After quickly cleaning up, we all gathered in the main hall to have a feast. There was all manner of meats, pastries, and fresh produce. The mouth-watering smell of roast beef cooked in garlic wafted through the air.
“I gotta say Gus, this place isn’t half bad,” Reggie said.
“Glad you like it, the Abbot is very kind man, though I didn’t expect to meet the Archbishop! Can you please pass the potatoes?”
“I didn’t expect him to acknowledge my presence, much less talk to me,”
“I didn’t expect it either,”
“I’ve never met him before myself, but from what I hear he is pretty friendly to everyone. Katherine, you need to try these rolls!”
Katherine put on a weak smile, “Thanks Gus, I will,”
“Is something the matter? It looked like you two had a pretty intense fight down there, were you hurt?”
“I’m fine, just tired,”
I’d never seen Katherine eat so slowly before. Was she mad at me? Maybe she only pretended not to be upset to spare my feelings?
I decided to wait until after dinner to go talk.
As the meal was reaching its end, the Archbishop rose from his seat at the head of the table, patted his stomach with a smile, and said “The food at the Abbey of Saint Maria never fails to impress, thank you all for your good work and hospitality,”
The Abbot nodded, “You’re too kind,”
“Nonesense! You even managed to make beets taste edible! Anyway, I’d like to propose a toast to our cooks as usual, but also to the brave monks and young adventurers that defended this Abbey today,”
The hall erupted in cheers of agreement!
“I shall make certain that the scribes of Regemendax record this battle, and the particular heroics of the young Katherine and Mak! The first recorded conflict with a Nequese on the side of our country, you’ll make history my boy!”
Glasses clashed together as the brothers toasted to our success.
Truth be told, while I appreciated being recognized for my efforts, something inside me cringed. The focus was on my species, not my portal magic, not my inventions, the fact that I was a Nequese. I had gone from common pest to a novelty, an improvement, I suppose, but it was bittersweet.
Part of me would rather slip beneath everyone’s notice than be made a spectacle of. On the other hand, I much prefer being invited to a feast than chased away for stealing food.
As the end of the night drew nearer, and everyone began to clean up and settle in for the night, I debated whether or not I should wait until the morning to bring things up with Katherine. It was a long day, talking now might not be as productive. But, to be honest, I was making excuses. Dread was welling up inside me as I considered the possibilities. As the endless questions flooded my mind, I heard a soft sound.
It was a sound I hadn’t often heard, but it was unmistakable.
She’d never admit to it, and she’d always try to hide it, but Katherine was not incapable of crying.
I knocked on her room door, “Kat?” I said.
A sniffling sound, followed by a quick cough, “Come on in Mak, just blowing my nose,”
“Of course,”
“What do you need?”
“Well, I noticed that you seemed to be in some pain and…”
“Oh, don’t worry, but a bit tired from the fighting,”
“Kat, please, I know you’re hurting. I know you want to spare my feelings, but I don’t deserve it! I stood by as your parents were killed! You should hate-”
I was silenced by Katherine’s hand holding my mouth shut, then being pulled towards her into a warm hug.
“No no no no no! Mak, don’t you dare! Don’t you dare try to take any blame for that!”
Tears welled up in her eyes and dripped onto my head.
“The only one guilty is Krun, he’s the one who did the wrong. And if you’re guilty… Then I’m guilty too! I was there too; I was too weak to do anything too! But we’re stronger now and we beat him!”
“B-but why were you crying?”
“I-I…” she took a deep breath,
“Promise you won’t speak a word of this to anyone!”
“Of course,”
She pulled up a pant leg.
“Oh gosh, Kat! You shouldn’t even be-”
“Shh! I know, but… I couldn’t leave you alone again. Because of my weakness, you almost got eaten by Wolfsnakes!”
Her leg was a swollen mess, there was no way Glenda released her in this state.
“You’re going to see something far scarier than a Wolfsnake when we get back,”
“I’d fight Magnus with my bare hands if it got me out of seeing Glenda when we get back, I’m sure she’ll glue me to the infirmary wall,”
“Katherine… Thank you, truly, thank you for being there for me for so long and for everything you’ve done,”
“Of course, Mak,”
“But please,” I begged as my own tears began to fall, “Don’t get yourself killed protecting me!”
“I… I won’t”
“And don’t keep things like this from me, I’ve always had you to talk to, so please talk to me!”
“Thanks, I will,”
“Promise!”
“I promise,”
“Good, now I’m taking you to Gus!”
“What! You promised you wouldn’t tell anyone!”
“I’m not going to tell him you lied about getting permission, but I am going to tell him you’re injured,”
“I’m fine!”
“You’re not!”
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!
“What are you two yelling about?”
An unenthused Reggie opened the door, with Gus close behind.
“Katherine! When did that happen!?” Gus yelled as he walked in.
“Uh…”
“Reggie, Mak, go let the monks know Katherine needs healing, I’ll get started here,”
“It’s fine, Gus,”
“If you call this fine, I’d hate to see what you think is bad!”
Reggie and I quickly made our exit as Gus tore Kat apart with words as he tried to put her leg back together.
We were scarcely out the door when Reggie spoke up.
“Mak,”
“Yeah,”
“The Archbishop’s speech at dinner,” his voice was rather grim, was he angry at me for taking the glory?
“What about it?”
“You need to know, you’re not that special,”
ns 15.158.61.5da2
