Heyo, back again with a new chapter.
This one's actually brand new! During my rereading and rewriting, I eventually decided that I hated how it lacked meaningful development and didn't flow very well. Sooooo I chose to write this one from the ground up. Sorry it took so long!
It'll be noticeably shorter since I'm cutting some of this and moving it into a brand new next chapter as well, since there are some things I'm fooling around with to make the story flow a lot better. Stay tuned for it, and in the meantime I hope you enjoy this one!
"Gah!" I cried in frustration as Eclair's practice sword smacked against my exposed forearm, bringing me to my knees. The pain from hours of abuse had dulled my senses to the point of mild paralysis. My hands shook so heavily that I could barely grip my own weapon hard enough to even try to fend off her blows.
She glared down at me with the same ferocity she'd had before even the break of dawn. "Get up," she spat.
I stood and tried to flex my hands to regain some of the feeling, but it didn't help. They still shook like leaves in a storm. The pinkette bent her knees ever so slightly and readied her weapon. "Prepare yourself," was all she said before she struck once more.
Time slowed for just a moment as her weapon flew toward me. I could barely see it, but getting hit so many times today had taught me a lot about how she fights. It was now possible for me to guess where her sword would go, at least.
I turned my side to her and lowered my weapon to block her strike that was aimed for my chest. Her eyes widened as I deflected her attack, but the shock of her blow and the numbness in my limbs prevented me from reacting to her follow up attack. With a flourish, she spun her sword around mine and flicked it out of my hands before slamming the weapon into my thigh, bringing me down to my knees once more.
She pointed the weapon at my face. "You lose again," she said. I responded by flopping backward. Ah...the cold ground feels so good. My body is burning like an oven and all I want is to cool off for a while. Even a hot bath doesn't sound fun right now.
I sighed in between labored breaths. "Looks like it."
The silence that fell between us was so awkward that I wanted to groan. I know that I technically peeped on her and technically heard her singing to herself, but does she need to beat the ever living crap out of me for it? She's always been the serious type, but she's taking it to a whole new level today.
Hell, she slugged me right in the face for trying to lighten the mood once. It wasn't even that bad of a joke.
Eclair let me lay there on the ground for a while without any complaints. She must have noticed that I'm at my limit and anything more would just be bullying. If I'm lucky, maybe she'll think I passed out and she'll leave me alone for a while. Alas, it was not meant to be.
"Your blocking has improved. You knew where I was going to attack," she said as she sat down beside me on the grass and drank from her small water jug. I heard her gulp down liquid for several seconds before she sighed happily and wiped her chin. "I must admit that you've broken your habit of dodging without considering your next move."
"Not that it does me much good against you."
The pink haired woman hummed in interest. "Admitting defeat at last, Blackwood?"
I scoffed. "You and I both know that I cannot fight any longer without rest."
"Indeed. I'm impressed that you didn't quit earlier."
Silence fell upon us once again, but it was a bit lighter than the last. I don't feel like my life or my manhood is in danger of being cut apart anymore so I'll take that as a victory. I somehow managed to survive the equivalent of the training camp from hell all squished into one horrifying morning of pain and agony.
After nearly ten minutes of rest, Eclair stood up and brushed the grass from her pants. "Stay here. I will be back in a moment." I watched as she walked away, struggling to avert my eyes from her sizable backside. The constant abuse must have made me delirious.
Or it made me horny, which is a lot more concerning.
My heart rate returned to normal as I relaxed on the ground. It's a bit of a shame to waste such a beautiful day getting beaten up for last night's mistakes. The weather is beautiful, albeit a bit chilly. The sun is up with some clouds, there's a cool breeze, and overall the mood is positive. If I wasn't being forced to stay here by Eclair, I'd probably be off doing...something.
What exactly would I do? That question is hard to answer. I don't think I'd burn a day off going out into the woods to fight monsters. It's not what I'd consider relaxing and there's no need for extra money since the crown covers basically all of my expenses while I'm in training. Maybe I would hang out with Elhart? Nah, I'd probably just get in his way. Learning to smith weapons and armor could be fun, though.
I'm afraid to casually hang out with Emilia lest I give her the wrong idea. She already "propositioned" me once for nighttime activities; I don't need her thinking I've changed my mind.
So that question remains unanswered. I don't really have anything I'd consider "fun" in this world yet. Exploring is fun, but I doubt I could find anything of interest with only a single day to explore. Exploring usually means fighting monsters though, which brings me back to my original point that slaying monsters isn't really fun.
Man...my life is kinda boring, isn't it? All I do is train, train, train and fight, fight, fight. Occasionally I get blackmailed by royalty, so there's something different.
The rustling of metal plates roused me from my thoughts. I turned my head to the side and raised an eyebrow at the armored dummy that Eclair dropped in front of me. What in the world is that thing for? Has she gotten bored of smacking me around?
And why is she wearing armor too?
A breeze blew past, and Eclair used one hand to move some of her pink hair away from her face. When she caught me staring, her relaxed expression turned serious once again. "Come here and put this on."
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
I groaned but followed her command. Every step caused pain to shoot through my limbs, a constant reminder that peeping is a serious offense no matter the excuse. The armor was cold to the touch. I removed it from the dummy piece by piece and strapped it onto my body, wincing as the straps tightened around my sore arms. The extra weight coupled with my exhaustion made it pretty difficult to move around.
I looked down at myself, twisting and turning to see my body from every angle. The armor of the knights is just as restrictive as I thought it would be. The metal is heavy, the shoulderplates restrict the movement of my arms, and this metal collar chafes my neck like nobody's business. My Hunter's Armor was lighter, warmer, and looked a lot better. The bright purple emblem of Melromarc painted on the armor's chestplate is definitely something I could do without. It's like having a sign with "I'm Queen Mirellia's bitch" strapped to my back.
"So...why am I wearing this again?" I asked her, hoping that I kept the panic out of my voice. Eclair adjusted a strap on her own armor and looked at me with an amused glint in her eye.
"Because we're going to run."
"Run?"
Wait wait wait! She's not going to make me run laps in this, is she? I thought I already said I was at my limit! I can't run right now! Especially not in heavy ass armor like this!
The pinkette jogged in place. "Yes. You will need to get used to running in this armor from now on. Normally I would only require you to wear your armor for live training or missions, but I think this is a suitable punishment for you."
Oh man...She's really trying to kill me.
"Now then, I think eight laps is plenty. Let's go," Eclair said as she lightly jogged to the outer wall. I followed after her at a noticeably slower pace. Eight laps isn't as bad as I thought it would be, but I'm already tired from suffering all morning. Oh well. As long as I pace myself properly, it shouldn't be that bad...right?
I was right that it wouldn't be bad. It was miserable.
"Hurry up! You're falling behind!" she shouted back at me. My legs and lungs burned. On second thought, maybe that's not quite accurate. My legs and lungs were charred remnants of what they once were, with a lighter still trying to squeeze the slightest spark out of them. I was sweating so hard that my hair matted itself to my face.
It had long since fallen out of the ponytail I'd put it in, so I probably look like a caveman.
My muscles had stopped responding several laps ago. All I could focus on was the swishing of Eclair's pink ponytail as she ran ahead of me, occasionally turning back to yell at me to go faster. The only reassurance that my legs were still moving was the way the landscape ahead of me bobbed up and down with my head.
I...can't...! I can't keep going like this!
My vision began to blur and I stumbled, falling to my knees. I need to breathe! Please! Have some mercy!
As I dry heaved for oxygen, I heard Eclair approach me. "So that is your limit? Get up and keep moving!" she said. I barely mustered the strength to nod before I felt a fuzziness in my head. It was like a dull ringing that kept getting stronger and stronger until it became deafening. My vision was covered in spots and I clutched at my head.
It hurts...! It hurts so much! Why can't I see?! Everything is so hot! Too hot! I feel like I'm on fire!
"Get-...wood! Get up! You're not-...yet!"
Eclair's voice was drowned out by the ringing in my ears and the sound of my own heartbeat. How am I supposed to run if I can't even see or breathe?! Just breathe, Flynn! BREATHE!
IN! OUT! IN! OUT!
My vision began to clear after several minutes of forcing myself not to hyperventilate. I squinted and blocked the sun from my eyes. Every part of my body feels weaker than ever, as if I was covered in cement that had hardened to my body. What...what just happened?
"Ah, I see you're awake." The sound of Eclair's voice made me turn my head to the side. She sat beside me, still clad in her armor and hair blowing in the breeze. Her eyes held pity rather than their usual anger or frustration.
"What...happened...?" I muttered out loud. My voice felt foreign to me, scratchier and weaker than I ever thought possible.
"You lost consciousness. It was only for a few minutes so you should be fine, but you should continue to rest. Perhaps...perhaps I pushed you too hard. I-I'm...I'm sorry," she said with a shaky voice as she turned her head away from me. Hearing a genuine apology from her felt wrong for some reason. Does she actually feel guilty?
"It is...*huff*...okay..." I mumbled, staring up at the clouds that drifted by without a care in the world. It definitely isn't okay to work someone until they literally pass out, but her concern seems genuine enough for me to forgive her.
"No, it isn't." Eclair hugged her knees to her chest. "I failed you as a captain by pushing you far beyond your limits. Personal feelings aside, I should have recognized that I was putting you in danger."
I closed my eyes and rested my head back against the dirt. It feels cold compared to everything else. "Why? I probably deserved it."
She shook her head. "Punishing you earlier was already enough. I knew that making you run in armor for the first time would be too much, but I let my emotions cloud my judgment." Eclair took a deep breath and sighed.
So she really does feel bad about this, huh? I'd be a lot angrier with her if I didn't deserve some type of punishment for peeping on her. Still, that doesn't mean she needs to beat herself up over it. Her reaction was justified. Sure, maybe she took it a little too far, but I'm not going to report her to the queen or something.
It's not like it would do me any good at this point.
We may not get along well, but I don't hate her for doing her job. I don't hate her for getting pissed when she figured out that I saw her naked in the bath. And if I ignore all the pain my body is in, I honestly got more out of today's sword practice than almost the entirety of my time in training up until now. Being forced to learn and adapt those techniques to avoid getting beaten so badly was surprisingly effective.
The running didn't accomplish anything though. It just sucked ass.
"Hey...Flynn?"
"Yeah?"
"I think...You...I mean..." She sighed once again. "I suppose what I'm trying to say is: thank you."
"Huh? What do you mean by that?"
She shook her head and let her chin rest on her knees. "I mean thank you for putting up with my training. I realize that I've been extra hard on you personally, but you've gone beyond my expectations and improved so much in just the past week. You may be the most frustrating person I have ever worked with, but you are also the most dedicated recruit I have ever trained."
I managed to chuckle despite the pain in my chest. "Getting my ass kicked by you made me realize how much I still have to learn. If I am going to be stuck in this squad throughout the winter, I figured I may as well get as much out of it as I can."
She hummed in agreement, leaning back onto her hands and smiling at me for what felt like the very first time. "Yes, I agree. I never thought I would hear such motivated talk from you of all people, though."
"I can care about things, you know."
"Maybe."
A comfortable silence fell over us, slightly broken by the increasingly strong breeze. It feels amazing on my skin. I wish I could take off all this armor and fully enjoy it, but I doubt my body could move enough to do so. Oh well...at least it's blowing some of the sweat off my face. I could probably fall asleep if I stayed here long enough.
Eclair stood and smoothed out her pants before extending a hand down toward me. "We should get something to eat." she sniffed herself and sneered. "A bath might be a good idea as well, but no peeping this time!" She jabbed a finger in my face and glared.
I rolled my eyes at her. "Yeah...I learned my lesson."
"Good."
Even after she helped me stand up, I struggled to walk steadily back to the courtyard. Eclair had to catch me several times so I didn't fall flat on my face. It was a little embarrassing to walk past the courtyard guards with her practically carrying me. Times like these remind me of just how physically strong she is.
I still wonder what her level is, though. It has to be pretty high.
Eclair helped me remove the smelly armor and we headed for the kitchen. When we arrived, it was completely empty. There was no food already made, nobody was bustling in or out, and there were no dirty plates waiting to be cleaned. Eclair made a noise of confusion.
"Is something happening at the castle today? Where are all the cooks?" she mumbled out loud, looking around before sighing. "I suppose I will have to go into town for a meal."
I shrugged and trudged up to the ingredient cabinet. "Not sure, but I can always make something for both of us." My offer caused the woman's head to snap toward me.
"You can cook?" she asked, placing her helmet on a nearby table. I shrugged.
"A little, but I certainly am not as skilled as the castle chefs." I searched through the cabinet, finding very few fresh meats but plenty of other ingredients. Hmm...I could probably make noodles, but that doesn't have much nutritional value in it. Eclair seems like the type to only eat healthy foods, anyway. Maybe I could make some kind of stew?
There are some potatoes and carrots, and the bowls are right here...
I got to work heating oil in a pot before gathering all the ingredients I needed. Salt, pepper, carrots, potatoes, beef, and even some broth and red wine vinegar. It was a simple recipe, but it was full of different nutrients on top of being delicious. I'd mastered it as one of my few tried and true recipes to help break up the monotony of eating chicken nuggets every other day.
"You had better not be making something poisonous," Eclair said, eyes narrowed into a glare that I was getting a little too used to. I chuckled a little as I chopped the beef into smaller chunks.
"Do you really think I would do that to you?"
"After what I put you through today, I would not be surprised if you considered it."
Hey, that hurts! I may get on your nerves all the time, but do you really think I'm so awful that I would ruin your food? That's the ultimate sin! A crime against food! Nobody should ruin food on purpose just for revenge! Besides, where would I get poison from anyway?
"Yeah well...even I have lines I will not cross."
"Now that is surprising."
I scoffed, pushing the beef into the pot. Even if she apologized, I don't think she has any right to give me shit for the rest of the day.
It took some time for it to cook a bit, then I pulled it out and added in the red wine vinegar to simmer for a short while. I added the carrots and potatoes, along with a vegetable or two that looked like they would add a lot of flavor to it. Normally I would let it simmer for almost an hour for extra flavor, but I didn't want to waste our time so I only waited half an hour. Afterward, I poured the stew into two bowls and set one down in front of Eclair along with a spoon.
"Enjoy," I said in English, sitting down across from her with my own bowl with a satisfied smile on my face. Something about cooking for someone else brought back fond memories. My last girlfriend and I broke up somewhere around five years ago. She wasn't very skilled in the kitchen, so I found myself trying harder to make something delicious just to make her happy. I guess some habits die hard.
My lunch companion raised an eyebrow at me as I blew on the stew to cool it off. "Where are you from, Flynn? I don't recognize that language." I looked up from my spoon to see her inquisitive gaze.
"You asked this once before, did you not?"
"I did, but you never gave me a response."
I hummed and took a bite of the stew. It was a little lacking in the flavors other than beef, probably because I didn't give the other ingredients enough time to simmer, but it was tasty enough. Good thing the beef was very high quality. "Ah yes, I remember now. It was on the first day when I was a few minutes late. It was freezing cold and you were screaming in my face."
She rolled her eyes. "Someone was being childish that morning. And I recall it being more shouting than screaming."
"To be fair, I was never told the exact time to show up. Just 'early'. And it was definitely high-pitched enough to be considered screaming. My ears felt like they would bleed."
"You're so dramatic."
"It is one of my best qualities."
"Unfortunately."
Our back and forth remarks continued for a short while until both of us got tired of it and focused on our meal. After a bit of silence, I decided to divulge at least a little bit of information. "My home is...well, it is very far away from here. I guarantee that very few people have ever heard of it."
"Hmm...?" Eclair hummed in interest. She leaned forward and took a bite of her own food, using one hand to keep her hair behind her ear. "Really? Then how did you get here?" she asked. "By the way, thank you for making food for me as well. And thanks again for not poisoning it."
"I told you I would never do that."
I wasn't really sure how to answer her question without saying too much. There isn't much of a reason to dodge the question now that we aren't at each other's throats. In the end, I chose to skip the very beginning of my story and begin at the most relevant point.
"My family was forced here because of some trouble in Zeltoble. I went ahead to find a good place to live, but I was captured by bandits along the way. The carriage I was locked in was attacked by some kind of giant monster. I was the only survivor."
"That's...terrible. I am truly sorry to hear that," Eclair said with sad eyes.
I shook my head and managed a thin smile, hoping that she wouldn't see past my lies. "Once it left, the capital was the closest place for me to go. I was lucky to meet a nice blacksmith in the city who helped me get back on my feet. I could barely speak a word of Melromarcian, so it was hard to adjust."
"That is quite a story...I had no idea," she said, before jabbing her spoon toward me with another glare. "But that does not excuse you for being a lecher! We knights represent Her Majesty in everything we do, even if we do not mean to."
I propped my elbow on the table, holding my head up with my hand. "Yeah yeah, I know. 'Honor of the Knights' and all that."
"If you've known, then why in the world did you decide to be a knight? You should have expected this," Eclair grumbled, training her blue eyes on me. I huffed, a smile forming on my lips. Eclair's face was a little stunned. It was probably the first time she'd ever seen a genuine smile from me without some sassy comment.
Oh well...maybe a little bit of genuine truth won't hurt.
"Would you believe me if I told you the queen forced me to do this?" I finally said.
"Forced you to be a knight?" The woman put a hand to her chin in thought. "Her Majesty would never do something like that, would she?...But if it is true, it would explain quite a few things..."
Her thinking face is actually pretty cute.
Wait, no! Down boy! I made the mistake of letting her good looks sway my judgment once, and look where it got me! A morning filled with pain and suffering! There's no way I'm falling for that again!
"The queen is the only reason I can speak Melromarcian at all. I owed her a huge debt that I was not sure I could ever repay. She agreed to forgive that debt if I became a knight."
Eclair sent a sly smirk in my direction. "So she helped you, but you thought you could get away without returning the favor. That definitely sounds like something you would do."
I blushed a tiny bit, scratching my head. "I never thought of it like that. I am just...used to doing my own thing, that is all."
"But must you really go so far out of your way to make my life miserable just because you hate taking orders?"
"Oh that? Nah. I just think it is fun to annoy you. It keeps things interesting."
"Wh-! Why you!" Eclair slammed a fist on the table, rattling our silverware and nearly knocking a cup to the floor. Then she scoffed and rolled her eyes."Ugh...you are absolutely insufferable..." I burst into laughter.
Eclair refused to talk to me for a bit after that, apparently still annoyed that I found pleasure in making her angry. I can't help it! She's such a strict person, so it's fun to see a different side of her from time to time. I have no idea why it's fun to watch her calm expression break, but it is.
"Ah! Captain Seaetto!" Our lunch was interrupted by a knight who entered the kitchen. He held one fist up to his chest in the Melromarcian salute. I'd had to learn it myself, but I never really bothered slapping my feet together and standing perfectly straight like I was supposed to.
"Yes? What is it?" she asked.
"Lord Seaetto has arrived in the castle and has requested your presence in the throne room. I was told it is urgent!"
Wait...Seaetto is Eclair's last name too, isn't it? Wouldn't that make Lord Seaetto her father? A close relative like an uncle, at the very least. Still, why does she look so surprised that he's here? Did he not send any letters to her saying he'd be coming for something urgent?
Maybe noble families aren't always close...
"Thank you. Dismissed," Eclair said as she waved the knight away. He nodded and left us. If the confusion wasn't obvious enough by her facial expression, the fact that she stopped completely in her tracks to think gave it away.
After I quickly left the bowls in the sink to be cleaned, I fell into step beside her on the way toward the throne room. I probably shouldn't follow her since it technically has nothing to do with me, but something about this feels odd. It must be a pretty big deal if Eclair is caught completely off guard. If they ask me to leave, I'll just wait outside.
Not like I have anything better to do with the rest of my day. I'd probably just sit around.
We opened the door to the throne room to reveal a man with pink hair just like Eclair's. It was faded with quite a few streaks of white. His face lit up at our arrival. "Eclair, my dear! It's so good to see you! How has life here in the capital been treating you?" he asked with a happy smile. It only took one glance to see a resemblance between the two, but I could never imagine Eclair with such a beaming smile on her face.
I shuffled my feet a bit awkwardly. "Uh...Eclair? I will go back to the barracks for now to rest," I said, jabbing one thumb toward the door.
"Conveniently I have business with you as well, Mr. Blackwood. Please stay, if you would," Mirellia said behind her folding fan. Even with that damned thing hiding her smirk, I knew it was there.
"If you say so."
Lord Seaetto and Eclair talked for a few moments before his attention was drawn to me. "And who is this young man you have with you? Is he one of your trainees?" he asked.
I bowed slightly. "My name is Flynn Blackwood, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Eclair crossed her arms and sent a momentary glare at me. "Do not let him fool you, father. This man has been nothing but a thorn in my side since his training began. To be honest, he is completely hopeless."
"Is that so? I feel sorry for him."
"Him?! You should feel sorry for me! Do you have any idea what he has put me through?" Eclair made an uncharacteristic whine. She must drop her usual tough act in front of her father. Maybe she's your average daddy's girl?
The man laughed, holding his hands up placatingly. "Oh don't misunderstand me, dear. I feel sorry for him because I know how you handle disobedience."
"Captain Seaetto, has Mr. Blackwood been causing problems for you?" the queen asked, eyes twinkling with mischief. "I can have him reassigned, if you wish. Or if he has done something to personally offend you, I can have him punished accordingly. There is a particular rumor going around the castle..."
To my shock, Eclair shook her head. "Thank you for the offer, your Majesty, but it is nothing more than childish antics. It is nothing a little discipline won't fix." She sent a half-hearted glare at me. I looked away and whistled, pretending like I was innocent.
What happened to feeling sorry about it?! I literally passed out!
Lord Seaetto shuffled up next to me and whispered. "Keep it up! Maybe you can get her to...loosen up a little, if you know what I mean. She needs a man with a sense of humor." My face scrunched up in horror, even as he sent me a definitely-not-discreet thumbs up.
"With all due respect, I do not have any desire to date your daughter."
The man burst into laughter. "Bahahahaha! Oh well. I'll have to wait to see those grandkids of mine, then."
"Father...What in the world are you two whispering about over there?" Eclair asked with a deadpan stare. I couldn't help but laugh a little with the man. He's genuine and pretty carefree, completely unlike his daughter. How did someone so chill raise a woman so...not chill?
"Oh nothing, dear! Just possibly meeting my future son-in-law!"
"WHAT! / UGH!" The two of us shouted simultaneously as Lord Seaetto laughed without a care in the world. Eclair and I shared a look and pointed at each other.
"There's no way in hell I'm marrying her / him!" we yelled in unison once more. Mirellia merely smirked, fanning herself.
"Well well, isn't this an interesting development?" she said before snapping her folding fan shut. Eclair and I snapped to attention, suddenly aware that we were causing a scene in front of the queen. "I've been meaning to ask you Mr. Blackwood, how has your training been? I hope everything is to your liking," she continued.
I hate the way she smiles as if she wasn't the one who forced me into this. I could have been out there training in the wilderness by myself without running a million laps around the castle. Still...I guess I'm learning things that I wouldn't have figured out on my own. And a lot of my expenses are paid for.
If I'm being honest, the only downside is that I have to deal with Eclair being so uptight. I know I deserve some of the shit she gives me, but not all of it. I swear I've been doing a lot better about that lately!
But fine. If Eclair wants to get a little snarky, so will I.
"It's been fine, thanks for asking," I said sarcastically. Is my eye twitching again? It definitely is. "My legs feel stronger than ever, thanks to my amazing Captain."
"Don't forget that this amazing Captain of yours only gives you extra laps around the castle because you refuse to just do as you are told," Eclair said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "If you do not wish to be a knight any longer, now is your opportunity. Her Majesty is right here."
"Hmm? Are you not satisfied with the training you're receiving, Mr. Blackwood?" Mirellia asked with an interested expression. "I suppose you can quit at any time, but what about the costs? Not to mention the scarcity of jobs in the guild."
"Do you really have to bring that up again?..." I muttered under my breath. "No, everything is fine. Although Captain Seaetto and I got off to a...um...bad start, to say the least, I admit that I am learning more than I imagined under her command. You were not exaggerating when you said that knights receive the finest level of training."
I hate to admit it out loud, but it's true. I'd peeped on her in the bath and all she did was train me harder. She didn't scream, force me into a jail cell, or castrate me. In a way, it was more "rehabilitation" than "punishment". All the extra training would surely help me in the long run.
It still sucked ass, though.
"So you are happy with this arrangement after all?" the queen softly chuckled to herself. "But the offer still stands. If you want to be reassigned, it can be done."
I shook my head. "With all due respect to the other Captains, I do not think anyone else would be able to train me as well as Captain Seaetto can."
I swore there were crickets in the throne room from how silent it became. Both the queen and Eclair were stunned, with the latter's mouth actually hanging open a bit. The silence was broken as Lord Seaetto laughed once again. "Hahaha! Maybe there's a chance for those grandchildren yet!"
"Father, please don't..." Eclair groaned and facepalmed. I had to agree; all this talk about grandkids makes me a little nervous. I've never wanted kids in the first place, so hearing Lord Seaetto talk so lightly about shipping his daughter with someone he just met literally five minutes ago is a little annoying. I'm sure I'm misinterpreting him simply because he's so jolly, but he almost seems like he cares more about having grandchildren to pamper than his own daughter who's right here.
I'm sure I'm wrong, though. Some parents are just like that.
Mirellia set her fan down on her lap. "You two are dismissed. Lord Seaetto and I have important business to discuss." Eclair's head tilted to the side in interest.
"I was told that this meeting was urgent, so I came as quickly as I could."
Lord Seaetto barked out a laugh. "Ha! Seeing your own father isn't urgent? I haven't seen you in weeks! I thought you loved me!"
I almost facepalmed. So this 'urgent need' was just a father missing his daughter? I had him pegged from the very start; the Seaetto patriarch is definitely a family man. I wouldn't be surprised if he has like eight children and he focuses almost entirely on them during his free time. I almost feel bad for his wife, having to put up with someone like that. He's so...quirky.
Eclair sighed in exasperation. "You really need to stop saying everything is urgent, father. The one day something actually urgent comes up, I won't even know it until it is too late. Come, Flynn." She saluted and I followed her out the door.
"Well that was..."
"Y-yeah..."
The two of us awkwardly acknowledged the situation as we headed back toward the barracks. I don't think either of us had much to say about it other than "okay, that just happened." I silently followed Eclair, half-expecting her to force me to train longer as punishment for not showing the proper respect in front of the queen or her father.
Thankfully, she led us back out to the courtyard. There was far more activity going on than there was throughout the morning. A few carts filled with goods were being checked by the gate guards, a few trainees that I didn't recognize were playing with some kind of ball, and the gardeners were busy tending to the flowers and other various plants. Aside from when we exercise, I don't think I've ever seen the courtyard this busy before.
Eclair and I sat down on a bench, almost as far apart as we possibly could be. I have no idea what's going through her head right now, but I don't want to be within punching distance if I accidentally pissed her off. Every so often, I'd glance in her direction to see her face twisted into some kind of hilarious expression. It changed every single time, so I imagine she's got a lot on her mind.
Just what is going on inside her head?...
"Flynn?..." Her voice was just above a whisper, barely loud enough to hear over the other sounds in the courtyard. "Do you really think I'm a good captain?" The uncertainty in her voice caused my response to get stuck in my throat. Eclair sounded so...vulnerable. I'm so used to her being commanding and powerful that it feels out of place coming from her. Even more so than when she apologized.
I took a deep breath and let my eyes focus on nothing in particular ahead of me. "I may have been nicer than usual because your dad was there, but I meant what I said. I am learning a lot more than I expected."
Eclair took one shaky breath after another. Eventually, I realized that her shoulders were trembling a little. Is she scared of something? Upset? I may enjoy pissing her off from time to time, but I don't want to genuinely hurt her.
"But does that alone make me a good captain? Is that all it takes?"
Ah, I think I get it now. She's nervous about whether she's actually doing a good job or not. I imagine she's always been the one taking orders, but now she's the one giving them. Maybe there's some kind of promotion she's aiming for and she has to do well in order to get it...or something. We never learned about the different ranks and what they mean, so I'm spitballing here.
I considered my response for a short while before I spoke. "I...I don't think it does, but I don't think you have anything to worry about. You are doing a good job." She sniffled, prompting me to continue. "Every one of us trainees needs something out of a leader. Ake needs someone who will help him build confidence, Tanya needs someone to teach her some restraint, and Morian needs someone who will motivate him to improve. Being a leader is more than just teaching us how to fight, but you are doing better than you might think."
She huffed and smiled. "And I suppose you need someone who will smack you and tell you to stop goofing around, right?"
A smirk crawled its way onto my face. "Me? I need everything I can get. I'm hopeless, remember?"
Eclair was momentarily stunned before she burst into laughter. It was a pretty sound, something I never expected to hear from her in my lifetime. "Oh yes, I remember very well. You really are the most hopeless excuse for a knight I have ever met. You are crass, have no respect for authority, and you are absolutely infuriating."
I couldn't help but smile back at her. Seeing a bit of life come back to her feels so refreshing after hearing her sound so insecure. "And you are haughty, uptight, and fun to tease. So I think that makes us even, right?"
She laughed again. "Not a chance."
I could get used to this.
