“I’m gonna take care of my own lunch.”

The proclamation grabbed Jon’s attention.

“Are you sure?” Jon asked.

Mallory nodded. “Yeah. You should get some rest. We used a lot of energy. Just give me a second… and I’ll talk to everybody… I…”

Mallory put the back of his hand to his forehead and took a shrill breath.

Jon was impressed with Mallory’s commitment to throwing himself around during the entire exercise.

“You should eat first,” Jon said. “I… clean up…”

The use of ‘clean up’ was a surprise even to Jon. Mallory gave a quick flash of a grin.

“Okay,” Mallory nodded with a glum acceptance. “I think Hector’s gonna talk to me less and less as this goes on. Even with all the progress, he’s making, he’s still…”

Mallory gestured widely in the air with his arms as he tried to find the word.

“Hector,” he landed on.

Jon nodded.

“Don’t push him too hard.” Mallory shuffled off to the kitchen.

Jon took a look at Hector’s door. He took a readying breath, not sure if he was gonna get angry with Hector or depressed Hector or something in between.

Jon took a mild breathing glance away from the door, catching the red pendant that had been left on the ground.

Charlotte must have dropped it during the fight.

Jon walked over and picked it up. He debated between going between Charlotte and Hector’s room.

He didn’t want to go to Charlotte’s room alone again, so, he decided the order would be Hector, then Mallory, then Charlotte.

He went to Hector’s door and knocked.

“Go away!” Hector said quickly.

Jon backed from the door.

“Jon?”

Jon was already turning away when the door pulled open right away. He was still sweating.

“Jon… I…”

“Are you okay?” Jon asked.

“Yeah. I’m fine. I’m fine. I mean, I’m mad, but…”

Jon grimaced.

“It has nothing to do with you,” Hector explained.

Jon nodded.

Hector looked down at the floor. Jon thought this meant he was finished. Instead, /he asked another question.

“What do you think Rista is doing right now?”

“Hmm?”

Who was Rista again?

Jon fought through the strain of his memory to remember Rist the farmer. She was his neighbor who fought alongside the other farmers against the incoming threat to the farm.

Yeah. What would she be doing?

“Farming,” Jon said.

“Right…” Hector nodded. “Farming. Like, planting stuff and what not, right? Studying that stuff?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you think… do you think she married someone by now or something? Do people get married on the farm all the time?”

Jon shrugged. He supposed there were marriages. He didn’t go to any.

“I don’t know,” Jon said.

“Hmph.” Hector nodded slowly. “Okay.” So, she might still be alone?”

Alone?

“With family,” Hector adjusted.

“Sure.”

Hector looked at the ground some more. Jon wondered what was working at him so much to make him ask.

“I suppose… Never mind. it doesn’t matter. I, uh… thanks-”

“Ask.” Jon was saying so many things before accounting for what might have happened, he was scaring himself. Something felt like it was calling from Hector, though, and Jon need to know. So that he could be a friend.

“Maybe… you could talk to me about farming sometime, you know?”

Jon’s breath became cold.

“Sure.”

What he actually wanted to say was that Mallory would probably be the better person to talk to. One, because Mallory would most likely know more about farming than Jon. Secondly, because Jon didn’t want to talk about farming. Jon didn’t even know he didn’t want to talk about farming until Hector just asked him. It shouldn’t have been a problem, but since he had avoided talking about farming up for so long, it felt like a sore spot. He wanted to avoid it, but Hector’s inner being seemed to be calling out for help.

Hector then made a face.

“Wait, you don’t really like talking about farming, do you.”

Jon grimaced.

“Sorry about that. I’ll just ask Mallory then.”

“That’s… fine…”

“Have a good one, Jon.” Hector disappeared behind the door once more.

Jon was glad Hector didn’t blow up at him. Also, despite what Mallory learned, Hector did seem to be making some emotional growth. Whatever that meant.

Jon trotted back to the living area. As soon as he departed the hallway, a familiar snore stopped him cold.

Mallory’s head was tossed back onto one of the couches, his mouth wide open.

Jon grimaced, despite no one there to see it. He turned on his heel and went back into the hallway, not even hungry anymore.

He was on his way to his room when he saw Charlotte walking back from the circle on the other end.

They noticed each other, and Jon quickly held up the pendant for her to see.

“Ah… that’s where it was.” They met each other halfway, and Jon handed her the pendant.

“Thank you, Jon,” she said. “I had wondered if Hector had taken it to spite me, but Hector’s not like that. It was a thought so bad, and yet still it came to me. So, silly.”

Jon didn’t have an answer for her. If there was one thing that Hector in his siblings had in common that wasn’t their hair or freckles, it was that they all had conversations in their own heads a lot.

He waited for her to leave. Instead, she brought her hand and caressed his elbow. For whatever reason, she was wearing thin white gloves, and they felt cool and soft against Jon’s skin.

“You’re the only one that’s still moving around,” she noted. “Would you like to keep me company in my room?”

“Sure.”

Again, Jon was speaking before really thinking through what he was saying.

“Right. Come on, then.” She went to her door.

Jon followed behind her and entered her room.

When he let go of the door, it swung shut. Jon hadn’t meant it too.

Charlotte hadn’t made anything of it. She went to her large bed and sat down on it, pushing herself so that her back was against the wall, and her knees were in front of her.

Jon stood awkwardly, wondering if he should sit on the bed.

She held her hand out towards the space in front of her.

“Come on.”

Jon took his place on the edge of her bed, right in front of her feet. He had expected to adjust for his gun, forgetting that he had left it in his room.

When he was firmly planted on the bed, he turned to her. She had taken a handkerchief that was left on the bed next to her and was tucking it behind her pillow.

When she finished, she relaxed. Jon still felt like he was in a small box.

“So,” she started, “I hope you aren’t too exhausted from that exercise.”

Jon shook his head. “I like… exercising.”

“Good. Then you should ask Hector to give you one of his many routines. He loves planning stuff like that, though he’ll pretend that he doesn’t.”

Jon supposed he remembered Hector saying something about giving him a routine. However, things were so busy, so Jon wouldn’t have expected anything so soon.

“He likes to help,” Jon ended up saying. He didn’t know how else to answer.

“I’m glad to hear that. Underneath that hard flaming shell is still a little boy who wants to impress everybody.”

Impress?

Jon hated to contradict what someone else was saying, but this was something he wanted to learn more about.

“Hector… doesn’t care what people think,” Jon said.

“Oh. Yeah, he does. I mean, not in the traditional sense. He loves showing people what he’s able to do and getting compliments in return. That’s part of the reason he probably drags Mallory around with him everywhere.”

Jon racked his brain, wondering if Hector wanted to be complimented all the time. Hector could cast spells, but he spent the entire time trying to hide it from Mallory. That’s when it struck him.

“You…complimented Hector…”

“Yep. The entire fight. Hector needs to hear when he’s doing well.”

When Charlotte told Hector to keep using his spellcasting, he listened to her. Was that an effect of her encouraging him?

“I know it doesn’t seem like Hector wants to be complimented on anything, but that’s just ‘cause he’s embarrassed all the time. He’s afraid that if he gets complimented too much, it’ll all go to his head, then he will stop practicing.”

Jon could relate. He much preferred achieving something rather than showing it off. In fact, he felt better when his own expectations matched someone else’s expectations of what he could do.

He remembered all of the times he complimented Mercy. She always wanted to show something off. Maybe he should have been complimenting Hector as well.

“My little brother’s humble like that. But enough about him.” She poked Jon with her foot. “Tell me about you.”

Me?

Jon thought to himself quietly. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to say anything, he just didn’t know what to give.

“Do you have a family?”

Jon nodded.

“How many?”

“6.”

“Whoo! That’s almost as many as us!” Her foot pressed against his leg again. It was warm. “How many brothers and sisters?”

“Two brothers. One sister.”

“And where do you fit in all of that?”

Jon took an extra moment to think about his answer. “I’m last.”

“Did they leave you behind?” Charlotte quickly followed up. Jon noticed what seemed like pity in her voice. He normally didn’t feel like he needed any, but for some reason, what Charlotte said had touched him somewhere in his emotions that he didn’t know he had.

“Yeah…” Jon pondered this strange new emotion. He didn’t realize how much they might have meant to him. He never gave a second thought about being alone.

No wonder you and Hector click,” Charlotte told him. She lifted her legs and placed them on Jon’s lap. “I think he has a hard time finding others who have to deal with a large family whom he never sees. It’s hard to find your place when your in that position.”

“Yeah.” Jon’s arms felt restless, so he put his arms over her legs. They felt even warmer than before. He felt comfortable being close to her. He tried to keep the conversation going

“How… do you feel?”

When Charlotte gasped, Jon looked away in embarrassment. He meant the question to continue the conversation, but he was watching her legs the entire time. He hoped she hadn’t taken the question the wrong way, as he liked her having her legs on him.

“I feel?” Jon breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Charlotte talk. He prepped himself to listen to the rest of the conversation.

“I don’t know. I feel constrained and pulled and anxious, but I also feel free and in control and full of bliss.” She cocked her head in thought. “I feel well. The problem is that…”

She gripped her amulet. “I don’t think anyone else feels that way, and it makes me feel a bit guilty.”

Jon related. His friend's constant anxiety often overshadowed his own freedom of them. All he wanted was for them to feel as comfortable as he did.

His hand flinched, and he traced her shin, moving his hand closer to her foot.

He stared at her amulet as she clutched it over her chest.

He wanted to ask her about it, but he felt stunned. He just kept staring and staring and staring. Watching her tinker around with it softened Jon’s insides.

“Do… do you have anything important you carry around with you, Jon?” She asked softly.

“My gun,” Jon answered, soft in kind.

If he had it, he would have handed it to her. Despite the warnings, he felt safe enough handing his gun out to people. He wouldn’t doubt himself if he felt comfortable enough to do so.

“Why is it important?” she asked. Who gave it to you?”

Jon was trying to find a way to describe the complicated relationship between his family and Farmer Graves to someone acquainted with the situation. He just kept it simple.

“My father’s… teacher.”

“Teacher? Or do you mean, like a mentor?”

Jon supposed she was right.

“Sure.”

“How adorable…” Charlotte leaned over and grabbed his shoulder.

Jon responded to the stimulus and kept talking.

“I-I… was able to use it… so, he let me have it.”

“That was kind of him,” Charlotte turned her head to the side, keeping eye contact with Jon.

He was about to lose his breath when she pulled back.

“Do you still talk with your family? Are you still in contact with them?”

“Yeah…” Jon’s hand was firm on Charlotte’s ankle now. He couldn’t explain it. He was mesmerized by her, but he also felt as if he was at home near her.

He found it hard to continue talking, but something told him in his head that he should keep talking or he would risk making Hector mad.

He ended up staring with his mouth partly open, no words to continue. Charlotte continued to fondle her amulet, not saying for a time.

“Jon. Do you… fancy anyone?”

Jon didn’t answer. He looked away, trying to figure out the meaning of the word “fancy.”

“What do you mean?” His throat was dry for no discernable reason.

“You know… someone you care for deeply?”

“That’s everyone.”

Charlotte chuckled softly at Jon’s answer.

“Jon, all the ladies aren’t gonna like if you say that-”

A knock on the door grabbed Jon’s and Charlotte’s attention.

Charlotte caught Jon’s eyes.

Jon nodded.

She nodded back.

Jon stood up and went back to the door. He opened it.

Hector’s eyes widened when he saw Jon standing in front of him.

“Is… my sister there?”

Jon stepped aside.

“Yes, your sister is here!” Charlotte called from the bed.

Hector stepped inside of the room, brushing past Jon.

“I’m sorry,” Hector said frantically. “About…”

“About what, Hector?” His sister asked curiously.

“I’m sorry about yelling!” Hector quickly checked himself and didn’t let his voice raise. “I didn't mean to-”

“I’m sorry, Hector,” Charlotte said. “I should have listened to you earlier. I think I betrayed your trust by not wanting to help and-”

“Stop.” Hector held his hand up. “I shouldn’t make you do anything you’re uncomfortable with.”

Charlotte turned to Jon.

Jon nodded again.

“Shall we train, then?”

“Yeah! Yeah!” Hector shook his head up and down rapidly. “Whatever you wanna work on!”

“What would you like to work on?” Charlotte asked.

“My form. And… I…”

“We don’t have much time, so we’ll make do with what we have.” She grabbed his arm and led him to the door.

“How about you head to the sparring area, and think of what you want to ask me.”

“Sure!” Hector sped off into the hallway.

Even if Hector wasn’t smiling, Jon was grateful to see Hector excited about something.

Charlotte sighed. “I can’t believe this boy. You would think he would want to rest up before his mission.”

She looked at Jon. “Will Hector ever take a break?”

“Hector’s… Hector,” Jon answered.

Charlotte made another deep chuckle. “I guess Hector really is finding his place in the world. And that includes becoming strong, right?”

“Right,” Jon croaked. His heart pained a little watching Charlotte walk away.

“You seem tired, deary,” she said. “You should probably take a rest. I’ll be back before long.”

Jon nodded.

Charlotte stepped out of the room.

Jon sat down on the bed. He could feel the exhaustion that Charlotte mentioned.

Why does she recognize it before I do?

He turned over on the bed, thinking that he would just lay there for a few moments before he went to his own room.