With all the invitations handed, and with a bit of shopping done in preparation for the actual wedding, David and Niala boarded the next autocar back to Riverwall, a day later.

  The trip went without any surprises or issues, but they had one waiting for them as they got back home.

  Two azure guards were waiting for them, a man and a woman. As the guards spotted the couple, they walked up to them. David had a vague feeling of familiarity, while Niala...

  The two guards stood at attention as they reached them, with the woman speaking up. “Mr. David and Ms. Niala, greetings. I am guardswoman Sybil, and this is guardsman Sammie.”

  The man nodded as she said his name, just as she continued speaking. “We've been assigned to your security detail.”

  David blinked. “We have a security detail?”

  Sybil nodded, a slight grin on her face. “You do now, sir.”

  As they spoke, Niala carefully observed the two guards, her eyes widening in recognition. “I remember you! Acid-face and speared leg! I gave you potions back at the living vault!” She exclaimed, the tip of her tail swishing.

  The man's face fell somewhat. “Acid-face...?” He said, while Sybil only allowed a single snort to escape her.

  Niala blushed, her brain catching up to her tongue. “Oh! Sorry! I just! That's just how I remembered you! I didn't know your names! I'm sorry, Sammie!”

  The man looked at the catkin's repentant expression and sighed. “It's ok, ma'am, I did have quite a bit of my face melted off, and it's thanks to you that it's back.”

  Sybil smiled. “Acid-face is quite right, ma'am, sir, we're here and alive thanks to you both, so we were quite excited to have the chance to repay the favour, somehow.”

  David shook his head. “Don't need to repay anything, we just did what felt natural.”

  Sybil dipped her head. “Then, it's doubly important we repay the favour, sir.”

  He tilted his head. “And, why is that?”

  “Because the world needs more people who'll do what feels right, instead of what's best for them.”

  David observed the woman, glancing at the man who stood a step behind her. She held her head high and proud, while he stood straight and dedicated.

  “What's about the security detail thing, anyway?” He asked.

  Sybil smiled. “Just as it says on the can, sir. We've been assigned to be your protective shadows and general helpers.”

  “For how long?”

  She raised her shoulders. “Until further notice.”

  David quirked a brow. “That could be a while. You were fine with the assignment?”

  It was Sammie's turn to snort, and he did so in the perfect moment when no one was making a sound, ensuring everyone turned their head toward him.

  He jolted from the sudden scrutiny. “Ah, hum, sorry, Sir. It's just that Sybil kind of requested the job and dragged me along.”

  Niala's ears lop-sided. “Requested?”

  The woman threw a glare from the corner of her eyes toward Sammie before turning her attention to the catkin. “Not requested, ma'am, my colleague likes to joke. I simply presented my case to the assignment officer.”

  Niala looked from the woman to the man. “Ok, but, why? Only to repay what you think is a favour? It's not like you're the only guards we helped that night.”

  Sybil's lips thinned as she eyed both of them. “Permission to be frank, ma'am, sir?”

  Niala looked at David, who shrugged back. She turned her head back to Sybil. “Sure.”

  The guardswoman sighed. “What you two did that night, you aren't normal people. I don't know how you haven't garnered more attention to yourselves yet, but it doesn't take an idiot to know that's going to change, and change big time. And, when you do get a lot of attention, you're going to need people you can trust. Sure, I'd trust most of the other guards in my unit to do the right thing in most cases, but Sammie and I are the only ones I'd trust to do the right thing in all cases.”

  Behind her, Sammie nodded with a fair bit of conviction.

  She shook her head, her eyes filled with determination as she brought them back up. “And we owe you our lives, even if you think that's just a normal thing to do, it still means a pit's worth to me.”

  Niala remained neutral-faced as she looked at David, who pursed his lips before grimacing.

  He crossed his arms. “I'll be honest, we don't really want a security detail foisted on us.”

  Sybil looked surprised. “I... I understand it might take a bit of time getting used to having an escort, but it's only for your benefit. We'll be very discreet and-”

  He shook his head. “And you'll report everything we do to your superiors. That's the part that won't work.”

  The guardswoman looked at her companion, whose mouth briefly displayed a smirk before going flat again.

  She turned her head back to David. “I... understand, Sir, and our assignment doesn't actually start until the fortieth, but as a loyal subject of the crown, this isn't optional. Azure guards will be following you around, whether you like it or not, and I can guarantee you want us to be those guards.” She explained, eyes steady.

  David held her gaze for a while before sighing. “It's nothing against you, personally. As I said, it's just that we want to keep our private lives, well, private.”

  Not to mention we have enough secrets that we'd give a spy an euphoric heart attack.

  Sybil kept staring at David for a while before she mellowed and nodded. “I understand. I guess we'll see each other in three days, then.”

  “I guess we will, Sybil.”

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  The guards slightly bowed and turned toward their unit's camps, leaving David and Niala to watch them leave.

  She walked up to him and grabbed his hand. He looked down at her and smiled.

  “It'll be alright. Once we jump through Caleb's hoops, we should be able to get rid of them. I think we might even ask them to help make themselves jobless.”

  She smiled and hugged herself against him. “I'm not worried. You just seemed tense.”

  He blinked, and realized she was right.

  “Thanks, Kitten.”

  “Hmmm, you're welcome.” She hummed while gently rubbing her face against his arm.

  His smile grew a size larger.

  The main issue that David had with the tag-alongs was evidently the dangers of having Niala's weaving discovered, on top of putting a limit on how much they could train or use their abilities.

  It would have been fine if these were individuals they could have sworn to secrecy, but they were state troops, elite ones. Their loyalties were not something to be wagered on.

  They had a potential solution to that problem, in the shape of Caleb's plan to declare themselves foreign nobility. All they needed was to find the time to mount the expedition to the north-east, which would probably be right after their wedding and honeymoon.

  The group they had planned to bring along had been themselves, Leandro and Jordo, but bringing the two guards would only help, and he wasn't certain if they'd agree to stay behind if their job was to keep him and Niala safe, anyway.

  They also couldn't delay such an expedition forever, and even then, the timing was a bit tight; Caleb had told them that the presence of high-purity mana crystals was being kept a secret for now, as the knowledge slowly dispersed and the nobles began jockeying for a position on the matter. Eventually, however, something would slip, and an avalanche of death-defying fortune-seekers would roll into town, soon followed by mercantile ventures, most of them secretly backed by noble houses, without mentioning the overtly noble-backed ones.

  The mayor estimated they had until early summer to make their claim before the situation devolved into too much of a mess.

  Still, for now, there was a wedding to be had in a few weeks, and that took priority.

  Until something else came up.

  Niala was at the market street, going through the fresh produce in preparation for the day's dinner, when a nearby conversation between two housewives caught her ear.

  “...Yes, his potions have been such good quality, but he secretly told my husband why! Apparently, he's brokered a deal to have All Brew stock delivered to him. Only for the simpler potions, but that's most of what we buy anyway.”

  “All Brew? Is that why his prices went up?”

  “That's what Mr. Brenson told my husband when he asked! But, since it's All Brew stock, it's understandable, innit? I mean, it's proven quality, and the price is still quite good.”

  Niala's ear twitched several times as she did her best to control herself.

  Brenson, claiming he's selling my father's potions?! That... That... maggot-brained, viper-mouthed, bilge-sucking, pig-kissing-

  The second woman frowned. “Are ye sure he's telling the truth? Not that I'd disbelieve Mr. Brenson, but All Brew stock, this far out? It's a bit far-fetched, no?”

  “Oh, come now! Mr. Brenson ain't ever told a lie in his life! He's been a good-standing member of this town since he set up shop!”

  “He did tell one lie...”

  The first woman threw a hip out and rested a hand on it. “About that catkin apprentice of his? The one that set up shop outside town? Well, my husband did ask him about it, and he said he told no lie, says she's just been scared to try anything since he uncovered her schemes, and that's why she set up outside the walls too; farther away from the guards' eyes, right?”

  The second woman leaned in. “But I heard her potions are something mighty potent. Apparently, all of them adventurers swear by 'em.”

  The other woman scoffed. “Aye, and you know what else is mighty potent? Her prices! She's gouging those adventurers, and they're all happy about it. Just to show how much brain it takes to willingly go out into them hungerwoods.”

  “Well, maybe... It's true that Brenson's been around since I was a little girl. He's always been good to the townspeople.”

  “Aye- like I always say, what you know is best. Let the fools figure out the new stuff. Anyhow, did you try my bread roll recipe?”

  “Oh! Yes, I did! My family...”

  Niala was well out of earshot by then, stomping back home, her heart a mix of ice and fire.

  David had felt something crash through his link with Niala a short while ago, a potent mix of rage and despair, akin to a fireball throwing itself off a cliff.

  He dropped what he was doing and raced back home, hoping to be there when she'd arrive.

  He ended up catching up to her on her way back, slowing down to walk next to his distraught fiancée. Her ears were folded back, and her tail was straight as a stick. He didn't dare touch her, not yet, not out in public, when she looked a fly's fart away from exploding.

  They walked up to their home, through the garden entrance, up the stairs, and to their bedroom, stepping in and freezing in place. He closed the door behind them, and only then did he put a hand to her shoulder.

  “What hap-”

  “THAT HORSE-YANKING, PIG-BELLIED, VIPER-MOUTHED, POX-RIDDEN, BRAIN-ROTTED SON OF A WHORING WART!” She shouted at the wall at the top of her lungs, turning on the stop and throwing herself against him, hands balled into fists.

  He felt her shiver, a second outburst barely contained. He gently put his hands on her shoulders, looking down at her face. Her big amethyst eyes were wide-opened and rimmed with tears.

  His voice was soft and comforting. “Do you want to yell some more? You look like you've got some left in you.”

  She met his gaze, gritted her teeth and thumped her head on his chest.

  He blinked, then slid his hands over her back. “Let me know once you want to talk.” He said, landing a kiss on the top of her head, and simply held her there, safe, loved.

  The storm coming through their link kept going for a while, before slowly abating, turning into a simmer. Her muscles unclenched somewhat, her body slumping slightly against him.

  Then the tears came.

  He kept her within his arms, letting his shirt soak up her pain, and waited, gently stroking her head.

  Her sobs lightened, until they were gone, but she remained pressed against him, silent.

  His voice was barely a whisper. “Want to lie down?”

  She moved her head up and down.

  He bent at the knees and gently picked her up, getting a surprised meep from her, before moving over to the bed and depositing her like a newborn on the bed. He moved toward her feet, took off her boots, then his, and went to lie down next to her.

  She shuffled closer to him as he snaked an arm around her back.

  They lay there for a while, the world outside forgotten.

  He spoke up. “Tell me what happened?”

  With a tiny voice, she repeated the conversation she'd heard. From her tone, she clearly was of two minds on the topic. Her ire at Brenson was, understandably, and justifiably, clear, but the comments against her business practice and apparent greed had left a lash on her heart as well.

  David expected Linzy to soon get an order from her boss to start giving a “Resident's discount” or something for the more basic, everyday potions.

  First, though, the Brenson problem.

  He remained silent after she'd finished recounting the event, just in case she had anything else to say. When it became evident she didn't, he spoke once more.

  “We should go see Caleb. Last time we had a disagreement, he said we should bring the topic to him.”

  He felt her nod.

  “Do you want to go now?” He asked.

  “...no,” she whispered.

  He waited some more, but she said nothing else.

  “Do you want to do anything?”

  “...no,” She murmured, burrowing her face into him.

  He smiled, planting a kiss on her head and moving his mouth close to one of her ears, softly whispering. “Let's stay like this for as long as you want, then, Kitten. I love you.”

  Her tiny, muffled voice reached his ears.

  “I love you too, trumpet.”

  He sighed and squeezed her into him a little bit more.

  He kind of hated that he was getting used to that name.

  But, at the same time, he kind of liked it, too.

  not like something when it is offered with love, isn't it, David?