“Vice-Captain?” Shafir looked up from where he was lounging on the couch of the office toward the young squire, who was halfway through the door. Shafir couldn’t recall if the squire had knocked. Perhaps he was too deep in thought or was getting tired. He hoped he hadn’t nodded off while he lay down. He hadn’t been sleeping well lately… Well, if it wasn’t loud enough to wake him, then the scrawny youth hadn’t knocked hard. Also! Who taught kids manners these days? Only addressing one person in the room and not both of them. Worst off, the kid didn’t even greet Eliqinor first, who was Shafir’s superior. Maybe he had to go down to the training barracks and give them a piece of his mind…

“V-Vice-Captain?” The squire fidgeted in front of Shafir and the man sat up so he could give the younger one his full attention. Shafir tilted his head, which only made the squire shake like a leaf. It was nice for the young ones to know their place and while he would rather the kid not fear him, he would not torture him much more. The squire looked away and pulled out a letter from his pocket. He unfurled it and looked down to read. 

“Well, are you going to read it, or shall I?” Shafir would admit he wasn’t always an asshole, just most of the time. The squire seemed relieved and straightened up. The young elf handed the notice to Shafir, and he made quick work of looking it over. A groan left his mouth and made the squire jump. Honestly, Shafir loved his job, but this was not the shit he wanted to deal with. Why couldn’t they just send some lower knights who could handle simple jobs like this, though he knew this wasn’t that simple? “You are excused.” 

The squire ran off as soon as Shafir waved his hand, letting him know he was free to go. The door swung close behind him, and Shafir felt the urge to yell at the squire. Children seem to have no manners these days. Shafir turned his attention back to the letter and slumped back down with an audible thud. Letters like these… It was as if they did not see him as the Vice-Captain of the knights but more like an errand boy. The Empress sure knew how to annoy him, he hated to say it, but he would much rather be held up in this tiny ass office doing paperwork all day.

“What is it?” Shafir had almost forgotten that Eliqinor had been there in the room with him. While he was often a thorn in Shafir’s side, he got swallowed up in his work when he had a lot to do. Judging from the pile of paperwork, Eliqinor was probably looking over the monthly mission reports. When Eliqinor looked up from his paperwork, Shafir had to restrain a laugh he had built up inside. His hair was a mess, having been tousled from Eliqinor, running his fingers through it when he got frustrated at a certain report. Sometimes Shafir wanted to open his mouth and tell him if he kept doing that, it’d make him bald. Though he decided against it. If Eliqinor went bald at a young age over stress, Shafir would have had more things to make fun of him with. 

“Seems some bandits are running around. Doing the usual and causing stress to the farmers.” Eliqinor nodded and moved some of his paperwork around. Shafir noticed that the pile was most definitely shorter on one side compared to what it was a couple of hours ago, and the dark bags under Eliqinor’s eyes made Shafir sigh. Seemed like the idiot had been too busy buried in work lately to sleep properly. It wasn’t uncommon that Eliqinor was here before he was in the morning and still here after Shafir left for the night. Maybe he should say something? Ah, actually, that would just start a fight. 

“Send one of the squad commanders to do it. It should be easy for them.” Shafir grabbed his sword and stood up. He probably could push it off on one subordinate if it had been an actual mission. He didn’t exactly want Eliqinor to know that the bandit problem was just a way for the Empress for Shafir to see her so she could run him on some stupid errand. They had known each other long enough, and he worked for her at one point, so he at least knew what her code words meant. He just hoped it wasn’t something stupid again. 

“I would, but it was a mission from the Empress. You know how she is.” Shafir adjusted his gear before finally tying his hair back up in a more presentable fashion. His hair had been a mess too, so yes, he concluded, he passed out in the middle of work. Well, at least Eliqinor was probably too engrossed in his paperwork to even notice, and that’s why he wasn’t scolded. “Don’t wait for me. Not that you would anyway.” Shafir waved behind himself as he opened the door to the office with a creek and a small hum came from Eliqinor in response.

“Don’t take too long or I’ll have to come to find you myself.” Shafir stopped in the doorway as Eliqinor spoke. Well, that was a new one. He never acted like he’d been concerned with Shafir’s whereabouts before. Shafir took a second to regain his thoughts before turning around to look at his captain. 

“What are you going to do? Drag me back to work?” There was the sound of a chair scraping against the wooden floor and the thud of boots. When Shafir’s eyes trailed over Eliqinor’s form, which he wished he hadn’t, the other stood there in front of his desk, leaning back with his hands on the top of it. Something stirred in Shafir’s chest, and he felt the urge to leap out of his skin. Why did it seem like Eliqinor was trying to entice something out of him? Perhaps the other wanted to make him angry. 

“If I have to. I will.” 

“Well, fuck you.” Shafir practically ran out of the office and slammed the door behind him. The pounding in Shafir’s heart didn’t go away, even when he was so far away from that tiny office. He was still quick to anger like always, but there was something about the fact that they could hold a conversation that made Shafir feel weird. Even if it was only a few sentences, it was rather… pleasant? Not that he wanted to talk to that privileged asshole that much. 

~o~o~O~o~o~

Shafir had been waiting for who knows how long in the garden pavilion. He had been summoned by the Empress and when he had gotten there; he had been told to wait. It wasn’t like her to send a missive to someone and then not be on time for the said meeting. So, he sat there and waited… and waited… and waited. Eventually, a maid came with some tea and sweets and told him the empress would be a while longer before leaving him there. 

True enough to the maid’s words, the empress came strolling in with all the regality of a swan. As usual, they adorned her in all of her lavish gold and fancy robes. Sometimes Shafir still wondered how she even walked around in all that. If he had to wear something like that, he would sweat to death. Shafir stood up when she reached the opening of the pavilion and bowed. 

“Your highness.” Shafir smiled slightly, and the empress waved her hand to release him from the action. This was their usual dance. She would ask for him, and he would show up and be as respectful as possible until- 

“So, have you and the Captain explored each other yet?” Shafir felt his knees weaken and had to steady himself before making his way back to his seat. Did this woman have no decency? Why would she bring up something as wild and random as this every time they met up? Shafir should’ve grown used to this questioning, but it always took him by surprise. She did not sugarcoat it, and that was something that killed Shafir’s sense of respect for her. 

“He hates me. You know this. How many times must I explain this to you, Aila?” The empress faked a hurt expression and sat down in the chair across from Shafir. She was overly dramatic in his company, but if it was with anyone else, she acted like a cold ruler. It was a bit tiring having to deal with this side of her and he would take the aloof ruler who trampled those in her way any day over this. 

“I know you say that, but I still can’t help but find it to be a bit… Well… Exaggerated.” Aila shrugged her shoulders at the comment. Shafir didn’t know what made her believe with blind confidence that they were even close enough to have more than a few sentences that weren’t violent or full of malice. Let alone them being intimately aware of each other’s bodies. Shafir would never look at Eliqinor in that way. “I mean, after all, when my mother was trying to move you, a certain captain- well, it doesn’t matter if you aren’t willing to try. A shame really.” 

That piqued Shafir’s interest, but he didn’t pry. If the Empress did not want to elaborate, he wouldn’t press the issue. That and the late empress probably had her reasons for appointing Shafir to be Eliqinor’s vice-captain. He didn’t want to know the secrets behind it because it wasn’t his job to know. Besides, he did as he was told and followed the orders. As far as he was concerned, any job as a knight was better than no job. 

“You can keep being dissatisfied though because I never plan on having a friendly relationship with Eliqinor.” His hands gripped his pants, and he made sure he drove his point home by adding as much malice as he would when he spoke Eliqinor’s name. It was easier this way. If he wasn't attached, then no one could get hurt because of him. It was the reason he kept everyone at arm’s length. "Besides, this isn’t why you called me, right? You aren’t one to send a fake mission with the intent of idle chatter and gossip.” 

“Yes, I guess we should get back to the topic at hand. About the mission, there seems to be a lot of orc activity in the area lately.” Aila looked down at the cup in front of her. It wasn’t often that she seemed confused. No matter what question or issue was thrown at her, she was always steadfast and never showed her weakness. Even when he was working for her as a newly appointed knight, she always seemed so sure of anything and everything she did. “It’s just abnormal of them.” 

“It’s not uncommon for the more nomadic tribes of orcs to be migrating. Have you not sent scouts to investigate?” Shafir wasn’t usually one to be sent to deal with orc travel matters, but there had been a few times when he ran into an orc or two. They weren’t hard to deal with but they enjoyed fighting over talking and not all of them could speak elvish, so it often made negotiating harder.

“I sent two to talk with the local nomadic tribes. Sadly, the chieftains said there had been no movement with their caravan yet.” She tipped her head back and drank the tea in one smooth motion. Shafir didn’t want to know why that unsettled her so much. Orcs were family-oriented, so for solo orcs to be roaming around in areas they weren’t supposed to be was worrisome. Perhaps that was what had her concerned. A solo orc was harder to figure out than an orc who had a tribe with him. What was his end game?

“What did the two find?” Shafir wracked his brain for all the reasons there might be nomadic orcs without a tribe traveling around. He couldn’t think of anything other than making their tribe or being some kind of spy, but he was sure the orcs and Slentis Empire had agreed. If they were moving, it would be only for relocating to food and shelter. That was if it was within the boundaries of the Slentis Empire since the two races didn’t always have a good relationship until the former empress.

“They found remains of animals everywhere. They weren’t eaten, just left to rot. That’s not like the orcs. They may enjoy fighting but they don’t waste.” Shafir nodded and stood up. He needed to figure out how to approach this and walked away. “Shafir.” 

“Yes, your highness?” 

“Take Eliqinor with you if you decide to go after the orc. I understand you like working solo, but it isn’t safe to go as you are.” Shafir snorted and crossed his arms. What did she know? He was fine. Shafir was always safe when he went out on a mission… But this was his Empress. He couldn’t just ignore her orders. 

“Fine, I’ll take the golden boy. You just sit tight and we’ll have this figured out in no time, your highness.” Shafir bowed to Aila, and she waved her hand to release him from his duty to stay with her. As he walked away, he thought about all the things he would have to set up. It might take him some time to even find a trail of the orc. He would need to approach the scouts that Aila had sent out before he and Eliqinor set out on the mission.