Castle Abol’s courtyard was a marvel of the kingdom’s horticultural and zoological achievements. In the heart of the mountain, an oasis of velvety soft grass and glowing, gem-colored water found their serene home. Looking up, one could see the higher rooms of the castle surrounding them, along with some bridges connecting them overhead. Yet through it all, a clear shot of the sky above let the moon and sun shine down on it.

It was Calder’s second time seeing the courtyard, and it still maintained all the wonder from his first. Back through the stone arches, from the ballroom they had left, the band still played on.

“It’s so warm,” Laz said, his palms up while he stared at the half-moon above them.

“You couldn’t have thought you were the only wizard who knew how to change the temperature, right?” Calder kept walking, knowing the best was yet to come.

Laz sighed. “I wonder how large of a focus they need to pull this off…”

There were more people outside than Calder saw last time, though it was still nothing compared to the ballroom. Exploring the courtyard was usually done early, and with how late they arrived, Calder assumed most had already walked through the gardens. He spotted Rill sharing a pipe with two other knights, staying near the arches. They were laughing too loud at each others’ banter to be completely sober. There were three other couples, all pairs of men and women, walking through the gaps of the trimmed hedges. One of the girls had taken her shoes off and was dancing in the grass, while her date pleaded for her to smell one of the flowers that was sprouting.

Laz likes flowers, doesn’t he? He grows them in his yard, I bet he’d love these.

“Here, Laz.” Calder took his hand and urged him away from the smoke cloud that was building up by the arches. “Before I show you the pond, you have to get a look at this.”

There were five large topiaries in front of a short wooden wall that hid the rest of the courtyard. Each sculpted plant was made to look like a different beast that the Abol dynasty had claimed victory over. Calder knew the names of very few, as some hadn’t been seen in Kradall for centuries. To the left of the gate, a large bird with a vicious beak had a single pink flower on its breast. It was joined by a dire fox with a cluster of white flowers over its tail. The right half of the wall was guarded by what looked like a long-necked dog, covered in spots of sky blue petals. The dog-creature was joined by a fat lizard with stubby legs, and a mouth full of red roses.

But the largest living sculpture was in the center, ahead of the gate by a dozen feet, surrounded by its own tiny hedge that was spotted with yellow flowers. Calder had forgotten it was there since his first visit, but now he knew more. It was almost like looking directly at Irida again, though this one was much larger, of course. A full-sized dragon, trimmed from a dense bush the same way a sculptor used clay. She had one leg raised in the air, showing off her violent claws, while her mouth was opened and from it, a rainbow breath of blossoms poured out. In reality, it was another, smaller topiary made to look like a cloud she had summoned from within her. It had purple, shimmering tulips, multi-colored roses ranging from blue to orange, even some pitch black marigolds were in the mix.

Laz was staring at it, expressionless.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Calder held back from putting his arm around him while they admired it.

“No,” Laz said, turning away. “How can you say that, knowing what they did to the dragons? They hunt and kill them for sport, and then use their form to pretty their yards. It’s evil, is what it is.”

“Ah, I… You’re right. Hadn’t looked at it that way.” Calder cursed himself. He knew Laz hated the lavish way the royals lived. It was naive to think he would appreciate it, no matter its beauty.

How is this ever going to work, with me working under a king he hates…

A gentle breeze laced through the garden, making the sheer parts of Laz’s gown flutter like raven wings. Calder wanted to hold him, and apologize for his thoughtless comment. But he wouldn’t apologize for being a knight, which he knew made him a target of Laz’s hate for the king and nobles. That had been clear since they met.

“But they haven’t succeeded,” Calder said, hushed so no one else could hear. “Irida is proof of that. Maybe one day there will be more dragons in the world. A return to how things were, long ago. Then the sculpture would be beautiful, right?”

Laz huffed. “Sure, I suppose. Not sure how we’ll ever get to that point, if it’s even possible. When Irida gets bigger, where will we put her? What if more dragons appear and it sparks another hunt? What if Master Edre never returns to tell us his grand plan? And on top of it all, I’m still half-expecting you to betray me!”

“You don’t mean that…” Calder reached to touch Laz’s shoulder, but the wizard spun around before he could, his anger fading as their eyes met.

“I… You’re right, I’m sorry.” Laz stepped closer, putting his face near Calder’s. “We shouldn’t be doing this here, we have to act happy.” He pointed his eyes to his right, where one of the couples seemed to be watching them.

Laz put his hands on Calder’s chestpiece, and leaned close to whisper against his chest. “Sorry for being reckless. I know you care about Irida, I know you wouldn’t turn her, or me, in.” He was still looking back and forth with caution, though the nosy couple was no longer paying them any mind, and he backed up. His hands remained firmly against Calder’s armor, though. “But you know this will only get harder for you, right? I can find a way to make it work by myself, I have few attachments, but you have orders to follow. You’re under more scrutiny. What will you do if you have to choose?”

If I have to choose… I already chose him and Irida, didn’t I? Though I suppose going against an ancient law is easier than a direct command. I would choose Laz, wouldn’t I?

Answering him there felt insincere. Calder didn’t know what words to say, and instead he enjoyed the moment. He thought about holding Laz’s hands, gingerly resting against him. He thought it was a pity he had to wear his armor, and Laz had to touch the cold, hard plate instead of him. The other laughing couples on the other side of the wooden gate reminded him why they had come out in the first place.

“Here,” Calder took his hands and stepped back. “Let me show you that pond.”

“Not exactly a comforting answer.” Laz laughed as they walked to the gate.

Calder laughed. “I’ll explain more once I’ve cleared my head, don’t worry.”

Past the extravagant dragon topiary, and amongst the smaller ones of other monsters, a wooden gate, woven from thin, living branches and golden, feathery vines had an arch.

“This place feels like a foreign land,” Laz said as they passed through. Another large hedge was on the other side, keeping everything neatly divided. “Like something I read about in a book about old Sil-Chir, before the plague hit them, or tales from what goes on across the sea.”

“A lot of the royals’ projects are housed here. The Abol family has a fascination for plants and animals, especially breeding new traits out of them.” Calder ran his finger against the fluffy vines and smiled at how it tickled him.

“So I’ve heard. Is that how those horses that carried us here came to be?”

“Yes, exactly. The hengers were from a queen who loved horses some one or two hundred years ago. She wanted to see their full potential.”

Laz stretched his arms high, lifting the base of his gown and showing off his knee and lower thigh. It didn’t go unnoticed by Calder. “Master Edre mentioned something about these ‘projects’ before. That it was their way to show off their status. That they had so much time and power that they could bend nature to suit them. Imagine if they let the rest of the kingdom use those workhorses. Or made a nice vegetable that could grow in the flooded land that keeps wasting our other crops.”

“They… I’m sure there’s reasons.” Calder’s curiosity was piqued by the idea.

Maybe edible plants are too dangerous to tamper with. Wouldn’t want to create a poisoned apple by mistake.

“The hengers eat a lot, you know. Most towns would have their feed bins emptied in a single season. That could be why.” He knew Laz wouldn’t like the answer, but he didn’t want to leave the royals defenseless in their conversation.

“At least it keeps them busy,” Laz muttered. “Better than being at war, I’ll give them that.”

They turned and walked along the small hallway the hedge and gate created. On the other side, Calder could hear a woman giggling before a guard scolded her. The area they were entering was meant for focus and relaxation. Any talk above a whisper was forbidden, especially for non-nobility.

“You’ll have to keep a whisper in here,” Calder said. He and Laz were now walking side by side, and once more the temptation to drape an arm over his shoulder bit at him.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Laz nodded his understanding, and the two reached the end of the hedge and turned to see what Calder had been waiting for.

Five small ponds circled a tree with white leaves, pure as the snow. Each pond glowed its own color, bright as one of the glass lights inside. Purple, green, orange, turquoise, and white, they dazzled in an enchanting array they couldn’t be ignored. They were spaced apart wide enough that people could walk between, which there were. There were eight other couples around the ponds, either standing and observing with contemplative looks, or walking around to all of them with wonder on their faces.

“Is this real?” Laz asked with a soft breath. “Magic is at play here, no?”

Calder smiled at the view, and at how Laz was just as taken in by it as he was.

I hope he’ll enjoy the other pond just as much.

“As far as I’m aware, no. No magic.” Calder at last put his arm around Laz, and the two slowly walked toward the center of the ponds. “An old woman explained it to me last time, one of the gardeners I think. She said the ponds are filled with some minuscule little plant that I forgot the name of, and it glows. From one of the beaches in Pamantia, I believe.”

The ears of the couples nearby perked up, and soon a handful of people were inching toward Calder to hear him explain the phenomenon.

“Probably algae, then.” Laz said, not taking his eyes off the water. For the time, he was staring at the turquoise pond. “I’ve read that the ocean has life that can glow, but I didn’t think it looked like this. It was supposed to just be plain blue.”

“The different colors are more projects by the royals.” Calder hoped the guards wouldn’t be annoyed by him talking to everyone, but they hadn’t shushed him yet.

Laz’s eyes latched on to something in the purple pond. “Wait, what’s that?” He pointed, then his eyes darted to the orange pond. “And there!” Despite whispering, his voice was filled with excitement.

Calder remembered seeing them almost the same way. The initial glow of the ponds is bright, enough that your eyes don’t adjust enough to see them for a minute or two. And sure enough, in each pond was another little light, swimming around with trails of color following it.

“Those are whisker fish,” a different voice said. A thin gentleman with a fancy cloak, not a knight, and a thin black mustache was answering. “They eat what’s floating around in the ponds and adopt the same properties.” His date, a heavier knight who looked a few years older than Calder, smiled.

“Right,” Calder said, surprised that someone else knew that. He was a tad disappointed he couldn’t impress Laz with more of his knowledge, but figured he had to let others have their turn as well.

“But the water in this pond is orange, and the fish are purple.” Laz was kneeling in the grass to get a closer look, while he held his hair out of his eyes.

Calder knelt next to him, following his gaze. Four whisker fish slowly drifted about, their flat mouths opening and closing as they ate what looked like empty water. They were hardly different from catfish, though their eponymous whiskers were three times as long, and much thicker, flowing behind them like ribbons and letting the light look as if it was lingering wherever they went. The ones they were watching glowed a bright purple that was hardly dampened by the orange water.

“They swap the fish right before any big events,” the gentleman continued. “So those purple fish were living in the purple pond for a few weeks most likely, then moved in here today before guests arrived.”

“Oh, right. That’s clever.” Laz followed the path of one of the fish as it bounced around from one edge of the pond to the other, a trance he had only seen him in when he cast spells. “I can see why you liked this pond so much.”

“It actually wasn’t any of these ponds,” Calder said as he stood up. “It’s nearby though. We don’t have to see it, it’s not as impressive as this.”

Laz finally took his eyes off the water and looked up at him. “I don’t mind. You said you wanted to see it, didn’t you?” He stood up and held out his hand. “You can show me.”

Calder fought to keep his breath.

Why can’t he always be like this? Do the stresses of life in Evermine truly hinder his peace of mind that much? Is there no way to lighten his burden?

“Okay, then, let’s go.” He took Laz away from the ponds, leaving the rest of the couples to gaze on at the five pools of light.

While the light ponds were the most eye-catching attraction in the relaxation area, there were other points of interest. A rock garden with multi-colored, though dull, moss. A tree with a sweet sap oozing from it, attracting a variety of moths to lick at its bark. But Calder’s favorite was tucked away in the corner of two hedges that crossed, far enough away that the glowing water could only be faintly seen.

Another pond, this one without light, curled around a stone bench. As they approached it, he was elated to see it hadn’t been altered since he saw it last.

“This, over here.” He let Laz walk ahead while he looked over everything. “You can sit if you’d like.”

The surface of the water had weak ripples running across, in seemingly every direction. Small lily pads, the size of saucers, floated with a handful of closed flowers among them.

“Too bad it’s night,” Laz said. He folded his gown under him as he sat on the bench. “Were you able to see the flowers blooming last time you came here?”

“No, it looked almost identical to this, actually.” Calder sat as well, his leg touching Laz’s.

“Oh.” Laz sounded disappointed. “So you’re just boring then? It’s a nice pond, but–” He froze and watched the pond.

Did he notice?

“What’s wrong with the water?” Laz asked, squinting his eyes. “It’s like it’s shaking, or vibrating.”

Calder grinned. “Why don’t we talk for a bit. If you watch the pond long enough, you’ll understand.”

“Alright then, what’s there to talk about?” He was more focused on the water than Calder.

“What you asked me earlier.” Calder wrapped his arm around Laz again, who didn’t react. “What I would do if I had to choose between an order or you.” No guards or other couples were around, but he still didn’t want to talk so openly about a dragon.

“Right.” Laz looked up for a moment. “And you’re going to say you choose me, right? Otherwise I’m not sure where we could go from here.” The rippling pond recaptured his gaze.

“But I– Oh will you figure it out already so I can talk to you properly?”

“They’re moving!” Laz said, shooting up off the bench. A guard by another gate, over a hundred feet away, shushed him. “Sorry, sorry.” He quieted and sat back down, and looked at Calder excitedly. “The lily pads are moving! All on their own! I thought it was the shaking water making them shift around, but they’re the cause of it!”

Calder loved seeing how excited Laz got when he learned something new. The pure joy on his face never got old.

“It looks like the roots are pulling it around… Oh look!” He was focused on the left side of the pond. “You can barely tell with how dark it is, but that one only has one root in the ground and four more reaching around. They’re like legs for the plant. A walking plant, how did they–” Laz stopped himself and cleared his throat. “Figures the royals would keep a discovery like this locked up in here.”

“Come now,” Calder said. “You hate them, I know, but you don’t have to clarify every statement with it.” He slid his hand up Laz’s shoulder and tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. “You can be excited about the glowing fish and moving plants, anyone would be.”

Laz’s pout faded into a blush. “Fine, fine. Tonight only, though. I’ll have a tome of hate to share with you tomorrow, though.”

I’m surprised he hasn’t gotten upset at me touching him yet. Has he really changed his thoughts on it so soon? Or is he just playing along for the night, and tomorrow we’ll be back to how it was?

“Why this pond?” Laz asked. “You said it was special to you, right? Do you have a thing for lily pads?”

“I made a wish, or a promise if you’d prefer, at this pond. It was right when my training finished, before we were assigned anywhere.” He watched as a root from one water lily stretched far away from the rest. It was slow, but it was more than any other plant could say.

“A wish, huh?” Laz subtly leaned into him. “Is there some folktale about lilies granting wishes I haven’t heard?”

“No, not that I’m aware. But I figured if a plant had a wish, it would want to be able to walk, and clearly these ones have had that come true. So, if whatever granted their wish comes back, I want them to hear mine.”

They sat for a moment while another refreshing breeze visited them.

After a minute, Laz clicked his tongue. “So what did you wish for?”

“Oh, right, uh.” Calder scratched at his knee where the metal from his armor didn’t cover. “Nothing crazy, I promise.”

Laz stopped looking at the pond, and turned to look up at him. The colored lights from the ponds far behind him were catching in his eyes.

“I wished I could protect everyone. Or, I promised to. I want everyone to be safe. Everyone I love.” Calder realized he was squeezing Laz’s shoulder tighter, but couldn’t find the ability to ease up.

“That’s a good thing to wish for,” Laz said sincerely. “I think you already do a great job though. Were you nervous about being knighted?”

Calder sighed and closed his eyes. “A little, yes. And I had failed loved ones in the past… It was the only way to let go of my guilt and actually keep people safe.”

“Guilt?”

Ah, I never told him, did I? I don’t want to ruin the mood, but leaving him curious will just set his mind on fire until he figures it out.

“When I was young, my parents died.” While Calder found the topic hard to talk about, his voice didn’t crack. “They died, and I blamed myself. Now all I can do is prevent anything like that from happening to anyone else.”

“Oh, I’m sorry…” Laz touched Calder’s hand that was still gripping his shoulder.

“And that’s why I want what’s best for the people of Kradall. That’s why I would never let them harm Irida, even if it meant disobeying an order. That’s why I would choose you over them every time.”

Laz’s lip quivered, and he closed his eyes tight. It was as if he was struggling within himself.

“Please tell me you trust me, Laz. I don’t want you to be afraid of–”

He was interrupted when Laz’s lips met his.