Chapter 41: Interlude: Princess Amily and Brave Sir Fenrix

Chapter 41: Interlude: Princess Amily and Brave Sir Fenrix

Ameliyn sat on the couch to hand knit some smaller, more delicate projects. She didn't always do all of her work on the loom, but the things she produced to sell were usually larger things she created quickly. For the more personal items she made, she liked to do it by hand. It felt more intimate to know that something her daughters wore was made with her hands directly.

She wasn't currently making a more intimate piece of clothing, though. Instead, her eyes were focused beyond what her hands were doing, and she manipulated her mana in intricate braids and patterns over and over again.

Her mastery of braiding mana had astounded her tutors, and it was what had enabled her to unlock the Weaver designation instead of simply Mage when she became a Light Weaver. She had found that practicing her needlework, that her mother had insisted she learn as a child - "any noble lady needs to know certain, delicate skills," she would say - directly translated to her ability to perceive and manipulate mana threads into braids.

She had made it a habit to continue practicing both as they compounded each other's growth. It was the main reason she had taken up the persona as a talented weaver to provide some extra income for her family.

Once Reivyn gets back from his adventure in the Dungeons, he should have just unlocked his Caster Class, or be about to, and I can move on to the next stage of his training. If he hadn't been so insistent on practicing his Martial Skills so much, we would have had more time for this.

She looked over at her daughters, Kailey and Riley, affectionately as they wove baskets made out of grass. The odd flower bud was interspersed with the grass laces. Ameliyn thought back to the flower crowns they had made on the road to Magron. That little act of theirs had woken her and Refix up to the fact that they needed to seriously start guiding their development.

The girls hadn't realized exactly what they were doing, and they weren't intentionally Manipulating Mana, but they probably had unlocked the Skill. She didn't know as they weren't quite as forthcoming about it as Reivyn had been. They sought each other's counsel more than anything, but they didn't intentionally hide things, either.

They had begun to subconsciously infuse their intent into their little creations more and more. It didn't always manifest as a complete magical item, but it wasn't infrequent. They could really benefit from buckling down on some official training in their mana Skills and Mental Stats.

The only problem was that they had an utter lack of any motivation to do any serious training, completely opposite of their brother. Ameliyn had had to trick them into practicing. She had instructed them that each time they wanted to go out and pick flowers, and other things to make their little crafts, they had to first weave a grass basket to carry it in. And they had to make a new one every time.

The two girls hadn't understood why it was necessary to make a new basket every single time, and they had expressed as much. Ameliyn smiled at the memory of their conversation.

"But mo~m, there's a perfectly good one right here!" Kailey had complained. She grabbed Ameliyn's arm and swung it about.

"We don't need a new one," Riley added on, swinging Ameliyn's other arm.

"Well, take those ones that you've already made apart," Ameliyn advised. "Be careful not to tear the grass while you do so. Once you dismantle it, build it again, but this time, do something different. Try and incorporate some different colors into shapes and patterns. Give it a unique look. You can sport new fashion every time you go out of the house."

The two girls looked at their already made baskets in thought. Ameliyn could see the gears whirling in their minds as they imagined the different things they could do. After all, making new, cute things was the entire point of them going out to collect more flowers.

"Alright, mommy," Kailey and Riley said in unison.

That had been several weeks ago, and the two girls had quickly become experts in designing new and interesting looks for their grass baskets.

"Mommy, mommy, look!" Kailey came running over, followed immediately behind by a beaming Riley. "We made something completely new!"

"It's completely new!" Riley added.

"Oh? Show mommy what you've made," Ameliyn faced her daughters as she assumed a look of rapt attention. Kailey held up her basket for Ameliyn to inspect. She had somehow managed to incorporate all of the tiny, miniscule color distortions and blemishes in the grass into the outline of a woman in a flowing dress with braided hair over her shoulder. "This is magnificent!" Ameliyn exclaimed. She meant it.

"Look at mine! Look at mine!" Riley thrust her basket forward. She had similarly used the imperfections to craft a little masterpiece. Her basket sported the outline of a man in armor, a sword's hilt peeking over his shoulder.

"It's Princess Amily, like in your stories!" Kailey said while pointing to the woman. "She has a braid like yours." Kailey reached over and gave her mother's braid a tug. Ameliyn was able to see that her daughter had somehow incorporated the pattern on the braid into her work in elaborate detail.

"Mine is Knight Fenrix, Amily's trusty bodyguard!" Riley nearly shouted in her excitement. "See, he has the dragon-head pommel on his sword." Sure enough a little depiction of a dragon's head was on the hilt sticking out from the man's shoulder.

Ameliyn could feel an unusually strong mana fluctuation coming from the two baskets, so she threw an Inspect at them.

[Princess Amily's Basket]

[It holds the hope of her people]

[Knight Fenrix's Basket]

[It holds the weight of his responsibility]

"Yes, Princess, as soon as I'm able," Refix replied as he continued walking without missing a beat.

The sky was still orange from the flames that still raged in the Capital, and it dyed the surroundings an unnatural color. Smoke was billowing on the horizon, marking the location of the tragedy.

"You're able right now," Ameliyn said.

"You ordered me to launch a sortie with any forces I'm able to find," Refix patiently pointed out. "I'm going to go find those forces. They're most likely located in the vassal states in this direction. We'll have to find some form of transportation soon, though, because it will be a long journey on foot."

Refix released his hold on Ameliyn's wrist when he noticed she continued to follow. She folded her arms across her chest and pouted as she stepped up to walk alongside her bodyguard.

"You're not my exclusive guard," Ameliyn tried a different tack. "You're a bodyguard to the Imperial Family. Family. You have more people to protect than just me."

"Yes, Princess, I understand," Refix said. "I'm also not the only Imperial Bodyguard. I have several brothers in arms who can take on that duty as we make our escape."

Ameliyn lapsed into silence as she trudged along, thinking about the possibility of other bodyguards rescuing her siblings. She had to believe it was possible or she wouldn't be able to take any more steps forward. She knew deep down that they were making the right decision, but it hurt.

The two continued walking along the well-maintained road in silence. There were no other people on the road around them, traveling in either direction, so they walked alone.

I'm alone. Tears silently rolled down her face as she continued her beleaguered journey with her annoying bodyguard.

"...and Amily and Fenrix saw that the men were loyal, and so they recruited them to their cause. Amily embarked on her journey in style with all of her needs taken care of, and Sir Fenrix kept a protective watch over her at all times.

"We'll pick up from here next time," Ameliyn said.

"Awww," the two girls complained in unison.

"But we want to hear more about the magical land that they traveled through," Kailey said.

"And about the beasts that they tamed along the way," Riley added.

"And about the brave companions that joined them."

"And, and..."

"And another time," Ameliyn said. "I've paid for your baskets with what I've told you so far. It's time for you to make new ones and go get your flowers."

"Ok~ay," Kailey (Riley) said.

The pair got up from the couch and ran into the backyard to pluck more strands of grass and simple flower buds for their next projects. Ameliyn smiled as she watched them run off.

The front door opened and closed, and Ameliyn looked up to see Refix join her.

"Look at what your daughters have made," she said with a nod toward the mantelpiece. Refix walked over and stood in stunned silence as he Observed the two baskets.

"These are amazing," he said as he reached out to pick them up. His eyes widened as he looked up at Ameliyn. "Wow! I feel... I feel... I can't quite put my finger on it, but I feel better."

"Like a weight you didn't know you were carrying has been lifted?"

"Yeah, but more than that," he carefully placed the baskets back in their spots. "We'll have to keep these treasures safe."

"Agreed," Ameliyn said as she walked up and hugged her husband from behind. "My loyal bodyguard, I order you to keep these treasures safe, and to protect and guide the two treasures playing outside, as well."

Refix turned in her embrace and whispered, "Yes, Princess, as soon as I'm able." He leaned down to give his wife a kiss.