Chapter 33 #2
“But…” Tryndar glanced from Dacha to Fieran and back, his bottom lip sucked into his teeth.
Dacha shot a glance in Fieran’s direction, meeting his gaze briefly, before he focused fully on Tryndar once again.
“You, sason, are both an elf and a human. You may choose to wear your hair short to honor your human heritage, as Fieran does. Or you may choose to wear your hair long in the style of the elves. Either way, your macha and I will not be disappointed with you.”
That longtime ache deep within Fieran’s chest gave one last healing throb as a lump formed in his throat. Perhaps his dacha, too, had grown these past few months.
“But you cut your hair?” Tryndar’s forehead furrowed, his hands still pressed protectively to his hair. “And you are an elf.”
“Yes, an elf’s long hair is a symbol of his honor, especially for a warrior.
” Dacha’s gaze remained fixed on Tryndar.
“But long hair is only a symbol; it is not honor itself. Sometimes it is necessary for an elf to sacrifice long hair for something more important than a mere symbol. Do you understand, sason?”
Tryndar blinked at Dacha for a long moment before he shook his head.
Fieran laughed under his breath. Trust Dacha to confuse Tryndar more by the usual elven tendency toward cryptic statements.
Whatever else Dacha said was drowned out in Uncle Edmund’s inarticulate shout and laugh as he spun Aunt Jalissa around. When he set her down, he turned to the rest of them, a huge grin on his face as he called out, “We’re expecting! I’m going to be a father again!”
Mama laughed and hurried to Uncle Edmund and Aunt Jalissa, giving them hugs. “I knew it.”
Fieran grinned, and he would have joined the celebration except that there was a drumming of running boots on the wharf and shouts of “Fieran!”
Fieran turned just in time as the flyboys mobbed him, with Stickyfingers and Lije leading the charge. The flygirls and elven pilots followed at a somewhat more sedate pace, although even the elves were smiling.
Laughing, Fieran found himself backslapped and brother-hugged and exuberantly pummeled in greeting. Lije, Stickyfingers, Tiny, Murray, Aylia, and all the other familiar faces.
Just when even Fieran was at the edge of overwhelm, he spotted Rothilion edging down the gangplank, as if he was hoping he wouldn’t be noticed.
Fieran pointed in his direction. “Look who I picked up on the trip back.”
The flyboys glanced over their shoulders before several of them shouted, “Rothilion!”
Rothilion froze with wide-eyed terror as the whole mob descended on him, giving Fieran a moment to breathe.
He turned and found Pretty Face standing there, hanging back from the others. He was once again dressed in a pristine Escarlish Flying Corps olive-green uniform, although it hung on his still gaunt frame.
“You made it.” Fieran pulled Pretty Face into a backslapping hug.
“Yeah, so did you.” Pretty Face returned the backslap before he stepped back. “They haven’t cleared me for duty yet, but they at least allowed me to rejoin the squadron.”
Behind Fieran, there came more excited shouting, which included Pip’s name. He could only guess that Rothilion had sicced the pack of flyboys on Pip.
Pretty Face grinned, nodded to Fieran, and ambled around him, headed in the direction of the excited babble. His trajectory changed as Aaruk tiptoed down the gangplank, as if the ogre wasn’t sure if he should get off the ship.
Lije broke away from the rest of the gaggle around Pip. “Aaruk! How did you get here?”
“Lije?” Aaruk grinned as he exchanged handshakes with Lije, and then Pretty Face, the three of them talking over each other.
And then Merrik was there, strolling down the wharf with green magic glowing through his right pant leg, his shoulders straight, his head high. He carried himself with a confidence Fieran hadn’t seen before. The weeks of command had done him good.
Grinning, Fieran pulled Merrik in for another backslapping brother hug. “You led them well. Linshi.”
“I have not told you what happened in the past weeks.” Merrik laughed as he slapped Fieran’s back in return.
“You don’t have to. They’re all here, and you’re alive. That’s all that matters.” Fieran stepped back, though he kept a hold on Merrik’s shoulders in an elven hug a moment longer. “When did all of you return to Fort Defense?”
“As soon as you Laesornysh warriors ended the war. Rather spectacularly, I might add.” Merrik clasped Fieran’s shoulders. “Do not do that again.”
“Adry passed out too, didn’t she?” Fieran glanced over his shoulder to where his sisters were exchanging hugs with Dacha.
“Yes. It was horrible.” Merrik’s mouth pressed into a thin, unamused line that matched his tone.
“But after that, the higher-ups decided that Adry and the Half-Breed Squadron had fought enough, and we were sent back here to rest. Although, it was a bit of a downgrade after the various mansions we stayed in while at the front lines.”
“They still haven’t built barracks for us, have they?” Fieran shook his head.
“Nope. We are back to tents. At least our platforms in the trees were still there.” Merrik sighed, a smile curving his mouth.
Before Fieran could say anything else, a small figure with silver-blond hair came hurtling at him from the side. He turned barely in time to catch Tryndar as his little brother shouted, “Fieran!”
“Hey, monkey.” Fieran hefted Tryndar more securely into his arms.
“You came back.” Tryndar wrapped his arms around Fieran’s neck, not even protesting the nickname like he usually did.
“Yes, I did.” Fieran patted Tryndar’s back. “I heard you were in danger.”
“It was scary,” Tryndar mumbled into Fieran’s shirt before he lifted his head and made the bursting motions with his hands that always signified magic. “But then Louise came, and she was all pffew-pffew, and the bad guys were all screaming and then it was all better.”
Fieran’s throat tightened, and for a moment all he could do was hold his little brother, thankful he was safe. He wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the full story.
Time for a subject change. He didn’t want Tryndar dwelling on those bad memories a moment longer.
“Hey, would you like to fly in my aeroplane?” Fieran grinned at Tryndar.
“Yes!” Tryndar pumped his fists.
“Can we come?” Ellie hurried toward where Fieran and Merrik stood, trailed by Merrik’s little sister Kari. Uncle Iyrinder and Aunt Patience had joined Dacha and Mama, and the four of them were slowly strolling in this direction.
Merrik sighed, although he smiled as he turned to their little sisters. “Yes. I’ll fly you. I think the two of you can squish into the back seat of one of the two-seaters.”
He was going to fly again. Fieran’s heart beat harder as he eyed Merrik. “Is my aeroplane here?”
“Yes, we made sure it got back to Fort Defense with us.” Merrik shook his head, even if his smile remained. “It’s ready to fly whenever you are.”
Perfect. Fieran turned to his parents. “We’re taking Tryndar, Ellie, and Kari flying.”
“Be careful.” Mama shot him a stern look, although she was still smiling. “Don’t crash.”
“I won’t.” Fieran stepped in to give her a quick, one-armed hug while still holding Tryndar with the other.
Dacha eyed Fieran and Tryndar, as if he was debating whether to forbid the whole thing.
Before he could, Fieran raised his voice and waved to get the attention of the squadron. “Who wants to fly?”
“Yes!”
“Let’s go!”
“Flying with Laesornysh again!”
The flyboys, flygirls, and elven pilots stampeded along the wharf, headed for the tram that would take them up the bluffs toward the sprawling hangars and airfield complex.
As they ran past, Stickyfingers slapped Pretty Face’s back. “I’ll fly you in one of the two-seaters.”
“And you can ride with me, if you want to come.” Lije motioned to Aaruk, who seemed a bit bewildered to find himself towed along in the tide of flyboys.
Pip hurried to join them. “I’ll check the aeroplanes over. I need to make sure their maintenance is up to my standards.”
“Hey, what are you implying? I was one of those maintaining them.” Mak fell into step with her, giving her a teasingly hurt look.
“I’m sure whatever you did is acceptable.” Pip bumped Mak’s shoulder before she waved to Tryndar as she strolled past.
“I’ll come too.” Louise dashed past Fieran to fall in step on Pip’s other side. “I knew my place was at the AMPC, but it would be nice to get a glimpse of what it was like in the field.”
“I suppose I’d better supervise.” Adry trailed after Pip, Mak, and Louise, gathering Ellie and Kari as she went. “And once the two of you get back from flying, the three of us can have a tea party. Maybe we can even convince Merrik to join us.”
“Yes!” both younger girls yelled at once as they each grabbed one of Merrik’s hands and dragged him along.
Still grinning so widely his face hurt, Fieran turned in that direction as well, shifting Tryndar so that his brother was perched on his shoulders.
Within short order, Fieran had Tryndar buckled in on his lap in his aeroplane as it rolled forward, headed for the airfield.
He’d even managed to get official clearance to take his squadron up on a flight, although Colonel Dentley was unaware that three children and a civilian ogre would be going along.
Tryndar had a much-too-large flight cap pulled over his head while the band of the goggles he wore had been tied in the back to make them small enough to fit his head. Fieran wore his own flight cap and goggles, and he’d tucked Tryndar partially into his flight jacket to keep him warm enough.
Turning the aeroplane’s nose to line up on the airfield, Fieran glanced over his shoulder at where Merrik had positioned the two-seater in the wingman position. Ellie and Kari were crammed side-by-side in the back seat, buckled in together and also wearing spare sets of goggles and flight caps.
Merrik waved, his teeth showing in a wide grin.
Fieran grinned back and faced forward as he sent the aeroplane hurtling down the airfield.