Jonen read the letter every day since he got it. The delicate handwriting wasn’t much to remember her by, but it meant she was safe. High Priestess Nara had sent him some letters while she recovered, but nothing was like her own words. He felt like a child getting so excited to see her. Finally, something to look forward to after months of interrogations, worries, and waiting.
Life had not been easy since he arrived back at Hangral. He had to retell his story for multiple councils. He spoke the truth and never faltered with what happened. The only details he left out were related to his relationship with Mira.
The words of the young Prophetess Talia rang his mind too. He knew Mira was safe. He could wait if he knew she was safe.
Jonen and the other Travel Knights in his barracks woke up to the morning bell. He yawned and pulled his thicker tunic over his nightshirt. He tied his boots up to his calves and stood amongst the other knights. Because he was a half elf, he stayed with the other human knights. They had emptier quarters and judged his lineage less than the other races.
“Hey, Pointy!” One of them elbowed him, “It’s time for breakfast!”
“Yeah, yeah,” Jonen ran his hands through his golden wavy locks, “I’ll be there in a minute.”
He shuffled through the corridors of Knight Hall until he came to the food court. He waited in line to get a tray of oatmeal and sliced fruits. As he walked to see the board with that day’s orders, he realized he was once again assigned as “confidential.” That usually meant he would be going over the events of months previous. Again.
Jonen sat his tray at the nearest table and picked around the cold bits of oatmeal before the next bell rang through the mess hall. All knights stood at attention as Grand Knight Reiner entered. He walked up to Jonen and eyed his uniform coldly. The older man was a few inches shorter than the half elf, but still made him feel incredibly small.
“Did you just get out of bed?” Reiner asked.
“Yessir,” Jonen nodded respectfully, “Along with the rest in my unit, sir.”
“Wash yourself up and get in your dress uniform, Sir Jonen,” He turned to walk on, “You are needed today.”
“Where should I meet?” He asked as the leader of Zrud’s Travel Knights walked away.
“Someone will grab you. Until then, make yourself a respectable representative of our brotherhood. Dismissed.”
Jonen walked his tray back to the kitchen and headed to the washroom. He had spent the previous day practicing his magic and exercising his drills. He bathed after, but apparently the smell still lingered. He undressed and stepped into the showers. The odd chambers were new to him when he returned to Hangral. Steamy hot water poured from the strainer above him while he scrubbed himself down. It felt so much cleaner than a bath.
“Can you believe that?” A man claimed as a group entered the washroom, “I mean, I’ve seen orcs, but I never have seen them built like that.”
“Cauldronbones are the best of the best,” Another grunted, “They wouldn’t send weak people to participate in the tournament.”
“Yeah. I’m mad we have to hold a tournament after drills today to see who is going to join the tourney from us.”
Jonen leaned his head against the cool tile wall as he listened into their conversation.
“I mean, any of us can join. They’ll just pay for a few. Reiner only wants the best of the best to go as well.”
“I bet the halfling gets in. Bastard gets all the attention.”
“I hear he’s under a close eye because of that nasty wraith business. I wouldn’t want to be him.”
“Yeah, neither would I,” Jonen called from the shower, “Especially if he can hear everyone talking about him.”
He was used to this. It seemed it would never end. After the tournament, he would request a leave and find Mira again. Then, he would request a transfer somewhere else and move there with her. All he had to do was convince them she was innocent.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Jonen turned off the water and wrapped a towel around his waist. He walked towards the small group of stunned knights and sat on a bench near them. He felt them stare at the gnarly scar that trailed from his stomach under the towel.
“Wraith nearly killed me,” He opened a clean laundry bin and hunted for an undershirt his size, “You could say I’m lucky.”
It wasn’t the only scar he had from that time. A light scar the size of a hand was on his bicep as well. Both came from the same woman.
“Sorry, Sir Jonen,” The human lowered his head.
He grabbed some pants from a different laundry bin and pulled them up. He looked at the fairly new knights and shook his head.
“Listen, I don’t care. But I wouldn’t go around talking about many people so openly. They aren’t as kind as they look.”
He nodded thoughtfully to them and threw the fresh tunic over his torso. It wasn’t the dress uniform, but he didn’t want to walk across the building in nearly nothing. He bid the group farewell and walked down the next hall. He passed the training yard in the center of the odd square yard.
Knights in teal tunics practiced simple drills and he ducked his head to avoid detection. When he reached the other side of the courtyard, he opened the door to the office he needed.
“Oh, hello Sir Jonen!” The small dwarf woman smiled, “Are you to dress up again today?”
“Sure am, Tilde,” He smiled politely, “Grand Knight Reiner requested so.”
“The new outfits look wonderful on you,” She grabbed a grey tunic with teal embroidery and trim, “They’re a bit dull, but I think that’s the point.”
He shrugged, “It’s whatever they put me in.”
The plump woman looked for his measurements then searched through the rows of pants until she came across his size. She handed him the khaki tights then went to find his jacket. He stepped into the dressing room to change. Tilde handed the new jacket to him from above the curtain.
“Have you heard from the girl again?” Tilde giggled, “I remember you being so excited. It’s nice to see some of you kids that happy.”
“Not yet,” He sighed as he snapped the golden clasps closed on the jacket, “I’m still hoping she’ll show up any day now.”
The grey jacket’s collar went up to his chin. Two golden swords were pinned to one side of the collar, and a shield was on the other. The small pins depicted his rank and a specialty. The knightage assigned to defensive magic to him, which made sense with his limited abilities. He stepped from the curtain and let the dwarf examine him.
“Hmm. I need to remember to take in the waist a bit,” She grabbed the jacket, “Your shoulders are just too broad.”
“That’d be from dad,” He chuckled.
The woman measured Jonen again before he left. He paced around the corridors until another knight escorted him to the front of the building. Grand Knight Reiner sat upon a decorated horse and pointed to Jonen.
“We have word that the woman has arrived to Hangral,” He nodded, “You will confirm she is the woman, then you are dismissed for the day.”
“You think she’s here?” His heart pounded in his chest.
“You are barred from talking to her until she is interrogated thoroughly.”
“Understood.”
A small group of Travel Knights and Royal Guard paraded through the city to the docks. A tired dwarf stood at the edge of a dock with an older orc woman at his side.
“Please, Amethyst,” He pleaded, “We just have to –”
“Good day, Thesson,” Reiner nodded, “I hear you have our criminal.”
“Lady Mira,” The orc held up a finger, “–is an esteemed guest of the Cauldronbone tribe. Queen Yteva’s daughter and the captain of Agrowl’s navy will not just hand her over on some silly rumors.”
Jonen couldn’t believe his ears. Mira traveled with a princess and a naval captain? That must be the wrong person.
“Rumors? What a load of—”Another guard said.
“This is the reason I will not allow my lady off the ship!” Amethyst growled at the man, “Heir of the tribe will not let anyone in their party enter under such scrutiny.”
Amethyst met the dwarf’s glare with one of her own. The corner of her mouth tugged afterwards in a sly smirk when they realized she would not help them.
“We will confirm her identity and question her about the charges she faces,” Reiner gritted his teeth, “Queen Azalea demands so.”
“As long as Lady Mira remains on the ship,” She bowed her head, “You may question her as you like. Unless she is walking into Hangral as a free woman, she will stay aboard.”
Thesson rubbed his face and looked to the other guards, “My men have been away for nearly half the year. There’s only so much I can do before they request shore leave.”
After another staring contest, Amethyst’s provoking smirk turned into a childish smile. She knew she had won the argument.
“Lafayette!” Reiner looked down at Jonen, “You and three other guards will enter the ship to identify the woman. If she is who we seek, you convince her to enter the city so we may get justice.”
“Yes, Grand Knight,” He looked to the dark green orc with purple eyes, “Can you take us to her?”
“I will allow one,” Amethyst looked to Reiner, “My lady does not need multiple people to view her in her condition.”
“And what exactly is her condition?”
“She exhausted herself in travel and needs to rest,” Amethyst eyed Reiner suspiciously, “Unless you are planning on sending a healer to join him, then he goes alone.”
Reiner dismounted his horse and walked up to Jonen, “I suggest you remember where your allegiances lie when you do this.”
“Grand Knight, I would do nothing else,” He placed a hand over his heart and bowed slightly, “On my honor.”
“Then go,” He sneered.