The One

THIRTYTHREE

He wasn't sure if it was unusual for a councilor and a personal guard to talk,
but the faces they were getting suggested it was.

" So they are forced a year long engagement? " Morten repeated.
" Yes, after a courtship of several months. " Agnus said quietly.

" Wow, okay. That clarifies things. "

Agnus continued though, " if they allow them to wed, that is. "

" What do you mean? "

"You'll see in a moment." Said Agnus,
gesturing down the steps towards the council circle.
"You need to take your position Morten."

Morten turned,
"yes, thank you!" He said as he marched away.

Agnus's mother smiled at him,
"good of you to explain that. I didn't even know you knew."

Agnus looked at her, " where have you been all week?"

She grinned, " I may have met someone and spend some time with them?"

" When was this? " He asked,
trying to find a moment this week where she could have had more then political arguments with people.

" I had a good time at the engagement party last week, I believe I saw you sneaking about with someone?"

He had wanted to question her on this new spouse but that shut him up.
He looked at her stiffly.
Surely she didn't mean him and Aya escaping that set of teeth, Perkings?

" You were very successful at not interacting with her, you both were, for a while there.
But you did fail there. " She smiled.

Agnus grumbled, " stop it, nothing happened. If anything I was stupid and shouldn't have..  " He kind of got stuck, saving her from that prick wasn't wrong.
But he was still unsure how he had ended up alone somewhere with her.
His mother had apparently seen, great.

At this she nodded and he looked around.
The five walked into the room.

Aya, noticing him and his mother, waving enthusiastically at them.

He tightened his lips and sighed.
" Well, I be leaving to train recruits at Durbin. You're right, I'm not very successful at this avoidance."

"Agnus!" She said exasperated and stepped at him.
"You have finally done it. You've finally fallen in love with someone. And you're just going to run away?"

Agnus spluttered, "In love? By the lords, mother.."

"Yes? What do you suggest this is?" She looked at him sharply.

He knotted his arms in front of him tightly, "It doesn't matter, if it's one sided. Now does it?"

This surprised her for some reason, probably the fact that he acknowledged her suggestion of fancying someone.
He turned away, leaving her and her open mouth expression.
Walking down to sit, greeting Kur as he went.

His mother took her seat besides him, she seemed to stare intensely at him..
as she did when she was burning to tell him something.
But this certainly wasn't the time and he absolutely didn't want to hear it.

Durbin it was. He was leaving, he couldn't do this.

He was immediately woken from his reverie by the opening.
Aya, presenting the law of wages to the council.

She stood there on the dock, tiny in front of rows of people.
This time? No objections came.
There were groans and nods, especially Mortens's expressions to those were amusing.
As he stood next to the five, looking rather big and menacing.
He looked good there, even untrained on his trial.