Chapter 20
“Are you packed?” Desmond asked her doubtfully. Sienna was standing at the door to her chambers in the Jeffroian palace, and her rucksack was nowhere near full. “Why not?”
‘I got distracted?’ She tried with her mind, but he pointed back to the door.
“Go,” he said. “Otherwise, you will never see the things you brought again. Eliza is not a fan of things lying around.”
“Where is your jacket? It's freezing out.” Mariah was on the other side of the hallway, ready to take Sybil's arm. But as soon as she felt bare skin, she turned, scolding her grown Tiro. “Unpack it? Are you kidding me?”
Desmond smirked, calling across the hall to Mariah. “It never ends, does it?”
“Apparently not,” Mariah answered. “Where's your other one?”
“Ah, Nathaniel is saying goodbye to Eliza,” Desmond said, glancing at his watch. “And that is all he better be doing, because he agreed to teach class in approximately fourteen hours, and it's a twelve hour trip.”
“I'm here. I'm here.” Nathaniel showed up in the hallway, a packet in his hand.
“What's that?” Desmond asked, confused. Nathaniel held it up, a smug grin on his face.
“I wrote the reports,” he said. “Don't look so surprised. I can actually take the lead once in a while.”
“I'm shocked. In the whole time I've known you, you have never written a report,” Desmond answered.
“Doesn't the Maestro usually write the reports?” Nathaniel answered. “That's me now. Here.”
“Why are you handing this to me?” Desmond asked, in surprise “These go to the Jurors.”
“Can you proofread it?” he asked. “I didn't really do that part.”
“Some things never change, Nathaniel.” Desmond rolled his eyes as Sienna came out of the room. “That's better. You have everything?”
She nodded, and they all finally seemed ready.
Eliza was waiting for them at the landing platform. She was in full regalia, surrounded by guards. There would be no tearful goodbyes here and no private moments. They approached her, bowing deep. She dipped her head.
“Long live the alliance we have,” she said. “For I shall forever be in your debt. And you, Sienna.” She nodded to one of her ladies who brought forward a beautiful box. Sienna's eyes lit up, and she turned to Desmond, who nodded her approval.
The box was opened, and inside was a golden apple, inscribed with the Jeffroian coat of arms.
“My thanks to you, young one,” Eliza said. “Especially.”
“Thank you!” Sienna practically hugged the box. It was heavy, and she stumbled. Desmond took it out of her arms, and she looked grateful.
“Have a good trip,” Eliza said, and they bowed one last time.
Nathaniel took one last lingering glance at her, trying to keep his composure. And then he turned, heading into the ship. The others followed.
Sybil nudged him. “There will be new quests posted tomorrow,” she said. “I'm sure you will be back before you know it.”
“Do you think I'm a fool?” he asked Sybil. “For being involved with her?”
“No,” Sybil answered, surprised. “You made a choice, and you're living with it.”
“I…” Nathaniel looked around, as Kierry drifted back to talk to Sienna. “I told her that when Sienna is trained, I will be back. For good.”
“Oh,” Sybil took this in stride. And then, to his surprise, she smiled at him. “Like Maestro, like Tiro.”
“What?” Nathaniel answered.
“That's such a Desmond thing to do,” she said. “You must have learned it from him.”
“I suppose I have,” Nathaniel looked upon on his former Maestro fondly. “I suppose I have.”
“Nathaniel is taking this well,” Desmond observed to Mariah as they got settled on the ship. “Normally, he's a mess when we leave.”
“Wouldn't you be?” Mariah asked. “Whenever you leave, I am used to it. But–”
“I am glad that we are not in the same situation,” Desmond answered. “I don't know if I would be strong enough.”
“Oh,” Mariah said. “Why, Desmond, are you getting soft in your old age?”
“My old age?” he answered. “You're aging along with me.”
“Yes,” she took his hand gently. “Thank the creator for that.”
“Yes,” Desmond answered, squeezing her hand.
He looked out on the others. Nathaniel was showing Sienna the controls before he powered up. Sybil and Kierry were lugging bags and joking amongst themselves. This was a different legacy than most people got. But, he thought as he watched the younger ones, if this was all he and Mariah got, it would be enough. He was comfortable with these being their legacy – the ones who would pass on their name and their memories. They may have made some mistakes along the way, but it was for the best in the end. His love for Mariah had created all of this. It was the best life he could have imagined.
He had it all.
Epilogue
“Can you sign this?”
Nathaniel jerked from sleep at his Tiro's accented voice. He had been sleeping, dreaming of a battle they had won. It was a common dream: to be reliving his glory days and waking with a smile. It was also a common dream for him to awake with Sienna standing over him, asking him something at an ungodly hour. He had no idea where she had learned that mornings were a good idea, but he wished someone would teach her otherwise.
“What…?” he asked blinking. She had a tablet in his face, and it was blinding him. “What are you doing?”
“Early class,” she said. Although her vocabulary had jumped by leaps and bounds in the past three years, it hadn't expanded enough for complicated conversation. Except, it appeared, when she wanted something. Then, her words came perfectly and without hesitation. “I need this for class.”
“Right, right.” He barely made out a signature line, assuming it was something about homework. He put his finger on it and scrawled a signature. “Go away. I'll see you at noon.”
“Thank you.” She started toward the door, and that was when his brain started to tick. “Sienna, what did I just sign? Why didn't you take it to Desmond? It's seven a.m. He's awake.”
“Class?” she tried, but he beckoned her forward.
“Let me see,” he said, and she sighed, bringing the tablet back. He raised an eyebrow as he read it. “This is a waiver for a tournament.”
“Yes,” she said sheepishly. “Just an in-class tournament.”
“You have not taken defense courses yet,” he said. “You're not doing an in-class tournament.”
“But I need it,” she whined, and he motioned for her to sit.
“Why do you need it?”
“Quest certification.”
“What quest?” he asked. “We don't have one.”
“Yes,” she changed screens on the tablet. “We got one just this morning. You'll like it.”
“Why will I…” he started, confused. He liked training her, and he liked quests, but the quests that he liked were no longer the ones that they got. Sienna was sick, despite her magical strength, and they didn't get warrior quests. He was content, but none of the quests filled him with excitement. He accepted the quieter life they were living, where his Tiro's strength was in her mind, and in her uniqueness.
That was, until he saw what was on the screen.
Royal Escort Galaxy Tour, Trade Agreements. Jeffrorian Royal Family.
Level 1 Defense Certification needed.
“Oh my,” he looked up on her. “Did you bid on this?”
She nodded, then her grin disappeared, “Are you mad?”
“Not mad,” he answered, handing it back to her. “Go fight in the tournament. I'll deal with Desmond.”
“Thank you!” she cried, bouncing off. He threw off the covers, a grin on his face as he went to his monitor. He saw Eliza was lingering online and hit the button, aware of the fact that he was shirtless.
“Nathaniel, oh!” Eliza cried, unimpressed. “What are you doing?”
“You don't like?” he asked as he sat down. “Because there will be a lot more of that if we are on your trade deals.”
“They assigned it to you?” Eliza said, in shock. “I thought it was too low level for you.”
“Luckily, I had a Tiro with barely a defense certification,” Nathaniel answered, and she laughed.
“Sienna to the rescue again,” Eliza said. “Thank the creator for her.”
“Thank the creator for her,” Nathaniel answered. If someone had told him he would be saying that two years ago, he would have laughed at them. But now, he saw that it was meant to be. Sienna had come to them at just the right time, and he was so grateful. “Onto the next adventure.”
***THE END ***