“I think we should send Bastian home,” Carsen said flatly, “This isn’t working.”

  “What? He’s only just got back!” Rebecca protested. The pair were standing in the hallway outside the office, arguing. “And Their Royal Highness is scheduled to walk through the palace gate any minute - They’ll immediately want an update from the knight commander. You know they will!”

  “Yes, but I don’t want that report to be ‘Everyone quit in the last 24 hours, Your Highness. So sorry.’” Carsen's fox grin was twisted in mock sarcasm, before he sighed and said, “He can take the reports home and read them there.”

  "This is your fault for not stopping him at the Ball." Rebecca accused, though they both could tell she was just griping and equally blamed herself. "He's like this after two weeks with the Sumbrian, and you want to send him back?"

  "You think I'm not worried about him too?" Carsen snapped. "But what choice do we have? Just look at him."

  She did, leaning over to glance through the doorway into the office.

  Bastian sat at his desk, glaring at the paperwork, and positively thrummed. There was probably a better word for it, but Rebecca chose that one. A cold energy leaked out of him, making anyone close to him have to hold back a shiver. As he read, the drakin’s fingers drummed against the table, hard, so hard that sometimes his nails caught the grain and ripped at it. Level 58 was no joke.

  And all the while, he was short tempered, snappish, and filled with growing murderous intent. Not because of the poaching incident either.

  No. He was manic. All the more reason why Rebecca wanted him here. Locking him up in the palace served two purposes; keeping him far from the influence of that Sumbrian, and letting everyone see exactly what the elf had done to him.

  Their Royal Highness was the only one who could properly call off the wedding, and five minutes in the knight commander’s company should prove her point.

  “There is over a month’s worth to catch up on,” Rebecca pointed out. “He’s barely read through the blue panda smuggling, and we both know those reports aren’t allowed to leave the palace.”

  "Fine. Maybe I can talk to him..." Carsen's smile faltered. "See if there's something we can do about the countess, or help in some way."

  "I thought you said you wouldn't interfere?" Rebecca was still angry about that. The two had been at odds over Bastian's decision since he'd left straight after the ball. "That the knight commander was able to make his own decisions and if Their Royal Highness wanted a treaty for Sumbrian Peaches, who were we to get involved?"

  The fox waved off her provocation and cut the conversation there by turning and walking into the office, straight up to the knight commander. “Sir, we don’t have anyone to scout the harbor right now– why don’t we go for a walk? The fresh air will do me some good.”

  Bastian looked up at Carsen, blinking his eyes to clear his mind. Finally registering what Carsen had said, the drakin shot to his feet, crushing the paper still in his hand and dropping it without due care. “Yes. Good. Let’s go. Now.”

  Rebecca stepped out of the way just in time for Bastian to race out the door, Carsen swearing as he raced to keep up.

  Rebecca wanted to curse as well. Her knight commander was going to swing by his house on the way to the docks, she just knew it.

  “Sir Rebecca?” Taru poked their head in from the stairwell. The human was one of the inner palace knights. “Prince Basil's looking for the knight commander. Have you seen him?”

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  “You just missed him. Where is his Highness?”

  “About to have tea with Prince Lucial… I think he wanted an extra guard since they’re going into the city on a date.” Taru said.

  “I’ll go with them.” Rebecca said, grabbing her black cloak from a rack near the door. This called for subtlety.

  Something she didn’t think the knight commander could have done right now anyway.

  …

  Bastian was not having a good day.

  This morning was the first morning he’d woken in an empty room since his return… and his high Constitution was the only reason he’d opened his eyes at all after an entire evening of restless tossing and turning and utter unsettled wakefulness. Whatever control he’d had on this adventure had finally run out.

  At some point in the night, he’d sat with his back against the adjoining door to Peregrine’s room and listened to her breathing. Knowing she was there helped, and so he’d just stayed like that.

  Around sunrise he stood up and went downstairs like usual… only to turn around and march straight back upstairs with his latest project - a mother owl for the three baby owls he’d already felted.

  Then he sat against the door again, trying to distract himself until his fiancé woke up. He’d ruined the owl, but he had resisted breaking and entering into Peregrine’s room - so that was something. Miracle of miracles he’d held firm until she came out, meeting her in the hallway and escorting her downstairs for breakfast…

  An awkward breakfast, one where he’d refused to let go of her hand.

  Thank the Gods Peregrine hadn’t seemed to mind, simply smiling up at him with her bright friendly smile and squeezing his fingers reassuringly. She’d be fine on her own today, she’d told him, and he’d believed her.

  He was the one with the problem.

  “Commander, wait up!” Carsen called after Bastian, catching up just as he strode through the palace gates.

  “Carsen.” Bastian said, stopping dead in his tracks, wheeling to face the fox a second before he crashed into Bastian.

  “Yes?”

  “I need you to do something for me.” Bastian said, stressing the words to show how serious he was.

  Carsen didn’t agree right away, but eyed Bastian curiously. “What?”

  “Don’t let me abandon my post and go home early.” He started, only to have the fox cut off his request with a snort.

  “How am I supposed to stop you?” Carsen asked. “The best I could manage is to slow you down, and then hope Rebecca wanders by with a [Revive] potion.”

  Bastian shook his head, “You don’t need to do anything like that, just remind me that I have to go to the library.”

  “You are literally vibrating,” Carsen pointed out, matter of fact, “I don’t know if quiet reading is going to help.”

  “Something is wrong with me. And it’s not like there are other drakins around that I can ask for advice. The library will have to do.” Bastian reasoned that the only thing that might distract him from his ever growing anxiety from being away from Peregrine would be learning why he had an ever growing anxiety from being away from Peregrine.

  “What about Guild Master Warren? He might know.”

  “That demon?” Bastian shook his head and started walking again; proud that it was in the right direction. The docks.

  “You know he’s been around forever. And I’ve heard that Her Eminence Feliwyn used to visit him sometimes.” Carsen explained his suggestion as he kept pace beside Bastian.

  “Her charge is a demon, she was probably looking for answers just like I am.” Bastian said, “Besides, by that logic I could just ask Their Royal Highness - they’ve been friends with the dragon for an age.”

  “You could ask our illustrious monarch when they return, yes.” Carsen agreed with Bastian’s throw away reply, making it sound like it suddenly made sense somehow.

  Or maybe it had always made sense, and Bastian was too on edge to notice.

  “Either way, today I’m going to the library.” Bastian stated firmly, hoping that would help make it real.

  “And I’ll remind you,” Carsen added, promising to help Bastian stay focused.

  “Good.” Bastian said. He only hoped it would work.