Give it to him straight

“We need ta get ta Aurelmont as quickly as we kin. ‘E needs ta talk ta a System Sage.” Ami glanced at me, uncertainty flickering across her face.

“Why?” the Thegn demanded.

“‘E’s not from the Five Realms. An’ he canna return ta ‘is world.”

The Thegn turned toward Etienne. The two spoke quietly, their voices too low for me to make out.

I opened my character sheet and put two Attribute points into Perception.

“...significantly higher than ‘is level suggests,” was all I caught before the Thegn turned back to us.

“Why?” he repeated.

“‘Cause ‘e’s connected ta a thing called an Aegis. An’ ‘is body’s still in ‘is world. If he canna return, he’ll starve.”

“What other world?”

“Earth,” I told him.

“An’ ye believe ‘im?” The Thegn's eyes settled heavily on Ami.

“Aye.”

“Why dinna ye tell me this when ye entered me hall?”

I shrugged. “Because people don't generally react well when I tell them I'm from another world.”

“An’ the System Sage kin cure ye?” he asked me.

“We donna know,” Ami replied. “We think ‘e might be able ta help.”

“Why?”

“Because the Sage knows more about the System than we do,” Valentia answered. “The System isn’t working right for him.”

“What do ye mean it ain’t workin’ right?”

Ami looked at me, apology in her eyes. “‘E’s a Wayfarer,” she said with a defeated sigh, her voice barely above a whisper.

Etienne's head turned toward me. He fixed me with a heavy stare.

The Thegn's expression didn't change, but his eyes bored into Ami. “What did ye say?”

Ami swallowed. Then she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Riven’s a Wayfarer,” she repeated, her voice steady.

“Yer certain?”

“No,” I answered for her.

The Thegn's eyes snapped toward me. “Then why say it?”

“Because that’s what the game called me.”

“What game?”

“The System,” Ami clarified. “When ‘e first arrived.”

The Thegn glared at me. “This true?”

I nodded. “Yes. It’s also what the Fleshwoods who attacked Greyhaven called me. And whatever the thing in Castellan Bertrand’s custody is.” I sighed.

The Thegn and Etienne spoke quietly to each other for a moment.

“The prisoner at the gate,” Etienne whispered. “Henri Stonehand. I got a report this afternoon. I dispatched a Warding Detail. The Castellan was the one who let us know yer Aethlin’ was comin’.”

“How bad is it?” the Thegn whispered back.

“Dunno. But it dinna sound good. Foul magics.” The blonde dwarf straightened when the Thegn nodded.

“Anyone else know?” the Thegn asked.

“Just the Castellan and ‘is men,” Ami said.

“No one in the Holds?”

She shook her head. “None.”

“Then it stays that way.” He nodded once. “Yer goin’ ta Aurelmont. But there's one condition.”

“What?” Ami asked.

“Ye tell me everythin’ ye know about what happened on the road.”

She nodded.

“An’ when ye get ta Aurelmont, ye talk ta the System Sage.” He looked at me. “And ye find out what ye are. I'd like ta know that meself.”

He turned to Etienne. “Six riders an’ our fastest horses.”

“No the Cart?” Ami asked.

Her father shook his head. “Capitol’s closed ta Carts and everythin’ else.”

“I donna understand-”

“King’s orders,” her father said. “I’ll git ye there. It’ll be up ta ye ta git inside. I’ll do what I kin from here.”

We were dismissed, and Etienne led us out of the throne room. “We leave at dawn,” he told us. “Git some rest. Ye’ll need it.”

The well-dressed dwarf from before led us down a hall, up a few flights of stairs, and down another hall. “Lady Valentia, yer room,” he said as he opened the door to a lavish bedroom.

She looked at Ami and me questioningly.

Ami seemed nervous and didn't return her gaze.

“I’ll check on you later,” I promised.

She nodded, then entered the room and closed the door.

The well-dressed man led us to the very next door. “Aethlin’ Amelie.” He bowed, then looked at me. “Lord Riven.” He turned and left.

I looked at Ami, then back at him. “Am I supposed to follow him?”

She didn't answer. She just opened the door and entered.

I watched her, her shoulders nearly folding in on themselves, her arms wrapped around her, her eyes fixed on the floor. I looked back toward the well-dressed dwarf, but he'd already turned the corner and paid me no attention. I followed Ami inside and closed the door behind us.

It was probably the nicest bedroom I'd ever seen.

A massive bed dominated one side of the room, its dark wooden frame carved with knotwork and mountains. A fireplace occupied the opposite wall, though it wasn't lit. Thick rugs covered the stone floor, and tapestries hung from the walls.

There were shelves filled with books. A small writing desk. A wardrobe. And a door on each of the side walls.

Ami stood in the middle of the room, staring at the floor.

I leaned back against the door and let out a deep breath. “That was-”

“I'm sorry.”

I frowned. “What?”

“I’m sorry.” Her voice cracked. Then she started crying. Not quietly. Not delicately. She covered her face with both hands and completely broke down.

I moved toward her. “Ami, what's wrong?”

“I lied to ye.”

I stopped. “What?”

“I only said it ‘cause I dinna want ta marry ‘im. I used ye.” She looked up at me, tears streaming down her face. “I used ye ta get outta me father's plans. I put ye in the middle of all this without even askin’. An’ now ‘e thinks we're betrothed an’ we're gonna have ta pretend an’-”

“Ami.”

“-an’ ye donna even want ta marry me.” She said it so quickly the words nearly ran together.

I opened my mouth, but she kept going. “An' ye shouldn't. I mean, ye barely know me. We've known each other fer less than a week an’ I'm scared all the time an’ I hate fightin' an’ I'm not even very good at it an’ ye probably think I'm weak an’-”

“Ami.”

“-an’ I don't know why I said it. I panicked. I saw ‘im talkin' about the marriage an’ I looked at ye and I just-” She wiped at her face. “I knew ye wouldna want me.”

I stared at her. “What?”

“I know ye care about Valentia.” Her voice dropped. “And I know she cares about ye.” She looked toward the door. “An’ I…” She swallowed. “I care about ye too.”

I felt something tighten in my chest.

Ami looked down. “Too much.”

I took another step toward her. “Ami…”

“I shouldna.” She shook her head. “I shouldna feel this way. Not after a week. It ain’t fair ta Valentia. It ain’t fair ta ye. And now I've gone an’ told me father we're betrothed an’ ‘e's given us a year an’ I donna even know what I'm supposed ta do ‘cause every time ye look at me I-” She stopped. Her face turned bright red.

I rubbed my forehead. “Ami…”

“Ye donna have ta say anythin’.”

“I think I should.”

“No, ye really donna.”

“Ami.”

“Just pretend I dinna say anythin’.”

“I can't do that.”

“Please?”

I gently caught her wrists and pulled her hands away from her face. “You didn't use me.”

She looked at me through tear-filled eyes. “I did.”

“You panicked.”

“That donna make it better.”

“No. But it makes it understandable.” I gave her a small smile. “And for what it's worth, I'm not exactly upset about being your fake fiancé.”

She blinked. “Yer not?”

“No.”

“Why?”

I hesitated. Because there were several answers. Because she was beautiful. Because she was kind. Because she'd been terrified and still stood between Valentia and danger. Because she'd crawled under my cloak at night and somehow made the world feel less lonely. Because every time she smiled at me, something inside me loosened.

And because I'd been trying very hard not to think about any of those things. She was with Valentia. They were a couple. And I didn't want to ruin that.

“I like you, Ami.”

Her lips trembled.

“A lot.”

She stared at me.

“But I…” I sighed. “I'm also confused.”

“About Valentia?”

“About everything.” I sighed again. “You and Valentia are a couple. I don’t want to get in the way of your love. I can tell she means the world to you. And you mean the world to her. I see how she looks at you. And you at her. And I can’t be the one to fuck up what you two have going on.”

The door behind her opened.

“Am I interrupting?”

We both jumped.

Valentia stood in the doorway. She had changed out of her formal dress into a simple white nightgown. Her blonde hair had been loosened from its braids and hung around her shoulders.

She looked from me to Ami. Then at Ami's tear-streaked face. Then back to me. “What happened?”

Ami immediately turned away. “Nothin’.”

Valentia raised an eyebrow. “You’re a terrible liar.”

Ami wiped her eyes. “I was just apologizin’.”

“For what?”

Ami didn't answer.

Valentia looked at me. “Oh, apologizing for that.” She crossed the room and took Ami in her arms.

Ami's arms immediately locked around the blonde as she buried her face in her girlfriend's chest.

Valentia stroked her hair. “So what did he say?” she asked, her eyes fixed on me, but clearly speaking to Ami.

The dwarven shortstack mumbled something into Valentia's cleavage.

Valentia chuckled as she looked down at the head of auburn hair. “Why wouldn’t he? You’re beautiful.”

More mumbled words flowed into Valentia’s chest. “I don’t think he’ll have a problem with that. I’ve seen how he looks at us. And we’ve talked about this. I think it’ll be fine.”

I was very confused, only hearing half the conversation.

“I, uh… should I give you two some alone time so you can-”

“Don’t be an idiot, Riven.” Valentia looked at me with a mischievous smile. “You have two beautiful women practically throwing themselves at you. I think you know what comes next…”