Tales of Fire and Ruin - Chapter 4: Chapter 4

Oleander moved nimbly despite almost freezing to death in Serpentine's lake. He still looked like he could use a hot bath and a hairbrush, but he didn't have trouble keeping up with me and Endris while crossing the lush fields that lay below the mountains.
It was much easier to breathe here. With the warm sun on my face and life blooming in the fields, the Serpentine mountains already felt like nothing but a bad memory. We'd shed our jackets and scarves and I would gladly stay away from the death trap cliffs behind us forever if I could.
Perhaps Oleander was only relieved to be away from the biting cold as well, but I swore he almost seemed comfortable with me and Endris now. Had it been me in his stead, I would've been far less gracious about traveling with elves. Knowing I was heading for an elven settlement, I might've even tried to escape.
To prevent Oleander from running off, I walked behind him. I watched how he crossed the winding river that lay between us and the road leading to the Last Stop. With unearthly grace, the elf swooped from stone to stone until he reached the other side. He was quicker on his feet than Endris. It almost made me self-conscious of the slurping and splashing of my boots in the water since I wouldn't risk jumping on the slippery stones.
After reaching the shore, I walked beside Oleander. "Aren't you fatigued or stiff or something?"
Oleander blinked and looked up at me in question.
"I've never seen a man thaw this fast."
Oleander's jaw went slack in surprise, then his face lit up. "Likewise. You pointed a knife at me when we met, and now you have invited me to find shelter in your home with your family."
My ears grew hot. "That's not what I meant!"
Endris snorted from in front of us, adding insult to injury. "He got you there," he said, like he wasn't the reason the elf was going to my family's estate.
I ignored Endris. "What I meant is: nearly freezing isn't an affliction one just walks off moments later."
"Oh, well..." Oleander carefully rolled his shoulders and winced. "I don't know how I got in the lake, but I really am unharmed. Only my shoulder hurts a little. But thank you very much for your concern, Laurence."
A warm smile accompanied Oleander's words. We held each other's gaze for a moment, and then Oleander's foot caught on a loose rock. He staggered, and I stretched my arms and caught him.
"Whoa there, careful."
I should tell myself that too. Careful. I couldn't get close to an elf, and in my arms was definitely too close. With shafts of golden sun lighting them up, Oleander's eyes looked different from a human's. I saw iridescent green, like flares of magic, in the elf's irises. I was very aware of the silvery strands of his hair touching my arm, and of Endris' gaze prickling on me.
I quickly released Oleander and retreated. "There are loose rocks hidden in the grass," I said. "Eyes on the ground, elf, not on me."
"Sorry, I will keep my eyes to myself," Oleander apologised, his voice soft.
I looked ahead to hide my embarrassment. Tall, swaying pines lined the borders of the stone road leading to the Last Stop. Once we climbed the hill, we would see the village in midths of a green landscape dappled with rocks on one side and a forest on the other side.
Endris patted my shoulder. "Don't forget to ask knight commander Ytel for extra supplies when you arrive in town."
"And to tell him the hunt failed." I threw my head back and sighed at the sky. "Need I remind you this was your idea, Endris? Why don't you grovel for more supplies?"
"No," Endris said. "Commander Ytel will be obligated to obey you without question while he is free to question me. Throw your weight around. It's the easiest and quickest way."
"Yes, all this weight of empty pockets and cob-webbed coffers."
I walked on alone, regardless, allowing Endris and Oleander to wait at a safe distance away from the village.
On the other side of the hill, the road expanded, and I found myself at the outskirts of a riotous assemblage of houses made of pine wood; the Last Stop. I had found it a pleasant place to be, so long as you didn't mistake the innkeeper, or anyone who kept pouring you more drinks, for a friend. Their hospitality lasted until the bill came and it turned out they charged an arm and a leg for any extra service.
Before I reached the first house, the clopping of hooves on stone disturbed the peace. A russet horse galloped my way. Seated on the horse was a figure with a pale blue eyes, wearing green robes.
Knight commander Ytel was a short man who only reached to my shoulders, but insisted on riding an absolute monster of a horse. He said the bulky ones usually seen ploughing the field were less jittery than their wasp-waisted cousins and that was why he preferred them. I'd always had a feeling he wanted a large horse so he would tower over people for once. It didn't seem to matter to him he almost had to sit in a split in the saddle.
"Laurence!" Ytel called out when he saw me looking his way. The horse whinnied when Ytel pulled on the reins and it slid to a halt in front of me. "I heard there was a landslide in the mountains, and a crackling arrow was fired. I was on my way to see what was going on with his lordship."
"To see if you could find me buried below the rubble and laugh, I'm sure," I joked.
Ytel smirked. "Perhaps, but I wouldn't admit that to your face, my lord."
"I'm surprised you'd head for the mountains. I heard some rumors of you wanting to ride off without me for a quiet journey home."
Ytel pressed a hand to his chest like he was scandalised. "That was Endris' idea. I said no such thing."
I was certain he did say such things.
"The hunt failed, Ytel," I said, getting the bad news out of the way first. "I lost the dragon in the landslide."
"Ah, that's a shame, my lord," Ytel said with a smile a little too broad for convincingly feigned disappointment. "I was hoping you'd have become a man today."
"Alas, I'm still just a lord," I said with an equally feigned smile.
Conversations I had nowadays were always like this: circling one another, striking and parrying. Exhausting. There was an ever-present mockery clinging to the word 'lord' on Ytel's tongue beneath forced obedience because I had a title and he did not.
"You'll have your quiet ride home, Ytel. I'm only here for supplies," I said. "Endris agreed to take me for a second dragon hunt in a month. You can return home to Denuran in the meantime, if you so please."
Ytel dipped his head. "Certainly. Say, where did you hide Endris? I would like to say goodbye to him, too."
"He's not here," I said.
A mocking simper curled up Ytel's lips. "I see that, your lordship."
"You know how he is. He's up ahead, still forag-"
"Excellent."
Ytel dug his heels into his horse's flanks and sped down the path without awaiting the rest of my answer.
"Ytel!" Cursing under my breath, I ran after the horse.
This was exactly what I meant with my words not holding the weight Endris thought they did anymore. I sped down the stone road, but couldn't possibly overtake a horse to warn Endris. Ytel would see Oleander, and I could only pray to the storm god he wouldn't recognise him as an elf with his ears hidden.
Once I'd climbed the hill, I found Ytel standing with Endris and Oleander up ahead. Ytel had dismounted, but at least our cover wasn't blown, since he wasn't trying to behead Oleander. Endris regarded me with a raised brow as I approached, quietly asking me what the hell had happened to the plan.
"So our good lord Montbow found you and rescued you." Ytel turned to me when I joined the group. "How noble of him! Looks like he's your knight in shining armour without being a knight because you blocked him from becoming one."
Oleander's face fell. Ytel truly had a way of slipping accusatory stings into jovial words.
"He ruined nothing," I defended Oleander between heavy breaths. "I made a choice."
"You chose him over the dragon." Ytel's eyes traveled down Oleander's form. "Are you going to sell him, your lordship? Finding a dragon for knighthood is a better investment than a servant, even a pretty one that will fetch a good price."
"This man will be a guest in my hometown," I emphasised.
Oleander seemed to take Ytel's words in stride, even to disregard them entirely. He only looked at me. "...Why do you need a dragon for knighthood?"
"To slay it," Ytel replied before I could open my mouth.
Oleander's eyes grew wide. "Why?" he asked.
"There is no why. It's meaningless bloodshed," Endris said.
Ytel furled his brow. "It's tradition! What better way to prove yourself than going on this arduous journey up a mountain where weather, rock, and dragon alike try to kill you and bring glory to your family?"
Ytel reached into his shirt and pulled out a black necklace with a shard of a tooth on it. Endris sighed deeply as Ytel showed the necklace to Oleander.
"Ten winters ago now, I travelled up those winding mountains and cleaved a dragon's head in half with my sword. The blood splatter and crater where it crashed can still be seen today. It was a red dragon. Nasty ones."
Oleander stared at the shard of dragon tooth. He looked even paler than when he was freezing, while Ytel was about to fall into his hundredth retelling of his epic fight with a red dragon. Each iteration of the tale it lengthened and became more unbelievable. The only small kernel of truth left was that he slew a dragon.
"That's enough of that story, Ytel," I stopped the knight commander with a smile. "You're going to make me jealous with all your manly prowess. Save the tales for your friends at the tavern."
In response to me cutting the story short, Oleander scooted closer to me. Don't come to me for protection, I wanted to tell him. Go to Endris.
Ytel guffawed at my joke. "One day you will understand the glory of battling a dragon, my lord. If you're lucky."
"Of course," I said. "Why don't you fetch my horse from the stables? And extra supplies for my new friend."
Ytel raised an arm above his head and, while rotating his wrist in a continuous, flourishing wave, he stooped into a low bow. "As you say."
While Ytel mounted his horse, I turned to Endris. The cat was out of the bag now, so there was no reason he couldn't go in my stead. If I could avoid going to the Last Stop and repeating fifty times over to every villager that the hunt failed, I would.
"You can go with Ytel to help," I said. "I'll wait here with our guest."
Endris narrowed his eyes, but then walked after Ytel without protesting.
Dealing with Ytel was tiresome, but sitting in the grass with the elf wasn't any less awkward. Oleander still sat too close for an enemy and he certainly didn't keep his eyes to himself like he had promised.
"Laurence?" the elf asked after a few moments of silence.
"Hm?"
"What is your home like?"
"It's... large," I said, which was the truth, albeit vague. "Lots of boats and water."
"Will they be cruel to me?"
I was quiet for a moment. "If they see your ears, yes," I told him honestly. "But as long as you keep your hair in that ponytail, they won't be."
"Alright."
The silence returned. I enjoyed the sound of the wind blowing across the field and absentmindedly plucked blades of grass and wildflowers.
"Laurence?" Oleander asked.
I hummed.
"Why do you want to be a knight?"
"Because I'm a blood-thirsty monster, of course."
Oleander just stared at me.
I exhaled. "Never mind. It's necessary. I roar, as you say it, and that means I can kill a dragon. That means I become a knight, and that means I will earn a lot of coin for my family."
Mother and father would have my head for failing. A stone sunk into the pit of my stomach at the realisation I'd have to go home and tell them.
"Is there no other way to become a knight?" Oleander asked.
"No," I replied. "It's a tradition set up by king Bertram. He decided that this was the way we could prove ourselves. It's seen as more fair than making knight a title to inherit, because anyone who is born with magic or with significant strength can travel up those mountains and slay a dragon. This way, we get knights who are truly powerful and deserve to be part of the queen's personal guard."
Oleander pursed his lips in disapproval. "There are many ways to be powerful. You have words. Why are they not enough?"
I laughed. "I don't exactly have words. Many would agree that I would be much easier to tolerate if I shut up."
"But I prefer it when you speak," Oleander replied. "I like your voice."
I looked at the elf. His eyes shone with absolute, unjustified faith in me. He needed to stop complimenting me. He needed to stop seeing me as his saviour.
"Oleander," I started slowly, "I don't know what you're used to beyond the Starcross woods. But here, you can't talk like that to another man. Or to someone you're not courting. Or to a lord. There are so many reasons you can't talk to me like that. You will stop."
Promptly, I got up from the grass and walked away from Oleander. I heard a muttered sorry behind me and closed my eyes with a sigh. It didn't matter that Oleander had flares of magic in his eyes and glass hair. I already had many problems. I couldn't add an elf who was overly attached to me to the list.