"Get up, Luke. I thought you told me you're not a child?"

The small boy picked himself up and wiped dirt off his face with the back of his sleeve. Tears threatened at the corners of his eyes, but he managed not to let them fall.

"I'm not," he said, raising his chin defiantly.

"Good," the man said, and he swung his sword back around to the ready. "Again."

The boy didn't say anything, but his eyes turned hard, tears forgotten, as he readied his own sword.

By the time Luke fon Fabre was eleven, people were constantly reminding him to stop acting like a child. He thought he knew what they meant, in some fundamental sense, but it was hard for him to really understand. No one seemed to want to explain to him what the difference really was between being a kid and being a grown up. Usually, when people called him a child, Luke puffed up and told whoever had said it, in his best Angry Grown Up voice, that he wasn't a child, and that he was going to be king so they shouldn't talk to him like that.

It never seemed to get the reaction he wanted. Usually, people just laughed. Even Guy would laugh at that and ruffle his hair, which only served to make him angrier.

The only person who never seemed to patronize him about it was Master Van. The Commandant had started coming more often now, for swordplay lessons. Now that Luke could walk, run, and move freely without any real assistance again, his parents decided it was time he went back to fighting lessons.

Overall, he was a slow learner. The sword felt clumsy in his hand, though he'd been told by several people that he'd been quite good at swordplay before he lost his memory.

Master Van never mentioned anything like that. He was patient about teaching, as if he thought Luke had never known how to do it in the first place.

"I want to try something different," Van said one afternoon, when Luke was feeling particularly terrible about his lack of swordfighting skills.

Luke didn't stand up. He looked up at the man, petulantly, trying to keep his lip from quivering. There were tears shining on his cheeks that he hadn't brushed away yet.

Van raised an eyebrow. "Just going to sit there? I thought you didn't want to be thought of as a child anymore."

"I'm not a child," Luke said, but didn't stand up.

"Is that so? Then get up and prove it to me."

Van's words stung a little. Luke wasn't used to Van being that harsh with him. On the other hand, it wasn't as if the Commandant had called him a child. He just said to prove he wasn't one. Luke trusted that if anyone would tell him how not to be a child, it was Master Van.

Luke sniffed loudly and pushed himself to his feet. It wasn't exactly a graceful movement, but at least he actually stood up.

"O-okay."

Van smiled, just a little, and Luke found himself smiling back. It was hard not to smile back at the only adult that took him seriously.

Van bent down and picked up the small practice sword that Luke had dropped. "Here. Why don't you try this with your left hand?"

Luke's smile faded, and he looked at the sword with skepticism. Still, if Master Van suggested it…

He reached out with his left hand and took the sword gingerly, as if he was afraid it would bite him. Of course, nothing strange happened. In fact, it felt better in his left hand.

He swung the sword in front of him, experimentally. It was much easier than it had been.

"Good. Now come at me, like before," Van said, taking a step back and raising his own sword to parry.

Of course, Van could block anything Luke threw at him. But wielding the sword in his left hand, he actually had power behind each strike, and some small amount of grace found its way into his movements.

Later, he asked, "How come you wanted me to do it with my left hand?"

"I noticed you writing in your journal this morning. You write with your left hand."

Luke wrinkled his nose. "Yeah. Isn't that weird, though?"

Van tilted his head. "Is it?"

"Well, Mama said I used to do it with my right hand. But I don't like the way that feels. Did I really used to write with my right hand?"

"You did. Don't worry about that now. Just do what's easiest. Everyone else can adjust."

Hearing those words from Van made Luke feel even more grown up, and he was surer of himself and his weird left hand thing from then on.

"I don't have time to argue with you all day."

"So don't argue with me then. I'm not joining the stupid Oracle Knights."

Van regarded the sullen young man across the desk from him coolly for a moment. "What do you think this defiance is going to get you, Asch?"

"What do you think me joining the Knights will get you?" the boy countered, his own gaze attempting to mirror Van's. His eyes had too much anger to quite accomplish the look, though.

"More training than I can give you alone. I have other places to be, Asch."

"Places like Baticul?" the boy asked, unable to keep the venom out of his tone.

"Yes," Van answered, matter-of-factly. "It would be incredibly suspicious if I stopped showing up in Baticul. Soldiers have to do things that go against their personal codes more often that most people. I've explained this to you."

"I don't have to like it," Asch said through gritted teeth.

Van stood up.

"Asch. I'm not going to babysit you any longer, and I'm not going to let you hide here forever. Joining the Knights lets me have you work in the open, once you advance a little."

"What are you going to do if someone recognizes me?"

Van made a sound that didn't quite turn into laughter. "Recognizes you? Do you really think that's possible? As far as anyone knows, Luke fon Fabre is safe behind the walls of Baticul."

Asch's hands clenched into fists at his side, but he managed to keep his anger off his face. Mostly. A muscle worked in his jaw, but he said nothing.

Van came around the other side of the desk, and put a hand on Asch's shoulder.

"I won't lie to you, Asch. I can – and will, if you make me – do this without you. But your cooperation makes it that much easier. I much prefer you by my side, helping me end the Score that condemned you to die."

Something in Asch's stance changed, though it was subtle. He stared at the wall behind the desk for a long minute, then finally pulled his gaze back up to meet Van's.

"Fine. I'll do it."

"Good boy."

Luke hopped up and down, swinging his sword at invisible enemies. "When do I get to fight an actual battle, Master?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder to where Van was standing.

Van watched the boy with a smile ghosting on his face. "Someday, I imagine you will," he said. "Though at your age, I'm not sure why you want to."

"I want to be a knight!" Luke declared, slaying another imaginary monster and whirling to pretend to find another one. "Like you."

Van chuckled. "You're going to be the king."

"Yeah, so? Why can't I be a knight too?"

"Knights are more likely to protect the king. Knights don't get to be the king. Are you sure you want to give up ruling the country?"

Luke laughed, and whirled his sword around somewhat carelessly. "Sure. I mean, why not? If I was a knight, I wouldn't have to get married, and I wouldn't have everyone trying to lock me in here all the time. I could go out and fight enemies like you do!"

Van's chuckle turned into laughter. "Is that what you think I do?"

"Well, yeah, isn't it?" Luke asked, standing up and looking up at his instructor. "I mean, what else are knights supposed to do?"

"There aren't always enemies that you can fight with a sword, you realize," Van said, crossing his arms.

Luke shrugged. "But most of them you can, right?"

"That depends on the enemy."

Luke frowned, but it didn't last. "Well, I don't care. Either way, I want to be a knight like you! I can, can't I?"

"Maybe someday," Van said, conceding without conceding.

Luke was so overjoyed by Master Van's answer that when he went back to stabbing invisible enemies, he got his sword stuck in the ground so hard Van had to pull it out for him.

"You've come a long way."

Asch straightened his tabard. He didn't look back at the man behind him, but their eyes met in the mirror. Asch schooled his features into blankness, closer to frowning than any other actual expression. Even with Van, he worked hard to hide anything he was actually feeling.

Van pulled Asch around to face him, looking the boy in the eyes directly. Asch held his gaze, though it was clear he didn't really want to. He got uncomfortable about praise.

"Asch. Things have to move quickly from here. I know you're not fond of the others, but I have to trust that you'll work with them when I tell you to."

Asch rolled his eyes. "I have so far, haven't I?"

Van's smile faded. "More or less. You need to do better than that. I can't let anything stand in the way."

Asch jerked away, as he would if Van had been touching him, and headed for the door.

"I'll do what you want. I hate the Score too. You just have to make sure it doesn't kill me before that."

"I have no intentions of letting that prophecy kill you," Van said.

Asch left without answering.

"Master Van!" The words came across the entrance hall, and the boy who had said them followed them at top speed. He practically skidded to a stop in front of the Commandant. "Master Van, I didn't think you were coming today!"

Van offered Luke a smile, albeit a small one. "My apologies. I had other matters that required my attention."

Luke was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. "I was practicing with Guy earlier, and he said I'd come a really long way. You know, even though I didn't remember anything for a long time."

Van tilted his head with interest. "Is that so? Did you remember something?"

Luke's smile faltered, but didn't disappear. "Well, no. But I'm getting better at swords and stuff! So soon I can really be a knight!"

Van gave Luke the chuckle he reserved just for him. "Perhaps. Meet me in the courtyard in ten minutes, and we'll see just how far you've come."

Luke grinned full on, and went to fetch his sword. Van's feigned amusement faded as the boy left. He didn't even force it back onto his face when the met in the yard.

"I'm not going to go easy on you," he cautioned.

Luke nodded. He was still clearly happy, but he managed to make a good attempt at seriousness as he readied himself for the lesson. "I don't want you to, Master."

"Good."

Van won each match easily, though he did note that the boy had made quite a bit of progress. He wasn't on par with the boy whose life he'd been dropped into, of course, but Van didn't think that he ever would be. He didn't really think he'd ever have a chance to. The Score wanted fulfilling, after all, and Van had promised Asch he wouldn't let it kill him. That left the overeager replica to fill that place – something Van figured he'd do without any trouble. He did everything else Van wanted him to. He was better than Asch at that, and the Commandant wouldn't have had it otherwise.

Afterwards, he sat with Luke at the edge of the garden, sipping drinks one of the servants brought them.

"I still can't beat you," Luke lamented.

Van laughed. "Did you think you were going to?"

Luke half-pouted at him and nursed his drink. "Well, I guess not. I mean, no one can beat you, right?"

Van shrugged slightly. "I wouldn't go that far. But there aren't many people who could beat me in a swordfight, no. Not that I've met." Van was aware that no one was invincible, but he was also aware of the Score in a way not too many other people were; he was sure that no one could take him out in a fair fight, but that didn't mean he relied on that, either. He'd trained harder than a silly replica like Luke would ever know.

"Well, anyway, it was better, right?"

Van nodded. "Better, yes. You've improved. But that doesn't mean you can be lazy about lessons."

Luke sighed. "I know, I know."

Quiet settled between them for a few minutes, before Luke inevitably broke the silence. "You know, you're still the only person who doesn't treat me like a kid," Luke said, finishing his drink and setting the glass down, obviously expecting someone else to take care of it.

"I don't think of you as a child," Van said. "Though you're not of age yet, what good would it serve to treat you like a child your whole life?"

It was Luke's turn to shrug, though it was a much bigger gesture than Van's small one. "I don't know. Everyone else does."

"They're just worried about you, after what happened when you were younger. They haven't gotten over that yet."

"I wish they'd just leave me alone about that. It's not like I remember it. And I don't even care if I remember it! It's over now, right?"

"You should want to remember it. It's your past, after all, isn't it?"

"I guess. But it's hard!"

"Nothing worth doing is easy, Luke," Van said. "Trust me."

Luke crossed his arms and looked put out by the fact that Van hadn't agreed with him. "I guess if you say so."

Van held out a hand to the boy. "I am your teacher, you know. I have plenty more to teach you, besides swordplay."

Luke looked a little surprised by that. But his anger faded and he put his hand in Van's larger one. The Commandant pulled him to his feet, then moved him closer, so he was standing mere inches in front of where Van was still seated. Van used his free hand to straighten Luke's messy hair.

"What else are you going to teach me, Master?" Luke asked.

Van smiled. "Oh, quite a few things, before I'm done," he said, a little dismissively. "You're going to do something very important one day, after all."

"You mean like being king?"

"I mean something much more important than that. Something for me."

Luke's eyes went almost comically wide. "Really? What is it?"

"Something very special. But it's also a secret. You know how to keep secrets, don't you? It's very important that you do."

Luke nodded, solemnly, the way a child would when asked to do something important for a grown up. The comparison was not lost on Van, though of course Luke himself wouldn't have appreciated it.

"Good," Van said. Without warning, he pulled Luke even closer, and leaned in to press his lips against the startled boy's. Luke didn't return the kiss, though Van didn't really expect him to.

When Van pulled away, Luke was still staring at him with his eyes wide.

Van let the boy go then, and let his smile slide back onto his face. "Perhaps later I'll teach you something about adults, hm, since you're so insistent that you are one?"

Luke nodded, though he clearly had no idea what he was agreeing to.

Van stood up, then, and went to go into the manor. He got a few feet away, then realized Luke wasn't following him. Instead, the boy was just staring after him.

"Are you coming, Luke?"

Van's voice shook Luke out his thoughts, and he started. He did finally catch up, though. "Y-yeah." He reached for Van's hand as the Commandant turned toward the house again. Van let him take it, though his face remained neutral.

"And I'll definitely keep your secrets, Master. I won't let you down," he said, fingers tightening around Van's.

Van gave him that chuckle again. "I'm certain you won't."