Chapter Text
Water dripped from the ceiling, droplets free-falling until they plipped on the ground far below, forming jagged rocks and lonely little lakes that reflected the sparse amount of light that happened to shine into the cavernous underground canyon. The sound echoed throughout the caves, lonely and piercing in the tense silence. The absence of the dragon was brief, but welcome, as Achaka held Graham desperately close to his chest, eyeing the makeshift bandage that was once his cape, now drenched with the blood of his ally and tied securely around the boy’s torso.
"Gramee…” Achaka’s deep voice cracked as he watched Graham stare anxiously at the ceiling, his eyes darting frantically and aimlessly, his expression set with a pained frown as the color fled his once rosy cheeks.
"Hh…” the teenager breathed, his lip trembling slightly. “I…I-I…” His heartbeat was pounding in his ears, and everything in his body ached faintly, distantly. His chest felt abnormally cold and wet, and his legs were so numb, they might as well have not been there at all.
Achaka lifted Graham carefully, his body tense as he sprinted through the caves. He kept his upper body even, concentrating on preventing Graham’s body from feeling any more shock from sudden or strenuous movements. Graham groaned quietly, hot tears spilling from his eyes as the dark knight carried him with a superhuman strength and swiftness. The cavern walls closed in around him, the darkness surrounding them, eating up everything, until even Achaka’s helmet disappeared and the metallic sound of his footsteps were lost in the youth’s dreams…
“Happy birthday, Acorn!” Graham cried, releasing Acorn’s arm and jumping to the side.
Acorn lowered his hands, blinking his eyes open, and gasped loudly, bringing his palms to his cheeks in a shock. “Oh..! What’s all this..?” he asked, looking around with wide eyes.
The small forest clearing was decorated with colorful paper streamers hanging from the low branches of the trees surrounding the open area. A large banner had been strung up above from one branch to another that read in big, blocky letters: “HAPPY BIRTHDAY ACORN” with little drawings of colorful socks, squirrels, and acorns decorating the rim. A large, circular wooden table with several wood chairs was set out, topped with plates, forks, and a large, multicolored cake with three tiers and a little squirrel figurine on top. Various gifts piled on the edge of the table, each one wrapped in colorful paper or otherwise simply topped with a bow. Graham, as well as all the other knights-in-training and some townsfolk, beamed at him, and the teen held a rather messily-wrapped package with a big blue bow on top. At Acorn’s expression, his smile grew. He knew a surprise party would be a good idea.
“Iiiiit’s a surprise party!” he cheered, standing up a little straighter and holding out the present. “I know you said you wanted a parade through the town, but don’t worry, the festival of flowers is today, and I’ve arranged for a small knights’ escort in your honor.”
A dash of silver appeared next to Graham, striking a pose. “Whisper helped! Whisper contributed to a successful surprise birthday party!” the monument of a man proclaimed with great pride, gesticulating excitedly.
Graham smiled warmly. “We all helped. Everyone pitched in to make this party for you, Acorn. I, uh, hope you…” He trailed off when he noticed Acorn rubbing his face and sniffling. “Acorn, are you…crying?”
Another sniff, and then Acorn responded harshly, “No! I-I just got something in my eye, that’s all! I’m not getting all emotional over some silly birthday party!” His large paws wiped his eyes before he pouted, crossing his arms.
“Oh? Then, in that case,” Graham started with a sly smile. “I suppose you won’t be wanting your present?”
That definitely turned a switch. “Hey, now, there’s no need to be cruel,” Acorn grumbled, swiping the wrapped gift from Graham’s hands and carefully opening it. A few moments later, he was holding up a large spool of shimmering silk, so gold that it seemed to soak up the sunlight filtering through the leaves of the trees above, shining brighter than a diamond. The spool itself was so big, Acorn couldn’t touch his finger and thumb together around the silk. The craftsman let out a long, breathless sigh, admiring the material.
“That’s from me and Achaka,” Graham mentioned, glancing over his shoulder at his companion. “We had to do a little digging, but the quality of that material is said to be so fine, you could sew a butterfly a new pair of wings.” He certainly wasn’t going to mention everything they did to acquire the material, especially not the searches for the golden goose nest, the hike through the spiniferous thornweed garden, and the strenuous “borrowing” of several spinning wheels. For some, it might have been a little over-the-top for a casual friend’s birthday present, but for the adventuring duo, it was a welcome thrill on a boring Thursday afternoon.
“Oh, Graham, I, I don’t know what to say,” Acorn said, unaware of the emotion in his voice as he carefully examined the material. “I got so many ideas for this already! You guys really went all this way for me? I…” He sniffed, returning the material into the box before he set it on the table and suddenly wrapped his arms around Graham in a bear hug; Whisper swiftly avoided the embrace, striking a victory pose a few feet away.
“Thanks, Lil’ Buddy! You really know how to make a guy’s day!” Acorn laughed with a big grin.
Graham’s feet kicked at nothing as he felt the air being squeezed from his lungs with a long hufffff. He smiled shakily, wheezing, “Glad you l-like it, B-Bud..!” When he was finally released, he stumbled on his feet a bit, bumping into something behind him. He turned to see Achaka standing tall above him, his helmet tilted downward. Graham couldn’t help but smile at his visor. After all the struggle they had gone through to make amends with the others, he was glad they could finally enjoy each other’s company like this, without worry for the next duel or who would be knighted. After Graham had won the Duel of Wits, he’d been granted an audience with the king, during which he’d put in a good word for Achaka, Whisper, and even-
“Hey, who’s this from?” Acorn asked, lifting a small gift wrapped neatly in white paper and tied with a green ribbon.
“That would be mine,” interjected a nasally voice, a small figure approaching from the sidelines.
"I can’t lose to you!” Manny cried. “How about another challenge? We only got to square off in a duel of wits!” He began to rise from his seat, reaching behind himself with a sinister pose to draw a weapon. “A true gentleman would win in a duel of strength as well!”
The mace was centimeters away from Graham’s face; he leaned quickly away in his seat, startled at the sudden change in his former secret ally.
"Graham!” Wente cried from the crowd. The onlookers gasped as Manny raised his mace, ready to strike-
SHINK!
The mace was knocked out of Manny’s hand, and it clattered onto the stage several feet away. Manny and Graham watched it roll to a halt before looking to the source of the arrow. Achaka lowered his bow before raising a hand to his helmet and shouting something to Graham. “Gramee! Oochelee shrekee! Oseke stalama!”
Graham still couldn’t understand a great deal of Achaka’s language, but he could tell that Achaka was probably warning him, prompting him into action. He rose from his seat, looking to Manny with a serious expression. Before he could even speak, Manny had hopped off of his chair, backing away from Graham with palms raised.
"Now, now, Graham, don’t be so hasty- Remember, we were in an alliance together! Remember when I helped you? Remember when I helped Achaka?” He lowered himself as Graham approached with a determined stride, one hand disappearing behind his back. Graham tossed a coin towards Wente and, in turn, caught the pie that was thrown back to him. He reeled it back in his hand as his eyes locked on Manny.
The small contestant lifted his arms suddenly, defensively. “You really want to fight the guy who stood by you when everyone else thought you would fail? Is that what I get for helping you make it this far?”
Graham visibly tensed, hesitating. He bit his lip, taking a deep breath in before exhaling. Manny turned on Graham the moment things didn’t go his way, and he even set up the Duel of Wits with a trick in his favor. Graham’s head was urging him not to trust Manny, to be done with him, but something felt off. Something told him there was more to this story than an overly-ambitious man.
“Manny, stop it. I don’t want to fight you.”
A moment of silence passed, then Manny let out an incredulous scoff. “What, are you too chicken? Afraid you’ll get beaten in a square fight?” he mocked, lifting his fists in a more aggressive manner.
Graham heard the clank and clink of armor climbing the stage behind him, but he raised a hand towards the sound. “No, don’t. Let me handle this,” he commanded with a great amount of resolve and strained calmness.
Achaka hesitated, but, after a moment, he grunted, keeping his distance.
“Manny,” Graham started, lowering himself into a kneeling position, pie in hand. “We don’t have to fight. I know that you’ve been making tricks and plots to make it this far, but still, you helped me make it here. Why? What is it that you want? Why do you want to become a knight so badly? What’s making you do all of this?”
“You think I’m going to waste my time telling you? Someone like you wouldn’t understand, Graham. No one will understand,” Manny spat, taking another step back, secretly eyeing the dark knight behind the scrawny teenager.
"You’ll never really know that until you try,” Graham stated, holding out the pie. “I know you may not want forgiveness, and I’m not entirely certain you deserve it, but…you were the first friend I made when I came to Daventry. You gave me the encouragement I needed to keep going in the competition when I almost gave up. I know I probably wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t been helping me along the way. That means something to me. Does it mean anything to you?”
Manny’s head tilted down, then back up, then down, then up, looking between the pie and the boy in quick succession. A long silence passed before, slowly, Manny began to lower his fists, muttering, “I suppose…you have a point. You win, Graham.”
“A book?” Acorn questioned suspiciously, unwrapping Manny’s present. He lifted it up and read the title aloud. “Seventy-one Ways to Turn Art into Home Security! Hey, I could use this when I get my own shop!”
Manny crossed his arms, shrugging his shoulders. “I figured you could make some use of all that yarn,” the dwarf muttered inside his helmet. Thankfully, Acorn didn’t scoop him into a bear hug like he had with Graham.
“Don’t make me pound you, little man,” Acorn replied with a bit of sarcasm before opening the next present. Whisper had gotten him a picture of himself, framed and autographed; Amaya gave the giant a small, dull blade that she called a “letter opener”, which Graham had seen her attempting to sharpen several days before; the Hobblepots, lastly, gave him a small collection of color-changing dyes, to help with his creative projects, although Graham was pretty sure that he had heard Chester talking about throwing them away the last time he had been in their shop. Acorn seemed to appreciate every single gift, despite his passive remarks and hard-shelled mannerisms. He held each present with care and meticulously organized them on the table next to the tiered cake. Even Princess Madeline of Avalon gifted her friend with a song, accompanied by several members of her court. After the presents were opened, everyone got a slice of Wente’s cake and, naturally, enjoyed it thoroughly; well, everyone except for Manny, who spent more time poking the cake than eating it. Graham took it in grace, as his presence was a sign that Manny was at least trying to participate. He could very well have disappeared at any point until now, but instead, here he was, for better or worse.
The party wound down eventually; Whisper had to return to his “special training mission”, Acorn wanted to organize all his new gifts, and the townspeople had to get back to their shops before the festival started up. The streets would be full of tourists and shoppers soon enough. Manny left without a word, but Graham called out to him, “Bye, Manny! Thanks for coming!” All he got was a small wave and a mumble, but at least it was something.
“Manna grecka opalla, Gramee?”
A deep voice directly behind him startled Graham; he jumped slightly. “Ah-!” He turned to see his best friend, Achaka, tilt his helmeted head curiously at him. Oddly enough, he, Whisper, and Manny had all worn their armor to the party, only the former two removing their helmets to eat the cake. He supposed it was a macho thing. “Achaka, hey. What was that? Manny? Oh, he’s fine now. Or at least, I think he is. I’m not really sure. I’m hoping for the best, though!” Graham gave Achaka a smile as he puffed out his chest a bit, showing his confidence. Achaka hummed doubtfully, crossing his arms.
Graham sighed a little, deciding to change the subject. “Hey, do you think you could help me take down these streamers? I don’t want to force the woodland creatures to clean it up.”
“Achaka,” the dark knight answered, saluting Graham with his unique gesture. Graham nodded.
“Right, okay. I’ll work on the streamers, and you get the banner.” He pointed towards the sign, and Achaka followed his finger to see what he was instructing him to do. He nodded before proceeding towards the tree.
Despite the language barrier, it was a bit surprising how easily Graham and Achaka could get by using just gestures and facial expressions; or at least, Graham did, most of the time. Achaka just watched and listened carefully, either agreeing with Graham’s ideas or shooting them down. In the past few months since Graham’s victory in the knighthood trials, he’d been so busy with running errands for the king and learning the protocol standard for being a knight that he was glad he had someone to share the burden with. Whisper, Manny, and Achaka had each been recognized for knighthood positions, thanks to Graham’s convincing words in the presence of King Edward, and were currently in training to officially take the titles. It gave him time to get to know the others a bit more, and the missions that the king sent him on weren’t always a one-man job. Whisper was fast on his feet and happy to run from danger, so that usually made him a good distraction or scout. Manny spent more of his time reading than anything else, and Acorn was too invested in his crafts to bother with adventure anymore. Achaka was ready and willing to come to Graham’s aid when he needed, for there were some puzzles that couldn’t be solved by one mind alone. The adventures that they’d been on in recent weeks seemed to be more and more thrilling as the danger gradually escalated and Achaka and Graham became more accustomed with each other’s habits and communication tactics. Graham was pretty sure that they could probably take the national championship title for charades.
Laying the streamers over his shoulders and down his chest, Graham concentrated on strategically pulling down one streamer at a time in such a way that one would follow another with each tug, saving him time climbing trees and untangling ribbons. He glanced Achaka’s way, seeing that he was just about done taking down the banner, sitting on a high branch among the leaves. He looked so natural there, as if he was sitting on a bench, but when he leaned back suddenly, Graham tensed. He watched as his friend fell back, his knees hooked around the branch before he kicked forward, falling, and landed on his feet in a crouch, banner in hand. Graham blinked twice, wondering how in the world he managed to do that, and wondering if he could pull off something like that, too.
When Achaka’s helmet turned towards Graham, he looked away quickly, focusing on the streamers again. As much as he admired Achaka, he didn’t want to seem like some pining wannabe. As amazing as Achaka was, and as much as Graham counted on him to be at his side in the face of danger, he didn’t want to turn into his sidekick or pupil or damsel in distress. He wanted to be his equal. To do that, he had to learn some things on his own.
He heard footsteps come his way, Achaka coming to check on him. “I’m almost done, here. Wente took all the dishes, right? This should be the last of it…”
“Otele michka?” Achaka’s gloved hand appeared in Graham’s field of vision, palm up and open. Another glance at the knight and Graham figured he was offering to carry something.
“Oh, nah, I-” His voice cut off when Achaka instead touched Graham’s cheek, tilting his head to face the knight head-on. Although Graham couldn’t see Achaka’s face through the visor, he could feel his gaze boring down on him. He smiled a little, chuckling. “Uh..?”
Achaka’s thumb brushed over Graham’s cheek, and the teenager stopped talking. It was only when he saw the small cloud of pink on the gloved thumb that he understood. “Frosting. There...on my face. Right, I…Thanks, for that,” he stammered awkwardly.
“Gramee pushka,” Achaka replied, looking at the frosting himself and removing his hand from Graham’s face. Graham turned away, trying to focus on his work. Achaka could be a little strange sometimes.
It wasn’t long before all of the party supplies were cleaned up, and Graham even found some spare rope under the table. After tucking everything into his cape, he took a breath. “Alright! Looks like we’re all done here. What do you say we head back to the castle?” He pointed a thumb over his shoulder. His friend turned to him, nodding silently, and they were on their way.
The trip went relatively quickly as Graham led the way through the woods, heading towards the castle. Achaka walked silently beside him, and Graham could only assume he was enjoying the view just as much as he. The sun was beginning to fall towards the horizon, casting a soft yellow glow over the coloring leaves and sending shadows stretching across the foliage. Autumn was setting in, and a chill swept through the trees and rustled the dry leaves, blowing several from their perches up high and onto the forest floor. Graham hugged his arms against the breeze, glancing at his armored friend. He wondered if the armor’s material kept him warm, or if the insulation forced him to be warm using his own body heat? He really didn’t know much about Achaka, where he was from, or where he got his armor. Was his armor enchanted? Did it have good ventilation?
“Gramee, wata.”
Was it forged in the heart of a volcano? Was the inside coated with the fuzz of a thousand sheep? Did it harness the power of the sun? Was it made of dragon’s breath?
Graham bumped right smack into a tree, and that’s when he realized he’d been staring at Achaka’s armor for several paces. Achaka touched his shoulder, steadying him.
“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Graham reassured, turning away quickly and avoiding looking at him as his cheeks heated up. Zards, he’d done it again.
“…Hmm.” Achaka watched him continue onward towards the ravine. The teen cupped the horn’s mouthpiece in his hands, took a deep breath, and blew hard into it. The instrument’s sound echoed over the land and off the walls of the cliffs, but after several moments of waiting, Graham tapped his foot impatiently and folded his arms with a sigh.
“Looks like Pillare called in sick again… Geez, and I really thought she’d approve of addendum 346.7 and a half.”
“Chooka neetee.”
“You’re right. Two adventurers like us can solve this, no problem. Just need some…” Graham searched his cape for anything that could be used to get across. Streamers, an acorn, a cool stick, an extra slice of cake, a couple gold coins… “Aha!” Graham pulled out the rope, holding it up. “Here we are. Achaka, would you like to do the honors? I, uh, forgot to bring my bow,” he admitted sheepishly.
Achaka took the rope from Graham, fastening it to one of his arrows. “Gramee chookee, atakra shrekee.”
Graham rubbed the back of his neck, laughing nervously. “I know, I know, I need to be better prepared, even when I’m going to a friend’s birthday party. You never know what could happen, right? Remember the time with the magic bean?”
“Groka? Affa nata…” Achaka replied hesitantly, readying his bow.
“Yeaaah, wouldn’t want to go through that again.”
Achaka fired the arrow across the ravine, the rope flying behind it. It dug deep into a tree next to the road, and Achaka tied his end of the cord to a branch, making sure it was fastened tightly. He hopped, grabbing onto the taut rope, and began to make his way across. Shortly after, Graham did the same, hopping up and beginning the long trek across the cliff.
When they reached the other side, Achaka left the arrow and the rope, heading for the castle doors. Graham followed him, admiring the view of the castle yet again. Although it probably wasn’t anything special, Graham had quickly come to call Daventry his home. Everyone was friendly, there was a warm bed and food on the table every night, and the king seemed to really appreciate everything the knights were doing. While Graham slept in a large room with rows of cots with the other knights, it made the place feel even more like home. There was always someone to talk to, and it was never quiet, what with Whisper telling stories and the other knights loudly reviewing addendums and criticizing each other’s armor-polishing skills. He never really felt alone when he was here; although, sometimes, that wasn’t always a good thing. Every now and then, he had to get away from all the hubbub and noise of the castle, which made him thankful that Daventry was surrounded by thick woods and plenty of gorgeous scenic views.
What made it even better was that Achaka had a place in the castle, too, and he seemed to relate to his desire for the occasional private moment, as well. Although he wasn’t an official knight yet, he’d gratefully accepted the king’s offer to sleep in the knights’ quarters. Whisper had taken up the offer, too, although he usually only spent time in there when he was telling stories of his adventures and sleeping just a few hours a day. Manny had accepted, as well, but Graham had yet to actually see him sleep there.
As Graham and Achaka passed through the castle gates, they could already hear the sound of bards and musicians practicing, the merchants advertising flower crowns and bouquets, and couples enjoying the growing vibe of the festivities. Flower petals were strewn over the cobblestone streets, and a crowd was beginning to form on the outsides of the main road, preparing for the traditional march of the knights.
A merchant caught Graham’s attention, holding out a flower crown made of small, delicate white wildflowers. “Hey, hey, boy! You look like you have a good face for flowers! How would you like to sport this crown and attract the ladies, you know what I’m sayin’? I think it really catches the exciting glint in your eye, what do you say?” The merchant grinned at him, wearing a flower crown, himself, one made of purple-hued bluebells, gently bobbing and tapping his forehead as he talked and nodded energetically.
“Oh, um, thanks, but no tha-” He noticed Achaka’s hand taking up the crown from the merchant’s grasp and watched as he lifted the flowers over Graham’s head and promptly placed the circlet over his hat. After a pause, he lifted the crown again, removed the hat, and rested the circle of wildflowers over Graham’s hair. He lowered his hands to his sides, observing his work as Graham blinked. But honestly, he couldn’t resist. He struck a small pose and asked with a smile, “Do I look good?”
“…Achaka.”
“Aaaaah, it seems your friend likes it, too! I got a limited offer, buy one get one for the cost of two, and only today! What do you say?” the merchant prompted, smiling cleverly.
“Um…” Graham started, but it didn’t seem like his answer was necessary. Achaka produced two small bronze coins and placed them on the merchant’s table; he then continued down the road, carrying Graham’s hat. Graham hurried after him, the merchant happily collecting the coins. A bit of awkward silence followed, and Graham noticed that Achaka was still carrying his cap. He thought about asking for it, but he didn’t really feel the need.
A small fanfare sounded, signaling the start of the parade. First came a row of four knights, marching in unison to the rhythm of the music, each carrying a banner high above their heads with the crest and colors of the kingdom. The crowd clapped and cheered, watching from the sidelines as a float of pink flowers approached afterward, topped with a wooden carving of King Edward himself, pink blossoms attached to his hair and robe with delicate precision. Several floats followed after, each one adorned with various blossoms, buds, and greens and themed after some important aspect of Daventry and its history. There was even one float themed after the knights of the kingdom; two knights stood on the float, with strings of flowers draped over their shoulders and little blossoms tucked into the nooks and crannies of their armor. Near the middle of the small parade, Acorn came along after another row of knights, surrounded by Princess Madeline’s court, as the princess herself sat on Acorn’s shoulder. The giant waved to the crowd, making sure that everyone could see the princess, and he looked beyond proud to be escorting his good friend through the festival.
Suddenly, a crash came from down the road, at the origin of the parade. Graham tensed, then almost immediately hurried after the sound. Achaka followed closely, and they turned a corner to see a float tilting precariously to one side, a flower figurine of a famous Daventry figure almost toppling over without the help of several knights.
Graham hurried forward, asking, “What’s going on?”
Knight Number 4 looked to him from his position in holding up the float while two others tried to lift the float to an even level. “Ah, Graham, we were just rolling the float forward, but the front wheel snapped! Looked rotted, it did. That’s what happens when you cut back on parade funds and can’t purchase new floats!”
“It’s okay, we’ll figure this out,” Graham reassured him.
“Oh, thank you, Graham, but you better hurry! This float is going next!” Knight #4, otherwise known as Gary, urged quietly.
Graham nodded, looking around for a substitute for the wheel. Perhaps the lid to a barrel? No, no barrels nearby. Maybe a stale loaf of bread? No, that wouldn’t work, either- the bakeries were blocked by the crowd down the street. What else could he use?
Achaka kneeled down next to the axle sticking out from under the float’s cover, examining it for a moment before he gripped it and lifted it, startling the other knights as the figure on the float wobbled to a standstill. “Achaka osema.”
Graham snapped his fingers. “That’s it! Everyone else, take an axle end! We’ll carry it!” The flat board must have been light enough; the only element on the float was a wire figure covered in flowers and a blanket.
“Great idea, Pockets! Climb on top and steady it, and we’ll carry it down the street,” Gary suggested.
“Me?” Graham blinked.
“Of course! It won’t be steady enough with four marching- albeit impeccably so- knights carrying it. We need you to smile and wave at the crowd as you keep Sir Cuttingham and his butcher knife of glory steady!” Gary exclaimed, picking up a wheel as the other two knights did the same. “Now hurry!”
With the parade continuing without them, Graham didn’t have time to argue. He climbed up onto the float and stood behind the legendary knight, holding him steady with one hand on his back, and the other on his bulky, soft, fluffy pink arm. He glanced down at Achaka as they began marching forward, spreading his feet to keep better balance as they turned the corner and started down the street.
The crowd’s cheers picked up when they saw the newest addition to the parade, and for a moment Graham considered hiding behind the flowery figure. He smiled and nodded every now and then, and although he knew that the cheers weren’t for him, he felt like he was towering over the entire street. He couldn’t help but feel a little flutter in his chest. He glanced down at Achaka.
‘He looks so calm,’ Graham thought. ‘I can’t see his face, but he always looks like he knows exactly what he’s doing.’
“Hey, Graham!” Amaya called out, waving to him. Graham was started out of his thoughts; he grinned and waved back, seeing some familiar faces in the crowd. The Hobblepots called out and waved, too, hooting at the young knight as he passed by. Wente and his new wife, Bramble, cheered and waved excitedly, grinning from ear to ear as Graham waved back. The boy couldn’t help but beam and blush at the attention, and despite his awkward position behind Sir Cuttingham, he felt giddy with the spirit of the festival.
They reached the end of the parade a few fanfares later, and the knights and Achaka lowered the float. Graham hopped off, watching the knights congratulate each other before he turned to his friend.
“That was a great idea there, Achaka. Nice work,” he complimented, nodding.
“Gramee…ichiha,” Achaka replied.
“Ichiha? That’s a new one, I think.”
Achaka reached towards Graham, adjusting the flower crown perched on his head just slightly before offering him his cap. Graham looked at it as if it was a purple pumpkin.
“Oh, thanks,” Graham said, accepting the cap. After a moment of thought, he decided to tuck away the flower crown. Maybe he could preserve it somehow?
After returning his cap to his head, he and Achaka made their way back through the festival streets. At this point, paper and cloth lanterns were being brought out, lit, and strung up, with elaborate, simple, colorful, or monochrome floral patterns adorning the thin casing of the small lights. The sun was beginning to set over the horizon, and the prime time for lantern-flying was approaching. The duo picked up a pair of simple paper lanterns and joined the rest of the crowd, waiting for the traditional ten-second countdown.
“It sure has been a year of big changes,” Graham sighed wistfully. He remembered when he’d first begun his journey to Daventry, that having been just a few months ago; at this point, it felt like it was years behind him.
“Oheche?” Achaka asked, and Graham looked at him.
“Yeah. A lot of things have changed. I’m finally a knight in Daventry, to boot,” Graham added, smiling. It began to wane, though, as he continued, “But I still don’t feel like I really deserve it…”
Achaka tilted his head at Graham, curious. He couldn’t tell exactly what his friend was saying, but there was something regretful about his tone, something remorseful in his eyes.
The countdown began, and everyone lifted up their lanterns, ready to let them go. “Ten!”
Achaka leaned forward a little, catching Graham’s attention.
“Nine!”
Graham looked up at Achaka, then he shook his head, smiling a little.
“Eight!”
He looked up at the lantern flame, visible from underneath as it sat on the wire innards.
“Seven!”
He sighed quietly. After so many weeks, it was bothering him now more than ever. He’d been wanting to talk to Achaka about it for some time.
“Six!”
Tomorrow. Tomorrow, he would bring it up.
“Five!”
Maybe. But maybe he was just imagining things. Maybe it was the stress.
“Four!”
He looked to Achaka. The dark knight hadn’t looked away from him. His armor shined and shimmered with the surrounding candlelight.
“Three!”
They stared silently at each other.
“Two!”
Graham bit his lip, then smiled.
“One!”
Achaka didn’t look away as he released his lantern, followed by everyone else on Daventry’s streets. Graham did the same, after a beat.
The lanterns rose up slowly, delicately, as the crowd cheered. The lights of the candles seemed to blend with the sunset in the distant background, the last rays of sunshine sweeping over the rooftops and illuminating the patterns of the paper lanterns even more as each one rose up, higher, higher. Everyone craned their necks to watch the lanterns rise, save for two knights caught in a silent conversation.
The boy gestured for Achaka to follow, as the festival was practically over by now. He managed to give him a convincing smile as they made their way towards the castle.
“Gramee.”
“Hey, when is your birthday?” he asked. He figured it was a safer topic than the one that was bugging him consistently every day for the past few weeks. “You know, how old you are? I’m nineteen.”
“Ohaka?” Achaka held up three fingers, then two fingers.
“Thirty-two? Is that how old you are, or how many days until your birthday?” When Achaka saw the confused look on Graham’s face, he began to clarify.
“Achaka,” the dark knight started, holding up two fingers, then five. “Ohaka,” he stated, holding up three, then two.
“Ohhh, so you’re twenty-five, and your birthday is in thirty-two days?”
“Affa nata.” Numbers were a bit easier for Achaka to understand in Graham’s language.
“I see…” he smiled. Would Achaka appreciate a surprise party, too?
They made their way across the courtyard to enter the castle via the “knight” entrance. Down a few halls and past the kitchens they finally reached the barracks, where some of the knights were already beginning to change out of their armor. Kyle and Larry were in the corner, doing their usual routine, but without the uniforms. “Hello, Graham. How was the party?” Larry asked.
“It was great, thanks. Acorn really liked his gifts, and I think the streamers were a nice touch. Nice call with that, Kyle,” Graham said, smiling from one knight to the other.
“Of course, Graham, any time! I’m glad it went smoothly.” Kyle grinned.
“And, as a token of my appreciation, I brought you guys a slice of cake!” Graham pulled the plate of cake from his cape, offering it to them.
“Oh, thank you Graham, really,” Larry started, licking his lips. “Think you could set it over there? Kyle’s got a few more rounds left until break.”
“Sure thing.” Graham nodded, doing so. He noticed Achaka heading for their usual sleeping area, setting down his bow and quiver beside a cot. He headed after him, noticing, as he passed, all the guards that were cleaning their armor, performing evening exercises, or reviewing memos and addendums with the greatest amount of dedication. He couldn’t help but feel like he was somehow falling behind, even though it was hardly his fault that his uniform hadn’t arrived yet, and he was doing his best with the addendums, but being surrounded by muscular men every day could really send a clear, silent message. When he reached the area where he and Achaka usually slept, he got down on the floor and started doing a pushup.
“Oooooone! Two, three, f-four…” Graham huffed, pushing with all his might, but his arms were shaking. He saw Achaka kneel down next to him out of the corner of his eye. A hand pressed down on his lower back, another going to his chest, and he felt Achaka straightening his curves and curving his straights. The touch over his chest was careful, barely pushing, but Graham followed his movements, adjusting his posture.
“Greckee affa nata,” Achaka said in his usual deep tone, removing his hands. Graham lowered himself and pushed up again, keeping the posture.
“Five, six, seven…” He counted off to ten before sitting on his knees, wriggling his fingers before touching his chest as he heaved a sigh. “Phew… Thanks, Achaka. That felt better.”
“Affa nata,” was the response he received, and he looked up at the man sitting on the cot.
Graham couldn’t say he was surprised the first time Achaka had removed his helmet in front of him. Achaka’s dark skin was smooth, often coated with a light sheen of sweat, only interrupted by various scars across his face and body, leaving little light strips and spots here and there. His dark hair was pulled back into several tight braids that fell over his back and by his face, a style that Graham had never seen on anyone before. His features were long, slender, and strong; Graham wasn’t afraid to admit that he was handsome, and he even said so when he first saw Achaka’s face. Thankfully or not, Achaka didn’t seem to understand, so he just gave Graham a blank stare with his dark eyes before continuing to remove his armor, as he began doing in front of Graham now. His body was well-built, his muscles prominent and toned, and despite his obvious strength, he looked elegant. Although he was a bit clumsy now and then, it was nothing compared to Graham’s unfortunate fate to be the world’s punching bag.
Achaka tugged on the collar of his black shirt, sighing and looking around at the other knights. Graham was quickly becoming accustomed to studying Achaka’s expressions whenever given the opportunity.
“Are you tired?” Graham asked. Achaka looked at him. “You know, like…” He clapped his hands together next to his tilted head and closed his eyes, pretending to snore for a few moments before cracking an eye open, waiting for an answer.
Achaka shook his head.
“Alright… Are you hungry?” He rubbed his belly, licking his lips and humming. Another shake told him he was off the mark.
“How about…” Graham tapped his chin with a finger, thinking.
“Gramee. Swala nohem,” Achaka said, interrupted Graham’s thought process. He looked up, and Achaka met his eyes with a calm gaze.
“…Right. You’re fine. Okay, good to know.” He stood up, brushing off his pants before sitting on the cot, lifting a leg onto his knee to begin removing his boots. “Sorry, I guess I’m just being paranoid.”
Dinner had been served two hours ago, and Achaka and Graham were both full from the steak and the birthday cake. The knights were beginning to settle into their cots, sharpening their heels, reviewing the latest addendums, and doing a few before-bed stretches with each other. There were several high windows that gave a view to the night sky, and Graham could see stars blinking back at him as he relaxed on his cot, hands behind his head. At some point, Whisper returned, weaving tales of dangerous creatures and precious treasures, which most of the other knights seemed to genuinely enjoy; either that, or they were just being polite.
Growing slightly restless, Graham sat up, looking around. Still no sign of Manny, he noted.
It was less than an hour before lights out, so Graham decided to engage Achaka in another language lesson. He would usually try to mimic several animal sounds, objects, and titles for interpretation, trying to get the point across so that Achaka could respond with a word in his own language. Sometimes it was more of a game than an attempt at discourse, but most of the time it offered them both insight into the other’s diction. Graham had already learned several nouns, such as how “wabataba” meant “wolf” and “kunji” meant “bathroom”, as well as a few other terms of Achaka’s vocabulary.
“Okay, Achaka, what is this?” Graham brought his fists to his chest, waving his elbows and clucking erratically.
“Ah, feebe,” Achaka replied, nodding, as he idly whittled an arrow in his lap. Where he got the material to make those, Graham still didn’t know.
“Feebe! Interesting,” Graham hummed with interest. “Okay, what about this.” He brought his wrist to his mouth, licking it exaggeratedly before meowing.
“Ooh, mimi,” was the response.
“Great! Glad to see we’re making progress again.” Graham smiled at him, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see another knight behind him.
“Graham, could you ask him what an ‘apple’ is?” the guard, named Mark, asked curiously.
“Oh. Um…that’d be a little hard to get across without an actual apple…” Graham mused, before another knight came over and asked a similar question.
“How about ‘socks’?” David pondered.
“Now that, I can get,” Graham replied, lifting one of his feet onto his knee, tugging on the toe of his sock. “Achaka, what’s this?”
“Ah, shinpa,” Achaka answered.
“And what’s an elbow called?” Graham pointed to his own elbow, inquiring.
“Groota.”
“How about the ear? What’s the ear called?” Another gesture, another answer.
“Heeyoo.”
A loud, arresting voice called out, “Hey! Whisper can do it!” Whisper hopped onto the scene, striking a pose, his dazzling smile only outmatched by his admittedly fantastic looks. He whipped his head to show off the flow of his bouncing golden waves as he looked to Achaka with bright blue eyes. “Achaka, what do you call this?” Whisper brought a hand to his mouth, humming before breaking the kiss to his palm, letting it roam from his sparkling smile.
“Ah. Chu.”
“Gesundheit. Now what is this?” He repeated the gesture, kissing his hand.
“Chu.”
“Again, you really should see an allergist for that.”
Graham cleared his throat. “Um, Whisper, I think that’s his answer. A kiss is called a ‘chu’, right Achaka?” he asked. Achaka nodded, confirming his thoughts.
“Ah. Well, there you have it. A kiss, everyone, is called a ‘chu’!” Whisper announced, striking another pose.
“Gesundheit!” Kyle called out from the other end of the room, still running in place with Larry on his bare shoulders.
Whisper sighed as Graham chuckled.
The following morning, King Edward called for Graham’s presence.