CHAPTER 14
It didn't take long for Nathaniel to recover, which was good since he did not take well to idle time. By the third day after he awoke, he was able to dress and shave without help, and by the end of the following week Nathaniel was able to resume his full schedule with barely any extra rest periods.
It was during archery practice that one of the privates came up to him and handed him a scroll. "Message for you, ser," the private said and then walked off, more notes in hand. Curious, Nathaniel looked at the seal. Cousland crest. I wonder what this is about? Nathaniel broke the seal and opened the scroll.
Ser Nathaniel,
I hope this letter finds you well and fully recovered. I apologize for not thanking you in person for your daring rescue; I would much rather have spoken than written to you. Unfortunately I had neglected my duties for too long and so had to return back to my estate before you awoke.
Words can not adequately express my gratitude for your selflessness and bravery in dealing with the bandits that had attacked my men and myself on the road. Your presence and your prowess with a bow were all that changed the situation from a massacre to a victory for us. No small feat, that. You have personally preserved the Cousland name and prevented the terynir from falling apart to political upheaval.
I owe you a debt that can never be repaid, my friend. But I can certainly try to make some of it up to you. Enclosed you will find a map, with a section of Amaranthine just west of the Pilgrims Path marked off. This land is now yours to rule as you see fit. There are a few farms already on the land, and there is a prime spot for a castle that you can build to suit your liking. I wish that I could do more for you at this time, but it is a small start.
In addition, I have formally submitted your name for commendation at the next Landsmeet for your heroic actions, and you and yours will always be welcome guests in Highever. If there is ever anything I can do to help you, please do not hesitate to ask. Help is never far away.
Sincerely and most gratefully,
Fergus Cousland, Teyrn of Highever
Nathaniel sat down directly in the courtyard, uncaring of the strange looks he was getting, then reread the note. He rubbed his eyes, and read it again. By the fourth read-through he suddenly found himself looking at a pair of boots, the owner of whom crouched down to look him directly in the face. "He looks all right to me, Commander," Anders said. "I don't see a need to use healing magic, but I think he might need a rest."
"You've been pushing yourself too hard, Nathaniel." Elissa's voice carried more than a little concern in it. "You don't want to be put on forced bed rest."
"I'm fine," Nathaniel said, albeit a bit faintly. He then handed the letter up to Elissa and waited while Elissa and Anders read the note together.
Anders whistled low, and Elissa sat down on the ground next to Nathaniel. She looked at him intently while Anders started in. "Fancy! A bann! Does that mean if I rescue some damsels in distress I can become the Teyrn of Gwaren? Because, you know, I'd be more than happy to help with that."
"Anders!" Elissa said sharply then pointedly looked at Anora, who was not far off and watching the spectacle. "A little sensitivity, please?" She shooed Anders off and looked at Nathaniel again. "Are you all right?" she asked more quietly.
"I think so," Nathaniel started. "This is a complete surprise. I never expected this. I'm not quite sure what to do about it." He took the offered note back from her hand and folded it. "I need to think about this."
"You know that whatever you decide to do, I will support you." Nathaniel looked over to Elissa. "If you decide you want to go ahead and build there, you are not obligated to stay with the Wardens." She looked at Nathaniel again as if asking him a question, but Nathaniel could not tell what the question was. This is more important than deciding whether or not I return to life as a noble. Something else is riding on this, but I can't tell what it is. "Go get some rest, Nathaniel. You have been working harder than necessary lately and the rest will do you some good. And it will give you time to think." She stood up and brushed the dirt off her armor. "If you want to talk, please let me know."
Nathaniel nodded in thanks and got up himself, picking up his bow and walking over to his makeshift quarters.
By the time Nathaniel had finished cleaning his armor, sharpening his daggers, and restringing his bow, he had taken a decent amount of time to think. And the more he thought, the more he realized that everything seemed wrong about him going back to the life of nobility.
I never felt right as a noble. I was good at it, I think, but do I really want to enter that world again? I like not having to parade myself around, trying to make a marriage match based on political background, and overseeing land disputes and collecting taxes is about as interesting as watching grass grow. Here, I make a difference, and I feel like we are a family, something I never felt at home, excepting with Delilah of course. Wait, Delilah!
Nathaniel got up and started to leave his room, only to run into Elissa, who had been getting ready to knock on his door. He grabbed her shoulders to keep her from falling, and excitedly said, "I know what to do! I was just coming to tell you about it." He practically dragged Elissa into his room and closed the door.
Elissa raised an eyebrow, not sure whether or not to be amused at Nathaniel's rare display of excitement. "Are you all right?" She smiled, but there was still a guarded, cautious look in her eye.
"I'm fine. In fact, I am better than fine." He laughed. "All right, let me run the idea by you, and you tell me what you think, and if you think Fergus would be all right with everything." She nodded, prompting him to continue. "I don't want to be a bann. The more time I have spent away from noble life, the more I realize that I hated it. The marriage market, the petty squabbles, all of it. I feel like my home, my priorities are with you, here with the Wardens. But I don't want to outright refuse Fergus' generosity either – he gave me a really nice piece of land, one of the best in the arling, and it would be stupid to antagonize him.
"So, what I would like to do is to hold the land in trust for Delilah's child, for him or her to take over the land upon reaching majority. That will allow me to stay here and do what I love best, with the people I am most comfortable, and will also allow time for our family to save to build a nice castle when my niece or nephew will be old enough to run it. Plus, by then hopefully I will have been able to work toward regaining the respect the child will need to have freeholders pledge allegiance to the bann." Nathaniel stopped a moment, realizing he had been pacing in his excitement, and turned to Elissa. "Do you think Fergus would be all right with that?" Please, say yes. This feels exactly right to me.
Elissa's eyes were shining. "I don't see how he could possibly object. It sounds like an excellent plan, and the right decision for you, if your current state is any indication." Elissa laughed aloud then, as Nathaniel swooped her up into his arms and was currently leading her in a merry dance around the room. "Rest! Rest!" she laughed. "Although you are a fine dancer. All right, let's write to Fergus and tell him about your plan."