A Mage and Her Warrior (clean version, complete)

[Wig_Powder]

@Kolen @sweetnerd32 @Snez gud I'm glad you're all enjoying it! Thanks so much for reading/commenting!

@EveP Hopefully this was worth the wait, and that it was what you were expecting it to be...

Chapter 9

Siofe's recovery went almost exactly as she'd predicted. The worst of the pain had gone by the next day, and she was strong enough to move under her own power by the third. She and Baldric waited nine days instead of seven before resuming their travels, but only to make absolutely sure she could walk, run, ride, and cast spells without any discomfort. But by day ten, they knew she'd made a complete recovery, a tiny white scar on her side the only evidence that the incident had ever happened. Siofe didn't mind having it as a reminder to be more careful, but otherwise was glad to leave the bandit camp and put the whole thing out of her mind.

Once she and Baldric set out again, things quickly returned to their familiar rhythms. They had their week long stay at Shardag to assist in returning the stolen property and collecting a reward, but then it was back to riding all day and then making camp in the evening, figuring out the best route to Samsmy before turning in for the night. The only thing that had changed was that Baldric had indeed become more willing for them to hold each other at night. It did take a little while before he was able to fully relax into the embrace, but as long as he was accepting more affection between them, Siofe wasn't about to complain.

About a month after the arrow incident, the two of them arrived in the town of Oranthi to replenish their supplies and to see if they needed any help. It turned out that Oranthi did indeed have a problem, and a rather big one at that; items of increasing value had been going missing, and recently the first living thing, an excellent hunting dog, had disappeared. When Siofe examined the scenes of the crime, she was able to detect traces of magic, which at least partially explained why the town guard hadn't been able to make much headway. Baldric was understandably concerned that this was all connected to something sinister, but Siofe was inclined to see it as the work of an increasingly brazen thief until proven otherwise. After talking it over, they planned to spend a few days getting to know the town, and if Siofe's magic didn't help them find the culprit, then they'd set up some traps (using magic and valuable items) and see if they could catch the criminal that way.

The day after they arrived was the weekly day of worship for Artet. In most circumstances, Siofe would simply not attend church services and remain in her room until they were completed. However, given that she was newly-arrived in Oranthi and had yet to prove herself (even if the town guard and mayor had been familiar with her and Baldric's names), it seemed prudent to attend services just this once. And if they had to stay in Oranthi longer, it wouldn't do any harm to keep attending until they'd caught the thief. After all, she had no issue with those who worshiped Artet, it was merely that she didn't see much reason to do it herself. Besides, having some familiarity with the church's teachings could very well come in handy at some point.

And so she and Baldric joined the rest of the town in making their way to the church the next morning. She could tell by the gleam of Baldric's armor that he had devoted extra care to polishing it the night before, specifically the area with Artet's symbol on it. She smiled at the sight, but didn't draw attention to it, not wanting him to feel embarrassed. Though perhaps she'd tease him about it a little after the service was done, in the vein of “You never put in that much effort to look polished for me”.

Once inside the church (which was simple but pretty, using the architecture to great effect with only a few ornate trappings at the front of the church), the two of them found seats in the middle section of pews and got settled. Baldric seemed content to soak up the atmosphere of the place, while Siofe alternated between admiring the church's design and looking over the townspeople on the off chance that she might spot something related to their job. She doubted she'd see anything, but perhaps she'd notice someone displaying signs of a guilty conscience.

After about fifteen minutes, when nearly everyone had arrived, the music swelled to signal the approach of the head priest, and the congregation rose to their feet. As Siofe turned her head to watch the procession, she suddenly felt a cold, painful grip on her right hand. Turning to look in that direction instead, she saw Baldric staring at her, eyes wide with panic, his other hand scrabbling at his collar. Concerned, Siofe was about to quietly ask him what was wrong when the smell hit her. It almost reminded her of the sweet pastries she occasionally had as a treat, comforting and delicious. But instead of the welcoming air that was probably intended, it caused Siofe to simultaneously feel anxious and mildly excited. Looking back at the procession, she confirmed her suspicion; the lamps the priestesses were carrying were emitting purple smoke.

She turned back to Baldric, who had managed to remove his handkerchief and was now clamping it firmly over his nose and mouth, eyes still wide but now looking at her with pleading desperation. She nodded at him, carefully withdrawing her hand to keep him from injuring it, and tried to incline her head towards both the procession and the door. Based on the way Baldric's brow furrowed, it didn't seem like he'd understood (though perhaps it was actually related to the itch in his nose, something Siofe tried not to think too hard about). She touched his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile, then focused her attention on the procession, waiting for the right moment.

However, while her eyes were watching the movements of the priestesses, her ears couldn't help but pick up what was going on next to her. Despite the music, she could hear the soft clanks of Baldric's armor as he did everything in his power to keep from breathing in the incense. Occasionally, she heard a harsh exhale and a ragged breath, and while it was a sign of Baldric holding his breath instead of a prelude to a sneeze, it was still enough to cause Siofe's insides to flutter. But she firmly kept her eyes on the center aisle with occasional glances to the altar, with only her bit lip and lightly clenched fists serving as indications of her inner turmoil. Part of her wanted to try to keep track of time, but she worried that would provide too much of a distraction, so she stuck to her original plan.

At last, the head priest made his appearance, making his way up the aisle and offering peace to each pew. Siofe somehow managed to maintain her composure despite her increasing irritation at his slowness, but as soon as he reached the front and began to step onto the pulpit, she finally turned back to look at Baldric. His eyes were screwed closed, both hands pressing the handkerchief to his face, his face flushed. She grabbed his shoulder and shook hard, causing him to jump and then glance at her. She inclined her head towards the door again, gesturing at it with her other hand for good measure. This time, Baldric understood, at least if the flash of relief in his watering eyes was any indication. Siofe gave a small nod and began to move towards the aisle, murmuring apologies to the people she had to squeeze past. Based on the rattle of armor behind her, Baldric was right on her heels.

The two of them had just made it to the door when she heard someone say behind her, in a voice loud enough to be heard throughout the entire church, “Is there something wrong, my child?”

Despite the sanctity of the place, Siofe cursed inside her head, and turned to face the head priest, trying to ignore the fact that the entire congregation was staring at them. “Not exactly, Honored Guide. It's just...”

She paused, uncertain if Baldric wanted her to reveal his incense sensitivity to the town. If he hadn't wanted to admit it to the Tynto, he probably didn't want it known to complete strangers either. But what else could she...

The answer came to her immediately. Bowing down in apology, she continued, “I believe I sensed the use of magic somewhere nearby. Perhaps it's related to the thefts. It would be best for my partner and I to investigate as soon as possible.”

As she straightened up again, she saw the head priest nod and wave a hand. “Of course. May Artet protect you and lead you to your quarry.” Siofe smiled, gave another quick bow, then exited the church before anyone else could try to stop them.

Once they were outside and the door was shut behind them, Siofe lightly closed her hand around one of Baldric's wrists. “Come on,” she said, “Let's try to put a bit of distance between us and the church. Can you hold out until then?”

Baldric nodded, even if the breath she heard him take sounded suspiciously like a hitch. Keeping a hand on his wrist to guide him, Siofe led him down the road until the road to the church turned back into the main road of the town. Then she selected a building at random and pulled Baldric towards it, ducking down the gap between it and the building next to it. And then, just to be on the safe side, she put her hand on the back of Baldric's head and pressed it firmly into her chest before leaning against the wall and wrapping her arms around him to keep him in place. “All right,” she said softly, “It's safe.”

One of Baldric's hands came down and curled itself around her side to keep himself steady, and then his entire body shook violently. “HUSHMMMPPFFFFHH!!!”

The sound was unquestionably muffled by the combination of the handkerchief, Baldric's hand, and Siofe's body, but it still rang in Siofe's ears. But that barely registered with Siofe, as she was too distracted by the sensation of Baldric sneezing against her. She'd been able to feel the dip of his head as the sneeze had forced it downward, the ripple of her robes as the air had left him, and the light trembling of his body thanks to his hand on her side. Despite the lingering worry over being heard, the familiar warmth returned to her stomach, and she arched her back slightly, unable to repress a pleased hum.

Baldric lifted his head just long enough to take a shaky breath, before he buried his face in her chest again. “UHKSHHHHHMMMMMP!!!”

Siofe made a noise low in her throat, her hands curling involuntarily, and she tightened her grip on him, unsure if she was supporting him or encouraging him at this point. As much as she didn't want him to feel too much discomfort (physical or emotional), she had to admit this was...intimate. And exhilarating.

Even so, she knew it was for the best when she heard Baldric groan in relief, his head rising from her chest just as his hand left her side. She removed her arms, and Baldric stepped away, pressing the handkerchief to his nose to give it a thorough blow. When he'd lowered it for the last time, he smiled gratefully at Siofe. “Thank you,” he said faintly, moving to join her against the wall, “I don't think I'd have been able to get out of there on my own. At least, not with my dignity intact.”

“My pleasure,” Siofe responded, smiling wryly as her stomach wriggled in agreement, “Thank goodness the head priest bought my excuse.”

“I wasn't sure if you'd meant it or not,” Baldric said with a slight chuckle, “There was a chance you were sincere, but the timing was a little too perfect.”

“Hopefully Artet won't strike me down for lying in Her church,” Siofe said, “But perhaps we can mitigate that by taking advantage of almost everyone being at the service to look around and see if I really can pick up a trace of magic.”

“A wise precaution,” Baldric agreed, “Though I think you'd be forgiven, since your lie wasn't said with ill-intent. Indeed, it was meant to help someone else. Surely it's a lesser sin if it wasn't done for personal gain.”

“A question for scholars to ponder,” Siofe said with a grin, “And while what you say is true, I can't say I didn't gain something out of it.”

Before Baldric could respond to that, she turned to him and gave him a deep kiss, one hand cupping his face while the other curled into his hair. When she broke away from him, she saw him blushing, perhaps only now fully realizing exactly how she'd helped muffle his sneezing. She smiled and did her best to squeeze his hand through the armor. “As much I'd like to keep showing you my appreciation for your...performance, we should get started with our investigation.”

Baldric nodded and stepped away from the wall, Siofe following suit. Based on the lingering red on his cheeks and the warmth in her stomach, Siofe wasn't sure how sharp their observational skills were going to be, but they'd do their best. Thank Artet that her ability to sense magic was innate and wouldn't initially require concentration.

***

While their unexpected chance to search the town didn't bear any fruit, Siofe and Baldric did manage to catch the culprit a few days later, thanks to correctly assuming that the next target would be a pig or other medium sized animal. The thief turned out to be an adolescent orphan boy who hadn't been able to afford the supplies needed to travel to Obeis Tower, and thus had done what he could to hone his skills in secret, hoping to steal enough to eventually make the journey. Fortunately for him, he hadn't sold the things he'd stolen yet (though apparently he'd been using his magic for quite some time to steal food, which was a slightly different matter), so while he would have to serve a stint in Oranthi's prison, he wouldn't suffer a severe punishment. And Siofe used her contact crystal to talk with Obeis Tower, who promised her and the boy (Markus) that they would gladly accept him as a student once his sentence had been served. They'd even send someone to fetch him, complete with enough supplies for the trip. Both Markus and the town were grateful, and she and Baldric got both a handsome payment and an excellent meal as a reward.

By sheer coincidence, two days after the verdict had been handed down was the day of honoring Artet. Baldric and Siofe had immediately agreed that they would use that opportunity to leave, both to avoid excess fanfare and to keep Baldric from having to confront the incense again. Thus, they bought some final supplies the day before, and then left the inn after the bells stopped ringing, Siofe leaving money and a note behind the counter for the innkeeper. Then they saddled their horses themselves and rode out of town.

Once they were past the town's outskirts, Baldric spoke up. “I made a few inquiries in-between our investigation. It turns out that that incense is made in Oranthi, and is highly prized, both for its scent and its color. Other than in its 'home town', it's mostly used by the nobility. Which explains why it was used by the higher levels of the Tynto; they wanted the best of everything to show their status.”

“Any chance we'll run into it again?”

“Perhaps if we end up taking a job for a noble and they invite us to attend a private service with them,” Baldric answered with a slight smile, “But most likely not. Nearby towns do buy a few sticks from them, but they're only used on particularly holy days. And I'm sure we'll be out of the region before any of those come around. I hope you're not too disappointed.”

She gave him a look, though she tempered it with a laugh. “It's probably more trouble than it's worth, even if I do enjoy the results. I'll just make do with my memories and a quill.” Baldric laughed as well, and the two of them rode towards Wythen, their next destination.

~~~

Next time: After a particularly dangerous job, Baldric and Siofe get an unexpected reward, and Baldric reveals a surprising fact about himself.

[EveP]

9 hours ago, Wig_Powder said:

Hopefully this was worth the wait, and that it was what you were expecting it to be...

It was definitely worth it, and here I am, waiting for more. I love how sensitive big strong Baldric is, but his name makes me think of Black Adder. 😉

[Kolen]

🤤🤤🤤😎🙃😃💗💗💗

Is all I can manage--!!!!

[Wig_Powder]

@EveP Since I'm not particularly familiar with Blackadder, that was entirely unintentional. Sorry for the unintentional associations, but I'm glad you're enjoying the story!

@Kolen I appreciate the enthusiasm, no matter how you express it!

Chapter 10

Around the time that Quaysit entered the period of its autumn harvests, Baldric and Siofe were confronted with their biggest job yet. They'd been hearing rumors of it for at least two weeks—Carmae, one of the larger cities of Quaysit, was being beset by some sort of creature. The two of them immediately altered course for Carmae, and were recognized as soon as they rode into town. The townsfolk immediately expressed relief and gratitude that they'd come, and gave them what information they had. Numerous farmers had reported hearing strange noises at night, and coming out to the fields in the morning to see a good portion of their crops destroyed. A few brave souls had kept watch during the night, and seen a large beast, nearly the height of a man, slowly moving through the field, apparently eating some of the harvest and carelessly destroying more of it. A band of guards had attempted to subdue the beast, but it had gone poorly, several men dying while others had been severely wounded. They still hadn't been able to get a good look at the creature, but based off the injuries and their descriptions of the animal, it sounded like it was a boar of some sort. After listening to all the stories, Siofe and Baldric agreed to try their hand at killing it.

They spent two days examining the fields, trying to get a sense of the boar's size, not to mention looking for the quickest paths of escape should things turn deadly. Then, having determined that the boar seemed to favor the potato fields, they positioned themselves by the one closest to the nearby woods (and the one that had suffered the most damage so far) and waited for nightfall.

All was quiet for a time. Not wanting to speak and alert the boar to their presence, Baldric and Siofe were forced to remain silent, but they held hands, squeezing occasionally to keep the other alert and to reassure each other that they were in this together. Then, at last, they heard a sustained rustling noise relatively close by, and separated, Baldric slowly drawing his sword. The rustling eventually gave way to splashing in the nearby river, and then, after a short pause, a large shadow appeared at the edge of the field.

Siofe had thought the townsfolk were exaggerating the size of the beast out of fear, but it seemed they had been accurate; the boar did indeed appear to be almost as tall as Baldric. The description of firey eyes was incorrect, but Siofe did see two bright pinpricks in the moonlight, and could easily see how they'd reflect a torch and add a sense of menace to an already chaotic fight. Hadice, she was mildly unnerved, and she had more of an idea of what she was dealing with.

Despite her discomfort, she and Baldric stayed where they were and kept their silence until they heard a snuffling, grunting sound, indicating that the boar had started its meal. Then she cast a shield spell on Baldric and a weaker one on herself, took a quick swallow of energy restoration potion, then stepped forward and used her magic to conjure up a flash of light, shouting “Hey!” at the same moment.

The boar's head snapped up immediately, letting out a threatening noise. Siofe held her ground, releasing another flash of light with one hand while she shot lightning at the boar with the other. She wasn't sure if the bolt had done any damage, but that was merely a bonus; all that mattered was that it succeeded at its true objective, which was to enrage the boar. With a bellow, it pawed the ground and charged at Siofe, who immediately dived out of the way. As she was pushing herself to her feet, she heard the boar bellow again, a pained note among the anger, and she knew Baldric had struck it from the side. As she turned to face their quarry, she saw the boar turning towards the person who had stabbed it, and got its attention with another bolt of lightning. The boar roared and turned back to her, and she backed up while building up a stunning spell. Before the boar could attempt to charge her, she saw the moonlight glint off a piece of upraised metal and heard Baldric yell something before the boar staggered and squealed angrily. It tried to turn around to go after him, but that's when Siofe released her stunning spell, which dazed the beast and caused it to drop to its knees. Baldric took advantage of the opportunity to stab at the boar's belly, while Siofe sent rocks at its head, hoping to either stun it further or kill it outright. The boar thrashed around, roaring, but she and Baldric kept up their assault, changing position occasionally and making sure to keep their distance from the head. Its tail lashed against Siofe's ankle once or twice, and she was sure its flailing hooves had struck Baldric a few times, though he was most likely protected from any damage by his armor and her spell. Otherwise, however, they managed to avoid the same fate as the guards, and continued to pelt it with sword and spells.

At last, the boar let out a squeal that was higher pitched than any that had come before, and fully collapsed on the ground, twitching. Siofe and Baldric stopped their attack and withdrew, though Baldric kept his sword at the ready and Siofe drank another energy restoration potion in case more fighting was needed. But after a few shudders, the boar eventually lay still. Siofe carefully made her way around the back of the creature and pressed her hand against Baldric's shoulder, or at least made a close approximation of doing so thanks to the shield spell. “Keep an eye on it to make sure it's not playing dead,” she said, “I'll head back to Carmae and tell the guard that the boar is slain and to help us move the body.” Baldric nodded and took a tighter grip on his sword, and Siofe left him to keep watch while she hurried towards town, not wanting to leave him alone for too long in case the boar really was feigning.

Half-an-hour later, she arrived, panting, at the guard station (they hadn't been able to bring their horses, in case their hooves or other noises alerted the boar to their presence) and gave her report. The guards were a combination of amazed and skeptical, since other than her panting and the dirt on her robes, there was no real sign of a struggle. Nevertheless, they procured a cart and rode with her back to the fields, where any doubts were quickly silenced when they saw Baldric standing over the body of an enormous boar. Based on the pool of blood, the gashes in the body, and the lack of movement, they were able to officially label the beast as dead, though everyone remained cautious as they lifted the carcass into the cart. The trip back to town was surprisingly silent; the guards still seemed to be amazed that they'd succeeded, while Baldric and Siofe were coming down off their battle giddiness and allowing themselves to process what they'd been through. Even if they'd avoided injury, they'd still put themselves in harms way, and they needed to mentally acknowledge their close call.

When they returned to Carmae, Siofe and Baldric left the boar with the guard and returned to their inn. It was too late to ask for a bath to be prepared, so Siofe planned to sleep and then wash both herself and her robes first thing in the morning. Baldric would probably do something similar, though knowing him, he'd find the energy to clean off his armor and weapons before collapsing into the bed. Upon reaching the upper floor where the bedrooms were, they made eye contact, smiled faintly, and then simultaneously moved towards each other to embrace, both as a reassurance that they were all right and a celebration of their triumph. They stayed that way for a few moments, then separated just far enough to kiss each other, an extra bit of heat to it. As much as Siofe would have loved to allow that kiss to progress to more, a combination of increasing exhaustion and propriety made her reluctantly break away and wish Baldric a good night. She couldn't be sure, but she liked to think she saw a similar flash of regret in Baldric's face as he bid her good night. She didn't have much time to dwell on that, though, because the exhaustion hit her full force as soon as she closed the door to her room. She barely had enough energy to pull off her robes and change into her nightclothes, and had to force herself to climb under the covers instead of just falling on top of it. Nevertheless, she managed it, and was asleep almost as soon as her head touched the pillow.

She awoke the next morning feeling well-rested, though there were a few aches from when she'd hit the ground after jumping away from the boar. The innkeeper was more than happy to prepare a bath for her, offering his congratulations as he did so. Apparently the news of their success was already spreading throughout the city. The innkeeper said that she and Baldric would probably be inundated with congratulations and thanks in the near future, and then admitted that his father was one of the farmers who had lost some of his crops to the boar. In gratitude, he offered the rest of her and Baldric's stay for free. Siofe accepted (though she fully intended to leave at least a little gold behind for his trouble) and then went to take her bath.

The innkeeper turned out to be absolutely correct. As soon as she and Baldric stepped out of the inn to speak to the town guard and learn what had happened to the boar, they were met with a crowd of people cheering and applauding. Farmers came forward, pressing their hands and thanking them profusely for saving their crops, while others eagerly asked questions about what had happened. Siofe couldn't help but bask in the accolades a little, and while Baldric was a bit more modest, the smile on his face suggested he was at least pleased that he'd done so much good. Acknowledging the well-wishes and answering questions where they could, the two of them made their way to the guard station, at which point the crowd obligingly stood back so they could go in and conduct their business.

The guards were equally grateful, though they were more professional in their response. The captain of the guard thanked them for their efforts and commended their bravery, which was the sort of thing Siofe had come to expect. What was more surprising was their response when asked what had happened to the boar.

“We sent it to the King's palace. A boar of that size will probably have a good amount of meat, after all. Besides, I'm sure he'd like to know exactly what was endangering our harvests.”

“Isn't there a risk of the body decaying before it gets to him?” Siofe asked.

The captain gave her a puzzled look. “Not at all. It only needs to wait a few days. His Majesty will probably be here by the end of the week.” Siofe must have looked equally puzzled, because he added, “Didn't you know that Carmae is the site of one of the King's palaces? He tends to spend the harvest months here before returning to the capital.”

“I must have forgotten,” Siofe said, feeling herself flush, “I spend so much time travelling that things get mixed together in my mind.”

“Understandable, I suppose,” the captain said, “At any rate, I believe it would be more appropriate for him to give you your reward for slaying the boar. Unless you need to be on your way at once...?”

“No,” Siofe said, “And even if we did, it would be foolish of us to pass up an opportunity to meet the King. Is there anything we should do to prepare?”

“I shouldn't think so. The King will be informed of where you're staying, and send for you when he's ready. As long as you do your best to be presentable, I doubt anything more needs to be done on your end.”

Siofe nodded, relieved there wouldn't be too much protocol. “Then we'll wait for the summons with eager anticipation.”

“I'm sure the King will be just as eager to meet you,” the captain said, “Besides having done a personal service for him, I'm sure he's aware of your reputation. You're probably as intriguing to him as he is to you.”

“Perhaps,” Siofe said, getting to her feet, “Thank you for the information and your assistance last night.”

“Thank you,” the captain said, rising up as well to see them out, “We probably would have lost an entire field if it wasn't for you.”

Upon emerging into the street, she and Baldric were surrounded by another group of grateful townsfolk, and repeated the same routine until they were safely within Baldric's room. Only then were they able to look at each other and fully accept what they'd been told. “The King himself, eh?” Baldric said, “Quite the honor. I just hope he's only heard of my exploits with you, and not that I was once unintentionally part of a group that intended to overthrow him.”

“I suspect he'll be inclined to forgive that,” Siofe said with a wry smile, “I just hope we make a good impression.”

“I'm sure we will,” Baldric said, “If nothing else, that huge boar carcass should be enough to impress him before he even lays eyes on us.”

***

Three days later (during which time Siofe and Baldric alternated between accepting the praise and gifts from the townsfolk and hiding in the inn to avoid being overwhelmed), a man in ornate clothes arrived at the inn and presented them with a formal request to visit the King at his palace the next day. The two of them agreed at once, glanced at each other, then separated to make their preparations. Siofe washed her robes thoroughly, then went over it with both magic and a needle to make sure it looked as new as possible. She also took another bath, making sure every inch of her was clean. She had no idea what preparations Baldric was making, but she suspected he was doing much the same thing. That evening, she retired to bed early, wanting to get as much rest as possible while also acknowledging that her nerves would mean it would take longer to fall asleep.

The next morning, she spent at least ten minutes brushing her hair, making sure to remove any tangles. She also left it down instead of keeping it in its usual ponytail, hoping it gave her a more formal air. Then, after smoothing out any wrinkles she could find in her robes, she took a deep breath and left her room.

When she met Baldric at the bottom of the stairs, she could tell he'd spent most of the previous day polishing his armor, since the sheen was almost blinding. But while she did chuckle at his attentiveness, she left it at that, due to a combination of her anxiousness and a desire not to embarrass him. Fortunately, Baldric seemed to find the humor in it, because he smiled faintly and asked if she had the stomach for breakfast. They both managed to take a bit of toast (it wouldn't do for their stomachs to rumble in front of the King, after all), then left the inn to fetch their horses.

The two of them were silent as they rode along the road to the palace, understanding that while talking might distract them from their nerves, they also wouldn't have many topics of conversation besides the impending meeting. So they remained quiet, though eventually Siofe started humming just to give her something to do. And if they urged their horses to move at a slightly faster pace than normal, they didn't feel any need to justify themselves.

At last, they found themselves before the palace, which was somewhat imposing but not excessively grand. It didn't help much with their nerves, but at least it gave the impression that the King was more focused on practicality than displays of wealth. The guards let them in at once when they gave their names, and they rode into the courtyard, leaving their horses in the care of stableboys. Then another servant led them into the castle, through enough halls that Siofe wondered how anyone managed to traverse the castle without getting lost, and then finally brought them to the throne room. After he opened the door, he bowed deeply, said “The adventurers have arrived, Your Majesty.”, then stepped aside to allow Siofe and Baldric to approach.

Siofe knew of King Kenelm, of course. Even someone who spent most of their time travelling should at least know who their ruler was. But while she knew his name and had seen the occasional portrait of him, she didn't know much about the man himself. She was surprised, therefore, to discover that he was younger than she'd expected. His hair was still dark, and he appeared strong and fit. More importantly, however, he was smiling kindly at them as they walked up to his throne, even rising from his seat when they got close enough. “Welcome to Castle Digon,” he said, his voice warm and lilting, “And well met.”

“Well met, Your Majesty,” Baldric responded, putting a hand to his breastplate and bowing, “It's an honor to meet you.” Following his example, Siofe grabbed the sides of her robes and curtseyed. As she lifted her head, she saw Kenelm incline his head gracefully.

“And for my part, it's a delight to meet two skilled adventurers. Some of the tales of your exploits have reached me, and even if you hadn't done me a good turn, I might have asked you to come here just to have a look at you. But you've assisted both me and Carmae, and thus provided a better excuse.” He chuckled, and Siofe felt her nerves fading as she smiled back.

Kenelm turned and signaled to another servant, who stepped forward with a small box. “As much as I'd enjoy the opportunity to hear of all your exploits, I suppose we should deal with the formalities first. Your payment.”

Siofe took the box from the servant and opened it, her eyes widening when she saw the sheer amount of gold and silver inside. “Your Majesty...” she said faintly. Baldric glanced into the box, looking similarly shocked.

“One gold piece for each pound of meat on the boar, and one silver piece for every foot of land you kept from being destroyed,” Kenelm explained, “I believe that's a fair way to calculate the worth of what you've accomplished.”

Siofe wasn't about to complain, and the reasoning was fairly sound. “Well then...thank you,” she said, tucking the box under her arm before doing her best to curtsey again, “You honor us with your generosity.”

“I intend to do more than that,” Kenelm said, “I don't believe mere gold is enough to reward you for what you've done, both here in Carmae and for Quaysit as a whole. Keeping bandits and wild animals from menacing travellers, helping to strengthen relations with our neighbors, ensuring that towns are safe and well-fed...one couldn't ask for better subjects. If it wasn't for the fact that you clearly do just fine for yourself when left to your own devices, I would offer you positions at court!”

Siofe smiled. “I'm deeply appreciative, Your Majesty, but you're correct that court life wouldn't suit me. Part of the reason I became an adventurer was the opportunity to travel. I'm not sure I'd have as many opportunities as a member of your court.”

She glanced at Baldric, and saw him staring at Kenelm in amazement. Of course; he'd been willing to serve as a bodyguard for Lord Illet, seeing it as both an honor and an opportunity to do good. To be offered something similar by the King himself, especially given that the Tynto had been disgraced, must have been quite meaningful indeed. Her heart throbbed nervously, unsure how Baldric would respond.

Baldric composed himself, bowed once more, and said “I would be honored to take that position, Your Highness...but you're correct that I'll probably serve you better when working independently. Well,” he corrected, glancing at Siofe and smiling, “Almost independently.” Siofe, feeling a rush of relief, nodded at him.

Kenelm nodded as well. “Still, allow me to extend you this offer. If you ever grow bored of the adventuring life or would prefer a touch more stability, you'll always have a place in my castles.”

Both Baldric and Siofe bowed this time, but Siofe allowed Baldric to speak for both of them. “Thank you, Your Majesty,” he said, and Siofe could hear the faint tremor in his voice and saw the extra brightness in his eyes, “You can't imagine what it means to hear those words.”

Kenelm gave Baldric a smile, and somehow, based on the curve of his lips, Siofe suspected Kenelm did in fact have some idea. Then he resumed speaking. “Well then, you now have my long-term and short-term thanks. It's time to progress to the medium term.” As Siofe cocked her head in confusion, he explained. “I always give a feast when I arrive at one of my palaces to stay for a time. I shall turn this one into a celebration of the defeat of the beast menacing the city, and have you two as guests of honor! We'll even serve the boar as the main course! Hopefully it'll keep for a month as we wait for the nobles to arrive, but I'm not too worried. My cooks have magic of their own, both figurative and literal.”

Siofe felt her blood run cold as the king outlined his plans. In fact, his words were soon drowned out by the pounding in her ears. Rude as it might be to decline the offer, she knew she had to try. She watched his face, waiting for him to stop speaking, and then she said,

“I'm honored, Your Majesty, but that really isn't necessary. You've been more than generous with what you've offered us already.”

She could tell Baldric was glancing at her in surprise. Kenelm, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice her discomfort. “Nonsense! You preserved the harvest and prevented any further loss of life! Certainly you should be publicly honored for your accomplishments! Besides, perhaps speaking with my guests will allow you to find new places to travel and new challenges to overcome. And I believe the experience will be a novelty for all of us; having adventurers in our midst for us, dining with the King for you.”

That's the problem, Siofe thought, though she knew better than to say it. Unable to come up with any better arguments, she repressed a sigh and said “If it pleases Your Majesty, then we'll be happy to serve.”

“I would hope you'll be the ones being served at the feast,” Kenelm said with a chuckle, “Now then, I'll need to inform my staff of the new arrangements, and I'm sure you have a few you need to make yourselves. Therefore, we should take our leave of each other.”

“Of...of course,” Siofe said, offering up another curtsey, “May everything go smoothly.”

“And our thanks again for all you've given us.” Baldric chimed in as he bowed.

“It's the least I can do,” Kenelm answered, gesturing for an unseen servant to open the doors, “I'll send someone to your inn once I know for certain when the feast is to be held.”

Siofe and Baldric carefully left the room, Siofe grateful that she needed to pay attention to the box of coins to keep them from spilling. Anything to take her attention from the growing panic in her chest.

Baldric admirably managed to remain silent as they got their horses and rode away from the castle, but as soon as it had disappeared from view, he said, “What was all that about?”

Siofe sighed, but knew she had to be honest with him. “I'm...scared.”

“You? Scared? I didn't think that was possible.” Baldric's shock was overly exaggerated, which was enough to coax a smile out of Siofe. Baldric smiled back, then returned to a normal tone of voice that still managed to make clear he was taking this seriously. “What's wrong?”

“I'm a travelling merchant's daughter. I spent my childhood on the road, and my adolescence sequestered in Obeis Tower learning magic. Then I became an adventurer, living in camps or renting rooms. Maybe I've made a name for myself, and maybe I have unusual gifts, but I'm still...common.”

Baldric's eyes immediately widened in comprehension. “You're worried about how the nobility will treat you.”

“Yes,” Siofe said, “But if it were just a matter of their looking down on me for not being highborn, I wouldn't care as much. Some of them will always be that way. I just...I don't want to prove them right.”

“How could you possibly...”

“I was never taught the things they were,” Siofe interrupted, wanting to make sure he understood the full scope of her problem, “I have manners, but not to their standards, especially when it comes to eating. I never learned any dance steps. I don't know all the little protocols of titles, or how deep to curtsey. I'm not even sure what are safe topics of conversation to discuss!”

She twisted the reins in her hands, trying to get rid of at least a little of her nervous energy. “And then there's the matter of clothing. Armor like yours is acceptable as long as it's clean, which will never be a problem for you. But...” Siofe gestured to her robes, “I've never had a need for formal dress, so I'd have to attend wearing these. They may signal I'm a magic user, but that's not going to do much for my standing. Especially not among nobles close to the King.”

“You really expect them to snub you for not wearing the latest fashions?”

“Yes!” Siofe burst out, convinced Baldric wasn't quite understanding her point, “I'm sure most of them see adventurers as uncouth, since they spend more time among ordinary people or on their own. They might be more forgiving if one can look or act the 'proper' way, but not having either will have them condemning me on sight.”

She looked over at Baldric, and saw him looking at her with an expression of confusion and concern. “We've attended plenty of celebrations before—some of them have even been in our honor to thank us for a job well done—and you've never seemed bothered about your manners or your clothes.” he said.

“This is different,” Siofe insisted, “A small or even average size town having some sort of celebration for my success doesn't mind if I wear my normal robes, and accepts any slip of manners as understandable, since I'm an adventurer. In fact, they might think I was putting on airs if I did somehow turn up wearing a gown. But royalty is a lot pickier about these things.”

“I doubt King Kenelm is going to punish someone he intends to celebrate,” Baldric pointed out, “Particularly over something as minor as dress. If he didn't mind seeing you in your robes today, he shouldn't mind seeing them at the feast, either.”

“I don't want to take that chance,” Siofe said, looking back down at the reins, feeling like she had to force the words out past an increasing tightness in her throat, “Besides, even if we were formally summoned, our meeting today was much less formal than the feast is going to be. I could get away with curtseys, thank yous, and sprinklings of 'Your Majesty's here, but not for several hours. This may be my one opportunity to be in the presence of the king, and I'd like to remember it fondly, instead of feeling shame. But that's going to be impossible, and as tempted as I am to feign illness, I don't want to risk being caught out. Would lying make things even worse? Would...”

“Siofe!” Baldric said sharply. Surprised by his tone, Siofe looked over at him. He pulled on his reins, bringing Milburga to a halt. “Get off.” he said, starting to dismount. Confused and even more anxious, Siofe got Hartwin to stop and did as instructed. Baldric approached her, removing his gauntlets and briefly pausing to set them on the ground. When he straightened, she saw that his expression was gentle, which was reassuring if puzzling, given his prior attitude. Then he took her hands and squeezed them softly. “Calm down,” he said, touching her cheek, “I do understand your nerves, but you don't need to get into a panic about it. There are ways to solve this.”

“How?” Siofe said desperately.

“We have a month before the feast,” Baldric said, “That should be plenty of time to get you a formal dress and make other preparations.”

“But there's so much to learn! Is a month really going to be enough time?”

“Probably not,” Baldric admitted, as he carefully took her shoulders and pulled her to his chest, before stroking her back, “But you really only need to learn enough to keep up the façade. Wear the right clothes, know dining etiquette, dance a little, and spend more time listening than talking, and I suspect everyone will end up admiring your poise.”

His tone was soothing, and the words were spoken with such quiet confidence that Siofe found herself believing him. It still didn't fully calm her nerves, but she was able to exhale slowly, feeling the tightness in her throat recede. She rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes, appreciating his presence. “I suppose that's the best I can hope for. I'll just have to dedicate the same verve to this that I do to our fights with bandits.”

“That's the spirit,” Baldric said with a chuckle, pulling away just enough to cup her chin, “And just like those fights, you won't be going it alone. I'll help you with everything.”

“I know you will. Thank you.” Siofe paused, then opened her eyes and saw him smiling at her. She smiled back hesitatingly. “I love you.”

Baldric kissed her. “I love you too. And remember, even if the nobility try to find fault with you, I certainly don't. And Artet willing, I never will.”

***

After returning to the inn and taking an hour or two to let the worst of Siofe's nerves subside, the two of them wandered through the town until they spotted a shop called Corey's Couture. Since there were dresses in the window, the odds were high it was a tailor shop, and they went inside. A grey-haired woman, her hair immaculately pulled back from her face and wearing a simple but still elegant looking dress, looked up as they entered, a wide smile crossing her face when she recognized them. “Ah, the heroes of the hour! What can I do for you?”

Baldric nodded at Siofe, indicating that she needed to be the one to ask. “I...need a formal gown.” Siofe said sheepishly.

“Not a problem, my dear.” Madame Corey said. Siofe felt a little better hearing her kind yet business-like tone; she wasn't treating Siofe as abnormal for not already having one. In fact, perhaps she thought Siofe merely wanted a new one to celebrate her success. Or perhaps she suspected Siofe wasn't one to keep a gown handy, and was accepting of that. Regardless, Siofe was happy for the cover of professionalism.

Corey picked up a quill and pulled a piece of paper towards her. “What sort of dress would you like?”

“I...don't know,” Siofe admitted, “I suppose I'd like a pretty but simple dress that's appropriate for formal occasions, easy to wash, and durable enough to survive being constantly jostled around in a pair of saddlebags. I'm happy to defer to your judgment on this matter as long as it fits those requirements.”

Corey nodded. “We can manage that. Let's start by taking your measurements and then go on from there.”

“Will it...” Siofe felt her breath catch, but soldiered onwards. “Will it be done in time for the king's feast in a month?”

Corey's eyes flashed in understanding, but her tone remained smooth as she answered “It will depend on what fabric you choose, but it should be completed in plenty of time. Especially if you're sincere about not wanting anything too complicated. But let's begin by seeing how much fabric will be needed in the first place.”

Siofe soon found herself standing in front of a mirror with her arms held out, while Madame Corey and two other ladies circled around her, occasionally putting a ribbon around different parts of her body. Corey made notes, looking Siofe over from time to time, and asking questions about things like preferences in sleeve lengths or necklines. At last, the three dressmakers stepped away, and Corey brought Siofe over to the front counter, pulling out a large book and setting it in front of her. “Here’s a collection of the current fabrics we have that are meant to be durable. Hopefully one will catch your eye.”

Siofe opened the book to the first page (Baldric peering over her shoulder), which was full of brightly colored swatches of fabric, almost all of which were covered in some sort of pattern. Seeing even those small snippets increased Siofe's anxiety; they were too elaborate, too grand, for someone like her. Even if they were the latest style, she knew she wouldn't feel comfortable wearing them, which might end up drawing even more attention to her. She swallowed and shook her head. “Do you have anything...simpler?”

Madame Corey didn't scoff or look at Siofe strangely; she merely flipped to halfway through the book, revealing swatches that had no patterns at all. The knot of anxiety in Siofe's stomach loosened a little at the sight, and she held her hand by each cloth to see if the color suited her skin. Perhaps by focusing on one thing at a time, she'd manage to find something she could wear easily.

None of the twenty or so swatches on the first two pages appealed to her. Sometimes she didn't like the color, sometimes the color looked good on the page but worse against her skin, and since her everyday robes were dark green, she didn't want to wear a gown in a similar color. While she was a little worried this trend would continue for the rest of the swatches, she did her best to push the fear aside. Unlike her occupation, this wasn't a time to go looking for trouble.

As she flipped to the next page, her eyes were drawn to the top right corner. Sunlight from the window was falling on a light grey fabric, causing it to glow faintly. Curious, she pulled the book a little closer to examine it. Out of the light, the fabric looked a little darker, which was unexpected. Bringing it back into the patch of sunlight, she realized that the fabric seemed to have a hint of a blue tint, which would appear or disappear depending on the amount of light shining on it. It was an interesting effect, and might make an impression at the feast. She reached out and ran her fingers down the swatch, finding it soft and light, suggesting it would be comfortable. Then she placed her hand next to it, and felt a weight lift off her shoulders when she saw that it didn't clash. The nerves were still there, but things felt a little less overwhelming.

“You like the grey?” Madame Corey asked, apparently having seen a change in Siofe's expression.

“I...think so. You're sure this is durable?”

“Relatively so. I wouldn't recommend fighting in it, but it should avoid tearing if someone steps on it. As for keeping it in saddlebags, I'd recommend folding it and keeping it in its own bag to protect it further, but if you wash and press it to remove the wrinkles, it should handle long journeys with little difficulty. Is this the fabric you want, or would you like to see the other swatches?”

Siofe looked at the grey fabric again, considering it. It suited a lot of her needs, but despite its unusual coloring, a dress made entirely of that material might be a little plain, and thus still draw the contempt of the nobility. She looked apologetically at Madame Corey. “Do you have this one in other patterns?”

“Just one,” Corey said, “But I think it’ll serve nicely. One moment.”

She signaled to her seamstresses, and they disappeared into the back of the shop, eventually returning with a bolt of the blue-grey cloth. Once they’d set it on the counter, Corey held up some of it to reveal the pattern was a row of grey roses, sprays of grey ivy branching out on either side. Siofe considered it, then took a few steps back to see it from a distance. The pattern dissolved into stripes and dots the further one got from it, but that just made the detail work that much more impressive when seen up close. Combined with the changing color, it might be enough to give her a mysterious air.

“Yes,” she said at last, “I think that will be perfect.”

Corey nodded. “Do you want the entire dress in this pattern?”

Siofe shook her head immediately. “That would be too much. Is it possible to use it for just part of the dress?”

As she'd been speaking, the seamstresses returned with the bolt of plain cloth. Madame Corey looked between the two cloths, then at Siofe, then at the list of measurements. “Yes…” she said at last, “I think that will work. Put the pattern on the bodice, and leave the rest solid to provide more of a contrast. Add a more translucent bit of cloth to the sleeves for another contrast…a bit of ruffle on the sleeve tops…maybe a simple embroidery pattern around the skirt hem…”

“Whatever you think will be best,” Siofe said, “I trust you to know what will suit me.”

“And I appreciate that trust,” Corey said, “Come back in a week for a fitting. If you don't like the end results, we should have enough time to make alterations and try again.”

“Thank you,” Siofe said, reaching for her bag, “How much...?”

“We'll calculate the full cost once we've made a dress you're satisfied with. For now, one gold piece for our time and measurements will do.”

Siofe gladly handed over a coin, and she and Baldric left the shop so the women could get to work. “You made a good choice,” Baldric said, “I was drawn to the grey fabric as well.”

Siofe smiled. “Another sign we're well-matched, I suppose. We have similar taste in fashion.”

“Let's wait until we see the finished dress before we fully conclude that,” Baldric said with a chuckle, “But I have no doubt you'll look lovely.”

“Don't you think you might be a bit biased?”

“Shouldn't my opinion hold just a little extra weight?” Baldric countered.

“You raise a good point,” Siofe said, taking his hand and squeezing it, “Having you on my side will make all this a little easier.”

“I shall endeavor to be both your champion and your assistant, depending on which you need at any given moment.” Baldric promised. Then, perhaps knowing that talking about the feast too much would make her nervous, he let a companionable silence fall while they made their way back to the inn. He only spoke up again once they were outside their rooms. “Now that the matter of your dress has mostly been settled, the next order of business is dancing.”

“I suppose we'll be looking for someone here who can teach me lessons?” Siofe said, only half-joking.

“I don't think that will be necessary,” Baldric responded, as he led the way to his room, “I should be able to teach you enough to get you through the feast.”

Siofe blinked. Baldric apparently didn't notice, as he continued “As one of the people being honored, you'll probably be expected to dance at least a few dances. But as long as you're seen dancing now and then, you can probably find reasons to politely decline if you aren't familiar with the steps. Fortunately, most of the dances are easy to learn, and if you have a good partner, you can just let them direct you.”

He closed the door, then held a hand out to Siofe. “I'll start by teaching you the basic steps. Once you've got a grasp on them, we can hire a fiddler to play music so you can practice properly. They may even be able to tell us which dances are most popular right now.”

“Hold on, hold on...” Siofe said, still looking at him in disbelief, “You're going to teach me?”

“I am.”

“But...you...how??”

Baldric smiled. “Did you think the Tynto taught us nothing but combat? Since we were supposedly Lord Illet’s bodyguards, we were expected to have a certain amount of social graces in order to reflect well on him. Every trainee attended at least one of his dinners or balls to learn proper behavior, even if we ourselves did nothing but stand at attention and keep an eye out for suspicious activity. If you were tapped for officer status, you were given lessons in proper dining etiquette, general deportment, and, of course, dancing.”

“Why didn't you ever tell me?”

Baldric shrugged. “It never came up before now, and I suppose like you, I never thought those skills would ever be needed in our line of work. Didn't you suspect anything when I said I'd help you?”

“I...guess I just thought you meant that you'd help me find ways to learn what I needed, or that you'd join me in the lessons. It never occurred to me that you had any more experience in social matters than I did.”

She looked away, feeling her face heat up, accompanied by a rush of shame for apparently thinking so little of Baldric. Then a hand softly rested on her back. “Why would it have occurred to you?” Baldric said gently, “As I said, it's never been needed in our lives until now. And besides, you saw the Tynto at their worst. The trial made us sound like a band of well-trained thugs, meant only for eventual conquest. At most, you'd be forgiven for thinking we were good warriors who also made for imposing ornamentation.”

That got a laugh out of Siofe, and she turned back to look at him. “I suppose there's some truth to that. Still, I'm sorry if I was inadvertently thinking less of you.”

Baldric took her hand and kissed it, before leaning in and kissing her cheek. “I don't mind too much. Because it means I was able to surprise you, and thus give you more to admire in the long run. Now then, let's get started.”

Siofe obligingly let him lead her to the clear section of the room, listening carefully to his words. “While there may have been some new trends that have become popular since I started adventuring with you, I suspect most of the dances I'm familiar with will still be performed,” Baldric said, “And to be honest, most of them follow similar patterns. It's just a matter of figuring out the pattern.

“There are two types of dances, group dances and individual ones,” he continued, standing across from her, “And of the group dances, some involve a specific partner, while some are group dances where you'll end up dancing with multiple people. As long as you know at least one of each, I think you'll be able to get by. Let's start with one of the group ones...”

Siofe had expected that learning to dance properly would require learning dozens of different steps and gestures, and then having to keep straight which ones went with each dance. But as it turned out, although they all had different names, there were only four steps: walking in a circle, spinning in a circle, walking forwards and backwards, and swaying from side to side. Occasionally there were a few extra beats, like holding your partner's hand or kicking out your foot, but they were more an exception than a rule. Baldric also told her that many dances were all about repetition, with the men performing a step and the women doing the same thing a few moments later, so she could simply copy what they had done if she was unsure of what to do. After about two hours, she felt like she had a grasp of the basics, and while it wasn't enough to get rid of her fears entirely, it now felt like she had a chance at not making a complete fool of herself.

True to his word, Baldric sought out a fiddler the next day, returning with a man named Liron. When they explained the situation to him, he laughed (though not unkindly) and told Siofe that she had very little to worry about. “In addition to the repetitive steps, the music is meant to be a cue,” he said, “Many of the steps are meant to happen in time with the beat. If you can't look to your dance partners for guidance, just listen to the music for a clue.” He and Baldric proceeded to walk her through a song to prove it, and she immediately understood what Liron meant, her worries calming a little more.

After that, Siofe practiced her dancing for three hours a day. One hour was with Liron present to provide musical accompaniment, one was with Baldric after Liron had left, and one was by herself in the evening, humming the tune and trying to commit the steps to memory. Even if she had music, other dancers, or a partner to guide her, she wanted to do her best to make it look like she knew what she was doing. She knew dwelling on it so much would make her more anxious, but better to be worried and prepared than relax and be blindsided.

The week passed quicker than she expected, and before she knew it, she and Baldric had returned to Madame Corey's shop for her gown fitting. At Siofe's request, Baldric waited outside, since she wanted him to give a (somewhat) unbiased opinion on the finished dress. As soon as Siofe walked in, Madame Corey smiled. “Eager to see the results, eh? Come on, in front of the mirror.” Siofe walked to the mirror, removed her robes, and then immediately closed her eyes, wanting to take in the dress once it was properly on her, instead of having to judge it on its own. A minute later, Corey's assistants slid the dress over her head, then immediately got to work lacing up the back. It was only when Madame Corey said “What do you think?” that Siofe opened her eyes. Then she ran her hands over the bodice, first looking down at the dress, then at her reflection. And the longer she looked at it, the more she liked it.

The pattern on the bodice was nicely mirrored by the ruffles of lace at the top of the sleeves. The lace at the bottom of the sleeves allowed her to be expressive while also making it easy to move the sleeves out of the way when she needed her hands to eat. The base of the skirt seemed like it would always drape in a visually pleasing way. And the color was wonderful against her skin, regardless of if the light made it look more blue or more grey. She stroked the bodice again, then fiddled with the skirt, glad that it was as soft as the swatch had suggested. “I think this is exactly what I was looking for.”, she said with a nod.

Madame Corey stepped aside, smiling faintly. “Very good. But of course, you must be as comfortable moving around in it as you are standing still. Do a quick turn around my shop and see what you think then.”

Siofe did so, discovering she quite liked the feeling of the soft cloth brushing against her legs as she walked. Glancing behind her, she saw that the sleeves and train of the skirt were fluttering as she moved, which gave her a sense of elegance she wasn't entirely sure she actually possessed. But if it helped the nobles approve of her, she wasn't about to complain.

When she returned to the mirror, she smiled at Madame Corey and her assistants. “My opinion hasn't changed. If anything, it's grown stronger.”

“Excellent! Now then, there's the matter of accessorizing. I sent for Mr. Seeth while we were putting this on you. He should be here shortly with some appropriate pieces.”

Sure enough, a few minutes later a small old man entered the shop, a black case under his arm. He quickly looked over Siofe and her dress and nodded approvingly. “Well-remembered as always, Madame Corey. I should have the perfect assortment of jewels to fit the dress's coloring and her complexion.”

Setting the case on a nearby table, he flipped it open, the light immediately landing on silver chains and dark gems. After looking between Siofe and the case, he nodded again, then pulled out a silver necklace, consisting of a thicker band around the neck and smaller strands in a symmetrical pattern hanging down from it, silver beads dangling from the ends. “An off-the-shoulder dress all but demands it be paired with a necklace,” he explained, offering it to Siofe, “And this one is just what you need.”

Siofe held it up to her neck and saw immediately that he was right. The silver complimented the color of the dress, and the longer strands actually came down far enough that they nearly touched the bodice, but left just enough of a gap that one could differentiate between the dress and the necklace. “You're right,” she said, turning the necklace around so she could hook it together, “I'll take it.”

“Very good! Now then...” Mr. Seeth examined her again, “You actually don't need too much in the way of jewelry. Something for your hair, perhaps, but those sleeves discourage bracelets and you might not need earrings if you wear your hair down. So other than the necklace, the only other thing I'd recommend would be this.”

He held out a belt made of dark chains and accentuated by blue gems, with two longer chains that looked like they'd go down to the knees. “It's more lightweight than it looks,” he said when he saw Siofe looking at it skeptically, “And as long as you're not too enthusiastic in your twirling, the chains shouldn't get in anyone's way.”

Madame Corey took the belt from him and slipped it around Siofe's waist. The moment Siofe saw it in the mirror, she knew Mr. Seeth had been correct again. The belt had looked very dark in Seeth's hands, but on the dress the gems appeared lighter, while also dark enough to contrast the blue-grey. And though she could feel it against her waist, it didn't feel too heavy and, more importantly, didn't hamper her breathing. She stepped away from the mirror and walked around the shop again, occasionally feeling the two dangling chains brush lightly against her legs but never coming close to tripping her up. For a final test, she performed a spin the way Baldric had taught her, feeling the chains lift off the dress slightly but not enough to injure either her or her partner before falling back into place. She returned to the mirror to take a look at the dress in full, then nodded. “It's beautiful.”

“You're beautiful,” Mr. Seeth corrected, “I have no doubt you'll make heads turn at the feast.”

“Shall I bring in your partner to see what he thinks?” Madame Corey asked.

“Just a moment.” Siofe said, before removing the ribbon from her hair that she normally used to keep it out of the way. After quickly adjusting her hair around her shoulders so it could look relatively presentable, she nodded. “All right. Bring him in.”

She continued to fiddle with her hair while she heard Madame Corey retreat, and then the door to the shop open. When she heard two sets of footsteps approaching, she turned away from the mirror and held out her hands, the better for Baldric to see the full dress. “What do you think?” she asked as soon as Baldric came into view.

Madame Corey moved aside so Baldric's vision wasn't obstructed, and Baldric immediately stopped in his tracks, eyes widening. “Oh…” he said softly.

That was all the affirmation Siofe needed. Turning to Madame Corey with a smile, she said “It’s perfect.”

Madame Corey smiled back. “Just what every seamstress wants to hear. Shall we figure out the total cost, then?”

All told, the gown and the jewels cost Siofe fifty gold pieces, but she could more than afford it (and she could have afforded it even before the king's generous payment). Siofe still couldn't help but feel it was a little extravagant, but consoled herself with the thought that everything could be reworn multiple times. And if worst came to worst, she could probably use the belt as a makeshift weapon.

“Well then, that's one less thing to worry about,” Baldric said as they left the shop, Siofe carefully draping the dress over her arm, “Do you feel a little more assured now?”

“Somewhat,” Siofe answered after thinking it over for a few moments, “At the very least, I know I'll look the part. Which increases the odds that the nobles will be more forgiving if I slip up later in the evening.”

Baldric shook his head and took her other hand. “I have faith that you won't slip up at all. I can only hope that you come to believe it yourself.”

“I can't promise that,” Siofe said, “But if you keep teaching me what to do, I can at least take comfort in falling back on my hours of practice.”

Baldric squeezed her hand reassuringly. “Then I'll try to do all I can to help you commit these things to memory. Now, since your dress is no longer a concern, I believe it's time to start working on manners at the dining table...”

~~~

Next time: The feast.

[EveP]

Honestly, this has the quality of a novel. If you remove some of the sneezing parts (you could keep the colds and allergies, since they move the story forward and makes the characters relatable) you could have it published. Are you a professional writer? No need to answer if the question is too private. 🙂

[HPG]

3 hours ago, EveP said:

Honestly, this has the quality of a novel. If you remove some of the sneezing parts (you could keep the colds and allergies, since they move the story forward and makes the characters relatable) you could have it published. Are you a professional writer? No need to answer if the question is too private. 🙂

I'd second @EveP's opinion.

[Kolen]

12 hours ago, HarryPotterGeek said:

I'd second @EveP's opinion.

I third @EveP's opinion

[Wig_Powder]

@EveP @HarryPotterGeek @Kolen Thank you, all of you! That's very high praise! Especially given that I sometimes get self-conscious that my writer's desire to tell a good story gets in the way of the sneezing, sometimes leading to situations where the sneezing takes a backseat to the plot. Which isn't exactly a bad thing, but it definitely feels counterproductive to this particular forum.

Chapter 11

All too soon, the night of the feast arrived. Even though she and Baldric had spent every day practicing their dancing and memorizing etiquette, Siofe was still a bundle of nerves as she got ready. She suspected that even if she'd had a year to rehearse everything, she still would have felt like she was unprepared. No matter how much Baldric assured her that King Kenelm wouldn't treat her badly, and that the nobles would follow his lead, she couldn't bring herself to believe it. All she could do was remember what she'd learned and hope that Baldric would always be close at hand to smooth over any accidental improprieties.

The innkeeper sent his daughter up to help Siofe dress, Reannon exclaiming over the beauty of the gown and clearly excited on Siofe's behalf. Siofe smiled at her enthusiasm and tried to focus on the act of dressing instead of dwelling on what was to come. It helped that she had elected to adorn her hair with flowers rather than jewelry, preferring their lightness and scent to the weight of metal and gems. Spending several minutes fiddling with them to make sure they were arranged just so both provided a distraction and helped calm her a little, though her nerves rushed right back once she looked at herself in the mirror to make sure everything was in order. She could tell that she looked fine—beautiful, even—but seeing the full effect just reminded her that she was about to face the nobility. Still, she'd never been one to back down, and there wasn't much more she could do now. Taking a deep breath, she thanked Reannon, then left her room to meet up with Baldric.

Baldric was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. It was clear from the shine on his armor that he'd also taken great care to present himself in the best light he could, but if he was nervous, he was much better at hiding it than she was. He looked up at her the moment he heard her footsteps on the stairs, and the expression of admiration on his face was enough to help her relax, even if it was only for a moment. “You look wonderful, Siofe,” he said softly, reaching for her hand to help her down the rest of the way, “And I'm sure most of the nobility will feel the same way. It's a good thing I'm not prone to jealousy.”

Siofe placed her hand in his and managed a smile. “Thank you. I wish I had your confidence.”

“You already have it,” Baldric answered, pressing her hand before kissing it, “It's just being drowned out by your nerves. But I have faith that it will reassert itself as the evening goes on.”

Siofe raised her eyebrows skeptically, but knew better than to say anything. With a nod to the innkeeper, the two of them left the inn (Siofe lifting her skirts to minimize the amount of dirt they'd accumulate) and made their way to the stables. They'd chosen to ride to the castle rather than go to the expense of renting a carriage for one night; instead, Baldric had paid the stablehands to not only brush Hartwin and Milburga and polish their saddles and bridles, but to decorate their manes and tails as well. Thus, Milburga also had flowers in her “hair”, and Hartwin's mane and tail had been elegantly braided. Only a few people would see the effort that had been made, but if there was a chance that it would help make a better impression, Siofe was bound and determined to take it.

The ride to the palace was simultaneously far too long and far too short. Siofe alternated between glancing up at the approaching structure and staring down at Hartwin's mane. She tried to hum, both to calm herself and to pass the time, but the tune kept catching in her throat. She did glance at Baldric once, but he was too busy navigating Milburga around a bend to look in her direction, and she didn't want to irritate him by constantly looking for reassurance. Though she wasn't sure she'd be able to stop herself once they were actually at the feast.

At last, they made it to the palace courtyard, where both carriages and horses were releasing their passengers. Siofe dismounted from Hartwin with a landing that was far too ungraceful for her liking, handing the reins to the approaching servant and giving him what she hoped was an appreciative smile. Then she moved out of the way, tugging at her dress and belt and hoping that everything was smooth and even.

After a moment, Baldric came to join her. “Are you ready?”

Siofe looked up at the palace and took another deep breath. “I don't think I'll ever be ready. But it's best if I don't keep prolonging the agony.”

Baldric squeezed her hand. “You'll be fine. And I'll be on hand to assist if need be.”

Siofe nodded, then squared her shoulders and straightened up the way she'd seen Baldric do so many times. Baldric linked his arm with hers, and they walked through the main gates together.

Since they were far from the first people to arrive, they had to stand in a queue in order to be officially announced. Siofe tried to pass the time by admiring the décor, tracing the various flourishes back to their source. She had another flicker of nerves when she peripherally noticed someone moving up to stand behind them, but they either didn't recognize her and Baldric or they were waiting until the formal announcements were over to speak to them. Siofe honestly wasn't sure if that made her more or less nervous.

While the announcements were being made relatively quickly, it still took a few minutes to reach the head of the line due to the sheer number of attendees. When they finally arrived at the front, they gave their names to the page. As he turned to make the announcement, Siofe stared out over the sea of people, unable to repress a nervous swallow. You can do this, she thought to herself, This is the only moment when all eyes will truly be on you. Get through this moment, and the rest will be easier.

“Siofe Harrier and Baldric Slater!” the page called out. Everyone turned to look at them, applauding, and Siofe somehow managed to stand even straighter. Wrapping her free hand around her skirt to keep from tripping on it, she and Baldric descended the stairs, Siofe trying to keep her eyes on the ballroom instead of on her feet. Once they'd made their way to the ballroom proper, they moved across the room, nodding to the other guests, before eventually finding themselves before the King. As the applause died down, Kenelm smiled warmly and inclined his head at them. Baldric removed his arm from Siofe's, stepped forward, and bowed deeply. “Your Majesty.”

Kenelm gestured for him to rise. “Welcome back. It's good to see you again.” he said, before turning his attention to Siofe. Siofe curtseyed, her hands gripping onto the fabric of her skirt to hide the fact that they were shaking.

“Thank you again for this honor, Your Majesty.”

“I appreciate the thanks,” Kenelm said, “But in truth, I should be the one thanking you. After all, the two of you protected my lands and people. That's a far greater deed than merely inviting you to a ball, wouldn't you say?”

“I...suppose so, Your Majesty.” Siofe said faintly.

Kenelm took her hand and kissed it. “Enjoy the festivities,” he said, “I believe the cooks said it would be another two hours before we ate.”

Siofe nodded, curtseyed again, and moved aside to allow others to speak with him. As soon as she thought she was a safe distance away, she sighed in relief, her shoulders dropping. Baldric lightly gripped her elbow. “All right?” he asked softly.

Siofe nodded. “I could do with a drink, though.”

Baldric chuckled. “There's a refreshment table along the left side of the ballroom. Can you make it there, or shall I fetch it for you?”

“I'm not completely paralyzed,” Siofe said wryly, “Lead the way.”

The refreshment table turned out to contain numerous types of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, as well as a few plates of fruit and cheese. Not wanting to accidentally become tipsy or worse, Siofe selected a glass of punch and took a seat at one of the chairs lining the wall, Baldric sitting beside her. Sipping at her drink, she looked around at the various gowns the others ladies were wearing, comparing them to hers. Hers wasn't as patterned as most of them, but the design was certainly similar, and her jewelry helped keep it from being too plain. And while people were glancing at her and Baldric, she could tell they were glances of admiration rather than disdain. It seemed that her outfit, at least, was acceptable to the nobles.

Then, as she finished her glass, she heard the sound of instruments being tuned, and her anxiety returned. Which dance would they be starting with? Would she be able to follow along with her partner, or would she be thrown to the wolves, so to speak? Maybe she could get another glass of punch and sit this one out...

A hand lightly touched her wrist, and she gave a start of surprise. Looking over, she saw that Baldric had already gotten to his feet. “Come on,” he said, smiling encouragingly, “I'll be right here to help. After all, everyone expects to have the first dance with the partner they arrived with.”

Taking a deep breath, Siofe took his hand and stood up as well. After depositing her glass in a tub specifically designed for that purpose, she let Baldric lead her onto the dance floor. As the musicians came into view, she got another surprise; Liron was on the stage, sitting between two other fiddlers. He saw her and gave her a smile and a nod. She nodded back, slightly comforted by the sight of another familiar face in the crowd.

Then Baldric turned her to face him, squeezing her fingers. “Keep steady,” he told her, “And have faith.”

She took a deep breath. “I trust you to keep me on track.” she said.

Baldric smiled. “I meant in yourself.”

Before Siofe could respond to that, she heard Kenelm call out “Let the dancing begin!” and the musicians began to play. Recognizing the melody as one Liron had played for their practices, Siofe nodded and prepared to move as soon as Baldric had completed his part of the dance.

She spent the majority of the dance remembering the steps, watching Baldric's movements and listening to the music for her cue to move. She couldn't exactly say she was enjoying herself, but her weeks of practice dulled her nerves and allowed her to get through the dance without incident. As the song ended, she curtseyed to Baldric before straightening up and applauding the musicians. “There we are,” Baldric murmured in her ear, “That wasn't so bad, was it?”

“I...suppose not,” Siofe said, “Though this is just the first step of the gauntlet.”

Baldric shook his head, then bent down and kissed her hand. “Good luck,” he said, before moving away to seek out a new partner, “Not that I think you'll need it.”

Siofe nodded after him, nervous to be left alone but knowing it was expected to dance with a variety of partners. The only question was, did anyone else want to be her partner? Of course they do, she immediately thought to herself, If nothing else, a few men will want to dance with the hero of the hour, just like the women will want to dance with Baldric. So I suppose the real question is, will anyone want to dance with me once it becomes clear I'm not the most graceful of partners?

“May I have this dance, Miss Harrier?” someone said to her right. Quickly putting a smile on her face, Siofe turned around to accept...only for her eyes to widen in astonishment.

King Kenelm rose from his bow, smiling mildly. “I think it's only fair that the King dance with the unofficial guest of honor,” he said, “So I'd better claim that privilege before we all get too fatigued.”

Siofe thought her heart was going to try to escape through her mouth, but outwardly, she merely curtseyed deeply. “You grant me a great honor, Your Majesty.”

Kenelm took her hand and positioned her so that she was facing the musicians. “Anything for someone who saved Carmae. I'm rather fond of this place, and anyone who helps keep it beautiful and prosperous is well worth rewarding.” With that, the next song began, and Kenelm took the lead.

Unsurprisingly, Kenelm was an excellent dancer. But he was also a generous one, carefully signaling which way she should move or turn with subtle hand movements or inclinations of the head. With that extra help in place, Siofe actually felt herself relax a little, and she was able to give Kenelm a genuine smile as she followed the music and his movements. If she was making a fool of herself, he was giving no sign of it, and that was enough to calm her further.

When the dance was finished, Kenelm bowed and kissed her hand. “Thank you for the dance. I suspect it'll do us both good to have been seen dancing with each other, don't you?” Before Siofe could answer, he gave her a wink and moved away. As he did so, Siofe spotted Baldric a few feet away, bidding goodbye to his own partner. He turned, met her eyes, and gave her a knowing grin as he tossed his head in Kenelm's direction. She nodded and gave a brief smile back before turning to see if she had any more potential partners.

Dancing with the king had indeed made her more popular. Within a matter of moments, three men approached her to ask for the honor of the next dance. She accepted the offer of the first man who'd asked, and promised the other two they'd get the next two dances. They ended up all dancing together anyway, as there were two group dances before they returned to single partners. By the time she'd finished her dance with the third man, Siofe's anxiety had been reduced considerably, if only by virtue of being too tired to focus her attention on it. Dancing like this wasn't as exhausting as a fight with bandits, but doing it continuously without a break or a drink still took a fair bit out of her. With that in mind, she politely waved away the men approaching her, citing the need for a rest. After getting a drink, she moved to the edge of the dance floor, content to just sip her juice and watch the dancing. She wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to go back out there, but she suspected she'd be able to face it with considerably less fear if she did so.

As she was watching Baldric dance with an older woman in a fur-trimmed gown, someone cleared their throat beside her, in a way that suggested they were trying to get her attention. Turning to look, she saw one of the younger noblemen looking at her with interest. “My apologies, Miss Harrier, but I was hoping to ask you something.”

“Yes?” Siofe said, giving an encouraging smile while bracing herself in case it turned out to be a question about her bloodline.

Instead, the words tumbled out of him in a rush. “Is it true you once singlehandedly defeated a rampaging bear?”

Siofe blinked, but quickly composed herself. “I did. It actually wasn't all that difficult. All I had to do was lie in wait and build up the power to my lightning spell. Then, when the bear got close enough, I hit him right in the head. The combination of the force and the shock was enough to kill him instantly.”

“Remarkable,” the man said admiringly, “What happened to it afterwards?”

“I'd been hired to deal with the bear by the town of Iseda, since it was threatening their hunting parties. It was just a matter of returning to Iseda and fetching some men to bring the body back to town. We feasted on some of the meat—much like we're going to do tonight, come to think of it—and the rest was set aside for winter. I believe the pelt went to the mayor.”

“You didn't receive any of it as a trophy?” the man said, frowning, “That doesn't seem fair.”

Siofe shrugged. “As an adventurer, I need to pack fairly light. If I took a trophy from every animal or bandit I defeated, my horse would have to carry unnecessary weight, making us both less effective. Besides, I was paid well, which I tend to find adequate compensation for my efforts.”

“I suppose so,” said the man, “I guess I'm too used to thinking as a hunter.”

As Siofe smiled at him, she noticed several other guests approaching her, sparks of curiosity in their eyes. “They do require similar skillsets,” she said, “Adventurers just need to think a few extra steps ahead.”

“How many bandits do you think you've defeated?” another man said, “The rumors say that it's over a hundred at this point.”

“To be honest, I don't really keep count,” Siofe said, “And I tend to think of them as groups rather than individuals. I can safely say I've dealt with over a dozen groups, however.”

“What was the most challenging fight you ever had?” said a third man, a note of excitement in his voice.

Siofe took a minute to consider, then started to tell them about the time she'd spent an evening picking off a group of ten bandits one by one, since their camp was too well fortified for her to perform a direct assault. As she talked, she started to notice other people approaching out of the corner of her eye. Then she decided it was best not to pay attention to them, treating this like one of those times when she'd tell stories of her exploits to a group of eager children. Really, the only difference between was the two was that she didn't have to sanitize the tales quite as much. In fact, given the occasional murmurs of “Oh my...” or “How thrilling!”, adding in the gory details was probably to be encouraged. Once that thought occurred to her, she decided to take a risk and bring in her other way of making the stories more exciting.

As she described surprising the sixth bandit by sending a beam of light directly into his eyes, she flexed her hand, releasing a flash of light. While a few of her listeners jumped in surprise, many of them leaned in closer, eyes bright and faces expectant, almost eager. Smiling in satisfaction, she continued her story, now adding the occasional bit of light, spark, or flame when appropriate.

When she was finished, her audience (which seemed to encompass about a quarter of the ballroom) applauded quietly but enthusiastically. She nodded her thanks and took a large swallow of juice. “I'm glad you found the story entertaining,” she said, “And I'd be glad to tell more, if you're interested. But I think we should move up against the wall, so we don't get in the way of the dancers.”

The group nodded and started moving towards the chairs by the refreshment table. As Siofe waited for them to disperse enough that she could move that way herself, she glanced around and noticed Baldric standing off to the side, just outside of her small crowd, holding a glass. When he saw her looking, he smiled and lifted his glass. She smiled back and released a few sparks from her fingers. She saw him laugh softly, then finish his drink and move back to the dance floor.

Siofe had no idea how much time passed after that, too caught up in telling tales and answering questions. While most of her audience were men, there were some women mixed in there as well, which she honestly found more flattering. Gradually, her anxiety all but vanished; indeed, she forgot she was wearing formal wear at all. It was only when she heard Kenelm call out “Ladies and Gentleman!” that she came back to herself, turning in the direction of the voice to see what their King had to say.

Kenelm moved in front of the musicians, hands raised in apology. “This will be the last dance for now,” he said, “I've been informed that dinner is almost ready to be served. And as I like to say, first the dance, then the feast!”

Everyone chuckled at that. Kenelm nodded at the crowd. “Perhaps there will be another round of dancing, if our stomachs are agreeable. But if there's someone specific you've been dying to ask, now would probably be the best time to do so, just in case.”

Siofe set aside her drink and got to her feet. “If you'll excuse me...” she said, smiling apologetically, “I do, in fact, have my eye on a certain partner.” The crowd laughed in understanding and parted for her.

Baldric met her at the edge of the dance floor, smiling and holding out a hand. “May I have this dance, Lady Harrier?”

Siofe smiled back and placed her hand in his. “I'm not sure I'd call myself a lady. But you may, and gladly.”

“I'm happy to hear it,” Baldric said, leading her onto the floor, “Especially since I suspect this will be the last time I get you to myself for the rest of the ball.”

“Feel free to join me, if you wish,” Siofe said, “I suspect they'd be just as happy to hear of our joint adventures from your perspective.”

Baldric shook his head. “You tell them better than I do. I can find other ways to occupy my time. Besides, this way you have an excuse to avoid the dance floor.”

Siofe laughed. Baldric smiled and kissed her hand. “I thought you might agree. All the more reason to make this last dance count.”

***

Since Siofe's biggest fear had been confronted and defeated, she was able to handle the dinner with a lot more composure. While she quickly examined her place setting as everyone sat down, reminding herself of the proper order of utensil use, it didn't take long to lose herself in conversation with the people around her. For the sake of everyone's appetites, she didn't talk about her battles, instead focusing on her journeys and the sights she'd seen around Quaysit. Her dining companions returned the favor by talking (or in some cases, bragging) about their own towns and cities, some of which did sound impressive. Siofe made a mental note of the various names so she could look them up on her map later, and she suspected Baldric was doing the same.

After dinner (which consisted of four courses, of which the boar was the highlight; despite having been killed a month ago, it was still delightfully tender and flavorful), the guests returned to the ballroom, the musicians playing in the background while everyone mingled. Siofe sat down near the refreshment table, soon drawing another crowd who wanted to hear tales of her battles. She was more than happy to oblige them, and got so wrapped up in her stories that she honestly had no idea if any more dancing took place. Though she did notice King Kenelm hovering at the edge of the group at one point, which spurred her to tell that particular story with extra verve.

At last, however, Kenelm returned to the musician's dais, regretfully announcing the end of the ball and thanking everyone for coming. The guests obligingly filed past him to make their goodbyes before leaving, and once she and Baldric located each other, they did the same. When they reached Kenelm, Baldric bowed to him. “Thank you again for holding this ball in our honor, Your Majesty,” he said, “I won't presume to speak for Siofe, but I had a wonderful time.”

Siofe promptly curtseyed and gave her own answer. “I did as well. Thank you for everything.”

Kenelm smiled, holding out his hand to Baldric. “You're very welcome. Perhaps we'll be lucky enough to meet again. And if not...” he finished shaking Baldric's hand and extended it to Siofe, “I look forward to hearing further tales of your exploits. Though with luck, you'll have fewer bandits to fight in the future; I'm going to start enacting new policies that I hope will discourage people from turning to such extremes.”

“I'm sure the people will appreciate that, Your Majesty,” Siofe said, shaking his hand, “Though I admit, bandit hunting is our main source of income. I'm not quite sure what we'll do with ourselves if they stop existing.”

Kenelm laughed. “Quaysit's a large country. I'm sure there are plenty of non-bandit related problems that you'll be able to solve. And if not...my offer of a position at court is always open.”

Siofe nodded. “We won't forget. Thank you again.”

Kenelm nodded to both of them in turn. “Farewell, then, and safe journeys.” With another bow and curtsey, Siofe and Baldric smiled at him and made their way out of the ballroom.

They spent the ride back to the inn in a companionable silence, preferring to let the experience settle in their minds before talking about it. But given the smile on Baldric's face, to say nothing of her own, Siofe suspected they'd both agree it was one of the highlights of their lives.

When they finally reached the inn, they returned their horses to the stables (Baldric instructing the stablehands to feed the steeds a bit of sugar for their good behavior) and then made their way upstairs, promising an eager Reannon that they would tell her all about the evening the next day. “Though I suppose I can give you a small taste now,” Siofe said as something occurred to her, “After all, I'll need some help undoing the laces of the dress.”

“Are you sure?” Reannon asked innocently, “I would have thought Mr. Baldric would be happy to assist you, given how close you two are. I figured you asked for my help this evening so he could be surprised by your appearance.”

Siofe felt her cheeks heat up, and she didn't need to glance at Baldric to know that he was in a similar condition. “We aren't quite ready to get that close yet,” Siofe said, “Besides, I think you have more familiarity with laces than he does.”

As the words left her mouth, a thought came to her. A moment later, she felt the same rush of certainty she'd had when she knew she needed to tell Baldric about her secret passion for sneezing. There was every possibility Baldric would disagree with her, but at the very least, she had to make the suggestion. Finally looking over at Baldric (which confirmed her suspicion that he'd blushed at Reannon's suggestion as well), she smiled at him. “I'll drop by your room once I've changed to say goodnight. I shouldn't be too long.”

Baldric nodded, and the three of them headed upstairs, Reannon already starting to ask questions. Despite her curiosity, though, she didn't drag things out, unlacing Siofe's dress quickly and efficiently and not lingering when the job was done. Siofe rewarded her with a gold piece for that, as well as another promise that she'd spend the whole morning talking about the ball with Reannon. Once Reannon had left the room, Siofe quickly changed into her nightclothes (having removed her jewelry and flowers while Reannon was unlacing her) and made her way to Baldric's room.

Baldric opened the door as soon as she knocked, still in his undertunic. “Cleaning your armor?” Siofe asked as she stepped inside.

“It doesn't really need it,” Baldric admitted with a smile, “But I figured I needed to wipe away some of the polish. I don't want to accidentally blind people in the streets, or make myself a bigger target.”

Siofe chuckled. “Fair enough.” Then she took his hand and squeezed it. “Thank you for all your help. You were right that I was able to manage on my own, but I still don't think I'd have done half as well if you hadn't been there to teach me how to dance.”

“I was glad to do it,” Baldric said, kissing her cheek, “All the more so when I saw how quickly you charmed the nobility.”

“I don't know if 'charmed' is the right word,” Siofe said, “'Gave them some excitement vicariously', perhaps. Still, they outwardly accepted me, which is all that matters. The real test will be how they treat me if they ever see me in more normal circumstances.”

“I suspect they'll be respectful of you,” Baldric responded, “All the more so if we happen to pass through their home town when there's some trouble in the area and they need our help.”

“You raise a good point.” Siofe said, laughing.

Baldric smiled back and pulled her into a hug. “Do you think you'll be able to remember tonight fondly?” he asked.

“Yes,” Siofe answered, “I probably can't spin it into a dramatic tale, but I'll consider it one of my better memories.”

“So will I,” Baldric said, releasing her and starting to move back to his armor, “It's probably only beat out by the day we agreed to become a couple.”

Siofe saw her opportunity and took it. “I can think of something else that could top both of those.”

“Oh? What's that?”

“Well, it hasn't happened yet,” Siofe said, walking over to where he'd just sat down, “But I think it probably should. After all, this town’s going to hold good memories for us, having been honored here by the King. It’s getting late enough in the year that we may want to minimize our travel. And I do have a new dress…”

Baldric's eyes widened, and he immediately stood up, clasping her hands. “Are you suggesting…?”

Siofe nodded, smiling warmly even as her stomach fluttered with nerves. “If you approve.”

He squeezed her hands before pulling her into another embrace. “Absolutely.”

“It’s settled, then,” Siofe said, resting her head on his shoulder, “I’ll contact my parents tomorrow, then you can go to the church and talk to the head priest. With luck, we’ll have set a wedding date by sundown.”

~~~
Next time: We end the story with a wedding, and (naturally) a bit of sneezing...

[Kolen]

Yay more snz 😆 love the storyline and the detail, and I cAnNoT wAiT fOr tHe wEdDiNg 

[EveP]

16 hours ago, Wig_Powder said:

Thank you, all of you! That's very high praise! Especially given that I sometimes get self-conscious that my writer's desire to tell a good story gets in the way of the sneezing, sometimes leading to situations where the sneezing takes a backseat to the plot. Which isn't exactly a bad thing, but it definitely feels counterproductive to this particular forum.

Personally, I prefer a good story with some sneezing over a bad story with lots of it. 

[Wig_Powder]

@EveP That's reassuring to hear on my end. I currently don't have any other stories planned that will be super-long while also being semi-light on the sneezing, but if inspiration strikes, I'm glad to know they'll be appreciated.

@Kolen Hopefully it feels like a nice happy ending. Read on and decide for yourself...

 

Chapter 12

As soon as she woke up, Siofe threw on her robes, then used her contact crystal to speak to her parents about her impending wedding. They were naturally delighted, both by the news and the fact that she'd been honored by the king. “We'll set out for Carmae tomorrow,” her father promised, “We'll have to move slower due to age, but I still remember my old shortcuts. I think we should be there in two weeks. I can't wait to see you, my girl...and to finally meet the man who can get you to blush like that.”

Siofe relayed this information to Baldric, who nodded. “Shall I ask the priest to perform the ceremony in two and a half weeks, to make sure they've arrived?”

“That would probably be best,” Siofe agreed, “I'm going to fulfill my promise to Reannon, but you can visit the church after breakfast. When you've come back, tell me the exact date of our ceremony, and I'll send out an invitation to my friends at Obeis Tower. Is there anyone else that you'd like to invite?”

Baldric shook his head. “Most of the people I know are still in Mandam. And, well...”

Siofe kissed him quickly, not wanting to dampen his mood. “I understand. I doubt many people will be able to make it from the Tower either, but I figured I'd extend the offer anyway.”

When Baldric returned from the church, Siofe was still talking to Reannon. He obligingly joined in the conversation, adding in his perspective (apparently, he spent most of his time either dancing or discussing fighting techniques). Once they'd finished recalling everything they could remember about the previous night, Siofe waved over the innkeeper and officially invited both him and Reannon to their wedding, with Baldric providing the official date. The two were happy to accept, the innkeeper (who insisted they start calling him Evenster) even going so far as to offer to provide the drinks for their reception. Baldric and Siofe agreed, although they also insisted on paying him at least a little something for his efforts. With that done, Siofe sent her message to Obeis Tower, and then she and Baldric went into Carmae, looking for people who could help them provide a satisfactory reception for any guests who came. Besides Siofe's parents, Evenster and Reannon, and anyone who came from Obeis Tower, it was common practice for the church to announce impending weddings at their services, and therefore to allow anyone to attend. Given their popularity, Baldric and Siofe agreed that they'd have a large turnout, and didn't want anyone to leave hungry.

Fortunately, plenty of the shopkeepers in town were more than happy to help them, due to a combination of gratitude, gold, and the knowledge that they'd probably get a lot more business thanks to the patronage of two well-known adventurers. By the time they returned to the inn that evening, they'd made all the arrangements for the wedding feast, leaving only one last important item to deal with.

The next day was dedicated to creating their wedding rings. Baldric went to Mr. Seeth’s jewellry shop in the morning, and Siofe went in the afternoon, using Baldric's absence to plan out her design for his ring. By the time she was in Seeth's shop, she was able to articulate her thoughts to him clearly, his initial sketch looking exactly like she'd described it. She wanted it to be gold, and engraved with the word “hero” in silver, written in a loopy script that bore just a hint of similarity to the symbol of the Tynto. By the “H”, there would be the symbol of Artet, and by the “O”, the symbol she’d carved into the tree by Manquay. She thought it fit all the ideal requirements of a ring—it would remind Baldric of her whenever they were separated, while also showing her knowledge and love of him. Seeth promised that both rings would be ready the day before the wedding, and after paying him twenty gold pieces, Siofe left the shop, satisfied by a job (or in this case, a design) well done. Now all that was left was to arrange for a few flowers, ensure that Hartwin and Milburga were properly cleaned and brushed on the day, and to wait for her parents to arrive.

Her parents reached Carmae three days before the wedding. Baldric and Siofe were waiting on the outskirts of town to greet them, Siofe having used her contact crystal every day to get a sense of how close they were. She let out a burst of blue light to let them know she was there, and the wagon immediately came to a stop, two figures dismounting. Siofe ran forward and threw her arms around her parents. “It's so good to see you!” she said, squeezing her father tightly, “Thank you so much for making the journey!”

“We wouldn't miss this for the world!” her father assured her, “Leaving aside the fact that you're our only child, it's always good to get out and travel again, especially if it's somewhere new.”

“You're looking well, my dear,” her mother said, when Siofe turned her attention to her, “Any wedding nerves?”

“A few,” Siofe said, “But all the preparations seem to be going smoothly. As for second thoughts...no. I've been with Baldric long enough to be sure that we'll be happy.”

“Speaking of your future husband...” her father said, glancing over to where Baldric was standing, “Don't you have some introductions to make?”

Siofe grinned and beckoned Baldric over, “Baldric Slater, may I introduce you to Rohesia and Tielo Harrier?”

Baldric bowed to them before shaking hands. “It's an honor to meet you both. I admit, I've been curious to see exactly where Siofe gets her spirit from.”

“And we've been curious to finally get a good look at the man Siofe's always talking about in her letters,” her mother said, grinning, “I must say, the armor's just as bright as I imagined it to be.”

Siofe flushed slightly. “As I said, we both like to make good impressions.” she said.

“Particularly when I'm meeting someone important.” Baldric added, smiling at her mother.

“Very flattering, sir,” her mother said, smiling back, “And if you're just saying that to butter us up...I'm still content with that. Come on, lead us to this inn of yours. We could do with a hot meal.”

Siofe smiled as she and Baldric returned to their horses. Based on her mother's words and the approving glance she'd seen her father give Baldric, she had a feeling everyone was going to get along just fine.

***

Three days later, Siofe was awoken by a knock on the door. “Miss Harrier?” Reannon called, “You asked me to help you with your wedding dress.”

“Of course,” Siofe said, her heart fluttering with a combination of nerves and excitement, “Come in. I'll be ready for you in a few minutes.”

Soon enough, she was in front of the mirror, brushing her hair while Reannon did up the laces on her dress. Reannon left her be once she was finished, allowing Siofe to adjust things to her satisfaction. After putting on the belt and necklace, she turned her attention back to her hair, having decided that she'd put flowers in it once again. This time, however, the topmost blossom was a preserved purple flower speckled with white. She wasn't sure anyone would notice, but she thought it was fitting. Once she was satisfied with her reflection, she lifted her skirts and made her way downstairs.

A stableboy was waiting outside the inn, holding Hartwin's bridle. While his mane and tail hadn't been braided this time, Siofe could tell that he'd been brushed and cleaned to ensure he looked his best. Smiling gratefully at the stablehand, she mounted her horse, patted his neck appreciatively, and rode to the church.

When she reached the church five minutes later, she saw four people waiting outside for her; her parents, the florist, and a priestess. As she came to a stop in front of one of the church's hitching posts, the priestess nodded and disappeared inside the church, no doubt to inform everyone that the ceremony would be beginning shortly. Siofe dismounted and tied Hartwin to the post, then turned her attention to her parents, spreading her hands. “What do you think?”

“You look beautiful, Siofe,” her mother said, wiping at her eyes, “Baldric couldn't ask for a prettier bride.”

Siofe hugged both her parents. “Thanks for waiting outside for me. It's nice to have a moment with you before such an important change in my life.”

“Of course, my dear,” her father said, “I hope you'll be as happy with Baldric as your mother and I are with each other.”

“I think we will be,” Siofe said, “We've done just fine so far, after all.”

Then she heard a swell of music from inside the church. “I shouldn't keep everyone, but especially the groom, waiting,” she said with a laugh, “Go on, take your seats. I'll be right there.”

Her parents gave her one last hug, then entered the church. Siofe took her bouquet from the florist (a small arrangement of bright pink and orange flowers that would stand out nicely against her blue-grey dress), quickly smoothed out her gown one last time, then straightened up and entered the church.

A priestess near the altar rang a bell, alerting everyone to her arrival. The guests immediately rose to their feet and looked towards her. Siofe smiled at them, noting that the church had been completely filled, then turned her attention to the front. Baldric was in front of the pulpit, his armor gleaming in the light from the windows. She moved towards him, heart fluttering again, and soon found herself standing beside him. He smiled warmly at her, eyes widening in surprise and pleasure when he recognized the flower in her hair. She smiled back before looking at the head priest, waiting for the music to end and the ceremony to begin.

Siofe had only attended a few wedding ceremonies in her time, but this one played out very similar to those. The priest gave a short speech about the holiness of marriage, then led the two of them in a recitation of vows, promising that they'd always look out for each other, be it physically, mentally, emotionally, or morally. When that was finished, he handed them their rings, offering them a final blessing. As he spoke about Artet embracing them as a couple, Baldric slid a silver ring on her finger. She had enough time to register the glint of gemstones on it before she had to turn her attention to putting her ring on his finger. Then they clasped hands, looking into each other's eyes, waiting for the words that made it official;

“I now declare you married. May Artet keep your path free of trouble from this day forth.”

The audience began clapping, several of them cheering loudly. Baldric smiled, then leaned in for a kiss. Siofe promptly moved to meet him, noting peripherally that the clapping seemed to double. Then they broke apart, linked arms, and moved back down the aisle, nodding at the crowd in thanks.

As they reached the door, Siofe got a shock; King Kenelm was standing by the frame, smiling at them. “Congratulations to the both of you,” he said, inclining his head, “I hope you'll forgive me for not attending your reception, but I at least wanted to be here to see you married.”

“It's an honor that you came at all, Your Majesty,” Baldric said, releasing Siofe's arm to bow, “If we're honest, we weren't expecting...”

“The news that you two were marrying here was all over Carmae,” Kenelm said, “Is it really surprising that it eventually reached the palace? And since the event was open to everyone, I made sure I'd be able to attend.”

Siofe curtseyed. “Thank you for that. It will make the memory of this day all the sweeter.”

Kenelm pressed both their hands. “I'm glad to hear it. May you continue to keep my country safe.”

Then he nodded at the priestesses, who pushed the door open. They waited for him to step through, but he shook his head and gestured for them to go. Giving him a grateful smile, they stepped outside, where a crowd had gathered to offer their well-wishes. Siofe glanced back once, but Kenelm had disappeared into the church, possibly to leave unobtrusively through a side exit. She smiled in gratitude; he truly was a thoughtful ruler.

***

The wedding reception was held in a glade on the edge of town, with trees providing shade and a pleasant dappled light effect over proceedings. Baldric and Siofe spent most of the time speaking with their guests, thanking them for attending and accepting compliments in return. There was also an hour for eating and another for dancing (Siofe danced with her father, Evenster, Mr. Seeth, and two other men in addition to Baldric), and the drinks flowed freely. It was a fairly simple affair, all things considered, but an immensely satisfying one.

As the sun started to set, the two of them thanked everyone for coming once more, gave a final hug to Siofe's parents, then left for the inn to a cheer. Evenster and Reannon quickly joined them, since Evenster would have to unlock the inn to let them in. They thanked the two of them once again for all their help, Siofe giving Reannon her bouquet as an extra reward. She squeaked in delight and held the flowers gingerly to her chest. Siofe smiled at her enthusiasm, hoping that the superstition that the one who got the bouquet would be married within a year would come true for her.

When they reached the inn, Evenster led them to his best room. “Reannon and I will bring your things here,” he said, smiling slightly, “Or am I being presumptuous in assuming that you two will want to share a room from now on?”

The two of them blushed. “No, you were correct,” Siofe said, “Thank you.”

“You're more than welcome,” Evenster said, “I hope you two enjoy yourselves.”

Siofe grinned, then pushed the door open. The room was much bigger than hers, and included a window that looked out over Kenelm's castle. Of course, that wouldn't exactly be the view she'd be paying attention to tonight. Glancing at Baldric, she could tell he was thinking something similar, if the blush on his face was any indication. She touched his shoulder and kissed his cheek, which deepened his blush but at least brought a smile back to his face.

As they waited for Evenster to bring their bags, Siofe glanced down at her ring, since this was the first free moment she'd had to really examine it, eager to see what Baldric had designed for her. The gems she’d seen were a deep red yapini and an orange-yellow litnaba, both of which were small but eyecatching. But what really drew her attention was the inscription; carved into the ring and brushed with gold was the word “Gitsen”. She held up her hand and gave Baldric a look. “Really, Baldric?” she said, her tone affectionate rather than disapproving.

He chuckled. “I just followed standard rules for ring design. The ring color is meant to remind you of how we first met, while the gold inscription represents the armor I wear now. The yapini is for the danger and fights we get into, while the litnaba is for the peace of our campfires. And as for the inscription…” he grinned, “I figured if you couldn’t hear me sneezing, I’d remind you of it in a more subtle way.”

Siofe shook her head, tracing the words on the ring. “I hope I never lose it. Otherwise, the person who gets their hands on it is going to be very confused.”

Baldric laughed again before looking down at his own ring. “Tell me what you had in mind for mine.”

“I had similar thoughts about the color of the ring and inscription, only reversed. ‘Hero’ is to reassure you that you’re out there doing good and have far surpassed the Tynto. And the two symbols are meant to stand in for things you can always have faith in…or things you can always come back to.”

Baldric came up to her and wrapped his arms around her. “And I always will. In fact, Artet willing, I won't have a reason to leave in the first place.”

Siofe smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. “I can't hold you to that. But I'll share your hope that that's the case.”

They continued to hold each other, occasionally kissing, until Evenster and Reannon returned with their things. “I don't know if we got everything,” Evenster said, “But nobody should be going into your old rooms tonight. You'll be able to look them over in the morning and retrieve anything we missed.”

“Thank you, Evenster,” Baldric said, “You've been a great help to us.”

“And you to Carmae,” Evenster said, “I believe it all balances out.”

With a nod, he and Reannon departed. Once the door was closed behind them, Siofe carefully disentangled herself from Baldric. “As lovely as this is, we should probably change. If nothing else, that will make it more comfortable for us to hold each other.”

Baldric gave a short laugh in agreement and got to work removing his armor. Siofe watched with a smile, undoing her necklace and pulling the flowers out of her hair, setting aside both the purple flower and one of the red blossoms to save as mementos. Then she removed her belt, shoes, and hose, but left it at that, since she was unable to get out of the gown on her own. Which was an inconvenience, but given that Baldric would primarily be the one helping her out of it from now on, she didn't particularly mind.

As she set her hose on top of the clothes cabinet, she heard Baldric clear his throat. Turning back to look at him, she saw him set down his breastplate before glancing at his saddlebags. “I have a gift for you,” he said, “And I suppose now's the best time to give it to you.”

Siofe cocked her head curiously. “I’ll never say no to a present. What is it?”

Baldric moved to his saddlebags and rooted through them, eventually withdrawing what appeared to be a mass of cloth. “You’ll have to untangle that first,” he said apologetically, “I needed to make sure that…well, you’ll see.”

Now even more intrigued, Siofe unwound what turned out to be three different strips of cloth until she finally uncovered a long, thin wooden box. Sliding it open, she saw it was full of smooth sticks. Just as she was about to ask Baldric for an explanation, she noticed that they had purple tips, and her eyes widened. “Oh, Baldric…”

She looked up and saw him smiling, a spark of mischief in his eye. “Before we left Oranthi, I stopped by their apothecary and procured these. I thought they might…come in handy.”

Siofe carefully set the box down before moving over to him and wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply. She felt him grinning through the kiss. “I take it my instincts were correct?” he said when they finally broke apart for air.

“Absolutely,” Siofe said, “However, I don’t think I’m actually going to be lighting one.”

Baldric blinked. “Why not?”

“Based on what you’ve told me and my brief experience seeing it for myself, you won’t be able to do anything but sneeze once the scent of the incense permeates the room. That means you probably won’t be aware of anything around you, and it’s probably not going to be particularly pleasurable. And I’d rather we both enjoy ourselves, especially tonight.”

Baldric’s expression softened, and he gave her another, more tender kiss. “Thank you for that. I suppose that means we’ll be using a quill after all.”

“Not necessarily,” Siofe said, moving back to the box and withdrawing one of the sticks, “Let’s test something first.”

She came back to Baldric and held the stick just under his nose. “Can you still smell the scent, even though it’s not lit?”

Baldric sniffed experimentally, then wrinkled his nose and took a step back. “It’s there, all right. It’s not strong enough to make me sneeze immediately, but I’m sure it will set me off if I keep breathing it in.”

“Perfect. Then we’ll keep this close at hand, and set it aside every so often to give your nose a rest.”

Baldric nodded and sat down to work on removing the legs of his armor. “Here,” Siofe said, kneeling down next to him, “Let me help. Four hands are better than two and all that.”

They carefully unbuckled the various straps, Siofe taking advantage of her closeness to lightly caress his calves every time a bit of his undertunic was revealed. Baldric inevitably blushed, but the faint smile on his lips made it clear that he didn't really mind.

When the final piece of armor had been set aside, Siofe nodded and stood up. “Why don't you hold off on cleaning it for the time being? Especially since I need you to return the favor.”

Picking up the stick of incense again, she tucked it behind her ear, turning around so that both the purple tip and the laces of her dress were facing Baldric. She heard Baldric clear his throat and knew without looking that his blush had deepened. Then she heard the creak of the chair, and a second later, his hands were resting on her shoulders. He huffed softly, then bent down and kissed the place where her neck met her shoulder, his hands slowly sliding down her back before coming to rest on the bow at the top of the bodice. Siofe felt a small thrill of pleasure, all the more so when Baldric nudged her neck with his nose before straightening up and stepping a little closer, presumably to have more exposure to the incense. Despite her enjoyment, she forced herself to keep still, not wanting to make the task any more difficult for him.

Baldric gingerly began unlacing her dress, pulling each thread one at a time to make sure they remained lined up with each other. As soon as he'd finished one set, he'd pause and circle a finger around the exposed bit of skin, paying her back for her attention to his calves. Siofe was torn between enjoyment and impatience, but decided not to complain; after all, it was a sign that Baldric was getting over his nerves.

And then, halfway down the bodice, Baldric paused. Siofe's heart immediately leapt, though she tried her best to remaing standing straight. Baldric sniffed softly, then placed one of his hands flat against her back, while curling the other around her hip, apparently in an attempt to brace himself for what was coming. “Uh…huhh…” There was a moment’s silence, and then he sneezed, the force strong enough that it almost felt like it vibrated through her via his hands. “HUKRISHHH!!!”

“Gitsen,” Siofe said faintly, her mouth having gone dry, “Can you handle a little more, or should I take this out and let you catch your breath?”

Baldric sniffed carefully. “I probably could manage to breathe in a bit more of the scent, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Besides, I’d rather not sneeze on this dress, even if you can clean it later.”

Siofe nodded and reached up to remove the stick. As her fingers closed around it, an idea flashed through her mind, her stomach immediately quivering in approval. “That’s fair,” she said, “But once you’ve finished unlacing it and are ready to let it fall, hold it in place for a moment. I…I want you to sneeze on my back.”

“Are you sure?” Baldric asked, as she took the stick away and he resumed his work, “It could be a bit…messy.”

“Maybe,” Siofe acknowledged, “But I’ll never know unless I try it. And right now, the idea seems very appealing.”

“I'll take your word for it,” Baldric said with a chuckle, “Give me a few minutes, and then I'll do what I can to indulge you.”

Siofe waited, spinning the stick of incense between her fingers and enjoying the simultaneous sensations of Baldric's hands on her and the warmth in her stomach. Then, at last, Baldric murmured “There.” before carefully wrapping his hands around her curves, thumbs lightly holding the strings against the small of her back while his fingers kept the rest of the dress in place. “All right,” he said, “Bring on the incense.”

Siofe tucked the stick behind her ear again, biting her lip in anticipation. Baldric leaned in close, taking several deep breaths to hasten the process. She could feel soft puffs of air against her skin with each exhale, making her even more eager for what was to come. Then his fifth breath turned into a gasp partway through, and her body tensed in preparation. Baldric had just enough time to take a step back before the sneeze struck. “EKGISHHHH!!!”

The first sensation Siofe felt was a blast of warm air against her back, which caused her to jump a little. Then came the second sensation; a surprisingly light misting of spray dotting her skin. It also felt cooler than she expected, though she wasn’t sure if that was due to it naturally being that way or if her temperature had risen from desire. Regardless, it was much more pleasurable than she’d expected it to be, and she let out a soft gasp, her back arching. “Are you all right?” Baldric said immediately, tightening his grip.

“I’m fine,” she said, the words coming out as a purr, “More than fine. That was fantastic.”

Baldric huffed in amusement. “I'm glad. Do you want me to do it again?”

Siofe shook her head, reaching up and removing the incense. “I think that's the sort of thing that needs to be done sparingly. That being said, I won't object if you decide to use me as a handkerchief every now and then.”

“I'll keep that in mind,” Baldric promised, “Is there anything else you'd like me to do before I let go of the dress?”

“Not that I can think of. Besides, I think you deserve a kiss after all that.”

Spurred on by her words, Baldric obligingly released his hands, and the dress slid off her body with a soft rustle. Turning around, Siofe rewarded him with the promised kiss, then lightly stroked his face with her free hand. "Just give me a minute to hang this up." she said.

Tucking the incense behind her ear again, she bent down and picked up the dress, carrying it over to the small wooden rod at the corner of the room. Then she hung the dress on one of the provided hooks, smoothing and tugging the fabric to try to keep it from getting too wrinkled. Not wanting to keep Baldric waiting for too long, however, she stopped after about a minute and turned back towards him, smiling at the sight.

While she'd been busy with the dress, Baldric had removed and folded his undershirt, and was currently in the process of setting it onto the table. Siofe glanced over him admiringly; it was her first time seeing his bare chest, and it didn't disappoint. His muscles were toned but not excessively large, and his broad shoulders contrasted nicely with his lean waist. She smiled and came back to him, draping one arm around his shoulder while she placed her other hand over his heart. She could tell that it was beating faster than it normally would, but based on the smile on Baldric's face and the glint in his eyes, only part of it was due to nerves. She gave him a reassuring nod and leaned in for a kiss, which Baldric was more than happy to return.

As they continued to kiss, Baldric's arms moved around her, his hands lightly stroking her back Siofe, meanwhile, moved her arms upwards to drape them over his neck, one hand rubbing circles over his nape while the other played with his hair. Baldric let out a satisfied hum, and Siofe smiled through the kiss, pleased that they were both enjoying themselves.

Then, abruptly, she felt his muscles tense under her palms. As she broke the kiss to ask what was wrong, she got her answer; his nose twitched against her cheek, and she remembered that she'd stuck the incense behind her ear. Any regret for her carelessness, however, was quickly washed away as Baldric pulled away slightly, breath hitching.

“Eh...hehh...”

Siofe bit her lip, watching him rapturously. Her fingers twitched involuntarily against his neck, which must have caught his attention, because she swore there was a flicker of a grin on his face before he turned his head to the side. “HEPSHIKKKKK!!!”

The two of them were pressed close enough together that she could feel the contractions of Baldric's muscles as he pushed out the sneeze, an odd but not unpleasant sensation. Combined with the sound, it was enough for the warmth in her stomach to spread through her entire body, and she grabbed onto Baldric's back to steady herself, closing her eyes to regain her equilibrium. When she'd finally composed herself enough to open them again, she saw Baldric looking her over, concern in his eyes but a trace of a knowing smile on his lips. “Are you all right?”

Siofe nodded and quickly took the stick of incense away from her ear. “I'm fine. Thank you.”

Baldric relaxed and took a hand off her back to rub at his nose. “My pleasure.”

Siofe grinned and leaned over to quickly set the incense on the table. “Not just yet. But I look forward to finding out what, exactly, I can do to give it to you.”

"I'm not entirely sure myself," Baldric admitted, as she put her arms around his neck again, "Until I met you, I never really put much thought into what I wanted when it came to romance."

Siofe cupped his cheek in her hand, sure she had the same love in her eyes that she saw reflected in his. “Well, we've got a lifetime to figure it out together. What an adventure that will be.”

THE END

~~~

Thank you to everyone who's followed along with this story and/or left comments! And for those of you who want a little more material for these two, feel free to check out the Adult Board version of the story if/when you have access to it. I admit that that version of the story is mostly identical to this one, but two chapters in particular are very different from what you saw here. Not to mention that one of them contains a few extra sneezes...

[Kolen]

😮😮😮 amazing👌🏽👌🏽

And of course, you didn't disappoint

*chef's kiss* Mwah! Thank you for a wonderful captivating read~

[Snez gud]

Awww, what a sweet ending! Thank you again for posting the story to the regular board! I’m looking forward to reading the original when I get access to the adult boards. Great job on this!

[EveP]

What a lovely ending. I would love to read more about these two as they figure out what Baldric wants. Hopefully you'll find the inspiration to write a sequel in the future. As soon as I'm validated I'm going to read this again on the adult board. 

[Wig_Powder]

@EveP @Snez gud Hopefully the "new" material is worth the rest of the reread, whenever you manage to take a look at it!

@Kolen Thank you so much for reading! I'm glad that this story was so well-received by everyone! It made both the writing and the revisions worth it!

[HPG]

Thank you so much for writing this wonderful story!

[Wig_Powder]

@HarryPotterGeek And thank you for reading it! It's always nice when a long fic that you worked on for a long time gets appreciated!

[Blackcat182]

This was amazing

[AntheaHolmes]

I read the adult board version first but this is also amazing! Great writing! 

[Wig_Powder]

@Blackcat182 @AntheaHolmes Thank you both so much! It's nice to know this story still gets readers 2 years on, and that people enjoy it despite its length and the gaps without sneezing!