Making Friends, Part IV
Aonva walked through the door to the hospital. The tingling she got passed, and she walked up to the reception desk.
“Excuse me,” she said, then waited for the woman at the desk to look up at her.
“Name?” the woman asked.
“Apprentice Aonva. I’m here to see Apprentice Roshil.”
The woman looked through her notes, then wrote down something.
“Room 216. Don’t stay long. Don’t set her off.”
“What might set her off? What’s that mean? Can I still talk to her? I just want to see her. Is it safe for me—”
“Room 216.” The woman finally looked up from her paperwork. “She’s been asking for you since she woke up.”
Aonva still had more questions, but she shoved them down and nodded.
“Thank you.”
Aonva left the desk and walked up two flights of stairs. She walked down the hall, following the signs.
210. 212.
While she walked, she thought of the woman’s words. What if Aonva made it worse? What if she said something to upset Roshil? How did Roshil manage to be better at this? Roshil wasn’t the best at communicating, but at least Aonva knew Roshil cared. Was there something wrong with her?
Of course, there is. I grew up surrounded by arguing.
She stopped when she reached room 216. She stared at the door, fear sliding through her head. She could imagine all the ways it would go wrong. Without knowing what had set off Roshil in class, there was no telling what might set her off again.
She’s been asking for you.
Aonva closed her eyes and knocked on the door.
“What?” Roshil snapped from behind the door.
“It’s me.”
The door creaked open. Aonva pushed passed it and into the room. It was a little bigger than their rooms, which only had space for a bed, drawers under the bed, and a small washroom. At least this one had chairs were she could sit.
Roshil lay on the bed, her back to the rest of the room. She rolled over, and Aonva saw the telltale signs that Roshil had been crying.
Aonva pulled one of the chairs over to the bed and sat down.
“What happened?” Aonva asked.
“You saw what happened.” Roshil pulled her sheets a little higher. “I screamed in the middle of class.”
“I know, but why?”
Roshil’s eyes darted around the room. Aonva thought she was searching for something, but soon realized that Roshil was avoiding eye contact.
“Valign.”
Aonva frowned, pulling up her notes from class in her head.
“The arcane word for ‘fear’?”
“What about it?” she asked when Roshil didn’t say anything more.
Roshil tightened her grip on the blanket. Tears welled up in her eyes. Panic hit Aonva, and her mind spun out of control, desperate to understand what she’d done.
Then she realized something simple. It didn’t matter. Maybe the dragon had used the word for fear. Maybe that was part of its name. If she understood now, she might make it worse anyway. What mattered was that Roshil was there, and she needed her.
“I’m sorry,” she said, struggling to think of something better to say. She had to calm down Roshil, but how? What would normal people do? Ask their parents? She couldn’t call upon wisdom of her parents, they’d never helped calm her down.
My parents were never around.
Kurgm had helped her. How? What had he said to make her feel better? It’s never that simple. That didn’t apply here. What else had he said? Aonva ran through their conversation in her head, but came up short. Was she overthinking it? Maybe she was. What if that was it? Stop overthinking.
“It can’t hurt you here!” she blurted. “A dragon tried getting into the court 12 years ago, but she didn’t make it far. Lady Enrakal, the last True Knight, stopped her almost single-handed. And His Majesty wouldn’t let a dragon get through, either. Some people say he’s the most powerful person alive. Of course, he’s a master in all six specialties, that’s what you have to do to become king. Or queen, of course. You probably knew that. I think you’re a lot smarter than you want people to think you are. Like me, really. I hate getting attention. That’s why I don’t want to get into trouble. I don’t know where I’m going with this, I’m just really scared, but I want you to know it’s safe here. Besides, Master Ekla would never let anything happen to you, and even though Our Lord High Artisan doesn’t say much to anyone apart from you really, I think he’s got more defenses on the castle than he admits to. Or, should it be ‘to which he admits’? I don’t know, I’m just talking. Is this helping? I’m annoying you, aren’t I? My parents hate it when I talk too much. They’re decent people, even if they argue all the time. I think they can’t stand each other, even if they’re both too stubborn to split up. I don’t know why I’m telling you this, maybe because you’re my only friend, and I feel awful about not saying or doing anything. Please say something.”
Roshil didn’t say anything when Aonva finally stopped herself. She sprang out of bed and threw her arms around Aonva. Aonva felt tears on her neck as Roshil buried her face in it.
“Thank you,” Roshil said through her sobs.
Aonva didn’t know which part of that had made Roshil feel better. All it’d done for Aonva was make her feel embarrassed. Her stomach was full of butterflies, her hands shook, but she put her arms around Roshil all the same.
“You’re my best friend, Roshil,” Aonva said. “I… I’m just not good at making friends. I… I’ve never had friends. I’ve only had books and information.”
“I was scared,” Roshil whispered. “That’s what he does. He makes you afraid of him. He…” She shook her head, which was still buried. “I don’t… I can’t…”
“You don’t have to say anything. He… His Majesty won’t let him return. You’re safe.”
They sat together in the chair, curled around one another. Roshil’s tears subsided, but still neither spoke. Aonva wanted to keep reassuring Roshil, but she didn’t think she needed to say anything.
Don’t waste words.
Aonva didn’t know if her ramblings had helped her friend, but she knew one thing. She’d applied for apprenticeship because she’d wanted to learn everything. Maybe even get away from her parents. It’d never been about helping people, but now it was. Now she wanted to put everything she knew to work. She would make sure that no dragons… that nothing ever attacked the kingdom. She would make sure Roshil felt safe.