A Campbell Estate Interlude

Lunch was a less subdued affair than breakfast. Even with the lady of the manor gone, everyone couldn't stay subdued forever. After all, nothing truly terrible had happened, and so the natural mood of the house asserted itself. The children ate, the village children staying for lunch so they wouldn't have to trek home and back to school in the middle of the day. The food was so different from what they got at home. Soups with long chewy strings, fried vegetables, soft white sweet grains… and they each got a cookie after meals before they had to go back to class too! And sometimes the lady would bring out what was probably special noble's food, like Eyes Cream, which was a weird name but apparently nobles ate fish eggs, so weird names for food wasn't very weird. They'd all seen Lady Katarina make it once, and it was just sugar, cream, jam and some other things that she put in a magic pot.

By lunch, many of the older wards had finished their chores and were at leisure. Some contemplated finally taking their own lives, even as they knew they wouldn't be allowed by those who had sworn and now watched. Not during the day, at least. Their lady was very strict about anything that might scar the children's hearts, and they did not wish their last act to be to offend their lady, who had only ever been generous, caring and kind. And so they wordlessly sought others among them similarly purposeless and empty and retired together in privacy. It was often empty, unfulfilling and vaguely disgusting, but it was by their choice, both the act and the company. Every touch, every movement, every partner, was of their agency. No one made them, no one forced them. In the height of the moment, they could forget the past, even if only for heartbeats…

Sometimes one or the other would stop and break down crying in disgust and revulsion and shame. Sometimes they'd stopped in the middle, feeling worse than before, going their separate ways and pretending it didn't happen, only to do it again the next day. Sometimes, when one cried, the other cried too. Sometimes they'd just lay there, holding each other and crying, but knew that they were not alone, because someone else understood, no matter how terrible it was that they did so. Sometimes nothing happened, and they would just enjoy each other's company, not touching, and speak softly of home, or the day's events, of the children who admired them so guilelessly and called them obasan and oneechan. Sometimes, they'd even speak of the future.

And sometimes, what happened wasn't empty. Sometimes it fulfilled. Sometimes, they felt safe. Sometimes one of the other would stop in the middle and break down laughing, and it wouldn't be tinged in hysteria. Distances shrank.

Sometimes, wounds healed, the edges closing bit by bit.

And sometimes, one of them would stand by one of the upper floor windows covered in glass, and stare not down at the ground, or off into the distance to where their homeland– their former homeland– once lay, but in between, towards the grounds where the knights trained and where a figure who looked like she wore an onion on her head practiced with shield and boken. And they would think, 'If only I'd been stronger…', 'if only I knew how to protect myself…', 'if only I'd had a weapon…'…

'I don't want to be weak anymore…'

Selena Berg worked in what was usually Sophia's office, missing her prince but also satisfying the feeling that sometimes whispered she wasn't doing enough as a major partner and investor. She finally understood what her prince meant about having to hold herself back, lest she be unable to resist… But they weren't his younger brother the third, so driven, seemingly without moderation. Though it pained them both, they agreed sometimes distance and restraint was necessary, if only to make their reunion all the sweeter. And besides, thy were grown adults, with responsibilities and obligations. Controlling themselves was what adults did.

…

Perhaps she could convince her prince to spend time in Maria's estate with her, and relax and be informal. After all, his younger brothers did it with their fiancées all the time, why couldn't he?

Colin, his halberd in hand, saw to it he and her ladyship's other armsmen patrolled the borders of the estate, watchful for intruders and any who would disturb this sanctuary. Whether it was still steal the secret of the nightflowers, or the terrible and amazing weapons their lady had invented, or dared to disturb the security of the women and children their lady had taken under her shield, he and the other armsmen saw to it that the attempts were foiled, and the miscreants were jailed, and maybe the Chosen Lord and the dead gods have mercy on their Dark Souls.

Katarina Claes trained and though she had confidence in her sword parry, she held up the shield (so shiny! So pretty! Ah, what would she draw on it?) that her cousin had gifted her, sword in hand, helmet on, and learned to parry with a shield with the same sort of nearly mindless, repetitive determination she'd used to learn the sword, or tend fields, or throw toy snakes with nigh-preternatural accuracy.

They went at it for hours, stopping only for lunch, and neither knight nor squire flagged or failed.

Finally when mid-afternoon came and the children finished with school, only then did Katarina and Matthew put down their swords and shields. Katarina sighed in relief as she was able to take off her helmet, which had lots and lots and lots and lots of little scuffs and impact marks on it, and tie on a cloth to keep her hair back. Finally she could take a break from physically hard, and repetitive sword training to relax and do backbreaking, how, sweaty detail-oriented farm work with the kids! Yay!

Watching her previously-tired cousin grab her hoe and run off with seemingly even MORE enthusiasm towards the estate's farm fields to do farmhand work with children with nothing more than a quick drink of water to replenish herself, Matthew had to wonder where Katarina got all her energy.

The rest of the afternoon was spent cheerfully farming with the children, irrigating plants, weeding, and making sure all the crops were growing properly and not bent or growing wrong. Ah, it took Katarina back, reminding her of the good ole days when she was young and still learning how to farm and teaching Keith and Sophia and the princes and Alan and Mary how to help her take care of her fields… Ah! She hoped Keith was taking good care of her fields at home. Maybe she should ask Maria if she could go home to check on them on her next free day. She missed her fields, no matter how fun it was to work on the fields at Maria's estate, which were so much bigger and with many different crops, so big she almost felt like a real farmer when she helped take care of it!

She still wasn't allowed to work on the rice field unsupervised, though. Mai-chan, who was in charge of the rice, was so very strict about the people she allowed on her paddies! Not that Katarina could blame her. She was an (amateur) farmer herself, after all. Mai was also not completely satisfied with the rice they had, which was a strain from Xiarmah, to Sorcier's east, and was still a bit wary of it, since she worried it wouldn't grow properly like Ashina rice.

Do your best, Mai-chan! Katarina cheered her on.

Selena-chan had come out to say hi, but hadn't stayed long since she was planning to go back to have dinner with Prince Ian. Still, it was nice to see her, and they spent a few minutes chatting pleasantly, with Katarina telling her about all the hard work she was doing to become a knight and Selena told her all the paperwork she had to do. Katarina prayed for her soul.

Eventually, as the sun began to set, the children went to the manor to wash for dinner, and Katarina did the same over at the baths the knights used, remembered it was her turn to clean it tomorrow. She had dinner with her sempai, who were all very supportive even as they teased her about not getting the hang of parrying with a shield yet. Others defended her, and it turned out a lot of knights didn't use shields to parry at all, opting to just roll around until they ended up behind their opponent and attack then. Katarina listened and took earnest notes as her sempai all talked to her about the best way to parry with a shield. Some of them contradicted each other, but Katarina's didn't interrupt. Maybe if she tried them all, she'd learn how to use a shiled to parry faster…

Rafael returned home after a long day at work to find Sophia there to greet him instead of his fiancée. She promptly left to go home after they exchanged greetings, but he was glad. His maid Lasciel greeted him next, bowing to him demurely, and he replied tiredly but glad to see a familiar face.

Was it wrong this place still felt like home, even without Maria? He'd hated this place for so long…

He stepped inside, into the loud background hum of children doing homework or getting ready for dinner or putting off homework to play in the halls, of older wards carrying dried laundry up to their rooms to store and fold, of Ghirardeli walking out from a side room as if by chance and nodding to him with a smile.

"Hello papa," one of the children said, waving as he and a bunch of others ran past, followed by a few more laughing children and an older Ashina girl– Hotaru, if he remembered right– chiding then in the Ashina language, her tone saying she was trying to get them to do their homework but was enjoying the chase herself.

Rafael closed his eyes sighed and smiled.

It was good to be home.

Dinner at the Campbell estate was less subdued that night. Though people kept glancing at the empty space at the head of the table that should have seated the lady of the house, it was more out of habit than anything else. Children talked excitedly about what they'd done at school, while older wards talked about whether they should dare ask for new clothes to suit the upcoming season. Once suggested they find a way to speak to Katarina-dono and ask her advice on how to bring it up, for she was always so understanding and in tune with their needs, almost as if she were from Ashina herself. They all agreed this was a good suggestion. Feet rubbed under the table, some stoically, others out of empty habit in a bid to be in control of their own bodies, some flirtatiously. Some sat with feet touching, and that was all. Alice Campbell had dinner, doted on the children, and spent a relatively calm night lying back and worrying about what her daughter was up to while Anne held her hand and gave what comfort she could.

Children sat on the carpets of the upstairs common rooms, doing their homework and speculating on what adventures Mama was having this time. Shana walked around, holding her latest lesson plan and asking if people would be willing to help her for Katarina's next lesson, double checking the things she'd need before bringing it to grandpa Ghirardeli so he could get it ready. He solemnly accepted the list with utmost seriousness and called Shana 'little lady' and treated her like a grown up.

One of the three big brothers, who was really pretty and looked like a big sister, came down to check on them, and the children all begged him for a bed time story since mama wasn't around, calling him onii-chan and aniki and using the big eyes and pout Lady Sophia had taught them was the best way to ask things of big brothers. Big brother Souji relented, sitting down on the floor with them and straightening the armband he was wearing, and told them the story of Sir Alonne, the great samurai from Ashina who traveled to the distant land of Venn to serve a young prince, and wielded a magic sword that would always impale its target no matter how hard they tried to dodge…

Older wards, former concubines and village girls and unwanted noble bastards and disgraces to their family from Ashina, a lonely Varangian girl, dark-skinned Gerudo sold by their tribe for the crime of kindness to slaves, all so beautiful they saw themselves as plain and unkempt, congregated into small groups. They spoke, and whispered, and asked for help folding laundry, and prayed for their lady's return. Despite everything, their peaceful daily life continued, and wounds, though deep and painful, slowly healed against the inevitable flow of time.

The one called Sadako stood beside an empty bed and pretended her mistress lay upon it in sleep. She glanced up when the door opened, and footsteps padded through the room. Someone sat down on the other side of the bed.

Rafael nodded at her as he sat down on Maria's bed and hoped this wasn't the night he got knifed by the blade the woman carried hidden in her sleeve. After a long moment, she nodded back.

He lay down on his side, on hand trailing over the empty spot where someone else usually slept. Eventually, he went to sleep.

Eventually, so did she.

Tomorrow would be another day at the Campbell estate.

Sir Cett had died, slammed into a wall from a swinging tail and them crushed by rocks that fell from the ceiling. Several Abyss Watchers, however, had managed to cling to life, rising up as if undead and joining them to do battle once more with their foe. Maria had been forced to summon her familiar to damage the creature…

Midway through, the battle had broken out of the cave and out into the forest, as had been partially planned, and Sir Olvar and his partner had voined the fray, supporting them with fire from above, while the knights, realizing their foe had no flame but fought with wind generated by its enourmous wings to fling people. Dame Dustiness had stood firm in the face of this, her heavy armor letting her stand as a bulwark and drawing the beast's attention so others could attack it from all directions…

The Dark Familiar dragon roared defiantly, still covered in fire from the attack of Sir Olvar's companion, but it was all for naught. Maria felt its existence ending as her Rakuyo Dark Familiar slew it, felt her stores of Dark Magic being restored as her familiar devoured her enemy.

PREY SLAUGHTERED

VICTORY ACHIEVED

+3500 Souls

As everyone collapsed in relief, basking in the tinkling, musical sensations of power filling their souls and watching in astonishment as the Dark Familiar dragon simply dissolved to nothing, its severed tail not even leaving behind a weapon, Sir Elstrom looked at Maria with suspicious eyes. "What was that?" he demanded, even as she slipped her Dark Familiar back into her shadow.

In response, Maria handed him a folded letter from the king…

Luckily, Sir Cett was one of those who managed to come back to life the next day. Others weren't so lucky, but that was why bodies were left in state and given time to see if it would start moving again. They were knights, after all, and it was their duty to go beyond death.

The first thing Sir Cett did when he came back to life was point at Maria's guns and say, "I want one of those. No, I want lots of those." Apparently this desire had helped him claw his way back to the living.

In response, Maria handed him a folded letter from the king…

A/N: So, my Pat-reon is up now at P.A.T.R.E.O.N.C.O.M -/-SCM2814. If you want to support this fic, that would be great, but no pressure. But if you do, you'll also get advanced access to my new original fiction series about a wizard on the frontier, her dungeon, and the idiots around her...