Chapter 24.3

Eirwen woke in her bed from a mental intrusion. A look out the small window showed it was nearly dawn, the sky already greying. Her senses caught the intruder retreating with an apology. Her weapon master, up early today and accidentally waking her, it seemed.

"Apologies, Mo Chroí. Please turn around and sleep a little longer, I will take care of preparations."

Apology accepted, Mo Cuishle. Or should I say you can make it up to me today? I will see you in a few hours then.

She caught a quick mental smile from him as his senses withdrew further. She quickly scanned the entire estate before turning around and falling asleep again. The first bell woke her, as she had expected. As she got up, she noticed with frustration that the room was simply too gloomy, with the limited light at hand. Perhaps renovations were in order.

Eirwen got up and went for the water basin, still cool enough to help her senses shake off the last bit of sleep. She looked at the clothing she had prepared for today, lightly armoured just in case, but clearly meant for mobility and a moment of leisure. She was bringing a sword and parrying dagger, though of course she had no intent of leaving spear and shield behind. However, her horse could carry those.

Spreading her senses, she saw the horses already waiting in the front courtyard. He had found a gelding roughly the size of her own, with a mild disposition. It needn't be said that he wasn't going to get his old horse back. After the years it served him in battle, it was a symbol of his position as nobility. No matter what, him using it would be taken as if he wanted to reclaim his forfeited name.

So used was Eirwen now to scanning her surroundings, she easily recognised the security selection. Eight Verglas knights, two Verglas soldiers, two Iceheart guards. He didn't want to deviate from the typical dozen and one structure, yet a dozen knights was overkill. So he had been forced to find a balance.

Siress Nantgate came to pick up Eirwen. She bowed deeply first. "Your Grace, we are ready to leave and keep you safe. All needed supplies also have been taken care of. Just let us know when you'd like to depart." After a nod, the knight left for the front courtyard.

Eirwen walked over soon after, greeted with a warm smile from her hound. He offered a hand to get on top of her horse, an unneeded act that she still accepted. As they drove through town, they talked idly about things such as the weather.

Outside the town, they continued their simple talks. Though both of them did spread their mana senses to verify they were in fact safe. The knights did the same. Each of them had fought by Eirwen's side for years, so they knew how to deal with potential hostile lands. And while they had left their full plates behind, that didn't make them any less capable.

Once they cleared the line of sight from town, they sped up somewhat, making relative haste at a speed their horses could handle for a while. After almost half an hour, he guided them towards a game trail, slowing the horses down a bit while making their way through the forest. Based on the signs she could see, Eirwen suspected the path was occasionally used by people.

Several moments later, they came upon a clearing. Within it, there was a small pond, its waters crystal clear, except for the countless flowers floating on top. He halted his horse next to the small beach, then offered her a hand. Assistance unneeded but desired.

He put down a blanket on top of the pebbled shore of the pond, then pulled out a basket full with food. "There we go, Mo Stór. I have arranged decent food for our escorts as well, but saved the best for you. They can alternate who eats."

True to his word, the secondary baskets still made the soldiers drool. It wasn't just leftovers from dinner, he had made sure of that. Eirwen wondered idly whether Lady Róisín had helped him. Most likely, given how she doubted he had studied food preparations as well. There was a limit to how well prepared he had any right to be.

Belatedly, she realised she didn't have to overanalyse everything. Today was a rest day, after all. "I am impressed. How did you get Lady Róisín to help you? Did she forgive you for stealing her liquor yet?"

He smiled, sparkling eyes that immediately made her fall for him again. "She did, yes. I told her I could lie and pretend it was to help keep you safe, but admitted I simply had wanted to spoil you a little. That was all it took, though she did of course hassle me a few times."

Eirwen took a sip of a bottle, which paired nicely with the seasoned wild boar slices. "It probably also helped how you made her work much easier when we had the delegations visiting. You kept instructing the staff, complementing her work. Plus she probably sees you similarly to how Pertrellan sees me."

She had expected a quick response to that. Instead, he sunk into silent introspection. Eventually, he spoke with a careful tone, as if he was still exploring the idea. "You may have a point. Seren wishes to take care of you, lessen your burdens. And well, with the tragedies we've gone through, she and Bethan might very well be the closest to family you have. As Róisín is for me."

He took a drink while a touch of sadness entered his eyes. "I'm not sure how much longer she'll stay around. She only wields limited mana, not enough to enjoy the typical longevity of mana wielders. She served my father and grandfather, that's already over half a century of service. At some point, she may have to retire."

Eirwen broke the silence, refusing to let the sad subject dampen their date. "Then you had better express your gratitude. And make sure to pass on mine for this lovely meal. Did she help you with finding this spot as well?"

"Ah, no, I already knew of this place. But it requires the right season and amount of recent rain. I had a scout verify yesterday, with a few alternatives lined up in case it wouldn't work. Fortunately, they weren't needed." He smiled, knowing full well why she had changed the subject, then described the alternatives. They all sounded lovely.

Once the meal was done, they sat in silence, watching the flowers dance slowly on top of the water. There was barely enough surface flow to make them slowly spin around, catching the light in different ways and changing colours as a result.

Eirwen put her head against his shoulder, taking in the moment. This felt right. It was the slow build-up they needed. But she knew they needed more. "Were there a lot of pretty places in the mountains? You only described a few in your letters."

She didn't need to see his eyes or sense him to detect his emotions. His tone, his body posture, his hand slowly twirling through her hair, gently massaging her skull. That was all she needed to feel his love for her.

"Many. Cliff sides with a gorgeous sunrise, waterfalls from underground rivers that glistened from the ice crystals they transported, trees that stretched their canopies filled with blossom. For every drop of cruelty, two more of beauty and serenity could be found. I would love to show you some day."

"You will. Not just because I need to go there anyway, but also because I need to experience it to understand you." She put her head in his lap and looked up at him, troubled feelings swimming in his eyes. "I have seen many a side of you in recent days, but neither letters nor manifestations can properly tell me what you all have experienced. And I wish to understand you fully, so that we can move on together."

She reached for his face, caressing his cheek with a sad smile. "You came back harsh. A willingness to kill that suggests you went through a lot. And if I want to fully embrace your feelings, I need to understand where they came from. Tell me, how many did you kill there?"

He took a deep breath, resolving himself, before answering. "More than during the war. And yes, I also murdered more than I did during the war. There are plenty aiming to embrace the lawlessness there." Her mind ran through those words. She knew he was including the soldiers he had executed for savagery during the war. That definitely upped the numbers. "Are you sure you need to go there?"

"Yes. And not just because of you. But also because if we don't pay proper attention to the place, it will come back to haunt us. I've been catching up on old reports. The unnamed mountains territory is prone to suffer overgrowth, which either is taken care of with a controlled burn, or ignites by a poorly timed spark." They both knew she wasn't just talking literally there.

"It used to be that your father would go over occasionally and burn things away. Five years ago, he sent you instead. But during the war, no burn took place. And now the territory is practically a heap of tinder, ready to burn at the slightest provocation. Hardly something I can tolerate within my domain." 

She saw pride in his eyes. He always did love it when she proved her competence. "So you want to set a controlled burn, to ensure they fall in line. It's a clever thing to do. A decent bit of our exports come from there, so public safety helps protect our finances."

He idly tapped his fingers on her arm as he went through his options. "Alright, I think I know where to start then. We have a decent bit of soldiers, even some prospect knights, with experience. And you have got me and my fancy materialisation methods. I can properly prepare you and yours, help ensure nobody flinches at the wrong moment. Hesitation kills, no matter whether you're fighting killers or Frost Giants."

Eirwen nodded, idly noting several knights were keeping an ear out for their conversation. "Very well. Let's start with that tomorrow, then. But today, we're on a date. Tell me, Mo Cuishle, what else do you have planned for today?"

He smiled brightly, sparkles in his eyes. "I love your greed. Don't worry, I have a few more things scheduled. But first this." He bent over towards her and her eyes opened wide, realising his intentions just before his lips touched hers. Gently, his tongue separated her lips. Her eyes closed as she savoured the kiss. She wanted more, of course, but this truly was what she needed right now. The rest, and all their duties, could wait.