
“Only if it’s insincere.” The teenager grumbled.
“And when was the last time you saw me truly smile sincerely?”
Matty smirked. “You didn’t seem to have any trouble smiling at Lovelana at the wedding.”
“Yes, well… I know her already.” He defended just before the door opened. He and Matty immediately straightened and turned their attention to the young-ish man that stood regarding them curiously.
“Can I help you?” Lukas asked, his eyes scanning both of them for clues.
Acri nodded. “My name is Acri, and Prince Lucien asked me to take care of your griffin problem.”
Relief flooded his features. “Oh, thank goodness. We have a couple of men who fought in the war - I fought myself - but we don’t even know where to start with this. If you need help we’ll gladly back you up, we just need a little guidance. I never saw a griffin before this one started stealing our livestock.”
“I don’t believe I will require aid.” Acri told him. He didn’t want civilians getting themselves hurt when it was more than likely he could take it down himself. “I am a trained war mage.” He added.
Lukas nodded and stepped aside in an invitation for Acri and Matty to enter. They did so and were soon seated around a table listening to the man detail the griffin’s attacks. So far it hadn’t taken any people, but the villagers were growing fearful of leaving the safety of their homes or the village itself,
“Is this normal for griffins? I’m afraid I don’t know much about them.” He asked when he’d finished.
Acri tilted his head, recalling what he knew of the creatures. “They are not dark creatures like goblins, trolls, harpies, and many of the others we fought during the war. They are from other worlds, however. It’s rare for them to make their way here. Has anyone noticed if the griffin is perhaps injured? Many wild animals won’t go after domesticated animals unless they are incapable of hunting normally.”
“No one has said anything. It can certainly fly just fine, but I suppose it could have an injured leg or paw.” Lukas answered.
Acri nodded and glanced out the window. It was just past midday, so he was inclined to head out and scout the area immediately. He might not go after the creature itself, but he could take a look around and familiarize himself with the terrain.
“I think I’ll head out. Could someone look after Matty while I’m gone?” He asked.
Matty’s head whipped around so he could glower at Acri. “I can come with you, I’ll be alright. I’d like to see it.” He said with a note of complaint.
“I’m not going to risk your safety.” Acri responded shortly.
The boy’s frown grew more pronounced. “Then you should take someone else to help you.” He declared.
Acri scoffed. “So because I prefer not to have to split my attention between protecting you and taking it down, you want me to split it between protecting someone else and fighting the griffin?”
“If you’d teach me how to fight you wouldn’t have to protect me.” The boy grumbled, and Acri carefully kept his expression neutral despite the pang of guilt the comment sent through him. He’d trained dozens of people during the war, including a teenager only a couple of years older than Matty was now. But, somehow, it was harder to think of the child with a weapon in his hands defending himself. He couldn’t explain his reluctance, but he’d been putting off teaching Matty even the basics. He’d fought, and fought hard, to protect the boy and the future he could have. Somehow it didn’t seem right that the kid might still have to defend himself.
“You’d need a full armor set for a griffin.” He said instead of addressing the complaint. “They can take off an arm with one strike if you’re not careful.”
“ You don’t have a full armor set.”
Acri smirked. “I’m a powerful war mage with full access to his magic, remember? I will be fine, and you will be staying here.”
Matty got a stubborn look on his face as Acri rose to his feet, but Acri forestalled whatever he might say next. “Don’t make me tie you up.” He warned, and the boy stayed seated despite his displeased expression. “I should be back before it's fully dark.”
He dropped his travel pack outside and left without a glance backward, falling quickly into a lope that could cover ground fast. If he was out of sight before Matty made it to the door, the kid wouldn’t be able to follow. Matty was smart enough that he should realize his defenselessness and stay back. The kid really didn’t need someone to look after him, he’d just wander around and make friends.
Acri spent a few hours out and about, and he did indeed catch a glimpse of his prey as it circled a hill with a rather steep edge on the nearer side. He thought he spied a mound of sticks that might be a nest of some kind most of the way up. That was good, it meant if he could get up there it would come to him to defend its home and he wouldn’t have to deal with chasing it all over the countryside. And it was bad, because it would be coming at him with a vengeance and he would be limited in his ability to move. Perhaps if he circled around to the top of the hill it would come after him there for getting so close.
Acri was still considering potential strategies when he strode back into Lukas’ home. He found Matty chatting easily with the man and his wife while gently roughhousing with their much younger children. They looked so… happy. That was the kind of family Matty should have, but the boy had chosen not to have an adopted family. Acri wondered if the teenager ever regretted that choice.
All of them looked up when he came into sight, questions clear on their faces. “Did you find it?” Lukas asked. Acri would have expected the question from Matty, but the kid’s expression told him that the boy still wasn’t happy about having been left behind.
“I saw it. I think I found its nest. I’ll take care of it tomorrow.” Acri answered. “Is there a barn we can hunker down in for the night?” The town didn’t have a proper inn, it was too small.
“No need, you can stay here if you don’t mind taking the floor. We ate about an hour ago, but there is some left if you’re hungry.”
Acri accepted, then settled in to watch Matty effortlessly fit in with this family. Lukas tried to ask Acri a few things and draw him in, but Acri was always a little wary of letting too much of his past be known. Oh, he wouldn’t lie or hide it if asked directly, but if he could avoid talking about it at all he’d rather do that. Especially with Matty in his care. He didn’t want his past to negatively affect the boy’s life.
After the family went to bed, Acri and Matty set up their bedrolls in the living room and began to settle in for the night. Matty’s expression had gone blank and he was quieter than usual, and decided to lay with his back to Acri.
“Oh, get over it.” Acri grumbled quietly. “I didn’t fight that war just to let you get yourself killed risking your neck to see a griffin.”
“I thought you fought it because it was the right thing to do.” Matty’s tone was hostile, but at least he was talking. He couldn’t be too mad if he was still willing to talk.
Acri laughed harshly. “I didn’t give a hoot about right and wrong, not at the beginning. I fought for people, for freedom, and for the future that appealed to me most.”
Matty rolled over to look at him in the dim light. He was frowning, looking confused. “And now?”
Acri shrugged uncomfortably. “Now… I think I’ve learned enough empathy to see what people need and help unselfishly. Still not sure that means its always the right thing, or that my motives are quite what they should be.”
The teenager watched Acri for a moment, seeming to be thinking. “Do you… Do you want to be doing all this, wandering around and making friends and helping people?”
“I told you, brat. You’re stuck with me for a few years yet.”
“You said that back in Carabas, though. Before we started wandering and helping anyone who looked sad.”
Acri took a spare shirt, wadded it up and threw it at Matty’s head. “Didn’t you talk yourself out yet? You were at it most of the evening.”
“Jerk.” The boy grumbled, tossing it back but settling down a bit.
Acri waited a moment to see if the kid would press him, but Matty was beginning to learn. So he let out a breath and answered quietly. “I was made for war, Matty. I don’t know what place I have now. Until I figure that out, I have no objection to any of this. When I do, believe me, you’ll know.”
This time was Matty’s turn to scoff. “Yeah, I know. You’re not subtle.”