“...This feels wrong, somehow.”

Lark couldn’t disagree with Finch as she and her sisters crowded around the viewing crystal, watching the princess’ young friend as he pored over various texts in the Sanctum library. The order came from on high, so it’s not like they could refuse. “At the very least, he is a dedicated learner.”

“Clever as they said, too.” Sparrow nodded. “A book with an imaging crystal in it to play out scenes from stories? It would definitely help reach the children.”

“...I... am concerned.” Hawk spoke up in her raspy voice. “He reads, he learns, but we don’t know if he actually believes.”

“...We found him praying and thanking the Saintess and the Light, I think that’s a good enough sign.” Finch pointed out flatly. “It’s not like he’s a heretic.”

“That we know of.” Lark reluctantly pointed out. “But that is why we are here. So, I suggest we do what he’s doing, and listen.”

----------------------------------------

If there was one thing Hazard could say, it was that the church was very thorough in its record keeping. Confirmed and false miracles, a very thorough detailing of the Saintess’ life, how the church has tied in to the various kings and queens of the Stormlands. Question was, is this what gets told to the common people, or do they get a more idealized version?

...No. No, he supposed it didn’t matter right now. He had his answers and a few he hadn’t meant to find, it was better to cut it here and let his brain rest. He looked to the priestess that had guided him here, snapping out of her fiddling with an earring. “I think I’ve learned as much as I could handle in a day. Thank you for this.”

“Ah, it was of no trouble, young master. I hope you got everything you wanted out of this?”

“I got what I needed.” Alessa was seemingly just a good person in general, according to the stories. Though, he was noticing a lack of details around the apparent battles she fought against the old kingdoms. Not a lot of detail on why she and her people were originally exiled either, but he wasn’t too surprised about that. “It’s... a little bit of comfort I needed after a trying time.”

“Oh?”

“I...” Right, no spilling secrets about the projects. “...Had to take on a few hard lessons in my learning. Nothing too bad, but I definitely needed a brain break.”

He could see her mouth move as if she was about to say something but she paused for a long moment before she continued, voice quiet. “I still admit that I’m surprised. The High Queen is not known for being distinctly devout, and with all you suffered...”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Boy was this going a direction he really did not want to go down. He cleared his throat awkwardly, “Yes, well... I had a few questions, if you wouldn’t mind?”

“Oh! Oh, of course not, ask away.” She leaned in against the table.

“Was there anything special about the Saintess?” She stared at him in blank confusion and he realized what he said afterwards, putting his palm to his face. “Not... No, I didn’t mean it like that, obviously she was special but I meant more if she had a unique magic or something.”

“Oh!” He saw her shoulders sag in relief and he pushed on.

“I understand from the facts she was skilled with magic from a young age, and she was eventually strong enough to not need crystals sometimes, but was there anything else special about her?”

The priestess said nothing for a long moment, her earring sparkling in the silence until she spoke up. “I think... there is one thing. They say she could speak with birds.”

“...What?” He laughed incredulously; of all things, “talked to birds?” She smiled and gently poked his chest.

“Don’t laugh. She had a pair of hunting birds, one with feather of snowy white and another with feathers as dark as night. They say she spoke with the two of them frequently, and they seemed smart enough to at least understand and follow her orders.”

He kept snickering at the thought, waving a hand as he tried to get words. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, this is very serious but I jus’, it, it’s not that funny I swear.”

She giggled and pat his back, waiting for him to ride out his giggle-fit, and when he did he took a deep breath and wiped tears from his eyes. “Are you alright?”

“Yes... yes, apologies. Hooooo...” He breathed out, then took another breath in. “But yes, thank you, it is good to know.”

“...I think there is something else to know.”

“Is it your name because I forgot to ask?”

“...I am Raven, but other than that, I think there’s something else to remember.” She gently poked his chest, right over his heart. “She was a person, just like you and me. I’m sure that, in time, you can be a person remembered by history too. It sounds like you’re already on your way.”

That... was oddly sweet. Obviously she was trying to be kind, sure, and there was probably some tiny bit of brown-nosing going on, but getting that sort of compliment from someone who wasn’t Ro, or Jeddard, or Dallia... it felt like something he really needed.

“That does mean a lot to me, thank you.” Hazard gave her an honest smile, “Though, I’m kind of limited in my own magic right now. Best I can do now is work on my inventions and train.”

Idly he closed his hand except his pointer finger and thumb, letting a string of fire, then wind, then lightning arc between the digits before closing his hand. It was a basic trick but it seemed to entrance Raven. “That is... quite a lot of skill, even for a child.”

“No, no. I’ve seen what Dallia can do, it’s much more impressive. About the only thing I have over her is this.” He pulled the magic of the Spire up through the ground via his cane, letting it flow into his arm and aiming a finger at the table. The energy shot out like a thing, flickering laser, scoring some of the table’s wood before he stopped. “I can’t even do that for long unless I want my whole arm to hurt.”

“...”

“...Raven?” He looked up from the table to see Raven staring at him, gobsmacked as her earring began flickering rapidly...