(⚠️) Earth Song | FE Fates

(/\) 21: Contingencies

Contingencies

After leaving Gwen's farm and the cold hills of Cheve, the royal convoy, true to Leo's word, continued northeast, towards the polar coast and the foothills of Mount Garou; they stopped at every village along the way to speak about agricultural reform. From there, they turned sharply back northwest, journeying back up barren tundra and into the dry, sparse woodlands of northern Nohr.

For Katonah, this return leg of the journey was a lot more uncomfortable than it should have been, mainly because she was in a lot of trouble with Leo.

"Heavy scrutiny" were his words, but "lockdown" was more accurate — since the Dragon Vein at Gwenore's farm, he'd saddled her with both of his retainers, meaning that when she wasn't within Leo's line of sight, she was under Odin and Niles' supervision. It also meant that anywhere she went, she went with an escort, which, these days, wasn't beyond the perimeter of the camp — she was no longer allowed to enter the villages either, another facet of her punishment.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Niles also undertook his new task with a disturbing enthusiasm, all but gluing himself to her shoulder each day and taking amusement in her discomfort over his hovering.

"You'll have to forgive the close proximity, milady," he'd say whenever she gave him a rankled look. "But I've only got one eye, you see. I've got to make sure that I keep you on my good side at all times."

Honestly, Katonah thought that Leo was overreacting over what had occurred at Gwenore's farm. Yes, maybe she should have asked for his permission before she'd utilized such a powerful conduit of divine power, and yes, it was only expected that he'd punish her in some way after acting so recklessly. But she'd been prepared for a lecture, maybe some cursing, not Niles and Odin staring over her shoulder every second of every day as though she, yet again, warranted suspicion.

Because she didn't. After all, had she hurt anyone? Destroyed anything? Tried to escape? No, no, and no, even though she certainly could have attempted all three. But using the Dragon Vein to somehow help herself had not even crossed her mind when she'd activated it. If that wasn't a sign that she could be trusted, she didn't know what would be.

Unfortunately, Leo wasn't inclined to hear her protests on the matter of her lockdown. In fact, after Gwen's farm, he never seemed to be in the mood to hear much of what she had to say at all. Either the cold weather had shortened the fuse on his temper, or her using the Dragon Vein had upset him more than Katonah had anticipated. Either way, his bad mod appeared to be here to stay, making it hard to raise the issue of her new "guardians".

"Leo, I'm sorry," she said on one of the many occasions where she'd tried. "I know I should have asked before I did what I did at Gwen's farm. I acted without thinking, and I—"

"The food stores," Leo snapped at one of the servants. "I said bring me the records for the food stores, woman; you keep handing me farming inventory!"

The attendant paled and apologized, skimming through the stack of parchment she had pinned under one arm before handing him the correct paperwork. Several other servants, plus Briarus, stood around the prince of Nohr, each of them either with paperwork for him to review or a matter they needed his authority on. It made standing there in the middle of camp, trying to get his attention, difficult — not to mention awkward. Katonah would have spoken to Leo in private, but with Odin and Niles — an angel and a devil, respectively — on her shoulders, that was no longer possible. It was even more embarrassing with other servants listening, though — all she could do was make her plea and hope that she didn't somehow shame herself in front of them.

"Finances," Leo commanded after he'd sent the girl with the food records off. Another young woman in uniform immediately stepped forward, handing him another pack of paperwork. He flipped through the papers grouchily, then shoved them back towards the maid.