He clicked his tongue and threw on his navy surcoat emblazoned with the white dragon of their order. Now in full armor, he stepped out of the room and came face-to-face with Ursuline’s disapproving glare.
“Why are you dawdling so? Are you waiting for the sun to set?”
“Cease your nagging,” Hebaron snapped. “What are you, my wife?”
Ursuline scowled in response. He looked as if he were about to unleash a barrage of further grumbling. Instead, he spun around as if he could not be bothered dealing with the other knight any longer.
Hebaron followed Ursuline as he set off. “More importantly…have you formally apologized to her ladyship?”
Ursuline stopped in his tracks. “No. I missed the right moment.”
With that, he resumed his quick strides.
Hebaron clasped his hands behind his head and taunted, “What a load of drivel. I had no idea you were so timid.”
It was unusual for Ursuline to not have a cutting retort ready, and this seemed to be one of those rare moments. He pursed his lips together.
Hebaron chuckled at Ursuline marching ahead with an indignant look on his face. It was amusing to see him acting so out of character, walking on eggshells around a woman as petite as Lady Calypse.
“Stop dithering and do it today, before she leaves,” Hebaron said. “It’s going to haunt you if you keep putting it off.”
In a silent warning to stay out of his business, Ursuline glared daggers at Hebaron before swiveling his head away. They passed through the training grounds, Ursuline’s strides precise and controlled, while Hebaron trailed behind at his own languid pace. When they reached the castle entrance, they saw a throng of servants gathered in the great hall.
Hebaron easily picked out the woman with dark auburn hair. Maximilian Calypse was accepting something from theold mage who had joined their ranks last year. Hebaron assumed that it must be an herb pouch.
“This is a good remedy for chills, and this aids mana restoration. The decoction in this vial helps ease seasickness. And this…”
Although it appeared that Lady Calypse was attentively listening to the old mage’s expounding without a hint of annoyance, Hebaron noticed her eyes occasionally flitting over the crowd. A heavy sigh escaped his lips.
Ursuline walked over to her and respectfully bowed his head. “Our apologies for keeping you waiting, my lady.”
Lady Calypse turned to look at him with a brilliant smile.
“I-It’s all right. I was…saying my farewells.”
Hebaron’s face crumpled, betraying his complicated emotions. Seeing her efforts to conceal her sadness made him feel as though he were committing a terrible crime.
She flicked a glance behind them and tentatively asked, “Wh-What about…Riftan?”
Hebaron hesitated. “The commander…is attending to urgent matters on the ramparts. He gave us strict instructions to safely escort you to the port.”
Lady Calypse’s smile dissolved. Hebaron inwardly cursed the commander as a dark shadow passed over her round gray eyes.
“W-We should…get going,” she said, her voice unnaturally bright as if to disguise her disappointment. “The princess…is waiting for us at the port.”
She was about to climb into the carriage when a loud cry sounded in the distance.
“P-Please wait!”
Hebaron jerked his head up. Ulyseon and Garrow racedthrough the grounds in their training uniforms. The servants hurriedly parted to make way for them.
“W-We wanted to say goodbye…” Ulyseon said, panting. He handed Lady Calypse a fistful of wildflowers. “We searched the whole mountain…but there were only small bulbs like these due to the cold. I know it’s not much, but would you accept them, my lady?”
Lady Calypse blinked at the squire’s offering before giving him a warm smile. As she carefully took the flowers from him, a boyish grin lit Ulyseon’s face.
The lad had grown noticeably taller in the last few months. He now arranged his features into a mature expression befitting a knight and said, “You must return in good health, my lady.”
“Th-Thank you. The same to you…Ulyseon.”
