Noble and Roan hurried up the hill. Their haste drew the attention of many, but only one cared enough to catch up.
"Is something wrong?" Helie fell in step beside Noble.
"Well, it sure isn't right," the floating Master answered cryptically.
Helie searched Roan's face for answers, but the leader could only offer her a shrug and an uncertain smile in response.
Soon, two voices could be heard drifting between the buildings.
"I insist you go first."
"No, please. I could never. After you!"
"I appreciate the thought, but it would be impolite if I pushed my way past. I simply cannot do it!"
Upon hearing the two voices, Helie furrowed her brow. "Is that…Flint and Aether?"
Noble smirked. "That's who it sounds like, doesn't it?"
Roan pulled at his beard. "Indeed, it does. They are the two most polite men in two worlds, after all."
Helie looked at her two companions, wondering if they had encountered a hallucinogen while she was away. "What is going on?"
Noble waved her forward. "Like Roan, you will just have to see for yourself."
"I wouldn't feel right if you didn't go first. You are a better man than I and deserve that respect," Flint's argument continued while the trio neared.
"I can find no fault with your manners; however, I would impress upon you my deepest desire that you go first." Aether's tone was pleading.
Coming around the corner, Noble was able to view the scene.
Two buildings were close together with an archway connecting them. Before the entryway, two men were each motioning for the other to pass through. Their enthusiastic gesturing resembled two mimes that Noble had once seen when taking her twins to the circus.
Picturing the two men pretending to be stuck in invisible boxes, Noble smothered her grin. Unlike the mimes, these men were overly verbose, each spilling out compliments to urge the other forward.
"Please, sir, you were here first," Flint insisted. "It is only right that you go before me."
Aether gritted his teeth. "I believe you are mistaken. You were ten paces ahead of me. I called your name because I was surprised to see you. Please continue on your way, and I will escort you to the keep."
"Your civility is most generous, but I shall not move a muscle until you go first." Flint smiled at his companion.
"Indeed, then we are at an impasse. For I cannot go before you." Aether looked close to breaking.
Spying Noble and the others, his spirit was buoyed. He motioned toward Roan.
"Perhaps our cohort leader can help with this endeavor."
"Oh, hello!" Flint waved at his companions. "It is good to see you again so soon, Master Noble. I do not wish you to think me rude. I am trying to take your advice, only I have run into a small problem."
"Help..." Aether's whisper was barely audible.
Roan looked at the two men seriously. "What seems to be the issue?"
'He knows perfectly well what is happening!' Noble shook her head slightly.
Aether took a deep breath. "On my way to run an errand, I spotted Flint heading up these steps. I called out to him, and he paused to greet me. I asked him what he was doing, and he informed me that he was heading back up the hill, and I offered to join him. And now, he won't go through the doorway first."
"There is an easy solution, Aether. Why don't you just go through fi..." Helie felt a gentle nudge from Noble. The dark-haired Master paused, seeming to realize what was happening. "Oh."
Roan tapped his chin. "Why won't you accept Master Aether's kindness, Master Flint?"
"Forgive me. I did not mean to make a scene. I simply wanted to give my companion the honor he deserved. Kindness matters, and I did not want to be found lacking." Flint bowed.
Aether pressed his lips together. "While I appreciate Flint's sudden and unexpected change in disposition, I must politely decline his request."
Flint placed his hand on his heart. "I vow I will not move from this place until my kindness has been accepted."
"And I vow that it is an honor that I cannot rightly accept." Aether held his hand to his head.
Noble could feel his distress. Taking pity on him, Noble intervened.
"That's enough, Flint. You have proven that you can match Aether in your level of politeness. But the game of mimicry is over. At this rate, Aether is liable to pass out."
Flint placed his hand on his heart. "Oh my word, I did not know you were unwell. Shall I get you a chair, Master Aether?"
"No, thank you, Master Flint." The young man waved his hand.
Roan clicked his tongue. "You have had your fun, Flint. Don't push your luck."
"I do not understand," Flint raised one eyebrow at his leader. "You do not want me to be kind to others?"
"That isn't what he said, and you know it," Helie placed her hand on her hip.
Noble strode forward. Flint seemed persistent in his commitment to being kind and polite, even if it meant being annoying. Aether was inhibited by his Flaw, which stopped the man from doing something that he deemed impolite.
It was a little silly, but Noble could understand his difficulty. So rather than beat her head against the wall until one of the two men gave up, she decided on a different solution.
"It would be most polite to let a lady go first, would it not?"
Noble had expected at least a small amount of resistance from Flint on whether she qualified, but both of the men nodded in agreement.
"Then Helie and I will go, and you men can follow. Does that work?"
"You are very wise, Lady Bel." Aether wiped a bead of sweat from his brow.
"Perhaps the wisest to walk the land!" Flint bowed.
Motioning for Helie to follow her, Noble walked through the archway. On the other side, the two ladies turned around.
Noble smiled and held out her hands. "Now you are free to come."
"Seniority first," Flint waved Roan through.
Confused but not ready to object, the leader of the cohort marched forward.
Aether waited, but Flint didn't move. "Seniority first," he repeated Flint's words.
"I could never impose my own self-importance in that way. Please let me humbly give you that honor." Flint took a step back.
Aether matched his movement. "Please, I insist."
Flint stepped back again, bending in half. "It would be my honor if..."
"Oh, for Spell's sake!!!" Noble could take it no longer. Her patience for these shenanigans had run out.
The two men rose into the air, coming over the archway before landing on the other side.
"Thank you, My Lady." Both men responded in unison as their feet touched the ground.
Noble sighed. "Don't mention it. Now let's get back to the keep where Drusus is."
"It would be my honor," Flint held out his elbow to escort her.
"I would consider it a privilege," Aether had tried and failed to keep the words in his mouth and his arm by his side.
Noble rolled her eyes, ignoring both offers as she walked quickly forward.
"If there's another doorway before we get to the keep," she mumbled, "I am destroying it before those two get there..."