Chapter 28: Return to Thornhaven
Morning came too early, pulling Kael from sleep with the insistent reality of sunlight through the window. He blinked awake, stretching carefully to avoid disturbing Lyssa, who was still sleeping beside him.
Vera was already awake on her claimed bed, those violet eyes watching him with what might have been amusement. Through their bond, Kael felt her satisfaction—she remained entirely unrepentant about her matchmaking sleeping arrangement scheme.
Morning, Kael sent to her mentally. Enjoy your private bed?
Very much, Vera responded, her mental tone smug. Comfortable night. Good rest. You?
Kael couldn't argue—despite the awkwardness of sharing a bed with Lyssa in a purely professional capacity, he'd actually slept well. The bed was comfortable, Lyssa was a considerate sleeping companion who didn't kick or steal blankets, and the room had been quiet and secure.
Lyssa stirred, her eyes opening slowly. "Morning already?"
"Afraid so," Kael confirmed. "We need to meet Cedric and his guards soon."
They roused the rest of their companions—Ember waking with immediate enthusiasm, Fulminus already alert from his perch, Mushy stirring slowly from the corner, and Granite lifting his massive head with a rumbling yawn that seemed to shake the room.
After a quick breakfast at the inn—simple but filling fare—they gathered their belongings and headed toward the meeting point where they'd parted from Lord Cedric two days prior.
As they approached, Kael spotted Cedric's ornate carriage and the two guards standing nearby with their mythbeasts. But something was different about the scene—there was tension in the air, and voices carried across the distance.
"—doesn't make sense!" Cedric's voice was petulant and frustrated. "How can some common tamer have four mythbeasts bonded? That's not possible without significant family resources!"
One of the guards responded, his tone patient but strained. "My lord, he explained that he's not from nobility. Some tamers are simply talented—"
"Talented!" Cedric interrupted. "Or he lied! Maybe he's from some minor house too embarrassed to claim their name, or—"
Kael and Lyssa exchanged glances. Through their bond, Kael felt Vera's amusement—Cedric had apparently investigated Kael's background during his business in Ironpeak and finally confirmed that Kael had been telling the truth about being just an ordinary tamer.
The young lord's worldview couldn't accommodate the idea that someone without wealth and family connections could achieve what Kael had, so he was grasping for alternative explanations.
Let him think whatever he wants, Kael sent to his companions. As long as he pays us and doesn't cross any serious lines, his opinion doesn't matter.
They approached the group, and Cedric's head snapped toward them. His expression was no longer attempting even superficial politeness—now that he knew Kael wasn't someone influential, the young lord's natural arrogance was on full display.
"You're late," Cedric said, though they were actually five minutes early.
"We're exactly on time, my lord," Lyssa said evenly, her tone professional despite the obvious rudeness.
Cedric waved dismissively. "Whatever. Let's just get moving. I want to be back in Thornhaven before nightfall tomorrow."
The journey began, and the difference in Cedric's attitude was immediately apparent. Where before he'd maintained some veneer of civility—just in case Kael turned out to be someone important—now he treated them with open disdain.
When they stopped for breaks, Cedric would complain loudly about the pace being too slow, despite setting the pace himself. When they made camp for the evening, he made pointed comments about "common folk" and their "simple accommodations" while his guards set up his elaborate tent.
During meals, he sent one of his guards over to inform Kael and Lyssa that they should "maintain appropriate distance" from his camp, as if they'd been trying to get closer rather than deliberately giving him space.
Kael bore it all with patient indifference. Through his bonds, he could feel his companions' varying reactions—Vera's cold disdain for such childish behavior, Ember's confusion about why anyone would act so unpleasantly, Fulminus's calculating assessment of Cedric as weak in all ways that mattered, and Mushy's simple bewilderment at the young lord's attitude.
"Does it bother you?" Lyssa asked quietly that evening as they ate their simple meal well away from Cedric's camp. "The way he's treating us now?"
"Not really," Kael said honestly. "He's proving everything I suspected about him—that his politeness was conditional on my perceived value to him. Now that he knows I'm nobody important, he shows his true colors."
"Which are pretty ugly colors," Lyssa observed.
"Agreed. But we're getting paid well for putting up with it, and it's only one more day. I can tolerate a lot for three hundred basilisks."
The night passed without incident, though Kael took first watch partially to ensure Cedric's rudeness didn't escalate into anything more problematic. But the young lord simply retired to his tent and stayed there, leaving his guards to handle camp security.
The second day of travel was more of the same—Cedric's constant low-level rudeness, his complaints about everything from the weather to the road quality to the presence of "common tamers" on what he clearly viewed as his personal journey.
By the time Thornhaven's walls came into view in the late afternoon, Kael was mentally exhausted in a way that actual physical danger never quite achieved. Fighting bandits or mythbeasts was straightforward—you dealt with the threat and moved on. But enduring someone like Cedric required constant patience and self-control.
"Almost there," Lyssa said, relief evident in her voice. "Just have to get the quest completion signature, and we're done with him."
They entered Thornhaven through the main gates, the guards recognizing Cedric's carriage and waving them through with practiced efficiency. The carriage proceeded to what was presumably Cedric's residence in the noble quarter, with Kael and Lyssa following to get the required signature.
When the carriage stopped, Cedric emerged looking as fresh and unbothered as if he'd spent the last two days in luxury rather than traveling. He approached them with barely concealed irritation.
"The completion form?" he demanded.
Lyssa produced the guild paperwork, and Cedric signed it with aggressive strokes of the pen, his signature an illegible scrawl that suggested he'd rather be doing literally anything else.
"There," he said, shoving the paper back at Lyssa. "Though I should note you weren't even necessary. Nothing happened the entire journey. A complete waste of my coin."
"That's what successful escort missions look like, my lord," Kael said mildly. "When nothing goes wrong, it means we did our job well."
Cedric made a dismissive sound and turned away without another word, heading toward his residence with his guards following. The door closed behind him with unnecessary force.
"Charming as ever," Lyssa muttered. "Come on, let's get to the guild and collect our payment. I want to be done with this entire experience."
The guild was moderately busy with the late afternoon crowd. They made their way to the reception desk, where the familiar receptionist looked up and smiled in recognition.
"Back from the Ironpeak escort?" he asked.
"Successfully completed," Lyssa confirmed, handing over the signed paperwork. "Payment was listed as three silver sirens."
The receptionist reviewed the documents, made notes in his ledger, then disappeared into the back room. He returned a few minutes later carrying a small lockbox.
"Three silver sirens," he confirmed, counting out the larger silver coins. Each was about twice the size of a bronze basilisk coin and had a different design—a stylized siren on one side, the guild's emblem on the other.
Kael had seen these before, but never actually handled them. One silver siren equaled one hundred bronze basilisks—serious money by any standard.
"Actually," Kael said, "would it be possible to get the payment as two silver sirens and one hundred bronze basilisks? It would make splitting the reward easier."
"Not a problem," the receptionist said. He returned to the back room and came back with the adjusted payment—two silver sirens and a substantial stack of bronze basilisks.
Kael and Lyssa stepped away from the desk to divide the payment. Kael took one silver siren and fifty bronze basilisks. Lyssa took the other silver siren and the remaining fifty basilisks. Each of them now had the equivalent of one hundred fifty bronze basilisks—one thousand five hundred dollars in Kael's mental conversion.
"Though honestly, I'm not sure we earned it. Cedric was unpleasant, but the job itself was straightforward." Kael said.
"We earned it by putting up with Cedric without strangling him," Lyssa said dryly. "That alone was worth hazard pay."
They left the guild together, stepping out into Thornhaven's evening streets. The city felt welcoming after the tension of escorting Cedric—familiar, comfortable, home.
"So," Lyssa said as they walked, "what's the plan? What do we do tomorrow, and what about the future?"
Kael considered the question. "Tomorrow, I think we should train. Maintain our routine and continue to improve. Even if that tournament in the capital doesn't happen or we decide not to attend, getting stronger is never wasted effort."
"Agreed," Lyssa said. "And the tournament itself?"
"Let's make it a goal to work toward," Kael suggested. "Train specifically with the idea that we might compete. If it happens and we feel ready, we go. If it doesn't happen or we decide we're not prepared, we still benefit from the focused training."
Through his bonds, Kael consulted his companions. Vera sent back a calm agreement—training toward a specific goal would give their efforts focus and purpose. Ember was enthusiastically in favor—the tournament sounded exciting! Fulminus's response was one of fierce determination—he would be ready and prove himself worthy of competing. And Mushy conveyed hopeful ambition—maybe not ready for this tournament, but the small mushroom wanted to be strong enough for future challenges.
"Same training schedule as before?" Lyssa asked. "Meet at the western gate, head to the forest?"
"Works for me," Kael confirmed. "Dawn tomorrow?"
"Dawn tomorrow," Lyssa agreed. "I'll bring Granite. We can work on his training alongside everyone else's."
They reached a natural parting point, where Lyssa would head toward her residence and Kael toward the Sleeping Drake. They said their goodbyes, both feeling satisfied despite the frustrations of dealing with Lord Cedric. The job was done, the payment was substantial, and they'd maintained their professionalism throughout.
Kael made his way through the familiar streets to the Sleeping Drake, his companions trailing along in their usual positions. Vera padded beside him, Fulminus rode on his shoulder, Ember flew circles overhead, and Mushy shuffled along keeping pace.
The inn was moderately busy when he entered, the evening crowd settling in for dinner and drinks. Merra looked up from behind the counter, her face breaking into a genuine smile.
"You're back! And in one piece, I see. How was the five-day quest?"
"Successful, if mentally exhausting," Kael said. "The client was... challenging. But we completed the job and got paid well."
"Challenging clients are the worst," Merra said sympathetically. "At least you made good money from it. Your room's still available—we didn't quite fill up, so we didn't need to rent it out."
"That's good news," Kael said, relieved he wouldn't have to pay for the absent days. "I'll take dinner for everyone, and then we're probably going straight to bed. It's been a long couple of days."
"Coming right up," Merra said, already turning toward the kitchen. "Mother! Kael's back, he needs dinner!"
Elara emerged with her usual efficiency, and soon Kael was seated at his regular table with a hearty meal—roasted chicken, vegetables, fresh bread, and some kind of berry compote that was absolutely delicious. His companions received their portions of raw meat, and everyone ate with the satisfaction of being back in familiar, comfortable surroundings.
While Kael ate, Merra came over to chat. "So tell me about this quest. Five days escorting someone important?"
"The governor's second son," Kael explained, keeping his voice low. "Lord Cedric. To Ironpeak and back."
"Oh no," Merra said, her expression turning sympathetic. "I've heard stories about him. Spoiled, temperamental, treats anyone he considers beneath him like dirt."
"That's an accurate assessment," Kael confirmed. "Though he was initially polite because he thought I might be from an influential family. Once he confirmed I wasn't, the real Cedric came out."
"And you put up with that for five days?" Merra asked, genuinely impressed.
"For three hundred bronze basilisks, I can put up with a lot," Kael said with a slight smile. "Besides, he was mostly just annoying, not actually dangerous or harmful. Just... exhausting."
"Well, you're back now," Merra said. "And you've got a nice chunk of coin to show for it. What's next?"
"Training tomorrow," Kael said. "Then probably more quests, more training, working toward getting stronger. There might be a tournament in the capital in a month or so—just rumors right now, but if it happens, we're thinking of competing."
"A tournament?" Merra's eyes lit up with interest. "That would be exciting. I hope you keep us updated if you do decide to go."
"I will," Kael promised.
After finishing dinner, Kael bid Merra goodnight and headed upstairs to his room. The space felt welcoming after days of sleeping in a cart or sharing an inn room with Lyssa and all their mythbeasts. Not that he'd minded the arrangement, but having his own familiar space was comforting.
Vera claimed her usual spot on the bed, sprawling across it with typical feline disregard for the fact that Kael also needed space. Fulminus returned to his bedpost perch, settling in with the ease of familiar routine. Ember nestled onto her smaller bed, her flames dimming to a gentle glow. And Mushy tucked into the corner that had become the small mushroom's preferred sleeping spot.
Kael changed into his sleeping clothes and collapsed onto the bed, careful not to disturb Vera's claimed territory too much. Through his bonds, he felt his companions settling into rest, their contentment at being back home radiating through their connections.
The quest had been successful—challenging in ways that didn't involve combat or danger, but successful nonetheless. They'd earned significant money, gained experience working together under less-than-ideal conditions, and maintained their professionalism throughout.
And tomorrow, they'd begin training in earnest again. Working toward the potential tournament, yes, but more fundamentally working toward becoming stronger, more capable, more prepared for whatever challenges this world might throw at them.
Through his bonds, Kael felt his companions' responses to his thoughts. Vera's calm determination to improve. Ember's enthusiasm for tomorrow's training. Fulminus's fierce ambition to grow stronger. Mushy's hopeful desire to be worthy of the protection and kindness shown.
We're going to keep growing, Kael sent to them all. Keep getting better. That tournament in the capital—whether we compete or not, whether it even happens or not—it's given us a goal. Something to push toward.
His companions' agreement flowed back through their bonds, a chorus of determination and shared purpose.
Kael let his eyes drift closed, exhaustion from the journey catching up with him. Tomorrow would bring training, progress, and continued growth.
But tonight, rest.
Tomorrow would come soon enough, bringing with it new challenges and opportunities.
For now, he was home, surrounded by his chosen family, comfortable and safe.
And that was enough.
Sleep claimed him gently, pulling him down into dreams of tournaments and challenges, of growth and possibility, of a future bright with potential.