Rian's Truth (Patreon Exclusive)

Rian’s Truth

Darkness was splintered by the dozen or more fires that littered the camp. Summoners flitted about preparing meals and patrolling the brigade’s outer layers. A tent flap opened, revealing two young women. Dressed in a vibrant green cloak, the older woman grimaced as she supported her younger sister. A woman of smaller stature, in comparison, stumbled slightly with a limp, her usually neatly braided hair unkempt. Her trousers were ripped, and she was covered in dirt and grime. Two guards outside of the tent paused at the sight of the young women, though their eyes did not remain on them long.

“My camp is this way. Imran will get you fixed up in no time,” Albertine spoke as she supported her younger sister. She shot the two guards a glare as they narrowed their eyes at the pair.

Rian frowned, glancing back at the tent they had left. Lady Heversham had been asked to stay behind by the Young Duke. The way he had spoken had worried her. His tone had not been forthcoming.

“I want to wait for Lady Heversham, Albertine. She requires aid as well.” Rian resisted her sister’s pull. She had told Lynette that she would wait for her and she should keep her word. Even if that was a strange concept to her. Lynette and Rian had not been close. In fact, they were far from it.

“Lady Heversham? She can take care of herself,” Albertine scoffed, her concern growing for Rian’s health. “Lord Heversham will deal with her. As he always does.” Albertine shook her head at her sister's plea.

Rian’s lips tightened as she remembered the little information she had gleaned from Lady Lynette during their separation from the brigade. She had kept her distance from the Heversham family ever since childhood. Whenever Rian had met Lynette, they had always confronted one another with barbed words and laced distrust of one another. She had often found the woman to be utterly repulsive. Her actions were petty and demeaning, and no matter what Rian did, Lynette’s eyes were always filled with hatred for her. A hatred, Rian understood as a familiar feeling of guilt surfaced when she thought of Lynette.

Yet, these past few days alone with her had been strange.

Lynette no longer held the same glint of anger in her eyes. No, it was something else, something Rian had never expected from her social rival. She had seen sadness.

“No.” Rian bit the inside of her cheek as she stood her ground against her sister. “I said I would wait.” She didn’t want to go back on her word. She owed Lynette that much.

“Rian!” Albertine scowled down at her younger sister. “You are injured. We have no idea how long Lady Heversham will be in there. Stop being stubborn, I can’t let you wait.”

“Albertine!” Rian squealed as her body was wrapped in her sister's arms. “Stop this!” Rian complained as her older sister heaved and threw Rian over her shoulder.

“No. You are getting healed now. What kind of sister would I be if I let you stay in pain for longer than necessary?” Albertine tightened her grip around her sister’s waist as Rian thumped against her back.

“Damn it, Albertine!” Rian was flustered as her face turned red at the stares they were receiving. “This is so embarrassing,” she whispered, relenting her thumping and choosing to bury her face in her sister's cloak instead. Albertine had always been freakishly strong. Growing up, Rian had never been able to defeat her because of it.

Albertine let out an amused laugh as she walked carrying Rian like a sack of flour. “I didn’t think I would get to do this to you ever again.” she mused with relief. “I thought you had died back there.”

“I won’t die from something so mundane.” Rian flopped, giving up her attempts to escape.

“I would hope not. Vayan would never let me hear the end of it,” Albertine sighed as the view of the Young Duke’s tent moved further away into the distance.

“I’m not going to hear the end of this, am I?” Rian pouted as she realised her sisters now had something new to tease her about.

“Absolutely not,” Albertine confirmed with a grin. “Just wait until I tell Vayan how you spent some alone time with Lady Heversham and survived.” She paused. “Just how did you survive?”

“It wasn’t easy,” Rian mumbled as she felt a tightening in her chest. She would need to apologise to Lynette for not waiting. “It was Lynette who saved us.”

“Lynette? You go by first names now?” Albertine said, surprised to hear such a thing from her sister. “How on earth did such a spoilt girl save you?”

“She isn’t spoilt.” Rian frowned at Albertine's words. No, she had learned that much these past few days. Lynette was in no way as spoilt as she seemed.

“What has gotten into you?” Albertine stopped and lowered Rian back down onto her feet now that they were some distance into the brigade. The fires here were more numerous as many summoners camped close together.

“Lynette….” Rian contemplated as she fidgeted with her crumpled shirt. “She isn’t that bad. Alright!?” Rian shouted as she turned on her heel and began storming towards the fire that had Albertine’s group mates. Every other step was awkward as the injury on her leg blasted a shooting pain when she put her weight on it.

She still wasn’t sure of Lynette.

However, she didn’t want to hear anyone talking bad about her at the same time.

It was a weird feeling, considering she had often said some awful things herself.

“Rian, slow down! You will aggravate your leg,” Albertine chided as she caught up and grabbed Rian’s arm to slow her pace. “Tell me what happened. I can’t understand you if you don’t tell me. Why are you suddenly so upset?”

Rian stopped and took a deep breath as she tried to control her feelings. Albertine was right, of course. How would she understand when Rian had never really talked about what happened that day when she was a child. The day her rivalry with Lynette began.

All her family knew was that Lynette had tried to attack Rian, Kit Balburn and another young boy during one of her parent's garden parties. They didn’t know the truth.

A gnawing unpleasantness crawled its way up Rian’s throat.

She had been awful that day.

“Lynette… she never hurt me.” Rian tightened her fists as she swallowed her feelings back down. She was afraid of admitting this, of admitting her actions. But Lynette had faced much worse. Rian had never considered what living with a man like Viscount Heversham would be like for an adopted commoner. It must have been far more painful than what Rian had endured.

“What are you talking about? She hurt you when you were separated?” Albertine's expression grew furious as she reached for one of her dual sabres hanging from her belt.

“No! - That’s not what I mean.” Rian held up her hands to stop her sister’s overprotective actions. “I mean… when we were kids. She never hurt us,” Rian mumbled, causing Albertine to frown in confusion as she released her sabre.

“Rian. Explain,” she said with a forceful tone, making Rian flinch at its harshness.

“I-” Rian looked up to meet her sister's eyes as she held back judgement. “I was the one who hurt Lynette,” Rian whispered as she finally admitted a truth she had been holding onto for so many years. A truth that had wrought her with pain and self-contempt.

She had attempted to console her own guilt by making a stuffed rabbit for Lynette. A gesture her parents and sister had assumed was Rian’s way of trying to act like a graceful noble. No, it was a gesture of despair. She had wanted to make amends, to ease her own feeling of self-hatred. It was no surprise to her that Lynette had thrown it back at her, calling it a vile gift.

The moment the rock had left Rian’s hand as a child, she knew she had made a mistake. She should never have allowed Kit Baulburn to goad her into it, but as a child, she had felt it unfair that a commoner had suddenly been brought into nobility. It was unfair that Lynette got to live a life of luxury, whereas she had to train, study, and improve herself every day in order to be considered worthy of being a noble. She was not allowed to play with dolls, and she was not allowed to take days off. Her father would not allow mediocre talent in their household. Why did Lynette get to avoid training? Why did Lynette get to live spoilt and pampered without putting in a single ounce of effort?

She knew now that Lynette didn’t have such a life.

She knew now that she had not seen the truth of things for what they were.

She knew then that her actions were shameful.

Albertine stared at her in silence. The noise of the camp faded as Rian focused on her sister's reaction. With a heavy sigh, Albertine broke the silence, but her eyes were jaded with a look of disappointment.

“You kept that for a long time,” Albertine stated, her cheerful voice dulled. “You owe Lady Heversham a debt if she truly saved your life out there after the way you lied.”

“I know,” Rian replied sullenly as the pain in her heart doubled.

“I won’t speak of this to Vayan. You will tell her yourself when we reach Zromore.” Albertine said as she moved towards her camp, her hand pulling Rian along with her.

“I will,” Rian sighed. “I want to… be Lynette’s friend.”

“That’s a good start.” Albertine nodded as she brought Rian up to her camp and immediately toward Imran, the healer of her group.

***

The campfire spat embers onto the ground as Rian sipped on some tea Albertine had provided.

“So she just threw some mushrooms at it, and that was that?” Albertine said wide-eyed as Rian retailed the events of her trip with Lynette.

“Yes, Lynette said they are called Angel shrooms. They paralysis anything they touch.”

“Wow! That’s awesome!” Imran Nadea leaned closer toward the pair, his pale green eyes sparkling with delight at the tale. “I hope she joins the medical profession. I reckon if she knows plants so well, I could learn a thing too.” he grinned a toothy smile in excitement.

Rian shared his smile. Imran had healed Rian’s leg smoothly. After having it cleaned using water aether, Imran stitched it back up with his earth Aether. It was a relief to be free of the pain. Rian definitely felt less irritable now that it was gone.

“You don’t need to learn anything else.” A gruff voice huffed from opposite the fire as a stout man with a thick lock of curly brown hair chugged back a cup of ale. “You are a warrior, not a medic, Imran.”

“A man can have hobbies, Gale.” Imran rolled his eyes. “Besides, haven’t my healing techniques helped you more than once?”

“Whatever.” Gale Willard slumped in his seat. His red cloak was laid over his legs like a blanket as he warmed up by the fire.

“Pleasant as always, Gale.” A woman with a silky voice stepped out of her tent. Her hair was a vibrant, bright blue. Her eyes matched the piercing sapphire shade as a small horn protruded from her head. “You sound like you were lucky to survive, Lady Thornfax.”

Rian nodded to Elena Fogborn, the water summoner of Albertine's group. “I was.”

Albertine had been grouped with them since she passed her weapons exam and learned her affinity. Rian had met them more than once before. They seemed like a nice bunch. However, much like Albertine, they were all obsessed with battle. A true group of warriors.

“Well, I, for sure, think we can make a warrior out of you, Rian.” Albertine wiggled her eyebrow as she shuffled closer to her sister. Rian let out an annoyed huff as she turned away from Albertine.

“You know father won’t allow that.” Rian shook her head at her battle-obsessed sister. Their father was furious when he learned Albertine had chosen the warrior profession, the Thornfax’s valued enchanting. Vayan was praised as an upstanding member of their family for following that path. If Rian didn’t choose enchanting, he would surely double his rage. He had only accepted Albertine’s choice as she was hopeless with fine details due to her brute strength. He had relented when she fought that logic with him. She had too heavy a hand for enchantments.

Rian, however, was fairly adept with the enchantment practice she knew. So she had no excuses to provide him.

“Pssh, I don’t know why you bother with him.” Albertine shrugged as she wrapped an arm around Rian’s shoulders. “He will be fine with whatever you choose to do.”

“I doubt that.” Rian frowned and scooted away from her sister’s embrace. Father did not have the same expectations for Albertine as he did for Vayan and Rian.

“You speak as though you have a choice.” Elena gracefully seated herself beside Albertine as she created a ball of water. She dipped her hands into it to clean them, then picked up one of the sticks of cooking meat out of the fire. “Your profession chooses you. You are either suited to it or not.”

“Nah, I chose to be a warrior.” Albertine grabbed the meat out of Elena’s hand and took a huge bite, causing the Deamon to frown.

“Yes. Nothing else would have suited you.” Elena ignored the theft and deftly picked up another meat stick, wafting it away from Albertine's outstretched second attempt to steal it.

“I find it amusing thinking of you sitting at one of those enchantment desks.” Imran laughed with merriment as he watched the pair fight over the meat stick. Albertine had collapsed onto Elena’s lap as she reached out trying to grab the meat, but Elena was moving it so fast Albertine had no hope of succeeding.

“A fate worse than death,” Albertine shuddered in Elena’s lap before pulling herself back up.

Rian half smiled at her older sister’s words as she looked down at her hands clasping a metal cup. She enjoyed enchanting. Learning about the different runes was interesting, and she had only barely scraped the surface. There was only so much she had been allowed to learn before joining the army. She has been given a scroll for their family's gathering technique in preparation. It was absorbed inside her mindscape, an odd place filled with worn-out piles of thread varying in colours. As she grew her core, she would be able to learn how to infuse higher runes with Aether and create more complicated weaponry. However, she knew she enjoyed making cloth far more than sitting at a desk scribbling day after day. Yet she never got to use cloth. Aether was too powerful for threads to bear. Only hardened stone and metals could handle enchantment runes.

She knew she would not be able to make clothes as a profession.

Leaning down into her very tattered backpack, Rian fumbled inside its contents until she found what she wanted. Pulling out the oddly shaped blue orb, Rian gently cradled it in her palm as Aether swirled in its centre, giving off an odd warmth.

“You have an Aether core!?” Albertine immediately perked up as she spotted the object in Rian’s hand. It reeked of power as the Aether it contained throbbed.

“It's from the Agiluf,” Rian informed her as she turned the core around her hands. “I thought it best to save it.”

“That’s a water core.” Elena was suddenly beside Rian as she leaned in close to the core, her eyes gazing at it with desire. “If you want, I can buy it off you when we get to the Keep?”

“No thanks, I think I’m going to keep it. At least until I know what my attribute is.” Rian hesitantly turned down Elena’s offer. Elena’s expression fell at her words, but she sighed and hung her head.

“Fair enough, but if you don’t have a water affinity, can you save it for me?” Elena asked, her voice purring as she half reached out towards the core.

“I’ll think about” Rian twitched as she slipped the core quickly back into her backpack. She understood that demonic cores were important for Summoners in the foundation stage. They used them to absorb large amounts of Aether to progress their bodies' attunement to Aether. It was a long stage and lasted years for many summoners. Aether cores were, therefore, extremely valuable as they could speed up the process. However, it was not easy to obtain them for summoners who did not join warrior professions. They had to resort to purchasing them rather than defeating demonic beasts. If Rian was going to take the enchanting profession, she would be struck with the same issue Vayan faced now. Without credits at the keep to buy them, she may risk stunting her growth during foundation. It was best to save any advantage she may have now. Besides, if she did end up with a wind affinity like her family, maybe Lynette would have water. She would keep it safe until then. She took it, hoping to keep it safe for that reason. Lynette’s brothers were both water affinity summoners. They would surely have requested it from Lynette if Rian hadn’t taken it.