16. Changes #2
Skylar looked up at him. The General was looking at her with evident concern in his grey eyes.
She couldn't imagine this honourable man making an elaborate plan to use her and discard her afterwards.
But maybe her growing affection for him was indeed deceiving her.
Perhaps that's what she wanted to believe.
"It's nothing." She shrugged. "I'm just tired, I guess."
"All right then." They got back to eating in silence, but after a moment, Gawyn put down his fork and looked at her again.
"You know, I'm not good at reading people. And I'm certainly not good at reading woman's feelings. I see that you've been dejected these past few days. I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."
Skylar sighed. With this genuine, heartfelt concern, he wasn't making it easy for her.
She was bursting with a need to tell him everything in the hope he'd say it's ridiculous and she shouldn't be bothered by such nonsensical speculations.
And yet, something was stopping her. A nagging fear was that if she let her guard down, she would be manipulated again.
"It's just something Elinora told me," she finally said. "She thinks I'm still too trusting and can be easily used."
"Don't be too harsh on yourself. You still made tremendous progress considering the short time you've been here. I don't recall you punching anyone in recent weeks." Skylar laughed, and Gawyn smiled at her. "Also, I would take caution while dealing with Elinora."
Skylar frowned. "What do you mean?"
He sighed. "You can train all you want to fit in at the court, but you'd never be her equal. She was born and bred to be a Queen. Relentless, cunning, and alluring. But you must have noticed by now that she's also ruthless. That makes her a great Queen. But also a very dangerous person.
She always has a hidden agenda. Always."
"You don't seem to like her very much."
"Because I don't. I respect her, yes. But I do not like her. I was against the idea of Alarat marrying her. I didn't think he could handle her. He insisted, though, that it was the most logical union at the time, so I eventually made peace with it.
That's why I was reluctant when she offered you her patronage. But again, you needed a strong ally at the court, and she is the strongest one you could get."
He frowned and swirled his wine around in the glass.
"And now she doesn't want to let you off your duties, even if I tried to pull you out."
"Oh, I see." Skylar frowned. "I didn't know you feel that way about her."
"It's just my personal opinion." Gawyn shrugged. "All I'm saying is, you don't have to take all her words at face value. You could never be like her. And I do hope you never try."
Skylar felt a warmth spreading through her chest. How could she not fall for this man? It was impossible. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't imagine him scheming in secret against her. He was consistently honest to the fault and was not the type to work covertly on anything, just like her.
It was the reason why she fell so quickly for him.
"Thank you. I think I needed to hear this." She truly smiled at him for the first time since her conversation with the Queen.
The General smiled back and dabbed his mouth with a napkin. "Speaking of which. I might have an idea how I can release you from even more duties for the Queen."
"Oh?"
"Come, I've got you something," Gawyn stood up and offered her his hand.
They walked toward his office. There was an unusual spring in the General's steps as if he couldn't wait to show Skylar his surprise.
The long wooden box was laid on the desk. It was elegant at had beautiful carvings on every side.
"What's that?" Skylar asked, intrigued, tracing her fingers on the lid.
"Why don't you open it and take a look?" Gawyn asked, trying and failing to suppress a smile.
Skylar frowned, undid the latches, and lifted the lid. Her breath caught in her throat, and she felt as if her knees might buckle under her any second.
"Do you like it?"Gawyn asked eagerly.
"Do I like it?" she asked dumbly, still trying to comprehend what she was looking at.
Inside the box, on a red velvet cushioning, lay a sword.
And not any sword, but the most beautiful blade she'd ever seen.
It was gleaming silvery in the flickering light of candles.
The size was unusual, something halfway between a long and short sword.
Precisely the same as her blade that she was forced to leave behind.
The handle was carved in a gryphon's head, with yellow sapphires for eyes, resembling Zephyr's eyes.
Skylar cautiously raised her trembling hand and closed it at a handle. She raised her arm, still speechless. The balance of the blade was perfection. It felt like an extension of her arm. Like she was the only one who was ever destined to wield it.
"It's perfect," she whispered, admiring how the sword moved. "How did you know?"
"I might have taken a look at your sword on our wedding night," Gawyn said casually, but his grey eyes were sparkling.
"Why would you do that? You hated the idea of me wielding a sword."
"I don't know." He shrugged. "I guess I was curious what kind of blade you were wearing. Your old sword was pretty good, but I thought you deserved something better."
Skylar's throat tightened, and her eyes stung from tears. "Why would you give me a sword?"
"Because you will need it for your new job, Lieutenant."
Skylar gently put the sword back in the box. She hated the thought of letting it out of her hand, but at the same time, she needed her hands free right now. She quickly wiped her tears before turning back to Gawyn.
"Why?" was all she managed to say with her shaking voice.
"I need someone to train the soldiers to fight the creatures from the Blighted Lands. I don't know any better candidates. Do you?"
"But I'm a woman. Are you fine with that?"
The General shrugged. "I wasn't three months ago. But after what I've seen recently, I no longer care. This threat is bigger than anything we've imagined. Having an asset like you and not using it would be foolishness."
Skylar couldn't bear it anymore. She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face to his chest, trying to hide the tears she could no longer suppress. She never said a word about getting back to the army. She never even dared to broach the topic, despite Elinora pushing her to do that.
And yet, he knew exactly what to do to make her the happiest person in the whole kingdom.
"Woah," Gawyngasped and gently patted her back. "Why are you crying? Was it something I said?"
"Shut up," she hissed. "Just shut up and hold me."
"Fine, that I can do," he murmured, kissing her head and stroking her hair.