Tales of Fire and Ruin

The Fire in You

Endris retreated into his room once we made it back to the inn. The door slammed shut and stayed shut.

Oleander walked with me to the common room, but he sat in the corner with his arms crossed, seemingly lost in thought. He politely asked me to be left alone. Nele was still nowhere to be found. I felt slightly guilt for leaving her behind in the crowd outside, but she'd find us again, eventually.

Considering the hearing about knight commander Ytel was tomorrow, I read my notes one more time in an attempt to learn my plea by heart. I was utterly unsuccessful. When Nele finally walked into the inn a while later, I hadn't read a single word.

Nele's eyebrows twitched when she saw me sitting at the table. She tried to suppress her annoyance at me abandoning her in the square, but I easily read it in her gait as she approached.

"Lord Montbow," she greeted me. "Pardon me for losing you in the crowd for a moment there."

"We left," I replied crisply. "We didn't know we'd be exposed to barbaric practices if we went to the square. If we had, we wouldn't have gone. We don't execute people in front of houses of worship at the Thundercoast."

"With all due respect, this isn't the Thundercoast, my lord," Nele said, only a thin layer of politeness remaining in her tone now. It seemed Wildewall locals didn't take well to it when their customs were criticised by a peasant from outside the walls. "Priest Landefort addressed me about your interruption of the trial. He wants compensation."

I sighed. "If it's coin he wants, I will pay him later. Priest Landefort can get in line."

"No, lord Montbow. He wants your servant," Nele nodded at Oleander, "to work at his temple of fate to repent. For a week."

I turned to Oleander. He planted his hands on the armrests of his chair and shot upright, visibly startled.

"No, absolutely not," I retorted immediately. "Oleander is here as a guest of the queen. He's not going into temple service or whatever the priest has planned for him." I frowned. "Why does he call himself a priest while he cuts people down with a sword, anyway? That's not what a priest does."

"In Wildewall," Nele emphasised, "a priest is an authority who may perform punishments in the name of their temple, lord Montbow."

"And he already performed his punishment," I said. "Tell him I would be happy to personally pay his temple tribute if that softens the blow to his ego, but he's not getting Oleander. He did nothing wrong."

Nele shook her head incredulously. "My lord, this is a very generous offer from priest Landefort. It would only be a few days of light service inside the temple, then Oleander would be released and they would forgive you for the interruption. And naturally, Oleander would be allowed to go to the queen if he was summoned by her."

"My answer for priest Landefort is no. Oleander is not going anywhere," I repeated firmly.

A hint of annoyance passed over Nele's features as she glanced at Oleander, perhaps wondering what was so special about him that I wouldn't allow him out of my sight for even a week. Then she curtseyed. "As you wish, lord Montbow. But I feel compelled to warn you the priest won't be pleased. The temple of fate is powerful. This could have consequences for your hearing tomorrow."

"So be it," I said. "If he's looking to collect, then I will pay him or I will go into service for a week, but not Oleander."

Nele stared at me, almost horrified. I had a feeling the nobles from Wildewall would never submit themselves to servitude. But ducking my head and falling in line had been my life so far. I knew who I was and what my mark meant to people, but I truly hoped to never reach a point where my pride would impede my ability to protect my loved ones or taking responsibility for things I did. Even if the Montbows were reinstated at the court and I received all the luxuries my heart desired, I would remember what living in exile was like.