Ornstein awoke with the usual dull throbbing pain in his arm. Sighing, he rolled over, waiting for it to stop. Now that the bone was nearly healed and didn't hurt anymore in a resting position, he often would accidentally lie on that arm and regretted it in the morning. He was more than ready now to get rid of that splint and get the full use of his right arm back. At least the infirmary had assured him, that they could take it off in a few more days.
After the pain ebbed down, Ornstein jumped out of bed and sighed again when he realized which day it was. His birthday or the day he had been found like he preferred to call it. He could only hope that Ciaran had kept her promise and kept Artorias from organizing some huge party. Ornstein was pretty positive that she managed it, he had seen her run around quite a bit the last few days.
Just when Ornstein had finished getting dressed and took up a brush to try and untangle his mess of a hair, but quickly gave up on it, he heard a knock on the door. Who could it be that early? He strolled over to it and unlocked the door to spot that the early visitors were Artorias and Ciaran.
"Happy birthday, Ornstein.", Artorias said after entering the room. Ciaran followed him and repeated the good wishes.
"I thought we would come over in the morning to help you out with everything.", Ciaran started. "So that you can have a nice quiet morning. We will meet up later in the conference room for the cake."
"She has been like this the last few days.", Artorias said, flopping down on Ornstein's bed. "Setting up a tight schedule and everything. And following me around all the time, coming from the strangest places, just to keep my mouth shut."
"I see you have kept your promise, Ciaran. Thank you.", Ornstein said. He then noticed Ciaran's glance going downwards, apparently on the brush he was still holding.
"Let me guess, you have tried to brush and gave up immediately?", she said. Before Ornstein could even answer, she had snatched the brush. "I will take care of this. Sit down.", she demanded and got Ornstein's hair done under his slight protest while Artorias watched.
"Don't you think you should grow up? You are 20 now.", Artorias said from the bed. "And yet another person still has to comb your hair for you."
"To be fair, I have very long hair that is also curly and most of the time it is in a ponytail, so why should I bother?", Ornstein said, grumbling a bit.
"You could just cut it, but you already told me, that you don't want to cut it.", Artorias said and flopped down on the pillows.
"I don't really see why, short hair so much easier to take care off.", Ciaran mentioned from behind Ornstein.
"It's just... I had my hair long since I could think and it would feel so weird to cut it off now.", Ornstein mumbled. "Are we done with this yet?"
"Just a moment, still have to tie it into your ponytail.", Ciaran said and laid the brush aside.
A short while later, they had helped Ornstein in his armour and were ready for the day. To Ornstein's relief, nobody was making a great fuzz about him today, making it a very laid back and comfortable day. In fact, it was so normal, that Ornstein only got snapped back to the thought of his birthday when Artorias mentioned that they could head to the conference room now.
"How about you already go in there, I still have to get your cake.", Artorias said in front of the door to the conference room. They had stripped themselves out of their armour for some more comfortable clothes. Ornstein decided to wear some of his better clothes today, not the usual linen ones he would wear under his armour. He had chosen matching pants and a tunic out of green silk cause it was a nice contrast to his bright red hair and complimented his eye colour. Only the broken right arm still having to rest in the sling was a slight flaw. Whatever, in a few days this would be gone anyway.
Ornstein watched Artorias vanish behind a corner. The wolf knight had changed in some blue clothes that also had the same pattern on them like the cape on his armour. The dragon slayer then entered the room expecting nobody to be there yet, but was instantly greeted by the master, who pulled him in a hug. Instead of his armour the master had put on the prince's garb, Ornstein could only describe it as some sort of male version of the princess's dress. He personally really enjoyed the white and gold colours on it and found that the master looked amazing wearing it.
"How is my favourite student today? Feeling all grown up already?", he said and let go of Ornstein, whose face had turned as red as his hair.
"I am sorry, was this too much?", the master asked, concern in his voice, "We normally never can act like this out in public, I wanted to try it out at least once for myself."
Ornstein took a few deep breathes, trying to calm down. 'Of course, that is all what he wanted. Why do you even think he could mean it that way?', he bitterly thought to himself, but then forced himself to a smile and said: "Not at all, I am sorry, master. I was just surprised. Are you the only one here yet?"
"Yes, but the others will surely arrive soon. Shall we talk a bit while we wait? We haven't seen each other a lot lately."
Ornstein agreed and the both of them sat down and talked for a bit until the door opened. It turned out to be Ciaran and Gough. The giant had to crouch down to fit through the door, even though they had installed a pretty big one already.
"Artorias isn't here yet?", Ciaran asked surprised.
"He wanted to get the cake.", Ornstein said. "Maybe he still has something to finish or something, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Artorias would never leave the chance to hang out." He eyed the newcomers: "Why are you two still in your armour?"
"I don't see a reason to change out of it.", Ciaran nonchalantly said and took a seat.
"I am so used to wearing it now, that I feel naked when I am not in it.", Gough answered in his low, gentle voice and produced a bottle of wine: "We can have a drink while we wait."
"Hopefully it's not any giant wine, cause that one is too strong for us.", Ciaran said and glanced to Ornstein. "Especially for Ornstein.", she added.
"No, don't worry.", Gough said. "It's just some regular wine. But still a good one."
"I'll go get some glasses.", Ornstein said and tried to stand up, but was pretty much forced back into the chair by the master.
"You surely don't do anything this evening. Let me handle this.", he said. A short while later, they all had their drinks and a knock on the door was heard.
"It's open, come in.", Ornstein called and Gwyndolin entered the room.
"I am sorry, am I late?", they asked and slithered into the room.
"Not at all, we have just started and aren't even complete yet.", the master said. "Here, let me pour you a glass of wine."
"Master, they are 13!", Ornstein exclaimed next to him.
"One glass won't kill them.", he grinned.
After Ornstein had finished his first glass of wine (and because he already felt it, it would be his last too), finally Artorias entered the room with the promised cake.
"Sorry to made you all wait.", he loudly exclaimed. "But before we eat, I think we should all give Ornstein our gifts first."
Ornstein was flattered. "You didn't had to. You all being here is enough for me.", he said.
"I don't want to hear any of this nonsense. At least once a year you can grant something to yourself.", the master said. "Let me start with mine."
The master walked into a corner of the room and returned with a package, which he placed on the table.
"I would like to leave the opening to you, but I think you may need help with it anyway, so let me just take it out for you.", the master mentioned after a glance on Ornstein's injured arm. He rummaged around in the package for a bit and presented a tea can.
"Because you hadn't one yet, I got you your very own tea service.", the master said, sounding very satisfied with himself. Ornstein on the other hand, just stared at it.
"I am grateful for your gift, master, but, um, why is it shaped like a dragon?", he wanted to know.
"Because you are the dragon slayer, of course.", the master said. And with how proud he sounded Ornstein was sure he thought about it as the perfect gift, while Ornstein himself kind of found it very very ironic. On the other hand, he really could use a tea service and any gift of the master was a good gift for him.
"Look, there are also matching tea cups.", the master said and placed them all on the table. "I thought we could use it right now to make tea for the cake."
"Why not? Now it is here anyway.", Ornstein said. "Thank you very much, master, now I can give Gwyndolin their borrowed tea service back."
"It was about time.", Gwyndolin said. "Oh, I have a gift for you too. Here.", they produced a small medicine bottle with a red liquid in it. "I made some medicine with a few drops of dragon blood in it. If the rumors are true, then it can heal any injury at once."
"Rumors, Gwyndolin?", Ornstein said, but accepted the bottle, making a mental note to store this bottle away and never ever use it. He remembered to well the side effects of Gwyndolin's medicine they had told him about.
"But we have Divine Blessings for this?", Artorias mentioned from his seat. "Why would you try and create a medicine that is practically the same?"
"Because I want to at least make some use of the dragon parts we have.", Gwyndolin simply said and sat back down in their chair. "And it could give my sister a break...", they added quietly.
"Alright, who wants to go next?", Artorias asked and looked at Gough and Ciaran. Apparently, he wanted to go last.
"I carved these dragon figurine for you.", Gough said and placed an incredibly detailed wooden dragon on the table.
"Gough, this is incredible.", Ornstein gasped. "But... a dragon again? I am starting to see a pattern here."
"Idea of the prince.", Ciaran said and put something into Ornstein's hair.
"What have you just put in there?", Ornstein asked confused, already raising his hand to get it off, but Gwyndolin handed him an illusionary mirror. He noticed that Ciaran had put a dragon shaped hairpin in his hair.
Ornstein felt a bit stumped. "And what do you have, Artorias?", he asked, wondering if Artorias would have been able to dragonfy a cake. To his surprise, the cake looked pretty normal, until he noticed the fruit that Artorias had used.
"Dragonfruits, really?", he said, but he wasn't upset anymore. It was just too cute. He started to grin. "You all really put a lot of effort into this.", he said.
"And that is not even all I have to offer.", Artorias said and walked over to Ornstein to lay something on his shoulders. As he walked back to his seat, Ornstein took a look and noticed a finely handmade crocheted scarf with a dragon motive on it.
"We have decided only three days ago to give Ornstein dragon themed gifts. Don't tell me you made this thing in this time while still attending to your duties and making the cake.", Ciaran said.
"I sacrificed a bit of sleep.", Artorias said. "I will go and make the tea now." He grabbed the new tea can and left the room.
"It's not even cold yet.", Ornstein mumbled. "He didn't had to hurry with this so much..." He could feel the master's hand on his shoulder, clearly noticing that his feelings were about to overwhelm him.
"I often think we don't deserve someone like Artorias.", Ciaran said and Gough nodded next to her. "But things like this make me appreciate him all the more."
After Artorias returned with the tea, the rest of the evening went smoothly. The cake turned out to be delicious and they managed to eat it all up. Artorias and Ciaran went into a harmless drinking contest which Ciaran won cause Artorias had to admit that another glass would made him full blown drunk. The master was especially fascinated by the dragon figurine Gough carved and spent some time marveling about it. Gwyndolin already had some ideas for Ornstein's hair the next day and told him about it. Gough pretty much just sat in his chair and seemed to watch them all. After it had gotten late, they all decided to call it a night and left.
Artorias and the master helped Ornstein to get all his new dragon stuff into his room, before wishing him a good night. Ornstein spent a bit time to put the things properly away, also getting Gwyndolin's tea service ready so that he could give it back to them, putting the scarf in his chest with winter clothes, the dragon figurine on the window board and the hairpin on the night stand. He also looked at the medicine bottle wondering if he could have some use for it, but then decided to go with his first plan and buried it deep in a dresser filled with things he rarely ever used.
After he was done, he changed in his night clothes. It had gotten late in the meantime, so he went straight to bed. While he drifted off to sleep, he thought about that he really enjoyed this evening. He hoped he could spend time like this with his friends forever.