"Idreyn won`t be joining us?" she asked, when it was only the 8 of them in sportswear again.
"No. Why would she?"
"I just though that we could be training together."
"No. Not today, at least. They`ve been travelling for many hours."
"I imagined that Idreyn and her mom had spent the night at one of the inns."
"They didn`t. A noble, lower or high, can`t simply stay at the inn, Ellyn. The baroness had been a guest of my parents and together with Idreyn left before midnight, to arrive on time. They may be resting now."
"Isn`t traveling at night very dangerous?" Selea asked.
"There are advantages and disadvantages, but their group was a large and well-protected one."
"I can`t see any advantages."
"Then I`ll tell you something that might not seem obvious. Our soldiers and Laur Group`s mercenaries love to surprise bandits laying ambushes at night. If there is a night convoy, you can be 100% certain they are confident in their skill. You may not know this, but I assure you that the bandits do. There is nothing easier for scouting squads than to hide in the cover of the night and find the much less experienced rogue soldiers without any specialised training. Once they do, it is not even a fight. Imagine being a bandit. Do you pretend to be a peasant during the day to mask yourself and stay safe most of the time or go out at night, when peasants are sleeping and groups of people sneaking behind trees and bushes are immediately considered a threat?"
"It was a Laur Group`s convoy?"
"Yes. Master Tercent had been guaranteeing the security. Night convoys are his squad`s specialty. You`d not want to be hiding in the bushes in numbers near to where his convoy passes at night, girls. Even skilled and powerful enemies die trying."
This was the afternoon of March 20th, 1218.
Though it was a shame that Idreyn wouldn`t train with them today, it wasn`t really necessary. More than anything else, Ellyn wanted to figure out why was the girl "most likely" chosen to be her future squad mate. She couldn`t be certain, but even Selea thought that it was the case. The first thing that came to mind, was that the girl was known by and loyal to Mirals. Having their person close might be the goal here. Then they also knew her personality and might think it fitting for the job. Ellyn may be completely wrong and either Idreyn won`t be their squad mate or ... they will be hers. The latter possibility was something Selea has suggested. Would it be too far-fetched to see the two of them being squad mates for the lower noble Idreyn? Just because they`ve been at the royal palace longer, it did not mean they would have the more important role.
What if Ellyn`s hurried attempt that made her fall unconscious on March 17th messed up the princess` previous plans? Was it possible that her and Selea would have ended being Lunor`s toys in time and get assigned into squad with Idreyn anyway?
She`ll be told, if and when necessary, Ellyn knew, but she could still be curious.
The yesterday`s situation with the cold prince did not repeat itself today and though it looked like it may start to rain at any moment, Lunor had sent her entourage to socialise with girls and boys of other nobles and has been spending time with Ellyn, Selea and Cathe again, being guarded by "Niri", as she familiarly called her master mage guard.
"Wonderful, Selea. Keep at it and you will be a level 2 mage in no time after joining the army," Lunor praised.
"Less people being around during my spellcasting seems to do the trick for me. Either that or it is that those people are being as nice and supportive as you are, Lunor."If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
"Are you sure that you don`t want to be a diplomat instead?" the princess asked with a smile.
"I can`t see Ellyn ever being one, so I won`t even start thinking about it."
"What? I can give compliments as well. Watch and learn, my friend..."
"Lunor, those pants look great on you. Better than the yesterday`s. Ehm... I mean those were also good... but the ones you wear now are a little tighter and I can see your backs... I mean... eeehm. I like you? I mean the pants... not that I don`t like you. I do."
"Wow, Ellyn, I`ve learned so much," Selea poked and smirked.
"My dear toy soldier," Lunor started as she approached her, "I`d love to hear more praises about my... pants, I would, but... is this something you would have been telling to every foreigner as a diplomat?"
"No! I... I wouldn`t. Of course, not. I wouldn`t like them the way I like you."
"It is the weirdest thing, Ellyn. At one moment, you are terrible with finding the right words and at the next one, you say exactly what you should be saying. Remember this, though- you are mine. I do not own you and I never will, but you still are and... forever will be... MINE."
"I want to be yours."
"Forever?"
Her heart was beating so fast she could die. This was not just some person she loved. Lunor was the divine princess. Their future queen. Ellyn shouldn`t be forgetting her place.
"Forever."
"Ellyn, you would have been a terrible diplomat, but you do know how to confess. I have much to learn," Selea said and winked, turning Ellyn`s face red.
"Teach me, master," Cathe joked with a little bow.
"Nice one," Selea replied and smacked Cathe`s backside friendly.
So embarrassing..., but she cared not. Lunor was smiling and that was all that mattered and it was enough for her to smile too.
Her progress was mind-blowing. The reach must have been around 1 to 1,5 metres. In days!
"Ellyn, you will be coming with me," Lunor said as the spellcasting ended and the first drops of rain started to fall.
Why? Is this about the backside? The pants? Is she in trouble? Will the divine princess be teaching her a lesson? Hmm... what kind of a lesson is it going to be?
Marys did not expect to see her sister return with the princess, by the looks of it.
"How do you feel about our guest- Idreyn Isloe, Ellyn?"
So, this was the reason.
The group had their pretty cloaks and handed 3 to them. Master Niriel did not use a cape, most likely to not obstruct her vision and hearing.
"I haven`t talked with her yet, but she seemed like a polite and nice girl."
Lunor was silent for a while, the group walking in the direction of their goal- one of the massive buildings in sight.
"Idreyn is close to being a level 2 soldier already and would have been the most promising student of this May`s licence testing. She may become a master mage one day, Ellyn, and is precious to our kingdom. I want you to act like yourself around her. Forget that she`s so talented and forget that she`s a lower noble. Be yourself, become her friend and support her the best you can. I know that this will be easy for you and that I didn`t need to tell you all of this, but you should know that this is what we want."
That was all. Lunor and her talked a little more before Ellyn simply joined the entourage during the "social waiting" and tried not to interfere. The divine princess had 3 consecutive meetings indoors, so Ellyn got to spend much more time of the day with her sister and gained a lot of respect for how natural it was for her to get along with anyone. Even the people she`s only met for the first time, found it easy to talk with her. She will only be getting better.
Nothing too interesting happened and the entourage eventually called it a day and split up into groups, some girls still following Lunor, but 3 groups heading in different directions, Ellyn and Marys being in one of them and walking towards their building for female guests.
"So, that`s how it is... hmm, but Lunor could have told you this much without the girls hearing it. She wants the information to be known. The star soldier is Idreyn here and we are to be seen as Lunor`s people to be near her, to shield the young woman from "bad influence" and keep informing the princess," Selea thought aloud inside her guest room.
"If she wants the information to spread, then..."
"It may also be to explain the higher security without it directly pointing at our direction. Think about it. Idreyn`s skill must already be known. She is the best student. All the focus is going to be on her and we will barely get noticed, staying in her shadow. Nothing will change from the star mage`s perspective threat-wise, so she`ll be as protected as she`d be anyway, and we`ll become almost invisible at the same time, while sharing her protection."
"True, that may be the case. Wouldn`t being close also place us in danger, though?... Hmm... the marriage of Miril Archen... Isloes will be a family to Count Archen and the royal favour seems to be connected to her," Ellyn theorised.
"They will do their best to protect the girl and no one will need to look for more reasons than those that are easy to see..." Selea finished and nodded a few times.