Chapter 11 - Forgiveness
Lilly felt satisfied hearing Selene say that, so she reluctantly agreed to let her go. “Fine, take off whenever then. On to the next subject, the elf kneeling outside your door.”
Selene’s brows lifted in surprise at first, but quickly furrowed into a frown. “He’s still there? I told him to leave…” She was about to get out of her chair, but Lilly signaled for her to hold on.
“It’s my fault he came in the first place. I wanted the one who attacked you to come and apologize properly. I understand if you cannot forgive him, but… I hope it helped you feel less resentment towards him, at least. Him and the assassin's clan.”
Selene sighed and sat back down, still looking displeased. “He told me the assassins would reform the organization into one that never targets innocents, and that will be out in the open. Eolande, I trust you had a hand in that.”
Eolande nodded, seeming a bit anxious. “I went there yesterday to persuade them together with my brother. They seemed receptive to the ideas, and even though some were displeased, they wouldn’t do anything against the leader.”
She swallowed nervously before continuing, “As for Rantas, I believe he truly regrets his actions. Both towards you and any other innocent targets. I… know it’s a lot to ask, but could you pretend to forgive him? I think it would mean more to him than you know.”
Lilly noticed Selene was looking troubled by Eolande’s request. “... I’m not one for deception, Eolande. But if the ones who saved me ask me to forgive the attacker… I’ll need some time to think about it. He will get his answer tomorrow, and then I’ll leave for the war.”
Eolande bowed her head in gratitude, and Lilly followed. “Thank you, Selene. Truly, it would mean a lot to me. He can handle waiting a day for your reply.”
Selene waved her hand dismissively. “It’s not like he did something unforgivable. He followed orders, and the mastermind is dead now. Most of my resentment was resolved through the arrow I shot at Eolanathel.”
“And what a shot it was!” Lilly responded excitedly. “It was the first time I saw what you were capable of, and I still find it hard to believe. While I was unable to even see you, you were able to hit a target hiding in the grass from the same distance. I know the military will find you to be a great asset, too great to waste!”
Selene smiled, and her cheeks even turned a bit red. “Well, with superhuman sight, 30 years of training, and one of the strongest bows in the kingdom, I’m sure most people could do the same.”
“30 years of dedication isn’t something anyone can do, Selene. And I think you’ve more than earned those eyes, considering what they cost you. Take pride in your strength!” Lilly exclaimed, hoping Selene didn’t think of herself as undeserving of her praise.
‘If there’s anyone not deserving their strength, it’s me,’ Lilly thought to herself, not minding that much.
Selene still seemed a bit bashful, but she accepted the arguments. “Fine then. I guess we all have our advantages. I’ll do what I can to send those Dortfell dogs fleeing, don’t you worry.”
“That’s all we can ask for. I’ve got some business at the barracks now, so if I don’t see you before you leave…” Lilly got out of her chair and walked over to Selene’s chair, giving her a hug from behind.
Selene seemed a bit startled by the gesture, but soon relaxed and leaned against Lilly’s head. “I promise to take care of myself, Lilly. And I’ll spread the word of your enchanting to my friends.”
“That would be lovely, Selene. Stay safe, and take care of Eldrin and Thoren as well while you’re there.” Lilly ended the hug, walked around the desk, and gave Selene a big smile before leaving with Eolande. “See you later!”
“See you later, both of you.”
----------------------------------------
They both found their way back to the entrance and, as expected, found Rantas still kneeling outside, unresponsive. Eolande put a hand on his shoulder. “I’ve done what I can, Rantas. You’ll have an answer tomorrow, although I cannot say for sure what it will be. Good luck.”
Rantas was still unmoving, but Lilly thought she might have seen a tear forming in his eye. She pretended not to notice and continued on her way to the barracks, which was only a short walk away. Eolande followed right behind her, having said all she needed.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
----------------------------------------
The barracks were busier than usual due to the construction being done in the office. It was no simple task to rebuild such an extravagant room, but the contractors were experienced and promised to be finished in two weeks.
They were expensive, though. Compared to the contractor of her new house, who had refused any pay except for material cost, they were incredibly costly. Luckily, the city covers the cost.
Lilly and Eolande arrived at the entrance to the office, where most of the damaged wood had been removed. Daisy was still sitting there like usual, but the desk was new.
Daisy looked a bit more serious than usual today, which usually meant bad news. “Hello, Lilly! Mia told me you might be coming over. We received a letter saying the princess and a royal investigator will visit tomorrow. Where would you like to meet them?”
Lilly had half expected that message to arrive soon, so she wasn’t very surprised. “I see. Would one of the living quarters be suitable for a meeting?”
“It would be slightly lacking under normal circumstances, but I’m sure they can understand. Shall I arrange for two living quarters to be prepared for the two of them?”
“That sounds perfect, Daisy! Let's have the meeting in the investigator's living quarters so we don’t make Adelia’s room a meeting place.”
“I’ll arrange everything, Lilly! Good luck with your enchanting!”
“You’re the best, Daisy!” Lilly replied before walking through the empty doorway to the office.
Inside, carpenters were busily working. Although it could hardly be called ‘inside’ anymore. The roof was gone, the floor was gone, the walls were mostly gone, and only the blackened door to the workshop remained.
They had to walk along the edge fo the room to get to the workshop door, greeting any carpenters on the way. So far only planning and some scaffolding had been completed, so a lot remained before it was finished.
Lilly knocked on the black door, feeling some soot attaching itself to her knuckle. A heavenly “Come in!” sounded out from within, making Lilly excitedly open the door and walk through.
Mia was sitting at a table, drawing plans for what seemed to be a mithril belt. She quickly rose from the chair once she saw Lilly and Eolande entering the room. “Hey there, you two! Elly, I’ve been making some designs for the belt. Can you tell me what you think?”
Eolande seemed excited as she walked over to the table, looking through the designs one by one. “These all seem pretty good, Mia. The chain one might make a bit of noise, so I think either the large buckle with leather straps or the jointed one would be best.”
“Yeah, I think the chain one might be too small for the enchantment either way. I don’t know how well the enchantment handles joints, honestly, so I was thinking the solid buckle might be the best,” Mia replied, seeming excited to discuss her work. She looked at Lilly with a questioning look.
Lilly had been too busy admiring her passionate form to listen closely, so she repeated the last thing that was said. “Yeah, solid might be best.”
“Because of the joints?” Mia asked, looking a bit suspicious.
“Yeah, joints don’t mix well with enchantments. They’re fine as parts of an item, but the enchantment itself has to be in one solid part. Like the necklaces, none of the threads go into the chain.”
Lilly felt certain she had answered correctly, seeing that Mia lost her suspicious expression. “Right, then the buckle it is. It won’t be too large?” Mia asked, looking back at Eolande.
“Well, honestly, it might be. And it could be too easy to remove if it’s only using leather. Actually, I changed my mind. I think the joints would be more secure. I’ll add a blue crystal to it, so you only need a normal buckle on the front.”
“Well, okay. The crystal will depend a bit on the finished product, so we won’t know if a blue one is enough before it’s finished. Which of these joint designs do you prefer, then?” Mia asked, holding up another drawing. It was a bit crude, but it was good enough to illustrate her vision.
Lilly looked around the room a bit and immediately spotted a giant pot in a corner. “Oh, wow!” she exclaimed, making Eolande and Mia turn to her.
“Is that the sea emperor heart?” she asked, quickly realizing it was a silly question. Nothing else would take up that much space, and she knew it was coming here today.
Mia and Eolande both looked at her incredulously. “You didn’t see it before now?”
Lilly felt embarrassed for a very short moment before shooting her nose in the air haughtily. “Hmph, I was too busy admiring the visage of my beautiful girlfriend. Is that a crime, now? Shall I refrain in the future?”
Mia laughed at her. “Not at all, My Lady. One could hardly expect anything else. In fact, I might find myself in the same situation on occasion.”
Lilly smiled back. “Your posh speech has gotten better. Do you want me to fire up the forge, or do you need some more preparation before starting?”
“Oh, please do! I’ll have your usual payment ready later today if that’s fine.” Mia gave her a wink while saying that.
It was terribly hidden, and Lilly could see Eolande raising an eyebrow, forcing her to explain. “It’s just a kiss, Elly. And Mia, dear, your winks need some work.”
“Aye, aye, Ma’am!” Mia replied, winking again. Just as well as the first time.