“There was a prince in Callir, long ago, who had a grudge against a priest of Xito. The prince sought to poison the priest, but an opportunity was yet to be found. The priest took each of his meals and drinks with the other churchmen, and they all ate the same food. In the end, the prince resolved to poison everyone in the dining hall, killing most of the priests and at the same time hiding the real target among the victims.

-Milemnon, Historical Trivia”

* * *

Julia

As she got off the carriage and set foot before the gates of the Feanir estate, the sounds of crossbow bolts being shot echoed in the neighbourhood. She then glanced behind her, watching her coachman as he handed out the reins of the horse to a servant. “I won't be long.”

She entered the residence and found the cause of the sounds in the courtyard. A blurry bolt flashed before her eyes, sticking itself with force in an already obliterated wooden log.

“My, if it isn't sister Julia!” said an all too familiar high-pitched voice. She turned her head to glare at Astrael, holding a crossbow in one hand and waving at her with the other. “What could possibly bring you here, I wonder.”

What are you acting all high and mighty for ? she meant to ask, but knew better than to argue about anything with the brat. You sound like you own the place.

“The young mistress was wondering what you were up to,” she said as she observed him walking through the courtyard and crouching next to the wooden log. “After all, you've been here for... what, two weeks or something?”

The Feanir family must have taken quite the liking to you.

He thought for a bit and scribbled something on his wax tablet.“Possibly. Don't tell me you came here to check up on me?”

“No,” she shook her head. Well, partly. “I wanted to know if sir Leon was here, there are matters to be taken care of.” Astrael drew something on the sandy ground of the courtyard with a stick and motioned for Julia to approach.

“Couldn't you send a servant? Ah, careful no to step on these marks.” She was about to open her mouth when he handed her the crossbow. “Here, try to reload that.”

“Me?” she questioned, unsure. The kid nodded, so she grabbed the weapon. I think it goes like this? She put her foot in the stirrup and tried to span the string, knowing fully it would probably be too hard, before realizing that something was strange. A curious contraption was fixed to the crossbow. It looked like a lever that pointed downward.

“It's called a goat's foot lever,” Astrael said as he clearly noticed Julia's confusion.

“Is that the mechanism you told me about?”

“No, I am not its inventor, unfortunately,” he muttered, or rather grumbled, before raising his voice. “Apparently the knights of Dael use this thing, but it's barely known around here. Only rich collectors like lord Feanir have them.”

“Huh. So do I pull on it like that?” she said as she did the exact action she was describing. It still required a bit of strength, but to her surprise, it worked out perfectly. She did it! She had reloaded a crossbow. Wasn't it supposed to be a men's weapon?

“Now you take off the lever, put the bolt in the rail, and you're ready to shoot.” Astrael explained before demonstrating.

“Clever,” she observed.

“But! It's still far too large and heavy to be used by Rina or Timenon.”

“Oh-” She had almost voiced her excitement, but stopped at the last moment. She wasn't supposed to know about Timenon, his illness, or how Astrael's device would help him. “You've told me it was a gift for the young mistress, but... Timenon?” she asked innocently. “Sir Leon's brother... If I recall. What does he have to do with this?”

The kid glanced at her, raised a brow, and shrugged. Oh, you brat.

“Behold my own invention.” He went inside the armoury and returned shortly after with a smaller crossbow, another odd device attached to it. “This crossbow is lighter and more practical to use for us weaklings and people of short stature.”

“And this lever is the one you've spent two weeks building, I assume.”

“Correct. I named it the cranequin.” There was no stirrup on this one, so he simply held the end of the crossbow against the ground with one hand and with the other, rotated a handle which drew the string back. It was only a guess, but the trick most likely had to do with this dented rack hooked on the string.

Once he was done, he took off the device, put the bolt, and fired. He turned his head to face Julia, and had a smug expression. “Of course, it can be improved. That device could span the bow of a much larger, heavier weapon, with the same ease. But it's meant to be used by frail arms, so it'll do for now.”

Julia could only be in awe before this scene. Needless to say, she wouldn't show it, or else the kid wouldn't contain his arrogance, but still. She was so impressed, she had almost forgotten the reason she came here in the first place.

“Uh... So, is Leon here?”

“I do wonder what business you have with sir Leon,” Astrael nonchalantly said, denying her an answer. She gave him a mean glare and he chuckled. “Try the study.”

Julia grunted as a form of thanks and headed for said study. In the corner of her eye she saw Astrael's mouth agape, probably about to ask if she knew where it was located, but she ignored him. She entered the manor through the front gates, climbed the stairs, walked the corridor and knocked at the door. “One moment,” a voice said from inside the room.

High-pitched yells from the courtyard reached her ears. “Don't step there, you brainless moron!” Probably a slave or a servant who had the misfortune of walking too close to Astrael's drawings on the ground.

Leon opened the door. “Oh, it's you,” he simply said before motioning for her to enter.

“Were you busy? Sorry.”

“It's fine, I just wasn't expecting you.”

“Expecting a shorter temple-dweller, perhaps,” she said with a smirk. He caught on the meaning and shrugged. “Though he doesn't seem to be doing much temple-dwelling these days. On a serious note, the young mistress is asking that you, err, give her brother back.”

Leon let out a laugh, thinking she was jesting, then scoffed when he realized she wasn't. “Did she really say that? Give him back?” She nodded while glancing over the shelves in the study. “Ah, children these days... She should know that he has been working on a present for her, though.”

“That crossbow thing.”

The knight's eyes flashed with excitement. “Ah, you've seen it! What do you think? That kid's mind is a treasure, I tell you.”

“What do I think, eh? It's impressive, to say the least...” she admitted, a bit taken aback by Leon's enthusiasm, though she knew the reason.

“Mh. Truly a lucky opportunity. Thanks again for telling me.” Julia was about to ask him something, but he seemed to have read her mind perfectly. “Don't worry, as far as everyone is concerned, I heard about it from the young mistress.”

“Good.”

He rubbed his chin, seemingly pondering on an issue, and nodded to himself before sharing his conclusion with Julia. “I'm thinking of making him a page. He would learn to ride and fight, before becoming my squire. Well, I doubt he would accept, but still.”

“Don't you already have a bunch of pages and squires?” She tilted her head. “And it doesn't sound like something the young mistress would agree to. I just told you she wanted him to return to the temple, you know. Not spend the next twelve years or so by your side.”

Leon chuckled. “What are you talking about? It would be a shame if he were to fall in the hands of some other house, so I may as well try to keep him with us... And I'm supposed to be the chosen's bodyguard, am I not? If I'm around her, then so is her brother.”

“What a bodyguard you are,” she snickered, “protecting her from the other side of the city.”

“Oh, but I'm attending another woman right now.” He held her hand and rested his lips on it. Then pulled her arm and embraced her. “A jealous one, it seems.”

“If you know her to be so jealous, why are you spending all your time sitting here in the inner-city?” Julia said, offering her neck to his lips. “She can't come to visit you everyday, you see.”

He took her on on her offer. “True, I must apologize. Father and I had affairs to take care of – overseeing the recruitment of more men for the citywatch, and whatnot,” he said between two kisses. “I didn't have time to come to the temple. Though it seems you're entirely capable of coming to see me, so...”

“But we should be more careful,” she whispered. “Have the bloodsguards not taken a vow of celibacy?” The priests and priestesses of Xito too, for that matter, but Julia said these things without really caring. A false attempt to keep appearances which had been discarded long ago between the both of them.

“We have,” he whispered back. “I have. So that I could be with you in the temple, instead of marrying some noble girl that I barely met twice.” The same words he used every time he felt like justifying himself. Then, he kissed her.

* * *

Julia hastily tidied her hair and dark red robes after exiting the study. She wasn't worried about the servants who could see her in the manor, as it wasn't the first time she was here. Nor was it anything exceedingly strange for a priestess of Xito to visit the captain of the bloodsguard, as long as it did not become a regular occurrence. But still, as she had said to Leon, she'd rather be careful and make her visits as rare as possible.

In the courtyard, Astrael had stopped demolishing wooden logs with his crossbow bolts, and was now drawing diagrams with a quill, using the back of a slave as a support for his letter. “Guess I'll make another one for me, too,” he muttered before scribbling a note at the bottom of the paper. He thanked the man once he was done, gave him the letter along with instructions for an errand, and got back to whatever he was busy doing before – cleaning and maintaining this cranequin of his, apparently.

I don't think I've ever seen a kid using a slave in such a mean way, only to thank him afterward... Adults though? Oh, she knew there was much worse than what she could possibly imagine, out there.

Astrael noticed her in the corner of his eyes and called out to her. “Ah, sister Julia, are you leaving us already?”

“I have to return to the temple for the young mistress' lessons. You should also come back, you know.”

Or else the young mistress will chew me out. His excellency Phiramel too was starting to get annoyed by the hero's complaining... Couldn't Leon have installed a workshop in the temple or something? It wasn't as if they were using all the rooms at the temple.

He sighed and stretched his arms. “I suppose I should. I'm done here for the time being, anyway. Let's go, then.” She raised a brow, as she didn't expect the fight to be so easy. I'll not complain, though. They walked through the gates while the coachman was waiting for them, but Astrael suddenly stopped.

“Forgot something?” she wondered.

He squinted his eyes and stared at her. “What's with you? Have you been walking through a hurricane on your way to the study, or something?” Julia reflexively arranged her hair, which made the kid's eyes widen. He approached her and sniffed, to her utter horror. “Oh, dear gods...” he muttered with a grimace.

“W-what?” was all that she could manage to say in her confusion. Astrael groaned and shook his head with a scolding expression.

“I thought you a smart person who knew how to play the game,” he finally dared to say as he climbed in the carriage, “but it turns out you're just a fool. How silly of me.”

Does he know!?

“A fool for spilling that cursed perfumed water laying at every corner of the house?” she blurted, attempting to dodge any possible suspicions. “Well, I was careless and didn't see it. Sorry if you're bothered by the smell of flowers because it hides your aura of peasantry and dirt.”

Astrael simply snorted and looked the other way like a pouting child. Well, he was a pouting child, wasn't he? Once her embarrassment and anger faded, she couldn't believe how rude she had just been. Oh, that was a mistake for sure. Hopefully he wouldn't go and complain to the young mistress.

Still, Julia strongly wished she could strangle the brat right now. Whatever he may or may have not mistaken her for, and whatever he may or may not have understood about her, she only hoped he wouldn't spread weird rumours. Though it would be his word against hers.

He is but a child. What could he have possibly understood anyway?

Worst case scenario, couldn't Leon just slay him somehow? Train him as a page like he said, then have some accident happening for instance.

“Now that I think about it,” Astrael said at last, “I wouldn't want my sister to get dragged into a scandal. How shameful it would be for her, if people learned that the captain of her guard and one of her priestesses were fools with an habit of... spilling perfumed water. I trust you'll do your utmost to keep your clumsiness a most guarded secret.” He gave Julia a knowing smile. He really does know.

“Eh...” she stared at him, her face and voice as impassible as she could manage. “Indeed. We'll be more careful from now on.”

“Please do so.”

This kid... Julia really didn't need his meddling right now. But if she played her cards well, she could get him to cover for her – as long as she made it clear she only had the young mistress' best interests in mind. They travelled silently, until they passed by a bunch of soldiers who were busy mocking some poor-looking lad. One of the guards jokingly kicked him and laughed as his victim was struggling to get on his feet. Julia barely gave them a glance – they were probably Danalion soldiers.

“That a slave?” Astrael asked, his cheek resting on his fist. “These soldiers really are making the law here, it seems.”

She tilted her head. “What's it to you? I didn't take you for someone who was bothered by slavery. Next you'll tell me we should free them.” Now it was Astrael who made a confused expression.

“Do you take me for a Daeli or something?” he said in a slightly offended tone. “I'm only inquiring because we just saw soldiers misusing someone else's property.”

She wasn't convinced by his argument. The boy they saw could have been one of Elric Danalion's slaves, and regardless, slaves were slaves. “How would you treat slaves then?” she asked out of curiosity, and at the same time recalling him in the manor's courtyard.

“I wouldn't concern myself with other people's slaves, to begin with. My own, though? They would share my every joy and pain, become a part of my life, depend on me as much as I would depend on them. Ah, of course, they would commit suicide if I were to die for some reason. It would be improper if slaves were to outlive their master, don't you think?”

“You...” Sound like you've read too many history books, she concluded in her mind. Especially the last part. “You do understand the city-state of Callir would take custody of any slave whose master had passed away, right?” They were a precious workforce worth a certain amount of silver, after all. Having them commit suicide would be such a barbaric waste.

“I know. Thankfully Callir isn't the only place in the world where I can have slaves.”

True enough. There were city-states known to have such customs, centuries ago, but this lifestyle was a thing of the past, mostly – but perhaps some countries were still thinking like that, who knew? Well, it wasn't her problem anyway. Priests couldn't own slaves, but if Julia had some, she would treat them as she saw fit. Probably not too differently from the way the treated the servants, however. There was no point in abusing people working for her, she wasn't like some of these deviant owners who got a kick out of degrading their slaves.

“How is Rina doing with her studies?” Astrael asked once they arrived in front of the temple. “I believe her physical classes have started by now.”

“Yes, she has met most of her tutors and masters. Why don't you go see how she fares instead of asking me all that?” There was no reason he wouldn't be allowed to do so. She couldn't really speak for the other teachers, but as far as she was concerned, she would not mind Astrael also attending her lessons. She took turns with Phiramel to teach the young mistress about theology and morals, but the girl was never particularly enthralled. She was a complicated child, to say the least, and she doubted the brother could be worse.

As they walked through the hall, Astrael gazed at the ceiling. It wasn't the first time, and Julia had heard the servants talking about the boy occasionally sitting in the middle of the room and simply staring at the paintings.

“Now that I think about it, I've never been where the lessons take place.”

“It's on the fourth floor. Come with me, I'll show you.” And more importantly I need to show my good side. Sister Julia is the kind priestess who showed you around the temple and the city, right?

It was still early, so the young mistress should have been in the middle of her physical education. Yesterday morning she had gymnastic exercises, and the day before, archery practise. Today is fencing, then.

Astrael and Julia climbed the stairs and reached the fourth floor. They walked through a series of corridors, from which one could access the library, the amphitheatre and various rooms where acolytes and students were taught and where priests kept learning ever after the completion of their instruction. She occasionally had to wait for Astrael to snap out of his peeking whenever he heard bits of a lesson that caught his interest – and it happened every ten seconds or so.

Eventually they arrived at the gymnasium, a place that also served as training grounds and armoury for the templars. There was no one in the room currently, except the young mistress, her teacher, one of her servants, and two of her bodyguards.

In truth, Leon Feanir, as captain of her guard and most reputed knight of the temple, should have been the young mistress' fencing master, but Therenus intervened and, probably wanting to limit the influence of Phiramel's faction, managed to give the job to one of his lackeys. Even though the man himself, a Vieran by the name of Odel, seemed competent enough, Julia was pissed off by the fact that Therenus had stolen the position away from Leon. And the elder's lackey was probably not devoid of a political agenda.

“Faster, young mistress” the master's voice reached Julia's ears, amongst the sound of wooden swords clashing. “Faster!”

Despite her small size, the young mistress was restlessly hammering Odel with her weapon, mad eyes and gritted teeth that made her look like a wild beast, her black hair flowing behind her with each swing. The two bloodsguards watching from afar were chuckling among themselves, jokingly betting on whether or not the fencing master would end up losing.

“She sure looks passionate about it,” Astrael commented from behind.

She glanced at him, expecting a grin of some sort on his face, but found no such thing. “You seem surprised.”

“I sure am. I didn't know that side of her.”

A clattering noise made Julia turn her head. The young mistress was panting, hands on the knees, while her sword was laying on the ground a few meters away. “We shall take a short break,” Odel said while the servant brought the girl a jug of water, “before switching to the spear.”

The young mistress noticed her brother and Julia, and gave them a shy wave, but she did not approach. After a few minutes, they began sparring again, with wooden spears this time. Seeing how the master was praising her, the young mistress was apparently doing good. Julia surmised it was because of the weapon's reach, but she couldn't really say as she knew next to nothing about warring, fighting or soldiering.

These matters were rather boring to her, in truth. But the young mistress surely looks like she enjoys it, she thought, before glancing yet again at Astrael. She would have said that he, too, seemed to enjoy it – he was a boy after all, even if he was strange.

But she only saw very intense eyes staring at the clashing figures, and a serious, sinister expression on his face. She wasn't sure why, but she shivered and felt compelled to look away.