Jon and Mallory carried Hector to the room with the beds and laid him down on the one closet to the door.

“I coulda beat him…” Hector said quietly.

“No you wouldn't,” Mallory said. “It’s fine.”

“He threatened you…” Hector responded. “I won’t forgive that.”

“He loves me,” Mallory said. “Really.”

“I guess he loves you more than me…” Hector just looked at the end of the room where the debris from his tantrum was. It hadn’t been cleared up at all.

“That’s not what I mean Hector. He’s just hard on you cause he loves you.”

Hector didn’t answer.

Mallory turned to see Jon.

“Are you okay Jon?” Mallory asked. “I know Hector’s dad is something.”

Hector’s dad. Luther.

Jon had always thought that his father was a fearsome figure. But with perspective from both Mercy’s and Hector’s fathers, he realized that Jassiter was soft and cuddly by comparison.

And supportive.

“He was scary,” Jon said. ‘Bad scary.”

“Yeah. He’s a good guy. He’s just stressed out… in fact, he really shouldn’t take out his anger on his kids. Not very good parenting, is it?”

Jon looked at Hector. He looked immensely sad. It almost made Jon want to cry.

“I think he knows that,” Mallory said. “It’s just, is he ever going to fix it?”

No one had an answer for Mallory.

“Why don’t we all get some rest.” Mallory continued to try to fill the silence.

“I’m fine,” Hector said. “I’m not tired.”

Jon didn't know how to make Hector feel better. He decided to walk up to Hector and give him his blunderbuss.

When Jon held out the gun to Hector, Hector’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I… You keep it, Jon,” Hector said. “Thank you.”

“I think what Jon’s saying is that you should try taking out your anger on something,” Mallory said. “Like you always do. Instead of moping around.”

Jon didn’t think he meant that, but he appreciated Mallory’s answer. Hector was much more tolerable when he was angry. Watching him sad just didn’t feel good at all.

Tallow suddenly came inside the room.

“I was wondering where you guys were at. I was-”

She caught a glimpse of Hector.

Jon expected a crack, but Tallow didn’t give one.

“What in the world happened to you?” she asked. “You don’t look so hot.”

“Sure... “ Hector sat up. “I could do some shooting. As long as everybody stops talking about how much crap I look like.”

Hector had found his blunderbuss from the farm and took everyone outside of the barracks. He then brought some targets outside of the building and lined them up.

“I don’t think that the targets are gonna survive the gun,” Mallory noted.

“I don’t care,” Hector responded. “I wanna break stuff.”

He had loaded his blunderbuss and held it at his hip.

He fired. The ammunition scraped the side of the sign, pushing it back a bit.

Jon couldn’t believe it. Normally, the blunderbuss had a bit of recoil on it, something you had to account for shooting and for aiming. When Hector fired the gun, there was barely any movement at all, probably because he was holding it down with his strength.

Jon went up to Hector.

“You have something to say, Jon?” Hector asked.

“...Shoot with your chest,” Jon said.

“Shoot with my chest?”

“I think he means aim,” Mallory said.

“I agree,” Tallow said. “Point with your chest and aim.”

“That doesn’t make sense…” Hector said quietly. He looked Jon in the eyes.

Jon looked back at Hector, waiting.

“Fine. If you’re so serious about it…” Hector loaded his gun, faced the target, and fired.

The entire board was knocked back by the projectile.

“I did it!” Hector yelled.

“Thank you. Jon!” Tallow yelled.

“Thanks, Jon,” Hector said.

Jon grimaced. Hector did hit the board in the center, but only horizontally. His shot was still too low, but again, that was ‘cause Hector’s grip was so strong it didn’t allow for any recoil.

Jon didn’t know how to reconcile this. Still, at least Hector was aiming better. Jon decided that a shot in the legs was still a good shot regardless.

“Let me try!” Tallow swiftly ran up to the gun and ripped it out of Hector’s hands. She twirled it in her hands.

“You have to- '' She had already reached into the nearby ammo crate and loaded the gun.

“I know. I know.” She aimed and fired.

Her cape shook behind her as the gun.

She managed to hit the target. Jon was impressed.

She held the end of the barrel towards her face and blew the smoke away. “I like this.”

She turned to Mallory .”Oi! Give it a shot!!”

“No way,” Mallory said. “I don’t do weapons.”

“Don’t be a killjoy!” she said.

“Yeah, Mallory, you should learn how to use something,” Hector said. “Try it.”

Mallory sighed, but he came down to the target.

When he fired, he was pushed back by the gun, just barely holding on to his footing. He had scraped the bottom corner of the side of the target.

Jon had thought it was really good for a first try. He could see how Mallory was trying to aim, and he just wasn't ready for the recoil In fact, Jon was amazed by his friends.

“My turn!” Tallow grabbed the blunderbuss from Mallory.

“It’s mine.” Hector grabbed it from her.

“Then I’m gonna use Jon’s,” Tallow said.

Jon didn’t know if that was a good idea. After Sabez’s demonstration, he was worried about having others physically use the gun.

Thank goodness Mallory was here to cover him.

“Sabez says it’s not a good idea to just use-” Hector began.

“Blah, blah, blah, I’ve been playing ‘Sabez says’ for half my life,” Tallow said. “I don’t need to be warned about the effects of magical weapons that belong to people, yadda yadda ya.”

She helped up her clawed hand. “I can use this, and I took it off of that chick who was making all of that ratchet.”

“...That weapon’s probably not magical,” Mallory responded.

“No?” Tallow observed it. “Aw, man…”

“Or…” Mallory put his finger to his chin. “Maybe…”

“Jon!” Hector said. “Let me try it.”

He held his hand out.

Jon just decided to let Hector take it and see what would happen.

Hector caught it out of the air with one hand.

“You’re not supposed to shoot it, right?” Hector asked. He then quickly whipped his arm, tossing the entire gun at the target.

It bounced off the target and set it on fire.

“Whoa…” Hector said. “That’s cool.”

Jon thought it was cool too. He figured that was a workaround from shooting the gun.

“...That works, Hector,” Mallory said. “I forgot you have an understanding of magical weapons.”

“Ehh, just give me a sword any day,” Hector said, shrugging.

Jon was going to get his gun, but a blue tentacle had already hung it in front of his face. He grabbed it.

“Oi, there goes the queen,” Tallow said.

The others watched Mercy walk down the hill to their spot.

“Hector… that’s your father?” She asked. “He’s almost as scary as my father.”

“Yeah, probably,” Hector said.

Tallow grabbed Hector’s gun from him and held it out to Mercy.

“Go on.” Tallow said. “Use it.”

Mercy took it. “Oh, we’re doing this?”

She walked up to the shooting position. Everyone watched her in anticipation.

After looking at the target for a minute, she turned her back to it, looking at the others.

“Sorry, guys,” Mercy said. “I’m being a bit dramatic.”

She put the gun over her shoulder and shot it with one hand. Jon could see the ammo hit the target perfectly,

He was impressed, scared, and a little ashamed at how good that was.

“What the hell?” Hector asked.” How can you do that?”

“Show off,” Tallow said, crossing her arms.

Mallory crossed his arms too, but he had a smile instead of a pout.

“There she goes,” he said. “I should have known.”

She turned to Jon. “Did you like it?”

“Yeah,” Jon said. “It was awesome. He was still a bit stunned.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’ve learned a little of everything."

She quickly turned and threw a metal star.

It flew through the hole in the wood that the gun had made before.

She then loaded the gun and fired again, faster than Jon had ever seen in his life.

The hole in the center became bigger as another shot went through it.

“...I always think about…” Mercy explained, “if something happened to you… and I had to protect you, or whatever… I mean, I run simulations in my head. Made-up scenarios. I have to be prepared for anything, you know?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Tallow said. “We already know how much you need to impress Jon."

“You’re just jealous,” Mercy said, turning towards Tallow.

“Jealous? Of what?” Tallow asked. “I’m not getting married to hot head over here. I don’t have anything to be jealous of.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” Mercy said.

“I’m not jealous of that either,” Tallow said. “Besides, we’re going on a mission together.”

Mercy’s eyes widened. “What?” What mission? There’s a mission?”

“Yep.”

“Then I’m coming,” Mercy said.

“No, you’re not,” Hector said. “It’s not-”

“You keep out of this!” Mercy said, pointing to Hector.

“Fine,” he raised his hands up in surrender. “Just don’t kick me anymore.”

“I think Hector has a point,” Mallory said. “Especially with Hector’s father around.”

“...Fine,” Mercy said, crossing her arms.

“That was way too easy,” Mallory said.

“...Yeah,” Mercy said. She had calmed down. “Your father… they don’t want us to sleep in the same room anymore.”

“What? He can’t decide that,” Hector said. “That’s… what does he think we do?”

“Hector, you’re getting married,” Mallory responded. “What do you think he thinks you do?”

“I dunno,” Hector said.

“Oh, my God, he’s a child…” Tallow put her hand on her head in disbelief.

“Just give it a minute," Mallory said.

“No way!" Hector was blushing. “That’s out of the question! I wouldn’t do that!”

“But, since we’re pretending you’re in love with each other…” Mallory said.

Mercy huffed. “Fine.”

“Don’t worry, Mercy,” Mallory said. “I’m sure you’ll get a nice room.”

“We’re gonna discuss more tomorrow,” Mercy explained. “For today, they’ll let us stay together.”

“One last hurrah,” Tallow said. “For the special couple.”

Hector’s face turned red. Mercy crossed her arms and pouted.

Since it was getting dark, it was decided to go back into the building. Mallory broke off to go towards the kitchen and have the food brought to the group.

“Why is it called the planning room?” Tallow asked. “Not much planning goes in there.”

“That’s Harris’s fault,” Hector said. “It should be something like the tactical room or other, but Harris already told all of the guards, soldiers, and maids that it’s called the planning room.”

They entered the room. Sitting at the table were Lester, Amalia, and Hector’s sister.

Macy… Jon was struck by her. She was like Hector, except smaller.

“Well, when you’re king,” Lester said, “you can change that. We can hear you down the hall by the way.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Hector asked.

“Who?” Lester asked.

“All of you.” Hector took a seat next to them.

“Don’t be like that,” Lester responded. “What’s happening?”

“Nothing…” The others took a seat at the table. Macy blew a kiss to Mallory.

Mallory’s face tightened in worry.

“Haven’t you told him, Hector?” Macy asked. “Then again, you don’t tell anyone anything.”

“Don’t you have some hapless idiot to beat to death somewhere?” Hector responded.

“No, I’m here to watch Daddy beat a hapless idiot to death,” she said. “Which happens to be you.”

“Are you okay, Hector?” Amalia asked with a worried face.

“I’m fine!” Hector said. “What were you talking about beforehand?”

“Something boring, probably,” Tallow said, shrugging.

“We were… planning,” Lester said. “For tomorrow.”

“Are you going?” Mallory asked Macy.

“I would like to, but Daddy wants me to keep an eye on the ninja girl,” Macy said. “Makes sure she doesn’t do anything… particularly nasty.”

Macy kept her eye on Mercy as she said this.

“You think you could do anything to stop me if I did?” Mercy asked.

“Yeah, of course, I do,” Macy answered.

She cracked her knuckles in her palms.

Mercy’s fist tightened in her palm.

“Boy, what is it with you and redheads, heh, heh,” Mallory asked.

He received glares from all of the women at the table and Hector.

Lester slammed the table. “Alright, alright! Let’s try to get along. We’re all friends here, right?”

“Friends…” Tallow said. “Sure.”

“Sure,” Mercy said.

“Alright,” Amalia said.

“Like I was saying…” Lester pointed to a map on the table. “We’re going to a village not too far in the east.”

Hector leaned over to look.

“Hey…” Hector said. “It’s at the end of the border! You can’t go here, Amalia-”

“I can,” Amalia said, “and I will.”

“You’re being too hard on her Hector,” Mercy said. “Let her go.”

Amalia’s eyes perked up with interest.

“And, it’s just outside the border,” Lester said. “That’s why Lana’s sending us there. King’s Guard, remember?”

“What’s the mission?” Hector asked, sounding as if he gave up.

A plate of food dropped in front of Jon. He was happy to be able to eat while he listened to what the mission was about.

“Don’t get too excited,” Macy said. “You’re not going.”

“Apparently, there’s a missing artifact that’s been requested by the Rare Artifacts Guild,” Lester said.

Guild. There was a guild? Jon would have to learn more about this. He doubted he could get any answers now, though.

“That’s their job,” Hector said. “They have a team for that.”

“Hey, I don’t make the rules,” Lester said. “Like I was saying-”

“Are you sure that’s fine?” Amalia asked. “For you? The guild.”

“It’s fine,” Lester said. “There’s no issue.”

“What could be the issue?” Hector asked.

“There’s no issue,” Lester repeated. “Let me speak! We just have to go and find the item. Or look for it really, really hard, and give a report of where it might go.”

He looked at Mallory. “You would have been great for this one.”

“Yeah, well, gotta keep some heads on here at the castle,” Mallory responded. “Figuratively and literally.”

“I can take care of that,” Tallow said. “I’m good at finding things.”

“Cause your people are good at stealing, right?” Lester asked. “And sneaking around and stuff.”

“Yeah. I could sneak into your room at night and steal your breath away.” Tallow said.

“Really?” Lester asked, smiling.

“Not like that!” Tallow yelled. “You’re disgusting.”

“Are King’s Guards meetings usually this disorganized?” Mercy asked Mallory quietly.

“Yeah, of course,” Mallory said. “Unless it’s Hector’s sister, uhh, I mean, Lana, or Lauriel, then it’s every man for himself.”

“You can steal my breath away, Mallory,” Macy said from across the table.

“Is that before or after you strangle me?” Mallory responded.

“After, or before, if that’s your thing.”

“I... think I’m gonna call it a night,” Mallory said, standing quickly.

“Wait, Mallory!” Amalia called, but Mallory power walked out of the room.

“He’s right. I’m not involved with this,” Hector stood up. “This is all nonsense. I’ll see you tomorrow if I have to.”

He also left.

“You should follow them,” Macy said to Mercy, “to make sure, they… you know, don’t-”

“Good night!” Mercy stood up and went to the door.

She stopped before she left completely and turned around. “Jon, let’s... never mind.”

She made a sigh and finished leaving the room.

“Well, I’ll see you beautiful people tomorrow,” Tallow said. She stood. “Jon?”

Jon nodded. “Bye.”

“Bye, Jon,” Macy said. “Keep an eye on my brother, will ya?”

Jon nodded. While he followed Tallow out the door, he looked back and noticed Amalia staring at him as he left. He was hoping that Tallow didn’t notice.