* * *

By the time they left the villa to head back to the beginner’s dungeon once again, Joe noticed that Gwenvair had begun questioning Kilniara quite a bit. Joe didn’t interject as Kilniara seemed happy to answer and he began to hope their relationship could be repaired in some small way.

This morning, they made the dungeon quite a bit earlier than the day before, and while the line was still a bit long, they made it into the dungeon and down the stairs quickly. When they made it to the safe zone, he found their private spot once again available and Joe frowned. Hope I didn’t scare anyone away with it? Wasn’t angry… fine with it yesterday… should I say something? Or…

Joe looked around the room but no one seemed to even notice them and Joe pondered it a bit before simply shrugging and heading out towards that corner. No point in wasting it… and no one will likely take it now… so… Maybe ask the other’s to spread the news though? When they made it across to their corner, he sat down his pack and turned to the others.

“Uh… I do not know Coushar and the people here very well, but… do you think the others are not taking this corner out of fear of me?”

Gwenvair paused at that, Kilniara also thoughtful. Garnedell responded quickly.

“I don’t think so. Maybe there are some who are staying away out of fear, but most people have great respect for you and know of your kindness.”

“Well, OK. Guess that’s good, but… maybe… could we let them know that it’s OK if they want to take it? I’m fine with a ‘first come first serve’ type of thing. If other’s get here first, they don’t have to leave it for us.”

All four kind of looked at each other with meaningful glances but Garnedell still quickly replied, “Of course. I’ll let them know.”

Joe nodded, happier, “Great. We’ll tell them on the way out after our fight today.”

The pairs were quickly set up, once again separated by genders and Joe quickly noticed that the girls were once again whispering urgently with one another. They also chose to fight alone first, which was rather unusual, so Joe quickly came over to them to speak quietly.

“Just… be careful. Remember, you are still fighting monsters, don’t get distracted. Talk, do what you gotta do, but… please be careful.”

Both women smiled brightly at that, their urgency fading to gratefulness before they both gave him a hug. The hug from Gwenvair had him raise an eyebrow quite high but when he glanced towards Kilnaira, she was simply smiling in her own happiness. Well… OK. Good sign, I guess.

“Do well!”

“You, too!” Kilniara quickly shouted and Joe chuckled as he walked away. Alright… seems… to be doing better. Man… magic psychological help… that’s nice!

Joe turned back to Garnedell and swapped his job back to metropolitan, after looking at him and nodding. Garnedell sighed deeply and agreed then accepted the job change when it came in. When he saw it the tan color of metropolitan, he seemed a bit surprised and looked up at Joe. Joe grinned, nodding in return as well with some pride. Garnedell seemed a bit shocked.

“You are done with the commoner jobs,” Joe said.

Garnedell stared at him as shock and pride warred with awe and relief, all four fluctuating across his face so fast Joe almost couldn’t catch them. Joe chuckled and waved him towards the goblins.

“Alright. Let’s go!” Right… time for work again.

The day went a bit slowly for Joe as he grew anxious about how long it took Garnedell to get the last five levels into metropolitan. It fit the time table, but Joe felt the mounting pressure to prove how much it would help them if they followed his training plan in jobs as well as in learning his martial arts. Still, Garnedell had leveled metropolitan by the time lunch rolled around and it hit twenty. With that, it also unlocked the metropolitan line of waiter, bartender, day laborer, cook, baker, and inn keeper. All of them immediately leapt to level ten and Garnedell immediately noticed that. So did Gwenvair who had the higher intelligence to notice the speed and interaction gains Garnedell was gaining. Joe smiled with that, proud and relieved. There wasn’t much else in metropolitan, but Joe did put ten levels into merchant for Garnedell as well, hoping to give him the calculation skill if Garnedell needed it before immediately putting him into citizen so he could get to scholar quickly. Joe grinned with relief and pride. Maybe… this will work. Although… I can’t even imagine what they’re feeling… so alien to me! But… it’s really gotta stress them.

* * *

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Gwenvair had found her mind swirling in shock, the moment of epiphany in the bed with Joe and Kilniara slammed home when she’d Heard her sister. She hadn’t understood, not truly, but after having had Joe explain things, it all came to make sense. So much of history, so much of the past, so much of her clan’s failures, mistakes, and failings explained in a simple statement. Her sister had proved a boon as well, truly understanding her place as well as Gwenvair’s.

When Kilniara had chased her out in the morning, the conversation had consisted mostly of apologies, both for each other. And Gwenvair was happy to feel her relief and to know Kilniara’s as well, their relationship returned, but now began the truly hard part, understanding the alien.

When breakfast had come, they could not speak much, only having conversations clarifying the morning and both agreed to delve deeper while in the dungeon, where privacy and time alone was guaranteed. She did find Joe’s concern for them sweet, and the knowledge that Joe was simply concerned and not angry or upset at her failing had finally calmed her. She watched him stride confidently back to the side of his other two apprentices, and Kilniara came to her side to slip a hand in hers.

“See, he is not angry. There is no failure.”

Gwenvair turned to look at her, “But… it is strange… I... it is hard for me to accept.”

Kilniara giggled, “You? He accepted me after the breeders! He claimed he would still accept me even if…”

Kilniara shuddered and Gwenvair came forward and wrapped an arm around her, “Shh… shh. He stopped it. He protected you.”

Kilniara smiled, “I know, but the memory.”

Gwenvair shuddered herself, just the vision of the room and the poor girls there brought vicarious feelings that squirmed through her. Kilniara returned her hug, and the two found solace in one another until they were able to withdraw from the memory of it.

After finally being able to calm down, Gwenvair leaned back and looked at Kilniara, “We must speak.”

Kilniara nodded, “Yes, Queen.”

Gwenvair smiled and shook her head, “Friend and sister first. Joe has taught us this, and it is important to him. You know this.”

Kilniara nodded, “But he accepts the respect, especially when it is needed or in special moments where it is deserved.”

Gwenvair opened her mouth to deny it, but then paused, remembering how he accepted the respect of eccentric and master on the wall and in the breeder’s house and she nodded, “Then… I think yes, but, not often and regularly.”

Kilniara nodded, “Not often or regularly. But, at least to prove my respect and honor of you.”

Gwenvair smiled, “Then, I accept, thank you, sister.”

“You’re welcome, sister.”

Gwenvair barked a laugh, “That was fast.”

Kilniara giggled, “Not often or regularly, you said.”

The two fell into laughter, enjoying the moment of release from tension before Gwenvair grew focused.

“Joe has shown a great weakness amongst me and mine, and it must be resolved. I will not have the destruction of our home.”

Kilniara also grew serious, “I agree, but he is right. Jealousy is a poison.”

Gwenvair cocked her head, “Yet you still… accept it?”

Kilniara scoffed, “I do not accept it, but it is not… an acceptance… or even something easily rejected, although it may be possible. It is… hard. Very hard.”

“But then, simply reject it.”

Gwenvair quickly shook her head, “It cannot be done.”

“Why?”

Kilniara paused, frowning, “I… I feel it as soon as I see it. It is like the feeling of warmth from the sun, heat from a flame, comfort from your mother, or safety from your father. You do not control it. It simply is.”

Gwenvair frowned at that, “Truly?”

Kilniara nodded, “Truly. You… you do not feel jealousy?”

Gwenvair shook her head, “I thought I did, when … but, now? I do not… I do not know.”

Kilniara fell silent at that then turned to her quickly, an epiphany obviously had, “How did you feel before you were asked to be Queen, when you saw me with him.”

Gwenvair paused, “Of course I felt jealous.”

Kilniara frowned, “But you did not wish to kill me.”

Gwenvair looked at Kilniara in shock, wide eyed, “You.. you feel… you do feel this!”

Kilniara looked down and away, embarrassed, “I… I am sorry.”

Gwenvair frowned, turning away before quickly turning back when she noticed Kilniara’s hurt, “No. No! I am not upset, or angry. Just… very surprised. I understand … much more now. There was some confusion in my understanding of you, but now…”

Kilniara breathed softly in relief and Gwenvair quickly came forward and wrapped her in her arms, “Truly. It’s OK. I unders… no… I don’t understand… this is truly strange to me, but we will… struggle to a solution.”

The two fell silent at that, turning to fight several dozen goblins for a while before Kilniara began speaking again.

“You… are truly unconcerned of other women?”

Gwenvair smiled at Kilniara before returning her gaze to the goblin, “Truly, no. I have no concern for other women.”

“You do not fear if a woman would steal Joe?”

Gwenvair trilled softly in laughter, “He is… dedicated. I do not fear any, no.”

“But if they were to … scheme?”

Gwenvair paused at that, frowning, “Possibly.”

“Then, there is one?”

Gwenvair nodded, “Maybe… possibly.”

“Who?”

“One of my cousins… maybe Telnia.”

Kilniara knit her eyebrows in thought, “Who is Telnia?”

“The elf… The one who came at the beginning of the tide to be his apprentice?”

Kilniara immediately grimaced and spoke of her vilely, “Oh. Her.”

Gwenvair chuckled, “Yes, her.”

Kilniara looked at Gwenvair and sighed, “See. Even thinking of her brings rage to my heart. I wish to rip her heart out and destroy her, making sure she never comes near him again.”

Gwenvair looked up at Kilniara, “I feel the same.”

Kilniara blinked at that, then turned to Gwenvair when the goblin fell, stopping her from bringing another, “Then, you do feel jealousy?”

Gwenvair paused at that, “But she has no place at his side. She was rejected.”

Kilniara’s eyes narrowed, “But what if… we were to come to Joe’s room, and we found her sneaking in through his window to climb into his bed… to seduce him.”

Gwenvair raged, her ears immediately spiking upward and forward even as her mouth elongated into her ulvan form, massive teeth coming forth. Gwenvair bent forward and opened her mouth and growled in hatred, violence filling the air so quickly Kilniara found herself surprised.

Gwenvair allowed the rage to course through her before she finally calmed herself, returning to base form, her jaw retreating, softened. She still growled softly with her base form vocal chords but was able to calm her rage. After she calmed down, Kilniara nodded.

“That’s what I feel.”

Gwenvair’s rage flashed to oblivion under the shocking statement, her anger cooled to freezing with her statement.

“What!?”

“That’s what I feel.”

Gwenvair blinked at that and stood up, taking a step back, “But we are family. We are sisters.”