“Does she want me?” Nathaniel asked impatiently, trying to figure out what was happening.
“No, she's fine,” Eliza answered, turning around again.
Even though they came in the back entrance of the palace, they were met with fanfare and celebration. The death of the queen would have been a huge blow to the system, and, in addition, Eliza was very well loved. She may have ruled with an iron fist, but she had a kind heart. As they walked into the palace, everyone bowed or cheered, reaching out to touch her and to bless her.
“Had we not been here, I think the whole country would have been out searching for you.” Nathaniel said, resisting the urge to wrap an arm around her waist.
“But without your Tiro,” Eliza said, quietly, “this whole thing wouldn't be happening. I'd be dead, Nathaniel. I thought that magic couldn't bring people back.”
He swallowed. “Only the most powerful and rarest witches could even attempt such a feat. As much as anyone has known, no one has ever done that before. From the brink of death, yes, but with healing magic only. This has never happened before.”
“No doubt she'll be studied for the rest of her life,” Eliza said as they crossed the threshold into her private chambers. Sienna and Desmond had stayed with Mariah, happy to be reunited, and Eliza was grateful for a private moment. She figured that everyone was so grateful that she was back that they would give her a moment or two to herself if she wanted. “Do you know what she said to me in the ship? She thought that doing this would make you want her. She thought you didn't want her, Nathaniel. You can't do that to a child.”
“Argh.” He ran a hand over her face. “How could she…” And then he stopped. “I might have given off that impression.”
“No kidding,” Eliza answered. “And she wanted so badly to be your Tiro that she was willing to trade her life for mine – likely for anyone's – just to make you happy. This is your Tiro, the one you are supposed to bring up in the galaxy. This is real.”
“No kidding.” He leaned against the dresser. “Creator, I'm an idiot.”
“Don't let her be studied the rest of her life,” Eliza said. “Don't let them treat her like she's an animal to be tested. She's a little girl, and she needs to be protected. All she wants is to be trained.”
“I won't,” he said, raising his chin. “I won't. It won't be an easy path, though, Eliza.”
“So,” she moved forward, taking his hands. “We'll do it together. Her language is weak. You'll need my help. Besides, she's a girl. You'll need help anyway.”
He laughed at that, shaking his head. Eliza caught his face and leaned in, kissing him gently.
It turned passionate very quickly. He pulled her closer, breathing her in. He never wanted to let her go; never wanted her to be more than arm's length away from him.
These times were always the hardest. He would have to leave her, and he never knew when he would see her again.
It was moments like this that he wondered if he chose the wrong path. How could he leave her here? How could he be separated from her?
“I love you,” he said softly into her hair. “You know that, don't you?”
“This gets harder every time,” she muttered. “But you have to go. Your quest is done; they will recall you within a day or two.”
“If something happened to you and I wasn’t there, I don’t know if I’d be able to take that again, Eliza,” he said.
“So, don't,” she said, pulling back. “We learned that today. You made a commitment to that little girl, and you must honor it. But when she ready is leave you, come back to me.”
“Yes,” he resolved. “Yes, I will. Once Sienna is trained, I will never be away from you again.”
“And if she doesn't make the tests, if the witch path isn't for her,” Eliza said, “she will always have a place here. This is her home, after all.”
“Thank you,” he said, kissing her again. “Thank you.”
“Go,” she said, giving him a little shove. “They'll be waiting.”
“Mmm.” He buried his face in her neck once more, and then pulled back. “One day, Eliza.”
“One day,” she said. “But one day isn't today. Go.”
He reluctantly went, leaving her to change. Although it was hard to even be three feet from her, he was strengthened by her promise.
He would be back to stay one day, and it wouldn't be long. But for now, he had an adventure to look forward to.
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 ***
Book 2: The Ripple Effect
Chapter 1
“You have to stop calling me when you don't have any clothes on,” Eliza said.
Nathaniel grinned as he leaned closer to the camera. “I have pants on, your highness. It's seven a.m. here. I have to teach class in ten minutes.”
“So why are you calling me then?” The Queen of Jeffro smiled at him. He may be a galaxy away, but he was the only witch – the only being, at that – that could send shivers down her spine. She didn't like to admit it because they could never be together, but she had been in love with Nathaniel since she was seventeen, and nothing would change that.
She was only comforted by the fact that Nathaniel had been in love with her just as long. As soon as their eyes met -him fifteen and on one of his first big missions as a trainee witch- they knew that they could never be without each other. Witches weren't supposed to fall in love; they were supposed to devote their lives to magic, to the craft, and to training new witches to be the guardians of the galaxy. They were taken from their homes at a very young age and trained with no contact from their families. Most were accepting of this lifestyle, for they had known no other way. But occasionally, rouge ones like Nathaniel and his Maestro – his mentor Desmond – saw another way. Nathaniel had learned from Desmond that walking a grey line of witchcraft and love was possible. Neither of them were public about their relationships, but it meant the world to them.
“I'm calling you, my love, because I got a message from your offices saying my quest as your royal escort has been delayed.”
“Oh, that,” she said, as if she hadn't even been thinking of the month they were supposed to spend together. “Sorry. All the meetings were getting too complicated, so my team thought it best to postpone until we could work on a better schedule. I will still need a witch protection team. I'm just not sure when.”
“I was looking forward to it,” Nathaniel said, leaning back in his chair, “but, perhaps it's best there is a little delay.”
“Why is that?” she asked.
He sighed, running a hand over his face. “It's been a rough few nights.”
Eliza's face turned sympathetic. “Is she all right?”
“She'll be all right,” Nathaniel said, after a moment. “It's just rough.”
He was referring to his student; his first Tiro. Sienna was a witch, from an offsite facility, that displayed incredibly impressive strength. Her magic had brought Eliza back from the dead on her very first mission, something that had only been theorized. She was the star of the magical universe. She also carried a defect in her genes that made her horribly ill. Other witches born with her defective genes had not survived infanthood, and had certainly never been trained. Everything was a challenge with Sienna, it seeme
d. Some days, she could display enough strength to bring down an entire planet, and other days, keeping her on her feet was a challenge. She was such a unique case and challenge that both Nathaniel and Desmond had been designated as her Maestros, fitting Desmond's experience in his advanced age with Nathaniel's youth and energy. They split the duties of training her as best they could, accepting mostly low energy quests or staying at the Academy, teaching, training, and learning. It wasn't the life that the warrior witches had planned, but it was the life fate had set out for them.
Nathaniel had been angry when Desmond practically forced the assignment onto him. But Sienna, with her broken knowledge of the Basic language and a twinkle in her eye, had become his shadow, his world. She was from Jeffro, which made him feel closer to Eliza every time she spoke. He and Desmond had agreed on a rough schedule of six p.m. to six a.m. for supervision on Nathaniel's part, which meant lately, Nathaniel was the one not getting any sleep when she caught a raging fever during the night.
“She's strong,” Eliza said. “She's been through more than any twelve-year-old I know. Maybe she has a career as a medic.”
He snorted. “She may as well. She spends enough time in the med bay,” he said. “Except, we can never figure out what works. The acridid genes attacks her and everything around her that grows naturally, such as fruit, which is the focus of most medicine. I have to find things so heavy in chemicals that they would knock out a horse to give her any sort of relief. And Creator knows what that is doing to her system.”
“Did you sleep at all?”
“Nope,” he answered, with a false, cheery grin. “And I should get to class before the young ones bounce off the walls. Submit your new dates when you have them, Eliza.”
“I will,” she said. “It will be soon. I promise.”
“I hope so,” he said, and signed off. He took a deep breath, gathering his energy, and then went to get his shirt. The shower and juice had done nothing for him, and he was hoping that the emotional stimulation of several young Tiros in a flight simulator for the first time would have an effect.
He heard a knock on his door and swished his wrist to open it. He knew it was Desmond; he had felt him approaching through their magical bond.
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