TRISHA PAYNE

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Before Ray left, he sent Pops (we called General Clegane that when we were kids and still do) a request for a colonel regent to look after the village while he was away. Since it would be a week before this colonel would arrive, Lieutenant Doria was placed in charge of Gilead in Ray’s stead.

I thought she would be a bit annoyed that her unit got to go to the Capital while she had to stay behind and work. Her reaction was different from what I expected.

“Finally!” she would sigh. “It’s good to finally be free from those idiots for a while. I spend more time taking care of them than working. Could you believe that, Doc?”

“Gilead is safe enough that soldiers can goof off and act normal. I’d say you’re lucky that you’re babysitting them rather than sitting uneasily waiting for an attack.”

“We could still get attacked. It’s just not as likely.” Doria shook her head. “Just the other day, Kaiser and them invented a drinking game of throwing balls into cups.”

“Oh, I heard about that one while I was at the tavern. If you get the ball in your opponent’s cups, they drink and vice versa. The first person to get rid of all their opponent’s cups wins. That was Ray’s unit?”

“Yeah, that was them. It’s much calmer now that it’s just us girls around, though I would say it’s quite boring without the men.”

“Jaime is here to make trouble every now and then, so she keeps us entertained. I just hope it’s not too much trouble.”

A week after Ray’s party left for the Capital, the colonel regent along with his unit and an additional fifteen soldiers arrived in Gilead. He was Colonel Fundin, a dwarf of wisdom-white hair who had a habit of putting his hands behind his back when walking.

He was rather strict with the Gilead soldiers when he first arrived, complaining that they were too laid back and at ease. This was because he served directly under General Clegane—who was known to be authoritative. The Gilead soldiers didn’t want to get into trouble so they followed Colonel Fundin’s directives. It was only until their Colonel Camaro got back after all.

Once Colonel Fundin noticed that the village was safe from human and monster threats, the tight dwarf loosened as well.

“This is very strange indeed,” he said. “You people are lucky. Gilead is very safe for some odd reason.”

“What do you mean?” Doria asked.

“Most settlements are in somewhat constant or fluctuating danger. But one can’t help but feel at ease in this village. Yes, I understand now why the soldiers are so laid-back. You have a ravine that protects you on one side and an open field that would let you see danger on the other. The forest is a good distance and this area doesn’t have many monsters roaming it.”

“No one tries to mess with us because Chariot is in charge. He can summon an army of Dolls in an instant to deal with any threat. And he has an armoured lizard that likes to go around scaring off monsters and predators.”

“That’s why I’m stricter with the soldiers. Chariot isn’t here to summon an army and I don’t know any jynx. They can despise me for being hard on them, but if it means keeping this place safe, then so be it.”

Doria put a hand on Fundin’s shoulders. “Don’t worry, Colonel, you’re doing a great job. Besides, Gilead soldiers are too rowdy because it’s too safe. It’s a relief that they can act like soldiers when needed.”

“I hope they never have to.”

Twenty-six days after Ray’s party left, a pigeon arrived bearing the names of Lieutenant Doria and me.

The first letter was from Ray. It talked about how Scar had reappeared and began murdering higher-ups again. He advised the colonel regent to request for additional soldiers from General Clegane to be dispatched to Gilead in his absence. News, however, had reached Colonel Fundin days earlier and he was well ahead of wanting more soldiers to be dispatched here.

The second letter was from Ilias, directed to me.

Aww! He cared enough to write!

Hello Mother,

As of writing this, we have reached the Capital and I am about to be dropped off at the exam. I am currently writing this in a post office. I would just like to let you know that we are safe and didn’t encounter any troubles on the road. But I must confess that I had my first pint of ale (more like eleven) on the road. I’m sorry about that and I am more than willing to take responsibility when I get home. We also dropped by Bel Tine and managed to find the doctor Auntie Odetta was looking for. He remembered her, but he told us that he couldn’t help her. Anyways, today is the last day they’re accepting participants, so I’ve got to end this letter here—lest I don’t want to make the cut. Wish me all the luck! I will write back as soon I get out of the exam.

Sincerely yours, Ilias

I guess I couldn’t really be mad at Ilias for trying alcohol this young. I was proud of him for it even. If I remember correctly, Father was having a birthday party downstairs when I drank my first drop. Ray, Czeslaw, and I were ten and we had snuck off with a bottle of wine. We couldn’t pressure Ray to drink so Czeslaw and I split the bottle and threw it out to get rid of the evidence. I couldn’t remember what happened next, but I was told that Czeslaw and I quickly became intoxicated and Ray had to spend the rest of the night taking care of us. The next morning Father was laughing it off but quickly switched to Mother’s side to scold me.

Ilias was late by about two years because, between us, I was younger when I had my first drink.

As a mother, I don’t know if that’s something I should be proud of.

Still, I was surprised that Ilias had remembered Odetta and the specifics of her new quest. He had known her for three days when he was five, yet he recalled so many things from those three days.

He might be even smarter than me now.

Before they left, Ray reassured me that Ilias would be safe. Death was a common occurrence during the State Jynxist Exam after all. But if he had passed the exam with nothing but his Marching Dolls, Ilias and his arsenal of spells akin to that of Heloise’s should relatively make him safe.

But how could I not worry?

Ilias was just a young boy and I was sure that Ray was never in any danger since he befriended Heloise.

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I hope that his party members and the friends he makes protect each other.

While I was waiting for Ilias’ second letter, news travelled to Gilead about how a leviathan learned how to fly using jynx and had claimed Headrig’s Pass as its territory. Just like three thousand years ago, the east and west side of the country was cut off. But this time, we couldn’t fly around the mountains to keep in contact.

First Scar and now this? So many things are happening that it feels like one of the gods is setting up pieces on a board.

For a bit, Jaime seemed interested whenever I used healing jynx. She would ask if I was using it on someone today. If I was, she would stay behind and watch me heal them before heading out. Jaime liked exploring the village and the outskirts. It was the closest thing to adventuring she could do. She would usually come back bruised and scraped asking to be healed.

When I wasn’t busy, I attempted to teach her how to perform the most basic healing jynx. I was surprised her gates were able to withstand a couple of days’ worth of spells.

After she perfected the spell, she didn’t drop by to get healed anymore. She still came home dirty and caked in mud, but there were no injuries on her body anymore.

Except for the most basic healing spell (which was aptly named healing), a person couldn’t use healing jynx on themselves. You could heal simple scrapes and bruises but if you had an open wound, broken bones, or anything serious, someone else had to heal them for you.

I was the only doctor in our small village so I had to make sure nothing serious happened to me. Ilias and Heloise knew healing jynx and they could heal me, but they weren’t always going to be around.

Maybe I should post a request asking for a nurse to help out in the office. I was able to pay Heloise for six years, a nurse’s pay should be nothing compared to hers.

A month after the news from Ray and Ilias, Doria dropped by during breakfast with two letters.

“Who’s it from?” I asked anxiously.

“There was a letter from Ray, but it was all business. Again.” Doria slid me the other envelope. “This one says it’s from Ilias. I think we know what this letter will be about. You should open it and learn what his results were first.”

Hello again, Mother,

First off, I would like to let you know that I’m fine. Other than my hand, which has mostly healed from its burn marks (the story is too long so I’ll tell you when we get back), I’m completely fine. I didn’t witness anything scarring either so don’t worry about that. Now for the big news. This year’s State Jynxist Exam had the most participants of any year by far—there were 610 of us. Of that, only two people passed. One of them being me. I would like to give you the good news that I am now officially Ilias Van Payne the Prince Of Dawn—courtesy of King Arthureus. We’ll be home in about a month. See you then.

Sincerely yours, Ilias

I read that letter four times to make sure I was reading it properly.

“He did it!” Jaime cheered. She had gotten impatient and started reading the letter from over my shoulder. “He actually did it! Yes!”

I chuckled. “Yeah, he did. Our Ilias did it!”

“Are we going to celebrate? Becoming a State Jynxist is a big deal, right?”

“It is. The colonel was in the Capital for the military when he became a State Jynxist yet we still had a party here to celebrate his success. We have to throw the biggest party this village has ever seen.”

“We have a month until they get here,” Doria said.

“That’s more than enough. I already have so many ideas. We have to make this big.”

“The colonel passed when he was sixteen and he’s the youngest person to ever become a State Jynxist. Ilias is twelve. Trisha, your boy just beat out the colonel.”

“Ever the more reason to make this party big.”

Thanks to Jaime, it didn’t take long for the news of Ilias to spread around the village. Many of the villagers dropped by to congratulate me in my son’s stead and for the next couple of days, it was all my patients ever talked about.

We bought the biggest fireworks from passing merchants, the baker and I kept going back and forth on what the design of the cake would be, and each house volunteered to do something.

This party was going to be expensive.

The kids that had been picking on Jaime began trying to befriend her. They paid no heed to Ilias before but were suddenly trying to get to know him through Jaime. She saw exactly what I was seeing and declined their pathetic attempts at patronization. Two months ago she would’ve scared them away with her fist, but the elf girl had learned restraint.

“They used to call Ilias weird because he had his nose in books all the time and now all of a sudden they want to be friends with him? Hmph! If they weren’t friends with him then, they shouldn’t be allowed now.”

“What makes you so special?” I asked. “The colonel told me you thought he was weird.”

“What makes me special is that I was honest about it. I didn’t try to hide my thoughts and snicker at him behind his back. I would snicker at him in front of his face. Besides, I like him for his weirdness.”

“Yeah, you’re both weird in your own ways.”

It was never fun teasing Ilias. The way he reacted made me feel like I was a fool and the times he answered he would always beat me with logic. But with Jaime…

“You know, Jaime. Once Ilias gets back, he’s going to be popular among the girls. You heard the lieutenant the other day. He’s now the youngest person to become a State Jynxist. Add that to the fact that the colonel is going to be personally teaching him swordsmanship—they’ll be throwing themselves at him.”

“Ilias? I don’t think he’s the type of person to want a girlfriend.”

“When I was your age, I thought the same about the colonel. But then I saw him staring at girls and I knew I thought wrong. Ilias will get there at one point.”

Jaime stayed silent for a bit. “What happens if Ilias gets a girlfriend?”

“From my experience when your Uncle Czeslaw had one, they were inseparable. I don’t see it being different.”

Her cheeks reddened up. “But that’s not fair. I was friends with him first.”

“Is being friends with Ilias something you can be content with?”

She went into deep thought before escaping the conversation by storming off the property.

Now I see why Pops loved to tease Ray and Czeslaw. It’s fun and their reactions are just so cute.

Ilias and Jaime balanced each other rather too well. They were complete opposites which meant they were constantly motivating the other to do better. The bond they had formed was something that could be taken to the next level.

Some friendships are meant to be more.

The Ilias and Jaime pairing was certainly popular among our circle.

Weeks after receiving the second letter, Private Gama arrived in the village at eight in the morning. His sunken eyes and exhausted horse were enough to let us know that he rode with urgency. He wanted to see Colonel Fundin as soon as possible, but Doria and I convinced him to let me treat him first.

The dwarf colonel came to my office once the news had reached him.

“Colonel, Colonel Camaro needs reinforcements in Rockbell,” Gama panted. “The colonel there is abusing his power and they sent me to get help. They sent me ahead because they’re staying there until we arrive.”

“Is Ilias, okay?” I asked.

“He’s fine, Doc. The kid is actually pretty useful and holds his own weight. Considering he’s now a State Jynxist and all.”

After brewing medicine that should keep the private going for another twelve hours or so, they began preparations to ride back to Rockbell. A letter arrived from Ray, but Doria and Gama deciphered the hidden message and the contents were quickly ignored.

Colonel. Ignore. This. Gama’s. Plans. Should. Proceed. Thanks.

Within the hour, Private Gama left with Colonel Fundin and twenty-five soldiers on fresh horses. Doria was again left in charge of Gilead.

I had no appointments on a cloudy day and used the time to tend to the garden. I called Doria over to give her some of the fruits and vegetables.

“Is this really fine?” she asked. “You usually don’t give me this much.”

“Half the people I would’ve given it to are liberating a mining town. We don’t know when they’ll be coming back and they might rot by then. Just enjoy them.”

“Why don’t you and Jaime eat them?”

“Jaime is still getting used to her vegetables. She would get mad if that was all she ate for the next couple of days.”

“So she’s a carnivore?”

“Jaime’s a swordsman so she needs the protein to build muscle.”

Right as I said her name, she came running through the front gate yelling our names. She was all sweaty and out of breath.

“Auntie! Lieutenant! You won’t believe it.” She pointed towards the direction of the main road. “Ilias, Colonel, and the others! I saw them over the horizon! They’re back!”