Skwyr Court

Aonva dragged herself to Master Kaernin after class. As always, she found him waiting for her in silence. He watched her as she entered, waiting for her to talk.

“Rule One,” she recited, “Command the effect with absolute desire in the arcane language. Rule Two: Absolute desire requires absolute understanding. Rule Three: Don’t waste words.”

She’d read plenty of books about magic before beginning her apprenticeship, but never had she read those rules before. She understood how magic was supposed to work, but every book seemed to take paragraphs to explain what Master Kaernin had explained in a few sentences.

He nodded, then motioned for her to join him on the floor. She sat down in front of him, then he spoke words in the arcane language.

Aonva struggled for a moment, but slowly translated it in her head. He repeated it again to help her while she worked through it. When she was finished, she repeated it back to him.

It was a spell to create a small ball of light in her hand. When she’d first started learning magic, she was surprised by how precise it was. In this case, the exact size of the ball of light was dictated. Without being specific, it was impossible to understand the spell, and anything could happen.

She closed her eyes and imagined absolute darkness. The words rang through her head. She concentrated on them, on the darkness, on how the light would look. She prepared to cast the spell.

Echos of Roshil’s screams cut through her thoughts. She spoke the words, but her focus was gone. A spark appeared in her hand, but vanished moments after it appeared.

“I’m sorry! I don’t know what happened! I was trying, then… I don’t know what happened!”

Master Kaernin stared at her, waiting for her to try again.

She calmed herself down, then closed her eyes again. Before she could start reciting the spell, Roshil’s screams broke out again. She couldn’t block it out, but she tried. The light flickered again, but weaker than before. She tried twice more before Master Kaernin stood up.

She followed him out of the room and through the castle. She’d learned to pick up nonverbal cues from Master Kaernin. If he stood up, she was expected to follow. She didn’t ask where they were going; she’d find out eventually.

Today, they walked to the gardens. Families from all over the city were there, it being one of the many public areas connected to the castle. Children ran through the flowers, laughing together.

Why is it so easy for other people?

Aonva thought of Roshil again. Her only friend, the friend she’d let down. Why could other people have friends? Why was it easy for them? What was wrong with her?

They sat down on a bench together. Aonva looked around, but all she saw were plants and people. Master Kaernin usually gave her some kind of assignment or some task. What was she supposed to be learning? Was he going to speak, or would today be one of the many days he said nothing to her?

Time passed, and still Master Kaernin said nothing to her. Children came and went, but then she caught sight of a familiar face. It was Master Ekla’s apprentice, whose name Aonva had already forgotten. He walked among the flowers, smiling as he looked them over.

Master Kaernin spoke a single word: “Wait”. Then he stood up and walked over to the boy. He placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder to get his attention. The boy stood at attention, then Master Kaernin nodded at Aonva.

Aonva’s mind began to race. What was going on? Why was Master Kaernin directing Master Ekla’s apprentice to her? Did he know about Roshil breaking into the west tower? Did he know about Roshil screaming in class? If he did, why was he directing the boy to talk to her?

Master Kaernin left the gardens, and the boy came over to talk to her.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi,” Aonva said, hoping to dance around the fact that she’d forgotten his name.

He smiled sheepishly. “I’m sorry, I forgot your name.”

“That’s alright. I… I forgot yours too.”

His smile turned into a laugh, then he motioned to the bench.

“Is it alright if I join you?”

“Sure.”

“I’m Kurgm,” he said as he sat down.

“Aonva.”

“Nice to see you again. Before you ask, Master Ekla didn’t send me here to check on you. I spend most of my free time in the gardens.”

“It’s only Roshil that thinks she’s doing that.”

The mention of Roshil brought with it the memory of class. Roshil was sitting in the hospital, alone, and Aonva was sitting here wasting time.

What if I make it worse?

“What’s wrong?” Kurgm asked.

Aonva sat up, having sunk in her seat.

“What? Why… no, nothing’s wrong.”

“Sorry, only… you look like something’s bothering you. Like your mind’s somewhere else.” He frowned then looked around. “Where’s Roshil? Is that what’s bothering you?”

“Well, right now, I’m wondering why my master just left.”

Kurgm glanced at the entrance, then back to Aonva. “I… I don’t know, he didn’t say anything to me, just pointed me over to you. I guess he wants me to talk to you, but… I don’t know why. I mean… every time Master Ekla tells me to talk to someone, it’s because they need help. As a knight, I’m supposed to be able to help anyone in trouble, so when I’m directed to someone sitting alone, it’s because I’m supposed to help them. Except that… I’m not really that good at it.”

Thoughts of Roshil stuck in her head. No one could help her.

“I don’t think you can help me.”

“I might be able to if you tell me what’s bothering you.”

He watched her, waiting for her to say something. For once, Aonva wasn’t in the mood to talk.

“Alright, I’ll start. Master Ekla wasn’t following you today. I don’t think she’s following you at all, she’s just worried about Roshil. Today, though, I told her someone had broken into the west tower. She immediately assumed it was Roshil and ran to get there before anyone else knew about it. Luckily, we weren’t far.”

“What? How did you know?”

“There’s a spell on the door that alerts anyone in the castle that lives in the west tower when that door’s opened.”

Aonva sank in her seat again. She couldn’t believe it; every officer knew they’d broken in. No, he said he’d known “someone” had broken in, which meant they hadn’t know who it was. And how did he know at all? He didn’t live in the west tower, did he? He couldn’t, he wasn’t an officer, unless… was he family to one of the officers? She didn’t think any of them had family. Roshil had mentioned Lord Grund being married once, and she was pretty sure Lord Velal had a wife, but she didn’t think they had children. She’d always assumed the officers were too busy for families.

“How did you know about it?” she asked.

“I used to live in the west tower. They still let me go inside.”

“But—”

“Your turn. What’s bothering you?”

She knew when someone was dodging a question. She’d done it any time Roshil had asked about her parents. It was one more thing that kept them apart, that proved Aonva wasn’t a good friend. Even Roshil had mentioned something about her parents from time to time. She never mentioned her mother, but she talked about her father and brother often enough. As Aonva had learned today, her father could pick locks.

“Well… Roshil started screaming in class today. I don’t know exactly why, but I have an idea. We were copying down words in the arcane language, and she started screaming, shouting for everyone to stay away from her. And I… I froze. I couldn’t do anything! I just sat there, watching my only friend getting scared, and then they took her to the hospital, and I still didn’t do anything. I didn’t ask to go with her, I didn’t try to calm her down, I just sat and stared.”

By now, tears had formed in Aonva’s eyes. If dwelling on it had made it worse, reliving it was making it unbearable. Then finally, the thought she’d been having for an hour broke free and manifested into words.

“Maybe I’m not supposed to have friends.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kurgm asked. “Everyone can have friends. I grew up in the castle, and even I had friends.”

Aonva buried her head in her hands. Kurgm was right; he wasn’t good at this. Now she was sure something was wrong with her.

“What I mean is… my parents weren’t there, so the servants looked after me. They’d let me into the kitchens after curfew, give me dessert early, or get me warmer blankets if I was cold.” A grin spread over his face. “We used to play hide-and-seek in the castle, but I was bad at it. I always chose the same few places.”

Aonva’s mind drifted back to Roshil as Kurgm spoke. The only friend she’d ever had, and she’d let her down.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have friends.”

Kurgm didn’t say anything for a moment. He shifted in his seat, fidgeted, but didn’t say anything. Then he opened his mouth.

“It’s never that simple. Just because you froze, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have friends. You care about her still. That’s something. There’s a reason you froze.”

“Which is?”

“I don’t know, and it’s none of my business anyway. That’s for you to find out. But you’re not going to figure it out in one day. You may never know. But I know it’s not something simple, because things like that are never that simple.”

As Kurgm talked, his expression changed. The goofy smile slid into a frown. His gaze was distant. Aonva was sure he was remembering something.

“You’re better at this than you think,” Aonva said.

The goofy smile returned to Kurgm’s face.

“Am I? Someone should tell Master Ekla that.” He nodded toward the door back to the castle. “Go see Roshil. I’m sure she misses you too.”

“What if I make it worse?”

“Just being there will make her feel better. It’s what I’d want my friends to do.”

Aonva still didn’t have answers she wanted, but something told her Kurgm was right. Maybe she wouldn’t know. But one thing she did know, was that her friend was still all alone. Master Kaernin was gone, so she was free to do as she wanted. And she wanted to see Roshil.

“Thank you.” Aonva stood up. “Thank you for your help.”

Kurgm nodded toward the entrance to the gardens.

“Go on. She’s waiting.”

Aonva turned and left the gardens. She made her way through the castle. She was still scared, but there was every possibility that she could make it better.

#VolumeOne #MakingFriends

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.

#VolumeOne #MakingFriends

A bauble near his bed woke Kurgm up well before the sun came up. He stumbled through his room to the washroom, tapping the panel to illuminate the room. After cleaning himself up, he got dressed in clean clothes, grabbed his belt and checked the pouches, then slung his pack over his shoulder and left his room.

The door to his room brought him to the base of the north tower. Few people, much less apprentices, woke up as early as he did, so the corridors weren’t full of people yet. His walk down to the kitchens for an early morning snack was quiet. The kitchen staff was already preparing breakfast, but many of them smiled and greeted him on their way past where he sat.

When he was finished, he left the kitchens and headed for the east wing. More people were awake and moving, but it wasn’t until he reached the door to the temple did he hear noise.

He walked through the door and out of the castle, into the main chamber of the Temple of the Rising Sun. Already people were gathering before the statue of the Goddess Olmgra, laying out mats on which they could kneel without resting on the stone floor. People came in from the castle and the city alike. The windows near the roof already let the first rays of light into the chamber.

Kurgm found an empty spot on the floor and laid out his own mat. He kneeled and looked into the kind eyes of Olmgra. She wore a robe and hood, with wide, welcoming arms and a loving smile.

Bells tolled for the start of the Sun Welcoming Ceremony, and the noise stopped. People found their places as a priest wearing blue and white robes walked into the chamber, carrying a wooden staff. Strips of wood were woven together, branching out at the end to represent life’s infinite possibilities. Behind her walked two younger priests, apprentices by the look of them, although Kurgm never got a chance to talk to any of them. All three of them had their hoods over their heads.

The three priests took places in front of the statue, facing the gathered people. Without speaking, they knelt down and bowed their heads. One of the apprentices held chimes that jingled softly. They grew louder, and as they did, people began to rise. Light slowly flooded the chamber as the sun rose. All other light had been dimmed in preparation, putting the night in the past to welcome the day.

When they stood tall, everyone lifted their heads to the sky.

“Nira!”

All voices joined together to welcome the sun, calling its name in the arcane language. The call echoed through the stone chamber, now filled with the light of day.

“May you all bear the hope of a new day,” the priest said. She raised the staff. “And may Olmgra smile down upon you.”

The priests had their hoods lowered, giving Kurgm a good look at their faces. One of the apprentices was new. Not only that, but something about her was familiar. Kurgm rolled up his mat, not having time to talk.

After the ceremony, Kurgm returned to his room to grab his gear for the day. He attached his sword to his belt, then added light armor to his clothes. When he left his room, he found the reason he could never stay and talk to people at the temple waiting for him.

Master Ekla tossed him two pouches, one with rations, another with water.

“What’s this?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

“Breakfast.” She motioned for him to follow her. “We’re on patrol today.”

“What’s going on?”

“Protests.”

When they stepped outside of the castle, Kurgm slid gloves over his hands. His breath turned to mist in the air, but the cold didn’t slow Master Ekla’s pace at all. She strode into the city, forcing him to trot to keep up with her.

“How was the Sun Welcoming Ceremony?” she asked.

“The same as always. Later, because it’s the cold season. Since when do you ask?”

“I’m your master, I’m supposed to take an interest in your life.”

She’d been his master for over a year, and in that time, she’d made it clear that she didn’t care for any of the deities.

They didn’t need to walk far for him to hear the chanting. Master Ekla led him through the city, where he saw other knights posted to keep an eye on things. Eventually they reached their place.

“We stand here,” she said. “We don’t respond, no matter how much they taunt us. We don’t attack, we defend.”

“I don’t understand,” he said. “Why are they protesting?”

Master Ekla eyed him, then nodded toward the protesters.

“Can’t you read their signs?”

Kurgm squinted, but couldn’t make out the words from their post.

“You need glasses.”

It wasn’t a question. Kurgm knew it, but he couldn’t imagine needing them.

“Your father always wore them too,” Ekla said. “We’ll take you to Our Lord High Artisan when we get back.” She nodded at the signs again. “The dragon attack last week. It wiped out a farm just outside the city limits. Without it, there’s no food.”

“Why are they protesting? What are they protesting? Do they think we did this?”

“In a way, yes. A few years ago, His Majesty and the officers created a truce with the dragons. The intention was to stop this from happening, but it doesn’t work unless everyone sticks to the agreement.”

“And?”

“And a dragon didn’t stick to the agreement. We’re working on getting to the bottom of it.”

“Don’t they know what’s going on?”

“Of course they do. We tell them within seven days of finding out there’s a problem, at most. This time, it was the same day. We have to be honest with the people if we want them to trust us.”

Kurgm nodded. He’d heard the same thing before, probably from the same person that had told it to Master Ekla.

“Just because they understand, doesn’t mean they’re okay with it. It’s easy enough to understand someone taking your money because they need it for their starving family, but it doesn’t mean you’re not upset that they took it.”

Kurgm turned back to the protesters. He wondered if there was anything he could do to help, beyond standing and watching. He wasn’t paid as an apprentice; they were provided food, shelter, and clothes, but their families had to pay for anything else they needed.

“Is there anything we can do?”

“We’re doing it now. It’s our job to make sure everyone stays safe. Knights are posted all over the city to ensure this protest stays peaceful.”

“But that doesn’t change things for them.”

Ekla shook her head. “It doesn’t, but His Majesty will fix this. He always does. There are procedures in place for this. In a few days, things will improve, and in another few, the protests will die down.”

Kurgm couldn’t remember a time when the city dissolved into chaos, so he was sure His Majesty would fix it this time too.

Why hasn’t he fixed it already?

Kurgm dismissed the thought. Everything would be fine. He focused on the protests. People were yelling, angry, upset, but they didn’t get too close.

“Do these often turn violent?” he asked.

“Not often, but everyone else feels better when we’re here,” Ekla replied. “Some people use protests as a cover to loot some of the shops in the area.”

The people slowly stopped marching, and all turned to face a few people in particular. One of them held what looked like a cup to their mouth.

“Good people of Skwyr,” the woman said, her voice amplified by the object in her hand. “Last week, we lost friends to a dragon attack. An attack the castle promised would never happen again! Because of their lies, we’ve lost people and food. The cold season is upon us! Without that food, what will happen to the rest of us? Will we perish too? Or will the castle do something about it?”

Cheers went up through the crowd.

“We will not be ignored! It isn’t for His Majesty to handle in his own time! We demand action! We demand that our children are fed and protected! What did we get out of this so-called treaty His Majesty formed with the dragons? What’s to stop them from burning all of our homes down? From killing more of our people?”

Amid more cheers, Kurgm frowned and shook his head. His Majesty must’ve thought of that when he formed the treaty. A few years back, Kurgm remembered hearing about it in the castle. It was a wonderful thing, safety from the dragons, enforced by the friendly ones. He’d had the same question a week ago when he’d heard about the attack before: What had happened to the treaty?

“We demand that His Majesty comes out here and answers for himself! We demand justice!”

“They’re wrong.”

“Sh!” Ekla hissed. “Don’t say anything. Sit, listen, watch. That’s all we need to do. Anything else will make it worse.”

“His Majesty is too far above us to care! What are we to him? His loyal subjects? Or his willing slaves?”

Ekla’s hand shot out and grabbed Kurgm’s arm before he could take a step. He could barely think straight. How could they talk about His Majesty that way? He was one of the kindest people Kurgm had met. Kurgm was sure His Majesty would starve long before he let anyone else do so.

“They don’t know him,” she said, keeping her voice down. “To them, he’s any other king. They haven’t met him like we have, and he can’t come out in person to quell every uprising. Our job is to make sure news of this gets back to him. For now, we listen and watch.”

Kurgm did just that for the next few hours. He listened to them talk about the king like he was a tyrant. More people spoke, saying much the same as the first. They all told stories of hungry families, of food shortages, of fear. How bad was this?

“Worse than we thought,” Ekla said when he asked. What worried him most was how concerned she was. She watched the protests with a furrowed brow. It was worse than she’d realized, and that was worse than anything the protesters could say or do.

Kurgm kept himself calm, but the question had taken root.

Why isn’t His Majesty fixing this?

#VolumeOne #KeepingThePeace

The warmth of the castle hit him when Kurgm walked inside. It felt like walking into a warm blanket after months of being cold.

They walked to the forge. People were all working, but there was no sign of Lord Grund.

“What are you doing here?”

Roshil’s head popped up from behind one of the furnaces. Goggles covered her eyes, but Kurgm still felt a chill run down his spine. He knew not to show it, but it was hard to look at Roshil sometimes.

“What’s wrong with her?” he’d asked after they’d met for the first time.

“Nothing. She’s just different.” That was all the explanation Master Ekla ever gave him.

“We’re here to speak with Our Lord High Artisan. Is he here?”

Roshil looked around as though she had forgotten there were other people in the forge.

“He was here a moment ago,” she said. “We were just talking about cross-stitching.”

“That was three hours ago, Apprentice Roshil.”

Lord Grund wheeled into view from around a corner. Unlike Roshil, his face wasn’t covered in sweat and ash.

Both Master Ekla and Kurgm stood at attention. Roshil went back to her work.

“What do you want?” he asked.

Kurgm found it odd how the other officers always greeted visitors with some version of “How may I help you?”, but Lord Grund had always greeted them with some form of “What do you want?”.

“Apprentice Kurgm needs glasses, My Lord.”

Grund wheeled around to face Roshil. “Apprentice Roshil!”

Roshil’s face popped up from behind the furnace again.

“What?”

“Drop that and follow me.”

“I’m busy!”

“Making a sword that would lose to a wet noodle! Drop it!”

Roshil barked something in what Kurgm guessed was the arcane language, then left her work on an anvil and ran over to them. Judging by Master Ekla’s reaction, he didn’t want to know what it was she’d said.

“Apprentice Roshil! Who taught you to say that?”

“She probably heard it from me,” Lord Grund said, already taking off toward another corridor.

Master Ekla closed her eyes, and, judging by the exasperated look on her face, counted to ten. When she finished, she and Kurgm trotted to catch up to Grund and Roshil.

Lord Grund led them to another room. It was small, with a line of shelves in it. Grund took a pair of goggles off the shelf and handed them to Kurgm.

“Put these on, then stare out the door.”

Kurgm did as he was told. He watched out the door, his eyes following the other people running around the forge, until Lord Grund told him to stop.

Grund took the goggles and glanced at them.

“Yup. You need glasses.” He handed the goggles to Roshil, who also looked at them and nodded.

“Apprentice Roshil, you’re supposed to be writing down those numbers, not agreeing with me.”

“How was I supposed to know if you didn’t tell me?”

“You ask.”

Roshil grumbled something, but took out a piece of paper and wrote down some numbers. Kurgm could barely make out that there were numbers on the goggles.

“I’ve got work to do. Apprentice Roshil will explain what comes next.”

Despite Roshil’s protests, Lord Grund wheeled around and left the room.

“I still have some questions for Our Lord High Artisan that Apprentice Roshil clearly doesn’t know the answers to.” Ekla turned to Kurgm. “You stay here until I come back.”

Kurgm and Roshil stood to attention as Master Ekla left the room.

“Did you know there were protests going on in the city?” Kurgm asked.

“No, but why wouldn’t there be? It’s not like the court’s perfect. Of course people will be upset about something.”

Kurgm frowned. That didn’t seem right to him. People shouldn’t be upset. The officers and masters all worked hard for the people.

“The thing about people is that they always think about themselves first,” Roshil continued. “If other people are suffering too, well they’ll get to it when they have time.”

“His Majesty isn’t like that! Our Lord True Knight isn’t like that! They’d give their lives to help the people!”

“They’re nicer than their counterparts in other kingdoms, but that doesn’t mean much. They’re still people. If you’re so worried about the state of things, go out there and protest with them. Tell Our Lord True Knight that it’s a big problem, but he probably already knows.”

Kurgm couldn’t believe an apprentice would have such disrespect for the people that cared for their kingdom. The officers loved every citizen in the court like family, that’s why they were chosen as officers. Didn’t Roshil understand that? Was it because she hadn’t grown up in the court that she didn’t understand?

“You’re wrong.”

“Then why aren’t the officers fixing it? I’ve been to enough places to see it’s the same everywhere. People protest, those in charge wait it out until people get tired and forget about it. Nothing changes.”

“You’re wrong!”

“A dragon attacked a farm. That’s what they’re upset about, right? That’s easy to deal with. Go kill the dragon for breaking the treaty!”

As she spoke, Roshil’s voice grew louder and her whole body shook.

“Are you two getting along?”

They both stood at attention when Master Ekla returned.

“We’re fine, Master Ekla,” Kurgm said. “There’s not a problem.”

“I hope not.” Her gaze moved between the two of them. “Apprentice Kurgm, we can go. You’ll have glasses in a few days. Apprentice Roshil, Our Lord High Artisan would like to speak with you.”

“What did I do this time?”

“Watch your mouth. It’ll get you into trouble if you’re not careful.”

“It’s only trouble if you can’t get out of it.”

Master Ekla’s exasperated face reappeared.

“Please tell me Our Lord High Artisan didn’t teach you that.”

“Nope. That’s from my father.”

Kurgm was becoming curious about Roshil’s father. He’d learned that not only had he taught her to pick locks, but also apparently had some lax views on morality.

“Of course he did. Is he keeping to his agreement with His Majesty?”

“Of course!”

“Good. I’d hate to see your father arrested.” She emphasized the last word, then turned to Kurgm. “Apprentice Kurgm.”

He turned to Roshil, but wasn’t sure what to say. It hadn’t been a pleasant conversation to him, but she seemed as optimistic as ever. Whatever had come over her was gone.

They left the forge, but Roshil’s words stuck in his head. His Majesty wasn’t like that.

“His Majesty isn’t ignoring the protests, is he?”

Master Ekla froze in place.

“You shouldn’t need to ask that. Actually, you shouldn’t be asking that at all. Of course he’s not. They’re working on fixing the supply shortages right now.”

“Okay. That’s… that’s what I thought.”

He heard himself talking, but he wasn’t sure he believed it anymore. Roshil must’ve been wrong, but she knew more about the world outside the court than he did. What if Skwyr was slowly becoming like other kingdoms? What if they’d only pretended to be above them?

“Is there something you want to talk about?”

Kurgm slowly shook his head, his mind elsewhere.

“We don’t have to be anywhere for a few hours. Get some rest, and make sure you eat something. I’ll find you when it’s time to go back outside.”

Kurgm nodded, still lost in his thoughts.

#VolumeOne #KeepingThePeace

Kurgm walked into the Temple of the Rising Sun, but didn’t stay in the main chamber. Instead, he ducked through a side corridor. It was small, but as he walked down it, the sounds of the outside world faded away, leaving him alone.

At the end of the corridor was a small room with a soft floor. At the other end of the room sat an altar with a smaller statue of the Goddess Olmgra smiling down at anyone inside. At her feet was a silver basin that caught the light of the room and seemed to shine in it. When he closed the door behind him, all sound from outside cut out.

Kurgm walked up to the altar and knelt down. He was alone in the room, so he spoke to her out loud.

“My parents always said you guided them through hard times. Even…” He closed his eyes until the screams faded. “You gave them hope that tomorrow would be better. Well… I could use some of that hope right now. I’m not sure if what we’re doing is working. My parents served the court. I grew up believing in that. I believe in the servants of the court, but…” He closed his eyes again. Mad ramblings of nonsense joined the screams and cries, but he pushed those down too. “I’ve believed in people before that let me down. I—”

A sound caused him to jump. He snapped his head to his right, and saw another door opening. A young woman, about his age, held a silver chalice in one hand as she closed the door with the other. She turned around and jumped when she saw him.

“I didn’t realize anyone else was here,” she said. “I can come back.”

“No, it’s fine,” Kurgm said. He motioned up to the statue of the goddess. “She hasn’t said much anyway.”

The girl smiled, then walked over to the basin. She tipped the chalice and poured water into it. Kurgm was certain she was the new apprentice at the ceremony that morning.

“Have… have you seen the protests outside?” Kurgm asked.

“No.” She shook her head, sending her carefully arranged curls scattering over her face. She grimaced and rearranged them again. “No, I hadn’t. Is that why you’re here?”

Kurgm nodded, thankful that there was someone else to talk to.

“I thought it would be fine, but then a friend of mine mentioned how it is outside the court, and now I don’t know. What if Skwyr ends up the same? What if all that talk about freedom and equality and acceptance meant nothing?”

“I’m just here to refill the cleansing water.” The girl eyed him as though she thought he might attack her. She glanced at the door. “I need to do other things too.”

“But if it is a lie, wouldn’t you want to know?”

“Can it wait until I’m finished?” she asked.

He backed up to let her get to the basin. She began to pour water into it from the chalice in her hands.

“My… some people lecture me for worshipping her, but that hasn’t stopped me.” She nodded at the statue. “We’ve had faith, and she’s sent angels to help us in times of need. That’s what the court is, isn’t it? Except they send knights instead of angels.”

“We’re not just soldiers, we’re peacekeepers.”

“You’re… you’re a knight?”

“An apprentice knight. Apprentice Kurgm.”

“Apprentice Sirshi.” She nodded politely.

“Are you a priest?”

“Rotating through the temples right now, yes. I have to learn about all of them, not just the one I intend to serve.” She frowned at him. “I’ve seen you before, haven’t I?”

“I come here every morning.”

She nodded, but furrowed her brow. After a moment, she returned to filling the basin. When she finished, she walked back to the door.

“As our goddess teaches us,” she said as she opened the door, “all will be well.”

“Thank you.”

She nodded again, then left the room. Before she left, she stopped.

“Good luck with your whole existential crisis thing.”

“Thank you. Good luck with whoever keeps lecturing you.”

She scowled for a moment. “Thanks.”

Kurgm looked up at the statue again. As nice as it’d been to have company, it hadn’t helped much. Having faith in the court was good, but he didn’t know if it was well placed. He’d always believed it was, but what if it wasn’t anymore? What if Roshil was right? What if Skwyr became like the other kingdoms?

He stood up, wondering if he could stumble upon Master Ekla. She might be able to set him straight. Or at least give him something to do to take his mind off his problems.

He bowed to the statue of the goddess, then left the room. He tried to keep his focus on where he was, if only to keep it off everything else. But before long he was back at the door to the castle.

He walked through the door. He barely felt the tingle of the magic doors anymore. When he stepped into the castle, he found the one person he wanted to see walking by.

“Apprentice Kurgm,” Lord Velal said.

Kurgm stood at attention.

“May I have a word, My Lord?”

“Only if you can do so while walking.”

He fell into step with Velal. He caught himself before he started explaining the last few hours, trying to figure out how to condense it.

“Have you been assigned protest duty yet?” Lord Velal asked.

“Yes, My Lord. That’s what I wanted to talk about. I talked with Apprentice Roshil earlier, and she seems to think the court’s not going to do anything.”

He criticized himself for naming Roshil. That could easily get her in trouble. Not could, would. He’d just outed her, and she was sort of his friend.

“I see. Not surprising, knowing her family.” He looked at Kurgm’s confused face, then added, “Both of her parents were betrayed by their respective kingdoms. That leaves a bitterness inside a person, so even after living here for so long, it will take longer for those scars to heal. So when she expects Skwyr to end up like them, it is only because she was taught to regard the kingdoms with distrust. Add to that her own history… I’ll only say that however scared those people are outside, Roshil is worse.” His face curled into a smile. “But I assure you, we are doing everything we can to restore peace.”

“They don’t think that outside.”

“They are afraid. As Roshil, you must forgive them what they say in the clutches of fear. People aren’t themselves when afraid.”

Kurgm let out a sigh he didn’t realize he’d been holding in. When he realized what he’d done, he straightened up again.

“Apologies, My Lord.”

“I’ve known you since you were born.” He winked at Kurgm. “I’ll let you get away with it this once. But don’t let Master Ekla catch you. To be honest, her dedication intimidates me sometimes.”

Kurgm pressed his lips together to force back a laugh.

“I’m glad to see you’re looking better. In the future, do remember that speaking out is welcome; it’s the only way we can know when something’s wrong. We do, however, discourage whining.”

They stopped walking. Lord Velal motioned down one corridor. “Now, I must be going. I believe you will be running into Master Ekla soon. Take care of yourself, Apprentice Kurgm.”

“Thank you, My Lord. You as well.”

He watched Lord Velal walk down the corridor, then turned and continued down his own path. All his life, Lord Velal had managed to find the right thing to say. He hoped that would be him one day.

#VolumeOne #KeepingThePeace

The next morning, Kurgm got to have breakfast. He’d ended up not needing to go on protest duty after the first round. The protesters had taken a break, but he’d been assured by Master Ekla that they’d be back. So far, he hadn’t needed to return.

As he walked into the hall, he spotted Sirshi sitting on her own. He walked over and smiled down at her.

“Is it alright if I join you?”

She stared at him as though she was surprised he existed.

“I guess,” she said.

“Thank you.” He sat down and put some food onto a plate. “Did you get everything done yesterday you wanted to?”

“Yeah.”

Kurgm began to get the sense that she wasn’t going to say much. They ate their food in silence for a few minutes before Aonva and Roshil showed up. Unlike Kurgm, they didn’t ask before sitting down.

“Got something for you.” Roshil handed him a case and sitting down next to Sirshi. “Worked on them all night.”

“She’s not kidding.” Aonva had taken a seat next to Kurgm, so she spotted Sirshi first. “I’m sorry. I’m Apprentice Aonva, and this is Apprentice Roshil.”

“Apprentice Sirshi.”

Kurgm took the case and opened it. He carefully took the pair of glasses out of it and put them on. The world came into focus. He could see faces across the dining hall. He could read signs posted on the walls. He could see!

“They’re great,” he said. “Thank you.”

Roshil beamed with pride.

Aonva shot her a significant glance. “And…?”

Roshil folded her arms and grimaced. “And I’m sorry if something I said yesterday upset you.”

“It… it made me think about everything, but I’m alright now.”

Roshil glared at Aonva for a moment, then put her head down on the table. She mumbled something Kurgm couldn’t hear as she shifted her arms around to make a pillow for her head.

“Sirshi,” Aonva said. “Are you a friend of Kurgm’s?”

“Not really,” Sirshi said.

“We met yesterday,” Kurgm said. “She’s a priest.”

Roshil picked up her head and looked at Sirshi as though she only just noticed her. “You look familiar.”

Sirshi met Roshil’s gaze for a moment, then looked away and moved ever so slightly away from her.

“Okay.”

Kurgm had the same feeling, like he’d seen her before. He knew he’d seen her at the temple, but it felt like he’d seen her lots of times before. Maybe he’d seen her around the castle.

“What’s going on with the protests today?” Roshil asked, putting her head back down.

“What protests?” Aonva asked.

“The people are annoyed with those in charge,” Roshil said. “Probably rightly so.”

“Roshil!” Aonva glanced up at the table where the officers sat. “Don’t say things like that. They work hard for us.”

“Our Lord True Knight said there was a problem with the trade routes, so the prices of food have gone up. I want to help, but… I’m not sure how.”

“Well…” Aonva looked down at her plate. “You could… at least, when there are big protests going on, when the knights join in, it tells the people that the knights are the same as them. Not just the knights, any servants of the court, really, but they see the knights more than anyone else. Historically, it always makes the people feel better and gives them hope that they’re making a difference. At least, that’s what I’ve read.”

Kurgm looked around for Master Ekla. He liked the idea of helping out, of walking with them. He wasn’t sure if they’d listen to him, but it was worth a try. Before he could do that, he’d need the day off, which was something he wasn’t likely to get unless Master Ekla let him.

He caught her attention and motioned her over to them. When he glanced across the table, not only was Roshil glaring at Ekla, but so was Sirshi.

“Apprentice Kurgm.” Ekla stopped next to them. “What’s so important it can’t wait?”

“I’d like the day off, please.”

“You’re her apprentice?” Sirshi said.

Ekla closed her eyes for a moment.

“Apprentice Sirshi.”

“Master Ekla,” Sirshi said through gritted teeth.

“You know each other?” Kurgm asked.

“You could say that,” Sirshi said.

Ekla closed her eyes, the look of exasperation she usually reserved for Roshil on her face, who she had avoided looking at, likely to avoid the headache she’d get by seeing Roshil with her head on the table.

“Apprentice Sirshi and I are sisters.”

“Half sisters,” Sirshi said.

“Does she stalk you too?” Roshil asked.

“Apprentice Roshil,” Ekla said. She opened her mouth, then closed it and turned her attention back to Kurgm. “Apprentice Kurgm, why do you want the day off?”

“I want to march with the protesters,” he said.

“To show solidarity,” Aonva added.

“Are you sure? Even after everything they said yesterday?”

“They’re just afraid.” His eyes involuntarily darted to Roshil. “We shouldn’t fault them for what they say when afraid.”

Ekla considered that for a moment. He knew she’d figure out he’d been talking to Lord Velal. His Lord True Knight had a way of talking that seemed unique to himself.

“Only today,” she said. “If there’s trouble, get out immediately. If it looks like things are going to turn violent, get out immediately. The knights on patrol should know who you are, so find one of them if any of that happens.”

“Thank you.”

“There are other ways you can help. You don’t have to do this.”

“I think… I think it’s what my parents would’ve done.”

Ekla let out a breath that almost could’ve been a sigh.

“You might be right about that.” Her gaze flickered to the others, then she turned and left.

“I’m sorry,” Aonva said in her soft voice.

“About what? Everything’s working out.”

“You said ‘would’ve’. When you told me your parents weren’t around, I assumed they were off somewhere, but…”

“What’s going on?” Roshil picked up her head. “Is Master Ekla gone?”

“My parents are dead,” Kurgm said.

“I’m sorry,” Aonva said.

“It’s… I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Then don’t,” Roshil said. “That’s what I do.”

Kurgm frowned. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

“That’s because I don’t talk about it.”

“My parents are both fine,” Sirshi said. “Can we talk about something else? Or better yet, everyone leave?”

Kurgm turned to Aonva and smiled. “Thank you.”

She found something interesting on the table and mumbled “You’re welcome.”

Kurgm wasn’t sure if it would work out, but he was determined to try. There was a lot that could go wrong, but he’d learned early on that was how life went.

#VolumeOne #KeepingThePeace

Kurgm walked into the city. Sure enough, the protesters were back, demanding that His Majesty answer for his perceived wrongdoings.

He watched them for a moment. How was he supposed to join in? Did he start marching with them? Should he ask first? Who would he ask? He tried to spot one of the people who’d spoken the day before, but he couldn’t see any of them.

He walked closer, trying not to look like he was walking toward anyone in particular. Someone must know what to do. Maybe if he asked someone.

When he got closer, people noticed him. They moved away from him, as though some spell repelled them.

Not a spell. They’re afraid of me.

“I want to help!” he said.

“Go back to the castle, knight!” someone shouted.

“We have a right to be here!” another one called.

“Leave us alone!”

“No, I don’t—”

People marched past him, shouting at him to leave them alone.

His shoulders slumped. He took a step back. Maybe he couldn’t help after all.

“Why are you sad?”

He looked around, then noticed not an adult, but a child. A boy, maybe a few years younger than himself, stood apart from the mass of people. The boy had skin that could’ve been from Nelaro or Alforn, Kurgm couldn’t tell. But most significantly, the boy had bandages wrapped around his eyes and scars on his face and hands.

“Are you okay?” Kurgm asked.

“I’m wonderful. Thank you for asking.” When the boy smiled, it was soft and kind, like there wasn’t a dark thought in his head. There was something familiar about him, but Kurgm couldn’t put his finger on it. “But you’re sad. Why?”

“I wanted to help. I’m not trying to stop the protests, I’m trying to join in. I agree, what’s happening is wrong, and His Majesty needs to fix it. The castle’s working on it, but until they do, I want to show my support.”

“Then come march with us.” The boy reached out and offered his hand. “Everyone is welcome here.”

A man came up beside the boy. Unlike the boy, Kurgm could tell the man was a native of Alforn. Something about him also struck Kurgm as familiar, but he couldn’t place that either. Maybe he had one of those faces. He was well kept and had a face that said “you can trust me”.

“Oshal, please don’t run off like that.” The man looked at Kurgm. “You were here yesterday, weren’t you? With Master Ekla.” He narrowed his eyes. “Except the glasses are new.”

“You know Master Ekla?”

“I should think so,” he said, putting a hand on the boy’s shoulder, who’d lowered his hand. “She saved our lives not long ago. You must be her apprentice.”

“Apprentice Kurgm.”

“Nice to meet you.” The man grabbed Kurgm’s hand and shook it. “I’m Daylarl, and this is my son, Oshal.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Kurgm nodded respectfully, as Master Ekla had drilled into him to always do when meeting new people.

“All manners, I like it. Definitely her apprentice. I kept expecting her to come over here and give me a lecture about civil unrest or something.”

“But it’s our right to protest,” Oshal said. “People here are scared and angry. Some of them think His Majesty is hoarding food to save himself. Others think he’s behind the attack.”

“His Majesty would never do that!”

Kurgm found himself outraged by the mere thought of it. His Majesty King Fohra was regarded as the wisest king in decades. Kurgm truly believed he’d let himself starve before his people did.

“Settle down,” Daylarl said, glancing at the looks they were getting. “We know better. We’ve seen dragons before, and this was definitely a dragon attack.”

“That’s what happens to people.” Oshal’s mouth drooped a little. Kurgm was surprised how expressive he could be without eyes. “They get scared, and lash out. Don’t blame them for that. We must forgive people for what they say while in the clutches of fear.”

Kurgm smiled, remembering what Lord Velal had said. He was glad someone understood. He hadn’t known what to expect when coming out here, but he was glad he’d run into these two.

“Lord Velal told me that yesterday,” Kurgm said. “Have you met him?”

“It’s a long story, and there isn’t enough time to talk about it now,” Daylarl said. He motioned for them to follow the crowd.

Oshal walked slowly, carefully tapping a stick to find his way. The stick was quiet on the dirt. He moved with the people, never bumping them with the stick, as though he knew exactly where they were.

Kurgm looked from the pleasant smile on Oshal’s face to the grin on Daylarl’s. Something was familiar about them. He’d seen that smile before.

“Are you… are you Roshil’s father?”

“You’ve met Roshil!” Daylarl’s burst of energy nearly made him jump. “That’s wonderful. I was a little worried she wouldn’t make friends in the castle. Last I heard, she’d been assigned a different master, and I thought she might end up jostled from one to the next.”

Kurgm thought of her in the forge. She and Lord Grund were made for each other. They were both no nonsense, even with each other. It drove Master Ekla mad, but it meant her father’s fear would never be realized. She was happy in the castle, and it made Kurgm happy to think that she’d found a place there.

“My sister’s happy.” Oshal’s smile broadened. “That’s wonderful, if that’s true. Is it?”

Kurgm frowned, wondering what had just happened. Oshal said something with such certainty, but asked him if it was true. But he hadn’t said something, he’d said exactly what had been on Kurgm’s mind.

“You’re a weaver!”

“Keep your voice down,” Daylarl said. “Not everyone needs to know that.”

“Our Lady Grand Weaver says I have a gift for it,” Oshal said. “She already has a master picked out for me. Once the cold season ends and the flowers return, I’ll begin my apprenticeship.” He smiled a little wider. “Is my sister okay?”

“Yeah, Our Lord High Artisan took over her apprenticeship. I don’t know why, she won’t say. She doesn’t talk much to me, mostly to Apprentice Aonva, but I’ve never seen them apart outside the forge.”

Oshal smiled at this. Kurgm smiled back, glad he had found someone that accepted his help.

#VolumeOne #KeepingThePeace

After the Sun Welcoming Ceremony, Sirshi followed Master Moudren to the room where they kept the robes. She pulled off her own and put it away, then started back to the main chamber.

“Apprentice Sirshi, a word.”

She turned around and stood at attention.

“Yes, Master Moudren?”

“We’re glad to have you back in the temple,” she said. “With your permission, I’d like to discuss making you a permanent acolyte with Master Daktra.”

“Yes, Master Moudren. This is where I want to be.”

Master Moudren smiled, bearing a striking resemblance to the Goddess Olmgra.

“I’m glad to hear it. May Olmgra bring you a bright future, Apprentice Sirshi.”

“And you as well, Master Moudren,” Sirshi said with a bow.

When she returned to the main chamber, she found Kurgm waiting for her. She’d barely spoken to him in two months, occasionally seeing him and his friends at meals.

“Good morning, Sirshi,” he said with a smile. “You’re back.”

“Yeah, I’m here for another month or so,” she said, choosing not to mention Master Moudren’s offer to stay. “That’s what happens. Priests are rotated around, but I can pick sometimes.”

She walked past him and out into the castle. She noticed two things at once. The first was that he was following her. The second was that someone was waiting for him.

When Sirshi saw Ekla, any good spirits that she might’ve been in vanished. Any hope of the Goddess after the ceremony was replaced with anger.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, trying to keep her voice down.

“Waiting for my apprentice,” Ekla replied. “Good morning to you too, Apprentice Sirshi.”

How was it that everything Ekla said made her angry? Why couldn’t she keep her mouth shut for once and leave Sirshi alone? Sirshi figured she’d spoken first, but Ekla didn’t need to make it worse.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Master Ekla. I’ll try harder to be perfect like you.”

Ekla closed her eyes.

Probably embarrassed to even be around me.

“Do you have to talk like that?” Ekla asked.

“This is the way I talk.”

“That doesn’t mean there can’t be something wrong with it.”

“And you’re always perfect? Talking down to everyone like you’re better than they are? I’d rather talk back to people than down to them!”

“Calm down.”

“Why? Too embarrassed to be around your loudmouthed half-sister?”

Ekla glared at her, and Sirshi knew she was getting somewhere. Good. Now Ekla had an idea of what it was like for Sirshi to spend time with her.

“Yes.”

Something about the look on Ekla’s face made Sirshi think she hadn’t meant to say it, but her anger grew all the same.

“Fine!”

“Sirshi, I—”

Ignoring her half-sister, Sirshi stormed back into the temple, pushing past Kurgm on her way. Every thought in her head dissolved in the scalding heat of her anger. She wanted to calm down, and the only place she could do that was the Meditation Room.

To her luck, it was empty. In all the time she’d spent in the temple, there were few times she’d ever found someone else in it. Any other day, she’d wonder why, but today, such a thought didn’t stand a chance.

Why does she have to be that way? In her head, her own voice was a roaring flame. She didn’t dare scream inside the Meditation Room. She could barely see straight. This was why she avoided Ekla. Why did Kurgm have to latch onto her? She didn’t want friends! She didn’t need friends! Sirshi was fine with just Sirshi. She didn’t need anyone else. Apart from Master Daktra, and maybe Master Moudren, everyone lectured her eventually, claiming superiority over her. She was sick of it. Why couldn’t everyone leave her alone?

Her head whipped around the small room. Her limbs shook. She held her head in her hands to try to stay calm, but she was losing the fight for control.

Sirshi knelt in front of the Calming Basin. She thrust her hands inside. They hit the edge of the basin. It overbalanced and flew into the air. Through the storm of rage, Sirshi saw it strike the statue’s hand. She heard a crack.

The statue’s hand fell to the floor and landed with a thump.

The haze fell away and shock replaced it. She couldn’t believe what she’d done. Why did this always happen to her? Ekla made her angry, she lashed out, then she got in trouble. Little Miss Perfect got away with it every time. Their parents had never once punished Ekla.

It’s fine, she thought as she picked up the basin and returned it to its place. Water was everywhere. She grabbed a towel and dried herself off. I’ll find Roshil. She’s an artisan, she can fix it. I’ll go to the forge, get her to come here, she’ll fix it, and nobody will know.

It was never that simple. Sirshi was reminded of this when she turned around and found Master Daktra standing in the doorway.

“I can explain,” Sirshi said. “I was—”

“Go to the forge and fetch Our Lord High Artisan,” Master Daktra said. He made little effort to hide his disappointment. “After he’s fixed this, we’ll talk about your assignment to this temple.”

Sirshi couldn’t move. She struggled to breathe. What did that mean?

“Master Moudren said she wanted to keep you here. That she’d selected you as an acolyte for the Flower Blooming Ceremony next month. But now I don’t expect she’ll stay with that decision. She may not stay with either one.”

Sirshi’s world began to crumble. The Flower Blooming Ceremony was only held once a year to usher in the warm season. Being an acolyte at the temple, the acolyte for the Flower Blooming Ceremony, were the two things she wanted more than anything. And she’d almost had them. Almost.

But that didn’t happen. Not to her. Sirshi never got anything she wanted unless she took it for herself.

Sirshi left the Meditation Room. She didn’t look Master Daktra in the eye as she passed. She couldn’t. This was the way things went for her. There was no use assuming anyone stood up for you, that’s what she’d learned. No one was on her side.

#VolumeOne #ManagingAnger

Sirshi’s head was in a whirl as she made her way to the forge. She could almost hear Ekla chewing her out.

This is what happens when you aren’t responsible. If you were more like me, you’d be better.

“Shut up,” Sirshi growled. “Shut up and leave me alone.”

She didn’t want to think about what might happen after the statue was fixed. It was all Ekla’s fault! Why couldn’t she leave her alone? Sirshi didn’t want anything to do with her. If Ekla had let her be, none of this would be happening.

There were only a few people in the forge, considering how early it was. Sirshi looked around, but couldn’t see Lord Grund.

Instead, a woman walked up to her.

“Can I help you?” she asked in a tone that suggested that she wanted the answer to be “No”.

“I’m looking for Our Lord High Artisan,” Sirshi replied, keeping her anger out of her voice. “Is he here?”

“Whatever it is, I’m sure I can help. And you’ll stand at attention when addressing a master.”

Sirshi didn’t know where she found the restraint not to punch the woman in her stupid face. She’d already had enough of this from Ekla.

“Sirshi?”

Looking past the annoying woman, Sirshi spotted Roshil at one of the furnaces. Roshil gently laid down her work on the anvil in front of her and ran over to them.

“This doesn’t concern you, you little monster,” the woman spat.

Sirshi decided that if there was a person this woman hated more than her, it was Roshil.

“You’re not my master anymore,” Roshil replied. She smiled at Sirshi. “What can I do for you?”

“I’m looking for Our Lord High Artisan. The Temple of the Rising Sun requires his services.”

Roshil’s face lit up. “Those statues are so pretty! Do you know how hard it is to carve those? It must’ve taken them months!”

The more Roshil talked, the worse Sirshi felt, and the angrier she got at her sister.

The other woman opened her mouth, but was cut off by a voice that resonated throughout the forge.

“What do you want?” Lord Grund bellowed.

Roshil and Sirshi both stood at attention when he approached. The other woman did not.

“Master Udra, get back to work.”

She stood at attention when she spoke. “Yes, My Lord.”

“And within this castle, when an officer approaches you, you will stand to attention. Is that clear?”

Udra nodded. “Yes, My Lord.”

She turned and walked back to the furnace at which she’d been working.

“She was a good apprentice,” Lord Grund muttered. He turned his attention to Sirshi. “Temple need something?”

“One of the statues needs to be repaired,” Sirshi said, lowering her voice.

He nodded in a way that told her he understood exactly what had happened. Had other apprentices broken the statues?

Take that, Ekla! It’s not just me, so get off my back!

She also wondered how he knew she was from one of the temples, but chose not to ask.

He turned around and motioned for her and Roshil to follow.

“Not a problem,” he said. “I’ve fixed those statues loads of times. Easiest thing in the world if you know what you’re doing.”

“Why am I coming?” Roshil asked.

“I’m teaching you. That’s what I’m supposed to be doing, isn’t it?”

Roshil exchanged glances with Sirshi, then shrugged. Master Daktra wasn’t always the most hands-on master, but Sirshi liked it better that way. Better a hands-off master than to have someone standing over her every moment.

The three of them went to another section of the forge. This one had bins all across the wall, each one with a label. Lord Grund pointed to bins as Sirshi explained the damage. He asked her a few questions she couldn’t quite answer, but he seemed satisfied with the information she had. As he pointed to each bin, Roshil moved a ladder into place and took something out of the container.

After she’d packed everything into her bag, the three of them set off to the temple.

“Has this happened before?” Sirshi asked as they walked.

“It’s not usually the Temple of the Rising Sun, but people break statues all the time. The Temple of No Cares started making their statues out of cheaper materials after I refused to fix them anymore. As his temple’s name suggests, I don’t think Normtoch cares.”

“But you can fix it?”

“Of course, we can. Wouldn’t be with you if we couldn’t. It’s just the hand, so it’s not that hard to reattach. You didn’t shatter the whole thing. It’s hardly serious. And it’s good practice for Apprentice Roshil here.”

When they reached the temple, they went straight through to the meditation room. Master Daktra was still there. He unlocked the doors for them and let them inside. Sirshi noticed that Master Daktra avoided eye contact with Roshil.

Does everyone do that?

Sirshi looked at the statue with guilt, but it was soon replaced by anger. If Ekla hadn’t been there, none of this would’ve happened. Or if Kurgm hadn’t stayed behind to talk to her. She’d be eating breakfast right now, still excited about being chosen for the Flower Blooming Ceremony. Not that her parents would care. She’d known that when she’d chosen to be a priest, that they’d never be proud of her. No one was. Now not even Master Daktra was. What about Master Moudren? What would she say? She must know by now.

Lord Grund and Roshil inspected the statue. He kept asking Roshil questions, most of which she knew. It made Sirshi realize that he must really trust her. Or was this nothing more than another job to him? Maybe Roshil hadn’t made the mistakes Sirshi had made today.

Roshil took some of the items she’d collected out of her bag. One of them was a card she put on the stump on the statue. After muttering a few words Sirshi couldn’t understand, the card melted into the stump. Lord Grund handed her the broken hand, which Roshil took with great care. She rotated it to the right position, then placed it back on the stump. She muttered a few more words. When she finished, she took her hand away.

The statue looked like it did that morning. There were no cracks, no chips missing, no evidence that anything had happened to it.

“See?” Lord Grund said. “Good as new.”

Master Daktra bowed, and Sirshi followed suit.

“I am grateful, My Lord,” Master Daktra said.

“Don’t mention it. Apprentice Roshil did most of the work. It’s her you should be thanking.”

Daktra’s eyes darted to Roshil. “Yes… I suppose so. Thank you… Apprentice Roshil.”

Sirshi scowled at her master. Why was Master Daktra treating Roshil like that? Roshil radiated a feeling of discomfort, but Sirshi had always assumed the masters ignored it.

“Apprentice Sirshi.” Master Daktra turned to her. “Take today and tomorrow off while we decide what happens next.”

“It’s not like she’s the first one to break this statue,” Lord Grund said as he left with Roshil.

Sirshi bowed to Master Daktra, then to the statue of Olmgra, then left the chamber. She followed Lord Grund and Roshil out of the temple.

“Don’t worry about it,” Lord Grund said. “You’ll be back there in a few days.”

Roshil smiled and nodded at Sirshi.

“Oh! Me, Aonva, and Kurgm are going into the city tomorrow,” she said. “You should come too, since you’ve got the day off too.”

Before Roshil had said anything, Sirshi had been planning to avoid people tomorrow. Maybe it would be better to be away from the castle. Knowing what she did about Roshil, she’d find some way to distract her. The girl certainly wasn’t boring.

“I guess.”

“Great! We’ll all eat breakfast and leave after that! See you then!”

Roshil waved to her as she and Lord Grund headed back to the forge. Sirshi wasn’t sure what she wanted just then, but some time alone felt nice. Besides, she’d be getting her fill of people time tomorrow. With that, she headed to breakfast, hoping tomorrow would be a brighter day than this one had been.

#VolumeOne #ManagingAnger

The next day, Sirshi skipped the Sun Welcoming Ceremony. Olmgra wouldn’t want her there anyway. She met Kurgm, Aonva, and Roshil at breakfast, where she said very little.

“Glad you could make it,” Kurgm said.

She nodded, paying more attention to her food than to them. After they’d finished, they made their way to the castle gates.

Sirshi looked around for signs of Ekla. She was not in the mood to see her today.

“We aren’t being followed today,” Roshil said. “I checked.”

In spite of everything, Sirshi managed a small laugh. She decided Roshil wasn’t bad, despite the uneasy feeling Sirshi got from looking at her.

They left the castle. Kurgm nodded to the guards as they passed. Each of them presented the baubles that marked them as apprentices as they passed.

Sirshi didn’t remember the last time she’d been to the city. She actively avoided any chances of running into her parents, so she had never made a habit of leaving the castle. Besides, what was the point? Everything she wanted was in the castle.

“How’ve you been?” Kurgm asked her.

“Fine,” Sirshi replied. She didn’t want to explain any of what had happened with the statue, assuming Roshil hadn’t told them already.

“The forge is nice,” Roshil said, taking attention away from Sirshi (for which she was grateful). “Unless people shove your projects into a furnace.” Growling, she added, “Shove her into a furnace.”

“What happened?” Aonva asked.

“Udra happened,” Roshil growled.

“That woman in the forge yesterday?” Sirshi asked.

“Yeah. While I was gone, my work that I had secured, like I’m supposed to, ended up in the furnace.”

“Why were you in the forge, Sirshi?” Kurgm asked. He wasn’t accusing her, he wasn’t suspicious, he sounded interested. Since when were people interested in her?

“The temple wanted some statues polished,” Roshil said. “Something about a ceremony next month.”

Roshil had lied to her friends. Did she do that for Sirshi? Why? She didn’t want anyone to know about the statue, but she hadn’t expected Roshil to lie for her.

“That’s the Flower Blooming Ceremony,” Kurgm said. “It’s always amazing.”

“I’ve read about it,” Aonva said, “but I’ve never been to one. What’s it like?”

“Everything’s decorated in bright colors,” Kurgm said. “We greet the sky, and welcome back the flowers. There are flowers and plants all over the temple. Then we go outside and plant flowers in the temple garden, and all speak about that for which we’re hopeful this season.”

While he was talking, Roshil dropped back and whispered to Sirshi.

“Master Grund told me you’d appreciate it if I didn’t tell anyone. Our official story is that we were polishing the statues.”

Sirshi smiled at her. She decided then that maybe she and Roshil could be friends.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” A silly grin came over Roshil’s face.

They walked around the city, treading over the dirt roads. They stopped at a few shops, but couldn’t buy anything. They each had a small amount of spending money, which they had to save for lunch.

Shortly after they’d finished eating, Sirshi spotted a boy walking around with a cane. He had bandages wrapped around his eyes, and looked like he must’ve come from Alforn. But that in itself wasn’t as significant as Roshil’s reaction when she spotted him.

“Oshal!” Roshil sprinted off toward the boy, leaving the rest of them behind. The boy had just enough time to turn around and smile before Roshil tried to knock him off his feet with a hug.

“I’ve missed you so much!” She wrapped her arms around him, apparently attempting to squeeze the life out of him.

“I’ve missed you too,” he said.

Aonva and Kurgm caught up with the two of them, while Sirshi lagged behind. She didn’t know what was going on, but she wasn’t sure she cared. She’d had her fill of people time already. Roshil had friends outside the castle, big deal. Lots of apprentices did. Although if she and Roshil were supposed to be friends, should she care?

“I’m Apprentice Aonva. You must be Oshal. I’ve heard a lot about you. Good things, of course! But not too much, not like your sister talks about you all the time or anything like that.”

Did she say “sister”? Was this boy Roshil’s brother? Siblings didn’t get along that well, did they?

“Where’s father?” Roshil asked, looking around the marketplace.

Oshal raised his head, then pointed behind them. The four of them turned and saw a man coming out of one of the shops. Sirshi couldn’t figure out how he’d done that. There was no way the boy could see through the bandages. The way he never turned his head, he must’ve been blind. Was it some sort of spell that let him know where his father was? Was he a weaver?

“Hello again, Apprentice Kurgm,” Oshal said. “You’ve been feeling better.”

“I have, thank you. How about you?”

“I’m wonderful. Thank you for asking.”

Oshal turned his head to her, and furled his brow. Before he could say anything, another voice interrupted.

“There’s my girl!” The man ran over to them and swept up Roshil in a hug. Sirshi’s father had never been that happy to see her in her life.

He looked at each of them.

“Apprentice Kurgm, good to see you again.” He took Kurgm’s hand and shook it. “And who’s this young lady?”

“Apprentice Aonva.” Aonva bowed politely. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.” He shook her hand next. “Apprentice Kurgm said ‘inseparable’, I think. I’m glad she’s made friends.”

Aonva turned her gaze to the ground as the man turned his to Sirshi. “Last but not least?”

“Apprentice Sirshi.” She hesitated, then remembered she needed to bow. “Nice to meet you.”

He grinned at her. “Nice to meet you. I’m Daylarl, Roshil’s father.”

Roshil started talking to Oshal so fast that Sirshi wasn’t sure she could keep up. When she dragged Aonva into it, Daylarl chuckled.

“Are you Master Ekla’s sister?” Daylarl asked, turning to Sirshi.

“Half-sister.”

Daylarl nodded as if he understood. He couldn’t possibly understand what it was like.

“It’s not easy having someone like that for an older sister, is it?”

It wasn’t only his face that said he understood, but his voice. How was he doing that? Did he really understand?

He nodded to Roshil and Oshal, still chatting away with Aonva. “Oshal was born early. Roshil wasn’t a year old, but she knew he was sick. She was always by his side, even growing up. But Roshil doesn’t make friends easily. Even before… well, the other children didn’t like her. But they liked Oshal. He could be friends with anyone.”

Sirshi figured there was a point to this, but Daylarl was taking his time getting to it.

“Even then, she didn’t stop looking after him. He knows that’s what she does, because he can sense it. It’s not always obvious to everyone else, though.” He turned his gaze to Sirshi. “Ekla can be a bit much, but I know she loves you too.”

“She doesn’t care,” Sirshi snapped. “Everyone loves her because she’s so perfect. All she does is lecture me. I suppose I should be grateful she pays attention at all.”

Anger rose inside her again. She could see the statue in the Meditation Room, its hand on the floor. With all the focus she had left, Sirshi willed herself not to be angry again.

“What’s your apprenticeship?”

“Priest.”

“Oh, what temple?”

“I’ve finished my first round of rotation. I’ve been offered a place at the Temple of the Rising Sun.”

A grin spread over Daylarl’s face. “The Goddess Olmgra. Deity of hope and light.” He winked at her. “Good choice.”

His words caught her off guard. No one had ever taken an interest in her like that. No one had told her she’d made a good decision… ever.

“Thanks.”

“She’s good at it, too,” Kurgm added.

“I’m just carrying things now. Doing chores, helping with the ceremonies. The Flower Blooming Ceremony is soon, and I was chosen to assist.”

Sort of.

“Congratulations,” Daylarl said with a smile. “They have a lot of ceremonies, don’t they?”

“It’s to celebrate the end of the cold season, the hardest time of the year. Then to welcome the new warm season, when the flowers return, and the light of the world with it. There are also celebrations of the end of hard times. Olmgra teaches us to take joy in even the smallest victories so that we don’t take them for granted.”

Make today a bright day.

She looked at both of them and saw interest on their faces. They cared? Since when did people care what she said? Or were they just pretending so they could make fun of her?

“Her temple here is beautiful,” Daylarl said. “Not as flashy as Rendlok’s, but he’s the god of architecture, so you know they’re just trying to impress him. Sometimes simplicity is its own perfection.”

She nodded, not sure what else to say.

Before she could think of anything, Roshil nearly tackled her father.

“How’ve you been?” they asked each other at the same time.

“Keeping out of trouble,” Daylarl replied. “Those protests a few months ago weren’t as bad as they could’ve been. Especially after His Majesty came out of the castle to talk to everyone. It turned into a big town hall meeting.”

“Everything worked out,” Oshal said. He turned his head to Sirshi. “It usually does in Skwyr.”

Did he know about the statue? Had Roshil told him? No, she wouldn’t have. Would she?

Oshal smiled at her. His smile wasn’t big and goofy like his sister’s, it was soft and kind. She knew then that he wouldn’t judge her, not for the statue, not for anything.

“Thanks,” she said, still not sure what to make of him. No one had ever been so nice to her as they were all being.

“Master Grund’s great!” Roshil exclaimed, breaking the silence. “I’ve been learning a lot, and he made me this!” She held up her wrist. There was a small disc attached to it, with an insignia of a flower engraved on it.

“And you’ve made friends,” Daylarl said, grinning back at his daughter. “Which is important to parents, you know.”

What parents? Not my parents.

She exchanged glances with Kurgm. Maybe Aonva had nice parents. She glanced at the girl, but Aonva was looking around the street. Sirshi wasn’t sure if she’d heard Aonva speak at all that day.

At least Roshil and Oshal had a nice father. Looking at the three of them, they were so happy. And as the day went on, they all smiled and laughed with her, Aonva, and Kurgm. Sirshi felt for a little while that being friends with Roshil had somehow made her part of their family.

For the first time since she’d broken she statue, Sirshi began to feel happy.

All will be well.

It was one of the first mantras she’d learned at the Temple of the Rising Sun. As they all bid farewell to Daylarl and Oshal, Sirshi believed it.

#VolumeOne #ManagingAnger