Skwyr Court

Grund wheeled his way to the gardens, Roshil at his side. He didn’t much care for Gorkle’s new apprentice, but zie had convinced him that Apprentice Nourd wasn’t about to try to kill Roshil. Besides, if he tried, Grund had at least six ways of stopping him.

And all without getting out of your chair.

Pwurmn used to make jokes like that. He’d always say it with a goofy smile on his face, one with which Grund had fallen in love after the first time he’d seen it. To Pwurmn, Grund’s legs were no big deal.

Grund pushed all that back down, knowing that Durwey would be there with them. She’d pick up on the slightest hint of emotion, and then she’d ask about it as if he wanted to talk about it.

Sure enough, Durwey and Gorkle were sitting on a bench in the gardens. They had a perfect view of Nourd and Oshal, who were walking through the gardens. Nourd kept asking Oshal questions, and, impressively, Oshal always had an answer.

I guess you get good at that when you grow up with Roshil.

Roshil stopped walking when she spotted the others. Grund sensed her hesitance, and another feeling, one he’d worked out was a desire to run and hide behind a project in the forge.

“You don’t have to do this today, but you will eventually, so you might as well get it over with.”

Nourd stopped talking to Oshal and sniffed the air. He turned and glared at Roshil and Grund.

“Don’t glare at an officer!” Grund barked.

Oshal stood at attention. A moment later, Nourd did the same.

At least he’s learning.

“Hello, My Lord,” Oshal said.

“Apprentice Oshal. Apprentice Nourd.” He turned to Roshil. “Have fun. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“Um… okay.” Roshil had been different over the past few months, but at least Grund knew why. It’d have been worse if she’d been acting different for no reason.

He went over to Durwey and Gorkle, leaving Roshil to awkwardly get along with Nourd and Oshal.

“‘Bringing him into the castle’,” Grund said. “You sure he’s ready?”

Gorkle nodded. “He’s made good progress. I don’t think it’ll be for another few months. I want to know he’s going to get along with everyone.”

“Really? So you’re not going to set him loose on any certain cursed apprentices?”

“Don’t make me separate you two,” Durwey said, glaring at them both. “You both understand the circumstances of the others’ apprentice, so don’t start a fight. It’s one thing to do this in meetings, but don’t you dare start in public.”

Grund found it a little amusing how different Durwey was around them than she was around her own apprentice. Like Emgard, she had no problem putting herself in the middle of a fight to break it up.

They watched Oshal trying to engage both Nourd and Roshil. Grund doubted he’d find common ground, but if anyone could, it was Oshal.

“How is she?” Durwey asked. “Recovering?”

Grund folded his arms. “It’s hard to tell with her. Even before Apprentice Oshal’s mistake, and before her own, she was always a little erratic. She listens alright, but I can tell there are days when she’s trapped inside a memory and can’t figure out how to get out.”

They sat in silence again. Roshil mumbled something that made Oshal light up. Nourd begrudgingly added something to their conversation, which made Oshal even more delighted.

“There are times I can tell Apprentice Oshal remembers, too. He can still sense that dragon.”

“We could go after it,” Gorkle said in a low voice. “Remove the problem entirely.”

“King Fohra expressly forbade us from doing so,” Durwey said.

“It won’t help them,” Grund added, nodding at Oshal and Roshil, the former of whom had taken over the conversation again. “He’ll be alive in their minds for years to come.”

Gorkle looked like zie was about to argue, but another arrival in the gardens silenced him.

Lady Emgard entered the gardens, supported by her staff, followed by Apprentice Aonva. While Emgard walked over to join them, Aonva stood awkwardly with the other three apprentices.

“Apprentice Aonva!” Oshal exuded excitement, while his sister avoided eye contact.

“Hi,” Roshil said to the ground. “Um… How… how are you?”

“I’m alright,” Aonva said, also avoiding eye contact.

“Come to join our party?” Grund asked as Emgard sat down next to him.

Emgard motioned to the apprentices. “If Apprentice Nourd and Apprentice Roshil are going to be forced to get along, I thought Apprentice Roshil would like some reinforcements.”

Grund watched the four of them for a moment. Roshil was a little happier for the company, Apprentice Aonva’s in particular, but nothing compared to Oshal’s enthusiasm. The boy introduced Nourd and Aonva, then began directing many of Nourd’s questions to Aonva. As he started talking, she started explaining, and the general energy level among the four of them increased.

“If that boy has questions,” Lady Emgard said, smiling as though she’d won some competition, “Apprentice Aonva has no shortage of answers.”

“It certainly takes the burden off us to answer his questions.” Gorkle sounded as though zie had been running for days and had only just been told zie was allowed to take breaks.

“Have you officially taken over her apprenticeship from Kaernin?” Grund asked.

“Of course not. I’m far too old to be running after an apprentice these days, but we do research together. I don’t mind saying that Apprentice Aonva might be one of the most brilliant apprentices I’ve seen.”

“Do you know why she does her hair like that?” Durwey asked. “It can’t be comfortable, forcing her hair into those braids.”

“Her parents have some rather critical views of what men expect of her, I’m afraid. Including not allowing her hair to grow naturally. By the way, I love the blue beads you’ve got today.”

“Thank you.” Durwey held up a strand of her hair. “I saw them in the market the other day and couldn’t resist. And it helps Apprentice Oshal when I wear the beads. I’ve got a few books on Bywin hair I can lend to Apprentice Aonva.”

“I’m sure she would love that.” Raising her voice, she added, “Now if only we could introduce Apprentice Roshil to a comb.”

“Looks fine to me,” Grund said, smirking. “Besides, the girl wants to hide her eyes.”

“Can’t think why,” Gorkle muttered.

Grund and Emgard glared at him.

“Sorry,” zie mumbled.

Three of the four apprentices stopped and pulled out their orbs.

“That’ll be the curfew warning,” Durwey said, getting to her feet. “It was nice spending time together outside a council meeting.”

There were general murmurs of agreement as Emgard and Gorkle stood up.

Grund watched as each of them left. Emgard and Aonva left, with Durwey and Oshal behind them. Gorkle led Nourd to a separate part of the gardens where the druids slept.

He made his way over to Roshil.

“Ready to go?” he asked.

Roshil nodded. There was something different about her. A little bit of her old self was back.

“I haven’t gotten to talk to Aonva in a while,” she said, more to herself than to him.

“There are plenty more days like this one,” he said. “You’ll be so happy, you’ll be sick of it.”

Roshil laughed a little.

See? I always said you’d be good at this.

Grund glanced at Roshil, who was lost in her own world already.

I guess we both got to talk to people we’ve missed tonight.

#VolumeTwo