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ice-cap-k · 7 months

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Hollowed Duty

I had to cut myself off with this one.

Cross-posted on AO3 here: Hollowed Duty

_______________________________________________

The clang of swords clashing filled the practice field. Every strike rang out like a bell in a glorious symphony. It was music to Puffy’s ears.

The trainees were going through their drills. Most of them were still too green to see a real battle any time soon, but everyone started somewhere. She watched the recruits’ klutzy movements through the stone pillars lining the courtyard corridor. The sunlight glinted off the sweeping weapons, sending bright glares dancing across the far wall.

“No, no, no!” their instructor was shouting over the din. “You all need to move your feet with your cross strikes. Your foot should go backward in tandem with the downward stroke. Did any of you practice your Meyer Squares last night? And you! I see you. Straighten your back!”

There was a mighty crash, and the ringing ceased. Someone laughed. “ATTENTION!”

Puffy smiled as she rounded the corridor’s bend. It sounded like the man in charge had his hands full today.

Only a few years ago, she had been in the same position. She could remember her own days of running drills in the courtyard and the mischief young soldiers-to-be could get up to in their free time. She could see him standing on the raised platform at the head of the field. There was a longsword in his hand and a shield hanging from one rung of the ladder beneath him. She idled between the pillars of an open-air arch to watch a little closer.

Near the front of the line, three youths were picking themselves up off the ground, brushing mud off of their leather training armor. The blunted training swords in their hands were filthy. Their overseer looked exasperated as he leaped off of his platform. “You two,” he huffed, pointing to the taller couple of the three. ”That was unacceptable. Sparring practice is over for you both. About face! You can practice your guards and sweeps until I decide you’re ready to join the rest of us.”

“But sir, we were just having a bit of fun. We didn’t-”

“No buts,” their trainer snapped harshly. “Soldiers need to fight as a unit. Not amongst each other. If you can’t be trusted not to raise your weapon against one of our own during training, then why should you be trusted in the heat of battle? Now go to it.”

There was an awkward silence as the two young men broke away from the rest of the group. As they took their places off to the side on their own, a smaller voice spoke up. “I could have taken them just fine.” It was the third recruit Puffy had seen picking themselves up off the ground. They looked considerably shorter than most of their fellow trainees. Puffy could hardly make out the top of their head from where she was leaning against a pillar.

Their trainer shook his head. “You shouldn’t have had to.”

Puffy looked back down the corridor she is supposed to be walking through. She was supposed to go address the King. He had mentioned something about a concern he had with his son. All of the highest officials and advisors would be there. It wouldn’t hurt if she was a little late. She probably wouldn’t be of much use in such a conversation anyway, so she leaned out the archway and cupped her hand around her mouth. “Is everything alright, Hbomb?”

The crowd in the training yard whirled around to look for the source of the voice. What poorly trained soldiers they were right now. So easily distracted. But their trainer scanned the outskirts of the courtyard with narrowed eyes until he spotted her. “My Captain,” he called out with a wave. “What brings you out here this early in the morning?”

“I was just passing by when I heard a bit of commotion.” Her eyes sweep over the wide-eyed recruits staring at her. They part nervously before her as she crosses through the lot of them. Awed whispers reach her ears.

“It’s her.”

“Isn’t she-”

“Yeah!”

“The Captain of the Guard…”

“Those look like goat horns.”

“The Captain is a satyr?”

“Hooves-”

“I didn’t know she was fae.”

Typical new recruits. She rolled her eyes and smiled.

Hbomb pounded a fist against his chest plate in salute as she approached. It was undermined by a familiar cheeky smile. “You know how trainees can get. Just a little roughhousing. It’s only week one. Give it some time and they’ll be ready to serve at your side.”

“Sounds like you’re handling it just fine.” When she pats him on the shoulder approvingly, he beams brighter. A little, harmless, mischievous thought pops into her mind. She decides to roll with it. “Reminds me of when you got into a fight on the second day of your training.” A few snorts and giggles rise up from the crowd of trainees.

The smile drops from Hbomb’s face. His cheeks flush a few shades redder. “Captain…” he whined. “No fair.”

“Ah, I’m just messing with you,” she says, elbowing his side. “You turned out to be one of my finest students. You’re doing just fine.” When she turned back to the recruits, they looked much more relaxed. There were smiles and snickers of amusement. The tension from whatever fight had broken out a moment ago had dissipated. Her eyes go to the rather small trainee at the front of the crowd who was still covered in mud. They were frowning at the ground, one hand holding the sword hanging at their side, the other clutching a forearm where a bruise was already starting to form. Angry red blisters were visible at the center of the mark, but the skin hadn’t been broken. “Although, I am curious as to how the fight broke out,” Puffy added.

She took a step away from Hbomb’s side, tilting her head towards the messy trainee. It took a second, but Hbomb blinked as he realized what she meant. “Aimsey,” he called gently. “How about you step forward and tell the Captain of the Guard what happened?”

Aimsey looked at the staring eyes of their fellow soldiers in training. Dark brown eyes flicked back and forth, looking uncertain as they stepped out from the edges of the group. With one hand, they reached up to snatch a knit cap off the top of their head. The motion moved their long dark hair, revealing pointed ears. “Those assholes were making fun of me for hiding my ears.”

Puffy nodded. Her face was composed, her posture relaxed. A powerful urge to reach up and trace the edges of her own horns with her fingertips welled up within her. She squashed that urge as quickly as it appeared. Instead, she leans down in a half crouch, pressing her palms against her knees so she could be eye to eye with them. “Well, would you look at that! Another fae training to be in the King’s guard. You’ll find a few of us around here. Not many, but a few. I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure of working with anyone like you yet, though. If I may, what kind of fae are you?”

“I’m an Elf,” Aimsey said. There’s a glint of pride in their eyes as they raise their chin slightly. “And the best damn fighter in my family.”

Ah. An elf. Puffy had heard of a new family moving into the Kingdom. A group of refugees fleeing the Badlands. This one must be part of that family.

“But those two were saying that being an elf makes me a bad fighter,” Aimsey continued. Their brow furrowed in frustration. “I tried telling them that it doesn’t make me a bad fighter, I just have to be careful with the sword ‘cause it’s got iron in it. But they didn’t believe me. They just kept calling me clumsy, and then they took a swing at me! The nerve!”

The corner of Puffy’s mouth twitched slightly upwards. She shouldn’t have been surprised. After all, she had endured her own series of hazing attempts when she had first joined the guard. When she was younger, she had to be tough. She had to prove herself and assert her dominance from day one. Her training carried on outside of lessons. She practiced non-stop. When some of her fellow soldiers-in-training tried to lash out at her, tease her for her horns, and pick fights to stoke their own arrogant egos, she made sure she was ready for them.

There was a reason she had risen through the ranks so quickly. Puffy was more than capable of handling herself. She had made herself strong and had good instincts. Now here she was, at the very top of the chain of command, answering only to the King himself.

Back then she was the only one in the line-up with magic in her veins. Now she could count their number on two hands. Things hadn’t changed much over the years.

“I see.” Puffy pushed off her knees, straightening back to her full height. “Hbomb.”

Hbomb reacted instinctively. Heels clicked together, toes facing apart, shoulders rolled back, and chin tilted up as he fell into attention. “Captain!”

“At ease.” He only slightly relaxes. “I see that Aimsey has a steel sword. I thought you knew better than that.” She can see him visibly droop at her words. There’s a twinge of guilt in her chest for scolding him like that, but Hbomb was a good one. He did know better. He was someone she would consider a good friend when the armor came off and they were off duty. Someone who had learned under her and fought alongside her and came to visit her and Niki on the weekends. She doubted it had slipped his mind. “Did we not have any wood ones for practice?”

“Not today, Captain. We’re moving past drills. I want them to develop muscle memory with a weighted weapon.”

“It’s fine,” Aimsey jumped in. “I can handle it just fine. He wrapped the guard and pommel with leather and loaned me some gloves.”

Ah. Fair enough. The guilt became a little bit sharper. Puffy supposed she shouldn’t be showing any preferential treatment. If the young recruit completed her training, she would certainly face opponents who would be wielding steel. But that didn’t mean the elf had to carry it.

It would be one less thing for the fae to concern themselves with if they weren't avoiding their own weapon. But Puffy seriously doubted that there would be a spare diamond sword lying around. So she reached for her belt and unsheathed the netherite sword on her hip.

The polished black blade glittered in the morning light. Murmurs rose up among the trainees at the sight of such a fine weapon. One day, when they had learned everything Hbomb could teach them and took up the mantle of the King’s Guard themselves, they would receive one of their own. Netherite was standard issue for weapons, shields, and armor.

Puffy bounced the sword in her hand, carefully catching it by the fuller edge to hold the handle out to Aimsey. “Perhaps, but I think it would be better if you used this instead.”

The elf’s hands flew up to cover their mouth. It didn’t do much to muffle their gasp of surprise. They stared at the gift, wide-eyed and unsure. “I… You can’t be serious…?”

“Go on.” Puffy bounced the sword in her hand. “Might as well practice with what you’ll be using. And then you won’t have to worry about touching your own blade. I’d rather have my men focused on the enemy. Not splitting their attention.”

“But that’s yours!”

Puffy shrugged. “I’ve got another one I prefer made out of tungsten carbide. It’s better weighted than this one. ”

The hand dropped from Aimsey’s mouth to reveal a big grin plastered across their face. “For real?”

“For real. Keep it. And don’t be afraid to use it when you need it. Even outside of lessons. If anyone questions it, tell them to talk to me.”

Aimsey let out a high-pitched noise as they reached for the sword. Something akin to a squeak. Their fingers wrapped around the handle and lifted the blade out of Puffy’s hand. As soon as Puffy let go, the elf pulled the sword close and gripped it with both hands. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” They bounced on their heels. “This is the nicest thing ever!” Immediately, the other trainees crowded around them. They whispered eagerly. Some reached to try and touch the netherite sword while others shook their shoulder or patted their back excitedly.

Puffy spared a glance at Hbomb. These recruits were his responsibility, after all. She didn’t want to undermine him. But when she looked back, he was beaming at her. There was a knowing twinkle in his eyes that instantly put her back at ease. He understood why the Captain needed to do that.

“As for the rest of you, that means anyone who spars with them will have to be careful,” she said, turning to address the crowd. “That sword has a real edge on it. Use that as an opportunity to improve your skills. Pay attention and avoid their strikes. Like I said, I’m looking for soldiers who focus on the enemy. Listen to your instructor. Follow his advice. If you push yourselves, then I should be seeing you among the rank and file in no time. Now I’m going to leave you back to your lesson. Hbomb.”

“Captain!” This time, Hbomb did not fall into attention, but he did give her a salute.

She patted his shoulder as he passed. “Sorry for the interruption,” she said a little more quietly so that only he could hear. You’re okay with this, right?”

“It’s absolutely fine. Imagine if someone had done that for you back when you joined! But just know that if the whole sword thing goes to their head I’m going to have to take it from them…”

“Of course. Do what you have to do. Now, I’ve gotta get going. I’m kind of late for a meeting.”

He waved her off as he started making his way towards the platform at the head of the field. “Oh! Go ahead! See ya later, girlfriend.”

__________________________________________________

Stately looking officials were already streaming out the door when Puffy finally made it to the meeting room. A few scoffed, giving her a wide berth as she went against the tide. Past the threshold, the carpeted floor turned to tile. Her hooves clicked with each step, drawing the attention of one of the few people remaining.

Wilbur smirked as he realized it was only her. He leaned back against a bare desk and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “You missed the show.”

“Sorry,” she ducked her head to avoid hitting her horns against a few crystals hanging from a low-hanging chandelier. The other few people still in the room scooped up a bundle of papers off a podium and shuffled towards the door. Eret waved at her as they passed, which she returned right before they walked out the door. “I got a bit distracted on the way here. Mind filling me in? Where is he now?”

“The King? Gone.” When she made it to Wilbur, he patted the spot on the desk next to him for her to take a seat. “Off to talk to some sort of doctor. Honestly, you probably wouldn’t have been much help here.”

She let out a good-natured snort. “Pfft. Yeah. Not unless he wants to suddenly set his kid up with combat lessons. Not really sure how a Captain of the Guard is supposed to help with family problems. You probably had some good insight for him, though, didn’t ya?”

He shook his head with a small smile. “Just because I have a kid doesn’t mean I know everything about parenting. Fundy’s still just a toddler. If anything, the King would know better since he’s been a father for longer. And look at him, worrying himself sick over nothing.”

“You still haven’t filled me in,” Puffy huffed. “Is it actually nothing?”

“Oh, right. Sorry. The King keeps insisting Prince Goerge is acting strangely. He’s worried it might be some sort of sickness, but doesn’t know what.”

“How so?”

“The kid isn’t coughing or sneezing or anything like that if that’s what you’re thinking,” Wilbur says looking up at the finely painted, vaulted ceiling. “He just keeps saying the Prince is behaving strangely. He’s quieter, more even-tempered, defiant…” He trails off, eyes gliding over the beams lining the walls.

“I almost said that I’m surprised he’s complaining until you mentioned that last part,” she chuckles. “I’ve only ever seen the Prince. I’ve never really talked to him or spent much time with him. You’ve been around him more. What do you think?”

“He’s not… he’s not wrong.” Wilbur sighs. “Frankly, I think the kid’s gotten funnier. His back talk is something worth listening to. But he’s a child. Children do weird things all the time, right?”

She narrowed her eyes, giving him a pointed look that made him pause. “Right. Sorry. I’m the parent here, not you.” His apologetic tone quickly went sour as he lowered his gaze to glare at the still-open door. “But neither is Eret, and boy, did they have plenty to say.”

“Eret?” Puffy flicked her ears. The sheer distaste in Wilbur’s tone had her confused. Those two were close friends. They didn’t come from your average political stock. Both Wilbur and Eret had been regular citizens who had the good fortune of catching the King’s ear. The King valued their advice regarding the regular denizens of the Kingdom and local issues. Usually, the two of them were working towards the same goals. “Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Normally, yes. But Prince George hasn’t been the only one acting a little differently lately.” Wilbur’s words are laced with frustration and annoyance. “Ever since the King started worrying over his son, Eret’s been much more insistent about talking with the King. And the King’s been going along with it. Just today during the meeting, Eret suggested that the Prince could have been swapped with a changeling. A changeling! Of all things…”

“That’s absurd,” Puffy deadpanned. “The few fae in the area are all citizens. We’re miles from any entrance to the Badlands. How on Earth would one have organized a kidnapping and switch?”

Wilbur flung his hands out in front of him. “That’s what I said! But the King actually considered it. And Eret just ate up the attention and tried pushing the idea. I don’t know what’s been going on with them these past few days.”

Puffy leaned over and tried to bump her shoulder against his. The only problem was that he was considerably taller than her, so her shoulder ended up bouncing off his arm just above the elbow. “Do you want me to try talking to them?”

He shook his head. “No. You don’t have to. You’ve got plenty of work to do already. I’ll try talking to Eret next time I see them.”

_________________________________________________________

“How was your day,” Niki asked as Puffy pushed open the door to their shared flower shop. The storefront was already closed for the evening, but Niki was hard at work. She bustled around the main viewing area with armfuls of ferns. The pink-haired girl was cheerily placing the greens in artful displays of daisies, chrysanthemums, and carnations.

“Eventful,” Puffy said, hanging her coat up on the hook by the door. “Saw the new recruits today. Looks like we’ll have an elf in our ranks soon.”

“Interesting.” Niki stopped halfway through rebundling a bouquet. “Puffy, are elves considered fae?”

“They are.”

“Oh. That is good. Another new friend. You must get tired of only ever having humans around to talk to.”

“Aw, Niki…” Puffy stepped around the counter to wrap her arms around the other girl. She squeezed Niki’s shoulders and rubbed her forearm comfortingly. For good measure, she playfully bumped one of her horns against Niki’s forehead. “I never get tired of hanging out with you. And while we’re on the subject of humans, I hope you don’t mind but I invited Wilbur and the family to join us for dinner tonight. Seemed like Wil was having a rough day.”

Niki shrugged out from under Puffy’s arm. She went back to rearranging the bundle of black-eyed Susans in front of her. “That doesn’t count. Sally and Fundy are fae.”

“Wil’s not.” Puffy rolled her eyes. “And neither is Hbomb, or most of our friends for that matter.” As she spoke, Niki seemed to grow sadder and sadder. Puffy knew she was worried about her. The Kingdom hadn’t been the most welcoming place for a satyr like her. But Puffy would choose to stay here over going back to the Badlands any day. There were people here that mattered to her. Mostly humans. Niki had invited her as a roommate with open arms almost immediately after they had met. The girl hadn’t given so much as a second thought about Puffy being a satyr. Hbomb always had her back in the guard. Even Wilbur, who had only been in town for two years, was good fun. Although he was admittedly much closer with Niki than Puffy. They were good people. They just didn’t look like her…

Niki’s pout began to fade. “You know I just worry sometimes,” she sighs. “I feel like no matter how many stories you tell me about your own home, there are just some things I could never understand. I want you to have people you can go to who can understand, even if I can’t.”

That was what was so great about Niki. Selfless to a fault. It hurt the satyr to see her friend so torn up about something so small. “Don’t worry about me,” Puffy breathed. “I’m just fine. But… if it will make you feel any better, I’ll see if me and Sally can set up some girl talk. Just the two of us. We can get to know each other better. Maybe even talk about the Badlands.”

Finally, Niki brightened a little. She dropped the bouquet on the counter and wiped her hands off on the front of her skirt. “That would be perfect for the two of you! Here. Let me get started on dinner. Knowing them, they’ll be here soon.”

_________________________________________________________

“At ease! Break!”

Puffy watched the pairs of recruits separate from her spot on one of the castle’s many balconies. She had just dropped off the latest patrol schedules when Hbomb’s voice drifted through an open window. It had been a few weeks since she had last seen the new recruits' training in the courtyard and was curious to see how they were coming along.

From her spot on the balcony, she could just make out the individual figures switching places with their comrades standing on the sidelines. Hbomb’s voice was distant, but clear as he called for the next round of sparring to begin. “Commence!”

The group sprung into action at his command. The musical ringing of guard and edge crossing in battle brought a smile to her lips. Their movements were smoother than they had been the last time she had seen them. Their motions were more decisive. A few were even switching between a two-handed grip and a one-handed grip as they tried to get the best of their teammate. Hbomb must feel pretty confident in their skills if he was letting them do that already. As far as she could tell, he was doing a great job with this lot.

Before she could turn away, though, the flicker of a black blade caught her eye. Aimsey was down there in the sparring group. The elf was catching their opponent’s swing on the netherite guard, letting the steel edge get dangerously close to their arm before diving in with a jab. Their opponent managed to sidestep and dodge, but not without disengaging their own weapon. Puffy found herself watching them go back and forth, impressed with how the elf held their own.

The elf reminded Puffy a bit of her younger self.

She flicked her ears at the sound of footsteps. “Wishing you were back down there, Captain?” Wilbur’s deep voice teased as he came to a stop behind her.

“Not exactly,” she said with a smile. “Just enjoying the show. What are you doing up here?”

His brown eyes darkened in an instant. “The King just sent me away. I was heading back down to the libraries to look for something that can help me talk some sense into him.”

She raised one eyebrow. “Eret again?” Wilbur nodded. Of course, it was. Things had gotten worse lately regarding the King, especially with regard to Prince George. The boy was becoming more and more withdrawn. She’d go so far as to say he was starting to hide from people. And the King was more and more convinced that something was wrong. A parade of doctors, physicians, child specialists, and even teachers had come through the castle, claiming they could help get to the root of the King’s worries. And one by one they all left unable to figure out what was going on. The King was practically going mad over it. He had even started asking her to post more guards outside the kid's room and send men to spy on the fae in town. She half expected he would suspect her if it wasn’t for the fact that she had devoted her whole life to protecting the royal family.

And Eret… Puffy could now see what Wilbur was talking about. Eret was usually so nice. All smiles and warm laughs and hard work. They had been stonemason. Still was, technically. Humble and earnest and hard working. But lately, they’ve been withdrawn. Forgetting to say hi when they passed in the corridors or turning down offers to hang out in the guards’ quarters for a game of cards. And they were always with the King when Puffy saw them.

“If they’re blaming the fae again, you won’t find anything in the library. It only has human literature.”

“Damn.” With a deep breath, he ran his fingers through the bangs hanging over his eyes. “They’re talking about checking if the Prince is a changeling again. Any advice?”

“Never met one, so I’ve got nothing. I wouldn’t know how to spot one.”

“Right. Neither did Sally…”

Puffy found her thoughts drifting back to the courtyard below. She let her gaze wander over the railing, where Hbomb was barking commands. She could see Aimsey and their partner separate and share a bow. “You know,” Puffy started to say before the thought behind it fully formed. “I might know someone who’s been to the Badlands, well, not recently, but not too long ago. I could see if they know anything about changelings…”

Wilbur immediately perked up at this. “Would you.”

“Yeah. Sure! Let me talk to them. I mean, there’s no harm in asking, even if they know nothing.”

Wilbur thanked her profusely, telling her to stop by his place and let him know how it went later that evening. She agreed and they parted ways. A few flights of stairs later, she was once more walking past the arches lining the courtyard corridor.

The trainees were no longer in practice formations. Instead, they had scattered across the open space in small groups for their lunch break. Young men and women chatted between bites of food. Hbomb was standing at the far end of the field, discussing something with one of his pupils.

It didn’t take her long to spot Aimsey sitting on her own under an oak tree. The elf was leaning back against the trunk, eating contentedly. The netherite sword was lying in the grass at their side. Puffy stepped over it as she approached the elf. “Hey there. How have the lessons been going?”

Aimsey’s eyes widened as she realized the Captain of the Guard was right there and addressing them. They scrambled to get up, but Puffy stopped them before they could. “Cool it. Forget the decorum for now.”

Aimsey looked like they didn’t believe her at first, but gradually they began to relax back against the tree trunk. “Well then Captain, what brings you back to the training grounds? Do you need your sword back.” their voice sounded small. It was filled with awe.

“No. That’s yours now.” With a heave, Puffy lowered herself down to her hocks and rolled back so she was sitting beside the elf. Then she patted the sword still sheathed at her side. “I’ve got this with me now. But how about you? Haven’t gotten into any more fights, have you?”

“Nothing I can’t handle,” Aimsey said with a smirk, before taking another bite of their lunch.

Puffy raised both eyebrows. “Fellow trainees still giving you trouble?”

“Some of them. Some are just rude assholes. Nobody's tried taking me on alone, though. Too afraid.”

“I see. So that’s why you’re sitting over here on your own.”

At that, Aimsey seemed to duck their head sheepishly. “Well, part of it. Some of them invited me to eat with them. There are some genuinely nice people here. I just don’t have much in common with them.” One of their hands goes to the side of their head, pulling the hair out from behind their ears so it would cover the pointed ends. “I feel like we’ve got nothing to talk about.”

It was strange to Puffy, looking down at this young elf and feeling like she saw a young satyr in their place. She barely knew them, but she felt like her and Aimsey could be one and the same. She looked down at the sword in the grass. Hbomb’s words came back to her, echoing through her memories. ‘Imagine if someone had done that for you back when you joined…’

“I understand.”

Aimsey looked at her, surprised. “You do?”

Puffy half snorted, half laughed. “Is that so shocking?”

“No, I mean-” The elf nearly dropped their food as they threw up their hands apologetically. “You’re so you! You’re the Captain of the Guard. Everyone knows you’re the strongest person in the Kingdom. You cut down that assassin at the royal wedding and got that scar on your eye in the war when you fought the enemy general. Everyone looks up to you…”

“And once upon a time, I was just a satyr training in this courtyard with a bunch of humans,” Puffy added with a slight smile. That thought hadn’t seemed to occur to Aimsey. The elf’s eyes narrowed in thought as they mulled over Puffy’s words. “Believe me,” Puffy continued. “I know what it’s like to feel out of place. And yeah, there’s going to be assholes that can’t let it go that you’re different. People like that are what spurred me on to become stronger. You get into enough fights, and it really makes you start seeing the value in becoming a better fighter. And most of them have lived here their whole lives. They don’t have a clue what it’s like past these walls. Let alone the Badlands. Not much in the way of common ground when you’re trying to make friends.” Aimsey’s eyes were wide. They were watching Puffy intently as she spoke, hanging on every word. “But, there is value in trying to make those connections with the right people.”

Aimsey’s face immediately blanched.

“You’d be surprised,” Puffy pushed. “Hell, some of those humans are still my best friends. Because, just like those assholes were part of the reason I became who I am today, so were the nice ones who tried to include me. If it wasn’t for them encouraging me, helping me train, defending me when I needed them, I don’t think I would have anything worth fighting for. What’s a soldier with no sense of duty or reason to fight? I’d hardly consider them a person at all.” Puffy paused for a moment. Aimsey didn’t respond right away, so she added, “If I can give one suggestion, next time your fellow recruits ask you to join them, you should give them a chance.”

“Even if we don’t have anything to talk about,” Aimsey asked quietly.

“Spending time with people tends to give you more things to talk about.”

They thought it over for a beat before nodding. “Ok. No promises, but I think I’ll try.”

“Good.” Puffy almost goes to stand back up, but then remembers that she came here for a reason. “Oh, sorry. I guess I got a bit distracted. I was actually coming to ask you something.”

Aimsey smiled mischievously. “Advice and a question from the Captain? I must be the luckiest recruit here.

“It’s a bit because of your fae background,” Puffy admitted with a shrug. “Is it true you’re from that family that came here fleeing the Badlands?”

They nodded. “Yeah. What about it?”

“During your time there, did you ever happen to meet a changeling? Or maybe hear something about it?”

“No.” They shook their head but stopped halfway. “Wait, maybe? Sort of. There had been another boy there that I used to think might have been there. He was really little. A baby even. Like, he was clearly fae. The skin on one side of his body was black and the other side was white, and he had a tail. He kind of just appeared in the Badlands one day. No parents or anything. Nobody knew what he was, so they thought he was a changeling. But we didn’t know for sure, you know?”

It wasn’t much to go off of, but it was something. “What was he like,” Puffy asked anyway.

Aimsey only shrugged. “He was a baby. Not much to go off of, but I guess he was pretty quiet. He never really laughed, but he didn’t really cry either. Mostly just stayed quiet. Does that help you?”

“It does.” This time, she goes to get up and actually makes it all the way to her hooves. She would have to tell Wilbur about this. “Thank you Aimsey.”

“No problem!”

On the other side of the courtyard, Hbomb was finishing his discussion with the trainee. It wouldn’t be long until they would get back to work. Puffy turned to go. “By the way,” she called over her shoulder. “If you ever just want to talk fae to fae, let me know. Sometimes we need to spend time with people like us.”

Aimsey’s face lit up in a bright smile. They leaned forward and waved after the retreating Captain, tucking the hair falling into their face behind their pointed ears. “That sounds really nice,” they called back. “Hopefully I’ll see you later.”

It made Puffy feel warm and fuzzy inside to hear that. Niki would be happy about that too. Maybe it was time for her to make more fae friends? Give it some time, and maybe she would see about introducing Aimsey and Sally. So Puffy trekked back towards the castle with a smile, listening to the crash of swords starting back up behind her.

_______________________________________________________________

Lightning flashes lit the halls through the castle windows. Puffy made sure to stick to the carpeted paths as she ran, hoping it would muffle the sound of her hoof steps. She already had her sword drawn in case someone spotted her.

She couldn’t see her fellow guards but could hear the clatter of their armor and angry shouts. “The Captain ran that way! Find her, quick, before she escapes. And don’t you face her alone. I don’t care how strong you think you are, she’ll kick your ass if you take her one on one.”

They sounded close. Hopefully, they couldn’t hear her heavy breathing. Hopefully, Wilbur had made it out alright. He had been standing by the Prince’s room when the King gave the order.

A deep bell chimed somewhere in the distance. Anyone still awake and home to avoid this awful storm would hear it and know that a new law had passed. Fae were officially outlawed in the Kingdom.

She’d be arrested if they caught her. Maybe even accused of treason. It wasn’t her fault that the boy turned out to be a changeling. She had been just as shocked as anyone to see the thing posing as the prince reacted to the iron and clover. Hadn’t expected the wicked tusks or cloven hooves, and the wild fearful look of the thing as it realized it had been found out. She had even been the first to try to grab it, but it had jumped out the window. Surely it was dead on the ground outside now. Nothing could survive a fall from that high.

But the King had lost it. His worst fear had been realized. His heir, his only son, was gone. Taken by the fae. He wanted his pound of flesh and didn’t care if the ones who paid up were innocent.

By now messengers would have made their way through the streets of the capital. Everyone would know what had happened. Fae would be ripped from their homes and workplaces.

Despite her own predicament, her thoughts kept going back to her friends as she ran. To Niki back at the flower shop, waiting for her to come home only to be met at the door by an official looking to arrest the satyr. Of Wilbur, who had argued against checking the kid from the beginning and was a known proponent for fae. Would the fact that he’s a human keep him safe? It wouldn’t keep his wife and child safe. Were they okay? And Hbomb, Gods above she couldn’t risk running into Hbomb right now. He was a fellow guard… Well, he was a guard. She supposed she wasn’t one anymore. He would be under orders to catch her as well.

When she passed by another window, she noticed crowds in the streets. They’re carrying torches and pointed tools, stalking down the road in disarray. People were tossing things at houses. Doors were being smashed. People with wings and antlers and horns were being dragged out into the rain.

Mobs had already started.

Puffy tore herself away from the window, running faster. She had to get home. She had to find Niki. She had to RUN.

And she does. She makes it pretty far too. Being Captain of the Guard has its perks, one of which used to include full access to every part of the castle. It’s huge, with countless twisty passages and secluded rooms. She knows every hallway and secret passage like the back of her hand, and she puts that knowledge to good use avoiding her fellow guardsmen.

She makes it to the back entrance, pausing as a group of armored men rush past her. They didn’t see her. Good. She slunk out the door, sticking to the walls and taller bushes. It was slower going, but she had better coverage here than the open courtyard. There were already people out there combing the grounds for her.

She made it halfway around the east wall when she noticed something odd in the center of the courtyard.

It was dark, but Puffy could make out a small figure lying face down in the mud. On quiet hooves, she crossed the stone-floored corridor to the edge of the grass. Nobody appeared to be around, but she didn’t like the idea of crossing the open space alone. She had her sword, but there was no cover to hide if anyone came by. If someone with a bow saw her, she’d be a sitting duck. So she hunkered her shoulders and crouched low to the ground as she moved. The rain seeped through her Captain’s coat. Water dribbed uncomfortably down her back as she closed the distance.

The figure didn’t move. Were they breathing? It was hard to tell in the rain. When she got close enough to reach them, she grasped their shoulders to give them a good shake. Their skin was cold to the touch. Puffy’s breath hitched as she rolled them over. Their face was covered in mud, but Puffy recognized the unblinking brown eyes that had started to cloud over. The tips of Aimsey’s pointed ears were just visible through the clumps of damp hair plastered to their head. Puffy trailed her fingers over the edge of the jawline. There was no pulse. It didn’t surprise Puffy, but the confirmation that the young elf was gone made her feel a little dizzy.

“Oh, you poor kid…”

There was blood mixed with the mud under Aimsey. It clumped up in bright red patches near their stomach. In the low light, Puffy could make out blackened skin peeling away from open wounds. Iron poisoning. Someone had cut the young soldier down with a steel sword. Speaking of which, the netherite sword Puffy had given the elf wasn’t in the loop at Aimsey’s waist anymore. It had likely been stolen.

She couldn’t take the body with her. There was nothing she could do for Aimsey now. With a heavy heart, Puffy shut the elf’s eyelids and gently laid them back on the ground.

CLATTER!

Every sense went to high alert as Puffy whipped around. Her hand went to the hilt of her sword while her head hunkered down to show off her horns. It had been a long time since she had to charge, but her curved horns could be just as deadly as a sword if she got a good enough running start.

“Puffy?”

“Puffy!”

Puffy blinked and raised her head when she realized that she knew those voices. “Hbomb? Niki…” Her two friends were standing at the edge of the courtyard entrance. Niki looked disheveled. Her hair was a mess of fly-away strands poking out of a ponytail. Her cheeks were flushed, and the traveling cloak hanging from her shoulders was soaked and muddy. Beside her, Hbomb was breathing heavily, gripping a torch that struggled to remain lit in the pounding rain. His armor looked dented and scraped as if he had already been in a scuffle. There was a dark spot on his cheek, but in the dim light, Puffy couldn’t make out if it was a bruise or blood. They both were staring at her with wide eyes that flickered in the light of the sputtering torch.

“I’m so glad you’re ok!” Niki’s voice broke as tears sprang to her eyes. The pink-haired girl launched herself away from the entrance, crossing the courtyard in an instant. The air was knocked out of Puffy’s lungs as Niki slammed into her. She almost would have fallen if the pink-haired human hadn’t wrapped her up in a tight hug. “I was so worried,” she hiccupped, burying her face into Puffy’s shoulder. “Hbomb told me about the ban. There are mobs and people are getting hurt. We came as soon as we could. I thought- I thought-”

Puffy found her own fingers tightening around the fabric of Niki’s cloak. “Shhhh… It’s okay. I’m okay,” she soothed. “I just ran into a little trouble getting out of the castle.”

It got a little warmer as Hbomb approached. The heat of his torch chased away the chill of the rain. Puffy stiffened as her eyes met his. “We need to get you out of here,” he says quickly. “There’s riots in the streets. The people are out attacking any fae they can find, and there are not enough guardsmen available to stop them. We’re too scattered.”

Puffy let out a relieved sigh as she realized she could trust him. Of course she could. This was HBomb. How could she ever have thought otherwise?

He caught sight of Aimsey and covered his mouth. His big eyes immediately went glassy. “Oh no. Is that-”

“Yeah,” Puffy cut him off. “It is. There’s nothing we can do for them,” she said bitterly.

She brought her attention to the castle looming above them. The insides would still be buzzing with panicked people, bloodthirsty guardsmen out for her head, and a grieving father who couldn’t think past his own need for revenge. There wasn’t anything left for her here anymore, or the people she loved.

She reached out and wrapped her hand around Hbomb and Niki’s hands. They let her pull them towards the way they had come from. “Come on guys. Let’s get out of here.”

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