Carrying Calypse

Chapter III

"Commander, there you are!" Ruth yelled to Riftan as he approached the entrance to the watch tower. "Do you have a few moments? I have something to report."

"What's wrong now, Ruth?" Riftan asked with a sigh.

Ruth looked at him annoyed with his negative assumption.

"I have good news to report to you," the sorcerer said, defensively crossing his arms.

"Well I'm behind today due to the rain, so walk and talk."

Without waiting for the sorcerer to respond, Riftan hastily strode away. Ruth snapped to attention and hurried after him, headed towards the ramparts. They had reached the stairs and started going up, but Ruth remained silent.

Impatient, Riftan asked, "so what's this supposed good news?"

"I thought you would like to know I've just come from assessing her ladyship and the child with magic."

Riftan stopped mid step and turned to look at Ruth. "And? How is she? Is anything wrong?" Riftan asked urgently, losing his patience even more.

Ruth smirked and stepped past him up the stairs, Riftan now quickly pursuing him.

"I said it was good news, didn't I?" he said once they reached the top of the ramparts. "They're both healthy and doing well. Nothing to cause concern, so don't worry yourself insane."

Riftan sighed in relief and ran a hand through his hair. "Good, that's very good to hear...she's been so sick, I thought something might be wrong."

Ruth rolled his eyes, "I know she's your wife, and she had a horrible accident, but it didn't leave her incapable of child bearing. Don't go back to treating her like she's a porcelain doll. Yes, she's been feeling ill, but it's not as though she's bedridden."

Riftan hissed through his teeth, "I don't expect you to understand, Ruth!"

That memory would always be a sensitive subject for him, but he wasn't the only one. His own retort pricked a soft spot he wasn't aware of and Ruth's expression quickly turned stony. He saw the mage's nostrils flare with heavy breaths for a few moments before he shot back.

"How can I not! I may not be able to understand to the degree that you do, but don't forget, I'm the one who suggested she learn magic and proceeded to teach her for my own interest. If I had been any quicker to thought, I would've come up with her idea and collapsed that rock face myself! I saw her that day too, as did we all! Just because she isn't my wife or a love interest, doesn't mean—!"

Ruth stopped himself and shook his head with a sigh, looking away. Taken aback by the sudden admission, Riftan wore an ambiguous expression, both stern and surprised.

Ruth continued in a softer tone. "It doesn't mean that I don't care for her, nor that it doesn't bear any weight on my conscience. Because she is your wife, you forget that I and the Remdragon knights do consider her one of our own...Now I didn't come out here to argue with you. I only meant to put her sickness into perspective for you. She's been ill, but it's also a normal symptom and it's not to the point that she is incapacitated, that is all that I meant."

Riftan looked around a bit awkwardly. "I understand," he finally said with a nod.

"Anyways, here," Ruth held out his closed fist.

Riftan arched a quizzical brow and held out his open hand. Ruth then dropped an oblong, rosy colored magic stone into his palm.

"I'm not following. Is this for Maxi?" Riftan asked.

"It's depleted of magic, but you can give it to her ladyship if you like, call it sentimental value. It's just reference for little Calypse's current size."