Against his base instinct, Yvain stopped himself from doing anything sexual with Nora in the morning.

First because she stayed up most of the night looking after all three of them as they trained and she needed the rest, and second because there was a lot that they had to get done today and anything could go wrong at any moment with two dragons.

“Pass me the butter,” Selt said to Roesia.

“Please?” she said and made no move for the requested item.

“Stop being—”

“Selt?” Nelimir said and the kid stopped himself.

With a sigh he said, “Please pass me the butter?”

Roesia did as asked with no more protest nor gloating and went back to eating her breakfast.

Elly had done both hers and Nora’s hair early in the morning as well as made sure that both their tails didn’t stand out too much from inside their clothing. Something that wasn’t too hard since Roesia was always wearing robes and Nora baggy clothing.

“Don’t forget to get her clothes,” Elly said, “With how many of mine you’ve torn I’ll need to do the same.”

“What do you mean I’ve torn? It was obviously Nora,” Yvain said.

“Was I the one who tore my pants off yesterday?” the goddess said with a smirk that made his knees weak.

“Stars don’t get that comfortable with us here,” Nelimir said without looking up from his plate.

Nora winced, her eyes widening toward Yvain almost telling him ‘what did I just say?’ and looked back into her own plate to continue eating.

“Forgive me,” she said quietly before Yvain burst out laughing.

He should have been embarrassed but seeing this goddess, who sometimes felt untouchable and ethereal, so flustered tickled him in unusual ways.

Nora pinched his leg as hard as she could, which didn’t have much of an effect on him, but he took the hint and calmed himself.

“We’ll make sure to get her at least a week’s worth,” he said in answer to Elly’s request.

“Don’t forget the bedframe,” Nora added as she took a bite of eggs.

“First we’ll bring you both the contact lenses and go to Cosmos,” Nelimir said. “Once that’s over with you’re all free to do what you must so long as you don’t stir up any trouble.” Their leader looked solely at Selt as he finished talking, but the kid didn’t show any sign or recognition as he stuffed his face.

They all continued to eat, but Yvain would look at his master from time to time. Then he would look to Roesia and feel himself get hard. He would look at Nora too, just to enjoy the act, but at some points the memory of what he experienced yesterday would resurface.

During all of it he kept asking himself one question over and over, should he tell them that he and Nora were a couple now? It should have been an easy, inconsequential thing, but knowing how his master felt about him and what she might feel when she found out gave him pause. Not because he had any feelings for her besides camaraderie and friendship, but because he didn’t want to hurt her.

And Roesia, what was he supposed to do about her?

Just ignore her, Yvain told himself. He couldn’t be the first man that found another woman attractive while being with another. That’s all it was. It didn’t mean he would betray Nora.

As for his master… Yvain looked at Elly again.

“Spit it out,” she suddenly said.

Yvain winced and thought of feigning ignorance, but his master was looking straight at him.

“I didn’t train a coward, did I?” she said with a raised eyebrow.

Yvain gave an internal sigh. How was it more difficult to go through with hurting her feelings, than it was hurting her physically? Stars he already did the latter willingly, and he’d do it again, just how she’d do the same.

I guess I shouldn’t be a hypocrite, he thought.

“Nora and I are a couple now,” he said. “Have been since yesterday.”

“Ah,” was all Elly said before she went back to eating.

Nora excitedly hugged his arm tighter than usual and rested her head against his shoulder.

“Congratulations,” Nelimir said, but he didn’t look much different than before.

Neither did Roesia who only said, “Congrats,” before concentrating on her plate again.

Selt just kept stuffing his face.

Yvain felt disappointed, in a way. He didn’t expect a party, but neither did he expect such a weak reaction. But maybe that was for the best, and none of them seemed against it. He had prepared himself to at least receive some type of lecture from their leader and masked frustration from Elly.

With relief in his belly, Yvain joined the rest in finishing his breakfast.

 

----------

 

“Why in the stars are they doing this now?” Yvain asked no one in particular.

It had taken the group around half an hour to reach Triven on foot, since they parked the carriage far from prying eyes between some trees.

Elly, Nelimir, and Yvain currently walked through town while Roesia and Nora waited in the carriage for them to come back with their items. Selt had broken off from the group as soon as he went out the door, rushing to stars know where.

“I’m sure she’ll…” Nelimir began when a child ran by him joyously laughing while holding what was supposed to be a kite in the shape of monster entrails, “…understand.”

Elly remained indifferent to the spectacle taking place around them as they headed for the information center that was a straight shot away from the gates to the town. Though some people were clearly staring at her from afar as her build and height made her stand out like a beacon in the night.

“Understand what?” Selt asked as he appeared out of nowhere.

“Isn’t it obvi-, oh stars help me Selt,” Yvain said.

The kid was holding a balloon instead of a kite, this one taking the shape of a misconfigured, black heart.

“Hey!” Selt said as Yvain grabbed the item and popped it with his hands.

“How dare you!” the kid said and was about to jump on Yvain when Nelimir stopped him.

“I’ll buy you something else later Selt,” he said. “Just nothing related to this sick festival.”

The kid looked at their leader curiously, “Anything I want?”

“Anything inside my means,” Nelimir said, which seemed to be enough to calm Selt down.

Triven was currently celebrating what was called ‘Day of Terrors’ a week early. It actually lasted for a whole week, but ‘Week of Terrors’ just didn’t sound as catchy.

It was a religious event that took place on the last seven days of every month, celebrating the protection that their god offered against the evils and monsters that resided outside of Great Divider. Thanks to his efforts everyone could live in paradise with the ease of mind that nothing would ever go wrong.

In a way the theology was right. All those who became soldiers or members of Cosmos understood by implication that everything outside of their world was madness on more concrete terms than their citizen counterparts.

The degree of said madness blurred itself between the ranks though, as the lower one was, the less information they were given. And while he and the everyday guard or soldier might not be a citizen, they weren’t that far off.

But Yvain agreed that they lived in paradise. He might not be sure of what was outside of Empryon, nonetheless he was certain that there would be no neatly paved streets. No freshly painted and maintained houses. No tables filled with good food for every family. No education for every child and adult. And much less at the cost of nothing except existing.

It could be said that even the people from the little village they had visited a couple of days back lived lavishly. They had their place in the totem pole, but they never lacked basic needs. And if they did, those were quickly met when brough to the attention of those with power in Allsworth.

But all this in itself is where the problem lay. How could they live in paradise? What made them different? Was this type of living sustainable? Apparently, no one cared to ask themselves these questions. No one but Nelimir and those who chose to listen, which weren’t that many.

As for Yvain, he didn’t care either way. At first it was only a hunch he wanted to delve into and investigate, but it had already been confirmed by Nora that Empryon wasn’t all there was to life.

Yet… he still didn’t want her to see this shameless display.

The group paved their way through throngs of happy children and adults making merry underneath colorful depictions of death and streets decorated with mannequins of abominations everyone could attack with their makeshift weapons. Some people, including patrolling soldiers, had also chosen to wear costumes and playfully act the part of monsters.

Yvain watched on in embarrassment. None of this was supposed to take place until next week. What would Nora think when she saw all this? Sure, it was just a matter of time considering where she was… but that didn’t make it any easier.

They arrived at their destination. A building holding all manners of macabre decorations— these being ‘monster’ organs for the most part.

The spear-holding guard nearby was covered in dark paint with fake sharp teeth.

“Wait here,” Elly said.

“Don’t forget to ask where the Cosmos branch is,” Nelimir said.

Elly nodded before going into the building.

“Do we even need to dress them up at this point?” Yvain asked.

“Better safe than sorry,” Nelimir said.

Selt ran off toward a kind looking vendor giving away wooden swords and grabbed one. The kid came back running, but instead of joining the duo, he went toward the guard and began to imitate clumsy attacks.

The guard could have easily fended them off, but instead he quickly hunched his back and began to give weird growls as he scratched at Selt and shuffled around like a monkey.

“Did you ever join the festivities as a kid? Nelimir asked.

“Never,” Yvain said. Most of his childhood was spent training with Elly, there was no time to play around. Though even if there had been, she made clear that he wasn’t allowed to participate. Not that he even wanted too. Even as a kid he found the spectacle disturbing.

Nelimir laughed, “I wish I could say the same.”

“You were quite the indoctrinated princeling when we first met,” Yvain said while giving his friend a side glance and keeping an eye on Selt.

“Don’t remind me,” Nelimir said with discomfort.

If anyone could be called a leader in Humanism, it’d be his family. They were the ones building places of worship, organizing the biggest events, recruiting those willing to dedicate their lives to the propagation of humanity’s sacred word.

When Yvain first met him, he was the role model everyone looked up to as the purest form of theology. Only through their meeting and Haradriel’s arrival did he begin to change.

The solider Selt had been attacking was finally ‘vanquished’ and choked on invisible blood as his body fell dramatically.

Selt stood over him triumphant, a small group of children cheering a bit farther away.

“You aren’t wrong though,” Nelimir said. “And if I managed to shift my views, then there’s hope for every citizen.”

“There is, we’ll just need to get everyone their own elf,” Yvain said and elbowed his friend with a grin.

“If only it were that easy,” Nelimir laughed lightly. “Maybe have them mingle with dragons instead.”

“That one might be a bit more difficult,” Yvain said. Elves were one thing, but Nora’s race looked too different for the everyday human to accept easily.

“I guess we’ll just need to stick to good old diplomacy and treaties,” Nelimir said.

“And maybe a bit of force,” Yvain said as he eyed the group of kids that was cheering Selt on join him to mock-attack another guard, this one much bigger than the last one.

They were only being facetious. The truth of the matter was that Nelimir had no say in whatever stood for politics in Empryon. And even if he did, he would probably just be a powerless puppet like the rest of his family.

It was never clear who exactly was in control. In the higher ranks one could see that a lot of things just…happened. It could even be said that resources simply fell out of the sky and no one knew from which cloud.

Elly exited the information center.

“Here are the directions,” she said and handed a piece of paper to Nelimir. “I’m going to go get my arm checked out.”

“I’ll go with you,” Yvain said quickly, Roesia’s admonishments ringing in his ears. It wouldn’t take long anyway.

“Aw, are you worried for little old me?” Elly said with a singsong voice and fluttering eyelashes, putting a hand on her chest. She then switched back to her normal self. “Save it, go get your girlfriend’s contacts.”

Without waiting for an answer, Yvain’s master walked around them and left through the crowd, most doing their best to make way for her.

“I guess she’s still unhappy about Nora joining,” Nelimir said and opened the piece of paper before beginning to walk. “Let’s go Selt!”

“Yeah,” Yvain said. Though the real reason was probably him finally revealing that he and Nora were official, not the goddess joining their guild. Or maybe it was just a combination of both?

The kid yelled his goodbyes to the children he was playing with before running back, still holding his sword.

Festivities were in full swing. Some nuns, dressed in their customary guimpes, veils, and robes, walked around the streets helping wherever they could—setting up tables in front of different restaurants, since noon was fast approaching, cleaning the messes children made as best they could, or enjoying the revelries going on around them.

“By the way, don’t you think you might be moving a bit too fast?” Nelimir asked.

Here we go, Yvain thought. He knew it had been too easy.

Yvain looked at his friend, “Do you think I am?”

“You and Nora,” Nelimir began, making sure that no one was listening, though it’d be impossible through the loud crowd around them, “you’ve only known each other for less than a week. You’re human. She’s a dragon, an empress, a mother, and a goddess to boot. I don’t want to discourage you from aiming high, and I believe she’ll be pivotal in our coming struggles. But stars Yvain, you’re sturdily planting your feet on quite the mountain.”

“And I plan on staying there,” he said.

“Hey, I respect that. And I don’t know you to do things half-way.” Nelimir said. “Just be aware that things between you two will very easily go south more likely than not, be it by outside or inside forces.”

“Jeez thanks for the vote of confidence,” Yvain said trying to keep his voice on a joking tone.

His friend’s words hit him, whether he’d like to admit it or not.

He pushed for Nora to join their guild. Nelimir did the same. But the reality was that she was from a completely different world than them and had massive responsibilities she needed to hold up.

Yvain was just beginning his journey. Could she be a part of it? The question stung because the odds were clearly stacked against him. But he already decided she’d always be his, and no one would get in his way of that. For now, though, they needed to concentrate on getting Charlotte back. When that time came, he would look at where the pieces stood and plan accordingly.

“Just something to keep in mind,” Nelimir said with a friendly pat on Yvain’s back.

When the trio finally arrived at the pharmacy, a line extended out of it and onto the street.

“I’m not going through that that,” Selt said with trepidation.

Yvain sighed, “’Day of Terrors just had to take place this week, didn’t it?”

“Well, I’m not doing it by myself,” Nelimir said with a laugh. “You can go do whatever you want Selt, just don’t stray too far. You’re with me Yvain.”

“Of course I am,” Yvain said as he hung his head.

“Don’t whine so much,” Nelimir said. “Why am I even holding this?” he asked himself and handed the piece of paper with the directions to Yvain. “We’re doing this for your girlfriend.”

“Roesia too you know, and Nora is also part of the guild, remember?” Yvain said in an accusing tone, but his friend just laughed.

Pyros was high in the sky once they managed to reach about halfway. Every costumer that left would be carrying bags or wearing a new pair of eyes. Some of different color, others of different shape, and a few that were of different color and shape. All for the sake of the festivities.

“Seriously why even do this, they’ll fit right in,” Yvain said, wiping his sweaty brow.

“This event won’t last forever, it’ll be good to have them handy,” Nelimir said.

Can’t argue with that, Yvain thought as he tried to entertain himself by looking at his surroundings for the hundredth time.

“Roar!” A nun jumped out of his right side with her hands shaped like claws. She was wearing a mask that was supposed to be an oni—one of the ‘monsters’ those at the top of Humanism came up with. It was pretty fearsome with its sneer, blood-red skin, and horns. Unfortunately, the woman wearing it literally said the word ‘roar’ with her high-pitched voice instead of growling, not that that would have helped.

“Can I help you?” Yvain asked.

“Rooooaaaar!” the nun yelled, coming closer to him and raising her hands to his face, as if she was about to scratch him.

“Um…” Yvain looked to Nelimir but his friend just shrugged and shook his head.

The nun stared at him from behind the mask for a bit longer until her arms fell in defeat along with her head.

“I don’t know what I was expecting,” the nun said as she took her mask off.

“Saya!” Yvain said and immediately picked the woman up in a tight embrace.

Saya giggled as she returned the hug, “I missed you.”

With all the nuns that were running around the place, he shouldn’t be surprised that his childhood friend would be among them. Though it was quite the coincidence that she would be in Triven specifically.

“It’s nice to see you, Saya,” Nelimir said.

“Likewise,” she said as Yvain set her down. “Are you guys still running around causing trouble?”

“You could say that,” Yvain said with a grin.

“I want to know every detail,” Saya said grabbing onto his hands with a skip in her step. “Stars know I haven’t seen any of you since…” she paused and looked at both Yvain and Nelimir before giving an awkward smile.

“Since Nelimir’s asshole dad banished us?” Yvain said with a laugh.

“It’s alright Saya, what happened didn’t come as a surprise to any of us,” Nelimir said. “We even welcome the fact.”

“I still think it was unjust,” Saya frowned. “We’re supposed to help those around us understand the realities of our existence, not discard them to fend for themselves.”

Oh boy, Yvain thought. If someone could be considered more devout than teenage Nelimir, it was Saya.

“By the way what’s with the mask?” he asked, wanting to steer the topic away from another clash between their and Saya’s ideals. 

“Oh!” she said and looked at the oni mask as if she had forgotten about it. “Isn’t it neat? I thought it was positively terrifying and perfect to help the children muster up their courage.”

“By letting them attack you?” Nelimir said with a chuckle.

“It is a bit painful to have so many of them come at me,” Saya said and rubbed her arm as she sighed.

“How about you take a break then?” Yvain asked. “Once we’re finished here, we’ll grab the rest and have lunch.”

“That sounds wonderful!” Saya said with a bright smile. “Are Elly and Roesia around?”

“They are,” Yvain said. “We also have two new members, though we still need to fill out the papers for—”

Suddenly Nelimir grabbed his arm and jerked him back. His friend gave Saya a disarming smile as she looked at both men with worry.

“Just a moment, I remembered something extremely important, guild business,” he said.

Saya visibly relaxed and said, “I need to meet up with my sisters and see what the plans are for this afternoon anyway. How about we find each other at the information center in about an hour?”

“Sounds like a good idea,” Nelimir nodded.

Saya waved her goodbyes before putting back on her oni mask and disappearing in the crowd.

“What in the stars is your problem!?” Nelimir whispered harshly, trying not to make a scene so close to the pharmacy.

Yvain tried to piece together where his friend’s sudden anger was coming from but could only draw a blank.

Nelimir seemed to have seen as much in his expression. His friend searched his eyes before giving out a disappointed sigh.

“It’s fine to be a bit dense Yvain, but it’s a problem when you risk our lives,” he said. “What are we going to do if she finds out what Nora and Roesia really are?”

“How would that even happen?” Yvain said skeptically. “We already have disguises planned. And look around you.” He swept his arms across the crowd, specifically those who were dressed up. “Everyone looks like a freak; their horns are the least conspicuous of the bunch.”

“And Selt? How are we supposed to control him? He can let something slip at a moment’s notice.”

“Just give him some money and let him run lose,” Yvain said as if the plan was obvious. “He’ll eat if he’s hungry and keep himself entertained.”

Nelimir scoffed and shook his head, “It’s all still unnecessary risk.”

“As if we’re averse to such a thing,” Yvain said.

When Nelimir didn’t seem convinced, he continued, “She’s been my friend since I was a kid, Nelimir. My only friend until I met you and Roesia. I haven’t seen her in two years, and I quite frankly believed that I never would, with us being banished and planning to leave Empryon. It’s just lunch, after that we’ll never see her again.”

Yvain’s chest tightened as he said the words. He always thought about it but saying it out loud made it feel somehow true. Saya was just a normal human in Empryon and a servant of Humanism. She was destined to form a family here, grow old alongside them, and die.

Paradoxically enough, he didn’t think any less of her for it, as he did other humans. If Saya’s circumstances were any different, if she was a different person, she could easily thrive regardless of her surroundings. But she wasn’t, and that was okay.

By this point they had already entered the pharmacy with its choking heat and wooden smell. Everyone around them was sweating and looking irritable.

Nelimir stretched his head out to look past the line and at the front desk, then looked back at Yvain, “Just lunch, alright? The less contact we have the better.”

“Just lunch,” Yvain said, relieved. He would have gone regardless of what his friend decided. But he’d prefer not to create tension between them, especially over something so simple.

Once the duo bought the contact lenses they required, along with more bandages and general medicine, they went back to the carriage sitting outside of Triven.

 

----------

 

“I think it looks kind of cool,” Roesia said as she looked at herself in the mirror.

“Which part!? We look like a pair of stag beetles!” Nora said as she did the same.

Both women were inside the sorceress’s bathroom. It contained the same soft blue light as the one in the bedroom, but unlike Yvain’s bathroom, the shower was on a second floor connected by a spiral staircase.

In the sorceress own words, she enjoyed feeling like she was the last person in the world, whatever that meant.

Not having much to do other than wait for their ‘contacts’ to arrive, they were looking at themselves in the mirror. Roesia admiringly, Nora debating whether to give up on the whole thing and just stay in the carriage. It was only the thought of Yvain being happy at the fact that she would finally join them officially, and that of her daughter, that stopped her from doing so.

“I’ve actually turned myself into one in the past,” Roesia said and waved her horns around as if attacking.

“Please do not do that,” Nora said, covering her eyes with a hand and attempting to keep her mortification at bay. “One of the first lessons you need to learn about being a dragon is that your horns are sacred.”

Roesia looked at her incredulously.

“What?” Nora asked.

The sorceress seemed like she wanted to say something but couldn’t quite muster up the courage. She instead looked back to the mirror, “Nothing. Didn’t you let me touch yours though?”

“That’s different. You’re a researcher, you can’t help your curiosity,” Nora said.

“This definition of sacred is very indistinct,” Roesia said.

“You do have the disadvantage of being made into a dragon, usually these are things learned throughout childhood,” Nora said. “For example, the slap you gave Yvain, something tells me that in the past you wouldn’t have done something like that.”

The sorceress quickly turned to her once more with wide eyes, “I didn’t mean to! I didn’t—”

Nora raised an appeasing hand, “I know. Do not worry, no one’s feelings have been hurt. Except maybe your own, but you’ll need to learn how to forgive yourself because your dragon side will move ahead regardless of your human one.”

Nora couldn’t think of any dragon that was as timid as Roesia. Every single one demonstrated characteristics of leaders. Even those that were content to follow.

“I guess I do need to be more conscious of what I am now,” Roesia said. “Do you mind giving me a rundown of the basics later?”

“That was always the plan,” Nora happily said.

The sorceress suddenly looked outside the bathroom’s door, “They’re back.”

“Really?” Nora said and looked out the door, but no one was there except Roesia’s bedroom.

“How do you know?” she asked.

“Didn’t you hear the door?” the sorceress said, her eyes looking away.

“No, I don’t think so,” Nora said. She had good hearing so something like that wouldn’t have been missed.

“Nora?” came Yvain’s voice from outside. Her current thoughts immediately left her to be replaced with his sound.

Nora left the bathroom in a rush and found Yvain and Nelimir in the living room, a tiny bag set on the table, before jumping into her lover’s arms. Or should she fully embrace the term boyfriend?

She relished the way he hugged her into his hard chest, almost as if trying to break her in half.

“We got you guys the contact lenses,” he said. “Though you won’t have to use them for now if you don’t want to.”

“I want to at least see them,” she said. When Elly had mentioned them, she had been curious as to what human invention they would show her next. But there was no easy way to explain them it seemed. Roesia had called them frameless glasses, but Nora didn’t know what glasses were either.

 “What do you mean she doesn’t have to use them?” Roesia asked as she closed the door to her bedroom.

“Day of Terrors” Nelimir said dully.

“Oh…,” said Roesia. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” Nelimir said as he looked at Nora almost apologetically.

“Sounds like a dreadful thing,” Nora said.

“That’s one way to call it,” Yvain said, his voice next to her ear sending delicious chills down her spine.

“Wasn’t it supposed to take place next week?” Roesia asked as she walked up to the table and took out the contents of the bag. Two white cases in the shape of two circles connected by a small bridge along with two vials containing transparent liquid.

“That’s what we’re wondering too,” Yvain said. “Maybe we can ask Saya later today at lunch. If anyone will know the reason, it’s her.”

“Saya? The Saya?” Roesia asked and looked to Nora.

“What do you mean the? Yes, my friend Saya,” Yvain said with audible confusion.

“I guess Nora and I can just walk around the place while you guys finish that up,” Roesia said. “We can find something to eat on our own. I’m planning to get her to try some other candies too.”

That got Nora’s attention, but Yvain wasn’t done talking.

“I didn’t mean just Nelimir and I, we’re all going to have lunch with her. She asked about you and Elly,” Yvain said.

The sorceress looked to Nelimir, but their leader just shook his head with visible worry.

“So, you’re going to introduce your dragoness girlfriend to the zealot woman that has been practically obsessed with you all her life?” the sorceress said.

“Don’t forget our newly dragon-turned member,” added Nelimir.

“Oh dragoness, I like how that word sounds,” Nora said, and she pulled herself out of Yvain’s arms to look at him, “Who are we talking about?”

The panic in his eyes made it obvious that he misunderstood the intention of her question.

“She’s just a friend,” he said. “I mean… she used to have a crush on me.”

“A massive crush,” Roesia added, earning herself a glare from Yvain.

 “But we talked it out and that was that,” he said.

“I don’t think that’s how it works,” Roesia said with a giggle.

“This is a horrible idea,” Nelimir said.

“Look! She’s my friend, alright!?” Yvain said. “She’s also the kindest woman I have ever had the pleasure to meet, she’s not just going to suddenly try to kill Nora or you.” He pointed to Roesia.

“But she can let authorities know of them, and then where will that leave us?” Nelimir said.

Yvain was obviously distressed. Nora could see in his eyes that he logically understood everything being told to him. He probably thought the same thing. Yet one thing she learned in her observation of mortal emotions, is that sometimes logic didn’t have a place where emotions ruled. She had experienced such a thing first-hand. The best way to handle such a situation was to gauge the pros and cons.

“I’m actually interested in meeting this woman,” Nora said, which earned a surprised look from everyone, even Yvain.

“What? This is someone my boyfriend regards closely, why would I deny him a meeting with her because of different beliefs or her supposed feelings for him?” she said.

“It’s not just beliefs though,” Nelimir said. “This is only one stop toward finding your daughter, if she chooses to give us away that goal will become almost impossible.”

“I appreciate your concern, Nelimir,” Nora said honestly. “But you need to remember who and what I am. We’re taking the roundabout approach to finding my daughter in part due to my own mistakes, and another because it’s the best course of action. If I need to move all of my people to get her though…”

Nora considered her words next, as she didn’t want to sound like she was threatening her friends and boyfriend, “It wouldn’t even have to come to that. Empryon might be very well protected from the outside but your god regardless wouldn’t risk the detriments of all-out war over one girl.”

Saying such words reminded Nora of just what power she held. In the last few days she had been an emotional mess. The loss of her daughter and the close death at the hands of her ex-husband had left her in tatters. But she had options. If it came down to it, there was no need to hide.

“Our god?” Nelimir asked with a tilt of his head.

“Yes, regardless of his stance on those outside of the humans, he doesn’t have the luxury to break the long-standing balance between him and other sovereign powers. An all-out attack from us would mean the very real possibility of invasion from another,” she said.

“Slow down one second,” Nelimir said, holding up a hand. “What god are you talking about? The god of Humanism?”

Nora looked at him in confusion, “Humanism? No, I mean the god of humans, Arthur Allsworth.”

Both Yvain and Roesia looked as if they had seen a ghost. Nelimir himself went as white as a sheet of paper.

“What does he look like?” he asked.

Why did it matter? Nora asked herself. She looked to her boyfriend with confusion, but he just nodded his head, urging her to describe the man.

“The last time I saw him he had short-cropped wheat color hair and a full beard,” Nora said doubtfully as she looked at Nelimir.

Not only did they, who were a part of Cosmos, not know of starlight, but they didn’t know who their god was? What exactly was Arthur attempting to do here? Empryon was isolated and barred outsiders, but that wasn’t much different from her own race or others. Yet, if Yvain and the rest were any indication, they were completely clueless. She couldn’t imagine keeping her subjects blind to everything around them.

 Yvain looked to their leader looking almost as white as the latter, “Holy stars, your dad’s a god?”

“Excuse me?” Nora said.

“Nelimir Allsworth,” Nelimir said shakily. “That’s our surname, Allsworth. My dad is called Arthur, and your description is how he looked a long time ago.”

“Oh,” Nora said. Did she just drop a heavy topic on the whole group unintentionally? She thought the Allsworth city they were going to was just Arthur throwing his weight around. It seemed that she had been assuming too many things since she got here in regard to her newly found friends. But it wasn’t weird for gods and goddesses to have children, though it was a surprise to meet one of them at Empryon’s border; carrying such different ideals from their parent who happened to be Arthur.

“I think it’s time we bothered you a bit for information on the outside of Empryon,” Yvain said. “I had planned to ask sooner but there’s been so much going on,” he looked to his friend who was still reeling from the discovery, “better sooner than later I guess.”

“You read my mind,” Nora said, giving her boyfriend a smile.

“So does that make Nelimir a god?” Roesia asked with curiosity.

Nora shook her head, “I don’t know where we come from, but I at least know that Starchildren can’t be made through conventional means. He’s human just like everyone here… barring you of course.”

“Before training tonight we’ll be having a meeting,” Nelimir said suddenly to which everyone agreed.

“How are you feeling?” Yvain asked.

“I’m not really sure,” Nelimir said. “There’s no love lost between us but…”

He looked to everyone, “I’ll be at my office. You guys go on ahead, I’ll just make myself something to eat here.” He walked to the door and grabbed the handle before stopping, “Let’s meet at the Cosmos branch after you guys are done with lunch.”

“You got it,” Yvain said, and their leader disappeared behind the double door. His argument against meeting with Saya completely forgotten.

Nora had remained quiet. It wasn’t her place to comfort him. Yvain and Roesia had known their leader for much longer and understood whatever weight he was currently carrying.

His friends didn’t address the issue either though. Probably being unable to think of what to say to him.

“I wonder how many other people we’ve met who were a god or a goddess,” Roesia said.

“It’s usually not that difficult to find them,” Nora said. “I don’t know why they’ve been made to be such a secret in Empryon, when everywhere else they’re common place. Some even advertising themselves for profit or such.”

“What about the goddess of villages though? She acted freely,” Yvain said.

“It’s not the same,” Nora said. “The residents of that village didn’t truly think Lydia was any different from them. Though it is weird how they revered her while at the same time seeing her as kin.”

The way those villagers had acted irked her. True, there were many zealots out there. She had her own even. But it was all based on reality. An overwhelming compulsion to follow their very real paragon.

Yet the humans she met seemed to be reverent toward an idea. It didn’t need to follow rhyme or reason as long as it conformed to the image that was conjured up in their head.

“Sounds similar to the Day of Terrors,” Yvain said with distaste.

“You still haven’t told me what that’s all about,” Nora said, sticking herself closer to him.

“I think it’ll be better if you see for yourself,” Roesia said and grabbed the contact lenses before heading for the exit.

“Agreed,” Yvain said, then looked to Nora with an imploring look, “I only ask that you keep an open mind.”

“You’re just making me more curious, Yvain,” Nora said with a grin.

“Let’s get going then,” he said with a worried smile.

 

----------

 

Roesia and Nora did not wear their contact lenses in the end.

Each pair were of a dull brown color, something that would help them stand out as little as possible. Unfortunately, Roesia had problems putting them on; not surprising as it was something she wasn’t used to. And while Nora could wear them easily and with curious enthusiasm, it might be even more suspicious to have two women wearing such similar ‘costumes’ while having one very contrasting feature. They all agreed to have the sorceress practice later.

Thankfully, like trees hiding inside a forest, people flocked to them either in excitement or awe at how realistic their ‘get-up’ looked. A curious thought, as they had the simplest look out of everyone there.

“Oh my stars, you both look amazing!” Saya said as she clapped in excitement.

Yvain agreed. Even their hairdos didn’t stop him from appreciating their good looks, especially Roesia who he had yet to fuck.

And I never will, he thought, fighting the voice inside his head that was constantly edging him for her.

“I’m sure I don’t need to introduce her,” he said with a laugh as he motioned for Roesia and then at his girlfriend, “But this is Nora.”

Roesia gave him a pointed look, probably because he made the very conscious choice of not introducing Nora as his girlfriend, but he ignored it.

“It’s nice to meet you Saya,” Nora amicably said, not seeming to mind the lack of a tag. Though there was a slight strain in her smile she had been carrying for a while due her hairdo. Not even the praise of others had helped with her distaste for it.

His girlfriend had not been bothered by what was going on around them, at least. What did catch her attention was how none of the costumes people were wearing looked like any being she had seen before. Which prompted the question of which beast races she had seen.

Cue Yvain’s and Roesia’s unwarranted shock at Nora’s knowledge of the outside races—angels, demons, and vampires to name a few. Names they had never in their lives heard before, just like dragons. Somehow it had never occurred to them that this goddess, who was an empress, would have this type of information.

At the very least, Yvain always felt the outside wouldn’t be much different from his everyday life, even when consciously knowing the odds of that were abysmal and having learned of dragons already.

On their way to meet Saya they had tried to ask her more, but the goddess made them wait for the meeting, both so that everyone would get the information at once and because it was too much to divulge while walking around.

Lydia wasn’t kidding, Yvain thought. Their meeting tonight would be a fruitful one.

“You’re actually taller than I thought,” Saya said. “Besides Elly, not many reach, or even surpass, Yvain’s height. Though your horns do make you seem as tall as her,” she said with a carefree laugh.

“I’m actually quite tall compared to my…” Nora stopped herself for a second before finishing with, “family.”

Roesia shook her head in exasperation, while the goddess herself gave an apologetic grin.

Yvain was half listening to the conversation as he found the large figure of Elly inside the crowd approaching them. He was about to call out to her, but the large woman gestured him to keep quiet.

“I imagine it wasn’t easy growing up, Elly was already extremely tall when I met her, but she was always having problems fitting into places or finding clothing that would fit her, especially with how big her…” Saya looked to Yvain awkwardly before changing the subject, “well anyways, where is your family from?”

“Um…” Nora began, unsure of what to say.

“How about we first find a place to eat?” Yvain intervened quickly. “Do you have any recommendations?”

“I actually do,” Saya said, suddenly smug. “I made reservations in fact, though I don’t see Nelimir. And where’s Elly?”

“Behind you,” Elly said.

Saya gave a shriek and jumped into Yvain’s arms, prompting a laugh from he and the rest. Her ears were vividly red as she slowly unglued herself from his chest while looking down.

“I can’t believe you!” she said and turned to look at Elly. “What’s your fascination with scaring the wits out of me every time!”

“It’s your own fault for making it so easy, how am I supposed to hold back?” Elly said through mirthful laughter.

Saya was about to speak again, but her eyes seemed to finally register the tall woman’s injury.

“What happened to your arm!” she asked with worry as she rushed forward.

It seemed Elly found the healer she was looking for since it was now wrapped professionally and held inside a black leather cast with splints that covered her forearm. A leather sling suspended all of it in the air.

“It was just a small accident,” she said.

“With what, a bear?” Saya said.

“Yvain actually,” Elly said with a prideful smile, looking happy rather than angry over the fact.

If only Roesia could understand that feeling, Yvain thought sadly as the echoes of her slap waved across his cheek.

“You guys are brutes,” the sorceress said with a shake of her head, as if directly responding to his mental complaint.

“You’re not lying to me?” Saya asked Elly. “Aren’t you always kicking his ass? How did he manage that?”

“Gee thanks,” Yvain said to which she answered with a mischievous smile.

“Can we go eat now?” he asked with half annoyance and half amusement.

“Eat?” Elly asked. She looked at Saya and then at Nora. Yvain could swear that the woman saw through everything in an instant. Before he could stop her, she asked him, “Taking your girlfriend out on a date?”

Great, Yvain thought as Saya turned to look at him and he gave her a small smile.

“Girlfriend?” she asked and looked to Roesia. But by either intuition or her knowledge of the sorceress’s uninterest in matters of love she immediately shifted her focus to Nora, the only new woman in the group.

“He and I only met recently,” his girlfriend said, not holding back information, “I hope we can all be friends from now on.”

Yvain waited with wrung gut for Saya’s reaction while Roesia gave him an ‘I told you so’ look. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea after all. It all seemed so easy in his head during planning.

“It… it makes sense that he would find someone by now,” Saya said with a weak laugh. “He always seemed so uninterested in everyone; you must be quite the personage to catch his attention at all.”

“I completely understand,” Nora said. “I feel quite lucky myself to be accepted by him.”

Elly scoffed at this, while Roesia worriedly looked at Saya who was, for the first time, at a loss for words.

“I’m pretty hungry Saya, didn’t you mention you made reservations?” the sorceress said.

“Oh! I did, didn’t I?” Saya said, snapping out of her stupor. “I think you’ll all quite like it, it’s been recommended a lot by my sisters since they give great discounts to devotees.”

“Then what are we waiting for? Lead the way,” Roesia said in an unusually cheery manner.

“Follow me then,” Saya said with a smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes.

 

----------

 

When his childhood friend said that the restaurant they were going to gave her and her sisters discounts, Yvain didn’t think he would be sitting on a round table surrounded by nothing but nuns. They were everywhere in the building.

The business was run by an older woman called Maria who apparently used to be a nun too, but eventually retired and opened her own restaurant with her husband Greg who took care of the kitchen while she served everyone. Their teenage granddaughter would come help from time to time.

It was a cozy place away from the masses.

Nora was sitting to his right, while Roesia was on hers. Saya had practically rushed to sit on his left and started asking him about his life on the road; he couldn’t tell her much of course. Elly quietly sat next to Roesia as always and would add in her own experiences in the guild every now and then.

His girlfriend was as cool as a cucumber, but the sorceress was doing her best to hide inside herself, unable to handle so many stares at the same time and afraid to get found out.

Saya thankfully didn’t notice anything out of place since that was how Roesia usually acted.

For his part, Yvain was keeping a calm front, but slight panic surfaced in his chest every time a nun looked at the two women wearing their ‘amazing’ costume.

“So how did you two meet?” Saya asked Nora once Maria had taken their orders and brought their drinks.

Yvain was about to cut in again, but Nora squeezed his hand underneath the table.

“How much do you know about dungeons, Saya?” she asked.

“Nora,” Elly warned as she shook her head, making the goddess stop.

Saya looked between both women.

“Is it one of those secrets you guys can’t tell me about?” she asked sadly.

“I don’t think we should exclude her,” Nora said to Elly, “she’s Yvain’s childhood friend, correct?”

“That may be, but she could get in serious trouble if anyone finds out she knows more than she should, and there are too many ears around us,” Elly argued.

Yvain thought both women would begin to fight again, but Nora calmly consented, and Elly didn’t seem too bothered by what she had done, only giving friendly advice.

“Forgive me Saya,” Nora said regretfully.

“That’s alright,” Saya hurriedly said with a wave of her hand.

“I can at least tell you that Yvain saved my life,” his girlfriend said as she looked at him amorously and squeezed his hand hard.

Saya stared at the couple before looking down, “That…sounds nice.” The dark cloud overhanging the nun was oppressing everyone at the table.

Elly shook her head disapprovingly toward Yvain as she drank some of her water, as if his friend’s current somber mood was somehow his fault. Maybe it was, but it wasn’t his intention to make her sad. He was just excited to see her and have her meet someone important to him.

“Do you know why Days of Terrors is taking place so early?” Yvain asked Saya, hoping to get her mind occupied.

Saya raised her head abruptly, her mood shifting instantly, “Didn’t you hear it!?”

Yvain looked at her in puzzlement. He looked to his other friends, but none of them seemed to know what she was talking about.

“Hear what?” he asked.

“How is that even possible?” Saya said. “It was the most horrifying scream I have heard in my life” Yvain’s childhood friend hugged herself and rubbed her arms as if she were reliving the horrible sound she heard. “A lot of my sisters began to cry even. They usually look to me for guidance, but I was having a hard time stopping myself from shaking.”

Elly didn’t show much of a reaction, but Roesia somehow managed to recede deeper into herself, looking around the restaurant ass if somehow everyone already decided she was the cause of said sound.

“That’s what you meant,” Yvain said calmly. “Yeah, we heard it, but what does that have to do with the Day of Terrors?”

“It sent everyone in Empryon in a panic?” she said as if it should be obvious. “We needed to somehow calm the masses as quickly as possible so the king himself sent out a mandate to move up the event.”

It really travelled that far, Yvain thought. They had made the right choice to leave as fast as possible.

“I hope my family is okay,” Roesia said quietly.

“Everyone in Allsworth was only in a state of panic, so I’m sure they’re fine,” Saya said. “Which reminds me, your parents are sad that you left without seeing them first, Yvain.”

Saya said his name in a particularly accusing tone.

“What was I supposed to do? We were banished from the damn place, barely had any time to pick up my pants,” he said with a helpless smile.

“Bullshit, you had plenty of time,” Saya said. “They care for you, you know?”

They have an odd way of showing it, Yvain thought. But this wasn’t the first time he had heard this same argument from her. It wasn’t worth it to pursue it and it would only get him in a bad mood.

“I know it’s probably impossible, but do you think I could meet them someday?” Nora suddenly asked him.

“Huh? Oh, well, maybe?” Yvain said. His parents weren’t really into the whole idea of ‘monsters’ and Humanism, but he had also never seen them stand against said ideals. He didn’t know what their reaction would be to meeting someone like Nora.

“What do you mean maybe!” Saya suddenly said and looked at Nora, “Of course you will meet them, it’s not impossible at all.” She then looked back at him with a sharp gaze, “Stars Yvain, I know you met her recently but how can you say something like that?”

She really doesn’t hold back, does she? Yvain thought ruefully.

“It’s not that simple Saya,” he said.

“As if. You’re pretty determined and hardheaded, but you can sure be panicky when it counts the least,” she said.

“Damn what got up and crawled into your ass?” Yvain said as he rubbed his face.

“You, who else?” Saya said as she crossed her arms and gave him a pout.

Nora laughed at this, sending her hand up to cover her mouth.

“He’s been crawling up a lot of asses recently,” Elly added.

“So two against one, is that it?” Yvain said.

“Don’t you think so too, Roesia?” Elly asked the sorceress who snapped her head up and, after staring at Yvain for a few seconds, quietly nodded her head.

“You can be a bit of a handful sometimes,” Nora said with an adorable smile as she patted his thigh.

At least she wasn’t about to berate him for something or the other.

Saya seemed to be back to her normal mood though, so maybe being berated wasn’t too bad.

“There you are!” Yvain’s hairs stood on end as Selt’s voice registered in his ears.

“I’ve been looking all over for you guys,” the kid said as he walked up to the table and sat down in the chair that was meant for Nelimir, in between Saya and Elly.

“You are…?” Saya began when Selt offered her his hand.

“Nice to meet you, you must be Saya. Yvain has talked much about you, my name is Selt.”

Stars strike him down, please, Yvain prayed. He had never told Selt anything about Saya, that little liar. Should he say anything? No, Nelimir wasn’t here, it would be almost impossible to get the kid to leave. And if he tried and failed it could backfire on them.

“It’s very nice to meet you too Selt,” Saya said with a welcoming smile as she shook his hand, “you must be the other member Yvain talked about.”

“Really? This brute talked about me? Hopefully nothing bad,” the kid said.

What in the stars was he up to? He never acted so well-mannered. It made Yvain even more uneasy to see him like this.

“What else is there to say?” Roesia said with a small huff.

“You’ve been getting pretty bold after you transformed missy,” Selt said earning a glare from everyone except Saya who only looked confused, and Nora who seemed more worried than angry.

“Transformed?” Saya said with a tilt of her head.

Oh no, Yvain thought and was about to just grab Selt to take him outside by force.

“Sorry for the wait ladies and gents.” Maria arrived like the cool air of Lunaris right after Pyros descended along with their food, her granddaughter in tow.

“Oh! Ma’am, excuse the bother but might I make my order? I got a bit too into vanquishing some monsters on my way here and arrived late,” Selt said.

“Anything for a brave knight such as you,” Maria said with a pleasant smile, “let me just hand off these plates to your friends and I’ll be right with you.”

“Thank you,” he said and waited in surprising silence while both women served the party their meals.

After Maria wrote down his order and left, Yvain spoke, “So we can take you out to eat after all.”

While he and Nelimir weren’t barred from places outside of Allsworth, it was better to not butt any heads with the locals. Still, there were moments that it was just easier to buy food somewhere, but after their first attempt with the kid they had decided to just order to go whenever the need arose.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Selt said and looked to Saya who had begun to dig into her pasta and meatballs. “I have to say Saya, this Day of Terrors thing?” Selt puckered his lips and kissed closed fingers before spreading them apart in the air. “Whoever came up with this must be a genius at having some good family-oriented fun.”

Saya did her best to quickly swallow the string of pasta hanging from her lips to be able to talk, choking a bit in the process.

“No need to rush,” Yvain said with a laugh.

“It’s fun, isn’t it? Have you tried any of the masks?” Saya said excitedly to Selt.

“Masks?” Selt said with pause.

“Yeah! Some costumes here are really intricate like your friends’, but you can always just grab a mask and try playing the role of monster,” Saya said.

The kid immediately dragged himself closer, startling her in the process.

“You have to show me,” he said with wide, imploring eyes.

“S-sure we can go get you one after we eat,” she said.

“Selt we don’t have time to play around like this,” Yvain said. “We got things to do, remember?”

“You mean you got things to do,” the kid said, “like buying Nora’s clothes and officially adding her to the guild registry.” He then lay his arms on the table and dramatically waved his eyebrows up and down, “Also didn’t you mention needing to buy a new bedframe since you and No—”

“Alright!” Yvain said, trying not to yell; some nuns still looked their way.

Selt grinned.

Nora played it cool, but Roesia was as red as a tomato while Elly looked angrier than she had a few seconds ago. An imperceptible change, but it was there.

Saya wasn’t an idiot and she immediately realized what Selt was alluding to.

“You guys must go extremely hard at it,” she said.

“Really, Saya?” Elly said with a shake of her head.

Selt actually looked surprised when he heard Yvain’s childhood friend take his own words in stride and act just as brazen.

“He doesn’t hold back at all,” Nora said in a conversational tone.

“Oh stars,” Roesia said as her skin went to red alert and she hid her face with her hands.

“I’d expect no less from Selt or her, but you too, Nora?” Yvain said, trying to hold down his embarrassment.

“If she’s willing to be so candid it’s only right I answered in kind,” she said calmly.

Yvain searched her eyes, but his girlfriend was being serious. So was Saya unfortunately. There were no games here like with Selt.

“One shameless person is enough of a handful,” Elly said, already finishing the last bite of her plate, “I don’t think I want to handle three of them.”

Yvain’s master stood, scaring a pair of nuns that were walking by the table, “How much do I owe you?”

“Oh please, you don’t owe me anything,” Saya said with a wave of her hand, “Where are you going though? I thought we’d hang out a bit longer, we haven’t seen each other in two years.”

“Maybe later, I need to go see if I can find clothes that’ll fit me around here,” Elly said.

“Then just come with us,” Saya said and looked at the rest of the group as if looking for backup.

Yvain kept his face neutral, but he felt the stare from all three Draconian’s Tavern’s women digging into him. Even if he didn’t mind her joining, it would be near impossible to do anything while keeping Roesia and Nora’s real form hidden. He had also promised everyone Saya would be with them only until they finished their lunch.

Having taken too long to say anything, Elly gave an incredulous laugh and took charge.

“I don’t think so,” she said straightforwardly and simply left. Leaving Yvain to deal with things.

Saya looked back at everyone else, “Is something wrong?”

“She and Nora haven’t exactly been on the best of terms,” he said, dodging what the real problem was.

“It seemed to be more than that,” Saya said and looked at the goddess curiously, “Do you have any idea what the problem might be, Nora?”

His girlfriend appeared a bit startled when his childhood friend addressed her.

“Well…” Nora began and thought over her words, “We just don’t get along I guess, it’s been like that for a while now. Maybe we’re just not compatible?”

“That makes sense,” Yvain said a bit stiffly as he thought over on how to let his childhood friend down easily when the time to leave came. “It’s not realistic to expect so many people together to get along perfectly with no hitches. It’s something Nelimir will have to think about as the guild grows.” Out of the corner of his eye he could see Roesia roll her eyes at him.

“I’ve never thought of Elly as someone who would not get along with others for no reason,” she said, more to herself than the group. Saya didn’t seem convinced by their words, but at least her attention was taken away from the real problem.

“She at least decided to play nice,” Yvain said. “You should have seen them a few days ago, they were exchanging blows.”

Saya really looked skeptical now.

“Her? With Elly?” the nun looked at Nora, “she seems fine though.”

“Don’t let her looks fool you, she’s actually stronger than me and Elly by miles,” he said with no small amount of pride. As if he had been the cause of such strength and not Nora’s hard work.

“Yeah right,” Saya said with laughter that died off when no one joined in. She looked to Roesia, probably hoping the smartest among them to give light on the joke. The sorceress remained serious though and gave a somber nod.

“She actually was, and still is, a lot weaker due to an injury,” the sorceress said, “but I saw first-hand how she wrestled Elly to the ground and made her tap out regardless.”

Saya’s eyes became as big as saucers. She knew how strong Elly was.

The nun stared at Nora as if she was seeing a ‘monster’ for the first time in her life. The goddess wasn’t one though, in her perception, and the shock quickly turned into melancholic admiration.

“I think I can see a bit more clearly why Yvain would fall for you,” she said with a small laugh.

“You do?” Nora asked skeptically.

“He always had a thing for strong women,” Saya said and took a pensive look. “Or maybe it’s better to say that he admires strong people.”

“I can agree with that much at least,” Yvain said.

“So you don’t admire me?” Roesia said in a dead voice.

Yvain laughed, “I wouldn’t say that. You might not be physically strong, but you have your own strengths, like the carriage you made for us.”

“Roesia made that!?” Saya said as she half stood from the table. “I always thought you guys bought it in Allsworth with Nelimir’s help or something. How did she do it? Ah.”

Yvain’s childhood friend sat back with slumped shoulders.

“It’s a secret.”

“It’s a secret,” Saya said at the same time as the sorceress. “I know, I know. This is so annoying. I think I’m just going to join your guild.”

“That easy? What about your work here? Your family?” Yvain asked. He was only being nice. He knew full well that she would never be able to join Draconian’s Tavern. Her beliefs were not only too different from theirs, but she had never once trained in her life. At twenty-five years of age, there was nothing that the nun could bring to the table.

“Can’t you let a girl dream for a second?” Saya said with annoyance.

Maria suddenly appeared along with Selt’s plate of food.

“Did your friend go to the bathroom?” she asked, setting down his order.

Yvain looked to the spot where the kid was sitting and realized he was gone.

“Where in the stars did Selt go?” he asked.

“I saw him stand up, but I didn’t pay attention where he went,” Roesia said to which Nora nodded.

“I didn’t even notice him leave,” Saya said.

I should have known better, Yvain thought. He wasn’t coming back; something totally random probably caught his attention.

“He’ll probably be back soon,” he told Maria with a smile which she returned before asking, “can I get you guys anything else?”

Yvain was about to say no when Roesia spoke up, “Do you have strawberry cheesecake available?”

“That we do sweetheart, would you like an order?” Maria asked.

“With two spoons please, for her and I,” the sorceress said with a wide smile and bright hungry eyes as she pointed at herself and Nora.

“Anyone else want dessert?” Maria asked but Saya and Yvain opted out.

He didn’t mind sweets from time to time, but he was fine with just taking a bite out of Roesia’s plate.

“Then I’ll be right back with your order,” Maria said to Roesia and grabbed a few empty plates and glasses before leaving.

“What’s strawberry cheesecake?” Nora asked the sorceress excitedly.

Yvain panicked a bit as Saya looked curiously at his girlfriend.

Roesia was too excited to mind the slip of the tongue though.

“You’ll see,” she said with a grin.

We really do need to go our separate ways, Yvain thought with a mental sigh. Any small slip of the tongue was a possibility for disaster. He had his lunch. He got to see his childhood friend one last time. It was time to go.

When Maria brought the dessert, a small battle ensued as Yvain wanted a piece of the cake and Roesia wouldn’t allow it. She happily shared it with Nora though and his girlfriend came closer and closer to tears with each bite. Saya found it weird, but she didn’t put much stock to it other than a quirky trait, thankfully.

When it came time to pay, everyone, even Saya, found out that there was no need to give anything. It was all covered by the church because of the event going on. So, with some embarrassment, Yvain asked for a container for Selt’s meal before the group exited the restaurant.

“So where to first!” Saya asked excitedly.

Stars damn everything, Yvain thought. This wasn’t going to be easy at all. He looked to the two ‘dragonesses’, as Roesia had coined, and said, “Can you guys give us a moment?”

Neither of them protested and said their goodbyes to Saya before going to a kiosk that was showing off some macabre art trinkets a bit farther away.

For her part, the nun said goodbye with enthusiasm. Enough so that Yvain felt that things might be simpler than he thought after all. But without giving him a chance to speak, Saya put on an empty smile.

“I guess I should have seen this coming,” she said.

“What do you mean?” he asked nervously, somewhere deep down hoping that she had understood what was happening so that he wouldn’t have to directly confront her.

“You’re going off again and I can’t go,” she said straightforwardly.

Thank the stars, he thought. It was much easier to give truth to her theory than it was to directly tell her she couldn’t join them for their errands.

“You know how it is,” Yvain said with an awkward laugh Saya didn’t join in, instead pinning him with furrowed brows and aggrieved eyes.

“Ever since!” she began heatedly, but stopped and took a breath before continuing, “Ever since you guys created Draconian’s Tavern it felt as if though you grew farther and farther away from me. Always dodging questions and keeping information from me because of my “safety”. I haven’t even seen you in two years and you’re already sending me away. Am I that untrustworthy? Did I do something wrong? Is it because of how I feel for you?”

Yvain wanted to say that none of what she questioned was true. He would easily trust his life to her. Yet, it didn’t feel like anything he could say would assuage her. And a lump in his throat wasn’t allowing any words to come out either.

She really does still have feelings for me, he thought. He had hoped that time would have changed that. That maybe she would find someone with him gone.

Saya hugged herself and looked away, “And it wasn’t just your parents who you didn’t say goodbye to, you didn’t even come to me before leaving. I had to learn by word of mouth that you were banished along with the prince. And no one could tell me what had happened.”

Saya shook, her eyes watering and voice cracking, “I had to live with the idea that you might die Yvain, and I would never know any better. I wouldn’t be there to tend your wounds as I did whenever Elly would beat you up.”

When his childhood friend looked back at him with agonized eyes, Yvain felt as if he might break down too. He hadn’t known she was going through all of that. Didn’t even cross his mind.

“Every excursion I took out of Allsworth with my sisters was for the sole purpose of hopefully finding you,” she said. “Month after month after month I would go out with hope that I would see you again and for two years I failed. Then when my search finally bears an impossible fruit, I realize that nothing has changed. Elly shuts everyone up and me out, and you follow along.”

Saya used her sleeve to dry her tears as she sniffed. The silent seconds as she wiped herself went by excruciatingly slow.

“And now you’re about to abandon me again,” she said finally breaking down and covering her mouth, trying her best to not make a scene. Yet even if they were on an outlying street there were still some people walking around, all staring at them; most glaring at him.

Yvain ground teeth. What could he say to any of that? Sorry? It wouldn’t be near enough. Explain the situation? He couldn’t. Lives were at stake. Not only his, but his friends’, his girlfriend’s, Charlotte’s. Why couldn’t Saya just move on and be happy?

What in the stars are you even thinking Yvain? he thought with disgust at himself. She could very well be his sister at this point. His family. He owed her at least an idea of what was happening, if not the outright truth.

“We were banished exactly because we created Draconian’s Tavern,” Yvain began under Saya’s tearful gaze.

“But—” Saya said before he stopped her with a raised hand, “You know how Nelimir feels about Humanism, the fights he constantly had with his family over it. Draconian’s Tavern is meant to change our society’s beliefs. In the king’s eyes his son was not only disrespecting him, but openly going against his rule. What we’re doing puts all of us in the guild in danger. A danger that you’re not equipped to handle. And even if you were, would you really support our cause?”

Saya mumbled something but it was too low for Yvain to make out.

“What?” he asked.

“I said that it really is about strength in the end,” she said and stepped close to him before looking up with still tearful but determined eyes.

“Promise me that we’ll see each other again,” she said.

“Saya I—”

“Promise me!” the nun almost yelled.

Yvain looked into her eyes. Would it be worse to say something so irresponsible? He didn’t know. But it seemed that she really needed to hear such a thing from him, and he would do what he could to sap away some of her pain.

“I’ll do everything in my power to see you again,” he said.

“That’s all I ask for,” Saya said before she roughly embraced him and sunk her face into his chest. Time passed with the nun hugging him hard enough that her whole body shook with the effort.

Yvain debated whether to return the gesture at first but, in the end, there was no need to hold back. Even if she did have feelings for him past those of a friend, he wouldn’t shun her out just because of it.

“Sorry for not telling you anything back then,” he said.

Saya only returned a hum of understanding as she continued to squish him.

The childhood friends embraced for what seemed to him a short amount of time. When Saya pulled back she seemed to have calmed down.

“Tell the rest that I’ll see them around,” she said and waved goodbye to Nora and Roesia, who had stopped perusing the kiosk and where just worriedly staring at them.

“Will do,” Yvain said and Saya nodded before going back into the restaurant.

He just stood in place, thinking over her words. Considering if maybe he could have done or said something differently as he stared at the wet spot she had made on his shirt.

“Are you okay?” Nora asked as she walked up to his side and grabbed his hand in consolation.

“Forget him, how was Saya? We could practically hear her from all the way over there,” Roesia said.

“Everyone heard what we said then,” Yvain said with a sigh.

“Not exactly, our hearing is just better,” Nora said.

“Our?” he asked.

“She means dragons,” Roesia said.

“Ah,” Yvain said and looked at both women. “We’re both as well as we can be, but it’s over with, and now we must go tend to our duties.”

Nora looked worriedly at him but didn’t dig any deeper.

“I’ll at least say that I liked her. She has a fire to her not many can develop or acquire,” she said.

“And,” Roesia began,” however much it hurts now, it’s much better than having her getting hurt, or worse, just because we let our emotions get the best of us.” The sorceress took on an academic pose, acting like some wise professor dealing out life advice to her students.

Yvain could only roll his eyes, but he had to admit that their words were lightening some of the weight he had felt right after his talk with Saya.

“You have the right of it,” Nora said and looked to Yvain. “So when are we going to go sign my papers?”

“If he isn’t there already, then Nelimir will meet us at Cosmos’s branch,” he said, choosing to spend his energy thinking on the things they needed to do now instead.

“Let’s get that over with already so we can go buy some sweets,” Roesia said and began to walk down the street. She then stopped and looked back with an awkward smile.

“Where’s the branch?” she asked.

“Follow me,” Yvain said with a content laugh.