Chapter Forty-One

Far on the other side of the academy, a lone assassin brooded, lost in her own thoughts.

Had this been the paralyzing fear and loss of sense that Devona had faced in the battle with the Seer? If so, the warrior was made of sterner stuff than she could have ever imagined. Gods take it, was it possible to be inferior in every way to someone else?

It was bad enough that the warrior was prettier than Yue… and stronger… and smarter… oh and she had bigger breasts too… of course Devona would be tougher in mind and body as well. Oh, and let's not forget how the warrior can consume her weight in food at every meal and not gain a single inch of fat on that flawless figure of hers. Yue eats one bowl of iced cream and has to train an extra hour to prevent from swelling up into a bloated ball of flesh.

All things damned, Devona could probably even be a better assassin if she put her mind to it for thirty seconds.

Every member of the expedition seemed to be suffering from some internal trial since emerging from the Seer's cavern. For Yue, the jealousy that she thought she had managed to banish, or at least lock away, had burst from the recesses of her mind. All she could think about since awakening was how unfair it was that Devona had everything, and was so damned perfect in every damnable way that mattered.

Damn it.

"Hey… there aren't enough brooding spots in this academy. You're going to have to share."

Yue looked up to see Aidan just inside the balcony, plopping down onto his backside. "I'd say 'go away', but since none of your guild has ever listened to direction, I suspect it would fall on deaf ears." The assassin noted.

"Aw, you like us, don't lie."

"Why are you bothering me?"

Aidan grunted. "I told you, there aren't enough places here to truly brood. It's not my fault you're already here simpering about your forbidden love."

Yue's eyes flared. "That… *****… she told you, didn't she?"

Aidan's expression narrowed. "What are you talking about? Your little crush is patently obvious to anyone with a set of eyes… as is your dislike for the woman that currently occupies the place you desire. Then again, I'm told I'm rather observant."

"So, what are you brooding about then?"

"Funny how getting imbedded into a wall and the gods you dutifully served most of your life willing to leave you there to rot would be a bit disjointing."

Oh right… that. Yue cringed nervously; the ranger did have legitimate reason to brood.

"That, and I rather prefer avoiding the Headmaster and my guild leader whenever I can." He exhaled forlornly, "You're not the only one who occasionally harbors unrequited affection."

His head tilted upward slightly. "I remember the first time I met the girl… she hadn't been much out of her teens, finishing her officer's schooling. A military prodigy, I was told; of fine background and pedigree, a true born leader. She was far too young for me… nearly a decade my junior; but her energy and her life and vitality were near intoxicating."

"Some months later; I was pulling strings to always be around her. I even assisted her in her final testing, scouting for her unit across the Great Northern Wall. It was there I learned she was everything she was made out to be; a brilliant strategic mind, fearless, strong, and inspiring. Without question, she passed her trial with flying colors; before the ink had even dried on her conscription as a Lieutenant, there was talk of the next Warmaster before our very eyes."

"The perfect woman." Yue spat.

"For many eyes, and even mine for a long time… yes." Aiden admitted. "She approached me before her knighting, to thank me for my assistance, and how I made her trials so much easier. The gesture was so flattering, I very nearly made a fool out of myself then and there, blurting out my endearment to the woman… barely a woman at that."

The assassin had turned about, now giving him her full attention. She somehow sensed where this discussion was going. "What stopped you? A lack of nerve?"

Aidan shook his head. "No. There was a cough, and she turned about, yelped excitedly, and dashed across the room into a young man's arms, hugging him and chattering happily about her test, how she passed, how wonderful it was that she was truly following her father's footsteps. I knew the boy of course, even if he didn't know me. The youngest child of Adelbern; and the man this woman lieutenant was betrothed to."

"I should have guessed really." He said with a frown. "I knew that Prince Coran was betrothed; and that the rumor was that it was the daughter of Mordekai, but I never thought to put the pieces together until that moment. The pair denied such an attachment for what it was worth. But I could tell… anyone with a pulse could tell. To this day, they both hold the delusion their relationship was some well kept secret. It wasn't. Not to anyone that knew them."

The ranger laughed with a hint of bitterness. "So engrossed in each other, the young lieutenant was completely oblivious to my affection. I'm sure you are quite well aware of that by now."

"Painfully." Yue acknowledged.

From the vest of his jacket, Aidan pulled a flask, and took a long drag. "Devona always thought this was my personal water bottle, a misconception I didn't care to correct, and in fact encouraged on occasion. I am quite thankful we were never in such dire straights in regards to water that I would be encouraged to share."

He handed the item over to Yue, and gestured for her to take a drink. She did, and nearly spit it out in surprise. "That's…"

"In this case, it's an Asuran spirit that I managed to purchase. I personally prefer the Thunderhead Stout that the dwarves made, but it was not always easy to get, and nigh impossible now that they are gone." Aidan said, his lips upturned darkly. "You have your iced cream; this was my comforter for these last nine years."

He sighed again, and continued, "I purchased that flask, and the first ale it contained the hour after Devona invited me to join her guild… I realized I would need it to remain in her company. Has anyone ever told you why the Heroes of Ascalon initially came to be?"

Yue shook her head. "I had figured it was an assembly of the best Ascalon had to offer, an elite squad to assist in the defense of Ascalon against the Charr."

"That certainly became our purpose… but Devona initially assembled the four of us to, get this, find Prince Coran, who had disappeared and was most certainly alive somewhere; perhaps a Charr prisoner!" His voice turned into a crude approximation of Devona's worried lilt. "How unintentionally callous was that? To invite a man smitten with her to help her find the man she was smitten with in turn."

"But she gave up, didn't she?"

Aiden shook his head. "Her duty quickly pulled her away, and she reluctantly abandoned the search quickly enough… but I don't think she ever really gave up hope."

"But for nine years? Why didn't you… you know…" Yue insisted bitterly.

"Why didn't you?"

Yue sagged to the floor across from Aidan and submitted the answer to both questions. "Because I knew at best I'd just be some surrogate; a pale substitute. He'd never care for me the way he did her."

There was a long, sour silence until Yue finally asked no one in particular. "Why do we put ourselves through this?"

"Because we know that while they may not care for us the way we dream; they do care for us deeply as friends and trusted allies, and rely on us more than they, and possibly even we, will ever truly know." Aidan offered sagely, taking back his flask for another pull. "It is enough, most of the time."

Yue quickly snatched the flask back, and smirked silent his coming protest before taking another drag herself. Now that she knew what it was, it went down far smoother. "What would they do without us, right?"

"Indeed."

At that point, Devona herself appeared in the doorway. "I figured if I looked for every reasonably darkened space, I'd eventually find one of you two."

Yue's eyebrows perked in mock curiosity, and she remarked slyly, "Goodness, you really aren't attached to the Headmaster's hip after all. This is truly astonishing."

Devona frowned, but refused to rise to the bait. "Coran is assembling his 'inner circle' in the Paragon Hall as we speak. He hopes that we will get some answers to our questions soon enough. Obviously, both of you are included."

"We shall be right behind you." Aiden affirmed, taking to his feet, and offering his hand to Yue to help her up, which she declined not entirely politely.

Devona tilted her head, and noted quizzically. "Huh. You never let me drink out of your personal water supply."

Aidan couldn't help but grin. "Well, perhaps you don't understand me as well as you think."

The warrior scoffed. "I don't understand you at all, and don't pretend to. At any rate, come along… let's not keep Coran waiting."