The Book of Dreams: Curious Things

Mundane Things Indeed

Sebrin was looking over the now mostly healed wound and huffed a satisfied hum.

"Did you give any thought to what you want to do with the useless arrow?" Sebrin scratched his chin as he thought about what else could be done about the wound.

"Earrings. Make it obvious that I'm not going to cower away from a challenge." Bes hummed as she fiddled with the blanket next to her.

"It will set you apart that's for sure. It's in a week or so right?" He sighed as he sat back and crossed his arms.

"That's what Anrey said. She also told me to leave the dress to her. I'm worried." She moved her arm with the wounded shoulder with a sigh.

"Any pain?"

"Not much more than the usual prickling of this place trying to rip me apart." Bes hummed hissing once she reached a certain angle.

"So deep, much wow. Seriously how's the pain in your shoulder?" Sebrin crossed his arms as he quirked his brow eyeing her movements.

"Minimal all things considered. Do I have to keep taking that nasty ass medicine?" She winced at the glare he sent her way.

"That 'nasty ass medicine' is the only way we've been keeping you from sliding into a fever-induced stupor, so unless you want to wake up in the court of the god of the passed take your damn medicine." He huffed.

"Forgive me, oh Healer of Healers, however shall I remove the ire I've earned." She pouted before huffing a chuckle.

Bes was at ease. For the first time since arriving in this funny place with too many suns she felt that perhaps if she can't find her way back to wherever she truly belongs that she could stay, sponsor an orphanage, or something like that. The pair's comfortable and playful jabs at each other carried on until Sebrin couldn't excuse not returning to Ona who was busy making any number of antidotes for the debut ball. It was a cautionary preparation especially if the person responsible for the wound in her shoulder would try anything. She may be looking forward to staring the person into submission. She's not sure.

When she opened her door she was met with the softly smiling face of Chaz, one of the extra guards assigned to her, she was almost flirtatiously nice to Bes.

"Where to, princess?" Her vibrant green eyes glinting as she awaited Bes' answer.

"Chaz, both her and the Prince have said that they're not comfortable with her being called that." Fern hummed from his place leaning against the wall across from her door.

"But his Majesty said that she was his little princess now." The lady knight pouted.

"I'd like to go to the library and trade this out for the next one on Gervan's list." Bes hummed pulling a book and said list from the table by her door.

"How far along are you on that?" Chaz asked narrowing her eyes at the paper.

"One last book left." She hummed in response as she began walking to the library with the two knights following her.

"Didn't he put enough there so that you'd be done once your shoulder healed enough to begin sparring?" Fern's voice betrayed his suspicious expression as an air of disbelief layered his words.

"Oh yes, I need less sleep than what's normally required for our kind. Ona thinks that it might have to do with the nature of my existence here. Since everyone was asleep and I wasn't in danger I just read." She hummed. "Also Dernik gave me a dagger for that occasion so I'm not entirely defenseless. I can buy the few needed moments for the guards to get there through sheer spite if needed."

"Alas, I fall even harder for you, my princess." Chaz sighed at her other side. 

"Added affections aside, Lady Veris wanted you to be reminded of your etiquette tutoring this evening. Something about 'By the gods, she will act the part if not be the part.' She wanted to make it clear that she will ask Gervan to limit your library usage." Fern hummed uninterestedly as they finally reached the library doors.

That made Bes pause, she really liked the library. She sighed and hummed in understanding before grumbling about 'prissy princess practice' as she opened the door and made her way to where the section where she got her books from and grabbed the next book and replaced the book she just finished. She took a moment to close her eyes and deeply breathe in the smell of the library. All old books, solace, and leather. Something was different this time though. The leather note wasn't from the usual leather-bound books. Her eyes opened and drifted off to her side to see Dernik glancing at her, his face playing shock as it seemed he wasn't expecting her to catch him.

"Good morning, Your Highness." Bes bowed her head and curtsied slightly.

"Lady Bes," He now looked amused by her small display. "Practicing for the Ball?" 

"If it gives me the chance to see the faces of those that wish me harm, I'll do what I must." She hummed looking over the books before her in thought. "Within reason of course."

"Sebrin mentioned that you might be clear for archery training. Your injury is healing a bit quicker than expected, so getting that shoulder used to full-range use again would be good. It will also help you build-" He cut himself off and cleared his throat. "Apologies."

"No need to apologize, I'm also anticipating my usefulness. I also imagine your patron is ecstatic to have a fair fight with one named after a colleague." She hummed, her small smile drifting from practiced sweet to wry as her solid brown eyes drifted away from him. "He must wish to see if I'm worthy such a heavy name."

"I haven't told anyone of that. How is it you know, My Lady?" His brows furrowed as his peridot eyes bore into her.

"I hear him buzzing like an angry bee challenging a dragon to a duel. It's almost amusing how he carries on. It would do me no good to underestimate him though." She met his eyes her smile fully leaving her lips. "He must be part of the reason you limit the spars you have with your men."

"Lady Bes, you are far too observant. For both of our sakes, ignore him." Dernik's tone held both a teasing lilt and a warning tone.

"Very well, do you know anything about jewelry making?" She glanced once more to the bookshelf shifting her weight as she scoured for another book to read after she was done with the list.

"Is it to do with the useless arrow?" He finally took the book that is in his hands and offered it to her, it was a compiled lore book for the gods.

"Ah, thank you. Yes," She accepted the book and hummed in gratitude. "I wish to turn the arrowhead and the fletching into earrings. I can do it myself I just need the smaller bits to actually turn the ends into a pair of earrings." 

"My mother has a jeweler in the town she likes to use. I can take the arrow there and-" she stopped him with a wave of her hand.

"I'd like to go. I understand it's reckless, but I'd like to share my vision with the jeweler and see if I can convince them to allow me to purchase the needed bits from them." She sighed offering him a small smile. "If that endeavor is not fortuitous then I shall concede to letting the jeweler make them."

"My duties, as well as Gervan's, should be finished later this afternoon. Kirse should be returning from the investigation around that time as well. After lunch, I can send for you and we all shall carry out your quest, agreeable?" He tapped his chin in thought before sending an almost too kind smile her way. 

"I wanted to be my lady's knight." Chaz almost whined from her place at the end of the aisle of books.

"Perhaps you might win a duel for her favor then?" Fern huffed at her with a growl of annoyance.

"Agreeable, Your Highness." Bes hummed ignoring the other two's conversation. 

"Dernik, please. These formalities should be saved for company that care for them." His gaze settled on the two knights who began playfully whacking each other. "This is a library, not a schoolyard."

"My apologies, Your Highness." Fern's attention snapped to the prince as he gestured to Chaz who looked like a child caught with their hand in the sweets jar. "This one was bemoaning her dwindling chances at wooing Lady Bes and-"

"Any who seek courtship with her must win a duel against me. That includes my most trusted knights." The air around Dernik seemed to drop a few degrees as the tone his voice took became frigid.

"Dernik, rein it in, please. This is a library and not a fighting arena." Bes hummed as she made her way to the door. "I'll see you this afternoon."

The two knights quickly followed her before she could get too far, thanking the gods that her leaving made their retreat look less cowardly than it was. Chaz cursed the god of love as she followed the very calm Bes to the garden, her heart fluttering like Lady Bes's hair in the slight breeze as the sunlight makes the gold flecks in her eyes sparkle like a dragon's hoard. Chaz swallowed her feelings, she can't even begin to list off the reasons why she should leave Lady Bes be. Fern glanced at Chaz and sighed as he turned his attention to their surroundings. 

"I appreciate the work you two do for me." Bes hummed as she stooped down to look closer to the vibrant yellow flowers that had caught her attention.

"It's our duty, my lady," Fern said noting the distance Chaz had put between Bes and herself.

"Still, perhaps I should make the four of you cookies if Anrey would let me into the kitchens that is." Bes sighed before shaking her head and turning her gaze out over the gardens. "I doubt she will even let me look in that direction."

"After your safety is assured then you should." Fern hummed as he began following after the now moving woman.

"Yes, that is a plan." Bes's voice betrayed a sad smile that rested on her face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gervan and Kirse were the ones who knocked on her door that afternoon to escort the now painfully quiet Lady Bes to the carriage that Dernik had insisted she use with the arrow in hand. The four of those who were to act as her guard rode alongside while Dernik was within discussing the ball rather amicably. He said a few words of encouragement about how lovely she would look as she terrorized the ballroom and other things along that line. He was truly acting the part of the brother that's for sure. 

Once they reached the jewelers Gervan and Dernik entered the establishment with her and witnessed as she lifted the arrow up and the jeweler's face went deathly still. The man sighed asking the trio to wait before he went out of the room in a huff. He returned moments later with a young man around their age who looked like he was facing death himself.

"Those fletchings are his Sirs and ma'am." The older man almost growled at the young man who swallowed hard as he looked at what could be his last memory of life.

"They look rather nice, on that note, could I purchase the necessary things to fashion this into a pair of earrings." Bes continued on like she didn't hear him.

"My lady, please-" Bes cut off Gervan with a smile.

"I'm aware of the situation and its gravity however you can tell by his arms he's not the one who shot the arrow. My question is does he remember who this arrow was made for?" Bes hummed as she looked over the earrings on display.

"N-no milady, arms dealing without a permit is illegal m-much less keeping record of it." The young man spoke up. 

"I see so bringing him in for questioning would only make us appear to be tyrannical, assuming this is his only run-in with the law that is." Bes turned to look at the young man dead in the eyes ignoring his whimper. "Do tell the truth, you don't want to find out what I do to liars."

"I usually only make arrows for my family for hunting but this man, I think it was a man, pulled me aside and threatened my loved ones if I didn't make him the best arrows I can produce." The young man was shaking as the words fell out of his mouth his eyes never once leaving hers for fear of being called a liar. 

"Thank you for your honesty, your fate isn't in my hands. Dernik, course of action in this instance?" Bes then turned her gaze to the annoyed yet amused prince who was standing with his arms crossed.

"He could serve as your escort throughout the ball and help point out the person responsible." Derrnik's statement made Gervan chuckle.

"Your Highness, you wouldn't be shunting your duty as the prince to the Lady Bes now are you?" Gervan's tone took a dark turn from his usual tone.

"Gervan has a point. Perhaps a different plan would be best?" Bes then turned to the jeweler. "So about what I was saying about the arrow before, is it possible?"

"It's possible, My Lady, I'm afraid I can't sell you the necessary items for your endeavor. I can make them if you so desire such a crude thing to be jewelry." The older man offered a sad smile. 

"Alright, the fletchings and the arrowhead are the parts I want, the rest of it could be used for the fire for all I care. How much would it cost?"

"My Lady, that is of little matter. Such a commission would be an honor for me to perform." The man waved her off as he carried the arrow to his workstation to work on.

With that said and done the trio left the jewelers with the understanding that the fletcher would deliver the earrings the next day and be covertly traded out with someone else to avoid suspicion. Luckily there was enough time before Bes's prissy princess practice for a nap.