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Chapter 17 - Gwyn
🕑 Added 2022-12-19 18:01:00 +0000 UTCNot a Goodbye
Gwyn slowly walked out of the temple, her magic keeping her emotions down. Taenya walked in her gleaming silver armor on her right, looking as ceremonial as possible, while the paladin Amari had joined her and was to her left. Sabina and Theran were around, but they were ensuring that her people were safe.
The church had provided a private setting for the ceremony and Siveril had made sure that every family member of those that had died, and any member of the House who wished it could attend. It was the third funeral she had gone to in her life, and they did not get any easier. She had to sit in the front and look both sad and not too sad, and then respect the privacy of the families, but still show she cared and appreciated them.
Nineteen. Nineteen people of her House had been killed by the attack, and it did not matter who they were. Guards. Staff. Emma. It made her so… angry. The worst part was, they couldn’t do anything about it except wait.
Nothing like this happens at home.
They would be leaving soon at least. All of the preparations were done, and she was going to meet with Roslyn to tell her friend bye, today. Roslyn was leaving and would see her again in the capital. It seemed that the heiress to the duchy had much to do to get set up before they attended the Royal Academy which caused her to change how she was traveling.
Gwyn was upset that they couldn’t travel together. It would have helped get her mind off of things. At least she would have her ladies-in-waiting. I can’t wait to leave this city.
She thanked the guard that held the door for her as she took the man’s offered hand to get into the carriage. As she placed her foot into the carriage, she glanced back at her two escorts. Taenya gave her a nod before moving to her horse whose reins another guard had held. Amari saluted her and turned, heading back to the temple. The woman did not have the same requirement as Khalan in staying with Gwyn at all times and would be back to the manor later.
The door to the carriage shut and Gwyn sat down, alone, letting out a pained whimper as she let her Frozen Heart thaw. Emotions of the day crashed into her; the side effect of using the spell for extended periods was that all of the emotions she would have felt, hit her at once.
The only difference this time was that she had no more tears left to cry.
All that remained was an inferno that sought to consume.
* * *
Gwyn stepped into Roslyn’s wing of the ducal palace, thanking the guards that had guided her. She had come so often at this point that it was refreshingly normal and required little fanfare. The duke had given her permission to come and go basically as she pleased which meant that there did not need to be any ceremony or other stuffy practices.
Her friend wasn’t in the sitting room, which was surprising to Gwyn; the girl could usually be found snuggled into a crook or couch reading a book.
“Roz? Where ya at?” she tried calling out.
“Here! Ah!!”
Gwyn jerked and threw her hand out at the noise to her left. Time seemed to slow as Roslyn slipped and fell from the ladder that was attached to the large bookcase along the wall. Gwyn quickly pulled at the white mana around her and used it as she had before, forcing it to catch Roslyn. The Telekinesis spell clicked in her head and she felt a rush of energy fill her, just as she pulled it all around the falling high elf.
Roslyn’s descent slowed and then stopped completely just before the girl hit the wooden floor. She lay there, hovering a few hands length from the floor, with wide eyes. Roslyn looked at Gwyn then looked down at the ground… and screamed as the realization of everything caught up to her.
The shrill noise caused Gwyn to jerk in surprise, her concentration lost, causing Roslyn to fall the remaining distance to the floor with a thud.
“Ow!”
Guards came rushing into the room, followed by Khalan and Roslyn’s lady knight rushing from one of the offices in the wing.
“My Lady!” the female knight cried out as she rushed over to her charge.
“I am fine! I am not hurt! I was just startled,” Roslyn reassured them as she rolled over onto her stomach and pushed herself up.
Gwyn gave her friend a weak smile. “Are you sure? You landed on your butt pretty hard there at the end.”
Roslyn stood up, waving off help from her protectors, and put a hand on her hip. “That is only because you dropped me!”
Khalan and the Tiloral knight had confused expressions as they looked back and forth between the two girls.
“Well, it’s not my fault you screamed after I saved you. Who does that?” Gwyn said, throwing her hands up.
“It was so quick! I barely realized I was falling off the ladder until you caught me! I was not even aware that you could do that! Why did you do it so high?”
The female knight’s eyes went wide as she parsed what Roslyn had said.
“My Lady–”
“I didn’t know you were there! Would you prefer I let you fall all the way?” Gwyn huffed and crossed her arms.
“No! But! Ow!” Roslyn sighed, and walked over to Gwyn, ignoring the others around them. She took a deep breath, her tone relaxing. “Thank you for catching me, and I apologize for startling you, although I believe my rear has accepted the punishment for screaming.”
Gwyn snorted, grabbing her friend and hugging her. “I am glad you are okay.”
“You caught her?” Khalan asked.
Roslyn turned around but moved in a way to keep one of Gwyn’s arms around her. “She did! I was startled by her entering the room, and fell from the top of the ladder.”
The paladin looked at the ladder, before turning his head toward Gwyn. “How..?”
Gwyn sighed. “I used white mana in a way that I did… in the attack… and made a new spell.”
The sun elf stared at her. “You made a spell… just like that?” he deadpanned.
She shrugged. “Yeah..?”
The man shook his head. “Is Evocati Amari with you today?”
“Nope! Taenya and Siveril are here talking to the duke, and my guards are out front. I think Amari is coming by the manor tonight, though.” She shrugged.
The man glanced up in thought and gave the other knight a pained look. The woman gave him a small nod, and it seemed that he took that as a cue for him to leave.
Gwyn stepped back, letting Roslyn talk to them as they expressed how they were glad she was safe and unharmed. The paladin told them that he would need to go to the temple, seemingly unhappy to have to do so. It can’t be because of my magic, right?
She considered suggesting that he just wait to talk to Amari, but then stopped herself from saying anything. They’re leaving today. He may not see Amari. That makes sense now.
“Would you like some tea, My Lady?” Roslyn’s knight asked her charge.
Roslyn glanced at Gwyn. With a smile, Gwyn gave her friend a quick nod. She remembered her conversation with the Archpriestess. It was polite, and well, she may be a bit thirsty.
“Please, thank you.”
With the situation calmed, their lady safe, the guards left and returned to their former positions, but not without one of the guardswomen taking a spot, inside, by the door.
“My Lady, I will go check on the status of our departure while you have your tea. I will return soon.”
The knight left, speaking softly to one of Roslyn’s servants before stepping out of the room.
Gwyn glanced around at the now nearly empty room. “So…”
Roslyn huffed a laugh. “Indeed.”
“You leave today?”
“Yes. We were going to leave this morning, but you had…”
“I know.”
“Roslyn?”
“Yes, Gwyn?”
“It gets better right? It isn’t always like this?”
Roslyn came closer, grabbing and pulling Gwyn into another hug. “Even if it doesn’t, I will be here for you. I have a secret to tell you.”
Gwyn wiped at her eyes and pulled back slightly so that she could look into her friend’s eyes. “What is it?”
“I have Ser Roderick performing a task for me. Well, you,” she said, speaking of her other knight who wasn’t there right now.
Gwyn squinted her eyes. He’s doing something for me?
“What is he doing?”
The high elf lowered her voice to a whisper. “He is looking for your mother. Discreetly.”
Gwyn’s eyes widened, and her chest heaved as she fought down the pull of emotion. She grabbed Roslyn and squeezed her tightly, smiling at the small noise of surprise coming from her friend. “Thank you, Roz.”
“Of course, what are friends for?”
“Finding your missing parent, but of course!” Gwyn said as she huffed an airy chuckle.
Roslyn smiled, looking quite chuffed with herself. “Precisely.”
A servant entered the room, carrying a platter with their tea, and set the dishes out on the small table in the corner by the window. Gwyn and Roslyn sat down and she looked outside, watching a brown leaf fall to the ground, as the man served them the cups of tea to their desired tastes. While they waited for their tea to cool down to a proper drinking temperature, they returned to their talk.
“Now, I remembered what you said about Mr. Fenren’s search. Ser Roderick is using the House’s contacts to search in areas we may have more access to. He says there may be a difficulty due to the war going on right now.”
Gwyn didn’t remember anyone in her House talking about a war. I may have forgotten, though.
“What war?”
Roslyn waved it off. “The Empire of Vlaredia invaded the Sovereign Cities and are even now fighting each other.”
Gwyn’s eyes widened. “But my mom may be in the Sovereign Cities!”
“Gwyn, as a terran, your mother will not be a citizen of any of the cities, or in the off chance she arrived in the empire itself, not one there either. If she is anything like you–”
“She will be right in the middle of every possible bad thing and will have to constantly fight bad people who are trying to hurt her! This isn’t making me feel better, Roslyn!” she said, frantically thinking of everything that had happened, if her mom was like her, she could only imagine what she was going through. She doesn’t even have a House to protect her! She’s not a queen! I lied!
Gwyn started hyperventilating.
Roslyn grabbed her hand and squeezed. “Gwyn? Gwyn. Breathe. Your mother is going to be fine. I have faith. I have prayed to Alos for her safety every time I have gone to the temple.”
Gwyn nodded. “It’s so hard, Roz. No one else knows that we don’t know where she is.”
Her friend gave her hand another squeeze and pulled it away. “I know. We will keep it a secret and help you. Cenphine has blessed you with family, and I feel like you are the sister I never had. We will help you find your family in truth.”
Gwyn felt oddly disappointed with what Roslyn had said. “Cenphine?” she asked weakly.
Roslyn squinted her eyes. “The goddess of family.”
Maybe I should go talk to her? Oh, maybe we won’t have time to go by the Temple of the Stars before leaving.
Gwyn sighed. “Thank you, Roslyn.”
The high elf girl beamed and slowly tried sipping on her tea, the quiet slurping noises making Gwyn smile. The girl winced and put the cup back down. She is finally starting to feel comfortable enough around me to actually do that.
Before, Roslyn would always wait until her tea was nearly cold because according to her it was improper to make such noises while trying to test the temperature of the tea. At this point, Gwyn knew almost exactly how long the tea needed to sit before it cooled enough for her friend to drink.
Roslyn leaned closer and whispered, “So, I have been practicing. I feel the magic…”
Gwyn hissed in surprise. “You–” she glanced back at the guard who was standing at the door, then leaned in, whispering as well. “You can feel mana and use it? Can you do magic, yet?”
“Not yet… but I feel it. I am going to learn magic like you, and we will stand side-by-side against the world if we have to.”
That one sentence made Gwyn’s stomach twirl like a ballerina on a stage. It made her happy and she couldn’t wait until she could practice with the girl. She loved spending time with Roslyn, it made her happy. She was her best friend and someone she trusted completely. She felt herself smiling without realizing it as she watched Roslyn absently slide her finger along the rim of the plate that her teacup rested on.
“We will have to find somewhere to practice when we’re both in the capital together,” she stated.
Roslyn nodded. “Yes! I will make sure to find an adequate training location while I await your arrival.”
Gwyn smiled, feeling a strange contentment as she knew that Roslyn would definitely spend an inordinate amount of time finding the perfect location just for the two of them. “I can’t wait.”
She glanced down at the tea in front of them and gestured to the cup in front of her friend. “Your tea is ready.”
The girl squinted. “Really?” She picked up the cup and took a sip without hesitation. Her face lit up as she realized it was just how she liked it. “Perfect!”
Perfect.
* * *
Gwyn stood outside of the ducal palace, waiting quietly off to the side as Roslyn spoke to her grandfather, Duke Tiloral. Siveril and Taenya stood next to her, while her four guards took up positions behind her with their spears and shields. Taenya’s drakyyds looked perfectly coordinated and the wingless dragon… drake… that they used as their emblem shone in the midday sun. It made Gwyn so happy at the level of attention to detail Taenya and Theran had spent making sure her House looked fabulous.
She turned her head and looked up at Siveril. “So, what did you guys talk to the duke about?”
The old high elf glanced down at her, his serious expression told her more than he likely would. “With your permission, I feel like it would be better to discuss it at the manor, Your Highness.”
She sighed. “I understand. Is it going to delay us leaving?”
He shook his head. “No. You will be able to leave on time. This concerns… wider and future interests.”
Gwyn nodded but did not respond because Roslyn had finished talking with her grandfather. The blonde elf turned and smiled with a wave when she caught sight of her. Gwyn couldn’t help but feel happy and smile as she caught the loving look the duke gave her friend behind her back. They are such good people.
The heiress hastened to her as she got closer and finally crushed against Gwyn in a hug.“Gwyn! I am going to miss you. I hate goodbyes.”
With a chuckle and a smirk, Gwyn gently pried herself away from her friend, holding her arms, and looked into her pretty violet eyes. “I will be leaving soon, and then we will get to see each other in the capital. It’s like my mom says, ‘this isn’t goodbye, it’s a see you later’.
“Plus, you have to get everything ready for when I get there! Oh, and get with Friedrich! Mr. Niles should have a place for us to live in the city by the time you arrive, since you are going the quick way, now. So, you can work with Friedrich to help you with whatever you need.”
Roslyn glanced back toward her female knight, who nodded in support. “I will do that. Thank you, Gwyn. I cannot wait until you arrive.” The girl looked like she wanted to say more, but didn’t. A tear started falling down her friend's face, so Gwyn quickly reached out and caught it, before pulling Roz into another hug.
Gwyn whispered into her ear, “Hey. Hey! None of that. We’ll be back together soon, like the best of friends. Then we’ll stand side-by-side and face down the Academy. Together. Deal?”
Roslyn pulled away and nodded. “Deal, but not friends. Sisters.”
Gwyn felt a tug, and her lip twitched at her friend’s words. Her eyes teared up as emotions she couldn’t place filled her. I should be happy about that.
Roslyn gave her a sad smile, and Gwyn tried to blink away the tears as she stared down into her friend’s eyes, seeing her reflection tinted in violet. Roslyn lifted her hand to Gwyn’s face and cupped her cheek, wiping away Gwyn’s tears with a thumb. Her hand lingered just long enough for Gwyn to lean into it, her eyes instinctively closing, her cheeks heating up. It was a feeling Gwyn couldn’t ever remember having, and she never wanted it to go away.
She pulled Roslyn in for one more hug.
“I will see you soon, Roz.”
As they separated, Gwyn took a deep breath and held a hand out for her friend.
“Come on, let’s get you to your carriage.”
* * *
Taenya waited, and gave her princess her privacy, as Gwyn walked hand-in-hand with Lady Roslyn to her carriage. The girl’s knight stood by, while the other knight was nowhere to be seen, Taenya knew that he would likely meet them before leaving the city. The man had requested a meeting with Taenya in the past week and had asked several very pointed questions about Gwyn’s mother. Gwyn has a good friend if she’s willing to push her retainers that far to assist.
The paladin Khalan caught Taenya’s eye and dipped his head in her direction. She sighed. I will have to work with him again in the future. She wasn’t particularly religious, and the zealous Paladins of Alos were a bit too self-righteous for her tastes. To be fair, Khalan and Amari don’t seem that way. Perhaps that was by design.
“You need to learn to work with the paladins,” Siveril said from beside her as they watched the princess say her goodbyes to the Tiloral heiress.
Taenya nodded. She sincerely hoped that the capital would provide some respite while Gwyn attended the Royal Academy.
“I am aware. I will discuss the particulars with Evocati Amari tonight,” Taenya replied.
Siveril glanced over at the duke, before replying, “Good. You will need to leave. Soon. We cannot give the Angwins time to prepare, or know your plans.”
“And what about the news we received from the duke?”
“That… is more long term.”
“The princess will be in the capital.”
The man sighed. “She would not be the target. Lady Roslyn, would. The duke will warn us if he believes he must recall the girl.”
The war between the Sovereigns and the Empire was heating up, but there were those within the kingdom who wished to take advantage of the situation. The duke believed that was the source of the crown prince’s newfound confidence. If they join the war…
“That doesn’t fill me with confidence.”
“It’s why you need to get closer to the paladin. I am not sure how much longer we can tie ourselves up with Aviran politics, especially with the direction they are heading.”
Taenya nodded. She watched Gwyn pull away from the girl and wave as Lady Roslyn stepped up into the carriage. Her princess turned and gave Taenya a sad smile as she returned to the group.
She’s having to grow up so quickly.
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Comments
Karma Baris
awwwwww they are so cute together. great chapter
