Wow a review :). Thanks Reiji Neko Mitsukai. In answer to your question, yes, Coen's statement is in reference to Lavitz still being alive. An explanation comes later in the story.

So this is the last chapter from Coen's point of view for a while. He makes me happy though, so his pov will be back later! Dun dun duuunn!

Also, it is very difficult to concentrate on writing when songs like Drunter-Drüber and Das Feuer der Hölle from Der Glöckner von Notre Dame are playing in your earphones. So much distracting goodness.

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Unlike most of the other knights, who slept in the barracks, Coen lived in a small house on the north side of the town. It was little more than a front room with his bed and a table, and a bath in its own room to one side. Coen didn't mind, as his own house back in Bale was only slightly bigger.

He did still have to stop in the barracks to find a place to put the objects he and Niira had retrieved from Alakyl's exploration of the day pack. He didn't much like the idea of leaving them in his house until tomorrow. So leave them in someone else's living space. Heh.

An older man, who was like Coen dressed in the dark blue of the Third Knighthood, was sitting on an upended fire log, leaning back against the barracks building. "I was beginning to wonder where you were." He looked at Coen through half-opened eyes. "It's just like you to leave me in charge of these ruffians the night before we head home. You know how crazy they are when they want to go home."

Coen smirked at him as he walked by. "I only do these things because I know you can handle it, Radulf."

"In all seriousness, though, where were you?"

"Taking care of our little thieving problem." He stepped inside. "Over here," he said to Niira, motioning to a nearby room.

"What are these things anyway?" The vials in Niira's arms clinked together; Coen reflexively winced.

"Explosives of sorts. Your 'sister' was toying with death earlier."

"Oh. I thought I felt..." She trailed off.

"Felt what?" Coen poked around in the various supplies piled along the walls, trying to find one of the specially-made carrying sacks for the vials.

"Magic of some sort."

She can sense magic? "Hmm." Locating one, he hefted it onto a shelf. "Well, if any one of these had broken, most of us would not be here right now."

"I see." She handed her glasses to him.

Someone had stepped to the doorway of the room. "Excuse me, Sir Coen?"

"Yes?" He turned slightly to see who it was; one of his knights. Just can't get away from work today, can I? "Oh, right. Give me a minute to at least find a place for this lady to stay."

"Sir."

"Stay?" Niira gave him a confused look.

"Unless you want to sleep in the forest again."

"I've slept outdoors or something resembling it for most of my life."

"Wuff."

"Come on, Niira. Give me something to work on here." Coen nodded slightly to the doorway, where the other knight had been moments earlier. "Just a few more minutes not dealing with business today."

She smiled knowingly. "How did you ever get put in charge of a knighthood?"

"It's...a long story." And not one he was overly eager to share. Carefully setting the sack full of the dangerous glass vials back on the floor, he turned back to his friend. I still can't believe it...she's actually here.

Niira looked back curiously. "What?"

"Nothing." He shook his head.

"Then let's go, shall we?"

"Right." This is going to be one hell of a report I make to King Albert when we return.

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While Niira and Alakyl relaxed in his house, Coen ran around the town trying to conclude business there so he wouldn't have to worry tomorrow. He hated dealing with this aspect of things. He had never been good with managing such affairs. They always made him uncomfortable, and he ended up saying awkward things at times. Thank goodness he didn't have to too much tonight.

Night had taken hold on the world when he had finally finished his work. Tired by the day's events, Coen wandered to where he had last seen Radulf, by the barracks. The night air was cool, typical Serdian weather. As he neared the building, Coen paused to sigh, closing his eyes. He disliked these 'peacekeeping' assignments as much as the next man. Six months was more than enough for him. Unfortunately, the remaining Sandoran loyalists still posed enough of a problem to warrant the military presence in the outlying southern towns.

"Ready to go home?" Radulf was, as expected, still sitting where Coen had left him. Coen had known Radulf for most of his life, and was well aware of his lieutenant's tendency to not move if at all possible on his days off.

"Very." Finding another fire log, Coen set his foot against it and rolled it next to Radulf. Once he had it in a suitable spot, he practically flopped down onto it.

"Going out with a bang though, right?"

"What?"

"Well, what else is a man to think when you come waltzing into town with an unknown woman..."

Coen felt his face grow warm. "How...how...dare you suggest...!" He pulled a few chips of bark off of the log in his flustered state. He crumbled them in his fingers, letting the crumbs drop to the ground.

Radulf shook his head, chuckling to himself. "Soa above lad, you have got to learn to not take things so seriously!" Radulf was notorious for his ability to keep a humorous outlook on life no matter what.

The Third Knight said nothing, still feeling his cheeks burn in the night air. A few more pieces of bark found their end.

"Just don't tell Lavitz I said that. I have a feeling he would be much even less appreciative to hear it than you."

"There is no way I would...how do you know who she is?"

"I may be old, but I don't forget a face."

"Radulf. She was a child when she...diappeared."

"She has a lot of her father in her. That, and you two were carrying on like old friends do." He gave Coen a sidelong glance. "You saying you didn't recognize her?"

"It's hard to recognize someone when the first view you have of them is the inside of a cat's mouth."

"How does that work?"

"She was trying to kill me, Radulf. So if you're going to get upset about not recognizing people, you need to talk to her about it too." The young knight absentmindedly ran his fingers along the scratches in his breastplate.

Radulf laughed again. "No, you two haven't changed a bit."

"She didn't try to kill me when we were little." Coen frowned. "You think my near-death experience is funny?"

The lieutenant gave Coen a friendly slap on the shoulder. "You really need to learn to lighten up."