Years of Service

"It's not as bad as you make it sound, Mada-, er, Zedya," Lennart said, waving it off as though it was only a minor inconvenience. "When I was a young man, twenty years ago or so, all I ever had to do was stand where Captain Bassinger told me to, before he became the Commander of the Vale. Once it was my turn to tell the young ones where to stand, I only need to spend a few hours during the day attending to matters so that I can be at My Lady's side all night." 

"Twenty years you've done this," Zedya said, a complicated expression flickering across her face as she watched the sights of the city passing by outside the windows. Their carriage slowed as it navigated through a busy market square. Children from the Clan of Painted Masks darted between stalls, wielding toy whips as they reenacted Heila's victories. One small girl had even painted her face with markings meant to look like the Willow Witch's horns.