12Addie of the Shadows
The threatening crack and crumble of stone was the only warning Addie received, sending her running without looking where she was going. It was more important that she get away than worry about where she ended up.
Running was difficult over the loose bricks and debris, but Addie kept herself upright, sprinting and leaping as she felt the wind of whatever was falling hitting her back. Tiny bits of rock bit into the soft flesh of her exposed arms, but she avoided the massive wall that had come crashing down after whatever rickety support had been holding it up finally failed.
Addie came to a skidding halt over the broken remnants of what appeared to have been a garden path at one point, looking back just in time to see the final pieces of what appeared to have been a floor attached to the wall breaking apart and tumbling down. A small dust cloud was created from the disturbance, but it was quickly blown away.
Addie clenched her jaw and determinedly resumed her search, climbing back over the pile she had just caused to fall and continuing onward.
She should probably be with the others, picking through the dust and debris, trying to find any survivors who might be holding on. It was what the other paladins were doing. All save for Elaine who was resting in Hue's clinic after taking on everyone's combined injuries. Every time someone was pulled out who was still fighting to live but was too close to death, they were brought to her. Though her body was being broken again and again, she didn't once complain.
Odilon would normally be quite vocal in his displeasure, however since finding out the role he had unintentionally played in the transportation of the dynamite, he had been rather busy going through every employee he had hired recently along both the Lloegyrian and Gasconian border. He didn't leave Elaine's side, but he was busy nonetheless.
While Elaine rested and healed, the rest of them picked their way through the debris. Sybille and Nina were coordinating the efforts while Felicie used her ability to scale walls in order to get over particularly dangerous obstacles. Colette commanded the garrison of knights, including her husband, that were assisting in carefully combing through every brick and stone.
Addie was going to assist them shortly. But, before she could begin at the far end of Gold, or what was left of it, and pick her way through the rubble, she had needed to come out here to the first area that had fallen.
She didn't know exactly what she was hoping for, but she had to try looking anyway.
Though the moment was burned into her mind, though she visualized it every time her eyes closed, somehow, she couldn't remember exactly where Master Eneas had been when he had fallen. The expression on his face, staring at her with a sad sort of smile, was impossible to forget, but the area surrounding him in that moment was a blur.
Addie was beginning where she could see the now useless lift hanging high above, and trying to follow the path backwards to where he might have landed. However, in the fall, in the crash, everything had broken apart and crumbled together. It was all a mess and didn't even closely resemble the beautiful, wealthy district it once had been.
Picking her way back over the new rubble pile she had made, she climbed back to the top and began scouring the area for any sign of Eneas or his body.
It was a long and lonely search.
Addie had already told his majesty that Eneas had been there when the plate fell. A strange look had crossed her king's face, but it was hurriedly buried. He knew better than to think that there was a possibility his friend had survived.
And fate was too cruel, not even allowing him a chance to mourn.
The blow to the city with the loss of Gold was a hard one. The tremors created by the cascading destruction had rippled throughout all of Gwenael. People in all the surrounding districts had suffered their own injuries and deaths as a result of the widespread damage. He had lost a friend, but Cyrille had to be a king, and a king had to be strong for his people, especially during times of crisis and disbelief such as this one.
Reports had started coming in that morning, all of them bearing the bad news of the truth of Aloy's promise. The truce had ended in a violent way. Addie still wasn't certain of the full extent of the damage, but she knew for a fact that Gy-Hamelin had sustained the worst of it.
Aloys had escaped, taking Emilien with him, and he left behind a city full of people reeling from the shock of the betrayal and the depth of their loss.
Addie was trying not to think about it. There was a lot going on, a lot to understand, and attempting to do so all at once caused a painful lump to form in her chest.
For now, this was all she could do.
A flash of gold caught her eye as she was lifting herself over a downed and shattered column, most of the pieces of which had remained relatively close together. The color was bright, like a beacon of light, pulling her close.
Addie dropped down onto the other side of the column, staring at it with a strange, distant sort of acceptance sinking in her belly.
Though he rarely wore it, Addie still instantly recognized the golden sash that Master Eneas donned on special occasions. It was waving in the wind, ripped and tattered, hanging off of a broken piece of metal that was jutting out from the side of whatever building this had been. It seemed almost eerily clean in relation to everything around it.
Slowly picking her way through, Addie made her way across the unsteady ground, following the flashing color almost in a daze.
It wasn't until she was right on top of it, reaching out to take hold of the fabric, that she saw it wasn't nearly as pristine as she initially thought. The corner attached to the broken metal spike was stained a particularly dark shade of red, almost black.
Her fingers were shaking when she lifted the sash free, bringing it to her chest. Tears burned in her eyes as she squeezed it tightly.
"Master..." She murmured, almost expecting him to answer with that carefree laugh of his. She could practically hear him asking why she was out here looking for something she knew she wouldn't find when there were people that actually needed her help.
"Forgive me, master." She moaned softly, her heart aching.
Taking in a breath, Addie turned and looked out over the fallen Gold District.
She could see, barely visible in the distance, the tiny movements of the knights, paladins, city guards, and volunteers that had come down to search through the rubble. Seeing Gold flattened and broken was a shock, but the peoples' first response was to help. To come together and pick their way through the ashes to save as many as possible.
Addie wiped away her tears. Spurred on by her master's voice in her ear, urging her back to the others, back to where she belonged, she began picking her way again across the broken plate. She kept the golden sash in her hand.
Everyone worked late into the night. Until it was too dark to see any longer. Staying down there without being able to detect loose bricks and potential falls was dangerous and, though it was painful to leave those that might be waiting down there another night, everyone was forced to return back up to the intact plates.
They did so on an improvised lift, like those used in construction, that had been quickly built off of the side of the Pleasure District. Having it there meant that they were more able to quickly get people to medical aid in the Magnesium District immediately below.
Addie returned with the last of the workers. She still had Eneas' sash tied to her belt and she kept a hand to it as she began walking through Pleasure back to the Complex.
It was a quick trip across. Her eyes didn't stray to the palace nor to the broken Suite. Instead, she kept walking forward, towards Quicksilver. There were bright torches burning in steady intervals and, despite the late hour, acolytes and priests were still wide awake and rushing about. There were many who had come to pray. For those that were lost. For those that might yet be found.
Addie walked into the Sacellum and immediately turned to enter the back halls. She had been raised in this place. She knew it like the back of her hand, even without a guide.
She did stop a young priestess, asking her a quick question, before continuing on her way.
Gael, she was told, was praying in the inner sanctum. No one wanted to disturb him in this rather dreary and bleak time.
Addie hesitated only a moment before the old wooden door before stepping into the stone chamber that hosted only a simple alter at the far end and a door leading to the trial chamber for the paladins.
Gael, wearing his white robes, was sitting cross legged on the floor, staring down at his hands with a distant look in his eyes. He didn't appear to be in prayer. He almost looked lost.
Addie approached him quietly, kneeling down at his side and removing the sash from her belt. She also pulled out the journal she had been keeping in the inner pocket of her coat. She wasn't sure if she had taken it with her as a token of good luck or because she had wanted at least some small piece of Eneas to be with her.
After staring at them for a moment, she offered both to Gael without a word. His bright green eyes looked at the objects, almost not comprehending them, before taking them into his hands. The leather journal was much heavier than he remembered it being.
With a long sigh, he ran his fingers down the cover.
"I... did not think this day would come so quickly," he murmured at last, his voice barely above a whisper and echoing hollowly in the stone chamber. "I thought that Master Eneas would be far older before he was..."
Addie reached out, putting her hand over his as his pained voice was cut off by the tightening in his own throat.
"Are you all right?" She asked gently, concerned because she had never seen Gael like this. He almost always had a peaceful smile on his face.
"They've... begun calling me master."
He turned to her, his troubled expression all the more disturbing because he had never looked that way in all the time she knew him.
"I'm still so young, but they are going to be looking to me to lead now that Master Eneas is... Addie, I don't think I'm ready for this. I still had years left to train, many things left to learn. How can I possibly lead the Sacellum as I am?"
Addie could only shake her head. "I don't know."
He didn't appear surprised by her answer, but his head hung low as he turned away. Addie gave him a soft smile, scooting in closer to his side.
"But I do know that Master Eneas chose you as his protege for a reason. You're young, Gael but not that much younger than he was when he started. Besides, you're not alone. Every master that came before you will lend you their wisdom."
She gently touched the spine of Eneas' journal before sitting back on her heels, facing the upturned cross on the alter that sat over their heads.
"Is it strange, Gael, that I can still hear his voice?"
He took in a breath, sitting up straighter as he followed her gaze. "They say in Lloegyr that the spirit lives on, surrounding the people that they loved in life even after death. Perhaps it is true and we can hear his voice."
Addie found herself smiling. "I really rather hope not. I would rather Master Eneas find his eternal peace with the Lord, rather than stick around watching us fumble about now that he is no longer here to guide us."
Gael started chuckling, a sad smile pulling up at the corners of his mouth. "That's for certain. He'd probably chastise me if he could see me now. 'They need you, Gael, what are you doing in here, pitying yourself?' Or, something like that."
Addie nodded, pushing herself back up to her feet. After a moment, Gael followed her example, standing with Eneas' journal clutched tight to his chest.
"He'd probably tell me that I should find solace in my friends and the people that still live. Find purpose in my duty and learn from his life so that I can help as many as possible. It doesn't matter if I am young, I am still... the Master of the Sacellum."
Addie gave him a smile, inclining her head to him. "Master."
He grimaced. "Oh, please, do not. We are far too close for that to sound natural coming from you, Addie."
"True. Then, perhaps, you should remain just Gael to me."
Taking in a breath, he nodded gratefully. "I would prefer that. At least, from those of you that I consider my friends."
She nodded obligingly.
"Addie?"
"Yes?"
"Did you find Master Eneas'... body with his sash?"
Addie frowned, looking away from him. "No. I'm sorry."
He nodded once, accepting her words. "Whether you find it or not, I'm still going to have to perform his funeral rights. I had always hoped that my first act as master would be just a transitioning of power as he retired. I never wanted it to be... this."
Addie said nothing because she could think of nothing to say. A long silence stretched out between the two of them until, with a sigh, he looked back at her.
"Did you come here just to give me these?"
"No. Although, that was part of it." She turned to him, holding her head up high. "I need your permission to leave, Gael. His majesty won't allow it until you belay Master Eneas' former orders that keep me here."
"Hm? Permission to leave? Where are you going?"
"I have to go back. I have to return to Gascony and to my duty."
"Addie, no one expects you to... After what you went through, no one would blame you if you wished to remain here."
A smile pulled at her lips and she nodded once in gratitude. "I know that. And I appreciate it. But this is my duty. More than that, it's my honor. I want to go back. I need to protect the people I love, and this is the best way that I know how."
Gael searched her face for a long moment. She didn't know exactly what he was trying to find, but she stood up straighter, looking him directly in the eye. The dissecting way he stared into her soul made her think he was selling himself short. That gaze was exactly the same one that Eneas would have given her if she had asked this of him.
After a moment, he must have found what he was looking for, because his expression softened and he nodded to her once.
"You don't doubt any longer."
"I don't." She agreed easily, needing no clarification to what he was talking about.
"In that case, you have my full permission to go, with the understanding that you are always welcome back here. This is your home, and we'll be waiting for you to return, Addie."
She nodded once before bowing to him. Not fully at the waist, but just enough to acknowledge him as the new Master of the Sacellum, before turning and walking from the sanctum. She looked back only once, but Gael was deep in prayer, holding Eneas' journal and sash to his heart as he focused past the physical world.
Addie's gaze moved briefly to the upturned cross before straightening her shoulders and walking determinedly from the room.
Before she could leave, there was a lot that must be done. And she didn't have a great deal of time to do it either. The sooner she could get back to Gascony, the sooner she could learn what was happening and begin providing that information back to her people.
That was who she was. She was a spy, and it was time to return to herself.
The next morning, Addie didn't immediately return to the Gold District. Instead, she took a detour to the war room, looking for Sybille. She didn't need to be told where she was as Sybille hadn't left the room once since Gold had fallen.
However, despite the lack of sleep and lack of chances to rest, Sybille looked just as flawless as ever, moving around the map in the war room and updating it with the reports she was getting in from the border. A large stack of slightly messy papers rested in the crook of her arm, the only indication that she was not as perfect as she was trying to appear.
Addie tried not to look at just how much Gascony had taken from them. It was already a lot more than she would have expected.
"Sybille, you busy?" She asked, watching her walk to the other side of the table and pick up another stack of papers.
"Is that rhetorical?" Sybille asked sharply, passing off the first stack to the only one of her ladies-in-waiting with her at the moment who took it from the room with a rushed and purposeful stride. Though they usually weren't allowed in here, the situation had reversed that particular rule, and there was none Sybille trusted as much as her ladies-in-waiting anyway.
Addie rose a brow at Sybille's tone and she sighed, running her hand over her neck.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to snap."
"It's all right. When did you last sleep?"
Sybille gave her a dull look before returning to the map, deliberately not answering.
"What do you need, Addie?"
"When did you last eat?"
"If you have time to bother me, you could be helping with the search and rescue efforts."
Addie opened her mouth to continue to press her point, but she was interrupted when a servant rushed into the room, a stack of papers in his hand. Sybille must have been expecting him because she didn't even look as she grabbed them and took them to her desk where she immediately began signing them in rapid succession.
When she finished, she passed it off to the same servant. "Take these to Manon. Get her to sign them and then have them sent to their appropriate recipients."
"Yes, my lady." He gave her a rushed, sloppy bow before running from the room.
"What was that?" Addie asked, leaning her hip against the map table.
"Requisition orders for clean up and reconstruction."
"Manon is signing requisition orders now?"
"She is an adult. She's also been put in charge of clean up efforts."
"Really?" Addie raised a surprised brow. "Whose idea was that?"
"Hers, actually." Sybille began marking off more territory on the map. "She asked for the opportunity. Her majesty was a bit hesitant, but I convinced her."
"You did?"
"No need to act so surprised. She's an adult, as I said, and if she wants the chance to prove herself, then I'm all for allowing her that. Besides, Nina and I are overseeing her work, so it's not like she's doing it alone."
"Right. Of course." Addie nodded, smiling to herself. "Well, I trust her to do what's best. But getting back to our former topic, when was the last time you slept?"
"Stop asking me annoying questions."
"You can't not sleep, Sybille. It's not good for you, and if you collapse from exhaustion, we're all going to be that much worse off."
Sybille took in a calming breath, closing her eyes. "You don't need to tell me that, Addie. I would dearly love to sleep, but I, unfortunately, do not have that luxury at the moment."
"It's not a luxury; it's a necessity."
"Yes, and the more you delay me from finishing my work, the longer it will be until I get to indulge. So, what did you need Addie?"
Sybille fixed her a hard look and Addie bit back the rest of her argument. She knew that trying to convince Sybille to take care of herself first was a wasted battle. Shaking her head and making a mental note to inform his majesty of what Sybille was doing – so that he could force her to rest – she obligingly changed topics.
"I need you to have me sent back to Gascony."
Sybille rose an eyebrow at her and Addie stood up straight.
"I'm ready to go. I'm almost back to full strength, and whatever I'm lacking, I can get back on my way there. You need me back in Gascony."
Sybille let out a breath as she put another marker on the map. Another Gascony marker. Their lines had advanced past the barrier mountains. "It is true that your help would be greatly beneficial, but are you sure? You've only just fully recovered."
"I'm sure." Addie looked back at the map. "And I won't mess up this time. If I had been there before, I might have been able to prevent this."
"Maybe." Sybille sadly set down another marker. "It's not up to me whether you go or not. I will use all the tools at my disposal."
"Gael has given me permission to leave."
"Gael?" Sybille was briefly confused before hurt flashed across her face. "Right. Master Gael."
"He says... He'd prefer to just be Gael to those of us who know him now."
Sybille didn't respond, putting down another marker in silence. When she stood up straight, she stared from it across the map to where Gwenael was marked on the map. All ten districts stood out in sharp relief, but the plate representing Gold had a small, red handkerchief draped over it.
Addie followed her gaze, her shoulders slumping slightly. "We were rather lucky, you know."
"Lucky?"
"They only had enough dynamite to take down Gold. And since almost every noble was at the ceremony, there weren't as many deaths as there could be." She didn't want to think about how young those lives were, but tried instead to think of how lucky they had been that Amorette had held up half of the plate, allowing some those people to escape. It was a small consolation, but it was all she had.
Sybille scoffed, her fists tightening in anger. "You don't understand what they did."
"Hm?"
"They weren't after the people. It wasn't a matter of how many they could kill. They weren't trying for a high body count."
"Then, what were they after?"
"They were after my family's energy plant."
"What?"
"Think about it, Addie. They deliberately chose a date that the plate would be empty because they wanted the symbolism. Even just a few hours earlier, and it would have been a slaughter. Which means they didn't care about that. The only thing of value in Gold, when you take away the lives, is the energy plant. That plant supplied energy to almost everyone in Gwenael."
Addie frowned, looking around the palace. It was running exactly as she remembered, she didn't see any difference.
"The palace has its own dedicated energy plant, but it's one of the only places that does. Aside from the random steam machine that people might have in case of emergency, the geothermal plant is the only thing that can provide energy to our people. His majesty has ordered the palace machine to be operating at full strength and to divert the energy into the city, but it's not enough to power more than a few extra buildings. We've focused it into Magnesium so the sick can have power, but without energy, all of the businesses within Copper have come to a halt and nothing is being built within Steel. There's no commerce, no construction, nothing."
"Oh..." Addie murmured softly. She honestly had not considered that.
"They're not just trying to kill us all; they're trying to conquer us. Without energy, we're that much more vulnerable. It was a well delivered blow, and with the plate sitting on top of the plant, it's going to be weeks, months, before we can even start to restore that energy."
Addie let out a long breath, running her hand over her neck. "I didn't realize..."
Sybille's fist relaxed and she clutched a Vasconian army marker to her chest. "Don't get me wrong. Believe me, I know that I'm incredibly lucky. Almost everyone in my household was here at the palace. My parents, my brother, they're safe, and I thank the Lord that they are. However, just because we're not dead doesn't mean we're well off. I can't sleep. I can't rest. Not yet."
"I understand." Addie reached out, grabbing her shoulder with a sad smile. "But you working yourself to death won't help anyone. At least take a few naps through the day, when you can. It's better than nothing."
Sybille nodded, granting her that. "I'll have Adelaide bring me a sofa to sleep on here when she wakes up."
"It's the middle of the day. Why is your lady's maid sleeping?"
"She and Giselle are working in teams right now."
"Oh, so, you'll let them sleep, but not yourself?"
"There are two of them; there is only one of me." Sybille held up her head.
"Meaning, you won't hold them to your own standards because you know they're impossible to meet. You would never force someone else to work this much, Sybille. Don't force it of yourself."
A small smile pulled at her lips. "Don't act so smart. Get out of here and let me get back to it. I'll find a way to get you back to the front lines. I doubt I can get you across the barrier mountains. Not anymore..."
She frowned at the map and all the dark red markers that represented just how far Gascony had managed to push into their country in just a few days.
"Lea and Erec are still out there. Are they okay?" Addie asked, worried. They were the only two still on the front lines while the truce had been in place.
"Lea sent word that she and Erec are still alive," was all Sybille said. The answer was rather deliberate and Addie tried not to think beyond the simple meaning of the words.
She nodded, taking in a breath. "Just get me to the front lines then. I'll handle the rest. I should get back to the search efforts now. Rest when you can, Sybille."
Her sister paladin only nodded as she returning to setting up the new markers on the map.
Because the Suite was still unlivable – and fixing it had fallen to the bottom of their priority list – Addie and the other paladins had been given a room in the palace. Her new room was right next door to Felicie's, although it was rather small as it was usually a room given to a lady's maid. Since most of the palace staff didn't know of her, she couldn't be given a proper room.
However, Valerie, who was tending to her there, had seen fit to outfit the smaller room properly to Addie's station. So, though it was small, it was luxuriously decorated and furnished. Addie rather thought that Valerie should probably be promoted. She was entirely too good at her job to be an ordinary servant.
At the moment, the palace was dark, but it wasn't quiet. Though night had fallen, there was no rest for those trapped here. Of the nobles that hadn't been in Gold when it had fallen, some had moved to Silver, others had left the city altogether. However, those that lost their homes and now had nowhere to go were also given rooms in the palace. Their servants tended to them and similarly had to be roomed. Which meant that the palace was at full capacity.
The noise wasn't why she couldn't sleep, however. Addie had been moving rocks and stone, carrying the injured and the dead all day. She was exhausted and her muscles were weak and trembling, but she couldn't quite bring herself to sleep. Every time her eyes closed, she saw the dead and mangled bodies she had been hauling.
Addie was only a spy. She tended to trade in information. She wasn't really accustomed to dealing with this amount of pain and death and it was weighing on her.
A gentle knock at the door caught her ear and she turned with a curious frown. The knocking hadn't come from the door that led to the hall. Instead, it had originated from the door connecting her room to Felicie's. However, Felicie wouldn't knock before coming in.
"Yes?" Addie called out, too tired to want to stand.
The latch turned and the door opened inward. From the other side, Ferrant poked his head out, looking into the dim room to try to find her. Addie was keeping her lights off, using only a small candle on the near side table in an effort to conserve energy so that there was more that could be diverted into the city. Which meant that it was always dark in here.
When he caught sight of her, Ferrant smiled, walking in and shutting the door softly behind him. Since this room was officially 'empty', no one could be seen coming and going into it, hence why he had come through Felicie's room. Since it was believed he was in a three-way relationship with her and Cy, no one would even question it at this point. Addie's hasty cover-up had turned out surprisingly beneficial.
"There you are," he said, coming to a stop by her chair. "How are you feeling?"
"Tired. You?"
He nodded in agreement.
While he hadn't been able to help haul dead bodies - on account of his own aversions - he had instead lent his strength to helping clear rubble and debris. His job was much more labor intensive than hers, but at least he was spared from dealing with the dead.
When he and Addie had been brought up from below - hours after the fall - Ferrant had immediately taken her to Master Hue's clinic to have the gash on her back seen. Elaine had already been there, ready to meet with those who might be rescued. She had touched both of their shoulders, taking all of their wounds at once, before they could even reach a bed.
Because of that, all the little cuts he had earned, his concussion, and even the pain that had been flaring in his shoulder since Lloegyr, had all vanished in an instant. Ferrant felt years younger in his body, but his spirit was weary and heavy.
"You're not sleeping?" He asked, stroking her cheek.
"I'm tired, but I'm not sleepy. If that makes sense." She laughed helplessly, leaning into his touch. "Will you lay down with me?"
Ferrant grinned. "Maybe later. First, I wanted to ask you something."
"Hm?"
She looked at him curiously as he pulled a low stool over so that he could sit next to her. She was using the only proper chair in the small room, but he didn't mind even the stool. He was just happy to be off of his feet after the long day.
"Did you get to speak to Sybille?"
"I did."
"And?"
"She doesn't know exactly when, but she's going to send me back."
"I see." Ferrant nodded, looking down. He wasn't surprised, but it was still disheartening to hear that he was going to have to let her go.
"Hey. Don't look so sad." Addie leaned forward, grabbing his hand. "I'm going to come back."
"I know you will. I'm just worried about what state you're going to be in when that happens."
"I can't really promise that I won't get hurt."
"That's not what I meant." He twisted their hands, taking hold of hers in both of his. He squeezed them, bringing her fingers to his mouth and kissing her knuckles. "The last time you spent so long acting as a spy, you lost track of yourself."
She grimaced. "I won't do it again. I know who I am now. I won't lose sight of that."
His eyes were strangely sharp and direct in the weak candlelight. "Is that true?"
"Er, yes. Of course."
"Then, who are you?"
It was the second time someone had asked her that question so directly. However, this time, she had an answer ready and waiting.
"I'm a spy. A paladin."
"And?"
She shook her head. "There's not much else. And there won't be until I have a chance to remain here."
He sighed as though disappointed, but his hand tightened around hers as he stood up. "Addie, will you come with me?"
"Right now?" She frowned, eyes darting to her bed and back. She might not have been ready to sleep, but she didn't really want to do anything else today either.
"It will be a quick trip," he promised with a smile. "We'll come right back here and I won't let you go through the night. I'm a bit too tired to do more than cuddle though."
She chuckled. "That sounds like exactly enough. All right. Where are we going?"
"You'll see."
"How should I look?"
He shrugged carelessly. "Look like yourself."
"I can't just wander around as Felicie. The servants here don't know that I exist."
"Don't worry. Felicie already agreed to stay inside her room for the moment."
Ferrant pulled on her hand, bringing her to her feet and pulling her back through the door he had entered through and into Felicie's room.
Her sister was wearing a sleeping robe, sitting on a far sofa, resting against Cy's side. Both of them looked as tired as Addie felt. Ferrant lifted his hand in a wave at them.
"We'll be back shortly," he promised.
"Take your time." Felicie smiled as she and Cy waved them off.
When they stepped into the hall, Ferrant released her hand but gave her a smile before indicating with his head where he wanted them to go.
"Do me a favor, and don't say anything when we get there," he instructed calmly. "Let me do all the talking. Just stand there and try not to react."
Addie frowned, confused. "Don't react?"
"Yes. Just act like yourself."
"Erm, where are we going, Ferrant?" She asked cautiously.
He chuckled. "Let me have my fun, Addie."
She rose a brow, but she didn't fight against him as he led her through the castle. He didn't come here very often, so she didn't expect him to know very well where he was going.
However, he took the turns confidently. They didn't go very far, for which she was grateful. She just wanted to collapse into her bed already.
She wasn't entirely sure where he had brought her. However, she did recognize the door as belonging to one of the guest rooms. She just wasn't certain who was living behind it. Ferrant knocked rather confidently, as though he had been here a dozen times before.
She found out why when, after a moment, a sleepy face opened it up.
Colette, her hair messy and dark circles heavy under her eyes, opened the door with a yawn so wide it brought tears to her eyes. Despite the late hour, she wasn't surprised to see either of them on the other side of the door.
"Hey, you two." She murmured. "Hold on, I got it right here."
Addie clasped her hands together patiently as Colette ducked back into the room. She wanted to ask what she was talking about, but Ferrant's request was still fresh and her mind and she obligingly stood back behind him, not saying a word.
After only a moment, Colette returned. This time, she held a small box in her hands that she passed to Ferrant with a sleepy smile.
"They sent a letter with it." She said, gesturing as she yawned again. "I put it inside. The only reason I'm telling you, by the way, is because I got my own letter telling me to tell you to read your letter and to come back home for a visit sometime, you ungrateful son. I'm paraphrasing a bit. Your father curses a lot."
"Yeah, I know." Ferrant chuckled, smiling at her. "Thanks, Colette. Go back to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow and tell you how it goes."
"Sure. Night, Ferrant. Night, Felicie."
She waved at them, her eyes already closing as she shut the door again. Addie was almost jealous that she got to seek her bed. She said nothing, however, as Ferrant gave her a smile and turned to lead her back down the hall.
They returned to Felicie's room, bid her sister and Cy goodnight, then walked back into her room, shutting and locking the smaller door behind them.
Addie turned to look at Ferrant, distracted by the box.
"Not that I'm complaining, not much anyway, but you couldn't have got that in the morning?"
"I could have, but it was easier to bring you along if its nighttime and we can keep track of where Felicie is and you two can't be confused."
She smiled. "Thanks for the consideration. But, er, why did I have to come along?"
She wasn't exactly unhappy that Ferrant had brought her with him to fetch the box, but she didn't understand why he insisted she come with him. Or, for that matter, why he hadn't just picked it up himself before coming to get her. Either option would have saved both of them a trip.
However, he was smiling quite smugly, as though he had done something clever, as he offered the box out to her.
"For me?" She asked, taking it from him. "Can I open it?"
"By all means." He gestured, rather pleased with himself.
Not unwilling to play his game, Addie opened the long, flat box. Immediately on top was a white envelope. Figuring it must be the letter Colette mentioned, she lifted it up to pass it over to Ferrant. Her gaze, however, caught the glint of something in the candlelight and her arm stopped in the air as she stared in surprise.
Ferrant watched her, smirking, as she moved over to the candle. She sat down, allowing the light to fall into the box with a breathless gasp of awe.
Ferrant followed after her, coming down on his knee as he took the hand holding the letter. He took the envelope and set it aside before taking her hand.
Bibi was resting in its place on her finger. As she watched, he pulled it free and moved it over by just one digit. It slid perfectly into place, fitting easily without her needing to adjust the size of her finger. She had thought Ferrant made the ring a bit small when she first put it on, but she had merely been wearing it on the wrong finger.
"I know you can't wear a standard engagement ring." Ferrant said, weaving their fingers together as he smiled at her above the box. "So, this one will have to do. I can and will make you as many as you wish, as beautiful or as plain as you would like.
"However, I'm afraid, I'm not going to be making our marriage bands. For those, I offer you these instead. They're part of the set that is passed down in my family. They last belonged to my great-grandfather."
Nestled in the box, on a bed of velvet, were a pair of golden bracelets connected by a tiny, fragile chain that looped over itself upon its delicate bed. This wasn't Ferrant's handiwork, but she could still see the inspiration and roots that had given birth to his style.
The golden bracelets were rather thick, almost like a pair of manacles. Not a single precious gem dotted their surface. However, the creator had instead done intricate and delicate metalwork all around the bracelet, creating beautiful designs out of copper, bronze, and silver. The fine lines of metal crossed over each other, braided together, and burst apart in an almost dizzying display of color, skill, and beauty that stole her breath just to look at it.
The marriage bands, unlike the engagement ring, weren't usually worn any time after the wedding in order to preserve the fragile chain which, it was said, represented the strength of your marriage. While it would break if one party pulled too hard against the other or tried to yank away, it should never break so long as both partners took proper care of it.
"Ferrant, they're marvelous..." Addie whispered, gently touching the bracelet that would, one day, wrap around her wrist.
"You like them?"
"I love them. Your great-grandfather made these?"
"No, actually. I don't know who made them. These, my parents', and my grandparents' have been in my family for an untold number of generations. We pass them down in turn. The chain has never been broken and never been replaced.
"I'm sorry to take the name 'Medee' away from you. With you and Felicie both marrying, there won't be any 'Medee' left at all. However, in return, I offer you my family. My parents and grandparents and all my cousins and nieces and nephews. Ours isn't a big clan, but it's a loving one. I've written to them. I've told them about you. Not everything, of course, but what I could afford to mention. They're really looking forward to meeting you."
"Ferrant..." She whispered his name, hand drawing back from the bands. She was almost afraid to touch them for fear that she be the one who finally broke this ancient chain. "I can't... We can't let your family know who I really am."
"Oh, and who is that? Who are you?"
Somehow, she wasn't as prepared this time. Her jaw moved up and down but, for a second, no sound managed to escape.
He grinned at her silence. "A spy? A paladin? That's not who I told them that I love. That's not who I asked to give our family bands to next."
Her mouth closed as she bit her lip. She wasn't sure what to say at all and even miming the action seemed rather useless at this point.
"Do you know why I took you to see Colette?"
"I... really don't." she shrugged, unable to figure it out.
"I told her that I was asking you to marry me and to send for my family bands. It's easier for her to get things delivered than me just because she's a paladin. She decided to chew me out for choosing the only paladin that she can't stand to look at but promised me that she wished me all the happiness in the world while doing it.
"I told her that I was going to be stopping by tonight with you or Felicie so that I could pick up the bands and speak to 'Felicie' about the marriage proposal. It's only right that I talk to your only family member about it, after all."
"You've already spoken to Felicie though."
"Yes, but Colette doesn't know that. And so long as I intend to talk to her about it at some point, which I do, then it wasn't a lie."
"I didn't even speak to her, so what was even the point of me going there?"
"You don't know?"
He had that smug grin in place again. Addie thought back to the moment but truly couldn't think of anything particularly spectacular. Colette answered the door, gave them the box, then wished them both goodnight.
Wished him and Felicie goodnight.
That realization was rather... depressing.
Even the paladin that could see what others could not, the paladin called the Truthsayer, couldn't look between herself and her sister and tell the difference.
"Now, what thought has entered your head that has caused that lovely wrinkle between your brows, hm?" Ferrant asked, getting to his feet, taking the box with him so he could set it on the side table and grab her hands instead.
She shook her head, forcing a smile. "It's nothing. Just something stupid."
"Exactly. You tend to think the wrong thing unless someone intervenes. So, allow me to intervene before you let that stupid idea get lodged like the last one."
He pulled on her hands, encouraging her back to her feet so that he could wrap his arms around her, holding her snugly against his chest.
"You and Felicie are very similar in a great many ways. No one can deny that. However, you two are also different. Very different in some instances. Sometimes, its just the way you look, the slightest tilt of your lips or the way your eyes crinkle. Other times, it's down to the very way you behave and how you react to a situation."
He could tell he had her attention by that look in her eye as she stared at him. Even in the dim candlelight, he could see that awareness that had initially clued him into the fact that the woman he was speaking to wasn't Felicie.
"It's subtle sometimes, true." He nodded sagely. "And when you're both pretending, you become so identical I doubt I could tell you apart if I tried. However, when you're being yourselves, those subtle differences are quite pronounced to those with a discerning eye.
"Myself, Aurelien, and Emile all recognized that there was something different about you, even if Emile didn't know exactly what it was at the time. For those of us used to seeing the world and dissecting it, we can see your differences clearly."
Addie sighed, turning her eyes away from him. "All the more reason for Colette to be able to spot our differences. Who has more discerning eyes than her?"
"Actually, if you asked me, Colette is probably one of the densest people I've ever met. That girl can look for things that she's holding in her hands and be unable to find it. She's incredible in battle, when she's giving it her all, but in everyday life, she could look right at you and not realize that she's staring because she's rather fluffheaded.
"Colette's sight is her power as a paladin, and it gives her the ability to see movements before they're made and lies that are being told. Even nonverbal lies are clear to her. But if I showed her the painting Aurelien made of you, she wouldn't be able to pick out the differences between you and Felicie. Since she can see so much, she's doesn't actually know how to look."
Addie shook her head, trying to banish the confusion. "Ferrant, where are you going with this? What does it have to do with anything?"
"When did you first meet Colette?"
"Can you just get to the point?"
"Indulge me a bit longer."
She sighed. "I'd say about a year ago. Just outside of South Gate in Gascony. She was coming to help get us out when we went in to rescue Prince Erec."
"Who did you look like then?"
"A few different people. A sibling of Nina, mostly."
"And how did she react?"
"She cried out in pain." Addie frowned, thinking back. "She said looking at me made her feel nauseated."
"Mm-hm. And when you met up with her here before all of this, who did you look like?"
"A sibling of Elaine."
"And how did she react?"
"...The same way."
She started to see where he was going and her voice was quiet in answering him as the revelation came upon her.
"And who did you look like tonight?" He asked anyway, despite grinning as he recognized what the expression on her face meant.
"I looked like... a sibling of Felicie."
"That's right. And how did she react?"
Addie bit her lips, trembling. "She didn't. Why..."
"You know why." Ferrant chuckled, nuzzling the top of her head. "You know exactly why. Colette can only see lies, and when you're you, when you look like this, you're not telling any lies. Therefore, there was nothing for her to see.
"You looked exactly like yourself. There was no lie in that. Whether you be real sisters, sisters by the heart, or only sister paladins, when you look like this, this is who you really are, and there is no lie to detect.
"So, let me ask you again: Who are you?"
"Addie."
The answer came to her immediately. As though it had always been there in the back of her throat, just waiting to come out.
Ferrant smiled, kissing her forehead. "Yes, you are. You are not just a spy, not just a paladin, not just Felicie's sister. Those are all just parts of you; pieces of who you are. Like individual fragments of a puzzle. Each unique and vital, but completely meaningless unless you put it all together into a complete picture. You are you. You are Addie."
A tremor went down her back just before a choked sob ripped from her throat and she jumped forward, throwing her arms around his neck and holding tightly onto him.
"I don't want to bring home a spy or a paladin." Ferrant murmured, stroking her hair. "I want to bring home Addie, the woman I love. I want to bring you into my family. Regardless of whether we tell them the full truth of who you are or not, I want you. I love you, Addie. Only you. For being exactly who you are, and no one else."
"Ferrant..." She gasped, her arms tightening around him.
She couldn't honestly think of anything else to say. She wanted to scream out her love for him in turn, but the words were caught in the lump that had appeared in her throat, making it difficult to breathe, much less speak.
"I didn't know when you might be leaving." He said, a frown pulling at his lips. "So, I wanted to tell you before you could go. That's why I wanted to do this tonight, just in case I didn't get the chance in the morning."
If they didn't get the chance...
Addie leaned back, looking into his eyes with the brightest smile he could remember ever gracing her face stretched across her lips. The sight of it made everything well worth it. He could barely even feel any of the fatigue that had been weighing down on him after the long day in the wake of that beautiful smile.
"Ferrant... Come with me."
She pulled back, keeping hold of his hand as she grabbed the box off of the end table. She cradled it close as she took him towards the door. Not the one leading to her sister's room, but the one that instead let right out into the hallway.
"Where are we going?" Ferrant asked curiously, but not unwilling to allow her to lead him about wherever she desired.
"You had your fun, now let me have mine," she laughed, looking back at him only once.
Her grin was infectious and Ferrant felt a similar expression pulling at his own cheeks as she walked him down the hallway, back through the palace in the opposite direction he had taken to get to Colette's room.
Addie could feel her heart beating in her chest. It felt like it was right in her throat, battling against the lump that even now threatened to bring tears to her eyes. She forced them down, refusing to cry out here where anyone might see her. She didn't want them to get the wrong idea. It wasn't the right time for the people to see their paladins weeping, even if they were tears of joy.
The palace was far darker than usual, as only half of the lamps were being lit and only in the corridors where it was necessary. Since they didn't know exactly when power would be restored, they were already taking measures to conserve energy and supplies. It started here in the palace where the king had ordered the bright halls dimmed.
However, the shadows felt only right and natural to Addie as she walked with Ferrant towards the staircases that led downwards – the lifts were also being used sparingly and only for necessary purposes at the moment.
Since things were so hectic, despite it being so late and the palace being mostly dark, there was still a flurry of activity, especially on the first floor. Even though the search through the rubble had been called off for the night, that didn't mean that people were being given a long chance to rest. There were still hundreds of things that needed to be done, especially now that they didn't have the luxury of power to do them.
However, their businesses meant that no one even looked askance at Addie and Ferrant as she led him outside of the palace and began crossing the Complex.
"Are we going far?" He finally asked, not upset, merely curious.
"A bit." She smiled apologetically. "Stay with me."
"Always." His serious answer to her rather flippant statement made her heart race and she quickly looked away, cheeks burning.
The aircabs had their own steam engines, meaning that they were still able to run. However, it was nighttime and they didn't fly at these hours. Unfortunately, the lifts that connected the plates had been powered by the main energy plant. The palace hadn't decided those were important enough to warrant the amount of power diversion it would take to use them, especially at night.
Which, unfortunately, meant that the only way to cross between the plates were the small maintenance tunnels that were ill-used, drafty, and old. They were also rather narrow, meant only for mechanics and engineers to traverse for the purposes of plate maintenance.
The one connecting the Complex to Quicksilver was also far behind the palace, which meant that they had to walk quite a way to reach it. A single guard stood at the door that he quickly opened when he recognized her.
Addie ignored him as she released Ferrant's hand, only because the service tunnels weren't wide enough to walk two abreast, or even to reach back at all times. The short, narrow stairs could easily be taken two at a time and wound downwards unevenly until they reached the back of Quicksilver district, depositing them into a storage shed in the gardens.
Once they left the shed, Addie took Ferrant's hand again and once more began marching him forward, finding the nearest path and setting her feet towards following the bricks that always pointed towards the Sacellum.
It was late, but Quicksilver was still wide awake. The place looked nearly identical to how Addie had seen it last night when she had come to speak to Gael. A lot of the volunteers for clearing rubble and seeing to the citizens had come from the acolytes and priests, which meant that they weren't able to sleep either.
The Sacellum didn't have many people offering prayers this time of day, but there were still more than there would be naturally. Including what appeared to be a family that had fallen asleep in the corner. No one attempted to wake or move them either, making Addie wonder if they were one of those that lost their homes and had nowhere else to stay.
Addie spared them only one quick glance before continuing forward. She walked right through the main chamber to one of the back rooms. This time, she didn't stop to ask anyone for directions, she knew exactly where he would likely be.
Just as she suspected, when Addie opened the door to the inner sanctum – Ferrant glancing around at the unknown halls curiously – Gael was still there.
Unlike before, however, he wasn't lost in sorrow or his prayers. Instead, he was dutifully cleaning the alter, just as Master Eneas had done thousands of times before him.
He looked up as the two of them entered, his eyes widening in surprise. However, he didn't appear unwelcoming as he stepped away from the alter.
"Addie? Ferrant? It's rather late. Is something wrong?"
"Nothing, Gael." Addie assured him, finally stopping, Ferrant at her side, before him. She smiled brightly, her hand squeezing his. "I want you to marry us."
Ferrant and Gael both whipped their gazes around to stare at her.
"Addie?" Ferrant whispered, surprised.
"Marry you?" Gael repeated, confused. "You want me to... Like, right now?"
"Right now. Right here. If you please."
"Er..." Gael and Ferrant shared a look.
Clearing his throat, Ferrant squeezed her hand, turning her eyes onto him.
"Addie, why are you doing this now?"
"Do you not want to marry me now? You said that you wouldn't mind a simple ceremony, right?"
"I'm not really concerned about that in particular, but you said that we were going to wait until after you returned."
"We were." She admitted, turning to him with full confidence. "But that was before. Now, I don't want to wait at all. I don't want to be suspended in limbo."
"What are you talking about?"
"I was going to wait because Felicie was waiting. She doesn't feel that it's right for her to get married when she still has to serve her country. But I don't have the same loyalty to this place that Felicie does and, more than that, I am not Felicie. In this, we don't see eye to eye.
"You didn't want to wait because you didn't know if we would have the chance in the morning for you to give me these. And I don't want to wait because I don't know when, or even if, our chance will come to put them on.
"I protect this place because I love you and I love her. And before I leave to fulfill my duties, I want to bind myself to you. I want to be your wife. I want you to know that, no matter what happens, I am going to return to you, to this place. Ferrant, will you marry me now?"
He blinked at her for a moment, registering her words, before his gaze softened. "I guess you do get the fourth time. Yes, I'll marry you. Er, if you would oblige us, master."
Gael looked confused for a moment as to who he was addressing, then started when he realized. Clearing his throat, he scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"It's a bit sudden, don't you think?"
"Not for us." Addie smiled reassuringly. "Gael, please? You said yourself that you didn't want your first act as master to be a sorrowful one. In that case, let it be this. Marry me to this man and record it in your journal, even if it can't be put anywhere else. I beg of you."
"My journal..." He mumbled softly, looking down at his hand. A small smile formed as he looked back to them. "Wait here just a moment."
Ferrant and Addie followed him with their eyes as he quickly walked from the room.
"Are you sure?" Ferrant asked her softly once he had gone.
"I've never been more sure about anything." She promised, smiling at him.
They didn't say anything else as they waited. Gael wasn't gone very long. Within moments, he rushed back inside, a brand new, leather bound book in one hand, a golden quill and inkwell in the other. He held them close as he crossed back to the front of the room.
Addie and Ferrant's hands squeezed together as he turned to look out at them.
"Are you ready?" He asked, setting the items onto the alter.
The two nodded together.
Gael took in a deep breath, holding his hands together as he recalled the ageless, ceremonial words of marriage.
"Adelphe Medee. Ferrant Barnabe. Strip away your illusions, your masks, your artifice and step forward together bound only in the love and trust that you bear."
They moved at the same time, taking a single step to get closer to him. Though there was no one to walk them down the aisle, they still spoke the words of thanks to their absent loved ones. Ferrant to his far away family, and Addie to her sister, to Emilien, and to Master Eneas.
"Thank you for the love you have given me. I take the love you have instilled and I bring it forward into my new life."
Gael's voice was strong as he spoke over them. "Love binds us, not in words or in actions, but in our hearts. In our feelings. It is far more than what we say or do. It transcends the physical world and exists within and all around us as something far more than tangible. There cannot be true love without trust, acceptance, and dependence upon one another. Addie?"
She turned to Ferrant, smiling. "I, Adelphe Medee, step forward with no hesitation in my heart. I stand here by my own volition and willingly enter into this union."
"Good. Ferrant?"
"I, Ferrant Barnabe, step forward with no hesitation in my heart. I stand here by my own volition and, er, willingly enter into this union." He stumbled a bit to recall the words, laughing a bit nervously.
Gael gave him an encouraging smile. "This covenant between you, witnessed by, er, myself, I suppose, exists from this day until your last. Do you remember the oaths without the book?"
"I remember," Addie assured him.
"I'll follow her lead." Ferrant chuckled.
Gael nodded in understanding. "Then, state your oaths to one another."
"I, Adelphe Medee, hereby swear my love eternally to Ferrant Barnabe."
"I, Ferrant Barnabe, hereby swear my love eternally to Addie. Er, Adelphe Medee."
The second part of the vows, they were intended to speak together. Addie faced Ferrant as she did so, allowing him to see what she was saying so that he could say it with her, even if it was half a beat behind.
"I will take no other lover. I will place none above my lover. From this day until our last, I hereby will myself to you. I give you my life, my goods, and my heart. I ask only your love in return. I accept this gift given to me by the Lord of your love and swear fealty, fidelity, loyalty, and, above all things, love to you forever more."
Addie paused, allowing him to stop, then continued on her own. "I promise any children I bear will be of your line."
He picked up after her. "I promise to give my children only to you."
"I consign myself to your name."
"I accept you into my family and acknowledge your new name."
Gael nodded, grinning. "Then, I hereby christen you forevermore Adelphe Barnabe, wife of Ferrant Barnabe. Allow the record to reflect this change. Ferrant, face your wife."
They turned at the same moment, facing the other. Ferrant was smiling; Addie could barely contain her own happiness. Their hands turned as they did, flattening so that their palms were pressed together, held up between them.
Gael lifted the marriage bands from Ferrant's box and came forward. They stayed still as he locked the first one around Ferrant's wrist, then the second around Addie's. The moment the second one clicked into place, Addie let out a stuttered breath of excitement.
It was a spur of the moment wedding, held in the shadows, and witnessed and known only to a single person, but that somehow felt just right for them.
Gael stood back, clasping his hands together, he nodded at them.
"Your vows are witnessed. As an extension of the Lord's will, I accept your vows as truth and place my blessings upon you. This marriage of Ferrant and Adelphe Barnabe is hereby recognized by the church. In the Lord's name, I bind you."
Silence followed his words. There was no crowd to cheer for them. However, in their absence, Addie could hear her own heartbeat racing in her ears as Ferrant entwined their fingers together. It was a quick and hastily performed ceremony, devoid of almost all the trappings and pomp usually reserved for such events.
It thus seemed strange that Ferrant felt so complete just in feeling the bracelets lock around their wrists, the tiny, fragile chain dangling between their hands. It would take barely any effort to break it, and so they couldn't release their hands lest it snap.
Gael looked between them for a moment before turning and lifting the journal. He opened it to the first page, all of them stiff and clean, before he opened the inkwell. He then sat down right at the base of the alter, dipped his quill, and began writing.
Addie turned, smiling at him. "Thank you, Gael."
He paused, looking up for only a moment. "No, thank you, Addie. Thank you for allowing me to start my journal with something like this. I promise, I won't shirk my duties. Just as Master Eneas did before me, I shall write down all of your deeds in my journal so that no one can say that the paladin of the shadows does not exist."
She flushed in pleasure but didn't question or try to absolve the declaration.
"We'll leave you to it then, I guess." Ferrant murmured, sharing a look with her.
She nodded and, after offering Gael a brief bow of thanks, the two of them turned and walked together from the inner sanctum.
Their trip back through the Sacellum was quiet. They held each other's hands tight, being extra careful not to snap the tiny chain. When they had to walk through the service tunnel, Ferrant turned, walking sideways as he led the way up, so that he could keep one hand reaching back towards her. It was awkward and they laughed through the attempt, but it didn't feel wrong to have to work together to accomplish it.
They didn't say another word as they moved through the palace, walking back up to her room. The moment the door shut behind them, Ferrant turned, putting his free arm around her and squeezing her closer. The shoulder that once pained him didn't even twinge as he squeezed her close.
"Thank you." He murmured, kissing the side of her head.
"I'm sorry."
The reply surprised him and he leaned back slightly. "Sorry? Why?"
Her smile had finally faded and she looked away from him in guilt. "That was probably rather sudden, but I didn't want to put it off."
His face softened as he stroked his hand along her waist. "I understand."
"And I don't know exactly when I'll be able to return. I'm not like the paladins on the front lines. There's no one to replace me. I don't get a chance to have a break every few months. I can't even promise you that I'll maintain contact. It's too dangerous."
"Addie." He took her chin, tilting her face up to look at his, and he smiled as he caressed her bottom lip with his thumb. "I said, I understand."
"You'll wait for me?"
"How many times must I tell you that I will?" There was no heat in his voice as he asked.
"I don't know." The admission made her frown. "For some reason, I want to hear it."
"In that case, I'll tell you as many times as it takes until you are satisfied. I will wait for you, Addie. For as long as you need." He held up their bound wrists. "You and I are married now. I've sworn myself to you for life. And I meant it."
She nodded, smiling just slightly. "Thank you."
"I love you, Addie."
She stepped forward, putting her free arm around him as she kissed the side of their conjoined palms, staring at the glinting of their marriage bands.
"I love you too, Ferrant. And I promise to return. If you're waiting for me, I know that I'll have the strength to come back, no matter what."
"You better. I refuse to be a widower at my age." Though his voice was light, his grip was strong as he held onto her.
Addie was a paladin, and he knew that meant that he couldn't claim all of her. In times like this, he had to give her up to her duty. Regardless of how much it hurt or how much he would worry for her while she was gone, she wasn't his to selfishly keep to himself.
Times were bleak, and the days that would follow were full of many sorrows, but the marriage bands around their wrists were strong, even once they were removed.
Ferrant would wait, and Addie would fight.
But for tonight, they were bound in matrimony and they laid together as husband and wife, holding each other, praying for the future, and loving as deeply as they could for as long as was possible.