By the time Lord Kellian’s troops were making ready to depart, it was clear that they would be sorely missed by the people of Elediah’s Trail. The lord had made promises to send monthly deliveries of supplies throughout the winter, and also to direct traders to visit in the spring, now that the region seemed much safer to travel through. Though everyone in town spoke proudly of their victory over the demon invaders, no one even knew of Arvel’s battle with the demon princess to recount the tale. Arvel hadn’t wanted anyone to make a big deal out of it, nor did Lunette want anyone else to worry over her even more for her ordeal.

The day before they were planning to depart, Rain was practically in a tizzy, following her uncle around his camp and through the settlement, educating him on the various details of her duties.

“The Aalders and the Glynns can never be in the same room if you want any peace,” she said, “They’ve been in a territorial dispute for fifty years and both sides have their own artfully shoddy record-keeping to ‘prove ownership’. There’s simply no making amends between them. At this point they don’t even care about the grazing land, it’s about being angry with one another Speaking of staying angry, Lady Dreher—”

“I’m sure I can manage the temper tantrums of the landlords,” said Lord Kellian, as he nodded to the townsfolk they passed by.

“No, you need to know about Lady Dreher’s issues,” Rain insisted, “Because if she gets upset because you tripped a raw nerve, she’s going to make it everyone’s problem.”

Across the road, Arvel and Lunette watched Rain following her uncle around, from beneath the shade of a roof’s overhang.

“She makes all the landowners sound like a bunch of moody toddlers,” Arvel said, “If they needed that much babysittin’, I’m amazed she’d leave ‘em alone this long.”

“They mostly needed someone to ‘tattle’ to and complain at,” Lunette replied, “So in a way, you’re correct. While our lady has been away, all they could do was file a complaint with the office of the marchioness and then deal with their own issues. But when her uncle returns as her regent, they’ll now have a new person to foist their complaints upon. Right now, she’s trying to make sure he’s adequately prepared to deal with their idiosyncrasies.”

“Sounds like maybe the whole province might do better with anarchy,” Arvel said, smirking at Lunette.

“If you want the people to rise up and overthrow the landlords,” Lunette replied, “The promise of fair mediation from the marchioness is the only reason they don’t take matters into their own hands and march on their neighbors over every offense. As you can imagine, militias made up of the people won’t take kindly to spilling their blood over noble feuds, and eventually, they’ll turn their spears on their masters. Soon, there might be no lords left at all.”

“I know, I know,” Arvel said, waving a hand, “Y’didn’t have to sell me on it.”

Lunette looked at him, surprised, but before she could say a word, a stern voice from across the road caught her attention.

“Deleraine,” Lord Kellian said firmly, the bass in his voice booming. The volume and weight of his voice was enough to turn heads all around, and Rain froze in her tracks behind him.

“Y-Yes?” she stammered quietly.

Lord Kellian folded his arms and said, “I appreciate your insight into the governance of the Nathulan Province. That being said, I will rule in your place, not as an extension of you. How I choose to handle the complaints of the land owners is my responsibility, not yours.”

Rain shrank back, practically curling into herself, clutching her hands in front of her chest and casting her eyes downward. She looked like a scolded child before her uncle.

“Th-That was not my intent,” she said quietly, “I only wished to help.”

“Your assistance is appreciated, but ultimately unnecessary,” he said firmly, “You have made it very clear that Elediah’s Trail is your pet project now. Once you’ve finished your work here, you can decide how you wish to herd your vassals, but until then, I will be the one to decide how best to handle their temper tantrums and raw nerves. Perhaps you might learn a thing or two from my example when you deign to return.”

Rain looked as though she wanted to sink into the dirt to escape her uncle’s disapproving look. She glanced away, and saw both the locals and the guards nearby had stopped to watch the event unfold.

Though Lunette quietly seethed, she remained still, unmoving. Arvel, however, pushed off of the wall he was leaning against to walk across the street.

“Arvel, don’t,” Lunette whispered, to no avail.

“Hey,” Arvel shouted as he walked toward them, fists clenched.

Lord Kellian glanced at Arvel, his eyes narrowing.

“Apologize,” said Arvel as he came to stand between them, looking up at the taller, broader-shouldered man before him.

“I beg your pardon?” Lord Kellian scoffed.

“You heard me,” Arvel replied, folding his arms, “You owe her an apology.”

“You are in no position to tell me what I owe,” Kellian replied, turning to walk away.

Rain gently touched Arvel’s back and whispered, “You don’t need to...”

Arvel lifted his voice, and shouted down the street, “I challenge you to a duel.”

Lord Kellian paused between his steps. Every soul on the street was silent, not even a murmur to break the gentle din of the wind whistling between the buildings.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Consider your words carefully, boy,” said Kellian.

“I know exactly what I’m sayin’,” Arvel replied, “I ain’t gotta be the most eloquent soul around to know what I’m sayin’ right now, and to know what you said to Rain ain’t right.”

“On what grounds do you issue me a challenge?” Kellian asked, turning to look back.

“Arvel, don’t!” Rain said, gripping the back of his shirt. But Arvel did not budge.

“You insulted my lady,” Arvel said, “You demeaned her in front of all these fine folk. You insulted the work she’s doin’ here, too. I ain’t gonna stand fer that. So yer either gonna apologize to her, and yer gonna do it just as loud as the insult you gave, or else yer gonna fight me tomorrow.”

All eyes were on Lord Kellian, and he chafed under the pressure. Under most circumstances, he’d brush off such petulance, but he knew his soldiers were watching to see if he would put a mere farmboy in his place.

“You know not what you ask for,” said Lord Kellian, “But it will be my solemn duty to teach you.”

“I know exactly what I’m askin’ for,” Arvel said.

“We will delay our departure by one day,” Lord Kellian said sternly as he turned to leave, “Tomorrow, we will settle the matter here.”

“Good,” Arvel replied with a firm nod, before turning to face Rain.

She looked terrified.

“What?” he asked, surprised.

“What do you mean ‘what’?!” Rain asked, “You just picked a fight with my uncle!”

“Pretty sure he did the fight-pickin’,” Arvel replied, scratching the back of his neck, “He was actin’ like a jerk and embarrassin’ ya in front of all yer people. If someone didn’t put him in his place, do you think he’d ever stop? When you walk back into Fairvale one day, do you think he’ll respect you ‘n accept that you want yer throne back?”

Rain bit her lip, looking away.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Lunette asked as she crossed the road.

“Gettin’ real tired of answering that,” said Arvel, “Thought it was kinda obvious.”

“He’s not a powdered noble,” said Lunette, “That man is a decorated war hero. Past his prime, perhaps, but his ‘prime’ was beyond the limits of most mortal men.”

“Good thing I ain’t mortal?” Arvel asked.

Lunette uncharacteristically raised her voice to shout, “By technicality!”

“Jus’ what are you so afraid of?” Arvel asked, “That he’s gonna kill me? If ya ain’t noticed, I been through that a few times and came out alright on the other side.”

“I’m afraid he’s going to hurt you,” Rain said, “You may not fear death but you should fear being maimed. My lord uncle fought alongside your father, in case you had forgotten. He isn’t going to try to kill you in a duel but he will find plenty of other ways to punish you for embarrassing him.”

“Do you even know the rules of a duel?” Lunette asked.

Arvel glanced aside at Lunette, then looked down the road in the direction Lord Kellian went and said, “Y’fight each other til one of ya dies or gives up, right?”

Lunette palmed her face in disbelief, before she grabbed Arvel by the shoulders and turned him to start marching him back toward the farm.

That afternoon, Lunette demanded Arvel engage in combat drills with her. Using wooden sticks rather than live steel, they clashed for just short of two hours before she finally consented to taking a rest. They sat on the ground on the side of the tool shed facing the mountains, letting the eaves of the roof shade them as the afternoon sun crawled further westward, and dipped their tin cups in a pail of water drawn from the nearby well.

“You’re takin’ this real serious,” Arvel said, sipping from his cup of water before dumping the remainder over his head to cool down.

Lunette gazed down in the gently rippled reflection of her cup, cradled between both of her hands, and said, “It worries me how lightheartedly you’re approaching it.”

“You really think I’m gonna get hurt?” Arvel asked.

She lifted her head to look at him and said, “I’m afraid you could be hurt, yes. I’m afraid you could lose, too. I’m afraid of how badly that would hurt Rain as well... To see you bleeding and defeated for her sake, and her uncle proven ‘just’ in having berated and shamed her, would be cruelty upon cruelty.”

Arvel watched her quietly and said, “I ain’t plannin’ on losin’.”

Lunette smiled hesitantly and said, “No one ever does.”

Arvel sat his cup down and reached over to take one of Lunette’s hands, holding it in his own. Her hand was not ‘soft’ or ‘dainty’, it was roughened by a life of holding tools and weapons, and the strength in her grip was apparent even from a gentle squeeze.

“I didn’t do this to cause y’all more pain ‘n stress,” he said quietly, “I did it because I couldn’t stand to see no one talkin’ to Rain like that. She don’t deserve it.”

Lunette shifted her hand to lace her fingers with his, and said, “You’re a good man, Arvel. When I first met you, I thought you callous and apathetic... But these months have shown me how deeply you care for others, even beyond your own wellbeing. I might be less stressed if you really were more selfish.”

Arvel smirked and said, “I don’t think you’d like me all that much if I were as selfish as I put on.”

“No,” she whispered with a small smile, looking down at their clasped hands, “I don’t believe that I would.”

Arvel looked down at their hands too, before unlacing their fingers and gently squeezing her hand, pressing their palms together. He then lifted the hand up, looking at her long fingers against the backdrop of the sky, as his other hand drew something from his pocket.

“What’s that?” she asked.

“One of my pa’s rings,” Arvel said, holding up a golden band with a large emerald set in the center. He held it up to the sky, beside her hand, turning it over in his fingers as he said, “It’s the one with all the clouds ‘n wind ‘n lightning etched all over it. I been thinkin’ about how it suits you.”

“Me?” Lunette asked, her cheeks warming, “I’d have thought you’d consider that something better suited to Fidget.”

“Nah,” he replied offhandedly, “Fidge’s only stormy when things are goin’ bad. You though, you’re like a tornado in a bottle... You’re all calm and poised, in control, but you got this storm inside of you ready to unleash when yer ready. That, and it reminds me of your eyes.”

Lunette’s already blushing cheeks burned intensely as she looked up at the ring, and she watched him slide it onto her ring finger.

“Wh-What?” she stammered.

“You know this stuff don’t suit me,” Arvel said quietly, “But every time I looked at this ring I thought it belonged on your finger. Fidget asked me if it was a wedding ring when I gave her the ruby one, but I know you ‘n me are different, so it don’t have to be like that for us, but... I just want you to know that I want you around. I want you to stay here. Fidge and I both do.”

Lunette’s emerald eyes misted as she gazed down at the ring on her hand.

“Hey,” Arvel whispered, leaning over to bump his forehead gently against hers, “You alright?”

“I am,” Lunette whispered, pressing to his forehead before her lips brushed softly against his, “I’m as happy as I’ve ever been.”