Chapter Text
A regular day of standing at the kingdom gates consisted of overseeing passage, checking shipments and carriages that entered, nodding, only briefly, at fellow guards and pointing travellers towards their destinations. They typically preferred to ask whoever else was on duty rather than him, even if it meant they had to cross the crowded path. His armour was intimidating, he had been told. It made a child cry once. He didn’t mind. It meant he could focus better on ensuring the people’s safety.
Gate watching was certainly not Owain’s favourite rotation in the guard.
It appeared, however, that the present day was not a regular one. In good watch fashion, Owain spotted them coming from the very first step they took around the bend of the path, past the stony outcrop. A group of five, walking ahead of a carriage that struggled to match their pace, but did not ask them to move aside.
They obviously delayed it, with how slowly they moved. They skirted around puddles that had not yet drained. A pair lagged behind, whispering to each other. One, clothed in muted earth tones, gestured to and fro for their hooded companion to follow. Their cloak cast a heavy shadow that concealed their face. The sun had returned as the last of rainclouds drifted along the sky, pushed away by coastal winds. The water left from their brief shower glimmered along the rooftops and went off gurgling into the sewer grates. The hood was dry. Owain would be sure to keep an eye on them. He had a feeling.
A few steps forward walked a person that sparked a memory more by their weightless frolic than appearance, although the hair, red as the mantle on his armour, had few equivalents. She had her chin lifted high, eyes drifting over the height of the mountains. She spoke distractedly with a slower walker who found purchase with a long glimmering staff. They glanced down at the uneven ground every few steps.
Truly, however, it was the one at the head of the pack that he focused on. Owain’s sweep of his companions had only taken a few fleeting seconds, by the time he placed his attention upon Nominal, he was already spotted. Admittedly, his armour, polished every morning and every night, shone brightly as ever. Owain’s specialty had never been discretion. He was a knight, after all.
“Nominal. You return. I thought you gone forever.”
Owain greeted the man as he strode over and planted his feet right in front of him. He stood up proudly, back straight, the rest of his group fanning out. He commanded attention, even after several years of dilly-dallying and moseying about. Long hair pulled in a messy tie, a wrinkled shirt haphazardly tucked into a corset. None of the structure that Owain had tried to imbue into him.
Such potential squandered. It hurt to see.
“You can’t get rid of me that easily, Owain.”
Nom answered with that insouciant air of his. He punched at Owain’s arm, the clicking of metal plates answering him. It was frankly weak. Perhaps his constitution had in fact deteriorated, regardless of the thick cord of muscle that filled out his coat. Not an aggressive movement, that much was clear. Owain did not know what his thought had been.
“Gods know I never tried.”
He directed his gaze to the rest of them, taking advantage of the closeness to mark them in his mind. A waterfall of ginger curls spilled over the glint of piercings. Although he cared not for their use as embellishment, he respected, and could even appreciate the idea of willingly carrying a wound. At her side, the shadows could no longer hide the form of a slime, blue as the flags that floated above the gates. He would disappear easily in the countless banners strung around the kingdom.
Set behind Nominal stood a man of frail constitution, which explained the need for the staff. His features, too wide for his gaunt face, betrayed a past illness that the sharpness of elvenkind made more apparent. If he had the strength for travel, however, Owain did not hold concern for the health of the kingdom. The remaining traveller waved, a carved reed swinging carelessly with it. Owain gave her a deep nod.
“Katie as well. And more.”
He did not know her as well as her brother, on account of only seeing her on the sidelines of the training grounds. She had musical talents, that much he had noticed about her, from the agile tunes she would often play as she waited. Those distracted the other knights, and the ones in training too. Owain did not fall for it. Few matched his strength of will. Only one had surpassed him.
“Did you never meet Mae?”
Nominal pointed back at the woman with curled hair, busy devouring the view with her eyes. Blue Kingdom was admittedly stunning, travellers often stopped in their tracks after passing the gate to take in its magnificent appearance. Part of his duty was to keep them from obstructing the flow of people. The name striked a chord in Owain’s mind and he considered her more attentively. He would remember having spoken to her, but that mark of metal at her brow, he felt as though he had seen it before. Such an adornment was uncommon.
“Now that you say the name… You do look familiar.”
The bustling city opened up in a wide marketplace around an imposing statue of a monarch long gone. Houses of sparkling stone leaned over cobbled streets in architectural marvels. Roofs carried tiles from all hues of blue, mingling with the very sky. Overseeing it all, past the lake, the castle, powerful, mighty, carried the celestial crown on its high spires, rising tall as the mountains at its back. However, if Mae came from this very kingdom just as Nominal implied, it only made more sense that she would be so absorbed in contemplation.
“Nope, never met before! First time!”
Mae waved her arms in front of herself, eyes so wide that white encircled her irises entirely. Owain didn’t think he could warrant such panic without raising his sword. It rested at his shoulder, its usual position, in the dip of his pauldron. The slime laughed without care, a sound surprisingly light for the gloominess of his clothing. Only the teal streaks up his cloak brightened it up. Blue. Very good. He bumped Mae with his shoulder and she followed him into a nervous chuckle. An eye on the both of them, then. One eye each.
“Huh. Well you definitely won’t have met 4C and Scott.”
Nominal indicated in turn to the slime and the elf. 4C grinned widely, giggles stifled into his hand as he couldn’t stop. Scott’s greeting, a more timorous smile, came accompanied by a whisper that didn’t make it to Owain’s ears. His fingers tensed around his staff as he wavered slightly. Nominal reached for Scott’s elbow in order to steady him.
“I am Owain. I oversaw part of Nominal’s training.”
He gave a shallow bow, red mantle sweeping aside. Katie’s face brightened the same way it did years ago every time Owain moved. He had asked Nominal about it once, as nothing about Owain called for such sense of wonder. The only answer he had received was that he chimed with every step. Whatever that could possibly mean.
“You trained to be a- a knight?”
Scott leaned a little closer to Nominal. The end of his staff must have gotten caught between the pavers. Owain would let the builders’ guild know they were unsteady here. With all the people passing through, they really should be checking the area more often.
“Wasn't for me in the end.”
Nominal shrugged, hair falling over his eyes flicked away. He should cut it shorter. It did no good blocking his already impaired vision. As he pursued his examination, Owain found that Nominal had more scars than he remembered, as revealed by his state of undress. Armour would have helped with both of these issues. He supposed this was a mistake both of them made.
“Nominal had a lot of skills suitable for knighthood. Although I distinctly remember struggles with authority.”
Strength, willpower, loyalty, strength again, and a sheer lack of regard for orders. Owain would have happily given up the title, given by his peers, of strongest knight of the kingdom for the honour to fight at Nominal’s side. Alas, his reckless nature had led him astray from the path he was destined to follow. Owain had tried, in vain, to keep him there. Even after all these years, he still repented for it.
“Tell me about it, he never listens to anything I say!”
Katie groaned as she spun the flute around in her hands. Careless, in the way she didn’t even look down at her movements, although she didn’t so much as drop it once. She had some agility to her. With the right mentor, that dexterity could be applied to a sword. Nominal had always refused it.
“Let's not discuss that now.”
Nominal dismissed through gritted teeth. The end of his possible knighthood had been rather tumultuous. Sudden, even. Over the course of a week, he appeared to lose all interest in training. For once unable to focus on swinging a weapon around, which had always been his favourite part. Nominal only told Owain he would be leaving the afternoon prior. To this day, Owain had not received a straight answer as to why.
“Oh look, there’s a rainbow!”
Still looking at the city adoringly, Mae had spotted the colourful arch looming over the mountains. The clouds must still be emptying their contents on the forest, catching the sunrays. It had been brief but heavy in the kingdom.
“No, that’s clearly an Owainbow.”
That was not the correct pronunciation. Owain raised an eyebrow as he turned his head to the slime. Of course, he could not see it past the helmet. 4C only faced the stoic lion face with a wide bean-shaped smile, not restrained by the limitations of muscle. It stayed plastered on his face as Owain looked on, although his gaze jumped back and forth more and more rapidly.
“My name is Owain.”
He corrected as he adjusted his grip on the hilt of his zweihänder. 4C sank behind Mae, the top of his head barely reaching her shoulder. She extended an arm over him, protective, without pausing her restless stepping. Katie had already drifted aside into the marketplace, Scott halfway between her and Nominal. No one could resist the appeal of the Blue Kingdom.
“I’m looking for Graecie. Is she still here?”
Nominal, his hand fallen from Scott onto the pommel of the sword at his hip, looked over at them. Owain had seen Graecie just earlier in the day. She dropped briefly by the barracks for their daily assignments, as she lived separately. Owain had visited once. Graecie and her housemate had a rather confusing furniture arrangement.
“Well of course, where else would she be?”
Graecie’s rightful place was here, just like Nominal and Katie’s. And Mae’s, as far as he knew. Both Scott and 4C would be welcome as well. Owain simply had no idea why others would try to leave one of the greatest kingdoms in the world. Nominal pushed up his glasses with the back of his hand to pinch his nose.
“She used to talk about going- Nevermind.”
Going on holiday, potentially. She did that sometimes, Owain did not understand. The trips he took on behalf of the crown were travel enough. He wondered what went on back at the kingdom the entire time. A part of him expected to find it burnt down when he returned. He much preferred staying, better able to protect the city from within its walls, but what the monarch asked, Owain would do.
“She's on close guard until mid-afternoon, I believe.”
Stationed in sensitive areas of the castle, potentially at the doors of the meeting room or near the throne. The treasury also fell in that category. Graecie said it used to be lower but an incident involving major theft had caused its security level to increase. A very wise decision.
“I'll ask around. Thanks, Owain.”
The knight nodded in acknowledgement. A few steps away, Katie paced with the tip of her flute resting on her closed lips. She did not blow in it, simply resting it there without a sound. Music came from further into the city already.
“We probably need to go drop off our stuff somewhere first. Gods forbid it rains again, I can’t have my instruments getting soaked!”
She said as she turned to face the group. Scott cast a look up at the sky, where only puffs of clouds remained. Owain didn’t think it would rain again today, but weather was fickle. He had limited knowledge of it, the armour kept him dry. Only in one situation had he been told to be wary, which was of lightning. Anything else, he could endure without concern.
“Yeah, best not to make the driver ask for more gold.”
Nominal agreed as he looked over at the two people that had been whispering to each other. He tipped his head towards the houses in an indication to head off. So the carriage that had stopped behind was theirs indeed. Why would they travel by foot, then? It was simply inefficient. Nominal had never liked parting with his riches, of which he had many.
“Let’s go, yes! I wonder if they took my house…”
Mae hooked her elbow at 4C’s neck, his hood falling from the pull. She hardly had to lift her arm for it. As far as Owain could tell, she had some height over the average for a human, but the slime seemed particularly short by her side. But then again, most everyone appeared short to Owain. He wondered if slimes were all so small. 4C needed to tilt his head so far to look at Mae’s face. Surely he would hurt himself if he had muscles. Was this how Shandrea looked at Owain?
“You still have the keys?”
A rather long time to be away, especially since they had gone sailing. Surely they would put such an important item in a safe location. Owain didn’t have keys. His quarters at the barracks were his in name only. He had few possessions to leave there, so locking the door would not be of use.
“I can just pick the l- pick the, uh, keys. Up. From the neighbour.”
Mae paused in the middle of her sentence to glance at Owain. Repeatedly. How strange. She scuttled off, pulling 4C along with her. She grabbed Katie too who squealed as Mae dragged them both. They fell away into the crowd as Nominal watched on with a sigh.
“I’ll see you around, man!”
Time for Owain to return to his duty. Finally. He had been off-task for too long, what if he had missed something important? Nominal made a sign at him before walking up to Scott. Using the offered hand, Scott climbed to the front of the carriage next to the driver. The elf bowed his head, blonde hair swaying with the movement.
“Nice to meet you.”
Nominal stood on the side-step as they began to move, hand fisted on the bannister. The wheels rattled on the cobbles. Owain watched them go for but a few seconds. Everything still looked familiar to Nominal, pointing at things in the street as they passed by. Owain wondered if Walesland would feel the same for him. Would it be nostalgic or foreign? Tainted? He shook the thought out of his head to stare ahead.
Nominal’s return home disturbed him. He had truly expected to never see him again after his departure years ago. It was good, of course, maybe Nominal would return to his training and Owain would do it right this time. Eventually convince him to let Katie enroll as well. The kingdom could always use more good knights. The rest of them didn’t strike him as potential knights, although surely they could be put to use somewhere else.
Yes, that would be good.
More to serve the crown.