Aura of the Moon - Chapter 26 (Patreon)

When Ayla left the Duke's office she made her way outside without being escorted. There were workers, mainly soldiers prepping tents and tables. It would look like they were making a camp to go to war if there were not so many kegs and so much good food smoking nearby. She inhaled the scent deeply. Meat slowly cooked in smoke overtime was a delicacy in the Empire's South Duchy, but other territories claimed the techniques as well, adding their own spin to it. Ayla identified the familiar scent of wood-chips, though they were so familiar that she realized in that moment that most of the chips for smoking in the capital must have come from Castezin's darkwood lumber.

She walked through the camp and spotted Grayson by chance. He looked up at her as he drove a spike into the ground with a big hammer.
“Oh hey! Are you gonna be at the party?”

“I think so, yeah.”

He cheerfully mentioned. “This is my favorite time of the month. I don't even mind working like a dog since it'll all be worth it for the food and drink.” He wiped saliva from his mouth in a blissful state at imagining the feast.

“They really do something like this once a month?”

“It seems extravagant but The Duke is actually a famously frugal guy. The only thing he spends like crazy on are the soldiers and Knights. A huge banquet once a month isn't that weird for a guy that owns  a bunch of the lumber production in the Empire. Then there's of course the mines in the Castezin Mountains.”

“You know a lot about Castezin.” She remarked.

He pointed to himself proudly. “Of course! I am a proud Castezinian. Born and raised. This is the best territory in the Empire.”

“Do a lot of people come to that Gala?”

Grayson sighed, leaning on his hammer. “No, it's a shame.”

“Why?”

“Well, our poor Duke has been inviting nobles to the Manor for a Gala every month since he came to power basically, and he still has no luck with women.”

“No luck?” Ayla felt confused.

Grayson leaned in and lowered his voice. “Well... If you think about the point of holding something like that for nobles, it's obviously to find a wife, right?”

“Oh.” The thought finally struck her.
“Yeah, that makes sense. He's not even engaged?”

“Not good to gossip.” Tallow interjected from behind Grayson. The man jumped a foot in the air.

“Holy Hells! Don't sneak up on me!”

“Is your 'break' almost over or am I gonna have to drive all these stupid stakes in myself?” Tallow uttered in annoyance.

“I'll stop distracting him.” Ayla bowed and kept moving through.

As she was walking she caught a glimpse of the chapel tower over the tents. A sudden feeling washed over her. Guilt, uncertainty and worst of all were the intrusive thoughts. Thinking back to her previous life, she would consistently ignore those of the cloth despite being the Commander of the Holy Knights. It was because she completely disregarded their opinions, but it was not just her. Caelin and Nealin both had a culture of using the Church of Sol, rather than allowing themselves to be used by it, so Ayla also found herself never respecting them. Priest was different from most men of the cloth she had come across, and he also saved her life once.

She had been hesitating for a long while, just stopped and stood and stared at the men working while she thought. Then, after suggesting to herself.
`I am just going to go and see if I can find Priest, and take a look around as well.` She diverted towards the chapel. It was an earnest stone building with a sloped roof. Stepping inside there was just enough room to hold a service if all the Knights were interested, or had to attend. At the head of the chapel the standard symbology of Sol's church was displayed prominently; multiple overlapping rings. She approached them. For the most part it was barren but some candles were lit at the altar beneath the rings. She remembered that each one was a fire lit by painstaking concentrating Sol's rays. At least... That is what was claimed. Ayla on more than one occasion could catch the priests or sisters using flint.

As she found herself in front of the rings and candles she stood in the middle of the room awkwardly. A strange weight fell over her once she was there and it was like something was trying to push it's way out of her stomach. Her thoughts and concerns swirled. Ayla knelt down and clasped her hands together so tightly they shook. She lowered her head, feeling embarrassed.

`I never do this. Just what am I supposed to say? Is there anyone listening?` She shook her head and got over the initial embarrassment to at least just air out her thoughts in case Sol was listening.

`There's something wrong with me and now I know about it. She said I have to 'try' hard just to be normal. I now know why I don't feel that bad about hurting people... Why I'll kill easily if I find a reason to. Why I feel so strange on a Full Moon. What should I do?` She reiterated her initial question and waited impatiently with her eyes shut tight.

“You know...” A voice spoke after the sound of a door opening and shutting. Ayla opened her eyes and looked over to see Priest, as tall as he was in armor with simple, loose robes downplaying his martial physique. He stepped in clutching a book to his chest and sat forward in one of the front pews. In the moments since he entered, Priest caught her expression and the strain in her hands from clasping them so tight.
“This sounds bad coming from a man of the cloth but when you actually have something on your mind it's more helpful to talk to someone than to pray.” Priest spoke gently, like he was a different man than the one she met. Ayla imagined the face of the lazy Knight that could not seem to be bothered. The oaf. She turned and saw him sitting with a somewhat sagely air about him.

“Pr-”

“Please call me Father Callaghan.” He winked.

“Father Callaghan. Is it really okay to talk to you?” Ayla was instantly worried about divulging things she should not.

“That's what I'm here for. People think priesthood is about blessings and healing. But none of that can heal turbulent thoughts. I think my real job is to 'heal' with the right words to the right people at the right time.” He sat back comfortably, setting his book down on one side and patting the spot next to him on the other.

Ayla stood up and sat beside him pensively. “Are you really the same person?”

He laughed. “No, I don't have a twin. I take both jobs very seriously, to answer your question, my Lady.” He offered a little wink to let some of who he was when she met him shine through.
“But, this isn't about me.”

“Everything we talk about is confidential. Off the record. Sols ears only.” He pointed up as he said that.
“Unless you're planning to hurt someone.”

“I am not planning to.” She said it strangely, with an implicit double meaning.

He lifted a brow at that way of speaking. “Not 'planning' to?”

“I learned I have a mind disease. It makes it easier for me to hurt people. To kill people.”

“Do you want to kill and hurt people?”

“Sometimes.” She admitted.

“I see. What makes you want to kill?”

“If someone makes me angry, or inconveniences me I think about going through with killing them. But, most of the time I know I shouldn't or I know I can't get away with it but-”

“If you could get away with it...”

She avoided answering directly, as she had definitely killed someone in some mild circumstances.

“When I do I rationalize it. I'll get a thought in my head that someone really needs to die. When it all lines up it's so hard to stop. Mostly it's just when people are trying to hurt me or people around me.”

“Mostly?” He picked up on her wording and she shook at being called out. Father Callaghan stared down seriously in deep contemplation. He thought he had something and opened his mouth to speak, but paused and covered it, going back to thinking. It was making Ayla feel anxious. She stood up.

“I'm very sorry. I understand if you want to report this. I should go.”

“Dame...” He sighed.
“Wait.” Ayla stopped.
“Sit back down.” He asked. She reluctantly returned and sat with stilted posture.
“What do you want to do about it?” He finally asked inquisitively.

“I don't want it.” She frowned.
“I want to be different than how I am.”

“What if you can't be?”

Her eyes dimmed. “Then everything inside that tells me I should kill and hurt some people tells me I should die as well.”

“Sometimes...” He spoke slowly and carefully with a long pause between some of his words.
“Wanting something is not enough. But sometimes it's the thing you need most. What are the things you want to avoid?”

Images flashed through Ayla's mind. The faces of Ryan, Zach, the soldiers before they died uselessly to her. More images of the people she met. Elly and Gretta. She covered her mouth with her shuddering palm and began to tear up genuinely.
“I don't want to hurt these people.” She gritted her teeth hard and bent over as her lips quivered. Ayla held her head tightly in her hands as she looked down with drops appearing on the stone tile below. She choked out her next words.
“At some point, maybe I'll get a thought that one of them is better of dead for whatever reason. At that point, what if I do hurt them?”

He rested a hand on her back and leaned close so he could speak soft. “I think you don't give yourself enough credit, Ayla. I actually know a bit about you already. I never expected you to visit except to pay lip-service. I had a low opinion of you. But, I'm starting to see things in you that make me think otherwise. You are actually extremely disciplined despite what you tell me. Even if you're worried you'll hurt people, you are protective of the ones you care about, no?”

She sniffed, lifting her head. “I'm trying, yes.”

“You have a problem where you don't 'feel' for others the same way normal men and women do. It's a difficult thing that makes it hard for you. Some people like you become soldiers. Some become criminals or worse. It's a bad thing.” She nodded, agreeing sadly with every point. A smile crossed her lips, he rubbed her back lightly.
“But Ayla, what is this?” He pointed to the dual spots on the stone tile beneath her feet.

Her eyes widened. “That's...” She felt embarrassed and a bit ashamed of crying at first, then slowly the understanding dawned on her.

“You 'felt' worried and distressed while thinking about hurting them.” He looked for understanding in her eyes and when he saw it he nodded and continued.
“I don't think this will ever be a problem you get rid of. But, I don't think it's something you can't manage.” His hand returned to his lap and he stopped leaning towards her to sit up straight.
“Tell me about the people you like?” He asked her delicately.

Ayla wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and nodded. “Sir Miller and Sir-”

“Are those the names you use with them?” He asked slyly.

She blushed. “Zach and Ryan.”

“Alright. Tell me about them.”

“I don't want to steal so much of your time. I feel better.” She shook her head.

“Please, Dame.” He smiled.
“You're not stealing it, I'm giving it to you.” he looked at her with no hint of disinterest or weariness. His attention was locked to her.
“If you're comfortable with it, I'd like to hear what you have to say.”

Ayla nodded and with a sigh she finally relented. “Zach is very nice to me. He's corrected some of my mistakes and helped me out more than he had to.” She looked up.
“What all should I say?”

“Anything and everything you can think of that you want to say.” He crossed his hands over his lap, listening intently.

Ayla continued. “He's one of the few people that made me laugh for real. I can fake laugh when I feel like I should. Fake enjoying company. I can act like I want to be somewhere, or with someone. But I actually feel comfortable around him somehow.” She waited for him to interject. When he just nodded she kept going.
“Ryan is someone who is very smart. He's sarcastic and dry, but he always gives good advice. Zach cares openly for everyone around him. Ryan cares the same, I think, but he's someone that fixes things behind the scenes. He'll be the first to check in after something happens. The first to apologize for something someone else did or ask how I'm doing....” She found herself smiling.
“His wife's name is Gretta. She... Was so grateful and happy, even after Ryan was injured. She was just happy that he was at least saved. She hugged me. I...” She gulped and inhaled deeply.
“I don't- I mean I never really spoke to people that just treated me so normally. When I walked into her house it was like I'd been there before. You know?” She sniffed and rubbed the back of her neck while staring down.
“They both have a daughter named Elly. She was afraid of me, as I expected. But as soon as she heard that I saved her dad she clung to me the whole night and didn't let go. When she talked to me about what she does, what she likes and such I really didn't know if there was anything else going on in the world.” She shook her head in disbelief.
“What even is that feeling?”

Callaghan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He held a glowing expression. “That's called interest. Something interested you so much about a girls stories that you were completely engrossed. You don't often feel interested in what others have to say, do you?”

She agreed. “Usually I will listen, and I can repeat what someone says back to me, but I rarely care that much. But somehow it was different. I also kind of feel it with Zach and somewhat with Ryan.”

“It isn't odd for a woman as young as you to have not found someone that gives you that type of engagement with your condition, Dame.” He explained. She felt embarrassed. The truth was, she was at least thirty on the inside and it was still the first time.

Her eyes widened. `No... Not the first time, is it? Salem. I also met him when he was Elly's age.` She remembered listening to him quite intently, and going out of her way to help him when she could, but she never thought very much about it at the time. She gulped as she finally remembered what the result of that contact with her was. Laying dead in a forgotten chapel. Her insides turned.
“What do you think? Should I stay away from these people to save them?” She was prepared to.

He furrowed his brow. “No I think that would likely be the worst thing for you, Dame.”

She blinked. “What?”

“Why would you separate yourself from the first people you've managed to really care about, Ayla?” He finally said her name, and it had quite an effect. She felt that statement.

“But what if I hurt them?” She argued.

“What if you just do all of the things you've always done and stay the person you thought you were when you walked in here?” He retorted before asking rhetorically.
“You want a change but why would keeping things the same lead to that change that you wish to achieve?”

She felt floored. Ayla leaned against the hard spine of the pew and let her head fall back over the edge. She closed her eyes and covered her face, in disbelief of herself and what she had been thinking. When she has steadied her thoughts and her voice she came back and opened her eyes.
“It's not a cure-”

“It's a treatment.” Callaghan interjected.

Ayla inclined her head towards him politely and stood up. “Thank you. Really.”

He picked up his book, standing up with her and offering his hand. She took it and shook it. He motioned with the book towards the altar.
“This... All for show. Doesn't talk back.”

Ayla couldn't help but smile as she stared quizzically at the man of the cloth. “Isn't that blasphemy.”

He rubbed his eyes in frustration, waving the book. “No one reads this thing! He doesn't talk back, it's in the book!”

Ayla laughed. “I didn't know that.”

“Of course not. Those-” He smiled forcefully, obviously holding something back as a small vein appeared on his forehead.
“-'wonderful' people at the Grand Cathedral in Shan Aine just say whatever they want, bless them. The purpose of this position is to use our own wisdom in combination with Sol's own light to cater to each follower inside and out. But, slowly the concept of donations crept in. Then some prayers were also beginning to be more valuable than others as-” He adopted a sarcastic tone, feeling more and more like the Priest she met originally.
“Yes my Lord, or course Sol will hear your prayers. A donation to send the words farther and faster, of course, of course.” She waited with a smirk for him to finish ranting.

“You are very different from them.” She confirmed. From all the men of the cloth she met, he was the most interesting and the most passionate. She knew passion from the men in the capital, but it was all fire and fervor. In her time as well they were a mouthpiece for the Empire. It was a long-standing joke that the quickest method of being shut down in the Empire of Sol was to read Sol's own words back to his priests.

He held the book to his chest, closed his eyes and bowed his head. “Thank you for listening to me ramble, Dame. I should return to my meditation.”

“I understand. I'll let you get some sleep then.” It was a slip of the tongue based on how she read into his true intentions.

His brows both shot up, then his lips curled cheerfully. “Pahahaha! You found me out so easily. Thanks for the laugh, Dame.” He turned, waving as he wandered towards the room he kept in the side of the chapel.

Ayla left the Chapel for the camp. She noticed, Mark, Grayson and Tallow all working together still. She had only seen two of them initially, but guessed that they had squads working together since it was now three. She approached them. Each were sweating and working hard setting up various aspects of the camp for the nights celebration. Ayla knew she had to wait until sundown before it started and knew she had nothing else to do. She shrugged.
“What are you all doing?”

Mark wiped his brow and stopped to explain. “Three of us are driving spikes for the tents that are gonna go up and dragging rocks and wood for the fire. Hadley and Mayson are out collecting the benches.

“So do squads for the most part celebrate together?” She asked.

“Yeah... This is our spot, I guess you could say. Though we're the only ones that gotta work.” He grinned, baring the pressure.

She nodded. “What still needs doing?”

He waved both hands. “Dame, I didn't mean-”

“It's just that I've got nothing to do until it starts.” She explained. Grayson, Mark and Tallow stared at her admiringly.

“Well, We gotta drive these stakes into the ground another foot but it's freaking hard.” Grayson complained.

“Got it.” She held out her hand. He handed her his big hammer somewhat reluctantly. She brought it back and lined up a swing, bringing it down on the head of the stake. It shot into the ground with just a few inches showing. They all screamed as one and held their heads.

“Oh no!” Tallow lamented.

Ayla blinked, holding the hammer in both hands. She looked at it, then the peg. “What?”

Grayson's shoulder's slumped. “That's a good job, but it's gonna be a hell of a thing to get it out of the ground once it's that deep.”

“Oh.” Ayla looked down at it and saw the point he was trying to make.
“Sorry, I should've controlled my strength a little more.”

Tallow's tone evened out and he smiled at her. “The fact that you're helping alone is worth a lot. You're gonna save us a lot of trouble on the front end even if you did em all like that. Besides. Only Miller's been the one to come help us in the past. You two are pretty alike I guess.”

Ayla lifted a brow. “Seriously?”

Grayson shrugged. “You helped the old lady. You seem to take good care of us and you work harder than most knights.”

“I see. What else is there?” She continued helping them, allowing them to get done early and take a load off. As they were sitting, Hadley and Mayson came around with the benches and stools so they were able to finally sit on something other than the ground. Ayla took a load off, closing her eyes. She was still absorbing what Priest said, and what she said to him. She barely noticed Hadley coming to sit beside her.

“Hey.” He said sheepishly.

She opened her eyes and looked at him. It seemed like he had something to say. “Hey.” She shot back at him.

“Thanks for helping out.”

“Of course. It's no problem.” She really considered it to be nothing much. There was really just nothing else to do. She did not plan to be praised for it.

“Can I ask you something?”

“You just did.” Ayla mentioned with a straight face, trying to joke.

He laughed lightly. “Right.” He took it as a yes and kept his head down as he asked.
“It turned into a joke last time, but I was really wondering if it'd be possible for me to become a Knight. Sorry if it's a bad question. I just thought since we're both commoners-”

Ayla sighed. She felt bad to have to tell him. “The truth is, you need Soma.”

“That... Right. But I can just train and build it up, right?”

“Not quite. You probably heard us or some other Knights talking and thought it was a matter of training, right?” He nodded to confirm that was the case. She shook her head in denial.
“Soma is something that not all people have. In my case, I was born with it. Also in my case, I trained it when I was relatively young. Sometimes even if you have it and don't know, the Soma will dissipate from your system as you grow older. Finding out you have it as an adult, then actually training it is... Difficult.”

“What!? I didn't know that?” He groaned.
“Dammit... How does that even work? I thought you just trained hard and you got it.”

“It's both more complicated and more simple than that. Soma is something where, once it's in your system you gather it to a point and begin expanding it along convenient pathways. Veins, Bones, Nerve. Those are the big three. Bones is most common, followed by veins, then a small minority use Nerve Alignment; that's the one I Aligned to.”

“Is there something about those place?”

“Yes. It's the fact that they're easy to comprehend.” He looked lost so she explained further.
“Basically, developing Soma is an equal mixture of hard work, concentration and conceptualization. You need the concept of the path your Soma takes before you can do anything else and shapes and lines that are preexisting are simpler to follow. The bones are the most common and easiest because anyone can look at a diagram and conceive of all the bones in their body and the shape Soma has to take to Align to them.” She held out her hand and clenched her fist.

“Ah...”

“You aren't locked out, by the way.”

“I'm not?” He perked up.

“If that was the case, we would have a society where those strong in Soma are as good as kings when they're born. Wealth would come after, but if you are wealthy or lucky now you can get Soma. There are materials that can be bought and eaten. If you eat them and begin immediately concentrating on expanding the lines along your selected Alignment you'll have potential ahead of you. Soma can build and grow at that point with hard work.”

“How much does that stuff usually cost?” Hadley sounded intrigued. He was already counting his savings in his head.

“The most basic ingredients start at Ten-thousand Siu.”

Hadley became as white as a ghost. “I'd be lucky to see that much money in lifetime! I need Ten-thousand just to get started!?”

“I said ingredient. Ideally you would contract an alchemist because ingredients are more volatile to consume on their own. The alchemists create pills that are designed to aid Alignment. I think a standard Alignment Medicine will run upwards of Fourty-Five Thousand Siu.”

“I'm fucked...” His head hung low.

If Ayla was in a normal state of mind her answer would be to nod without saying anything else. Instead Priests words run in her mind. She looked upon him rather pitifully and asked.
“How much do you actually want this?”

“A lot.” He said determinedly.

“Why?”

He hesitated, then saw how serious Ayla looked. “When I was young my sister went out to pick flowers and never came back. They found her body a week later. Torn up... I wasn't supposed to know but I sneaked in to look at it. Stupid... It messed with me my whole life seeing that. But it's what made me become a regional soldier.”

“Is it revenge?”

He let out a deep sigh and looked up hopefully. “Not exactly. There was a shortage on Knights back then. I decided that I was going to become a soldier, then a Knight to help Castezin fight back against the monsters.”

Ayla stared straight ahead, thinking. “What do they train you to do here?”

“We're spear-men. There's some minor close quarters training but we have mostly pole-arm battle training with a focus on formations against monsters like goblins or werewolves. We spend a little while on Crossbows but that's not a big part of it.”

Ayla ran her hand along the hilt of her Academy sword. It was actually a common blade. It was not special or particularly good. It was functional and she used it for that reason, and would have used it until it broke, normally. Importantly, however, it was a sword. A sword was a weapon of Nobles and Knights. As Hadley suggested, soldiers learned spear, lance and halberd techniques with a bend towards group battles because one soldier alone was very weak.
“Do you know what this is?” She detached it from her belt and held it in front of her.

“A sword?” He asked, expecting there to be some more profound answer.

“That's right.” She handed it to him.
“I have a new one. Why don't you take this and show me what you can do with it. Train your body hard and I'll periodically teach you some stances and moves with it, but they'll be useless until you actually get Soma.” She expected him to question what the effort was for if it was useless without Soma. Instead Hadley grinned ecstatically, holding the basic sword like a treasure. She watched him closely and found it interesting that he held it without unsheathing it. He already seemed to have a baseline respect for a blade and it's purpose. His happiness was not completely without reason, either. A sword like that, while average, could probably cost a soldier a months salary. A sword was a Nobles and Knights weapon for many reasons.

“Holy- Seriously? You're giving this to me? 'Your' sword?”

Ayla exhaled sharply through her nose. “What's so important about it being my sword?”

Hadley beamed. “I heard the talk. You're a famous Knight. First at the Academy. Savior of the Crown Prince, Sun of the Empire.”

She nodded slowly, wanting to move off the topic quickly. “I guess... Anyway. I'll see what I can do if you show me your effort is good enough.”

“Yes! I'll train day and night.”

“Don't neglect sleep.” She felt like Zach in that moment.

“Of course.” He blushed.
“Thank you, Dame.”

“Mhm.” She sat back, unsure what else to say.

Hadley noticed how awkward she looked in the moment and stood up. “I'll let you continue taking a load off in peace.” Ayla smiled and gave a polite wave. Once he was gone she watched everything that was going on around her and waited while finishing her thinking. Eventually a fire was started in front of her as the sun began to set. It was then she felt two hands on her shoulders.

“Knight-Lieutenant!” Zach shouted behind her. He plopped down on the bench next to her and began warming himself by the bonfire.
“Congratulations. I couldn't think of a better person to get a promotion.” He offered genuinely. Ayla felt strange.

`I'm more used to rivalry than congratulations. Plus, my last promotion came with a criminal sentence.` She said none of that and merely nodded.

“I've just been doing the work. It's really nothing special.”

“So humble. Give yourself a bit more credit.” She heard Ryan's gravelly tone and turned with surprise to see the man leaning on Gretta's shoulder.

“What are you two doing here?”

Zach looked around for the drink and food as he said. “The Duke sponsored someone to come take care of Elly for the night so these two kids could come to the party. Even sent a carriage.”

Ayla felt strange. She assumed that the Duke could have done it in order to reward Ryan for his actions on the night of the attack, but Ayla also remembered offhandedly mentioning that she wished they could join the festivities with her. She found herself wishing Elly was there, as well.
“Is Elly alright?”

“She's fine.” Gretta waved a hand. The woman was unsubtly quite pleased to have even a short break.
“Jasmine is a sweetheart, so I have no worries.”

“Oh. Yes, she is.” Ayla agreed.

They looked at her. “How do you know the maid?” Ryan asked curiously.

Ayla just shrugged. “From somewhere.”  She guessed that since she was referred to as a maid it was not common knowledge that she was a Knight as well. Ayla stood up.
“Ryan, take a seat.”

“Thanks.” He sat in her spot next to Zach.

“Ayla, sit.” Zach stood up with a wide smile and motioned to his seat. Before she could refuse he said.
“I need to go get something to eat and drink anyway. What do you guys want?”

“Meat and ale.” She admitted, thinking about the smells wafting through the camp.

“I have a feeling we're looking at four meats and four ales, I may need some help.”

“I'll give you a hand.” Hadley came out of nowhere to offer eagerly.

“Thanks!” Zach put a hand around the man's shoulders and walked with him towards the food while opening up a friendly conversation about Hadley's family back home.

“Gretta, would you like a seat?” Ayla asked.

Gretta walked up to Ayla and hugged her as a greeting. “Good to see you, Ayla. Thank you, but I am actually going to go find my father since I am here.”

“Ah, the Doctor. Are you okay to go alone?”

“Perfectly fine.” She smiled sweetly, released Ayla and took a path towards the Manor.

Ryan offered Ayla a hand. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” She bowed her head.

“Feel any different?”

“I don't think so?”

He smirked. “Of course. Well... I hope you wont forget us little guys on your way up.”

She stared at him with wide eyes. “Huh? I'm not leaving. I'm staying with you and Zach in the squad.”

He slapped his forehead. “With us!? You can do so much better.” He said half-jokingly.

Ayla smiled awkwardly and stared down at the bonfire. The wood was crackling and sparking. “I really can't.” She said idly before turning to look at Ryan and admit.
“I can't do better than you guys.”

Ryan was taken aback for a moment. He stopped staring and turned to look at the flames as well while rubbing the back of his neck. He did not argue.
“Thanks, Ayla. Really.” He seemed to get her meaning, despite how strange her statement was.
“I'm flattered. I know Zach would be.” Ryan grinned, threw his head back and laughed a little while holding his wound.
“Ugh... I'm laughing because that would probably get him misty if he heard it from you.”

“Is it that big a deal that I... Value you two?” She couldn't dance around it easily so she just said what she meant.

Ryan shrugged loosely. “Yeah. Yeah I think so. Especially for him. Let him know once in a while. Just don't tell him I told you to.”

Ayla covered her mouth, holding back a laugh. “I wont.”

“How goes the studying?”

“Good. I need to get better first, though. There's no way around it. Book says that it's important for the mind to be clear and calm. Wounds, distractions, things like that? Not good for Aura-Knights it turns out.” He explained.

“I actually didn't know that.” She remarked.

“It's a big deal.” Ryan wagged his finger.
“Forming the Aura Heart in your mind can cause feedback. When they talk about demons, they may have just been talking about the types of mental issues that can arise out of doing this wrong or halfheartedly.” He smirked.
“Looks like possession to some. Mental issues, you know?”

“Yeah.” Ayla said knowingly.

“I guess down the line people took that to mean that Aurars conjure actual demons just by existing. Isn't that funny?”

“Kind of, yeah.” Ayla was amazed. It was a fact that she was never made aware of in both lives. She had slain a few Aurars for those very reasons, thinking they were summoning demons, or possessed by them.

`They weren't possessed. They weren't summoning demons. Maybe they just needed help. Like me...` She frowned.

“You okay?”

“I'm fine. You should be careful, okay?”

He spread out over the bench, letting himself relax. “That's the plan.”

Zach and Hadley returned carrying a huge tray of food and drink for everyone. They carefully lowered it as legs folded out from beneath. They had a table. Ayla looked at the spread hungrily.
“It looks very good.” She remarked.

“Hell yeah! Let's eat.” Hadley cheered. Slowly others from the squad came in with their own plates. Some sat around the table while others ate from their lap. The sounds of chewing and drinking and the fire crackling filled the air. She could hear laughing and joking and celebrating from the other parts of the camp.

“It's so quiet!” Tallow complained. He had procured a fiddle from somewhere and left his food to start plucking at it a few times with the bow to tune it. Once he had his bearings on it he smiled and began playing. He played a cheerful tune, moving his feet along to the beat. Grayson was the first to start singing some folk tune about a young woman weaving a dream to trick Night, then the rest began to join in. Ryan was clutching his sides. Ayla smiled and nodded along to the tune to fit in without joining in.

Suddenly, Zach jumped up from the table. “I love this song!” He announced, moving his feet in such a poor display that Ayla was transfixed. She stared at him with wide, focused eyes.
“What do you think? Am I a good dancer?” He asked her.

She blushed and gave him a short, fake nod. “Yes.”

“Oh!” He grinned and began moving more ridiculously, clapping his hands together at the side of his head like a matador.

Ayla could not take it anymore. Her lip quivered, then finally she bent over laughing. “I'm sorry, but what is that?” She pointed at Zach. She immediately felt a little bad for making fun of him, but nobody seemed to care. Most were laughing with her. Her smile became somewhat comfortable and real.

Zach lifted a brow, feigning confusion. “This is a traditional Castezin dance!” He held out a hand.
“But typically... It requires a partner.” He winked at Ayla and held out his hand towards her..

She nervously took his hand. “I really don't dance.”

“You think HE does?” Ryan chimed in to many cheers and laughs from the soldiers.

Ayla stood up, glancing around self-consciously. “Like this.” Zach advised, moving his hips side to side while moving his feet erratically. Ayla finally started to move and make an attempt at dancing, though it was a little less eratic. She had learned some semblance of formal dance moves in the past, but this was not like that. She instead just tried to go against Zach's flow to balance it out into something less erratic and comical. He went along with her more subdued moves  
“Spin!” He lifted her hand up over her head. Ayla was surprised and spun around. It was a bit closer to what she was used to, only to then throw her off guard with.
“Now spin me!” He flamboyantly played the part of a female partner in front of her.

“Pfft... Hahaha!” Ayla let go of his hand as she could not hold it in.
“It's too silly!” She clapped for him and started moving awkwardly with him without caring. Everyone was cheering for them. Despite the mild sense of embarrassment, the moment felt uniquely pleasant. They continued dancing strangely for several more minutes as Tallow played, transitioning into a different tune periodically.

Ayla plopped down once Tallow was done playing. She looked at him, her cheeks still flush. “That was very good.”

He lifted the fiddle bashfully and simply said. “I play a little... Learned since I was young.”

Gradually the food was gone and it was just drink. They all migrated from the table to around the fire. They moved stools and chairs to get closer. It was getting late. Ayla realized something as she saw the lights of the manor's first floor.
“I just remembered, I have to rescue someone.”

Zach and Ryan blinked. “I'm sorry?” Ryan asked, about to stand up.

“Stop! Stop, it's an expression.”  Ayla clarified quickly.
“I'll be back.”

She wandered through the camp towards the manor and found an entrance along the side. There were Knights posted, but they let her through without any hassle. She entered into the back of the banquet hall. She saw nobles and other finely dressed people standing around socializing. Some were dancing. Some were eating far fancier food than what was available at the camp. Ayla had tried both and would never trade one for another. She searched the banquet hall to see the Duke speaking rather disinterestedly with a woman in a red dress with bright red hair. Ayla ignored who he was with, much to the woman's amusement, and whispered in his ear.
“Your Grace we have something in the camp that requires your attention.”

The Duke smiled at her and after giving an apologetic look to the lady, he followed her out. “Thank you for that.”

“You asked me to. I lost track of time so I may have been late.”

He shook his head. “It was the right time to escape.” He Paused, noticing he was being lead.
“Where are we going?”

“Where would you like to go?”

He thought for a moment. “Surprise me.”

She glanced back at him and gave a short nod. She lead him through the camp until they had arrived back at the spot with her squad. Zach was telling a Joke about a dog that the others were listening intently to. Gretta was back, standing next to Ryan with his his arm around her waist. Ryan was the first to notice the Duke approached. He was about to force himself to stand to salute but the Duke held his hand out to stop him. Ryan nodded.

Zach continued. “So, the Dog walked into the door and said 'next time I'll open this one.'”

“Haha, what?” Grayson looked confused, then looked past Zach to see Ayla and the Duke. His face grew pale.

“Do not mind me.” Almos tried to assure them.

Zach gasped. “Your Grace?”

Almos tapped his lip. “In the original version the dog walked into a whore house.”

“Did you get that joke?” Ayla asked.

“That joke is... Not one you can get since it's meaning is lost to time. Though I guess it works if you interpret it as the Dog walking into a door.” He shrugged.

“I thought it was like that.” Zach admitted with a nervous chuckle.

“I feel like I'm making people a bit uneasy, I should return.” The Duke admitted graciously.

“Nonsense.” Gretta chimed in, curtsying before the Duke.
“Thank you, sincerely, for helping us come out tonight, Your Grace.”

He nodded. “I owe your Father many favors. Truthfully, I should be repaying your family more often. It took someone to remind me of that, so I feel a bit ashamed.”

“Eh?” Gretta blinked and tried to find the words to respond to his humbleness. All she could manage was.
“Thank you, Your Grace.”

“Please, Your Grace, sit if you like!” Zach cleared a spot by the fire. The Duke looked at the seat, then to Zach and smiled.
“Thank you, Sir Miller.” He sat down. Zach looked starstruck that the man knew his name. Almos looked around the circle.
“Was there a conversation going before we arrived?” He asked somewhat forwardly. As he asked that, Ayla slipped in beside Zach. They both found new places together.

“May we speak freely, Your Grace?” Mayson asked nervously.

“Of course.” He obliged.

“You may know your Grace, but our wise friend has chartered an Aura teacher from-”

“Hey! Come on. You don't gotta trouble him with that.” Ryan snapped.

The Duke lifted a brow at Ryan. “An Aura teacher? I remember something like that being asked about.”

“Yes. Our resident genius, Dame Ayla, recommended that I try to develop Aura as an Aura-Knight.” Ryan explained, shooting Mayson a withering stare.

The Duke turned to Ayla. “You saw that in him?”

Ayla said frankly. “I think he has a good cognitive and emotional sense for it. He's calm and rational. He's also hard working and-”

He motioned for her to stop. “I understand. I believe you.” The Duke tapped his lip quizzically.
“What kind of teacher?”

“He is a First Ring from the Academy.”

The Duke seemed a bit disgusted. “First? That is a bit low for a Knight with potential that is under me.” He seemed to be thinking out loud without filter. He stopped tapping his lip once he had thought of something.
“Cancel that teacher and send any fees to my office. I will contract a far better Aurar for this purpose. I will not take no for an answer, my Lady.” He smiled knowingly at Gretta before she could get a word out.

Ayla cocked her head to one side. “From outside? What about-” The Duke shot her a look. She stopped speaking and remembered that the existence of Aneth was likely also something that was not known to most people. The Alchemist in his basement. Ayla went a step further with her reasoning and guessed that Aneth could potentially be unregistered with the Empire.

Once she had stopped talking abruptly the Duke continued. “Castezin should have an Aurar or two. This will be long overdue so do not consider it to be something that requires thanks of any sort.”

“Yes your Grace.” Ryan and Gretta bowed their heads respectfully, accepting that was that as far as protests went.

Castezin took one more look around before standing. He straightened out his jacket and bow-tie. “I should get back to the party.” He nodded to Ayla.
“Thank you for the quick escape.”

“Any time, Your Grace.” Ayla offered. With that he turned and left the way they came.

“I feel like I can breath again.” Tallow gasped. The rest seemed to share the sentiment.

“I thought the Duke was well-loved?” Ayla commented.

“Even if he's well-loved by everyone here, it's still a bit exhausting to be in the presence of a person of high status. Especially of that high status. A slip up could have someone being reprimanded. At least that's the feeling.”

“I see. I'm sorry. He simply asked me for an escape at some point in the night.”

Zach chuckled. “I got nothing against helping him, of course. I like him a lot as a leader so I'm really happy I got to meet him in such a casual space. Plus, Ryan got a free tutor out of it.”

“What if the Duke hires a woman?” Grayson snickered.

Gretta waved her hands. “Think of no such thing. The Duke is an intelligent man. He knows better. Right Ayla?”

Ayla stared at her blankly. “I think he'll probably get the best one with appropriate skill and credentials for teaching without paying any mind to something like that.”

Gretta's jaw dropped. “What?” She looked to Ryan, then gritted her teeth and crossed her arms while muttering without filter in her native tongue.

Zach laughed and asked sarcastically. “How can anyone tell they're father and daughter?”

Ryan stood up and guided his wife with a hand on her back. “I think it's getting late. We should probably get going. Good seeing you guys.” He waved, quickly ushering her off towards the carriage. She shouted something at him in her language that they could hear.

Ryan answered as if he could understand, but not speak it. “We got no clue if it's a she, and if it is, what if she's married?” The argument trailed off.

Ayla sighed wistfully. “I'm getting a bit tired, as well.”

“It was a good night.” Zach commented.
“Who's up for staying out all night!?” He posed the question to everyone. The soldiers, all except Hadley raised their drinks and cheered. Hadley took his new sword and walked out beside Ayla.

“It starts tomorrow, Dame. I'm gonna show you my effort.” He told her.

Ayla nodded. “If you show me something good, I promise I will do anything in my power to help you out.” She had build connections in Zach and Ryan. She did not know the soldiers well. She wanted to know if it wasn't just a fluke. If she could connect with more people, she wanted to know. Hadley felt like a natural choice if he followed through. Ayla had a way to help him if it came down to it, if it was worth it. It was something she would have never considered doing for anyone in her past life.

“Thanks again.” He rushed down the hill towards the gates, opting to head home instead of stay in the tents.