It was the next day.
The day Ezra would go on his first mission after five years.
For so reason, his heart was beating louder than it should. Each step toward the eting point made the sound echo in his chest.
Beside him, Lior walked quietly.
"I’m nervos," Lior whispered.
Ezra glanced down at him.
"I’m scared."
Ezra tilted his head slightly. He had to resist the urge to reach for the boy’s hand. They were out in public, surrounded by knights and soldiers moving through the palace grounds.
"Why are you scared?" Ezra asked gently.
Lior frowned at the ground as he walked.
"What if... soone takes when you not there?" he said slowly. "What if the Dark Ones also co?"
Ezra’s expression softened.
"Don’t worry, Lior," he said, keeping his voice calm. "The reason I’ll be there with the other knights is to make sure no Dark Ones get anywhere near you."
Lior looked up at him.
"And Fizzy will be with you," Ezra continued. "Along with an old man nad Aamon. Between the two of them, no one is getting close."
"Who is Aamon?" Lior asked.
Ezra huffed quietly.
"So old guy who will make sure nothing bad happens to you. He’s very strong."
"Old?"
"Very old."
Lior seed to consider that seriously.
"He’ll introduce himself to you soon," Ezra added.
’Knowing that geezer, he’ll introduce himself much sooner than I’d like.’
Ezra scrunched his nose slightly at the thought.
"Trust , Lior," he said after a mont. "Nothing bad will happen to you as long as I’m alive."
Lior nodded slowly. Then he looked down again, thinking.
"...Is Heeyos gonna fight too?"
Ezra blinked.
"Hm? Helios?"
"That’s what I said."
"Well... yes," Ezra said, slightly caught off guard. "Helios will be there. He’s a prince. It’s part of his duty."
Ezra studied Lior for a mont.
It was still strange hearing the boy ntion Helios so casually. Ezra should probably be more concerned about how much ti they had spent together.
But Helios had always been... persistent.
And so far, nothing about it has crossed a line.
It was harmless.
For now.
"Heeyos said he’s going to earn my freship," Lior said proudly.
Ezra raised a brow.
"Friendship?"
"That’s what I said."
Lior smiled to himself.
"I can control a prince."
Ezra snorted.
"That makes you very powerful then."
"Yep, I am—WAH!"
Lior suddenly stopped mid-sentence with a gasp.
Ezra imdiately looked down at him.
"What is it?"
But Lior wasn’t looking at him.
He was staring ahead.
Ezra followed his gaze.
Ah.
They had arrived.
The eting point stretched out across the training field. Carriages were lined up in neat rows, likely for the dics and supplies. Dozens of knights sat mounted on horses nearby, their armor catching the morning light.
And one of those horses was being held by a very familiar man.
"Horses! Horses!" Lior exclaid, his eyes lighting up.
"Oh! Captain Ezra!" Fizzy shouted the mont he spotted them. "I got your horse!"
Ezra winced.
Of course he did.
The mont his na was called, nearly every knight in the area turned to look.
All of them.
Staring.
’Damn it.’
Ezra had been hoping to arrive quietly.
Instead, thanks to Fizzy, every pair of eyes was already on him before he even reached the field.
Fizzy happily tugged the horse forward as Ezra and Lior approached.
Ezra already knew what they were thinking.
If he were in their position, he would be wondering the exact sa thing.
Whispers began spreading among the knights.
"Is that... a kid with Captain Ezra?"
"Is he bringing a child?"
"Is that the kid we were looking for?"
"Why is there a child here?"
"What in Aurethys is this?"
Ezra ignored all of it as he stopped in front of the horse.
Fizzy bead proudly.
"This isn’t your old horse, sadly," he said, patting the animal’s neck. "But this is Butterfly!"
"Butterfly!" Lior exclaid happily.
The horse lowered its head slightly, staring down at the tiny human who was now looking at it like it was the most incredible creature in the world.
"Hello, Butterfly!" Lior exclaid with a bright giggle, as if he had not been nervous only monts ago.
’He’s so cute.’
Ezra resisted the urge to pinch the boy’s cheeks as he watched him stare up at the horse with complete fascination.
Lior had stepped so close that Butterfly’s warm breath ruffled his hair. The boy didn’t seem bothered at all. If anything, he looked enchanted.
’If I let him stay there any longer, he’ll try to climb the poor thing.’
Fizzy cleared his throat beside them.
"Captain Ezra, all your things are ready," he said cheerfully. "We already packed everything into the carriage."
Ezra nodded once.
"And I can take Lior inside now," Fizzy added. "It’ll be safer there before we depart."
Ezra looked down at the boy.
"Lior," he said quietly.
Lior imdiately lifted his head.
"You need to go inside the carriage with Fizzy," Ezra said, lowering his voice a little. "That’s the safest place for you. I’ll be outside on the horse guarding the carriage."
Lior’s shoulders sagged just slightly.
For a mont, it looked like he might argue.
But his eyes shifted around them.
Knights.
Soldiers.
Strangers watching.
Lior swallowed and forced a small smile.
"Okay."
The smile stung more than Ezra expected.
’My smart little boy.’
"Don’t worry," Ezra murmured, leaning closer so only Lior could hear him. "If you want to see , just look outside the window."
Lior nodded quickly.
Fizzy gently placed a hand on Lior’s shoulder.
"Co on, little knight," he said kindly. "Let’s go see the inside of the carriage."
Lior gave Butterfly one last longing look before letting Fizzy guide him away.
The mont the carriage door shut behind them, the murmurs around Ezra grew louder.
"So the child really is coming?"
"Who is that kid anyway?"
"What is Captain Ezra thinking?"
That settled it.
Everyone now knew the child was traveling with them.
Ezra let out a quiet breath before grabbing the saddle and mounting Butterfly in one smooth motion.
He could feel the stares.
So are curious.
So are confused.
So openly judging.
’Wonderful.’
"Captain."
Ezra turned his head slightly.
Perrin had ridden his horse over beside him.
’Even more wonderful.’
The man looked as relaxed as ever, as if he had not noticed the tension around them at all.
Perrin rested one arm casually over his saddle.
"That the kid we were looking for the other day?"
Ezra adjusted the reins.
"Yes."
Perrin nodded slowly.
"I know I already said this before," he went on, "but it really seems to that kid is sothing special to the prince if we’re bringing him along."
Ezra said nothing.
Perrin continued anyway.
"Not a single squire with us," he said. "But a child?"
He tilted his head slightly toward the carriage.
"Is that really safe?"
Ezra finally turned to look at him.
’Why is he so curious about Lior?’
"Mind your own business," Ezra said flatly.
He nudged Butterfly forward, guiding the horse toward its position beside the carriage.
Perrin only shrugged.
"Aye aye, Captain."
He said it lightly, almost amused.
But before riding off, Perrin gave him a long, knowing look.
"It just really seems to ," he added casually, "that he looks like soone I know."
Then he rode away.
Ezra stiffened.
Not visibly.
But the tension settled deep in his chest.
’Does he suspect sothing?’
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