Chapter Text
The Princess Rakel sipped her tea and contemplated her guests. Asher and Bella had been asked up to the palace, which was neither especially unusual nor overly common. Asher was sometimes given odd assignments, and Granny Gray was invested in how well Bella was doing in Verglas. If the assignment was especially dangerous he could guess they would want Bella to know what was happening.
The princess seemed almost nervous, to Asher’s eyes. To Bella’s, or to someone who hadn’t spent roughly two decades guarding her, she likely appeared as graceful and serene as ever. Farrin seemed unphased, so it couldn’t be any real threat to the Snow Queen’s safety, he thought.
Finally the princess finished with the formalities and drew in a deep breath. “Bella, Asher, thank you for coming. As we said in the invitation, we have an urgent need and feel that you would be uniquely suited to helping us with it. Although you are not obligated to help.”
“You know I’ll help if I can,” Asher said encouragingly. The only times he’d ever refused was when he was recovering from an injury.
“Yes. And we are thankful for your support - both of you. As you likely know, Keagan and Phile just returned with another group. This one was from a caravan farther south than they usually venture, and so the slaves would typically have been taken to Farset and Queen Lucy’s family. However, Phile decided that this time, the children had to be brought here because one boy in particular has a magic that will not be easily contained.” Rakel paused to take another draught of her tea, allowing Asher a moment to try to figure out where this was going. They’d been offered a foster child before, but Bella had been… very insistent that they would not be doing that.
It had been disappointing for him, but he’d chosen not to argue with the decision. Bella had had a rough enough entrance to Verglas without asking her to take on all the difficulties a child would present - especially a child that had survived the horrors of slavery as a mage.
“The child is a vegetation mage, about ten, and he has been taught to use his magic to create poisons. He is not averse to being here. He’s glad to be free, but one of Phile’s people nearly choked to death because the boy, Jeremiah, poisoned his water. Phile talked to the child and learned that the man had said something that caused Jeremiah to think he was in danger,” the princess told them.
“The child is volatile,” Farrin added.
“We’re hoping,” Rakel continued, “that you can detect his poisons in foods and drinks, Bella.”
There was a pause as Bella processed what the princess was saying and formulated her response. “It seems likely that I can, though I would have to get in close proximity to that magic to be sure,” She said slowly, as though unsure of where this was going.
“We know that if Jeremiah is put with a family in Verglas, he could end up being a danger to them or their other children. We do not wish to put him out, but he is not an easy child to help for these reasons. We hoped that the two of you might be willing to foster him, at least until we are reasonably sure he will not poison his hosts.”
Asher snuck a peek at his wife, but her features were in the emotionless mask she often wore when hiding her feelings. “It’s up to you,” he whispered.
“The crown would pay for his food, shelter, and education, as is usual,” Rakel asserted quickly. “There should be no financial burden to the two of you. The biggest thing will be the danger of poison, which might not affect you, Bella, but may be a serious concern for Asher, considering his lack of magic.”
Farrin spoke up. “Unfortunately, even a detector would have a difficult time feeling Jeremiah’s poisons because they have some special ability to camouflage themselves in the food or drink they enter. We had thought that Granny Gray could help, but she cannot detect his magic once it leaves his body.”
“If he attempts to use my plants - which will be the easiest for him to access - I will be able to sense them,” Bella stated softly. “And I am not concerned about the money.” With her magic enhancing her medicines, the things she sold had come to be in high demand and the couple were relatively well off now. “I am not… good… with children. I do not know what to do with them, nor they with me.”
“Right now,” Farrin said, “we are in the midst of recruiting for Rakel’s guard. We don’t have a group for Asher to train at the moment. He could be home with you as the boy acclimated. It would be considered his job for the next few weeks.”
Her lips pressed together in a small gesture Asher knew was irritation, and he gently slipped his hand into hers. She glanced his way, then relaxed slightly and pulled his hand into her lap where she could hold it with both hands.
“We know this is a lot to ask. Truly, we do. I would not be asking if there were any other option. We are at a loss. As melodramatic as it sounds, Jeremiah’s last hope is you, Bella. If you cannot help him, we will have to put him out of the program, and out of Verglas,” Rakel said apologetically.
Asher winced just slightly at the words. He knew both of the women in the room well enough to know that Rakel genuinely regretted putting any pressure on them… and that Bella would not appreciate what would feel to her like an attempt to manipulate her emotions. He squeezed Bella’s hand, unwilling to let his gaze rest on either of the royals, who might feel the need to add something more.
Farrin spoke. “You don’t need to answer today. For now, we think we can keep Jeremiah calm. If you would prefer time to consider, please take what time you need.”
Bella’s fingers tightened around Asher’s, and he knew she’d already made her decision and wasn’t happy about it.
“I suppose Leif would probably like to have another boy to mentor, wouldn’t he?” She said softly with a glance Asher’s way.
He gave her a relieved smile. “He’s always happy to welcome someone new into the family.” Asher leaned over to press a kiss against Bella’s temple. He could already feel himself growing eager and impatient. He’d always wanted kids. If he’d been able to find a wife when he was younger he would have wanted around half a dozen of them. Now this felt like a dream coming true.
He turned back to Rakel and Farrin with a growing grin on his face. “When do you want us to take him?”
Rakel looked not relieved but more worried. “Oh. I had forgotten that you had your father living with you, Asher. His age will make him even more susceptible to the poison, I am afraid.” She glanced at Farrin as though questioning the wisdom of the entire idea.
Farrin shook his head slightly, taking Rakel’s hand. “Asher and Bella hadn’t forgotten that detail, My Love.”
“You know Dad,” Asher said. “He’ll be fine, and he’ll be good for the kid. He’s got a lot of experience with traumatized boys by now.”
Farrin smiled at the memory. “If he could tame Tirun with his volatile tendencies, your father is probably the best possible person for this job.”
Asher blinked in mock surprise. “Tirun is tame?”
Farrin chuckled. “Perhaps my wording was…less than accurate. On that note, Asher, I did want to mention that I think it might be a good idea to start bringing Jeremiah to calisthenics. The physical exercise would be good for him anyway, but a tired child is less likely to be a mischievous one.”
Asher frowned. “Just how old is this kid?”
“He’s not positive. Like Bella, he was born to enslaved parents and sold when his magic manifested. So, there are no records. Our best guess is ten or eleven. And you’re well aware that most Sunshiners start calisthenics younger than that.”
“Yes…” Asher responded slowly. “He’ll start with the easier regimen.”
Farrin nodded.
“How soon? It seems like if he’s that… touchy… we should give him time to adjust to everything a bit slowly instead of just dumping him straight into a new home and calisthenics and classes all at once.”
“We’ll leave it to your discretion,” Rakel said, glancing at her husband as if informing him that she was taking over. “I know Farrin is eager for Jeremiah to begin with the Sunshiners.” She patted Farrin’s leg. “There are several boys around his age, and all with rather scary magics, so he thinks the camaraderie would be good. But, you’re right that Jeremiah will be overwhelmed with all the changes. Perhaps Leif or Dan will have some insight in that direction.”
“Have you two met and talked with him?” Bella asked. “Or is all of this from a message Phile has sent ahead?”
“He’s here. He has been staying with Granny Gray,” Farrin said. “I’ve spent quite a bit of time with both of them. I would have had him in calisthenics already, but Granny wouldn’t allow it. She felt that he should be in his more permanent situation, establishing routines, before he joined the Sunshiners.”
“How soon do you want us to take him?” Bella glanced up with the question. “I will have to empty my workshop to give him a room of his own.”
“Granny is willing to keep him for as long as you need. She is using her magic to keep him calm so he doesn’t feel threatened,” Farrin said.
Asher looked at him with alarm. “Will he be angry about that when he realizes? If someone pulled that on Dan when he was younger, he’d have hated them.”
“Granny is good with people. She would not have done such a thing without the boy’s knowledge. The two of them seem to get along decently well. If you need help with him, Granny is probably your best bet. She’s had him for about a week.”
“Granny would probably keep him,” Rakel said, “except that she lives in the palace. There are so many servants and guards and others moving about that there is no way to ensure that none of them ever upset him and no way to ensure that Granny would be with him when he does become upset.”
“I understand.” Bella stood and Asher followed her lead. “We will try to be swift.”
Rakel and Farrin stood. Farrin said, “We appreciate your willingness. Someday, Jeremiah will too.”
“Have a nice day,” Rakel said. “Asher, you know your way out.”
He bowed to the royals, then guided Bella out of the palace and towards home.