Blackstone’s party was just a day away, Adina now had her full vision, but was having some trouble adjusting to it.

A stream flew through the air and missed Harlan by a few feet.

“You are getting closer, your depth perception and hand eye coordination still need work, but remember that you are getting better.”

“Thanks, but I don’t need the encouragement.”

Without a thought she flicked her fingers and an orb struck Harlan in the face.

“Great, that was perfect. Except you used your other senses.”

“How do you know?”

Harlan slowly walked around in a circle as he spoke.

“You didn’t look at me when you shot. You’ve lived your life in the darkness, your natural state of mind is as a blind woman. That is still a valuable experience, but you should also learn how to use your eyes.

In close combat those senses are beyond mine, but when you get 20 feet away you are at a severe disadvantage. Close your eyes.”

Harlan threw a rock at her, and she caught it.

He took several steps back, threw another rock, this time from a high angle. She still caught it, but she nearly fumbled it.

“Depending on the angle of attack, you are incredibly vulnerable. Sound dampening, air friction reduction, air displacement reduction, these things make it little different than using an invisible spell against you.

Do you want to try accessing your boon again?”

“I don’t like it, it makes my eyes hurt.”

Harlan had already replicated the effect in his own eyes, but instead of a single set, he split the effects between several eyes and he couldn’t use them at once without getting a headache.

“Do you want to try a set of Jungle Wyrmling eyes?”

“Gods, no, I don’t know how you can handle putting those monster parts inside of you.

I felt like my head was going to burst.”

“I was hoping that having more powerful eyes would help you acclimate faster. Besides, I kept your old eyes.”

“I know you are trying to be helpful, but let’s get my human eyes working first.”

“Back to training then. You hit me, or am I hitting you?”

“Let me try dodging again.”

Adina came inside sopping wet while Harlan was bone dry other than the single attack when she didn’t use her sight. Isha used both a towel and some of the magic she learned from the tutor golems Harlan made to dry her off.

“You two and your water fights.”

“I admit, we might’ve just been having fun at the end there.”

“No, it was entirely training for me. I can barely hit my targets, let alone Harlan.”

Then someone who he hadn’t expected walked in.

“Brig, how have you been?”

“Hush. I’ve got ta run final check on the trains.”

“I didn’t realize you and Balor were working together on that.”

He looked at Harlan like he had asked if the sky was blue and then went down to the bunker where Balor was waiting.

“Glad to see that being here hasn’t gotten rid of his winning personality. Isha, have you ridden the train before?”

“It was odd, I didn’t realize we were moving. Then after I performed a few exercises, we had already moved a hundred miles away. You should ask Sara, she has been taking the train to and from here every day for the last few weeks.”

“I will do that then.”

“Oh, and lunch will be ready in just another fifth of an hour.”

Isha curtsied.

“Your lessons are going well. Just remember, I’ll kill him if he hurts you.”

“He knows that.”

“I’m gonna miss you.”

“And I know that. But I get to be a minor noble. I wonder how it is going to be, having maids under me.”

“I guess I could knock him up to sole heir if you want to be married to a baron instead of a second son.”

Isha punched Harlan in the arm and he healed her hand afterwards.

Harlan headed down to the bunker and gave the train a once over, the idea started as something he wanted, now, it was Balor’s baby.

Brig had to really jog his memory, getting hit by a soul attack centuries ago had made everything before that point a little bit hazy. Being a champion meant his soul was repaired, but he still needed to focus to bring back things he thought were lost.

It was white in color with a sloped front, the seats were red leather, and the floor was black carpet, showing this as the Fomorian train car. The seating was not like Harlan’s theoretical public version, these were two facing benches with a table between them large enough for four people to comfortably have a single course meal at.

“Pretty nice.”

“With materials, prototyping, rails, custom golem creation for efficiency's sake. We need to get 40,000 gold of investment to pay off everything we’ve already made. And that would be clean money which would be taxed, so let’s assume 10 to 15% more. Though if Lilly likes it, we should be fine for everything and can start the public system using the kingdom’s funds.”

“That’s nice. Balor, this train isn’t a golem?”

“It was decided that the people don’t trust a golem train, the spells and everything will be controlled by a human operator.”

“Ah. Well, that is fine, but-”

“But you dislike the human element.”

Harlan left his feelings unsaid.

“Lilly will be there?”

“She will someday be the minister of transport. I couldn’t do anything to prevent her from showing up.”

“Couldn’t, or wouldn’t?”

“I know you didn’t have the smoothest meeting with her before, but surely you don’t believe it is going to be an issue again? She has grown up considerably.”

“I have a bad feeling.”

“Then take a shit. Don’t be botherin’ worrin’ about some woman you ain’t seen in a year.”

“Harlan, listen to Brig, don’t be ready for a fight that isn’t coming, you are both young and tempers flare so easily. That meeting was a fluke, and in the end you parted on good terms.”

Harlan just walked away, he didn’t want to argue, but he also refused to agree.

He had his meal, and then he went back to training Adina.

As he tossed water and her and she tossed some back, he talked.

“Do you want to be blind for the party? I mean, if you aren’t ready for wining and dining with your eyes.

“I don’t even want to sleep with the lights off… Are you worried I’ll embarrass myself?”

“Yes, and then you are going to be mad at yourself for making me look bad, and I’ll say everything is fine, but you won’t believe me.”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because believing, knowing, and doing are all disconnected in the mind.

I know I’m not a monster, but I don’t believe it, and I don’t do anything to stop others from believing it.

I know my mother didn’t love me, yet I so desperately believe something that isn’t real, never was, and never will be, because that woman is dead, and my real mother is alive.”

“That doesn’t make sense to me. How do you know it but not believe it?”

“I don’t know, but I believe that is how it is.”

“You aren’t making a lot of sense.”

“Maybe.”

The more she used her magic the more things started to click, by the time the sun was past the horizon, Harlan actually needed to block her spells.

She couldn’t hit a moving target, but one sitting still was easy enough to hit after a few tries.

Everyone was first brought to Harlan’s home, then led to the station, which was connected to the bunker but only by secret walls.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

They walked down the stairs onto the platform where the train was waiting, but there were two other people waiting there.

“Xol, Marigold, I didn’t expect to see you today.”

“I gave you-”

She elbowed him in the side.

“I thought that this would be a wonderful chance to see what you’ve done with the idea my husband gave you.”

Nearly everyone was frozen, but Adina went to hug Marigold.

“It’s good to see you.”

“And you as well. Adina, your eyes, they are… beautiful. Harlan didn’t try to upsell you on some monster bits, did he?”

“I resent that.”

“He tried his best, but every set of eyes but my own just gave me a headache.”

Xol spoke up.

“Of course they did, he is trying to teach you to fly before you were crawling. Boy, just because you were tossed into deep water and told to swim or drown, does not make that a good method for training.

If you were human, I wouldn’t be shocked if you just dropped dead from stress one day.”

“I believe what my husband meant was-”

“I know what he meant, and he isn’t wrong. Though it would help to get some suggestions instead of just being told that I am doing it wrong.”

“Then why don’t we speak on the train.”

Harlan only took a few steps before he had to whistle for the others who stood stock still on the platform.

Inside Brig was already waiting, and the only thing that stopped him from spitting in disgust was that he was the one who installed the carpet.

“Marigold.”

“Osden.”

“It’s Brig now.”

“Of course. Nice to meet you, Brig.”

“Not that nice.”

“Would you like to-”

“I’ve done all the talkin’ I want.”

Xol’s eyes flared up.

“My wife has-”

“Shut it.”

“I think we are all getting off on the wrong foot. Marigold, he isn’t looking for conversation, nor is he looking for a reason to forgive you for whatever happened. Brig, consider her my guest, you don’t need to be nice, just avoid being mean.”

“I am bein’ nice, I seen the kids are ‘ere, so I ain’t callin’ her nothin’.”

“Great, so we can all pretend to get along.”

Harlan sat with Xol and Marigold and Ava who was already in the seat..

“Hello, Ava, do you also want some life advice?”

“Are you really?”

“Am I really what?”

“Her?”

“Please little one, speak in a complete sentence.”

She took a deep breath to prepare herself, but Marigold cut her off.

“Yes, I am Marigold. This is my husband Xol.”

“Is that a northern name?”

“No.”

She waited for something more to come out, but Xol was not talkative. If anyone here blabbed about him speaking normally, people might realize his manner of speech was a ploy to annoy people into not asking so many questions.

“Lady Marigold-”

She had to stifle a laugh.

“I’m sorry darling. I don’t mean to offend. Please, ask your question. But I am no lady, I’m just a woman.”

“Are you really old?”

“A lady never reveals her age. But I’m 1570 years old.”

“That’s amazing.”

“Not really. It just takes time.”

Harlan enjoyed the little joke, but Ava wasn’t sure how to react. In her mind she should be regal and ethereal, above normal people.

“I didn’t come here to speak with you, but since we are here, Harlan has been very worried about you.

So, why don’t we hash out your differences? Now, Harlan is young, of course he is going to make mistakes. But you should forgive, or at least forbear these things, because he is doing what he thinks is right and he is so full of anger and power that he needs you to be a rock, something to hold onto in the storm that is life.”

“I’m sorry, but someone else already gave me that speech. Sometimes people do things that they end up regretting, and I shouldn’t beat him up too much, since he is going to do that on his own when he gets older.”

“Oh.”

Harlan wouldn’t say that she was pouting, because she wasn’t quite that childish. But she was ready to give a speech, and the wind was gone from her sails now.

“Whoever gave you that advice is a very wise person. Do you have any other questions?”

“Yggdra the First, how was he?”

“He was kind, and responsible, he did everything he could for his people. If I ever needed help, he was there, and when he needed my help, I always had his back.”

Her smile turned solemn.

“I almost always had his back.”

“I’m sorry I asked.”

“He’s been dead for 600 years, I’m just an old woman reminiscing. I think he would’ve gotten along with Harlan.”

“Really?”

“Of course. They have a lot in common. Both farmers sons who got too much power at a young age, both never wanted to be a ruler, both made mistakes and let their emotions get the better of them.”

“He was a farmer's son?”

“Yes, the clergy found him at a young age and saw his talent for magic, taking him from his home for training, only to discover he had a knack for controlling others. He hated the power, making other people follow his orders and think that they were acting of their own will-”

Harlan had a confused look on his face.

“Is that the royal bloodline ability? Is that why I work with Rosewell so well? Wait, no, that doesn’t… unless…”

As the gears turned in Harlan’s head, she went back to her story.

“The power wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t mind control, but it planted ideas and made people who were slightly agreeable into loyal soldiers for him. It wasn’t even conscious. Can you imagine that, never really knowing if people are friends, or if you’ve just accidentally turned them into pawns.”

“It must’ve been lonely. Even surrounded by everyone.”

“But, when things went bad, the Fae were killed, he used that power he hated so much and made a nation that could hold off anything. He could put down riots with just his reputation and a few words.

He could force those who distributed resources to actually do their jobs without holding back for nobles or themselves. Harlan, are you listening?”

“I don’t like using my empathy.”

“But when you really need it, you still do use it for the right things. Whenever you talk about it, it is like I’m being confessed too, your image of what your power does is not what it really is.”

“I don’t want to argue.”

She held his hands together with hers.

“Alright, why don’t we talk about this later. Ava, it has been nice meeting you. I want to speak with Autumn, see her children.”

Xol could tell that her plan was to have him interact with actual children, not ones old enough to be mean and cruel with intent like the ones at the academy.

“Boneman.”

“Hello, children.”

“Hello, you must be Autumn. I’m-”

“Yes, I know who you are. Please sit. Jarrik, Alana, come get on mommy’s lap.”

“Can I please hold her?”

“Alana, do you want to go to her? She is Uncle Harlan’s friend.”

She stuck close to her mother but Jarrik crawled out of her arms and across the table to sit in Xol’s lap.

“Sorry about that, she can be shy around strangers.”

“Not a worry at all. You seem to be reacting a bit better than your youngest sister.”

“Harlan has mentioned you before, if I had to worry, he would’ve mentioned it a dozen times and you wouldn’t have gotten on this train.”

“That is quite some faith in his ability.”

“I think Harlan can do anything he puts his mind to. If he had to fight you, he’d find a way to get us away safely.”

“He has a lot of determination. That is the part that worries me.”

“It is the same with me. Sometimes he sets his mind to the wrong thing, but I think he has his heart in the right place.”

“I can’t imagine what a soft boy he would’ve been if these things didn’t happen to him.”

“There was a time when he wouldn’t hurt a fly, but he’d skin a sheep like it was nothing.

He doesn’t like hurting things without a reason.”

“He just keeps finding reasons… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to get us into this conversation. I wanted to know about your children. Has anything changed with child rearing in the last 700 years?”

“I can’t say. I know how some nobles raise their children, and I know how I was raised.

Most people seem to go with either overly controlling or actually loving their children. Do you have any?”

“Did you raise them yourself? Or did you have wetnurses?”

Yes or no would’ve made sense, but a lack of an answer told Autumn everything she needed to know.

“Even though my husband wanted me to get some rest, I couldn’t stay away from them. My little darlings.”

“Twins for your first time, that must’ve been hard.”

“It was touch and go, but I made it through. Was your first one hard?”

“I was already a champion at the time, so it was easy.”

“Did you raise them in the desert or-”

Her smile dropped for just a second.

“No.”

Then it was back.

“I was already living away from them at the time.”

It didn’t take long to arrive at the station built at the Blackstone estate, so Xol and Merigold said their goodbyes.

“Aida, Harlow, I’m sorry I didn’t have time to have a chat with you. Maybe another day. Oh, and, can I hold your baby, just for a minute.”

“What exactly are your intentions with my son?”

“A mage is a nation, but Harlan is a kingdom. He can do so much, good and bad, I just want to be there, see what happens, and guide him towards more good than bad.”

Aida handed James to her.

“I’ve not held a child like this in centuries. I’ve pulled them from burning buildings and the ruins that I’ve made. But not like this, peacefully.”

“I hope that you can be a good influence on him. I don’t know where I went wrong.”

“From one mother to another. You can’t ever really know. One day it might just feel like they changed into a different person, and there was nothing you could've done. Harlan will always be your son, but he is his own man. And with his strong will, you’ve done the best you could to instill the values he has in him now. But they will always lose to what he needs to do in the moment.”

Harlan finally put together his thoughts.

“Marigold, did I argue with the other royal children because by training my empathy my mental defenses were improved to the point where Lilly couldn’t affect me?”

“Most likely. That or the power has weakened so much over the years that your preconceptions about her made you incapable of falling to it. Eventually, I imagine it will entirely fade away like many other boons.

In Reino, they have an entire system worked out to keep these boons alive since many of them were given to more than just a single family, so it can be done in a less disgusting manner.”

“That must be why-”

Marigold put her hand over his mouth.

“I think that we don’t need to go any further in this conversation. Your aunt and uncle are waiting outside.”

“Alright.”

Blackstone was holding Tenebria, and the rest of the children were also with them.

“Harlan, is this Liat? You’ve mentioned having Golden friends, but I thought she would be a little younger.”

“May I hold your baby?”

Harlan nodded to say it was fine.

“My name is Marigold. Pleasure to meet you.”

Xol had been in the back of the train admiring the work, only now coming out.

Everyone got a little weak in the knees when they realized who was in front of them.

Marigold just laughed.

“She is a beautiful and healthy little girl. Best of luck to you.”

Marigold handed Tenebria back and then gated back to her home.