Proud to be, proud to beg,

We offered all to Eten’a.

-Korek Song of the Covenant

It worked. Celeste thought gleefully as she followed close behind Gardinal and Vallerian, rushing down the busy mid-day streets. It really worked. He listened! In all honesty she had had no idea that he would actually say yes. Despite how calm and confident Celeste felt she had managed to make herself look; she had nearly swallowed her tongue back in the safe house.

But she had done it, she had stood up to Gardinal when he had made up his mind, and prevailed! Despite his perceived danger of the situation, he had really agreed to let her go. She watched the people rush past her and felt the warm sun on her skin with joy. Thinking on it now though, it was obvious he would let her come along. She had handled herself in the past few altercations quiet well, despite whatever Valleresa said. Even Gardinal, set in his beliefs as he was, had to see how much she had contributed to those situations. And he had. He really had.

Celeste felt the grin forming on her face before quickly concealing. No, she couldn’t seem too satisfied, it would ruin the illusion of control she had built in the men’s minds. She glanced between the three of them, Vallerian’s eyes darting from small group to side group, Gardinal pushing through crowds like an angry bull, and Kriss, keeping an eye out to make sure nobody bumped into her. From the stern looks on all their faces, Celeste was hardly confident they would not yet send her away at the first harsh sound they heard. It would be just like them to do so. She steeled herself and kept a strong look on her brow. Just like Gardinal. Determination, that was what had won them over, and she would keep it that way.

“I’m impressed.” Kriss whispered down to her. Their group moved two by two, with Kriss standing next to her. He struck an impressive figure in that teal, knee length quilted doublet Vallerian had bought him. Celeste thought the light armour fit him quite well, though from Kriss’s tugging she guessed it might be a bit tight in his shoulders.

“What for?” She asked back through short breaths. Her friends moved at a brisk pace, and she was not as used to running about as she might once have been as a child. It didn’t help that Vallerian and Kriss had such long legs. How did Gardinal keep up?

“With Brother Gardinal earlier. You stood your ground well.” Kriss smiled down at her, then returned his gaze to scanning the surroundings. They were in the heart of Southshore now, and all three men kept a tight eye out for any danger in the crowds they passed through. “You… you looked like a queen out of the puppet shows, ordering her subjects to obey.” Kriss blushed as he spoke but didn’t look back at her. Celeste felt warmth bloom in her own cheeks, and she cast her eyes down.

Her whole life at the temple people had attributed so called ‘royal’ traits to her when she had found none. As though people searched for them in her solely because of her eyes. But with Kriss? No, he hadn’t even thought of her eyes until the words were out of his mouth, she was sure. Celeste remembered those puppet shows he spoke of, somewhat at least. She remembered rushing through crowds like the ones they were in now, holding Kriss’s hand as he guided her way. All to catch a glimpse through the legs of the taller children, of stories of kindly queens, and gallant knights. She looked up at Kriss, with his golden locks falling about, and for a moment she thought he looked just like the knight in those little plays.

Reaching out, Celeste slowly, tentatively, slipped her fingers between his own. Kriss looked down in shock at first, his face reddening further, then he swallowed and squeezed. Air flew from Celeste’s lungs only to be replaced with butterflies in the stomach as she was left breathless. They walked on like that, rushing off to a danger that was far from her mind at that moment.

Their small party moved quickly through the streets, passing from neighbourhood to neighbourhood. The sewer entrance that the Jöln had told them of was nearly halfway across Southshore, past Smalltown and near enough to the Mudport to make Gardinal growl. He seemed to have a distinct distaste for that place ever since the night they had first met the Summoner.

The very thought of the man’s ruby stare sent chill’s rushing down Celeste’s spine. His gaunt face lingering in her mind. And you rush to face him. She thought. Could she really face that man? From just their one interaction, she knew that there was something twisted there, something wrong. A cold sweat covering her body just thinking about it.

She was broken from her thoughts with a concerned glance from Kriss. Suddenly she realized just how tightly she had been gripping his hand. She mumbled a quick apology, and he furrowed his brow in response before returning to his watch as they continued on. Despite Kriss’s comfort, she felt a knot forming in her stomach. Could she help a man like the Summoner? Someone so lost to the Chaos? Or had he fallen beyond where she could help? Beyond her limited capabilities?

Celeste shook her head. It didn’t matter what she thought she could do. The First Mother had bestowed her gifts to use for the sake of others and she would not fail Ethinia. Celeste steeled herself for what was to come and pushed on through the masses of Southshore behind her friends, holding Kriss’s hand for support.