Episode 178 I Am Not Falling for That
I Am Not Falling for That
“They keep looking at each other and smiling like they’re sharing some secret,” Elowyn whispers to Rominy as Lorial ushers them all out of the healing center.
“Who?” Rominy tries to follow her gaze. “There are a lot of people here.”
“Mother and Pera. Did you see how big Pera was smiling when he came to get Mother? Something is going on.”
“Maybe they’re just glad everyone is all right.”
Elowyn purses her lips and shakes her head. “They’re hiding something.”
“You are a nosy elf, aren’t you?” Rominy says with a smile. “Maybe we should let them hide whatever they think they need to hide and trust them to tell us what we need to know.”
“Perhaps.” Elowyn nods. “I shall endeavor to curb my curiosity.”
Cerian snorts at her announcement. “Good luck with her,” he silently mouths to Rominy, and Rominy’s eyes widen before he laughs.
“Why are you laughing?” Elowyn glances between Cerian and Rominy. “Are you two whispering about me?”
“Nope. No whispering, love,” Rominy says as he winks at Cerian.
“There was not a whisper between us.” Cerian grins at Rominy when Elowyn looks away.
Are they enjoying some sort of brotherly bonding?
“Hmm. You’re all acting strangely,” Elowyn says as someone leads Starlight toward her. “Ah. I see how it is. I get a little dehydrated, and suddenly I’m an invalid again.”
“Humor me, love,” Rominy says.
Elowyn feigns a sigh of long-suffering before climbing into her mare’s saddle. “Only because it’s you asking.”
Rominy takes the reins and smiles up at her. “Thank you.”
“I suppose you’re planning to hold on to those.”
“How is Jonas supposed to guard you properly while you’re galloping through the streets?”
“It’s a fair question, though I haven’t galloped through Darlei in years. That would be dangerous.”
In years. Rominy shakes his head. So she’s definitely done it in the past.
“Thank you,” Jonas whispers to Rominy so Elowyn can’t hear.
Poor Jonas. Having to guard them both. At least he has Taliel to help him now.
Rominy’s stomach growls. Hopefully, no one heard that. They never did eat lunch. It must be almost time for dinner.
When they reach Windhaven, Lorial gathers them all close.
“It’s been a long day. A long few weeks.
And we have long days ahead of us. I want each of you to spend the evening with your binding partner.
Focus on each other. Be stronger together.
Let the world carry its own burdens for a few hours. All right?”
Rominy glances at Elowyn, and she smiles at him as she dismounts.
Spend the evening alone together?
That sounds like a good way to burn down Windhaven.
“Lorial, can I talk to you?” Rominy says hoarsely. He clears his throat. “Privately?”
“Of course. Just give me a moment.”
Elowyn sends Rominy a curious look but says nothing. Thank goodness.
“I’ll just...I’ll meet you in your room. Our room. When I’m done,” he says to her.
“All right.” She glances back at him before following the others inside.
“Let’s go to my study,” Lorial says, and Rominy nods.
When they pass the royal wing, Rominy makes a mental note of where it is. Hopefully, he’ll remember how to get back later, though Jonas probably knows. Taliel definitely knows.
Lorial opens a door and gestures Rominy into a room reminiscent of Father’s study back home. The furniture isn’t as bulky, and most of the wood is tree-grown rather than cut from felled trees, but it feels like an elven version of the king’s study in Levina. It’s a comforting thought.
Lorial leans back against his desk and crosses his arms. “You have a nervous look about you, Rominy. You needn’t be nervous. Not with me. My door is always open to you. I hope you know that.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Now, tell me how I can help you.”
He might as well get to the point. “It’s Elowyn. Her fire magic. I don’t know how to help her manage it in the real world when we...when we—”
“Ah. I understand. Have you managed at all?”
Rominy opens and closes his mouth several times before finding his voice again. “In the real world?”
Lorial nods.
“No?”
A smile spreads on Lorial’s face. “Was that a question or an answer?”
“Sorry. No, we...we haven’t. I think my face is about to catch fire.”
“You’re also in violation of the treaty your father signed stipulating that you would have a week to consummate this marriage of alliance.”
Rominy stares at Lorial. “What?”
There’s a gleam in Lorial’s eyes that is far too reminiscent of Tharios, and Rominy shakes his head.
“Very funny. You almost had me, too.”
“But now you’re smiling, which was my goal. Relax, all right? This may feel awkward, but I’m here to help you.”
Rominy lets out a deep breath and nods. “Thank you.”
“I discussed this with El before your binding. Has she tried any of the things I suggested?”
“She said you told her to drain her fire magic ahead of time, but she didn’t think it would help. Because her fire magic reserves are like—”
“My air magic reserves,” Lorial finishes for him. “Practically endless.”
“Yes. And I can’t make it rain inside Windhaven.” Rominy frowns. “I’m surprised the magic let me say that.”
“That you can’t make it rain is hardly news to me,” Lorial says with a grin. “I also can’t make it rain inside Windhaven. I’d catch far fewer rugs on fire if I could.”
Well. As awkward as this conversation is, at least they’re not alone in their struggle.
“So, a few things,” Lorial continues. “If she can’t drain her fire enough to make a difference, she’ll need to temper it while she’s learning to control it better around you. That means water, which you seem to have figured out in the heartlanding.”
Rominy doesn’t even bother trying to respond to that.
“Now, the first time will be the hardest. Once you pass that hurdle, it should get a little easier.”
“Good to know,” Rominy mumbles.
Lorial looks at him thoughtfully. “You know, there is a room here where it can rain. The practice arena. But a water wielder is needed to make it happen.”
“Can Elowyn do it? Because I’m pretty sure we don’t need an audience.”
“Come now, Rominy. That was part of the treaty, too. Witnessing the—”
“I am not falling for that.”
Lorial grins again before turning serious.
“I’m not certain Elowyn has the control to manage her water magic at such a time.
Not without practice. That said, it wouldn’t hurt to try.
And the arena is a safe place to experiment with her fire as long as she doesn’t hurt you.
Firewalls exist to ensure young fire wielders don’t accidentally burn down all of Windhaven while learning control. ”
“The arena,” Rominy says. “This doesn’t sound very romantic.”
That earns Rominy a chuckle. “You might be surprised. Come on. I’ll show you.”
Rominy peers around Lorial as Lorial pushes open a large door into what appears to be...a forest? Inside Windhaven?
“This is the arena?” Rominy asks. “I was picturing a spartan athletic facility, like a gymnasium. I guess you probably don’t know what that is.”
“No, but I imagine it has a great deal of stone and very few trees.”
“You would be correct.” Rominy takes in the room containing a miniature forest growing from the soil covering the floor. There’s even a creek flowing through the park-like setting. “This is impressive. Where does the water come from?”
“It’s diverted from the Waters of Pendarra. Think you could romance my daughter in here?”
Rominy chuckles. “Do you really want me to answer that?”
A smile fills Lorial’s face as he glances back at Rominy before making his way to the wall where the creek flows through some sort of grate into the arena. Wooden tubing runs up the wall and along the ceiling.
“This is a practice mechanism for young water wielders. I should have brought Nestraya to demonstrate.”
“The more the merrier,” Rominy mutters, and Lorial laughs.
“I’ll just describe it. It’s easiest for young water wielders to learn to control water that’s moving with gravity, and my grandfather installed this system when my father was young and mastering his water powers.”
“King Restoval was a water wielder?”
Lorial sighs. “He was. As was his mother. I’m told she would send water through the piping, where it would stream down for my father to practice directing it.
And my father used the apparatus at times with Nestraya, though Nestraya’s water magic was already quite developed by the time she came to us.
Uncle Quilian taught Elowyn with it, though. ”
“Uncle Quilian? Not Nestraya?” Rominy asks.
Lorial shakes his head. “My love gave up many things to ensure you lived, Rominy.”
There’s no resentment in Lorial’s voice, but Rominy feels the weight of his words all the same.
“It’s a debt I can never repay,” Rominy murmurs.
“Someday, you may have a youngling of your own, and when you do, you’ll understand that the sacrifices we make for our elflings and younglings are gifts freely given. There is no debt. Only love.”
Younglings. Stars above. Rominy forgot about that part.
“I lost you,” Lorial laughs. “Did you suddenly remember where younglings come from?”
“I refuse to answer that.”
“You’ll have to speak to Nestraya if you require help of that sort. Or Tharios, though I imagine Tharios is holed up with Viala at the moment.”
That broad smile Lorial wore earlier is back. Perhaps Elowyn is right about her parents hiding something. Something to do with Tharios.
Rominy sure isn’t planning to ask.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Rominy says. “Thank you for this.”
Lorial waves him off. “I merely suggested the place. You’ll have to bring the romance.”
Rominy crosses his arms and looks down at his feet before glancing back up at Lorial. “Any recommendations?”
He might as well ask after every other awkward part of this conversation.
Lorial claps a hand on Rominy’s shoulder. “I do have one. Come with me, and I’ll introduce you to our cook.”