"Do you know what a report is?" Cendric asked.

"Like a research paper, the one you turn in to professors?" Leondre was not sure what he meant but doubted the man needed him writing any essays.

"It's a military term, a report can be on paper or by word of mouth. It's a condensed account of the current situation or a particular event. You filter out unnecessary details and stick to what's relevant. As an example, I'll go first." Cedric poured himself some water from a pitcher off the table. Swishing the cup around, he took a sip.

"There were no rogue adventurers, it was too dark and impossible to cover the ruins all at once. I went after but lost track of you two, later a tower caught on fire, I assumed that was the signal and investigated. Only to find you half-dead near the entrance, with some snowflake draining the life out of you."

"Snowflake?"

"White-haired girl, daemon, whatever the hell it was," Cendric shrugged, "Another thing, let me finish before you ask questions."

"Sor-right," Leondre said, trying not to apologize as much.

"When she noticed me I attacked, she was unarmed and caught off guard so.." Cendric paused, bewildered by Leondre's disapproving frown, "Did I say something offending to you?"

"No. Well actually, it's just, you didn't ask her to surrender, and attacked first without announcing yourself?" The frown twisted to a grimace.

Cendric knew what the brat was thinking: Chivalry, that such actions were deplorable, especially against women. For some reason, this irked him more than it should, having been used to this type of disdain.

"Let me tell you something about chivalry—it's bullshit. There ain't any damsels, no helpless women needing to be saved; they can be cruel and ruthless as men." He sneered at Leondre, "And that thing was no human, she charged me head-on, unafraid of my weapon, and fought with her claws." Cendric angrily waved his hand for emphasis. "I watched her vanish and then reappear, nearly eviscerating me, had my blessing not detected her. Plenty of humans can do that, don't you think?"

"You're right Cendric."

"What?" His eyes widened in surprise.

"What you said was sound advice. I know despite how Spartha views women, they are very capable. And that chivalry, like any other system, is in no way perfect. You risked your life to save me, and how I reacted was unbecoming, so please, forgive me." For once his voice didn't crack, Leondre smiled as he added, "I think it's become a habit now, me apologizing to you."

"Eh?" Cendric was processing everything he just heard. It sounded like the whelp apologized and wasn't so gung-ho on chivalric romance as he once been. He even jested a little. 'Who the hell is this⁠—where's the self-conscious brat that mumbled half of the time?'

"The report, maybe I should try." Leondre offered.

"Uh-huh." Cendric brought the cup to his mouth, drinking it.

"We went together as you told us, but Lannus panicked and ran ahead in the tower. I caught up after rounding a corner and realized we had passed the entrance. He lit a torch, Lannus, gave it to me. An..and," His hands grasped the sheets, trembling. He couldn't form words to speak, not when those images threatened to flashback. Only a glimpse from the side, darkness concealed most of it.

Yet all so clear.

That dull crunch, like stepping on a snail shell before giving away to its soft innards. Then the splatter—a warm viscous liquid coating his face. And something wet and mushy, plopping onto the ground like oatmeal.

Suddenly, Leondre remembered what he ate. His arm shot out, grabbing the bucket as he ducked his head.

"Lannus is dead then," Cendric stated, pretending not to hear him retch inside the bucket. "Don't need the details, what happened after?"

Leondre set the bucket aside, staring at his lap. "An abomination, that's what it was. It killed him, Cendric. Never gave him a chance to react..." His voice quavered, "A-at that moment, it looked at me with those soulless pits," He started rubbing his eyes, "And I ran. It followed me up the staircase, that thing. I can still hear the scraping, even when I set the stairs on fire," Leondre reached behind his neck, "The heat grew hotter every second, it burned, but I never looked back. "

He told Cendric of the light ahead, glyphs atop the entrance, and how they blocked smoke and the monster. Then about searching the chamber, finding a stone door, and to Cedric's surprise, Leondre explained the immense strength he felt before smashing through the dense masonry. Along with the wax circle and girl imprisoned inside. Finally, uncasing Roi Soleil and the beams emitting from it, them kissing, and him falling unconscious.

When he finished, Cendric solemnly nodded before bursting into laughter.

"You don't believe me," Leondre said quietly. Who would? It sounded like a fiction novel, the ones he'd read at home. 'Only, I'm no hero. The monster slew my friend, and I didn't save the damsel, the damsel saved me.' Then he remembered what his cousin said about her draining the life out of him. 'Well sort of.'

"No, no, I do." Cendric managed between fits, "It's just... you got shite luck, and really need better taste in women. " He snorted, nearly falling to his knees, "I think your girlfriend was sucking more than blood."

"Nevra's not my girlfriend!" Leondre's face turned red like a ripe tomato. Whether from anger or embarrassment, it was hard to say.

"See? You know her name." The Knight Seeker chortled.

"Someone died, Cendric. How can you be laughing?"

Cendric coughed, wheezing as he shook his head. "Leondre, listen to me. He's dead, mourn and move on. Thinking about the what-ifs, or buts change nothing. You said it yourself, Lannus panicked, he made his choice, and you made yours." For the brat to be reduced into a pile of tears because of one death, he dared not imagine how Leondre's first time killing would go.

[By the All-Mother, why I am stuck with a bleeding heart?!]

Cendric wanted him mentally stable, at least thinking coherently. It was infuriating that the brat grieved so much over a person he only knew for two days. Kindness to strangers? Look where it got the kid; he nearly died after releasing the daemon girl and was so close to falling apart that at this rate, swatting a butterfly could make him cry.

"Cendric."

"Yes?" He said, abruptly stopping his thoughts. The brat, oddly, had been quiet.

"That day at the taproom, when you came to me, how did you know?"

"Be more specific whelp."

"Who I was, my face, and that we were cousins."

It was Cedric's turn to frown. "The uniform made it blatant you were from the Royal Academy. Your family may consider themselves neutral but everyone knows House Marras supports the Crown. The King married your brother to Princess Constance, and even elevated him to Duke."

"Sorry, but that does not answer my question." There was resolve in his tone, unlike the previous time he confronted Cendric. "We have never met, yet you recognized me. How?"

Cendric raised a brow, whistling. "An awful lot of questions for someone who was vomiting in a bucket and crying a minute ago."

"You are the one who told me to move on. Answer me, please."

The knight regarded the teen carefully, or that's what it looked like, he was stalling for time, figuring what to say. Should he lie now, mixed with some truth? But how long until Leondre started asking more questions and looked for answers himself? 'I could play off the trial as some big secret, afraid of him resenting me because of my mother.' Cendric was only worried about the brat learning of the contract and investigating his service records within the Knight's Seeker. No amount of bullshit would save him from that truth.

"Cendric?"

[Speaking of bullshit.]

"It's complicated whelp. I—met your father before, and the resemblance is uncanny. Seven Hell's, my heart nearly popped out the first time I saw you at the inn."

Leondre started to say something, but Cendric merely waved his hand, casually sweeping the teenager's words back into his mouth.

His voice solidified, bitter and cold like ice. "Don't ask me the specifics." But when Cendric locked eyes with Leondre, it all melted away, "Please." He whispered, holding the stare until Leondre broke contact.

"If that's what you wish, I will not pry. On one condition, Cedric."

"What's that, whelp?"

"Stop calling me this, we are cousins."

"Can't promise that...Whelp." Cendric grinned wolfishly, as Leondre groaned, plopping his head back on the pillow.