Kaleon felt like a bwidode looked. It was like his head had swollen to the size of a melon. His neck was lolling to either side and threatening to send him falling over with the weight.

After getting Rynnelle and Gumbo to safety, Kaleon had to fight for each step as his eyelids did their best to close. He didn't even hesitate when getting on the Dashards ship, being grateful for the chance to rest. Not that he did. Kaleon drifted in and out of sleep for the entire flight. He heard snippets of Rynnelle and Dashard's conversation with the apparent infamous pirate, but it was all lost somewhere in his subconscious. Then, just as he was about to sleep, they woke him up.

Head still inflated, Kaleon might as well have been sleepwalking as they walked to the Manor. He vaguely remembered when Reinard came storming up, where he tried and nearly failed to get out of the way of his path. Rynnelle left, and everything went dark.

Sleep was an unsteady soup of black upon black upon black. Kaleon was vaguely aware of where he had been, but that was a distant memory.

A light appeared in the darkness, and as he swam through the black toward it, he could start to hear a voice. It called his name. Kaleon didn't recognize the speaker, but for reasons he couldn't explain, hearing it seemed to warm the darkness around him. His fingers were about to grab the light when someone shook him awake.

"Kal? Kal, are you alright?"

Kaleon opened his eyes. He looked around, closed and rubbed his eyes, then looked around again. Dashard was the one who'd woken him, but Lord Reinard, Naval officers, and attendants from the Manor clustered around him.

Kaleon blinked, "Uh...yeah, are you?" Nice one. He felt something at his feet and looked down as Gumbo's bladders inflated, forcing everyone around him to take a few steps back.

He'd fallen asleep leaning against one of the arches, and for some reason, he was the sudden object of everyone's interest. Gumbo nuzzled his shoulder, and Kaleon leaned into him. Grateful as he felt his head start to swell again.

"As I was saying." Lord Reinard said with a voice already strife with agitation. "Kaleon, you will shadow Mr. Hand for his stay on Teon and see that all his needs are met."

Kaleons brow furrowed as he looked at Lord Reinard, "Who?"

"That be me! Oh, wait just a second." Kaleon watched as someone squirmed their way through the officers. His eyes fell on the sunset clouds on his head and went wide. Silverhand slid beside him on the wall, wrapping an arm around him and forming an open huddle with Kaleon and Gumbo. "Silverhand, a pleasure to make your acquaintance Kal, you too, Gumbo."

"Wait!" Kaleon shrugged himself free and stepped towards Lord Reinard, who was already leaving. It was like he'd just dropped him in a bath of ice water, shooting him into awareness immediately. "What do you mean I'm supposed to shadow him?"

Lord Reinard turned slightly and gave him a withering look. The disdain was still present but too tired to ignite fully. He said, "I won't be saying it a third time, Kaleon." Kaleons eyes went to Dashard, who stood crestfallen. He tried reassuringly smiling at Kaleon, but it didn't meet his eyes. Lord Reinard saw this and sighed, "Part of the agreement Mr.Hand has accepted is that he cannot harm any of its residents. No harm will come to you," He turned and continued to walk away, "Do not let it get back to me that he departed Teon unsatisfied."

All Kaleon could do was watch as everyone started back towards the Manor. It was a fight to stay on his feet, but he refused to close his eyes even as sleep beckoned him. Dashard held his gaze as long as he could, but eventually, he turned to follow behind Reinard. Head hung in defeat.

"Lighten up!" Silverhand shook Kaleon by the shoulder just as everyone left out of earshot. The action nearly knocked him over in the process. He turned Kaleon around to face him. "You heard the man, nobodies going to get hurt, and I bet I'm a lot less needy than the Odulfos. Think of this as...a vacation."

A vacation. Yeah, Kaleon could admit that he was in dire need of one. If he were lucky, all Silverhand would want to do is wander the Manor, probably getting preoccupied with one of the various amenities allowing Kaleon to rest. Even better if he was hungry. That way, Kaleon could make him so much food he'll do nothing but sleep afterward.

Kaleon heard a clink and looked down. On his left wrist was a shackle covered in crystal. He looked up and looked into eyes that blazed like dark suns. Silverhands smile drove a primal terror through Kaleons heart. "Let's go take a walk."

The next few hours of Kaleons life were some of the most surreal of his life. Silverhand dragged him through the labyrinth-like a ragdoll. They ran through tunnels of Weeping Orchids, glowing a baby blue light as their nectars fell like rain. They passed a bed of Nievian Starbursters, which they also had to run passed when Silverhand touched a bulb. Causing a chain reaction as all the flowers in the bed petals unfurled, revealing strobing motes of blinding light. Although he spent nearly all his life in the Manor, Kaleon could only identify a handful of the flowers on the grounds. It was a pleasant surprise when Silverhand seemed to know them all. Although he took each name with a grain of salt when Gumbo bounced between a patch of towering irises with stems wounded like springs, and Silverhabd insisted that the flowers were called Boingaloins.

Silverhands childlike wonder as he played through the garden was infectious. Kaleon was sure he'd float away on a meandering river of nostalgia if not for the cuffs keeping them together.

He'd spent countless hours with Rynnelle getting lost in this maze of vivid color, but for the past five years, it might as well have been washed-out shades of monochrome gray for all he paid attention to. But right now, it was almost like the first day he and Rynnelle had run through the gardens. Kaleon wished he could have been in that moment, but there was no ignoring that he wasn't.

"I don't think you should stick your head in there."

"It's fiiiiiine."

Kaleon watched Silverhand fulfill an apparent goal on his bucket list. To stick his head in a Bandari's mouth without dying. Typically, a Bandari was a gargantuan hippo-like creature that lived on the bottom of an ocean. They only surface once every three years; even going near one can land you in prison for just as many lifetimes. So when they came across the topiary statue replica, he took it as the closest thing he would ever get. Even with being just a statue, the creature could fit Silverhands head with room to spare.

"Is this all you brought me with you for?" Kaleon said, then quickly added, "Don't get me wrong, I don't mind! I'm just asking."

Silverhand sniffed one of the roses the Bandari had for teeth. "Hm? Oh yeah, I figured out your deal a little while ago."

"My deal?"

Tired of holding its mouth open, the Bandari walked away, Silverhand waving goodbye with his right arm. "Yeah, the one about you being Rynnelle's paramour and in love with her."

Kaleon went tense, "What!? No, I'm not in love with her!"

Silverhand gave him an assessing look that sent a shiver up Kaleon's spine. It was like a predator that hadn't decided which Part of its prey to eat first. "That right?" He shrugged, tugging Kaleon along another path. "I'm glad. That'll keep things from getting awkward."

"Why would anything be awkward?" To Kaleon's pleasant surprise, he recognized where he was. They were surrounded on either side by walls of Caladorian Wildfires, dazzling white flowers surrounding in dancing pink flames.

"Well, I was trying to figure out why Rynnelle wanted me to come here so desperately. Then I remembered you and the totally not romantic picnic at sunrise," Silverhand said with an air quoting gesture, "After she told me Captain Chin was her fiance, I realized I was overthinking it. Clearly, she just wanted to fulfill some pirate fantasy before she-"

Kaleon grabbed Silverhands by the shirt. Then twisted the pirate around so his face almost touched the flowers. "I can tell you why Rynnelle wanted you here." He said in a bone-chilling voice, "For as long as we've been kids, she'd always be the first to step up and help people when they're down on their luck, even if those people don't always deserve it. Rynnelle is just that kind. That's the reason why she stopped Dashard and nothing else." Kaleon gave him a hard look that left no room for further discussion.

Silverhand held Kaleons gaze, and then a wide grin crossed his face. "But you're not in love with her, right?"

Kaleons jaw tightened as realization dawned on him. Silverhand was goading him on to get a response, and he'd gotten exactly that. He was three words short of Kaleon punching him. Lord Reinard was already going to have his head for this, so he might follow through with that punch if he said anything else to disrespect Rynnelle.

"No, I'm not." Kaleon insisted as he pulled Silverhand away from the flames. He wanted to be angry, but his anger was smothered by the anguish of having to tell another obvious lie. Each denial of his feelings was another weight that constantly fought to pull him down.

Silverhand fixed his shirt, completely unbothered by Kaleons sudden outburst. "I'll be honest with you, lying isn't really one of your strengths. "He continued walking, Kaleon watching him leave when the chains forced him to be half a step behind. "Bit of advice? If you haven't already, tell her how you feel. All of it, leave nothing left unsaid and then move on. Me, and just about anyone with eyes, can tell she has feelings for you too, but if you thought Reinard was bad now, you don't want to see what he'll be like after the marriage."

Kaleon winced as he knew Silverhands spoke the truth. Lord Reinard didn't always hate him, or at least he didn't always make it obvious when they were growing up. After the engagement, the Lord couldn't stand being around him for anything besides Kaleon serving him meals, and he especially didn't want him around Rynnelle. Lord Reinard made it his personal mission to keep Kaleon so busy doing menial tasks, gradually dwindling the time he spent with Rynnelle until they were essentially strangers living in the same home.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

"Lords like him want their daughters marrying other prospective members of Parliament, wealthy merchants...Captains of the Navy. Not so much the people that make their food," Silverhand continued as if reading Kaleons thoughts, "It sucks, but short of you two running away together, that's the way it is." He paused, then asked, "Wait, are you planning on running away together?"

Kaleon shook his head, "No, she's going through with it. She has too." He could've tried lying again, but adding more weight to his load was already too much. He stared into the surrounding flowers, holding a hand that stopped short of touching the petals. "I was still on the fence about it but planned to leave the day after the ceremony. I'm not sure where I'm going yet, but I have a week to figure it out." There was no hiding the sadness in his voice, and despite everything after he said it, Kaleon felt a twinge of embarrassment and avoided looking at Silverhand even when he felt his eyes on him.

They walked together silently for a minute before Silverhand continued, "Love is a twisty road that even the Gods have trouble navigating. Don't be sad about the things that didn't work out. Be happy about the stuff that did. If fate's kind, maybe you two'll work out," Kaleon turned back to look at Silverhand when his arm was jerked up as the pirate put a hand on his shoulder, finding genuine compassion in his eyes. After a few seconds, Silverhand let go of his shoulder and shrugged, "Or maybe you'll find someone new. The world moves on, and, eventually, you will too."

Kaleon took a moment to consider the words. He hesitated momentarily but steeled himself to ask a question, "All those things Dashard said about you, how true is it?"

"Most of it probably," Silverhand said as he blew out his cheeks, "A lot is exaggerated, or they just blamed me for it because I was involved, but there's, y'know, mitigating circumstances to everything I did. Not that they'd include that in file….or care for that matter,"

"Oh…okay," Kaleon nodded, his brow furrowing as he processed that.

"What prompted that question?"

"You just," Kaleon looked into the middle distance as he searched for the words, finding none that really fit. He gave up. "I mean, I can see you stealing, but you don't seem like the guy who went around sinking ships and killing people for no reason."

Silverhand looked at Kaleon perplexed, an odd look as he peered into his eyes. After a few seconds, he found something that made him slightly smirk. "You sure of that? Only known me for an afternoon, and we didn't meet in the most conventional way."

Eyes bluer than the sea met ones that burned as bright as the sun. No. That was the obvious answer. "Yes," The smirk on Silverhand's face fell at the resolution in Kaleons voice. Silverhand looked at Kaleon for a long time and laughed. It was a loud, nearly manic sound, but it carried a lightness to it that put a small, albeit awkward, smile on Kaleon's face.

Silverhand leaned forward just as Gumbo trotted back towards them. Kaleon removed a lilypad from over the blimp pig's eyes as Silverhand stared into the waters. A cool breeze drifted over the labyrinth, carrying the smells of the sea mixed with the sweet aroma of the flowers. Kaleon thought he heard singing in the distance when Silverhand broke the silence between them. "If I'm being honest, sometimes, okay, a lot of the time, I get carried away with the mask I take on. That's the curse of having a flair for drama, I'm always getting lost in the role."

Kaleon looked at him like he'd grown a second head, "Do you purposely try not to make sense or does this just come naturally to you?"

Silverhand spread his hands, creating three small clouds floating before them. "Someone I knew a long time ago said that we’re all just actors on the world’s stage. We get so caught up in the roles we play in everyone else's stories that we neglect our own. According to them, you'll only ever meet a handful of people who actually know you. The rest only know a version of you, crafted from their biases and perceptions.”

The clouds took the shape of smiling masquerade masks. “For me, the way people see me, and I guess how I see myself, usually falls in one of three categories.” Silverhand gestured to the first mask. It had monstrously exaggerated features with an uncomfortably wide smile, “The fiend, who earned every bit of the title ‘Terror of the Iega,’”

He gestured to the second mask. This one had a smile looked more like a snarl and was littered with scars, “Some folks, mostly the ones that knew me before the Promise, know the rebel. Cocky, loyal, and too eager to fight the battles people anyone in their right mind knows are impossible to win." Silverhand looked at that mask for a long time, grabbing it from the air and holding it in his hands.

Kaleon looked at the last mask. This one looked like a traditional mask, with a small floppy three-pointed hat. “And this one?” he asked.

“The jester,” Silverhand said without looking, “A fool so ridiculous that it overshadows the others. I use that one the most. It's simple, playing the part of the fool. Honestly, In the ideal world, it's who I'd always be.

Nobody expects anything of you except to be entertainment at best and annoying at worst. Most people, especially the higher-class folk, think you're harmless and overlook you.”

Kaleon grabbed the jester mask. The soft texture of the clouds feeling like he was grabbing cotton, even if the mask itself looked solid. “Truth be told," Silverhand said, his voice soft, "If people saw me for me and who I really am behind the curtains, I'm pretty sure it’ll just disappoint them.”

It took Kaleon a few seconds to decide how to respond. Talking to Silverhand was like being at the mercy of a storm that floated around you in circles. Most of the time, you're trying not to get blown away, but every now and again, you'd get clarity when you passed through the eye.

The jester's mask floated from between Kaleons fingers to combine with the other two. This new mask was featureless aside from the two holes where the eyes should be and three scars that matched the ones on Silverhands face.

"So," Kaleon said after Silverhand didn't immediately continue, "Who are you then?"

Silverhand let out a sharp laugh that Kaleon thought was a dark reflection of the one from earlier. It was forced and hollow, sounding bitter the second it passed the lips. "Just a guy trying to make a good hand out of the crappy cards life's dealt out,"

Kaleon frowned, studying the man next to him. He didn't know for sure, but they looked about the same age. But when Silverhand sighed, he did it with the weariness of someone much older.

Then, Kaleon saw the shift. Silverhand leaned back, and his small, sad smirk widened into a grin. His focus returned to Kaleon and back to the moment. It was subtle, and if Kaleon hadn't been watching, he never would've noticed, but he could feel the difference all the same.

"And what about you, Seabreeze?" Silverhand said, "Who're you? Just some cook? Childhood friend to some hotshot Navy Captain? Or maybe the secret lover of the future Lady of Teon?"

Kaleons mouth opened, then closed. He should've been expecting the question, but it had blindsided him completely. Kaleon never said it aloud, but he always thought he was living a borrowed life. Ever since Dashard pulled Kaleon aboard that ship. From the moment he met Rynnelle. They were the only tether Kaleon had to anything that remotely felt like home. Even with five years to come to terms with the fact that he had to leave eventually, Kaleon had no idea who he'd be without them. "I don't know," Kaleon said finally.

Silverhand watched Kaleon's face as he came up with his answer. His grin widened until it reached his eyes. "I can see why Rynnelle likes you. If she doesn't end up snatching you up, I definitely will."

Kaleon blinked, "What?"

Silverhand nodded as if that were an answer and quickly stood up. Kaleons arm getting yanked forward by the shackles chain. "Well, if I'm going to be stuck here, I suppose doing two acts of kindness in a day won't hurt." Without giving Kaleon a chance to respond, Silverhand started racing back to the paths.

"Wait!" Kaleon said as Silverhand stopped on the platform, trying his best not to fall over. "What are you talking about?"

Silverhand looked about the paths, putting a hand on his chin as he tried to decide where to go. "You have an empty cup, my friend, and I'm going to help you fill it."'

"What does that even meaaaaaan!" In the middle of Kaleon speaking, another gust of wind passed through the labyrinth. It was all Silverhand needed to decide where he was headed, running and dragging a screaming Kaleon behind him. Gumbo had to fly just to keep up.

Kaleon could hear where they were going before he could see it. Like a chorus had chosen the labyrinth as a place to practice. The song was in a language that Kaleon couldn't understand, but it was soothing and light, filling him with a calming air that gave him the feeling of walking on air.

Silverhand and the path stopped at the entrance to another small clearing. To Kaleons surprise, this garden section was totally new to him. Wind gathered at their back as if drawn into the clearing, and the alcove set into the cavern wall. The flowers had grown to fill the space, with curled glowing white petals that twisted around each other to form a helix that ended with what looked like a dragon's head. As the wind hit the petals, the flowers released the song that uplifted Kaleon.

"What are they?" Kaleon asked wistfully.

"Hewatohnae Karagash," Silverhand said, "There's no direct translation into trade, but it would roughly mean 'The final song of the fallen dragon.' I've only seen them grow in areas with a high magic density. If they manage to grow here, your gardener has their work cut out for them. You're actually lucky. Most people have to do their First Soar in the middle of high-stress situations. I can at least give you a smooth transition."

As Silverhand spoke, he reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked to be a flat, two-pronged fork. Twisting the fork in his hand, he tapped the shackle at his wrist, and to Kaleons surprise, it opened. Surprised at the now loose cuff dangling from his wrist, he stared with an open mouth.

"Oh yeah, that's a load off for sure," Silverhand said as he began to stretch. Silver wind burst out of his right arm sleeve, coalescing into a hand that he flexed.

Kaleon looked just as mad as Silverhand had, "Wait, wait, wait, you had the key!?"

Silverhand looked back to Kaleon, "Of course. How else was I going to show you magic?"

"This whole time?!" Kaleon walked up to him, getting right in his face, "You had the key this whole time!?"

Silverhand held up his hands in defense, "Well, not the whole time," He said, "I lifted it off one of the officers."

"Well then, why have we been in chains this time?"

"I thought we were bonding," Silverhand said, looking slightly hurt.

A flash of lightning raced across Kaleons hair. He sighed as he held out his wrist, "Can you get this off me?"

Silverhand held out the key in his hand but didn't touch it to Kaleons shackle, "Well, I can, but I really don't think you want me to,"

"Yes," Kaleon said, "I really do," Without waiting, Kaleon moved his wrist to meet the key. The shackle clicked open, and he immediately fell to his hands and knees. The air from the flower's song that had filled Kaleon with spilled out of him, leaving him a withered husk. Stars formed in the corner of his eyes, and it felt like that soothing wind buffeted him like a hurricane. Kaleons breath felt like ice fire, and he had to drag the words out of his throat, fighting for each one. "Wha-what's happening t-to me?"

Silverhand's answer came with him, reattaching a shackle to his wrist. The pain immediately subsided, and Kaleon gulped down the air like a fish. "That is what happens when you pass the threshold."

Kaleons elbows buckled, and he rolled over onto his back. Thinking this was the most opportune time to be pet, Gumbo landed on top of him. Still breathing hard but slowly managing his composure, he said, "Threshold for what?"

"Magic," Silverhand said with a laugh.

Kaleon managed to push Gumbo off his chest and into his lap, catching his breath when he sat up. "Okay, can we just back up? That wasn't what I was paying attention to in class, so if you could explain it to me like I'm five, I'd appreciate it."

"Funny, that's what I always say too," Silverhand plopped down onto the grass beside Kaleon, "When you got Rynnelle and Gumbo out of the way, what spell did you use?"

Kaleon looked oddly at Silverhand before speaking slowly, "Just the basic wind authority? I'm not sure what that has to do with anything,"

Silverhand nodded, "And what incantation did you use? The original or an abbreviated version," Kaleons was about to speak, but his eyes slowly widened as he replayed the morning events. After seeing him do so, Silverhand smiled and clapped his hands together, "Now he's getting it,"

"No?" Kaleon said. "I really don't."

"Which is exactly why we're here." Silverhand had a wild look in his eyes as he grabbed Kaleon by the shoulders. "I’m going to teach you some magic."

"Are you...qualified to teach magic?" Kaleon asked skeptically.

Silverhand laughed so hard it sounded like he would cough up a lung, "No."