It was raining when they broke camp the next morning. The growing slickness of the muddy ground beneath them and the steely grey skies above made what should have been a fairly simple task a truly miserable one. By the time they were done, even their waxed raincloaks were completely soaked through.
Liadra had a dire look in her eyes as they started saddling their horses. “We need to be moving. If we stay here any longer, we’ll be up to our ankles in mud.” She was channelling the essence of a drill sergeant as she shouted her observation in an attempt to be heard over the deafening staccato of heavy rain.
“I'm more concerned about hail,” Lochlan shouted back. “It's getting colder by the minute.”
“My point stands. Don't bother mounting. We'll need to lead the horses to the road. The risk of one of them slipping before then if we ride is too high.”
Rowan and Seres simply nodded. Neither of them had experienced a storm like this before, and it scared them. It should have broken up against the Kærinsiir Mountains.
They left for the trail that would take them back to the main highway almost immediately, waiting only to check they hadn't missed anything. It was a long and arduous trek back. The ground squelched beneath them with every step, and mud climbed their leggings like a vine.
It was only when they finally returned to the highway that it felt like they were back on solid ground, as the road had been designed to resist becoming slick with mud. That didn't stop Liadra from making sure it would be safe for them to ride, however. When she gave the okay, they mounted up and immediately fell into a canter. Anything else would have been too slow or too dangerous.
Two hours later, they arrived in Feldran.
*****
Feldran dwarfed both Baromiir and Telmaris. It still wasn't as large as the capital, but it didn’t need to be. If anything, the size of Feldran was little more than a footnote when compared to what made the city truly unique.
When Feldran had been little more than a mining village, an accident caused the crystalline deposits within the heart of the mountain it was named after to Resonate. For over a century, the Resonance went unnoticed, ever amplifying until it could no longer be contained by the mountain. In that terrible moment, the mountain shattered.
The explosion had been cataclysmic. Rowan had read about it as a child. There were even records of it being felt in the southern reaches of the Tail of Ferran.
It was different from the volcanic eruptions the people of Llen Færa were used to. There was no lava. No ash or smoke. Not like a volcano.
Instead, they were faced with a shock wave that made the earth ripple before it quaked. A shock wave with enough force to eviscerate everyone living within ten miles of the source whilst sending chunks of mountain as far as Særis, if not further.
When people finally returned to the mountain, they marvelled at the devastation. The peak was a distant memory, and the entire eastern side glistened like a freshly cracked geode catching the light of the sun. From within the caldera, a sea of crystalline claws reached for the sky, for the shards of earth and stone that graced the heavens above.
It was beautiful. And full of potential.
The trailblazers who dared return to Feldran were drawn to it. They carved a city from within the shattered remains of the mountain. They named it Feldran not for the mountain, but for the people who had been killed by the devastation.
Seeing the city now, Rowan was beyond amazed. It was beautiful. Buildings of grey stone and tiny glittering crystals, both mundane and Resonant, lined the many tiered streets. The shimmering, almost crystalline quality of the city didn't stop at buildings. It could be seen in the roads and the streetlights. Even the plants seemed to shimmer.
What stood out to Rowan, however, was how the very air shimmered with joy. It was in stark contrast to the dark and depressing bleakness of the storm outside of the city. If anything, the cityfolk welcomed the rain. Rowan could see them dancing around in the main plaza without a care for the world and wearing markedly lightweight attire.
A part of her wanted to join in. Alas, the more responsible part of her pulled weight as she instead asked, “Where to first?”
“The keep,” Seres answered. “Duke Tamrik is a relative of mine. He'll offer us sanctuary, and I'm sure the guards back at the gates have already sent word of our arrival.”
“If you're sure.”
With their destination set, the four of them chose to dismount. It was too dangerous with the cobbled ramps between the various tiers of the city. That they only had to worry about slipping, however, was simply incredible. A tiered city such as Feldran should have been a water trap, flooding at only a hint of rain. The reality was a feat of engineering Rowan could only begin to comprehend. Granted, she was more focused on not slipping. Pondering on Feldran's fancy plumbing could wait.
They continued leading the horses up until they reached the first of Castle Feldran's three baileys. Upon introducing themselves, some of Duke Tamrik's men offered to help with leading the horses while a runner went on ahead with news of their arrival.
Rowan and Seres agreed to their aid immediately, though Rowan made sure to remove Elan Fiir from where it was attached to her saddle before handing Nami over. Upon belting Elan Fiir to her side, however, she realised why Lochlan and Liadra had opted to keep a hold on their mounts as a vicious gust of wind whipped through the bailey with enough force to nearly send her and Seres flying.
They were both far too embarrassed to ask for their horses back after that, so they clung together and Rowan instinctively drew upon the essence of her mother's weight from Elan Fiir, effectively making herself heavier.
Thanks to the runner, they were greeted at the main entrance by the Duke's chief steward and a fourteen-year-old girl with bright hazel eyes and twin-tails the colour of freshly varnished wood. The steward ushered them in quickly, worrying little about the storm at their back or the mud they were treading in. The girl, meanwhile, just stared at them with wide eyes.
"My apologies, Your Highness, for the rude welcome. We had hoped to greet you with an escort, but the storm has been most inconsiderate." The steward spoke with a voice as dignified, yet dusty, as his appearance suggested. He was a middle-aged man in pristine brown robes, tiny glasses, and hair that was a weird cross between a tonsure and a ponytail.
"Assuming Uncle Tamrik hasn't gained the ability to control the weather in my absence, you needn't apologise, Rodin. Might I introduce you to Rowan, the Ardent Flame, and our guards and travelling companions, Lochlan and Liadra. Rowan, this is Rodin, the chief steward of my great-great-uncle, Duke Tamrik, and this is…" Seres trailed off as she tried to introduce the girl.
Rowan curtsied to Rodin, and he bowed in return. "Greetings, Lady Rowan. The Duke will be most thrilled to meet you." After greeting Rowan, Rodin introduced the young girl beside him. "This is Kelsi, the Duke's granddaughter."
"Granddaughter?" Seres asked with some confusion, "I was unaware that Uncle Tamrik had any children, let alone grandchildren."
"She was adopted during your absence, Your Highness," Rodin explained.
"Ah. Welcome to the family, Kelsi. It is a pleasure to meet you." Seres gave her a bright smile.
Rowan also offered Kelsi a smile as she seconded Seres’ greeting.
Kelsi replied shyly with a bright-eyed curtsy of her own. “Hello.”
"Would you like to show our guests to their rooms, Kelsi?"
Upon hearing the steward's request, Kelsi's shyness turned to enthusiasm as she excitedly walked them through the keep. She still didn't say much, however. If anything, she seemed perfectly content just being in the company of Rowan and Seres.
Rowan couldn’t exactly blame her. Kelsi didn't have the bearing of a noble, so it was very likely she didn't have much experience with princesses or Ardents. Were Rowan in her shoes, she'd probably feel the same way.
The route to their rooms was haphazard at best. They passed through one corridor in particular as Kelsi led them on an impromptu tour. Eventually, however, Kelsi chirped, “This will be your room, Lady Rowan.”
Rowan's lips curled gently into an appreciative smile. "Thank you, Lady Kelsi. Could you tell me where the others will be sleeping, please?"
"Her Highness has been given the room just across from you, Lady Rowan. Mister Lochlan and Miss Liadra, on the other hand, are just down the hall. This is our guest parlour so feel free to use everything here as you see fit. The same goes for you, Princess Seres. Also, I'm not actually a lady. Not really. Duke Tamrik adopted me after my parents died in a mining accident just over three years ago."
Seres hugged Kelsi immediately upon hearing the reason behind her adoption. “That's awful. I'm so sorry.”
“It's okay,” Kelsi replied awkwardly, not sure exactly how to react to a royal hug, “Duke Tamrik has been kind to me.”
“I'm glad. And I meant what I said before when I welcomed you to the family. We're cousins now. You don't need to be so formal.”
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
On hearing Seres repeat her earlier statement, Kelsi hugged her back.
“If it helps,” Rowan added, “I'm no more a lady than you are, Kelsi. I've had the title for little more than a month, but I was born to a merchant family.”
Kelsi pulled her face away from Seres in surprise. “Really?”
Rowan nodded as Seres put words to her confirmation. “My mother extended both titles to Rowan as thanks for keeping me safe while I was gone and for helping us escape.”
When Seres stopped speaking, Rowan saw the light of hope, yearning, and possibility shine in Kelsi's eyes.
After a while, Seres asked Kelsi if she would be okay telling them about her parents. “You don't have to, but I realise you probably haven't been able to talk about it with anyone.”
Kelsi was hesitant at first, offering only general statements. It was as if she hadn't, as Seres had surmised, spoken about her parents in any meaningful way since her adoption. As she grew surer and surer, however, her descriptions started becoming more detailed and concise. When she told them about the accident, it was with focus and determination.
"Just before the accident, one of the mining companies discovered a new Resonance Crystal deposit. It was apparently absolutely ginormous and filled with all different kinds of Resonance Crystals. The mining made it unstable, though, and one day it went boom. Half of the whole entire mine was destroyed in the explosion. It was like a mini Shattering.
"Pretty much everyone had given up on the miners. Everyone except for my parents. They ran a toy store and knew most of the miners by name; they were always coming by to get presents for their children. Mum and Dad couldn't bear to see those children cry, so they rallied a bunch of people for a rescue operation. Together they managed to save everyone who survived both the initial explosion and the collapse, but they had to be sure there was no one else. There was another explosion. Duke Tamrik adopted me as a way of showing his appreciation for their heroics.”
She wasn't much of a storyteller. Not that it mattered. Both Rowan and Seres were sobbing by the end of her tale. They knew the fear of a cave-in. They knew the pain of loss. Kelsi's parents had challenged both and won. They were heroes.
Rowan hugged the young girl. "Your parents were nobler and more courageous of heart than most, and I think you have inherited much of their fire. I don't know the Duke, but I'm sure he sees it as well."
"Do you really think so, Miss Rowan?"
"I do. And you don't need to call me ‘Miss Rowan’; I'm only nineteen. Just Rowan is fine."
"Sorry. My parents always told me you should always use titles when meeting people for the first time, especially when they're older than you.”
“It's a good rule to have,” Rowan replied, not wanting Kelsi to feel bad. “I just don't know how to respond to someone younger than me calling me ‘Miss’. It's always been older people.”
“I understand. I keep getting called ‘Miss Kelsi’ or ‘Lady Kelsi’ by all my tutors and the staff. Rodin and Duke Tamrik are the only people who just call me Kelsi.”
“You can include me and Seres in that number as well.”
“I will,” Kelsi replied. She said it with an air of happy confidence, except it seemed to waver ever so slightly at the end, almost as if there was something else that Kelsi wanted to say.
“Is everything okay?” Rowan asked.
“Yeah, I was just wondering, what's it like being an Ardent?"
"I don't really know how to explain it," Rowan admitted. "I can barely remember what it was like before I Awakened, and even back then, I wasn't exactly normal. What I can say is that it's intense. Beyond that, I can't really say. It would be like me asking, ‘what is it like being normal?’ You could make a guess, but without a firm point of comparison, it wouldn't exactly mean much.”
“That makes sense,” Kelsi replied sagely.
“It was probably stolen from a certain Stoic friend of ours.”
“Seres!” Rowan protested. “How could you?”
“Am I wrong?” Seres teased.
“That's not the point!”
“It is now!”
The back and forth continued for some time when Kelsi finally excused herself on the basis she had to get back to her studying.
*****
Seres slipped away a short while later with Liadra serving as an escort. She needed to contact her mother, and Duke Tamrik had a direct line to the palace. Such were the perks of family.
A servant led her to her uncle's study where he kept the Communication Resonance Array. It was a large room filled with books, scrolls, maps, and countless Resonance Crystals. The last time Seres had seen it was as a young girl. She remembered sitting on her uncle's lap as he told her stories. The memory made his absence all the more noticeable.
He was still nowhere to be seen. Which was to say that he was in his bed. They had arrived during one of his rare unscheduled naps. His sleeping schedule, or indeed lack of it, was an enigma to everyone who knew him. Seres recalled a time from back when she was just a child when he had only slept once over the course of an entire week. Even then, it had only been for a few hours. Which meant that he'd probably make it for dinner at least.
Even so, Seres knew that he wouldn't object to her calling home. Rodin had given his permission as well. All she had to do was wait while the servants set everything up; she'd never had the chance to learn how herself.
They finally triggered the signal to the palace, and moments later, word was being passed on to the Queen. A few minutes later, she heard her mother's voice through the Crystal.
“My dearest Seres! I'm so glad that you're safe. When we heard about Baromiir, my heart sank. I was so worried.”
“You know about Baromiir already?”
“Lochlan sent a priority report detailing everything that had happened. Tell Rowan how sorry I am for what she was forced to endure. It should never have happened. Lochlan or Liadra should have been there. They're meant to keep both of you safe, not just you.”
“I'm sure they'll be more careful in the future.”
“As am I. I'll be checking in with them tomorrow morning. But the fault lies with me as well. We've been so focused on raiders and corruption in the northern counties or amidst the other islands that we've neglected our more routine inspections.”
Seres frowned at her mother. It wasn't something the Crystal could convey, but she still felt it was warranted. “You shouldn't blame yourself, Mother. Routine inspections are not your responsibility. I know you feel like you need to do everything because of your Gift, but we have a Minister of Internal Affairs for a reason. And even then, this kind of thing is really easy to miss if you're not looking for it.”
“You really have grown, Seres. Not even seventeen, yet here you are, consoling me with words of wisdom far beyond your years.”
Seres could hear the pride in her mother's voice. She could almost feel it through the Crystal. It still wasn't enough to hide the note of regret, however.
“I've still got plenty of growing left to do, Mother.”
The message was clear. No more words needed to be said on the matter. Regret was replaced with a smile, and the conversation returned to Baromiir.
“You'll be glad to know that the investigation team has arrived in Baromiir. They started their investigation just after their arrival.”
“What's likely to happen?”
“The man who attacked Rowan passed away on account of his injuries. Had he survived, he would have been investigated for his crimes and punished accordingly. As for the guards who threatened Rowan, they will be punished in accordance with your verdict, though I have also ordered them stripped of rank and dismissed from service. If they have facilitated or committed any other crimes, their sentence will be dire. The same is true for anyone else who is found guilty. The guard captain has also been demoted. Even if he wasn't involved, he allowed it to happen.”
“I hadn't even considered his potential involvement."
“You needn't worry about it. Tell me about your grand adventure.”
“I've had a lot of fun. Lochlan and Liadra have been great. I was worried they'd be super bossy and overbearing like most escorts, but they've mostly just been offering their advice as Rowan and I made the actual decisions. They’re also not afraid to treat us like equals.”
“I knew they were the correct choice. I'll make sure to thank them tomorrow.”
“I've also been training with Rowan. She's teaching me how to fight and defend myself. I told her about my abilities.”
“That's good. Have you been practising with them? How about in combat?”
“I've done some practising, but only once in a combat scenario,” Seres admitted.
“That's better than nothing, I guess,” Queen Elarin responded, a note of disappointment trailing off at the end. “How did it go?”
“Better than I expected. I took some inspiration from how Rowan fights, and I managed to surprise her a few times. I still only lasted like five minutes. It was exhausting. The Crystals didn't help either. They were too small and inefficient.”
“You'll gain more endurance with practice. The issue with the Crystals is unfortunate, however. The gem-cutter who made your original set passed away last year, and his apprentice's experience with cutting Resonance Crystals is rather limited. You should be able to get a few upgrades in Feldran, at least.”
“I will as soon as it stops raining.”
“Oh?”
“We've got a storm.”
“In Feldran? It must be quite the storm if it's gotten past the Kærinsiir Mountains.”
"I nearly had impromptu flying lessons," said Seres with a light giggle. It had been terrifying at the time, but hindsight painted it silver.
"I'm glad that you're okay, Seres. Thank you for telling me. Unfortunately, a storm like the one you’re describing is one that demands my immediate attention.”
“I understand.”
“Say ‘hello’ to Uncle Tamrik and Kelsi for me.”
“I will.”
“And Seres.”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
*****
When Seres left to speak to her mother, Rowan went looking for a bath. Fortunately, she didn’t need to go too far as the guest apartments were equipped with extensive bathing facilities. Upon discovering them, Rowan wasted little time getting familiar with every last facet. Her clothes were gone in an instant. She’d get fresh ones later, even if it meant walking through the parlour in nothing but a towel.
The giant tub started filling itself automatically as Rowan stepped into the showers. In the time it took to free herself from the mud that had turned her body into an art project, the bath was full and inviting.
She let out a euphoric sigh as she allowed herself to become one with the water. It was like a dream, and just like a dream, time became a distant memory. She lay there for what could have been hours.
Alas, she couldn't bathe forever. Regretfully she stepped out of the tub, thankful that the air felt just as warm as the water. The parlour, however, was another matter entirely. She remembered it being nice and comfortable. Now it threatened to freeze her to the bone.
To make matters worse, she wasn't alone.
“Welcome back,” Seres said with a mischievous smile. She was sitting next to Kelsi, who practically swooned at the sight of Rowan. They were surrounded by books.
“What's going on?” Rowan asked, shivering in confusion and embarrassment.
“I thought we could help Kelsi with her studying. You haven't missed much.”
“Y-you're beautiful,” Kelsi stammered.
Rowan's embarrassment deepened into a vibrant red. Seres was one thing. Perhaps even Liadra, but she was not prepared for Kelsi or her reaction.
“You'll want to hurry up,” Seres added. “Liadra just went to find Lochlan so that they could help too.”
Rowan rushed to where her packs had been, not realising they had been moved. When she turned to ask Seres where they were, her towel slipped. All attempts at catching it in time ended in failure.
Hope was lost.
The door opened.
Two people fainted.