Chapter 8

Against his base instinct, Yvain stopped himself from doing anything sexual with Nora in the morning.

First because she stayed up most of the night looking after all three of them as they trained and she needed the rest, and second because there was a lot that they had to get done today and anything could go wrong at any moment with two dragons.

“Pass me the butter,” Selt said to Roesia.

“Please?” she said and made no move for the requested item.

“Stop being—”

“Selt?” Nelimir said and the kid stopped himself.

With a sigh he said, “Please pass me the butter?”

Roesia did as asked with no more protest nor gloating and went back to eating her breakfast.

Elly had done both hers and Nora’s hair early in the morning as well as made sure that both their tails didn’t stand out too much from inside their clothing. Something that wasn’t too hard since Roesia was always wearing robes and Nora baggy clothing.

“Don’t forget to get her clothes,” Elly said, “With how many of mine you’ve torn I’ll need to do the same.”

“What do you mean I’ve torn? It was obviously Nora,” Yvain said.

“Was I the one who tore my pants off yesterday?” the goddess said with a smirk that made his knees weak.

“Stars don’t get that comfortable with us here,” Nelimir said without looking up from his plate.

Nora winced, her eyes widening toward Yvain almost telling him ‘what did I just say?’ and looked back into her own plate to continue eating.

“Forgive me,” she said quietly before Yvain burst out laughing.

He should have been embarrassed but seeing this goddess, who sometimes felt untouchable and ethereal, so flustered tickled him in unusual ways.

Nora pinched his leg as hard as she could, which didn’t have much of an effect on him, but he took the hint and calmed himself.

“We’ll make sure to get her at least a week’s worth,” he said in answer to Elly’s request.

“Don’t forget the bedframe,” Nora added as she took a bite of eggs.

“First we’ll bring you both the contact lenses and go to Cosmos,” Nelimir said. “Once that’s over with you’re all free to do what you must so long as you don’t stir up any trouble.” Their leader looked solely at Selt as he finished talking, but the kid didn’t show any sign or recognition as he stuffed his face.

They all continued to eat, but Yvain would look at his master from time to time. Then he would look to Roesia and feel himself get hard. He would look at Nora too, just to enjoy the act, but at some points the memory of what he experienced yesterday would resurface.

During all of it he kept asking himself one question over and over, should he tell them that he and Nora were a couple now? It should have been an easy, inconsequential thing, but knowing how his master felt about him and what she might feel when she found out gave him pause. Not because he had any feelings for her besides camaraderie and friendship, but because he didn’t want to hurt her.

And Roesia, what was he supposed to do about her?

Just ignore her, Yvain told himself. He couldn’t be the first man that found another woman attractive while being with another. That’s all it was. It didn’t mean he would betray Nora.

As for his master ... Yvain looked at Elly again.

“Spit it out,” she suddenly said.

Yvain winced and thought of feigning ignorance, but his master was looking straight at him.

“I didn’t train a coward, did I?” she said with a raised eyebrow.

Yvain gave an internal sigh. How was it more difficult to go through with hurting her feelings, than it was hurting her physically? Stars he already did the latter willingly, and he’d do it again, just how she’d do the same.

I guess I shouldn’t be a hypocrite, he thought.

“Nora and I are a couple now,” he said. “Have been since yesterday.”

“Ah,” was all Elly said before she went back to eating.

Nora excitedly hugged his arm tighter than usual and rested her head against his shoulder.

“Congratulations,” Nelimir said, but he didn’t look much different than before.

Neither did Roesia who only said, “Congrats,” before concentrating on her plate again.

Selt just kept stuffing his face.

Yvain felt disappointed, in a way. He didn’t expect a party, but neither did he expect such a weak reaction. But maybe that was for the best, and none of them seemed against it. He had prepared himself to at least receive some type of lecture from their leader and masked frustration from Elly.

With relief in his belly, Yvain joined the rest in finishing his breakfast.

“Why in the stars are they doing this now?” Yvain asked no one in particular.

It had taken the group around half an hour to reach Triven on foot, since they parked the carriage far from prying eyes between some trees.

Elly, Nelimir, and Yvain currently walked through town while Roesia and Nora waited in the carriage for them to come back with their items. Selt had broken off from the group as soon as he went out the door, rushing to stars know where.

“I’m sure she’ll...” Nelimir began when a child ran by him joyously laughing while holding what was supposed to be a kite in the shape of monster entrails, “ ... understand.”

Elly remained indifferent to the spectacle taking place around them as they headed for the information center that was a straight shot away from the gates to the town. Though some people were clearly staring at her from afar as her build and height made her stand out like a beacon in the night.

“Understand what?” Selt asked as he appeared out of nowhere.

“Isn’t it obvi-, oh stars help me Selt,” Yvain said.

The kid was holding a balloon instead of a kite, this one taking the shape of a misconfigured, black heart.

“Hey!” Selt said as Yvain grabbed the item and popped it with his hands.

“How dare you!” the kid said and was about to jump on Yvain when Nelimir stopped him.

“I’ll buy you something else later Selt,” he said. “Just nothing related to this sick festival.”

The kid looked at their leader curiously, “Anything I want?”

“Anything inside my means,” Nelimir said, which seemed to be enough to calm Selt down.

Triven was currently celebrating what was called ‘Day of Terrors’ a week early. It actually lasted for a whole week, but ‘Week of Terrors’ just didn’t sound as catchy.

It was a religious event that took place on the last seven days of every month, celebrating the protection that their god offered against the evils and monsters that resided outside of Great Divider. Thanks to his efforts everyone could live in paradise with the ease of mind that nothing would ever go wrong.

In a way the theology was right. All those who became soldiers or members of Cosmos understood by implication that everything outside of their world was madness on more concrete terms than their citizen counterparts.

The degree of said madness blurred itself between the ranks though, as the lower one was, the less information they were given. And while he and the everyday guard or soldier might not be a citizen, they weren’t that far off.

But Yvain agreed that they lived in paradise. He might not be sure of what was outside of Empryon, nonetheless he was certain that there would be no neatly paved streets. No freshly painted and maintained houses. No tables filled with good food for every family. No education for every child and adult. And much less at the cost of nothing except existing.

It could be said that even the people from the little village they had visited a couple of days back lived lavishly. They had their place in the totem pole, but they never lacked basic needs. And if they did, those were quickly met when brough to the attention of those with power in Allsworth.

But all this in itself is where the problem lay. How could they live in paradise? What made them different? Was this type of living sustainable? Apparently, no one cared to ask themselves these questions. No one but Nelimir and those who chose to listen, which weren’t that many.

As for Yvain, he didn’t care either way. At first it was only a hunch he wanted to delve into and investigate, but it had already been confirmed by Nora that Empryon wasn’t all there was to life.

Yet ... he still didn’t want her to see this shameless display.

The group paved their way through throngs of happy children and adults making merry underneath colorful depictions of death and streets decorated with mannequins of abominations everyone could attack with their makeshift weapons. Some people, including patrolling soldiers, had also chosen to wear costumes and playfully act the part of monsters.

Yvain watched on in embarrassment. None of this was supposed to take place until next week. What would Nora think when she saw all this? Sure, it was just a matter of time considering where she was ... but that didn’t make it any easier.

They arrived at their destination. A building holding all manners of macabre decorations— these being ‘monster’ organs for the most part.

The spear-holding guard nearby was covered in dark paint with fake sharp teeth.

“Wait here,” Elly said.

“Don’t forget to ask where the Cosmos branch is,” Nelimir said.

Elly nodded before going into the building.

“Do we even need to dress them up at this point?” Yvain asked.

“Better safe than sorry,” Nelimir said.

Selt ran off toward a kind looking vendor giving away wooden swords and grabbed one. The kid came back running, but instead of joining the duo, he went toward the guard and began to imitate clumsy attacks.

The guard could have easily fended them off, but instead he quickly hunched his back and began to give weird growls as he scratched at Selt and shuffled around like a monkey.

“Did you ever join the festivities as a kid? Nelimir asked.

“Never,” Yvain said. Most of his childhood was spent training with Elly, there was no time to play around. Though even if there had been, she made clear that he wasn’t allowed to participate. Not that he even wanted too. Even as a kid he found the spectacle disturbing.

Nelimir laughed, “I wish I could say the same.”

“You were quite the indoctrinated princeling when we first met,” Yvain said while giving his friend a side glance and keeping an eye on Selt.

“Don’t remind me,” Nelimir said with discomfort.

If anyone could be called a leader in Humanism, it’d be his family. They were the ones building places of worship, organizing the biggest events, recruiting those willing to dedicate their lives to the propagation of humanity’s sacred word.

When Yvain first met him, he was the role model everyone looked up to as the purest form of theology. Only through their meeting and Haradriel’s arrival did he begin to change.

The solider Selt had been attacking was finally ‘vanquished’ and choked on invisible blood as his body fell dramatically.

Selt stood over him triumphant, a small group of children cheering a bit farther away.

“You aren’t wrong though,” Nelimir said. “And if I managed to shift my views, then there’s hope for every citizen.”

“There is, we’ll just need to get everyone their own elf,” Yvain said and elbowed his friend with a grin.

“If only it were that easy,” Nelimir laughed lightly. “Maybe have them mingle with dragons instead.”

“That one might be a bit more difficult,” Yvain said. Elves were one thing, but Nora’s race looked too different for the everyday human to accept easily.

“I guess we’ll just need to stick to good old diplomacy and treaties,” Nelimir said.

“And maybe a bit of force,” Yvain said as he eyed the group of kids that was cheering Selt on join him to mock-attack another guard, this one much bigger than the last one.

They were only being facetious. The truth of the matter was that Nelimir had no say in whatever stood for politics in Empryon. And even if he did, he would probably just be a powerless puppet like the rest of his family.

It was never clear who exactly was in control. In the higher ranks one could see that a lot of things just ... happened. It could even be said that resources simply fell out of the sky and no one knew from which cloud.

Elly exited the information center.

“Here are the directions,” she said and handed a piece of paper to Nelimir. “I’m going to go get my arm checked out.”

“I’ll go with you,” Yvain said quickly, Roesia’s admonishments ringing in his ears. It wouldn’t take long anyway.

“Aw, are you worried for little old me?” Elly said with a singsong voice and fluttering eyelashes, putting a hand on her chest. She then switched back to her normal self. “Save it, go get your girlfriend’s contacts.”

Without waiting for an answer, Yvain’s master walked around them and left through the crowd, most doing their best to make way for her.

“I guess she’s still unhappy about Nora joining,” Nelimir said and opened the piece of paper before beginning to walk. “Let’s go Selt!”

“Yeah,” Yvain said. Though the real reason was probably him finally revealing that he and Nora were official, not the goddess joining their guild. Or maybe it was just a combination of both?

The kid yelled his goodbyes to the children he was playing with before running back, still holding his sword.

Festivities were in full swing. Some nuns, dressed in their customary guimpes, veils, and robes, walked around the streets helping wherever they could—setting up tables in front of different restaurants, since noon was fast approaching, cleaning the messes children made as best they could, or enjoying the revelries going on around them.

“By the way, don’t you think you might be moving a bit too fast?” Nelimir asked.

Here we go, Yvain thought. He knew it had been too easy.

Yvain looked at his friend, “Do you think I am?”

“You and Nora,” Nelimir began, making sure that no one was listening, though it’d be impossible through the loud crowd around them, “you’ve only known each other for less than a week. You’re human. She’s a dragon, an empress, a mother, and a goddess to boot. I don’t want to discourage you from aiming high, and I believe she’ll be pivotal in our coming struggles. But stars Yvain, you’re sturdily planting your feet on quite the mountain.”

“And I plan on staying there,” he said.

“Hey, I respect that. And I don’t know you to do things half-way.” Nelimir said. “Just be aware that things between you two will very easily go south more likely than not, be it by outside or inside forces.”

“Jeez thanks for the vote of confidence,” Yvain said trying to keep his voice on a joking tone.

His friend’s words hit him, whether he’d like to admit it or not.

He pushed for Nora to join their guild. Nelimir did the same. But the reality was that she was from a completely different world than them and had massive responsibilities she needed to hold up.

Yvain was just beginning his journey. Could she be a part of it? The question stung because the odds were clearly stacked against him. But he already decided she’d always be his, and no one would get in his way of that. For now, though, they needed to concentrate on getting Charlotte back. When that time came, he would look at where the pieces stood and plan accordingly.

“Just something to keep in mind,” Nelimir said with a friendly pat on Yvain’s back.

When the trio finally arrived at the pharmacy, a line extended out of it and onto the street.

“I’m not going through that that,” Selt said with trepidation.

Yvain sighed, “‘Day of Terrors just had to take place this week, didn’t it?”

“Well, I’m not doing it by myself,” Nelimir said with a laugh. “You can go do whatever you want Selt, just don’t stray too far. You’re with me Yvain.”

“Of course I am,” Yvain said as he hung his head.

“Don’t whine so much,” Nelimir said. “Why am I even holding this?” he asked himself and handed the piece of paper with the directions to Yvain. “We’re doing this for your girlfriend.”

“Roesia too you know, and Nora is also part of the guild, remember?” Yvain said in an accusing tone, but his friend just laughed.

Pyros was high in the sky once they managed to reach about halfway. Every costumer that left would be carrying bags or wearing a new pair of eyes. Some of different color, others of different shape, and a few that were of different color and shape. All for the sake of the festivities.

“Seriously why even do this, they’ll fit right in,” Yvain said, wiping his sweaty brow.

“This event won’t last forever, it’ll be good to have them handy,” Nelimir said.

Can’t argue with that, Yvain thought as he tried to entertain himself by looking at his surroundings for the hundredth time.

“Roar!” A nun jumped out of his right side with her hands shaped like claws. She was wearing a mask that was supposed to be an oni—one of the ‘monsters’ those at the top of Humanism came up with. It was pretty fearsome with its sneer, blood-red skin, and horns. Unfortunately, the woman wearing it literally said the word ‘roar’ with her high-pitched voice instead of growling, not that that would have helped.

“Can I help you?” Yvain asked.

“Rooooaaaar!” the nun yelled, coming closer to him and raising her hands to his face, as if she was about to scratch him.

“Um...” Yvain looked to Nelimir but his friend just shrugged and shook his head.

The nun stared at him from behind the mask for a bit longer until her arms fell in defeat along with her head.

“I don’t know what I was expecting,” the nun said as she took her mask off.

“Saya!” Yvain said and immediately picked the woman up in a tight embrace.

Saya giggled as she returned the hug, “I missed you.”

With all the nuns that were running around the place, he shouldn’t be surprised that his childhood friend would be among them. Though it was quite the coincidence that she would be in Triven specifically.

“It’s nice to see you, Saya,” Nelimir said.

“Likewise,” she said as Yvain set her down. “Are you guys still running around causing trouble?”

“You could say that,” Yvain said with a grin.

“I want to know every detail,” Saya said grabbing onto his hands with a skip in her step. “Stars know I haven’t seen any of you since...” she paused and looked at both Yvain and Nelimir before giving an awkward smile.

“Since Nelimir’s asshole dad banished us?” Yvain said with a laugh.

“It’s alright Saya, what happened didn’t come as a surprise to any of us,” Nelimir said. “We even welcome the fact.”

“I still think it was unjust,” Saya frowned. “We’re supposed to help those around us understand the realities of our existence, not discard them to fend for themselves.”

Oh boy, Yvain thought. If someone could be considered more devout than teenage Nelimir, it was Saya.

“By the way what’s with the mask?” he asked, wanting to steer the topic away from another clash between their and Saya’s ideals.

“Oh!” she said and looked at the oni mask as if she had forgotten about it. “Isn’t it neat? I thought it was positively terrifying and perfect to help the children muster up their courage.”

“By letting them attack you?” Nelimir said with a chuckle.

“It is a bit painful to have so many of them come at me,” Saya said and rubbed her arm as she sighed.

“How about you take a break then?” Yvain asked. “Once we’re finished here, we’ll grab the rest and have lunch.”

“That sounds wonderful!” Saya said with a bright smile. “Are Elly and Roesia around?”

“They are,” Yvain said. “We also have two new members, though we still need to fill out the papers for—”

Suddenly Nelimir grabbed his arm and jerked him back. His friend gave Saya a disarming smile as she looked at both men with worry.

“Just a moment, I remembered something extremely important, guild business,” he said.

Saya visibly relaxed and said, “I need to meet up with my sisters and see what the plans are for this afternoon anyway. How about we find each other at the information center in about an hour?”

“Sounds like a good idea,” Nelimir nodded.

Saya waved her goodbyes before putting back on her oni mask and disappearing in the crowd.

“What in the stars is your problem!?” Nelimir whispered harshly, trying not to make a scene so close to the pharmacy.

Yvain tried to piece together where his friend’s sudden anger was coming from but could only draw a blank.

Nelimir seemed to have seen as much in his expression. His friend searched his eyes before giving out a disappointed sigh.

“It’s fine to be a bit dense Yvain, but it’s a problem when you risk our lives,” he said. “What are we going to do if she finds out what Nora and Roesia really are?”

“How would that even happen?” Yvain said skeptically. “We already have disguises planned. And look around you.” He swept his arms across the crowd, specifically those who were dressed up. “Everyone looks like a freak; their horns are the least conspicuous of the bunch.”

“And Selt? How are we supposed to control him? He can let something slip at a moment’s notice.”

“Just give him some money and let him run lose,” Yvain said as if the plan was obvious. “He’ll eat if he’s hungry and keep himself entertained.”

Nelimir scoffed and shook his head, “It’s all still unnecessary risk.”

“As if we’re averse to such a thing,” Yvain said.

When Nelimir didn’t seem convinced, he continued, “She’s been my friend since I was a kid, Nelimir. My only friend until I met you and Roesia. I haven’t seen her in two years, and I quite frankly believed that I never would, with us being banished and planning to leave Empryon. It’s just lunch, after that we’ll never see her again.”

Yvain’s chest tightened as he said the words. He always thought about it but saying it out loud made it feel somehow true. Saya was just a normal human in Empryon and a servant of Humanism. She was destined to form a family here, grow old alongside them, and die.

Paradoxically enough, he didn’t think any less of her for it, as he did other humans. If Saya’s circumstances were any different, if she was a different person, she could easily thrive regardless of her surroundings. But she wasn’t, and that was okay.

By this point they had already entered the pharmacy with its choking heat and wooden smell. Everyone around them was sweating and looking irritable.

Nelimir stretched his head out to look past the line and at the front desk, then looked back at Yvain, “Just lunch, alright? The less contact we have the better.”

“Just lunch,” Yvain said, relieved. He would have gone regardless of what his friend decided. But he’d prefer not to create tension between them, especially over something so simple.

Once the duo bought the contact lenses they required, along with more bandages and general medicine, they went back to the carriage sitting outside of Triven.

“I think it looks kind of cool,” Roesia said as she looked at herself in the mirror.

“Which part!? We look like a pair of stag beetles!” Nora said as she did the same.

Both women were inside the sorceress’s bathroom. It contained the same soft blue light as the one in the bedroom, but unlike Yvain’s bathroom, the shower was on a second floor connected by a spiral staircase.

In the sorceress own words, she enjoyed feeling like she was the last person in the world, whatever that meant.

Not having much to do other than wait for their ‘contacts’ to arrive, they were looking at themselves in the mirror. Roesia admiringly, Nora debating whether to give up on the whole thing and just stay in the carriage. It was only the thought of Yvain being happy at the fact that she would finally join them officially, and that of her daughter, that stopped her from doing so.

“I’ve actually turned myself into one in the past,” Roesia said and waved her horns around as if attacking.

“Please do not do that,” Nora said, covering her eyes with a hand and attempting to keep her mortification at bay. “One of the first lessons you need to learn about being a dragon is that your horns are sacred.”

Roesia looked at her incredulously.

“What?” Nora asked.

The sorceress seemed like she wanted to say something but couldn’t quite muster up the courage. She instead looked back to the mirror, “Nothing. Didn’t you let me touch yours though?”

“That’s different. You’re a researcher, you can’t help your curiosity,” Nora said.

“This definition of sacred is very indistinct,” Roesia said.

“You do have the disadvantage of being made into a dragon, usually these are things learned throughout childhood,” Nora said. “For example, the slap you gave Yvain, something tells me that in the past you wouldn’t have done something like that.”

The sorceress quickly turned to her once more with wide eyes, “I didn’t mean to! I didn’t—”

Nora raised an appeasing hand, “I know. Do not worry, no one’s feelings have been hurt. Except maybe your own, but you’ll need to learn how to forgive yourself because your dragon side will move ahead regardless of your human one.”

Nora couldn’t think of any dragon that was as timid as Roesia. Every single one demonstrated characteristics of leaders. Even those that were content to follow.

“I guess I do need to be more conscious of what I am now,” Roesia said. “Do you mind giving me a rundown of the basics later?”

“That was always the plan,” Nora happily said.

The sorceress suddenly looked outside the bathroom’s door, “They’re back.”

“Really?” Nora said and looked out the door, but no one was there except Roesia’s bedroom.

“How do you know?” she asked.

“Didn’t you hear the door?” the sorceress said, her eyes looking away.

“No, I don’t think so,” Nora said. She had good hearing so something like that wouldn’t have been missed.

“Nora?” came Yvain’s voice from outside. Her current thoughts immediately left her to be replaced with his sound.

Nora left the bathroom in a rush and found Yvain and Nelimir in the living room, a tiny bag set on the table, before jumping into her lover’s arms. Or should she fully embrace the term boyfriend?

She relished the way he hugged her into his hard chest, almost as if trying to break her in half.

“We got you guys the contact lenses,” he said. “Though you won’t have to use them for now if you don’t want to.”

“I want to at least see them,” she said. When Elly had mentioned them, she had been curious as to what human invention they would show her next. But there was no easy way to explain them it seemed. Roesia had called them frameless glasses, but Nora didn’t know what glasses were either.

“What do you mean she doesn’t have to use them?” Roesia asked as she closed the door to her bedroom.

“Day of Terrors” Nelimir said dully.

“Oh...,” said Roesia. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” Nelimir said as he looked at Nora almost apologetically.

“Sounds like a dreadful thing,” Nora said.

“That’s one way to call it,” Yvain said, his voice next to her ear sending delicious chills down her spine.

“Wasn’t it supposed to take place next week?” Roesia asked as she walked up to the table and took out the contents of the bag. Two white cases in the shape of two circles connected by a small bridge along with two vials containing transparent liquid.

“That’s what we’re wondering too,” Yvain said. “Maybe we can ask Saya later today at lunch. If anyone will know the reason, it’s her.”

“Saya? The Saya?” Roesia asked and looked to Nora.

“What do you mean the? Yes, my friend Saya,” Yvain said with audible confusion.

“I guess Nora and I can just walk around the place while you guys finish that up,” Roesia said. “We can find something to eat on our own. I’m planning to get her to try some other candies too.”

That got Nora’s attention, but Yvain wasn’t done talking.

“I didn’t mean just Nelimir and I, we’re all going to have lunch with her. She asked about you and Elly,” Yvain said.

The sorceress looked to Nelimir, but their leader just shook his head with visible worry.

“So, you’re going to introduce your dragoness girlfriend to the zealot woman that has been practically obsessed with you all her life?” the sorceress said.

“Don’t forget our newly dragon-turned member,” added Nelimir.

“Oh dragoness, I like how that word sounds,” Nora said, and she pulled herself out of Yvain’s arms to look at him, “Who are we talking about?”

The panic in his eyes made it obvious that he misunderstood the intention of her question.

“She’s just a friend,” he said. “I mean ... she used to have a crush on me.”

“A massive crush,” Roesia added, earning herself a glare from Yvain.

“But we talked it out and that was that,” he said.

“I don’t think that’s how it works,” Roesia said with a giggle.

“This is a horrible idea,” Nelimir said.

“Look! She’s my friend, alright!?” Yvain said. “She’s also the kindest woman I have ever had the pleasure to meet, she’s not just going to suddenly try to kill Nora or you.” He pointed to Roesia.