Epilogue
DREN
Starting a new town required a marketing campaign, apparently.
Lord Dren of Pine Island erroneously thought that creating a functioning town was all he’d be required to do, and frankly, that was a steep enough request. Even with dozens of laborers helping him with backbreaking work, even with the Arcandor and the Alchemicor and the queen and the neighboring lord visiting to aid in town management, it apparently wasn’t enough.
No, Lord Dren now had to promote the town.
After all, the majority of the Realm didn’t know Pine Island had been settled.
They didn’t know there was a whole new frontier: a new home to be built, new friends to meet, new careers to begin.
All they knew was that there was an island on the northeast corner of the Queendom, and it was previously just nature.
It was still nature, but there were cute little houses dotting its landscape now, too. And a lovely town square with plenty of socializing opportunity, if Lord Dren did say so himself.
And so, with that speech in mind, Lord Dren drew a deep breath and stepped into Mercon’s town square.
From the crowd, his sister flashed him a thumbs-up.
She was days from leaving Mercon herself, already prepared for a move to the Academy of Alchemical Arts, but she’d stayed to offer support Dren support anyway.
Who knows, she’d said, when they had dinner last night and he’d recapped everything that happened so far, maybe Lord Wylan was just a teaser. Maybe you’ll meet your future partner on this tour!
It made sense to start the tour in Mercon, but even seeing familiar faces didn’t quell Dren’s anxiety about presenting a topic without the proper tools. I don’t have time to be searching the crowd for a partner, he’d replied. I’ll be too busy explaining my graphs—
To which his sister had rolled her eyes and ordered another ale.
Someone had already set up his charts, lovingly painted onto thick planks of wood covered in stiff linen. He was on a raised platform barely big enough for three people, and had to remind himself not to pace when he spoke, lest he face-plant. He cleared his throat as the crowd went silent.
“Ah, h-hello, all. It’s me, Dren. Um, Lord Dren, now.
And I’ve come today under permission of Lord Myron,” he gestured at Lord Jaquine’s son, a middle-aged man with a kind smile and no real ambitions, who was standing in support to his left, “and Her Excellency, Queen Reyna, to speak to you about the Queendom’s newest settlement on Pine Island. ”
There. Appropriately sufficient introduction.
Although the crowd was silent, staring blankly at him, and he realized too late that they didn’t know that Pine Island had been named.
He scrambled through his slides, hauling one out that showed the map of the Realm, with Pine Island painted in red.
“Ah, t-this island! We’ve settled it, and—and that’s where I’ve been. ”
A booming, friendly laugh echoed through the crowd. It was so, so familiar. Lord Dren squinted at the crowd, trying to remember why that had tickled his memory.
And then—he saw him.
Kallos.
Gods, he was all grown up. Dren almost forgot everything—everything except Kallos’s full-bodied laugh, his comforting shoulder squeeze when times were tough, the way he smuggled Dren favorite sweets past Dren’s strict mother. A lifetime ago, Dren’s best friend.
He had no idea Kallos was back in town. But then again, Kallos probably didn’t know he was, either. Except there, on the outskirts of the crowd, was Dren’s sister, smirking with that knowing told you so expression.
So… someone knew, at least.
Kallos cupped his hands together, wholly unnecessary with his loud voice: “Thanks for clarifying, Dren. I was wondering.”
Dren’s entire face went hot. “You were?”
“We knew,” one of the other Mercon citizens said, waving Kallos off. “We all saw Queen Reyna strolling into town to bring the news. So, you did it, then? You actually went and became a proper lord?”
Now, the townsfolk looked to Lord Myron for confirmation. The amicable man shrugged. “It’s been known to happen. Not often, but then, aren’t we lucky to see it?” He waved at Dren encouragingly. “Go on with your presentation, lad. Your neighbors are anxious to hear it.”
Kallos grinned and waved Dren on.
Dren stared again at his wooden planks, at the charts and maps and graphs he’d painstakingly painted. They suddenly felt woefully inadequate. With a deep breath, he turned away from them, facing the crowd properly.
“Let me tell you about what I’ve been doing—and why this town is so special.
It all starts with the people. Do you know that the Alchemicor themself lives nearby, and has personally helped us install basic amenities?
And the first season I was there, Lord Wylan of Tawney personally opened his doors to give me tips. ”
That was appropriately awe-inspiring. Everyone knew of Lord Wylan, the lord who managed the border town that kept tenuous peace between Dragon Country and the human lands.
And of course, they knew of the Alchemicor, the Alchemist of Eras, who single-handedly created a school where anyone, even Queendom citizens, could learn magic.
“It’s the most incredible place,” Lord Dren said. “And we’re going to make Pine Island somewhere equally impressive. Just watch. We just need more citizens to make it amazing.”
And Kallos, armed with a sly smile, raised a hand and asked, “Where do I sign up?”
Dren’s sister winked.
And for the first time in a long time, Lord Dren felt like he knew exactly what his future would hold… and he liked it quite a lot.