Krakow, day 7 of redesign, project completion.

My mind, no one else’s.

…

…

“Michal?”

The study was flickering with candlelight, and the sound of a pen scratching against parchment was the only thing that alerted me to Michal being awake as he was nearly hunched over the desk.

“Ah, miss Kiyomi.”

He turned in his chair, placing the pen atop his work.

“Miss? Brother Michal, I doubt much of that formality is needed with me. Especially with what I did to the shrine.”

I cringed to myself, leaning against the doorway. Beryl and Vaughn were behind me, mostly quiet as they allowed me to speak.

“Would you have a moment? I owe you that explanation you asked for.”

He nodded in surprise.

“Where would you want to talk?”

I motioned at the door as he asked.

“Is here fine? I’d like to keep it private if I may.”

His hesitancy showed through as he seemed to nearly take a step forward.

“That will be fine, do you mind if I sit?”

I motioned for Vaughn and Beryl each to enter, leaning against the wall to give them their space. Vaughn closed the door behind him, giving us the privacy we needed.

“How much are you going to tell him?”

Beryl asked, sitting on her coils, her arms crossed as she motioned at him with her tail.

“I’m debating whether it should be everything, it’s the only way that he will understand. Do you remember seeing a gash in the wall, and slag settled on the ground where you found me?”

I pointed my thumb at myself.

“I owe an apology of sorts.”

Michal nodded.

“By no means do I wish to pursue anything over it, but I’d at least like to know. To be able to account for it.”

Beryl and Vaughn both gave their understanding.

“So you’re just letting the floodgates open? Just like that?”

To those I can trust, and the priesthood of Solah? He would have every reason to keep this secret. As I recall, I believe that may have been what Aethelwulf saw, a familiarity in us and the sword.

Vaughn’s question seemed out of jealousy as he struggled to suppress his displeasure.

I’d be tempted to say that jealousy is endearing, Vaughn, but that’s not a thought of you I want to tackle. I’ve still got a lot I need to battle with myself about.

I sighed, crossing my own arms.

“Brother Michal, I owe you an apology and explanation.”

He nodded as I paused to muster a much more brief explanation of what I told the others.

“My name is Kiyomi Jormangandr.”

I waited for the name to set in, emphasizing the ‘ang’ and ‘d.’ Vaughn and Beryl both seemed confused about the emphasis, about my abrupt pause, and the silence filling the void as I waited for Michal’s reaction.

“Why the pause? So we have your full name now, what difference would it make between Jormanr or Jormangandr?”

Beryl asked, raising a brow. I nodded to Michal, who seemed to have the gears in his brain finally meshing together.

“Would you like to tell them why? Michal? I can see the wheels turning in your head.”

He shook his head.

“No way, I am under no obligation to believe such sacrilege.”

He stood.

“Miss Kiyomi, would you swear your soul on that?”

He threw out the proposition as if I’d reject it.

“I would swear on my soul, and the honor of my mother.”

Michal seemed to be awestruck for a moment, his jaw agape.

“You— you’re serious.”

Beryl seemed lost.

“Would you please just give us an explanation?”

Michal continued to stare at me as he spoke.

“Jormangandr is a protected name, as would be any other noble name. If it were ever claimed, the one to take it on would be charged for impersonation.”

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Michal continued, taking his seat once more as he looked between us all.

“Its the name granted to Va’ren’s royalty.”

I nodded as he spoke, encouraging him to continue. I could remember little of the ‘fairy tales’ I was told when I was small, but I knew as much when Elexis and Sarah described Wyrmstooth’s origins.

“Thousands of years ago, in the old era, before the empire, her ancestors were granted the name by Solah herself. They slayed a serpent blocking all travel on the southern sea’s.”

“Well- ah, that’s enough of that.”

I stretched, pushing myself off of the wall.

“Michal, I am sorry about the shrine, and the wall. Until that night, I couldn't remember much of my life. I had a— ‘complicated’ memory, before today. I spent the last week trying to piece myself together, and I just barely have a hold of myself now.”

I could see Beryl and Vaughn weren’t too happy with me, either from insinuating that they had more work to do, or over the fact I was divulging this to Michal. I kept my arms crossed, my legs roughly my shoulders apart, doing my best to maintain a presence of authority, as amusing as it may have seemed.

“Michal, I tell you this only because I owe you that explanation, and you’ve seen fit to conceal what I did to the shrine. You gave me a bed, and these two your time and aid.”

I dropped my arms and mimicked Kiyomi's posture when greeting other nobles.

“Thank you.”

His shock turned to confusion.

“Wait— wait wait wait.”

He waved his hands.

“You can’t possibly be—“

He looked at Wyrmstooth on my hip.

“Kiy— Lady, Kiyomi. You can’t possibly tell me this and expect me to just brush over it.”

I stood at full height once more, nodding to the side.

“I kind of hoped you would.”

I smiled awkwardly.

“I’m saying this in confidence out of faith. But, even if you were to tell someone—”

I cringed to myself once more.

“Even then, I’m sure the nobility here is more than informed on me already. I met Lord Janusz yesterday morning, and he was all too happy to emphasize that from the start.”

Michal shook his head.

“I’m not implying that Lady—“

“Drop the ‘Lady,’ Michal, the formality of it makes me feel wrong.”

“Kiyomi, I’m not trying to imply telling others. What I mean to say is I can’t just let you come in here and tell me that and go about my business. Kiyomi, that kind of revelation.”

He placed his head in his hands, raising it after a moment.

“Kiyomi, I can’t just not help somehow, that—“

He pointed to Wyrmstooth.

“Is that the sword that I think it is?”

I looked at my hip, tapping the pommel.

“It is.”

He stood, continuing to point.

“That is a mark of divine right! As long as that sword sits on your hip, you are the rightful ruler of Va’ren!”

He looked between each of us.

“Gods, none of you are even past sixteen yet, are you?”

We each nodded or shrugged.

“Nothing to be done about it.”

Beryl raised her hand, then dropped it.

“I’ll be sixteen by next month's end, but that still leaves these two.”

Michal continued to show concern, albeit needlessly.

“I have to join you! After you told me that, there’s no way I couldn’t! Not when the entire faith obligates me to—”

He pointed to the sword again.

“Kiyomi, that is your direct conduit to the goddess herself! Whoever holds that sword? They are favored by her, and to ignore that would be like committing a sacrilege, to not help you.”

Wait, what? That wasn’t the deal here!

“Hold up, hold up. That wasn’t the deal, the deal was, I tell you what happened, and you forgive the damages.”

I squinted at him, it wasn't the turn I expected by any means or possibility. Yes, the priesthood could become zealous under the pretext of Solah’s guidance, but never like this, not to the point of abandoning their temple.

“Michal, we can’t—“

“Actually?”

H’what the fuck?

Beryl spoke, breaking me from the confusion, and we all turned to face her.

“Actually?”

I asked, still utterly confused.

“Michal, do you know any magic?”

She asked, raising a brow as she worked at something, and Michal held his hands out to his sides.

“Healing, as well as a few basic magics to defend myself. Nothing strong, but it will get the job done.”

Wait— no, nuh-uh, we’re not—

“We needed another healer.”

She shrugged.

“No.”

“Kiyomi, this was one of our main concerns on the way here. We’ve been driven to salves and potions, and while we can still use them, he is a greater asset.”

I shook my head.

“Beryl— we can’t just take another team member on, how are we gonna explain that, especially with him.”

I waved my hands at Michal.

“How the hell are we going to explain that shit to the guild? Especially to our parents?”

“You are all actively adventuring? Why not try you best to reach your home?”

Michal asked, and I looked at him like he was crazy.

“Michal, I’m fourteen.”

I pointed at myself.

“He is fourteen, going on fifteen, and only she is on the edge of turning sixteen. How in the absolute fuck are we supposed to reach Va’ren? We sure as shit are not getting through Morus, considering the ethnic cleansings. Do you have any idea of the travel time around the mountains? Let alone that, we’d be going headfirst into a civil war, that as you said, no one so far knows the current state of.”

I figured part of my shock and reasoning was also out of fear of returning to her life without her, but there was no way we could survive in the midst of two separate wars and everything else atop it at our current age. Michal shrugged.

“Then what are you to do?”

“I—“

I was lost at the question, I didn’t know. I never asked myself the question, and I sure as hell burned never expected to actually get as far as thinking of what I’d have to do If I was forced to reunite with her family. Let alone if I was still in this body long enough to do such a thing.

I never thought that far… fuck, I—

“I have no clue how to get home.”

Another low to the roller coaster ride of my mind right now.

“I’m lost, and… I don’t know, and I don’t just want to leave my mom— I—“

Beryl and Vaughn each seemed surprised.

“You never thought of it?”

I rolled my eyes.

“For fuck sake, I barely remembered any of my past until two years ago, and only recently remembered everything. Do you think I could have thought that far? Come on.”

I furrowed my brow, waving my hands to the side as I backed up into the wall.

“All the more help is better, and Michal knows healing.”

Vaughn shrugged.

“Another adult besides me might allow us some leeway in jobs we can take.”

Holy shit, these two are actually accepting the proposal.

“Kiyomi, please, if I didn't help somehow, my conscience would eat away at me.”

I shook my head.

“What the fuc— Michal, what would you even do? Can you even just up and leave this place? If I remember correctly you owe a service to the church, don’t you? And what will you do outside our work? To supplement yourself on the side.”

He stood tall, sure of himself.

“I’ll appeal to Seer Aethelwulf, brother Kane is the only other priest he has, I’m sure I’d be welcomed. Especially at your behest.”

Hold up.

“Michal, I can’t just tell everybody about my past, I probably shouldn’t have even told you. Fuck me, I should have just lied.”

I pressed my palms into my eyes.

We need a healer.

“Fuck!”

And Michal would be a help, he knows more about the going in Va’ren and the empire than I do. He would be a help, and someone close to Aethelwulf? He damn near describes the old goat as if he were next to us and prattling about.

“Fuck it. Fuck it! Fine! Just— stay the hell out of trouble, will you?”

I raised a finger, advancing on Michal in a similar way that Solah did to me.

“You don’t speak to a damn soul about me. That is our secret, only they know.”

I pointed to Beryl and Vaughn. Looking back over my shoulder at Vaughn, I had to stop myself from yelling.

“When should we be slated to leave?”

Vaughn smirked, then rubbed at his chin.

“We should be good to leave tomorrow afternoon. I only have a few more numbers to work out and we’re clear to depart.”

I looked back at Michal.

“Shrine of Tyr, tomorrow at lunch. If you’re late, we’re leaving you.”

Fuckin— last thing I need is another person to look after, and for fucks sake, I don’t need Callum putting the fear of god into another person.