After Daniel had a plan, he quickly enacted it.

First, he laid his requests that he needed.

Talia had agreed.

No matter how it was spun, the Servant Branch had directly aided in bringing a Middling to the Ash Court, and the ruined Court was too poor to ignore such a thing. Talia would have her Middling. Daniel laid out some basic ground rules. He may have framed it that he didn't want Marrin's training to be exposed and revealed that Elswith had taught him some secret combat form.

That it would bring trouble to the Ash Court if Marrin's true strength was exposed. Talia had agreed to it, denoting that the Ash Court had little encounters with extreme violence anyway. Her request was for Marrin to ditch his nice clothes too, but Daniel had managed to bargain that he keep his iconic green hat. For six months, Marrin was sworn to treating the Ash Court like his own place of origin.

"I can't love the Ash Court like home." Marrin said, grabbing his hat and fingering the fabric like he was trying to turn back time.

"That's fine. I don't even like my court most days." Talia replied. "But you just need to treat it like you would your mother's friend. Treat her with kindness. Even when she is silly, or confused. She tries her best, and even if she drives you crazy, you cannot betray her and you'd never harm her."

Of course, there were some things that couldn't be helped.

"Wait! What about what I'm owed!?" Asked a very disgruntled Mage. "It's all 'Law of Fae this', and 'Law of Fae that'. But I was really important too. I have a list of demands."

After appeasing to his demands, Daniel was able to negotiate for Talia's direct help for his next round of assassination attempt. The Third and Final.

Which led to Marrin, Esra, and Daniel leaving the manor while she changed her clothes. Daniel took a few minutes to remind Marrin of training practices and a small list of the dangers that awaited him.

Daniel had not told Talia about Marrin being an Heirling. Despite her helpfulness, she had a nervous disposition. As much as he desired a true ally, he couldn't risk so much on a near stranger. How could he trust someone so very destitute and needful? She had no alliance with him. Worse, her definition of alliance had been broken. She had no trust in others at all, viewing them like powerful giants who could break vows at their whims. When people with damaged definitions moved, the Law of Fae struggled to follow. The very person who he accompanied may be the one to betray him. The Game would cheer. With each opportunity came great danger.

The Game didn't care about those factors. It had craved attention and spectacle. Daniel would have to provide it some other entertainment elsewhere. Marrin's situation was not urgent. It was not a battle but a war. Wars are won with small, little steps. Slowly establishing his own strength. Staying away from the spotlight, least Fredar discover how great his folly was. It was not selfless nor selfish. It was merely the right thing to do, and the best thing Daniel could do for a fellow Heirling.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Though, Daniel smirked as he felt his own powerlessness, he was a former Heirling now.

Esra practically danced with joy the moment Daniel paused for a breath. "I am just so happy we get to have a week long bois trip next month! It's going to be great!" preened a very pleased Gravity Mage. For someone who complained that it was hot, he didn't seem bothered by the heat.

"That is just Marrin's schedule. Parcel may not desire to come, and I could be..." dead, but that would only make Esra hound him for answers. So Daniel changed his word. "I could be indisposed."

Esra sighed, "You'll be there. No takebacks. And whoever sees Pockets first asks him."

"Why do you call Lordling Parcel Pockets?" Asked Marrin.

"Because he always has exactly what he needs in his pockets. Not very original, but I was younger then. Spikes got his from how silly he looks when he works with lightning."

"What?" Daniel said. He had a vague memory of Esra saying foolish things before, but he had never really took him seriously.

"Your hair stands up. Straight up, and it looks very cool." Said Esra, matter- of- factly. "And Spikes, no excuses. Are you sure I can't come with you?"

Reconciling himself with the facts that apparently, in his moments of greatest power he looked...silly, Daniel felt another piece of his pride shatter.

He decided to assume Esra was crazy and just making falsehoods up again. "I would feel better if you stayed with Marrin. He shouldn't be alone." Not with a Sword that could do strange things to his head. It should be fine, as the Sword of Storms seemed a fine and friendly Sword. While Talia didn't know Marrin was an Heirling, she would still be able to help regulate him during the initial period of time. With time, the danger would pass and Marrin should be able to quiet the Sword. But the first few days were important. So important that having Esra stay with Marrin would actually be beneficial.

"Welp, sleepover I guess." the Mage said to Marrin "Maybe we'll stay at my place, because your new digs don't look that...comfortable." The shutter that had fallen earlier was still burning merrily. "Stormcrow, I'll teach you all the games so you can start practicing..."

Marrin stood next to him, looking ill.

Daniel had been extraordinarily kind and bestowed much great wisdom. Exercises to improve focus. Dieting dos and don'ts. How to survive a potentially fatal affection from a kind and well meaning Sword that didn't understand things like lungs or hearts. The nearly giant Middling had truly been most fortunate. He had survived a very dangerous situation without even losing a body part!

However, Marrin seemed a little daunted by the tasks Daniel had assigned him.

The light inside the manor flicked off; Talia had finished her quest and was returning.

Sensing that their together was ending, Marrin became serious. "You are my mentor."

Daniel waited for the Law of Fae to insist the difference in their power was too great, but it didn't.

He then waited for the Game to interject that it was unfair.

That also did not happen.

Mentor. The Former Heirling and Fallen Lordling, reduced in rank to Lowling...was now a Mentor.

It was a strange feeling.

"I am grateful to my mentor, without whom, I would not have survived." And Marrin knelt at his feet.