The Future

Sitting on furniture more luxurious than could be found in the primary manor of the Clarke Estate, Lucian spoke at length with Takis, the third prince of the Demia Kingdom.

The man was surprisingly casual with Lucian, which helped lessen his apprehension about working closely with royalty and nobility. It seemed that stiff traditions like the oaths given before would be few and far between, with Takis at least.

The prince seemed incredibly invested in hearing about Lucian's past and spent hours asking questions about him to get a good grasp of the kind of person he was. Occasionally, Lucian too would return a question to the prince.

"You said earlier that you do not spend your days in the palace, and that I wont be acting as just a guard. Then, what is it you would have me do?"

A servant girl poured drinks for them both without a word before leaving the room.

"Just as you receive orders from me, I receive orders from the King. It's not an era that allows weakness and lack of action on the part of leaders, and royalty especially need to dirty our own hands to keep others in check.

"Most of the time, you will follow me in solving internal problems in the cultivation world of Demia. Whether that means simply visiting and checking up on the various sects to ensure they know we are watching, or stomping out independent forces that refuse to bend the knee. At the heart of it, you and I will spend the years to come smothering small fires before they grow untamable."

Lucian silently pondered the details that would entail for a moment before nodding.

"In that case, I'm looking forward to it." He said with a smile as he held his glass forward, Takis following suit as a clinking sound rang.

The two continued to go over some finer details of his assignment, and a few more questions were asked about Lucian, until late in the afternoon when Takis stretched and stood first.

"Well, I'm sure there's plenty more to talk about, but why don't we call it here? We'll be leaving at noon tomorrow, so take this time to say your farewells and learn where each of your friends are being stationed. I know the large one, Tyrius will be working with my older brother, so perhaps you will see him often."

"Thank you, Takis. I'll return by noon tomorrow."

"Alright, go on then."

With a final nod, Lucian still not one hundred percent comfortable around his new liege, he turned to leave the manor and seek out his friends.

'He said I'd be his shadow for many years to come. I hope… I get to see them often.'

Though his thoughts included all of his friends, Lucian could not help the image of Tess prevailing over the others in his worries.

Shaking his head, he tried to dismiss the thought. 'What's a few years wait? We've been together our entire lives.'

The first he found was Theo, packing in his dorm room.

Theo turned to see Lucian enter and spoke first.

"What took you so long? The others are all finished and waiting for you."

"There was a lot to talk about. Where are they?"

"Same place as last time, come on."

Throwing everything else that remained to be packed into his Scholar's badge, Theo led Lucian back outside the estate and began westward, towards the forest gate.

Lucian realized they were headed to the place they had drunk before splitting for the year, and smiled fondly.

When they had entered only shallowly into the woods, Tyr, Delia, and Tess could be seen laughing on the same cut and flattened tree they had made a year ago, a small campfire already burning.

"Finally!" Tess exclaimed as she bounded up from her seat. He had expected her to rush at him in an overly energetic manner as she often did, but instead she only took a few slow steps forwards before waiting for him.

Lucian approached and hugged her strongly. "Sorry for the wait."

"Come on you two, sit down already before you make it awkward." Tyr laughed without any sign of feeling uncomfortable.

Sitting on the log by Tess, Lucian looked at Delia and Tyr, sitting so close that their sides touched and restrained a smile.

Looking to his roommate Theo, he asked "So? Catch me up, what was your assignment?"

Theo smiled "Strategist. Piers said I was to learn under one of the kingdom's greatest minds how to control a battlefield and political landscapes. After some more study with him, I'll be sent to take command of skirmishes on the front lines and gain experience."

"Congratulations" He responded. Theo was a skilled warrior, but Lucian did not believe that was where his interest lie. Theo aspired to be a great combatant, but he did not revel in the act of combat like most of their group.

"And you?" He asked, turning to look at Delia.

"Can't say." She said with a wink.

Smiling, Lucian knew she had already told him. If she truly did not want them to know, she'd have fabricated something. "I see, good luck."

"I know a bit about your assignment, Tyr. Working with the Crown Prince?"

Tyr raised his head in an exaggerated motion of pride, something he didn't do quite so often towards their later years in the estate. "Not just working for, I'll be his Champion."

"Then your year at the border was not wasted. Congratulations brother, fight well."

Tyr nodded with an "Of course." as Lucian finally turned to Tess.

He had noticed that her usually energetic attitude had shrunk back somewhat and he was worried about what answer he would receive when he asked.

"And… you?" He said too faintly.

Tess opened her mouth to speak, but words were caught in her throat at first.

"I–

"I am headed to Toubia. Assassin. Remain hidden." The atmosphere died down quite substantially with her words.

Every one of them before had spoken of assignments within the bounds of the Demia kingdom. Even Delia who had not named her assignment wore a smile that said she was not unhappy about it.

But Tess… If she had to go to the Toubia empire alone, then it was unknown when they would see her again.

"I see. That's good" He said with false cheer.

"You've always excelled in the art, and your hard work has been recognized. When we see you again it may be to welcome you back after achieving great things."

He regretted every word as he spoke it, but the atmosphere really was unbearable, and he was having trouble thinking clearly.

Stifling a sigh, He put an arm around her and pulled Tess close to his side, kissing her head as he whispered "It will be fine."

Tyr took up the role of big brother and tried to salvage the mood by teasing Theo about his noble lady friend, which the latter played along with. Delia asked Lucian what his assignment was and he spoke about it as excitedly as he could while rubbing Tess' back.

Eventually she did rejoin the conversation, and made an effort to to speak happily about the future, but after an hour or so, when the other three were deep in heated conversation, Lucian pulled at Tess to follow him away from the campfire and into the woods.

When the two were alone, he turned to embrace her by the waist with his left hand, his right hand on her cheek.

"There's nothing to worry about. What are a few years? We have spent ten years together, suffering together, trusting together, and prevailing together. Who else could understand us? Our paths, our lives. Only us."

Tess' balled fists rest on his chest as he continued.

"What's a few years separated when we have an entire lifetime ahead of us?"

Tess smiled sadly at that and finally spoke. "Atleast we'll have some new stories to tell."

Lucian gave a mild chuckle. "What? Are you already tired of hearing about the Deadwood serpent?"

"More than you know" she laughed in return.

As the mood lightened, Lucian wrapped his other hand around her waist as well, and looked her in the eyes for a few seconds. Slowly, he lowered his head to kiss her softly, before resting his forehead on hers.

"I love you, Tess."

Her hands seemed to shake slightly as they made their way from his chest up to his shoulders and neck, kissing him deeply before saying "I love you."

The two remained standing there, entranced in each other for a long time before Tess broke their embrace.

She had the characteristically cheeky grin he'd not yet seen tonight as she took his hand.

A rare blush colored her grinning face as she turned away from him, pulling him towards the estate.

**

The next morning, beneath foreign sheets, Lucian stroked Tess' hair as she leaned on his chest, breathing softly.

'A few years huh? Perhaps it won't be such an easy thing.'

He looked at Tess' pale, sleeping face and couldn't help but sigh softly. He had made his mind to repay his debt to the crown, and he would not go back on that. But by the spirits was the world making it hard on him.

When she woke a few minutes later, Tess seemed to take a few moments to recognize what had happened, before smiling contentedly. This time, she did not blush, but simply hugged him deeply as her smile spread to his own face.

"Good morning."

"Morning"

Never before had a morning in the estate been so peaceful.