Reborn From the Cosmos

Miniarc-Villains-15

The silence continued for a week.

Samuel told himself that he needed time to think of the heavy conversation he shared with Cecilia, which wasn’t quite a lie. Even with days of turning her revelations over, the prince struggled to relate to her struggles. He could understand if she said wasn’t attracted to him or that she wanted something specific he couldn’t give her. Instead, the greatest object to his love was a nebulous resentment of commitment, no less sturdy for the shallow logic behind it. If there was an answer, it was beyond him.

However, he didn’t think of it much. There were plenty of distractions from his unrequited love. As always, his classes were intensive and the mana strain after the practical lessons meant early nights. His mind was preoccupied up until the following Restday, the long ride to the camp. Ewan insisted on sitting on the driver’s bench to watch for trouble so the prince’s only company was his thoughts.

He was surprised to find the camp in the same condition as last weekend. The Hall’s gossip machine was powerful and he’d kept his ear out for news about the city. There had been a lot more conflict in the ruins. Thieves abounded and the guards were nonexistent. He expected the turmoil to spread to the camp, but the heavy presence of the Hall seemed to be an effective barrier against the growing unrest.

Ewan wasn’t thrilled about returning. As he promised, a royal knight and a half dozen soldiers had taken up residence in the camp to assist with the investigation. It said something about the rebels that they could avoid such scrutiny. However, their lack of activity showed that they weren’t confident against the veterans. They might not have caught the criminals, but Ewan was assured of the prince’s safety.

Nothing seemed amiss as they parked the carriage. Samuel considered finding another place to work but soon found himself walking toward the hospital. He dreaded his next conversation with Cecilia but, as always, was powerfully drawn to her. He also didn’t mind his laundering duties and preferred returning to them over risking ending up with a worse assignment.

Abott welcomed his presence. He also had no problem assigning Samuel the same duty. A new mountain of soiled cloth awaited him. The routine and familiarity drew the prince into a trance, his mind drifting far from the activity; namely, what he would say to Cecilia when they inevitably encountered one another. By the end of his shift, he hadn’t come up with anything that satisfied his worsening nerves so he did his best to avoid her, hurrying off for a bite to eat before he returned to the Hall.

Once more, a familiar face waited on one of the earth seats that dotted the edge of the field where the acolytes were served. Robert seemed a lot more interested in his food, shoveling large spoonfuls of the stew so quickly it was worrisome. While his appetite improved, he looked worse for wear. The bandage over his nose and the bruised skin around his right eyes painted the picture of a ruffian that had recently come out of the bad end of a brawl.

The ruckus the previous week on his mind, Samuel took an interest in his circumstances and made his way over.

“Your highness! We keep meeting like this.”

“Afternoon, Bobby.” The prince waved for the younger man to retake his seat after he stood to bow. “You look like you ran in trouble.”

“Ah.” Robert’s hand gently touched his bandage. “Things are a little rough in the camp.”

“Is it the rebels?”

“Oh, no. At least I haven’t dealt with anything connected to them. There’s a lot of anger in the people. Yelling, fights, things get broken up. Boss is offering extra shifts to anyone that will take them to patrol the camp. Reminds of me of when I would follow Father to work when I was younger, haha. Oh, if you’re interested, the day shift is better than the night. The troublemakers are more secretive at night and it’s hard to stay alert. I much rather face direct problems with a clear mind. Forgive me, I’m rambling.”

“No need. I asked and it’s good for me to stay informed.”

“You could see it for yourself.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m going back out on patrol after I finish. You could accompany me.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Shouldn’t you be returning to the Hall soon?”

“I don’t leave over the weekend. It’s easier that way.”

Samuel frowned. “Your dedication to service is admirable but remember moderation. The camp is important but it shouldn’t come at the expense of yourself. Your studies need to be your main focus. Whatever you can offer these people now pales in comparison to what you will do for the whole kingdom once properly trained. You can…” He could be more than Samuel could ever dream of. To see that talent wasted in pursuit of charity would be an offense against the world.

Robert laughed but there was little humor in the sound, a condition that was growing more common. “I know. But I have to work hard, harder than anyone. I’ve wasted enough time.”

“If you say so.” Samuel didn’t think working himself into the ground was a good idea or particularly impressive, but he didn’t like his chances of swaying the young hero from his path. “I’ll have to refuse your invitation. My presence would cause more problems than it’d solve.”

“I agree.” Robert didn’t jump as the royal knight made himself known, proving he was not as oblivious as he was during their previous conversation. “Don’t push yourself too hard, Robert. Too much effort can be detrimental. If you lack guidance, we can assist you.”

“Thank you. It’s a kind offer, but I wouldn’t want to put you out. If the soldiers have any spare time, I would rather they give it to the city.” Robert drained the rest of his bowl and jumped to his feet. “I should get back to it. Let Boss know if you change your mind, we can always use more hands.”

“…there is something wrong with him,” Samuel muttered as he watched the young hero run off.

“Something wrong enough that we must intervene?”

“You tell me. The king won’t be happy if the next captain of the royal knights gets himself killed cleaning up after commoners. He needs a reminder of his priorities.”

“He’s never understood them. Bobby has always struggled with his love of heroism and Sir Quintana indulges him. Unfortunately, he’s the only one the boy listens to.”

“Send a letter, for all the good it’ll do. At least no one will be able to accuse us of not doing or due diligence. It’s also another reason to hurry home.”

Ewan chuckled. “As you wish, your highness.”