"So? Ya get that piece appraised?" Bodelee asked between a mouthful of bread.

"Yeah, each person I brought it to said it was shit. You know, I'd like to bring something worthwhile to the markets more than once a blue moon. The guard is about the only people that'll take the stuff you make, and they pay out like misers at a whorehouse. Ah, begging your pardon," Bodelin said, looking at her apologetically.

Evidently, the dwarven brothers liked to share dinner much later than Annora was accustomed to. So she sat at their table and awkwardly watched them eat and discuss various things.

"Bah, people 'round here can't appreciate good, simple steel. I'm tellin' ya', it's a problem of the market. Believe me, if we was out near the border or somewhere that saw actual action my pieces'd sell for real money. Everyone 'round here's too stuffed up on vanity. Wall pieces, they want. Well, I ain't making wall pieces, brother."

"...You want to leave the city?" Annora asked hesitantly.

"Mm? It'd be nice, but we don't exactly have much of a traveling budget. Someday, when my blockhead brother starts making things that actually sell for money we might have enough," Bodelin responded.

"No wall pieces," Bodelee repeated. Bodelin simply rolled his eyes and took a bite of stew. "You'd like that though, wouldn't ya, Lin? Sure seems more exciting out there than tryin' to join the guard or whatever's got ya swingin' that practice blade out there all by your lonesome."

Bodelin stared daggers at Bodelee, who simply laughed and continued, "What? Thought I wouldn't see you sneakin' off to find some secret place out in the pit? You'll have to try harder than that if you wanna escape my notice."

"Didn't think you noticed anything besides whatever your current project is and the food I put in front of you," Bodelin grumbled.

"Speaking of food, it'd 'a been nice if you'd gotten somethin' other than this gruel. 'As your sense of taste gone and died, brother?"

"Another word out of your mouth and the rest of the pot goes over your head."

"Mm. That'd be a wonderful display for our lady friend. Then she'd really have something to remember 'er visit by."

"You… want to join the guard? Why?"

"I dunno, I guess it just seems more worthwhile than other occupations. I tried that but felt so stifled, like I had to get out. So I figure if I do something that lets me, you know, move I'll feel a lot better."

"Mm. For as much as you bitch about me changin' my ways, you sure don't seem that different."

"Yeah… well, guess that makes us two of a pair don't it, brother?"

"Loveliest pair of rejects amid a city of beautiful people." The brothers shared a smile, middling feud forgotten in an instant. It was strikingly nostalgic, and Annora realized that she and her sisters had once been able to share times like this among themselves. That behavior, the sisterly behavior had been one of the first things the advisors tried to stamp out.

"So you live out here… because you have no money?"

"Damn but that stings a bit, to hear it said aloud. You're not wrong though," Bodelin said.

"And you're the only ones who live here?"

"Heh, that's a funny story," Bodelee started, "We got thrown around with a couple 'a would-be families, but when push came to shove none of them were up to the task of rearin' us. In the end, we just got booted and left to fend for ourselves. More fun that way, honestly."

"Booted?"

"Yeah, seems those who look down from over the ivory walls don't really care what happens to problem children in the city so long as they stay within the city. Makes us easier to 'collect' I guess," Bodelin said.

The topic brought a somber mood to the table.

"Isn't it… lonely?"

"Lonely? Who's lonely? You lonely, Lin?"

"As if I could ever feel lonely with the constant din of that hammer. How am I even supposed to feel lonely when I'm forced to push out all you 'products?' How about you, you lonely all by yourself, cooped up in that forge all day every day?"

"As if I could ever feel lonely when I have to listen to your badgering just about every day of the week…"

"Heh. Yeah, I think you'll find we don't need the company of anyone save ourselves. Although… It would be a little nice for some extra company every once in a while," Bodelin says, eyeing Annora.

Bodelee groaned and buried his face in his hands.

"Was that a comment, dear brother?"

"Yeah, I was sayin' you need to learn some tact."

***

Annora stepped lightly back into her room, tired but feeling more fulfilled than she had in a long time.

She looked around the lavishly furnished room, feeling a sense of disconnectedness. The world she lived in and the one those two inhabited seemed so far apart.

She moved over to a rug and rolled it over, revealing a section of inconspicuous brick flooring. She slid her fingers in between a set of bricks and felt the handhold she knew would be there before lifting. A small area lifted, revealing a passage that, as far as she knew, none save her knew of.

Her private chambers were located on the bottom floor of the royal palace, below which nothing was allowed to be dug out or constructed. And yet here was a passage leading further into the depths. She didn't know who built it, but she had traveled along its path enough that she held no doubt as to its safety and security.

She emerged in the inner chamber. It was a simple hollowed out room without any furnishing or decoration. The floor was the only portion of the room that seemed as though it had some effort put into it, being perfectly flat and smooth. Every wall was rough, ordinary stone. Save one.

One wall was not stone, but a flat expanse of what appeared to be softly glowing amber crystal. In a sense, this tunnel represented the ultimate crime in all of Wald, as it was the only structure save the podium that had a direct connection to the Core.

Annora placed her hand softly against it, felt the light hum and gentle warmth she knew so well radiate through her body. In all the world, she doubted she could feel as at home in any other place.

She stepped away from the Core and made her way to the messy jumble of sheets she'd brought down here some years ago to serve as a bed. She wished she could bask in that gentle warmth for longer, but the day had been long and tiring, and her body cried out for rest.

A part of her wished to sleep against that which had given her life and bask in that gentle warmth, but she held some deep, irrational fear that it would consume her. That it would take back what it had given before her time was up.

***

"Be prepared for my idiot brother to talk nonstop for the next hour before working for the next two days," Bodelin said, sitting atop Annora's old perch as she arrived.

It'd been three months, and Annora had made it a habit to visit at least three times a week. It was amazing how some good company made her forget that she'd ever wanted to get away and just be alone.

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see," Bodelin said, getting up and heading down the stairs. Annora followed close behind, curious.

Inside the forge, Bodelee was circling the anvil, back bent at an unhealthy angle as he examined a rock sitting atop the weathered metal.

"Ah, she arrives! Behold, dearest madam, a specimen I 'ave been eagerly awaiting a chance to work with for what feels like eons," Bodelee's excitement was almost palpable, but Annora didn't have any clue what she was looking at.

"A rock?"

"Raw oricite," Bodelee's smile barely fit on his face as he said the words.

Annora's eyebrows raised in surprise. Even isolated as she was, the rarity of oricite was something known far and wide.

"How'd you get it?"

At that, both of the brothers froze. Neither seemed to want to meet her gaze. She breathed out a sigh of exasperation, "Well, if whoever you snatched it from comes calling, don't ask me to save you."

"Well, anyway," Bodelee killed the line of thought just as fast as he could, "I'm gonna get to work. Don't interrupt me. For any reason. Unless they do actually manage to find us I suppose."

"Sorry, but I'll have to pull you away for dinner," Annora said.

"Bah, what use have I for food when the fire of passion is all the sustenance I require?!" The look on Bodelin's face told Annora he'd had to revive his brother on more than one occasion due to this blatant misconception.

"You keep complaining about how bland your food is, so I brought some spices to give it some flavor."

"Shut up." Both the brother spoke in unison, their full attention on her.

Annora pulled out a small pouch and tossed it to Bodelin, who slowly opened it before going slack-jawed. "I'm going to start cooking," He said as he rushed out of the room as fast as he could.

Bodelee was left musing to himself, the oricite before him evidently forgotten, "Spices, of course… Why didn't we ever think of that? It'd be so easy to nab…"

Annora cleared her throat.

"Er, I mean… Ah who am I kidding, we would'a stolen some 'a our own if we'd had the brains to think of it."

Annora rolled her eyes before following Bodelin into the kitchen.

An hour later they were all seated around the table. For once even Annora had a bowl of the stew Bodelin had made.

The brothers dug in without any semblance of restraint. Annora lifted the spoon of the stew Bodelin had put his all into and took a bite.

It's alright, I guess.

To Annora, who'd been served luxury food by masterclass chefs for as long as she could remember, gruel with some added spices was still gruel.

But, that doesn't mean this wasn't worth it.

Both the brothers looked as if they'd never experienced such bliss before.

Bodelee took a breath from his ravenous consumption, "Say, Annora. What exactly do you do to be able to afford-" His question was interrupted by Bodelin smacking the back of Bodelee's head as hard as he could. The hard impact on the back of his head sent Bodelee's face straight into his bowl.

Bodelin almost choked trying to speak, "You fool! Don't pry into other people's business! Just be thankful and enjoy- Ah! You imbecile! Look what you've done to the food I toiled over!"

"Don't give me that, you fuckin' moron! You're the one who shoved me in the first place! Oh shit, my eyes feel like you shoved hot coals in 'em!"

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

"I-" Bodelin couldn't finish his statement as Bodelee rubbed as much of the stew out of his eyes as he could. Even then, he couldn't bring himself to fight anymore. They were both too stunned.

Annora couldn't help herself. She didn't know when it had started but she'd been laughing at the display for some time. She tried to control herself but the laughs just kept coming.

When she finally settled down the brothers were still staring at her in silence.

"What?" She asked, beginning to feel as if she'd done something wrong.

"I think that was the first time we've ever seen you laugh," Bodelin said in awe.

"Might be the first time you've even cracked a smile," Bodelee added.

"Well, sorry for that," Annora said, annoyed.

"If that's true then you'll just have to make it up to us," Bodelin said, a playful smile on his face.

Annora gave him a look somewhere between quizzical and apprehensive.

"You'll just have to do it more often. Once a week minimum, I think should be a good starting point."

Annora blushed, completely caught off guard.

Bodelee patted his counterpart on the shoulder, "Very smooth, brother. Now go get me a damn bucket."

***

It'd been a few hours, the only sound left in the abode was the clang of metal. Bodelin had retired already, but his brother kept on working into the night.

Annora couldn't help but notice a change in herself. She'd been spending more and more time out here, away from home and responsibilities. Her sleep schedule was suffering for it, but she didn't care. It felt weird to admit to herself how much she enjoyed her time here.

It felt even weirder to admit that sitting alone upon her little perch on the rooftop no longer held the same appeal. Without the chaos of those two's company the silence felt… empty. She'd reveled in that same emptiness before, so she couldn't understand why it seemed so different now.

Abandoning the search for meaning among her emotions, she headed down the stairs she'd become intimately familiar with over the past few months and into Bodelee's workshop.

She'd come at a lapse in the pounding, and Bodelee sat on a dilapidated bench while taking a drink of water. "Thought you'd already gone," He said when he saw her.

"Felt like sticking around, I guess."

"Sorry 'bout… before," He said awkwardly.

"Hm? Oh, it's okay." The question of her daily life had been one they had danced around for some time now. The brothers seemed afraid it'd scare her off, she was afraid if they knew what she was they'd be the ones scared off. She still remembered how the boy Andora had been seeing was scared off when he learned that the woman he was seeing possessed a Seed.

He nodded, "Well, not much left to do but watch, if you want." He picked up a bag and poured what seemed to be little specks of metal out into a small bowl.

"What's that?"

"Iron dust. I gotta hammer it into the magic rock while I work. Makes it into an alloy, better for makin' stuff with, but you lose a bit 'a purity."

"You've done this before?"

"Hm? Yeah, with my teach. They're… gone now. Here's hoping I don't muck it up without 'em, yeah?"

Annora sensed it was a touchy subject so she didn't pursue the conversation. Bodelee reached into what looked like the heart of fire with tongs and took out a glowing rectangle of metal. He placed it on the anvil and hammered it til it was much wider, then sprinkled the iron dust over the hot metal before he folded it and started hammering again, compacting it. He repeated this process maybe half a dozen times before the metal seemed to have cooled down substantially and he had to throw it back in the fire, once more in the rough shape of a rectangle.

"Why fold it so much? Isn't it already a metal?"

"It ain't a proper alloy yet, needs more iron."

"Oh."

"Well, even then I'll keep on foldin' it." He laughed at Annora's annoyed expression and continued, "Once it's a proper alloy I'll need to keep workin' it to bust out the impurities. And believe me, oricite's got a lot of 'em."

"Bust out the impurities?"

"Yep. Metal is a funny thing. The more you beat on it the better you prepare it to take a beatin'. Every fold I put 'er through gives 'er more character, more strength."

The words struck a chord in Annora. She felt like she'd heard something like that before, and remembered the epics that they had been taught as children. In those stories the heroes always had to overcome trials that left them weathered and weary, but they always came away from conflict stronger for it.

When she compared that to her own life, she felt dreadfully sad. Neither she nor her sisters had ever faced any sort of trial before, any kind of real opposition. If adversity fostered strength she wondered why the Core would ordain that such an untested individual be put in a position of supreme leadership.

Was it always like this? Were we meant to be propped up as hollow figures, porcelain dolls to look good for the masses? Why then is strength even considered the most important requirement for ruling?

Perhaps more than anything, I wonder how truly strong I could become if I was given the chance to be tested so. If I were to be placed in the crucible and be left bereft of all the protections in place around me what would I become? How high could I soar if these chains of earth were severed?

"What will you make?" She asked.

"Not sure."

"You went through such trouble to get that, yet you don't know what you want to make with it?"

"I enjoy the process. The end result is just a measure of my skills. Why? something you want me to make?"

"You don't have to-"

"No, seriously. I'd welcome it. I always feel as though my products don't turn out quite right, and I think it's 'cause I don't decide on a direction to take 'em until the very end. So give this metal a purpose, and I'll see if I can match what you envision."

"Mmm, okay. If you wouldn't mind, I might like…"

***

For every seasonal festival, there was also a royal ball in the Mountain Home. Nobles and leadership from across the nation came to mingle, establish trade agreements, and survey the upcoming Seeds. The months had passed steadily by and the coronation was drawing near, leading to an even bigger turnout than usual.

Annora always found herself lost amid the crowd, and constantly looked for a way to break free. This usually came about an hour after the start, when all of the guests who tried talking to her found her to be a terrible conversationalist. After a time, her more talkative sisters managed to draw the vast majority of them away from her, and she found herself free to escape.

She made her way to a balcony and sighed as she looked up at the dark stone ceiling far, far above.

"Wow, that dress looks really good on you," Voice from her left broke the silence.

"Shut it. Since when did they start letting you into these, Hop?" She addressed the man sharing the space of the balcony with her, a fancy drink in his hands.

"Well, apparently one of the regional lords from the south wanted to meet the outsider they hired to keep the wild princess in check. He wanted to hire me once they give me the boot over here."

"You never were good at appeasing the advisors…"

"Better at it than you at least. Only difference is I'm not one of the chosen few, so they don't pamper me."

That pushed her into a sulky silence, and Hop seemed to realize he'd stepped on a landmine before he quickly changed the subject, "Something going on? You seem a bit different lately."

"Not really," She lied.

"My ass. Hmm, I should probably watch my tongue here. Anyway, my ass," She could help but crack a small smile at his antics. They seemed so far removed from the sterile environment of the ball.

"You've been getting sloppy at training, and it seems like every time I pass you by you've got bags under your eyes. Not to mention I haven't been called to deal with one of your outbursts in a while. Yeah, I'd say something's up."

Annora pointedly avoided his gaze and refused to say anything.

"Fine, so long as it isn't bothering you overly much I suppose that's fine."

They lapsed into silence until Annora decided to ask something she'd been curious about, "What was it like, being a soldier out in the real world?"

Hop was silent for a long moment, then, "Exhausting. There's always some conflict to resolve, always some battle to go to next. And all the while the people you grow close to around you get cut down and left behind."

"I never did ask how you ended up here. What bargain bin of washed-up warriors did they pull you out of?"

Hop smiled at her playful jab, "Not a very interesting story, truth be told. Started as a soldier in a place I won't mention. Made a few fuck-ups too many and had to leave, but by that point I didn't know how to live any other way but by the blade. So I worked for coin, until eventually I bungled it and wound up with a stump instead of a leg. That pretty much ended that career. And now here I am, a retired warrior turned instructor."

"How boring."

Hop scoffed and nodded his head with a smile.

"But, even that, to me, is interesting."

Hop's smile seemed to die away.

"I want to know something I've been thinking about recently. Do you think all those experiences, all those battles, made you stronger? Not just physically, but mentally as well? I can't help but feel as though I'm drowning in this pool of stagnant water, as though I'm withering away."

Hop's expression grew very somber, "I don't know. I watched many, so many, break down when exposed to the line between death and victory. I think it very much depends on the person whether or not they'll find strength in that experience. I'm also not sure 'strength' is the right word. Every man or woman who goes into battle learns something, about the world and about themselves. And I don't know whether it strengthens you or breaks you down, but it changes you. That's about all I know for certain."

He paused for a moment before asking, "Do you wish you could go out and find strength within conflict?"

"I don't know. I desperately, so desperately, want to test myself in ways that this pond will not allow me to. And yet I am afraid, because I know if I cast what I have aside I will never be able to reclaim it."

"If you are uncertain, do not do something that will irrevocably destroy something you love. If you fail to act on these feelings you will surely regret it, but if you do act on them without the resolve to cast aside what you love, you will regret it much more."

They fell into silence, Annora wrestling with her emotions and desires, and Hop allowing her the quiet he knew she needed.

***

"Well sisters, this is it. The last event before one of us is crowned," Sora said, raising her glass to the table.

The ball had moved to its final stage, dinner. A multitude of tables were set up around the spacious room, and various nobles mingled between them, continuing to make trade deals and whatnot. The only table left untouched was theirs, the table of the Seeds. Sora was right, the months had flown by, and before there would be a chance for another royal ball where they were all simply Seeds one of them would be chosen.

This time limit was what caused Annora the most inner turmoil of all. When the time came, her fate would be decided for her, and there was nobody she could turn to for help.

So she sat in silence, picking at the lavish food set before her, idly listening to her sisters converse with each other.

"So has anybody picked out what they'll do once the coronation is over?" Sora asked. Once one of the Seeds was chosen the remaining Seeds were all given a variety of options for high-ranking positions in the government to choose from.

"I think Voset sounds interesting," Dora said, "I was talking to the baroness and she says she would like someone to take the position over."

"The wooded city? That's a big one because of the oricite it produces, right? Way to shoot big, sister," Kora said.

None of the three even considered looking to ask Annora what she wanted to do. Over the months the advisors had made it clearer and clearer who they thought the crown should be given to.

"I had considered overseeing a restructuring of the guard and military, but from all the reports I've seen I don't think that'll be necessary so I'm looking more toward playing a part in domestic affairs," Kora said.

"Isn't it?" Annora said softly. All three of her sisters looked at her with confused expressions.

"What's that, Nora?" Sora asked gently.

"What makes you so certain the guard is fine as it is?"

"Well… all the reports the advisors give me seem to indicate as such, so why wouldn't it be fine?"

"Have you actually left the palace and inspected the guard yourself? Talked to any of the citizens to understand how they feel?"

"My reports all-"

"A man, a human, was beaten to death just last week."

"...What? By who?"

"By the guards. They'd found his residence to 'not be up to code,' and beat him to death. His body was dumped in the pit, not even given a proper send-off." She'd heard the story from Bodelin, who'd happened to see the ordeal.

"That can't be. The advisors would have included it in the reports they gave me. You must be mistaken, Nora," Kora said.

"You would trust their word against mine? Your own sister?"

"It's not like that, Nora," Kora grimaced, "But you know how things are, right? What else can we do with the rules as they are?"

"I don't know, stop following them maybe? If the rules that bind us only serve to to inhibit our ability to do our duty as Seeds then why should we allow ourselves to remain bound by them?"

"You're talking about destroying centuries of tradition, Nora," Dora said, "These rules have been in place long before we were created, why would they exist if not to allow us to more properly flourish as Seeds?"

"Yeah, Nora," Kora said, "If we broke from the rules how could we possibly hope to bring prosperity to the people? We'd have to tear down so much and rebuild, and who's to say what we in our youth and ignorance would be better than what exists now? How can you of all people say that, Nora? I mean, you're about to become queen. Why question what we've been taught all our life?"

No… they'd rather side with the philosophy of the advisors than me? Their own sister?

"But-"

"Nora," Sora cut her off, a cold expression on her face, "This is not the time or place for this discussion."

Annora looked around the table, feeling like she was surrounded by strangers. She'd always loved these three, they accepted and loved her back even though they were so different. And yet now…

Annora didn't know how it happened, but she was running through the halls before she even realized it. Tears ran down her face in rivers, and she made her way to the only place she knew she could be truly alone.

***

The amber wall of the Core seemed to wrap her in its warm embrace as she cried softly against it.

She was lost, and she felt she had nobody to truly rely on. Her sisters looked at her as if she were a stranger. Hop, while very sympathetic to her predicament, was ultimately just a mercenary hired by the advisors. Anything she said to him could make its way back to the advisors.

Those two… No. I'm too afraid, afraid that they'd reject me as well.

If she revealed her true self to those two and they pushed her away… She wasn't sure she would ever be able to recover. The very thought left her paralyzed.

And so she cried. She curled up in a corner of the room between rock and Core and tried to shut out her negative thoughts. No matter what she tried to distract herself with, mental exercise, reviewing sword forms, nothing was able to keep the tide of negative emotions away.

Like an anchor, they dragged her down.

Eventually, she found herself too tired to keep fighting. She looked at the ragtag bundle of cloths that usually served as her bed but couldn't muster the will to move to it. She let the warmth of the Core lull her into sleep, hoping that the blissful rest could take away her problems.