----------------------------------------
Chapter 38
“Stupid, stupid!”, Ezabel wanted to shout, but all she could manage was a spirited murmur. Which was probably for the better as she stepped straight into the square of the Citadel’s main gate. Scores of lantern fires danced along the rugged curtain walls around it. Despite the growing number of candidates that waited there, it provided a keen sense of warmth against the cold breeze of night.
She could not have been more uncomfortable with the way she had just behaved in front of Dani and Zo. Whether or not they read through her demeanor mattered little as Ezabel had already begun beating herself up about it. Her gaze fell downward where cobblestone mingled with whatever grass managed to boldly grow between them. The stretched shadows of other candidates passed her by; they moved around her with purpose. They were all eager to find their place in the procession soon to come.
At a glance, the square was not all too dissimilar to the scene of the Grand Hall. It may have been on the outside and hosted the same class of candidates, but it brought a distinct change in the atmosphere. Where the Grand Hall was tense and uncomfortable, the square was cool and pleasantly jubilant.
They were all on the brink of celebration and the anticipation casted upon all a hopeful excitement. In pockets, Ezabel could see smiles, joyful jitters, and many attempts to stay cool. They were everywhere and she understood every bit of it. This was the beginning of Ardyn’s most precious time of the year. Heroes were about to be born and stories were about to be written. She had forgotten about much of it under the weight of expectation and nervousness. But, to see the childlike animation of everyone in the same position as her was far beyond relieving.
To be frank, it hardly felt like this particular group of people were about to embark on the biggest moment of their lives. The gravity of the situation seemed to dissipate among the glee. However, there was much that prevented such joy from crossing into carelessness. Chief among them were the handful of Attendants that stood throughout the crowd. Ezabel’s first thought was that they were present to help in the organization of the procession. They looked quite busy from a distance and held conversations she could not quite see. Perhaps they were giving out instructions? With another glance, it was also possible that they were simply there to inspire confidence. Their conversations appeared bright and full of smiles, even enthusiasm.
All in all, their presence set a sensation of eagerness in Ezabel’s stomach. It rumbled, twisted, and curled her lips into a bright smile. So, she took a step toward the congregation. But, before she could make it anywhere, the commotion of another pocket of candidates caught her ear. They stood, gathered at what was the current tail end of the crowd. And, a feverish energy rose from their bunch.
As if on cue, Ezabel’s head lifted into the air with an exceedingly curious gaze. Her feet rose onto their toes; she nearly fell forward onto the backs of other candidates. What exactly was going on? Was it an Attendant? It had to be. - To her knowledge, there were many active Attendants that garnered a vast following. They were all talented and had a name that was perpetuated by the continued sharing of their stories. Their celebrity was set in stone.
With the way this particular pocket of candidates acted, Ezabel could only assume that someone of that caliber was present. Was she satisfied then? Of course not. Her hands reached out and pressed against the shoulders of the nearest person, desperate to catch a glimpse. Whatever she could use to gain a higher view, she would most certainly use it. All around her, the excited tones and anxious voices grew as she got closer to the spectacle. It was surely someone prominent, a famed Attendant. Ezabel’s chest beat like a drum.
“May I shake your hand, please?”
“Give me some advice before the trials start!”
“Can you teach me your favorite spell!?”
The sea of questions was dense, endless even. And, all of it only served to further Ezabel’s anticipation. She squeezed through a tight space in the crowd, which itself was already shifting like paper in the wind. The unstable mass rumbled around, pushing itself sporadically in all directions. But, at its center, it moved little. Ezabel took in a great breath and held her shape tight so that she could press through the small gap.
At the center of all the commotion was an opening, within which stood two distinct individuals. When Ezabel’s eyes cleared away from the crowd and focused on them, a smile came immediately. Of course, she had been smiling the entire time. But, this was one of warmth and familiarity. As if, she saw a family member or an old memory.
Stood lackadaisical and surrounded by curious stares, Leland Hart scratched the back of his neck and exhaled. It was instantly obvious that all the attention and noise had begun to eat away at his composure. Not that he had a great deal of professionalism in the first place. This particular situation was just exceedingly strenuous on his typically carefree attitude. Was he supposed to put on a face for everyone? Or did it not matter at all? Every now and then, he turned and gave a smile. It was subtle yet forced, like a job he had no choice but to do.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“T-thank you, thank you. Yes, yes your words are kind..”, he muttered every so often. He had hoped that much of the racket would stop if he gave it a response, but it only made it worse. To engage in a fervor such as that was to be sentenced to another onslaught of admiration. He had given them what they desired and so they wanted more.
“Captain, captain! Are you seeing anyone right now?”
“Mr. Hart, can you show me around the city? It’s my first time here!”
“Yoohoo! Do you want to give me any private lessons, captain?”
Ezabel could not quite see them, but a throng of female voices rose from the ruckus and made themselves known. They were well and truly distinct, like devoted followers who wanted nothing more than to be in the presence of Captain Leland Hart. But, as far as Ezabel was concerned, they were nothing but a pack of whining forest animals. She did not hate them, of course. But, it would be a lie to say that she didn’t wince at their boldness. Ezabel could never be so daring. It scared her. Better yet, it put her off entirely.
“Heh, I haven’t found anyone who could capture my heart yet!”, Leland suddenly exclaimed. “My time is precious and made only for someone who stands out from the rabble! You ladies are all beautiful, but you’ll forgive me for taking my time in choosing between you.”, the grin he so quickly assumed reminded Ezabel of his sleeping face in Angoulet, where she first encountered him. It was lazy, devious, and a little frightening. Above all, it was just the right amount of annoying.
Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on the perspective, Ezabel was not the only one who found Leland’s little episode to be far more vexing than anything else in the square. Near instantly, his smug grin became a cringe of pain. He was struck on the back of his head and yelped aloud, throwing his hands behind him to immediately cup the sting. He even came close to keeling over. An overwhelming tone of shock came over the crowd as they took a frightened step backward.
Leonora, in all of her proud fury, stood above Leland. If not for the clenched fist she held in the air, it was her face of absolute disgust that revealed her as the culprit. Yet, even in the midst of a fit of anger, her beauty shone like a comet. Her features were as sharp as her hit. Streaking blonde hair ran down to her chin and swelled outward from the momentum. - In Ezabel’s experience, Leonora was always a woman that presented herself well. But, this night was distinct in that her form seemed even cleaner. It was near impossible to identify exactly what was different about her, but she assumed that the evening’s occasion had enticed a little more care for her image.
“Behave like a captain, won’t you?”, Leonora muttered under the noise. Her brow twitched and a false smile covered her lips. Her fist was still clenched, ready to strike again if necessary.
“GAH!”, Leland cupped the back of his head and began to stamp his feet. The cobblestone beneath clicked furiously. “You have some serious anger issues, woman!”
It hurt, truly. Leland pressed tight against the throbbing pain. Not the wisest reaction, perhaps, but it was the first thing he fell back on. The crowd looked on, stunned and with mouths agape. Attendants were supposed to be beacons of strength and discipline. They were revered and existed beyond the norm. Yet, here they were, like a handful of delinquents causing a scene. Regret quickly found itself latching on to Leonora. Why at all, did she believe that Leland could stay composed in an environment like this? She was nearly ready to pull him away.
“Leonora! Leland!”, Ezabel shouted out from the crowd. She was quick to step forth beside them. The seconds leading up to it were admittedly embarrassing, but she was excited to see them both nonetheless. Her hand waved high in the air until she halted and leaned forward.
“Ezabel!”, Leonora shifted in place and stepped over Leland without any concern at all. There was an impressively quick change in her demeanor from being vexed to pleased. No longer were her brows twitching and no longer was her smile fake. And, like a proud older sister, she placed a hand atop each of Ezabel’s shoulders. “Look at you, your uniform fits you like a glove!”
“T-thank you! It was a little hard to get on right, I’ll admit.”, Ezabel sank halfway into her shoulders, a little sheepish from the compliment. Yet, it was exactly the praise she did not even realize she needed. Even in the middle of a curious crowd, not one drop of true anxiety managed to seep into her composure.
“Well, I can say that you look far better in your uniform than Xavier did during our trials.”, Leonora was practically eyeing Ezabel from head to toe at this point. She found not a single flaw in her garb.
“Really? I kinda’ find that hard to believe, hehe.”
“He was a mess. - He even buttoned his coat wrong.”, Leonora shook her head. “But, he would be proud. Right, Leland?”, she turned her gaze to the floor and followed Leland as he stood.
“Y-yeah, she looks fine, just like everyone else here.”, he muttered reluctantly. His hand still rubbed at the back of his head.
Leonora gave a heated glare his way, but was quick to dismiss it for the sake of the night.
“What are you guys doing here?”, Ezabel tilted her head. It felt right to ask, even if she did not quite care about their reason. She was simply happy to be with them again. Especially since they provided quite a bit of comfort for her right before the start of the procession.
At that point, curiosity grew among the many watchers that remained around them. Ezabel, in all of her excitement, quickly became oblivious to them. Genuine interest was beginning to form around Ezabel’s identity and her relationship with two well known Attendants. Why was she so comfortable with them and why was she being praised so easily?
“We wanted to see you off before the procession. You’ve surely gone through a lot today in a short amount of time. How are you doing?”, Leonora asked.
“I’m oka--.”
“She’s fine.”, Leland interrupted with a far less concerned attitude. “She doesn’t need to be babied, Leo. Keep doing that and she’s going to get too comfortable. The trials are going to hit her like a mountain troll.”
Leland was right, even if he was being a little rude. He slipped his hands in his pockets, which saw that the cloak around his shoulders fell against his silhouette. It was then that it finally dawned on Ezabel. This was the first time that she saw Leland as a true Attendant. He stood tall under the moonlight and bore the cloak of the Order with a broad presence. Yes, he had just gone through an overly childish moment. But, for a split second, he seemed like a true, talented captain of the Order.
It was brief, but a part of Ezabel considered the possibility of a deeper disposition underneath that nonchalant facade.
----------------------------------------