KeeperAbra As a bit of an experiment, I wrote this chapter while listening to chill music.

Chapter 65: Next of Kyn

Kalender would like to think that he had straightforward emotions. He liked Jyn, really, but this and that weren’t the same issue.

They’d just finished eating lunch. The town was still lively, and they didn’t know where the others had gone, leaving them to ruminate on the events of the past 20 minutes.

…Though, they both knew it wasn’t something you could just sit down and decide on. Not on the same day, anyway.

“I know somewhere we can go,” Kalender said. He wasn’t sure about this, but… “Actually, me and Page went there with—er—Arpeggio the other day.”

He was worried that—maybe—Jyn might feel jealous about being “relegated to second place” or something to that effect, even for something as small as going out for some ice cream.

“W-what kind of place is it?” Jyn asked. She didn’t sound particularly perturbed, but…nervous? Why?

“It’s a sort of ice cream place.”

“O-oh. Alright, let’s go.”

Kalender eyed her as she hurriedly stood. That was a rather strange reaction from her.

Well, anyway, they went.

“Kalender,” Jyn said. He felt chills down his spine. It was probably nothing major, but being addressed by name was still something else.

“Y-yeah?”

“How did you and Her Highness become acquainted? The entire scenario baffles me.”

“…You know, now that I think about it, it was kinda wild.”

He recounted the scuffle in front of the bookstore, between the guards and a few Backalley Bandits, and how one of them tried to take Page hostage.

“That’s when she stepped in,” Kalender continued. “I thought, ‘Wow, she’s shady,’ so I used an appraisal spell, and that’s how I found out who she was.”

“I don’t see how that would cause her to take to you.”

“Well, that’s the thing. She somehow knew I’d appraised her, so she called me out. Started all being snarky and extoring compensation out of me for being ‘rude.’ ”

“ ‘Extorting’ ?”

“I think she was just playing around? I don’t know…I guess, mild power-tripping to try and intimidate me into backing off?”

“That’s…rather mild for royalty, rather”—Jyn stopped Kalender, putting her hands on his shoulders—“you were lucky. Don’t you ever do that to other royalty, alright? They might actually have you executed on the spot for any slight towards them. Please remember that.”

He took her hands and clasped them between his own. “I will.”

Jyn smiled at this—then hurriedly ordered her hands to retreat, as they weren’t prepared to face this kind of situation.

They continued walking, catching a whiff of charcoal smoke from the nearby blacksmith.

“Oh, right!” Kalender said.

“What is it?”

“I was supposed to pick something up at the blacksmith’s. Ah, the ice cream place is close by, so I’ll show you there first.”

They entered the small parlor, and the old lady raised an eyebrow. “Why, young man, how is it that every time you come here, it’s always a new face?”

Kalender chuckled and waved a hand. “I know a lot of people, I guess.”

“Ri~ight. Well then, what will it be for your gallant companion?”

Kalender looked to Jyn. “You prefer anything?”

“I will be truthful. I have never eaten ice cream before.”

He turned back to the old lady. “That’s two vanillas please. Ah, I’ll run outside for a bit. I just have to pick something up at the blacksmith’s.”

As Kalender ran outside, the old lady said behind him, “Don’t stay there too long or you’ll come in smelling like smoke!” and as soon as he was gone, she looked to Jyn.

“So, dear,” she leaned in. “What do you like about him?”

Jyn was an expert sword-wielder…but some things she simply couldn’t parry away.

***

The blacksmith’s was just around the corner from the ice cream parlor—which was weird, but it might have been a strategic choice. The blacksmith’s was a hot place, after all, and when there was a place for cooling down nearby, people would flock there after a visit, wouldn’t they?

The odd thing about that specific corner, though, was a yellow, triangular sign. Within it, two stick people were running headlong into each other, but one of them had something square around their mouth.

Wait… No way?!

He skidded to a stop, and he swore he heard a second pair of heels skid to a stop at the same time, somehow harmonizing despite being a ruckus. Curious, he put some distance between himself and the corner as he peeked around. A wooden mask did the same.

He was going to be spooked, but he realized who it was. “Ah.”

“Mphdr?” said the girl with the sandwich in her mouth. She was wearing a dirty leather apron, a pair of gloves tucked into a pocket. In either of her hands were bundles of swords, wrapped in canvas and rope.

Most striking, at least when back he’d first seen her, was the black, wooden mask she wore. The mask covered the upper half of her face, and a portion of the left cheek, too. There was only one eyehole, for her right eye. Hazel hair covered where her other eye would have been, but it was just the wood of the mask there instead. There were some swirling carvings across the mask, fancy enough that he’d have thought they were elven designs, but what did he know about that?

Kalender had never really asked about it. They were just acquaintances, after all.

“I was gonna pick up the uh—”

“Mm, mm, mmrrhhmm.”

“Huh.”

The girl shook her head. What a blunder. It’s not like she could talk with a sandwich in her mouth! She desperately looked for a way out of this strange situation. She could drop the bundles, but she didn’t want to let her no-doubt dirty hands anywhere near her sandwich.

So…they sort of just stood there while she ate like a goat, steadily pulling the bread into her mouth.

It took a full minute—a long, long minute.

“I was expecting you, actually!” she finally said after a gulp, skillfully moving past this whole event. “But, ah, these are scheduled for delivery”—she navigated around Kalender, already starting a jog—“but I already have your things prepared beside the door! Just give Master Ara-kel a heads-up!”

“Oh, uh, sure!” he waved goodbye as she disappeared into the busy street beyond.

He finally rounded the corner, and after a short jog, reached the end of the street where thick, black smoke whisked about the air above. Below the chimney was the place. He went through the opened door, and a wash of heat greeted him.

Looking around, he found a wooden case on the floor behind him, right beside the door.

“Kyn, are you back?” a woman’s voice greeted. A head of silk-white hair appeared from a door further inside the shop, at the back of a row of anvils. Her ears were pointed. “Oh. Kalender.”

“I just bumped into her a while ago,” Kalender said. “Anyway, I’m just picking up what I asked for. I think it’s that one?”

“Yes, it’d be that.” Ara-kel eyed him. “Say, you’re really dead-set on joining the Company, huh?”

“Oh, I already passed the test, actually.”

“I heard.”

“You…heard?”

“I’ve lived long enough to know enough people,” she said with a chuckle. “Well, good luck, anyway. Drop by sometimes, though. I’m sure Kyn would miss you.”

There was some sort of subtext going on there, but he didn’t want to process that information at the moment.

“It’s not like it’s going to be my last commission here, though?” Kalender said. “Oh, right, what’s with the sign outside by the corner?”

“Hm? Oh, that? Entirely Kyn’s to blame. She keeps crashing into me only when she has a sandwich in her mouth. Figured I’d forewarn the next poor lass she might victimize.”

“Some kind of sandwich curse?”

“Hardly. She does that when she hasn’t had time to sleep.” She tapped her fingers on a workbench. “That’s a minute. Now go on. Scram. You’re distracting my work.”

“Right. Bye.”

Kalender picked up the case and checked the contents as he walked back to the ice cream parlor. It was just a bunch of brass clips and buckles, really, but it would be useful for quickly putting on armor.

He jogged the rest of the way back to the parlor, sweat dripping from the heat he’d just left behind. Because of that, he was already mentally practicing asking for two more scoops of ice cream, all for himself.

When he returned, he found Jyn eating his share. She looked up to him.

“Forgive me for my transgressions” she said.

Kalender sighed. He faced the old lady, but she already had a huge glass goblet filled to the brim with ice cream.

“T-that’s a lot.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll give you a discount.” The lady smiled. “For the lovely couple.”

““We’re not—”“

“Shush, shush!” She glared at Jyn. “After everything you’ve told me? How can I believe otherwise, hm?”

Kalender looked to Jyn, who looked away.

“It’s nothing you haven’t heard me say,” she said. Might as well not worry about it.

***

Kyn had had a rough day today. There were so many orders and Ara-kel was running her ragged, hauling so much stuff all across town. Why couldn’t they come to them and pick up their stuff? Kalender had the right idea!

He was a nice guy. They didn’t really talk much, but she felt like she could breathe around him. Before she knew it, she was already looking forward to whenever he’d dropped by.

She approached the ill-fated Sandwich Danger Zone, but before she turned the corner to Ara-kel’s shop, she heard a door opening, and recognized a familiar voice—no, two familiar voices?

“Let’s go find Page.”

“The girl will be fine, Kalender.”

“Well yeah, but, think about what’ll happen if we let her loose for too long.”

“What can she possibly do?”

“I don’t know…buy a cartful of potatoes for Minimine, I guess?”

“I…I can’t argue.”

Kyn had hidden herself, peeking from around the corner with her one good eye. Down the street, leaving the old lady’s shop, was Kalender, and along with him, a head of hazel hair just like her own, and she sounded like…no. No way.

True, she sounded a lot like her sister, and was roughly the same height, but her sister was a Knight, and she didn’t walk like that.

That’s a heck of a spring in her step!

…Yeah. That’s definitely not her sister.

She turned away and trekked back to the shop. Jyn turned around, scanning the road, wondering what that feeling of being watched was just now.

***

Later that night, everyone had fallen fast asleep, but Jyn simply couldn’t. She just…couldn’t. Not when Kalender was so close to her.

S-somehow, it just felt so scandalous. How did she manage this before?

But! No! They’re just friends!—who cared about each other more than average…hence, best friends? Perhaps…that would do.

Yes. Best friends were enough. Should be.

KeeperAbra As a bit of an experiment, I wrote this chapter while listening to chill music. Chapter 65: Next of Kyn Kalender would like to think that he had straightforward emotions. He liked Jyn, really, but this and that weren't the same issue. They'd just finished eating lunch. The town was still lively, and they didn't know where the others had gone, leaving them to ruminate on the events of the past 20 minutes. Though, they both knew it wasn't something you could just sit down and decide on. Not on the same day, anyway. I know somewhere we can go, Kalender said. He wasn't sure about this, but Actually, me and Page went there witherArpeggio the other day. He was worried thatmaybeJyn might feel jealous about being relegated to second place or something to that effect, even for something as small as going out for some ice cream. W-what kind of place is it? Jyn asked. She didn't sound particularly perturbed, butnervous? Why? It's a sort of ice cream place. O-oh. Alright, let's go. Kalender eyed her as she hurriedly stood. That was a rather strange reaction from her. Well, anyway, they went. Kalender, Jyn said. He felt chills down his spine. It was probably nothing major, but being addressed by name was still something else. Y-yeah? How did you and Her Highness become acquainted? The entire scenario baffles me. You know, now that I think about it, it was kinda wild. He recounted the scuffle in front of the bookstore, between the guards and a few Backalley Bandits, and how one of them tried to take Page hostage. That's when she stepped in, Kalender continued. I thought, Wow, she's shady,' so I used an appraisal spell, and that's how I found out who she was. I don't see how that would cause her to take to you. Well, that's the thing. She somehow knew I'd appraised her, so she called me out. Started all being snarky and extoring compensation out of me for being rude.' Extorting'? I think she was just playing around? I don't knowI guess, mild power-tripping to try and intimidate me into backing off? That'srather mild for royalty, ratherJyn stopped Kalender, putting her hands on his shouldersyou were lucky. Don't you ever do that to other royalty, alright? They might actually have you executed on the spot for any slight towards them. Please remember that. He took her hands and clasped them between his own. I will. Jyn smiled at thisthen hurriedly ordered her hands to retreat, as they weren't prepared to face this kind of situation. They continued walking, catching a whiff of charcoal smoke from the nearby blacksmith. Oh, right! Kalender said. What is it? I was supposed to pick something up at the blacksmith's. Ah, the ice cream place is close by, so I'll show you there first. They entered the small parlor, and the old lady raised an eyebrow. Why, young man, how is it that every time you come here, it's always a new face? Kalender chuckled and waved a hand. I know a lot of people, I guess. Ri~ight. Well then, what will it be for your gallant companion? Kalender looked to Jyn. You prefer anything? I will be truthful. I have never eaten ice cream before. He turned back to the old lady. That's two vanillas please. Ah, I'll run outside for a bit. I just have to pick something up at the blacksmith's. As Kalender ran outside, the old lady said behind him, Don't stay there too long or you'll come in smelling like smoke! and as soon as he was gone, she looked to Jyn. So, dear, she leaned in. What do you like about him? Jyn was an expert sword-wielderbut some things she simply couldn't parry away. *** The blacksmith's was just around the corner from the ice cream parlorwhich was weird, but it might have been a strategic choice. The blacksmith's was a hot place, after all, and when there was a place for cooling down nearby, people would flock there after a visit, wouldn't they? The odd thing about that specific corner, though, was a yellow, triangular sign. Within it, two stick people were running headlong into each other, but one of them had something square around their mouth. Wait No way?! He skidded to a stop, and hesworehe heard a second pair of heels skid to a stop at the same time, somehow harmonizing despite being a ruckus. Curious, he put some distance between himself and the corner as he peeked around. A wooden mask did the same. He was going to be spooked, but he realized who it was. Ah. Mphdr? said the girl with the sandwich in her mouth. She was wearing a dirty leather apron, a pair of gloves tucked into a pocket. In either of her hands were bundles of swords, wrapped in canvas and rope. Most striking, at least when back he'd first seen her, was the black, wooden mask she wore. The mask covered the upper half of her face, and a portion of the left cheek, too. There was only one eyehole, for her right eye. Hazel hair covered where her other eye would have been, but it was just the wood of the mask there instead. There were some swirling carvings across the mask, fancy enough that he'd have thought they were elven designs, but what did he know about that? Kalender had never really asked about it. They were just acquaintances, after all. I was gonna pick up the uh Mm, mm, mmrrhhmm. Huh. The girl shook her head. What a blunder.It's not like she could talk with a sandwich in her mouth!She desperately looked for a way out of this strange situation. She could drop the bundles, but she didn't want to let her no-doubt dirty hands anywhere near her sandwich. Sothey sort of just stood there while she ate like a goat, steadily pulling the bread into her mouth. It took a full minutea long, long minute. I was expecting you, actually! she finally said after a gulp, skillfully moving past this whole event. But, ah, these are scheduled for deliveryshe navigated around Kalender, already starting a jogbut I already have your things prepared beside the door! Just give Master Ara-kel a heads-up! Oh, uh, sure! he waved goodbye as she disappeared into the busy street beyond. He finally rounded the corner, and after a short jog, reached the end of the street where thick, black smoke whisked about the air above. Below the chimney was the place. He went through the opened door, and a wash of heat greeted him. Looking around, he found a wooden case on the floor behind him, right beside the door. Kyn, are you back? a woman's voice greeted. A head of silk-white hair appeared from a door further inside the shop, at the back of a row of anvils. Her ears were pointed. Oh. Kalender. I just bumped into her a while ago, Kalender said. Anyway, I'm just picking up what I asked for. I think it's that one? Yes, it'd be that. Ara-kel eyed him. Say, you're really dead-set on joining the Company, huh? Oh, I already passed the test, actually. I heard. Youheard? I've lived long enough to know enough people, she said with a chuckle. Well, good luck, anyway. Drop by sometimes, though. I'm sure Kyn would miss you. There was some sort of subtext going on there, but he didn't want to process that information at the moment. It's not like it's going to be my last commission here, though? Kalender said. Oh, right, what's with the sign outside by the corner? Hm? Oh, that? Entirely Kyn's to blame. She keeps crashing into meonlywhen she has a sandwich in her mouth. Figured I'd forewarn the next poor lass she might victimize. Some kind of sandwich curse? Hardly. She does that when she hasn't had time to sleep. She tapped her fingers on a workbench. That's a minute. Now go on. Scram. You're distracting my work. Right. Bye. Kalender picked up the case and checked the contents as he walked back to the ice cream parlor. It was just a bunch of brass clips and buckles, really, but it would be useful for quickly putting on armor. He jogged the rest of the way back to the parlor, sweat dripping from the heat he'd just left behind. Because of that, he was already mentally practicing asking fortwomore scoops of ice cream, all for himself. When he returned, he found Jyn eating his share. She looked up to him. Forgive me for my transgressions she said. Kalender sighed. He faced the old lady, but she already had a huge glass goblet filled to the brim with ice cream. T-that's a lot. Oh, don't worry. I'll give you a discount. The lady smiled. For the lovely couple. We're not Shush, shush! She glared at Jyn. After everything you've told me? How can I believe otherwise, hm? Kalender looked to Jyn, who looked away. It's nothing you haven't heard me say, she said. Might as well not worry about it. *** Kyn had had a rough day today. There were so many orders and Ara-kel was running her ragged, hauling so much stuff all across town. Why couldn't they come tothemand pick uptheirstuff? Kalender had the right idea! He was a nice guy. They didn't really talk much, but she felt like she could breathe around him. Before she knew it, she was already looking forward to whenever he'd dropped by. She approached the ill-fated Sandwich Danger Zone, but before she turned the corner to Ara-kel's shop, she heard a door opening, and recognized a familiar voiceno,twofamiliar voices? Let's go find Page. The girl will be fine, Kalender. Well yeah, but, think about what'll happen if we let her loose for too long. What can she possibly do? I don't knowbuy a cartful of potatoes for Minimine, I guess? II can't argue. Kyn had hidden herself, peeking from around the corner with her one good eye. Down the street, leaving the old lady's shop, was Kalender, and along with him, a head of hazel hair just like her own, and she sounded likeno. No way. True, she sounded a lot like her sister, and was roughly the same height, but her sister was a Knight, and she didn't walk likethat. That's a heck of a spring in her step! Yeah. That's definitely not her sister. She turned away and trekked back to the shop. Jyn turned around, scanning the road, wondering what that feeling of being watched was just now. *** Later that night, everyone had fallen fast asleep, but Jyn simply couldn't. She justcouldn't. Not when Kalender was so close to her. S-somehow, it just felt so scandalous. How did she manage this before? But! No! They're just friends!who cared about each other more than averagehence, best friends? Perhapsthat would do. Yes. Best friends were enough. Should be.