Chapter 53 - The Return of Edward

Later, back in their quarters, Daniel sat on the couch humming a tune. The melody was something from Earth, though he couldn’t quite place it. He watched Felicia practicing her Sarun magic on the couch across from him.

The red cylinder still hovered in the middle of the room, containing the small star of magic Felicia had fired at Zoltran. It was suspended in perfect stasis, glowing much dimmer now that time was stretching its energy.

"You seem cheerful," Felicia noted, turning her face toward him with a smile.

"Do I?" He smiled back, letting out a relieved sigh that seemed to come from somewhere deep in his chest. "I met up with Elania earlier."

“Oh!” Her eyebrows raised so much that her eyelids opened slightly. “Did it go well?”

“It was wonderful. I’m meeting her at six for a date.”

“Oh, I’m so glad!” She leaned back in her seat, looking almost as relieved as he felt. “You really deserve a win, Danny.”

“...You know, maybe I do. I would have been fine without meeting her again, but not anymore.”

Felicia tilted her head. “What does that mean?”

"How should I explain it?" Daniel leaned back, searching for the right words. "I didn't know how much I needed her before now. Like how she spoke about her heart finally beating again, I feel almost the same way."

Something that had been hollow was now full. Something that had been silent was now singing.

"Love…" Felicia's voice softened, almost wistfully. "It really sounds wonderful. The romantic kind, I mean."

Something in her tone made Daniel look at her more carefully. A longing, perhaps, or simply curiosity about something she'd never experienced.

“I’m sure you’ll learn in time. School life is filled with little crushes and young romance; just give it time.”

She frowned lightly, but didn’t comment.

Is it the topic itself bothering her, or something else?

"Perhaps you already have someone in mind?" he ventured gently.

"No, it's not that. There are only two boys in our class, and…" She trailed off, shaking her head.

"Zoltran will be saddened to hear you say that."

She laughed with her mouth shut, quickly turning thoughtful again. "I don't know, I just… think this is something I'd rather talk to Liz about."

"Aww…" Daniel put a hand over his heart in mock hurt. "Fine, I get it. I'm not the easiest person to talk to about that stuff, huh?"

"It's just… It feels easier with a girl." Her voice was apologetic, as if she worried about hurting his feelings.

"I totally understand." And he did. Some conversations were easier with certain people. "You could talk to Elle, though. She was apparently a friend of your mother, which was why she knew you."

"Oh? Did she meet me…" Felicia paused, frowning like she was trying to catch an old memory. "Wait, on the mountain?"

“Did you remember something?”

"...There's this vague memory…" Her voice went quiet, searching through the fog of early childhood. "Mom and a woman were talking and smiling, while we were up on the mountain one day. She hugged me, I think. Oh, and I was sitting in one of those backpacks."

“Yeah, that could be her. They first met on the mountain while your mother was pregnant with you, during the thousand-year anniversary of this legendary mage saving the lands.”

“...I’m sure people would have been more careful with calling him a legend if they knew he would come back to gloat about it.”

He chuckled. “Maybe so.”

The room fell into a comfortable silence for a moment as Felicia refocused on her training. 

Daniel had a question he wanted to ask, but it wasn’t easy to broach the subject. Especially after he’d already reduced the amount of time they spent together.

“Is she gonna live with us, then?”

Felicia asked before he could bring it up. She made it sound very casual, like she didn’t mind either way. But instincts told him she was hiding her true feelings on the matter.

“Only if you’re okay with it.”

“I am.”

“No, I mean really okay with it.” Daniel stood from his couch and crossed the space between them. He sat down beside her, close enough that their shoulders touched. 

She didn’t react to it at all, which told him he was right to worry.

Always acting strong…

He reached out and took one of her hands in both of his, holding it carefully. "You hide it well, but you’ve lived through some terrible stuff. You need to feel safe here, not like you have to act a certain way or hide things about yourself, truly safe.”

For a moment, she didn't speak, and he could see her working through something, like a battle between what she thought she should say and what she actually felt.

“...I won’t know unless we try?”

"We can start slow, finding her a quarter next to ours for now. Then she can visit, and we'll see from there." He squeezed her hand reassuringly. “She knows what you’ve been through, so she’ll be happy to give you space.”

Felicia hesitated, then nodded slowly while leaning against his shoulder. "That sounds nice… Could you, uhm…" She paused, gathering courage. "I don't like it when people knock on our door."

While he didn’t understand why, the way she spoke made it clear it was important.

“Oh, yeah, that’s an easy fix. I’ll set up a formation that plays a bell sound when someone tries to knock.” He already had the design in his head, but waited to cast it. “Is that because of the kidnapping?”

"...Yeah."

"Then consider it done. And if there's anything else, don't hesitate to tell me." He put his other arm around her shoulders.

She hesitated, then shook her head against his shoulder.

“You hesitated.”

“No, that’s… I can handle it.”

“This is not me treating you like a child, okay? This is me treating you like someone traumatized by her past, no matter the age.”

She still hesitated, taking a few deep breaths. Then a light blush spread on her cheeks. “I… wake up from nightmares sometimes. Hearing your breath beside me helped calm me down, but now…”

Ah, I should have realized…

Now they stayed in different rooms, unlike the nights after the kidnapping. He had been her savior, her safety blanket, ever since the rescue. And even with him nearby, it had only softened the night terror.

But without me in the same room… It’s like ripping the bandage off before the wound heals.

Normally, he wouldn't mind sharing a room with her from now on. It would be the simplest solution. But now that Elania had returned, things had changed. He couldn't exactly have his girlfriend over if he was sharing a room with his surrogate little sister.

I wish she wouldn’t feel like such a burden, though. She’s hiding things she really shouldn’t.

"Hmm…" Daniel thought for a moment, rubbing her shoulder in a comforting gesture. "Would a formation that shows you I'm sleeping in the other room help?"

"...It's not a big deal, I'll handle it on my own." She was already pulling back emotionally, trying to minimize her own needs.

"No, if it bothers you enough to make you miss sleep, it's definitely a big deal." He tightened his arm around her shoulders, keeping her close. "I don't know how to fix the nightmares, but…"

An idea formed in his mind, though she might not like it much.

But she already had it before we met, so it could work—if it’s not too childish.

"How about I fix that teddy bear of yours, and create a formation inside it so that it heats up when I'm close? Maybe even make it breathe in sync with me, like it's sleeping peacefully beside you."

Felicia went very still. "...You have it?"

“Yeah, I picked it up in the hotel after taking you to the hospital. I figured Elizabeth was busy being carried out by doctors.”

He couldn’t help adding a small joke, like always.

Felicia was deep in thought. The light blush on her face didn't go away, instead deepening slightly. But her hand tightened on his arm. 

"...That could work. I'd like that."

“Then I’ll get to it, while I still have time before the date.” He gave her shoulders one more squeeze before reluctantly pulling away, though he remained seated beside her. “Will you be alright while I’m gone?”

“Yeah, I can go visit Lily. And Merry said she’d love some visitors, so I might join her in the bath.”

"Oh, that's perfect." Daniel smiled, relieved that she'd have company and wouldn't be alone with her thoughts.

"Do you know how to sew, though? Edwar—I mean, the teddy bear was quite damaged." She caught herself, and he could see the embarrassment of almost saying the name out loud.

"Edward will be good as new, don't you worry." He stood from the couch, pausing to ruffle her hair gently. 

She ducked her head, but couldn’t stop a smile from forming. 

"Your big brother's got you."

Felicia's smile widened, and she reached up to touch where his hand had been in her hair. "Thank you, Danny."

“Anytime, Fillie.”

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An hour later, Daniel stepped out of his carriage and into the chill evening breeze. The Grifantes tower towered above him, as all proper towers should.

Maybe I should visit the new elder council when I have time. I still don’t know what happened to Erodin.

He did what he could to distract himself, but the date was very present in his mind. 

Did he look nice? Would he be able to behave appropriately in public? What play were they going to see, and would Elania expect him to love it? Where would they go after?

…Really a nice tower. With colors and such.

He headed toward the entrance, expecting to find Elania there. But as he walked, he spotted her leaning against the side of one of the supporting pillars. She had really dressed for the occasion.

This wasn’t the usual functional outfit she would wear. Instead, she had swapped it for a beautiful red dress, hanging loosely from her shoulders and reaching down to her ankles, held in place by two large gold-threaded seams running down her sides. Even the sword was gone.

“That’s the reaction I was hoping for,” she said, looking at him with a crooked smile. Her amethyst eyes latched onto his soul, pulling him closer before he could think.

“I’ve… never seen you in such a beautiful dress before.”

“I got it as a gift from a famed designer. He’s long dead now, but I think his store is still doing well.”

“I can see why he was famed. He understood you so well…”

“You should close your mouth before you start drooling, dear. Are you ready to go?”

Daniel closed his mouth, then offered her his arm. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Ch.52 --I-- Ch.54