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There was a knock on the dormitory door, so Tess got up to open the door. Scirocca was there, looking ambivalent as always. "May I come inside?"
Tess internally chuckled at the phrasing. "Ugh, when did I become such a pervert?" She thought.
"Of course, come in," Tess replied, standing aside.
Scirocca moved inside, looking around the room, "They haven't taken any of Gwendolyn's belongings?"
"No, not yet," Tess replied, souring at the thought that this is why Scirocca came over. She really didn't want to talk about Gwen right now. It was just too much to bear.
Tess took a seat while Scirocca looked around the room. Tess felt like she was under scrutiny for a moment. There wasn't much that the woman missed. She only hoped that she didn't leave any underwear on the floor for her to see. "Why?" Tess thought, "We've had sex, so what's the big deal?"
She shrugged the thought aside just as Scirocca asked, "How are you and Miri doing?"
Miri appeared, floating just above Scirocca. Tess looked up at her and Scirocca asked, "She's floating above me, isn't she?"
"Yes, Tess replied, "You can't see her right now?"
Scirocca shook her head and Miri chuckled aloud, "I could do so many naughty things to her right now!"
Tess whispered, "Don't you dare."
Scirocca sighed a moment and asked, "About my question?"
"Which was?"
"How are you two doing?"
"Oh," Tess mumbled, "Well, we're alright. I think."
She looked up at Miri and the demoness replied, "I'm good!"
Tess nodded to Scirocca, confirming her answer. Scirocca continued, asking, "Could you tell me more about how you two were combined together, and how you arrived? I would like to look into methods of separating you."
"Ugh," Miri complained, "More experiments? Like we haven't had enough from snake-hair."
"Well," Tess started, giving Miri a sharp look, "Gwendolyn said that there was some dark lady. Black hair, black clothes, black nails, black eyes."
"Sounds like your typical Dark Wyrden. So dramatic," Scirocca said, shaking her head.
Tess continued, "They fought and Gwen was about to die, but she swiped a hand through the ritual circle, and then I appeared."
"We appeared," Miri corrected.
Tess conveyed the correction to Scirocca, giving Miri an apologetic look.
"And you don't remember anything before that?" Scirocca asked.
"No," Tess said, shaking her head, "I mean, I remembered some things about the world, but not anything about myself. Except that I was different. My dick, I mean." Tess looked up to the ceiling with a sigh. So awkward!
"Right," Scirocca nodded, "What about Miri? Does she remember anything?"
"What? No!" Miri replied.
"She says no."
Scirocca nodded her head once more. She looked like a doctor, questioning her patient's symptoms, "Nothing at all?"
Tess looked up at MIri. Miri scowled, "Tell her to buzz off. I'm sick of this inquisition."
"She wants you to leave," Tess replied.
"Ah," Scirocca said, nodding, "I'll go."
"Oh, hey, before you do," Tess interrupted, opening a drawer beside her bed, "I found these." She pulled out the amulet and the gloves, showing them to Scirocca, "Or, well... a fox showed them to me, actually."
"A fox led you to them?" Scirocca asked, looking a little surprised for once in Tess' experience.
"Yes," Tess replied, "It stood around me until I followed it and then dug into the ground. The key to the box they were in was in its mouth."
"I see," Scirocca responded thoughtfully, nodding, "Have you worn them?"
"No, Miri said not to," Tess replied.
Scirocca raised her eyebrows, "I think that you should. They look like Artifacts to me. It is very likely that it will help you. Make you stronger. Make you more useful."
Tess took in a deep breath, letting it out a bit shakily. That is exactly what she wanted; to be useful to her team. Had Scirocca known? Was this a ploy? Gods, was she playing Tess like a lute right now? Tess shook the thought from her mind. She had no reason to distrust Scirocca. It was because of her that she was saved from Pava. It was because of her that the ledger was being translated. It is because of her that she entered the Void and was assigned to her team. She has helped so much.
"Fuuuuck no," Miri said, unknown to Scirocca, "Don't trust this little-winged idiot. Something is real fishy!"
Scirocca added, "Trust any fox that you see. They are a lucky sign."
"Like a foxpaw flower?" Tess asked. Scirocca nodded.
"Thank you, Scirocca," Tess said, smiling. She was excited to try them on, but she wondered if Miri would intervene somehow. Maybe she needed to wait until they were in the Void, or wait until Miri wasn't paying attention. Could she even bring these items into the Void? Tess was unsure.
"Is that all you needed?" Tess asked.
"That's it. I just wanted to check up on you," Scirocca said, "I'm going to look into Gwen's state, too. I'll let you know if I find anything."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Have a good night."
Tess held the gloves tightly in her hand, running her fingers over the fox-engraved coins strung up in their palms. Artifacts. How amazing was that? She couldn't keep from smiling. For once she had some good fortune.
"Don't even think about it, Tess," Miri chided.
Tess nodded her head, "Why not, Miri?"
"Random items from a random fucking hole in the ground from some random gods-damned fox? Don't you think it sounds suspicious?" Miri asked, "It could be a trap. It could teleport you somewhere dangerous. It could kill you."
"But Scirocca said..."
"You want to trust her, or trust me?" Miri replied, "I am sharing this fuckin' body, Tess. Don't you think that if I thought they'd make us stronger, I'd want to use them? I don't want to die, so I'm telling you not to."
Tess saw the logic in that, but she was so curious. She placed the gloves and the amulet back into the drawer for now, but they were on her mind all night long.
Chapter 77 - Joyona
The carriage bumped and swayed as it went over the rocky terrain. Its wheels were uneven and old, squeaking and grinding as they turned. The driver was a middle-aged woman with a hunched back and one eye. She didn't bother to cover the empty socket.
Joyona didn't mind. She always wanted to let people do what makes them comfortable. She didn't want to interfere with others' happiness unless it came at the cost of another. That was her motto, anyway. That was her father's motto too. Gods, she missed him.
In truth, Joyona was intensely homesick. She missed Sevarra. She missed her Cairn. She missed her family. Her father sent her the scribestone that barely had anything on it. It tore her up, but she didn't want to worry the others, so she put on a good face. She wanted to hear from him. She wanted to talk to him. She wanted to hug him and be hugged by him. She missed the love.
She looked into the sky, watching the dark night and the moon above. She'd started trying to take these little sojourns during the nighttime and attending class during the day. It had left her exhausted, but she didn't want to worry the others.
Joyona had made some friends during her time at Kravana Hall and she didn't want to risk losing them for something like this. Gwen, Tess, Mairaela. They were wonderful. She respected Gwendolyn's discipline, even if it drove her a little crazy this time. She appreciated Tess' persistence to be helpful, even if she could be an evil deceiver.
Mairaela, though? The Fey was gorgeous. She was sweet and kind. She was professional when she had to be, polite when that was the proper course. She was everything that Joyona had ever wanted. She couldn't shake the feeling that she wanted to be closer to the Fey; to be more than a friend. When she saw Mairaela and Tess sleeping with one another, all she could think about was how happy Mairaela seemed at that moment. It brought Joyona such a euphoric feeling; She wanted to be someone that gave her those feelings too.
This loneliness was like a vice on Joyona's heart and a weight on her shoulders. It wasn't physical, though. Joyona couldn't lift it in her arms. It was just mental. Emotional. Spiritual. It distracted her during the Void Exercise. Slowed her. Clouded her mind. She could have been so much better. She protected the Fey from the Arbalest's blast. She came to her aid at a moment's notice. She healed her after Miri's assault.
She didn't turn Tess in--despite knowing that she should--because it would have upset Mairaela.
But the others were emotional. Scared at times. They had so much going on in their lives. So Joyona would be their rock. She could push down her own problems and be the foundation for the problems of her allies. She was big. She was strong. She was an Evigkin and she would bear that weight, just like her father would. She knew that he would be proud.
The carriage pulled up to the humble town of Oar's Rest. It wasn't much but a few streets and four dozen homes and businesses. It made a living off of its sizable port however, being the last refuge before heading into the long stretch of sea known as the Waterway. Wheldrake, the next stop was over a week away, so ships often traded a great deal at Oar's Rest in exchange for repairs, food and other supplies. Joyona could respect the people here. They put their money back into that which makes them money. Instead of expanding they have restricted how many people could set up homes here. They kept the town small and manageable while putting a great deal of its profit back into the port.
Joyona appreciated the practicality. A giant's Cairn was a very small group of people, most often only a single family. She knew that humans and Fey were more social creatures, but even still, Oar's Rest kept things simple.
The carriage pulled up to the town hall and let Joyona step out. The giant had already paid--as was the carriage driver's rule--so she simply walked off. She didn't engage with the driver. She would only embarrass herself. She wasn't the best in social situations, so she usually just kept her mouth shut rather than risking faux pas. She may look strange for it, but at least she didn't have to look at their expressions while they did.
On her way to her destination, she passed a number of stores. Armories, smithies, general stores, fish sellers and some empty markets that would be filled up during the daytime.
She wondered what Yerthwerk was up to. Was he even conscious while she was out of the Void? What happened to him? She should introduce the others to him next time. She'd just been so worried that she would be misunderstood. She wanted to be normal. She didn't want to be the weird one. She certainly failed at that when Gwendolyn overheard her. She grimaced at the thought that she was perceived as talking to herself. She just didn't think the others were ready to hear about Yerthwerk. Even still, they had their own problems to deal with. She shouldn't trouble them with her own. She was the rock.
Joyona took one of her braids in hand, tugging it and twirling it around a hand. A passerby gave her a look. It wasn't particularly judgmental, but it still caused Joyona anxiety. She released her braid, tossing it over her shoulder and giving the man nothing more than a glance. He looked uncomfortable with her gaze. Was she so intimidating?
Even at her Cairn she stood out. Everyone else was full-blooded, towering over Joyona. But there was something in her mother's blood, something that thinned it, even if she were as tall as the others. And that blood was passed onto Joyona. Her parents loved her no matter what, and those at her Cairn didn't give her trouble for it, but Joyona felt their stares. She felt their pity. She'd been short. She'd been weak. She stood out.
Now she was too tall. Too strong. She still stood out.
She was relieved to find Admaris in the Corps. Another half-blood. Of course, he didn't seem to have the same troubles as Joyona. What was his secret? Was there just something wrong with Joyona that others in her position didn't experience? She constantly wondered if she was simply broken.
Joyona opened the door to her destination, immediately met with the scent of cinnamon. One of the ladies was standing behind the desk. The others were giving Joyona welcoming glances, fluttering their lashes and coaxing her to pick them. "Welcome back," said the Madame, approaching Joyona and taking a puff from her slender pipe.
"Hi," Joyona replied, keeping things brief so that she wouldn't mess things up.
"How can we help you this time?"
"Same as before."
"Who do you have a taste for tonight?"
"Lira." Joyona replied
The Madame of the place gave a little laugh, "You must really like her. I swear I was going to kick her out before you started coming almost every day for her. I'm sure that she appreciates your patronage."
Joyona didn't reply, didn't react. She just wanted to move along.
She was escorted into a well decorated room. Red everything. Sheets, curtains, pillows, rug, even the walls. Enhance the passion, Joyona supposed.
"Lira will be right with you," the attendant spoke softly.
Joyona nodded and took a seat on the bed, kicking off her boots and removing her cloak. She folded it neatly upon a nearby loveseat, organizing the boots along with it.
When Lira entered, dressed in little more than small strips of clothing that did very little to hide her body, she smiled wide at Joyona. She was a sweet woman. Pale, auburn hair and freckled face. Blue eyes. Pretty.
"Same as last time? You just want to talk?"
Joyona nodded, taking a seat upon the bed. Lira joined her, sitting a friendly distance away.
Lira turned to Joyona and asked, "So, how have you been?"
Chapter 78 - A Proper Squad
"I hope you can all understand why I am frustrated," Kofi explained from the front of the briefing room, "And I would hope that you are all frustrated as well. This was a hit to our entire team."
"More concerned about Gwendolyn, ma'am," Mairaela replied, "It's unfortunate that we've been set back, but she's our friend and her health is more important."
Kofi let out a sigh and rubbed at her forehead, "I am concerned for her too." She ran a hand down her face and said, "But we have a job to do. The world is at stake, and if we don't do it, Gwen will die along with everyone else.
"If we aren't doing work, we aren't going to be allowed to stay at Kravana, or in the Corps at all."
Tess frowned. That wasn't what she wanted, of course. She was torn between duty and friends. She knew what she had to pick--friends of course--but it was a difficult sacrifice regardless. When Gwendolyn made the opposite choice, she broke. Tess' heart ached at the thought of the pain that Gwen must have been experiencing. Pain that Tess wished she could have healed. If only she'd known. If only she'd been more aware; less self-centered.
She shook the thought from her mind. That was the pressure that Gwendolyn must have been putting on herself. There was no problem with how Tess behaved. There was no problem with how Gwendolyn behaved. She had a mental disease. Too much pressure; too much stress.
"We need to do something to bring up our numbers," Kofi said, looking around the room, "And speaking of numbers, where is Joyona? I thought she would only be late, not absent."
Mairaela frowned, "She's been exhausted lately. Sleeping a lot. She must've slept through the morning."
Kofi pinched her nose and let out a sigh, "This is unacceptable. You two know this isn't alright, yes?"
Tess and Miraela nodded their heads. Mairaela explained, "We've just been under a lot of pres-..."
"The Void is full of pressure. We need to learn to handle it. Combat should be hard, not our time at home," Kofi explained.
Tess couldn't argue with it. Maupoissant was making a lot of sense, even if she didn't want to admit it. How were they going to handle all of the dangers of the Void when they couldn't handle passing a class, or a letter from a father?
For a moment however, it made sense. In the Void, everything was a danger. Everything could be handled physically. You could cut, punch or incinerate a monster. The solutions to mental and emotional trauma were not so easily handled. She wished she had the courage to say that to Maupoissant.
"What can we do, Captain?" Mairaela asked, "We want to be here. We want to fight. I think we're just going stir crazy. It's been months since the Void exercise. We need to test the things we've learned."
"And to do that," the Captain replied, "We need to show the higher-ups that we can be professional. So far we have done the opposite. Once we can get assignments, successes will only lead us to further assignments. We'll be on a roll after that."
Tess spoke up, "Is there anything that we can do to gain points and get an assignment?"
"A few things," Kofi replied, looking over a book of notes, "There is a sorcery duel, but none of you are Wyrden."
Tess raised her hand, "Captain, can I please be assigned to that?"
Kofi looked Tess over and shook her head, "I'm sorry, but no, Tess. If you showed and could only do rituals, we would likely lose more points out of embarrassment. We cannot risk that."
Tess sucked at her teeth, already plotting how she could get into it anyway. She did it with the Void exercise, right? She could do it with this, too.
Maupoissant continued, "One of you could teach a course, or be a teacher's assistant for a course."
Miri appeared, invisibly settling into a seat beside Tess, "You should teach a class. I'll just tell you everything you need to know."
Tess raised her hand, "What classes need to be taught?"
Kofi looked over her list, "Courtish History, Umbral Omens, Oddities of the Tul, The Cenean Massacre, The Heroic Divine-..."
Miri snapped her fingers, "That one! That one!"
Tess raised her hand, "Could I teach that one? The Heroic Divine?"
Kofi looked Tess over, "How would you know about that?"
"I've been reading all about them in the library," Tess lied.
Kofi nodded her head, "Okay. So long as you aren't reported by a student, you should be fine. Read up on it every moment you have."
Tess looked relieved, "Thank you, Captain."
"There's the military ball coming up," Kofi replied, "Attendance will earn a small amount of points. I expect you all to be there. Joyona too. We'll have a fitting for your dress uniforms tomorrow. Please, make sure that she is there."
"What else can we do, Captain?" Mairaela asked.
"Spars. Spars, spars, spars," Kofi replied, "We need to start sparring regularly. Ideally without actually stabbing your opponent once the fight is done."
Tess didn't like these little jabs at Gwen's predicament, but she supposed she couldn't blame the Captain. She was under pressure too. Everyone here seemed to have someone's thumb pushing down on them.
"We also have a decision to make," Kofi added, "As to whether or not we keep Gwen in the party."
Tess' heart leapt, "We can't go without her. She's practically our leader."
Mairela nodded her head, "We need her, Captain."
Maupoissant nodded with a sigh, "Was expecting you to say that. Just... consider it. What's good for you may not be best for Gwendolyn."
The door opened and in came Ylla of all people. What was she doing here? She was wearing common clothes, her hair looking immaculate as always. The tighter clothing flattered her lovely figure. Ylla caught Tess staring and she fanned a wave with her fingers.
Mairaela looked sour over her appearance. Her lips were tight. Tess could tell she was trying to keep from speaking up.
"This is Miren Tel'Ranyre," said the Captain.
Miren? What happened to Ylla? Tess scowled at her. Miren just shrugged a little when the Captain wasn't looking. She was content with her little deception.
"She's going to be joining our party," Maupoissant explained, "Hopefully you're all acquainted."
