17. Epilogue #2
“As though now third-and-fourth years don’t still tremble at your name.”
Viau had a distinct curl at the edge of his mouth when Rafi glanced up. Rafi stopped him to tug him down to kiss it, freezing when someone whistled, although he was slow to pull away.
“Giving me a reputation.”
“Giving yourself that reputation,” Viau returned, pleased because Rafi had kissed him. He liked kisses in public. Rafi assumed it was because he did nearly everything in public but the kisses were only for him. Rafi didn’t want to kiss anyone else. He didn’t think he ever would.
That said, Viau’s teasing was likely also meant as a distraction. Rafi welcomed it, focusing his attention on Viau as much as he could until they entered the Arms Room.
Except for the older ones, the students there still paused whenever they realized Viau di Ruzé was among them. Some of the younger ones did also glance to Rafi with wide eyes, though not as Viau claimed they did.
“Ah, there you are.” Daloit was pleased to see Viau, as he always was, and smiled widely at Rafi too. “I thought you might get called away again. There’s no hurry, of course. But you did write and ask.” That was directed at Viau, or so Rafi thought since he had not written anything to Daloit.
The matter had been discussed anxiously with Viau a month and a half before, and then Rafi had done his best to forget it. Until two weeks ago, when Daloit had sent a message. Then Rafi had destroyed several training dummies at his new employers’ expense, requested the time away, and worried.
“Where…?” Rafi’s voice broke. He tried again with his face burning hotter. “Where is he? He’s here?”
“Arrived last week, a lamb to the slaughter if there ever was one.” Daloit’s tone held sympathy and also some concern. “The later children are often like that.”
“Is he fitting in well?” Rafi dragged his gaze away from the countless others in the room to look at Daloit, who shrugged.
“As well as anyone. I only see glimpses of them in here and sometimes in the dining hall. But…” Daloit exchanged a quick, serious look with Viau that Rafi didn’t like, “he’s not like you. I could tell that at once.”
Rafi released a breath. That didn’t concern him. There was nothing special about him except the pleasure he took in besting Viau.
“Where?” It was all he managed aside from a grateful nod of thanks to Daloit when Daloit pointed to a group of first-years gathered around Guen.
Guen didn’t appear to be teaching them anything yet; he was trying to get a padded shirt to stay on an especially slight miná or nex, who was so small she looked closer to twelve than to fifteen or sixteen.
Plucked from a poor family with too many children or from a noble family with cruel hearts, Rafi didn’t know, but could ask later.
The academy would feed her at least, give her some sort of future, even if that would be protecting similarly cruel nobles.
The first-years noticed Rafi’s approach almost immediately, eyes round as they whispered to each other.
Viau’s lover, they probably said.
Rafi didn’t mind. He never would. Viau’s Rafi meant he belonged. He hoped they’d know that feeling one day too.
He swept a look over the group, steps slowing as he got close enough to see brown-and-gold curls around a small, pale face.
This one did not live as a wild creature out of doors as Rafi had done.
He’d hidden himself away instead, or possibly been sickly.
Rafi wouldn’t know; no one would ever have told him.
He tried to summon what memories he could: A young child keeping to the kitchens, where the older staff fussed over him and gave him tasks to keep his hands busy.
A shivering bundle against Rafi’s back when Rafi had slept at home, because thunder scared the little one.
Arms wrapped tight around Rafi’s middle before Rafi had left for the capital because he hadn’t wanted Rafi to go.
“Rafi?”
“Giacoli.” Rafi reached out without any clear intention to do so and inhaled the trifles-and-sweets scent of his brother as Giacoli put his arms around Rafi’s waist and squeezed hard.
“You’re here now.” Rafi was barely aware of what he said, only that it was soft.
He kept his aer that way too, a cloud of comfort Giacoli might not even be able to sense yet.
“We will keep you. Viau and I.” All of them, every child here, Rafi decided at once.
Even if he had to draw the king’s attention to do it.
Academy Trianon was home to the unwanted ones, and if the academy changed as Viau hinted it would, it must still remain theirs.
That was perhaps too much. Rafi had gotten too comfortable in his new position and forgotten how to manage expectations and keep his head down.
Viau’s aer said otherwise, the spring sun at Rafi’s back.
Rafi looked down at his little brother and spoke to him and to everyone near them. “I won’t leave you. We won’t. On my honor.”
His honor was also Viau’s honor, or so Viau would insist. He stood at Rafi’s shoulder, probably smiling down at a stunned Giacoli. Rafi closed his eyes to smile too, leaves open to the light.
The End