Fin stared out over the sea of faces cheering him. The shock rendered his mind blank, as he blinked at them all, unable to say a word, when Annika broke his stupor.

“Why are we glowing?”

Snapping his head back to stare at his wife, the witch looked down and realized that there was a warm magical light emanating from both of them. Frowning, he tried to fathom what on earth was happening, when Eloise Morozov, the leader of the Coven of Wittica, stepped forward from the crowd and mounted the steps up to him.

“Lord Ashowan, if I may speak with you privately, I believe I might be able to offer some insight.”

The witch gestured for the group to return back to the quiet space of the castle, but the Captain and King excused themselves to convene with the Knights.

Once the castle doors were again firmly shut, Eloise regarded the glow around the newlyweds with a slight frown mixed with a small suspicious smile.

“Lord Ashowan, before agreeing to have you act as a diplomat on behalf of the Coven, I did extensive research on the notes you submitted to me, and have given your unique gifts a great deal of thought… You mentioned before that the people of your house feeling at home gave you more strength and endurance… therefore more power. My estimation of why you are the equivalent to a firefly right now, is that everyone out there cheering you, feels… at home.”

Fin’s eyebrows shot upwards as he recognized what she was saying.

“So… you’re saying I’m… powering up thanks to them rallying around me?”

“Not just you, but rallying between witches, and nobility… they are all fiercely protective of Daxaria right now, and your fight with the dragon and your father I imagine gave them a great deal to feel good about.”

The redhead nodded again, but Annika was still frowning.

“Why am I glowing though? In fact… this isn’t the first time it’s happened… a few times when I was around Fin I’d start glowing and I thought my eyes were going bad…”

Eloise Morozov chuckled. “I think, Viscountess Ashowan, that you are the reason Lord Ashowan’s power was able to start growing.”

Annika blinked several times. “I don’t understand.”

“I think you are the roots Lord Ashowan has placed down. You are part of why he is able to absorb the feelings around him, because he has settled down with you, he has fully begun his very own home.”

“So I’m a root? Like a carrot? Or beet?” the Viscountess asked flatly.

“Roots to a mighty oak are important, Lady Ashowan. Now, onto a few more important matters given that we are about to be swarmed with Troivackians… Might I speak with your husband privately, Lady Ashowan?” The Coven leader looked to Annika and smiled kindly.

The Lady shot her a dubious look before turning back towards the doors. She gave Fin’s arm a quick squeeze, and the two shared a meaningful glance before she then took her leave.

Fixing the redhead with her stern gaze, Eloise’s expression grew devoid of mirth. “That was a horrible misuse of your magic. There were better ways to get rid of the dragon and your father. If it weren’t for everyone outside, you would be powerless now for the next few days! Did your tutor not talk to you about how to manage your magic more efficiently?”

“Err… no? In his words, ‘What would be the point? You’d just have to wash dishes by hand for a while.’”

The earth witch opened and closed her mouth without a single word managing to be formed, until at long last she sorted out her thoughts. “A tutor of our Coven said that to you?! How old were you?” she demanded, clearly outraged.

“Twelve,” Fin replied before aiming to change the subject. “In my defense, I don’t think a single person here anticipated a bloody dragon showing up.”

Eloise balked for a moment, but quickly regained control of herself. “That is true… there hasn’t been a sighting in over a hundred and fifty years… I mean we speculated that there could theoretically be one in the Troivackian mountains ages ago… Regardless, I-”

“That shield wasn’t meant to keep out that kind of assault. The ground outside of its perimeter was supposed to cave in and consume the soldiers. The shield was only set up to deflect arrows or spears- perhaps a unit of men at most. Not a hundred fifty foot legendary creature,” Fin added while straightening his shoulders and crossing his arms.

Eloise sighed and rubbed her forehead. “The problem is that we don’t know a great deal about dragons anymore. To find the records we would have to go back to the Isle of Wittica and research… but we don’t have that luxury. Lord Ashowan, can you confirm you’ve regained some of your power?”

Fin paused for a moment and reached out with his magic to see if he still could sense the castle the way he had that morning… and found he could. Just as well as he could before.

He gave a brief nod.

Eloise gave a strained smile. “Well, the Goddess gave us that blessing at least. Remember, the best witches are strategic in their use of their powers. Use as little power as possible while having as large an effect as you can. Sometimes even just nudging a spear tip a few inches is all that’s needed. Now, shall we see how we compare against the Troivackian Coven?”

Fin smiled, though he felt weary already, and gestured towards the castle doors. “You go ahead. I need to go see about the children on the castle grounds. I need to find out how to smuggle them out of here safely and quickly.”

The earth witch smiled grimly and gave a small bow of her head before leaving. Her heels echoing out against the stone in the eerily still castle that was normally bustling with life.

Fin took a deep breath in through his nose, and did his best to sort out his thoughts. Everything felt… dark. Strange, and dark, and he didn’t like it at all… He just wanted to be back in the kitchen making food for everyone, looking forward to a warm night with Annika beside him… His mother safe on the Isle of Quildon, his father gone…

Dropping his eyes to the floor, he moved his hand over his chest where his mother’s symbol was burned. He let it rest there a moment, before turning, and setting off towards the children’s safe spot…

His kitchen.

*

Fin arrived in his former workspace and felt a tightness in his chest he didn’t care to think about just then. The group of children were all quiet, a haunting fear in their eyes that had no business tainting their innocence. Hannah was in the middle of hugging one particular child while Sir Taylor stood just behind her wearing his armor, his expression somber.

Everyone turned and looked at him with a start, and then surprised him thoroughly by all breaking out into manically happy smiles.

“MISTER!” one of the boys burst out while showing off his two missing front teeth with an infectious grin.

“It’s ‘Lord’ dummy! He’s a Viscount!” one of the little girls chastised while punching the lad in the shoulder.

“I thought he was a cook! My dad said he makes great food, but has about as much right to nobility as a chicken!” another younger child chirped brightly, clearly unaware of the insult they were repeating.

Hannah was visibly trying not to laugh, meanwhile Sir Taylor looked pained.

Staring down at the children Fin slowly moved further into the room, his hand gently resting atop his beloved cooking table.

“It’s alright. I feel more like a chicken than a noble anyway.”

The group of youths all burst out in giggles, which was rather infectious.

The Viscount knelt down so that he was eye level with thema shadow of a smile on his face. “I hope you all are going to be leaving the castle now. I hear you are going to all board a wagon and be travelling north along the coast?”

“We are, though we don’t know why we have to… you’re going to protect us no matter what!” the same toothless boy from before stepped forward confidently.

“Well that’s because while I’m busy fighting, Hannah and Sir Taylor are going to take you far away to make sure you don’t have to see bad things.”

The little boy frowned, displeased with the explanation. “I’m not scared though!”

“I know, but a lot of adults are, and they don’t want you to see,” the redhead decided to mix a little truth into the response.

“Is it true you’re a witch?!” a little girl with long dirty blonde hair asked excitedly. “I’ve always wondered if I was a fire witch. My Da always says his relationship with my mum has always been heated! That’s how I know.”

The redhead didn’t have the heart to disagree with her earnest expression.

“Yeah! I think my grandma was a witch, she had warts, and Mum always says she was frigid!” a little boy chimed in eagerly. “Like an ice witch!”

“My grandpa has to be one, too! He always says the best way to get a woman is to blow smoke up her as-”

“Who knows! They could all be witches!” Fin blurted out loudly in an effort to stop the runaway carriage wreck that was unfolding before him and his former aides.

The redhead then stood and fixed both his former aides, who were struggling not to laugh, with a complex expression.

“Hannah, feel free to take the frying pan to defend yourself. Sir Taylor… I’m surprised you volunteered to be their escort,” the redhead admitted.

“It was only going to be Hannah leading them out… Peter voluntarily returned to his cell to ensure he remained free of suspicion. Sirs Lewis and Andrews can’t, and… a true man protects the weak,” the Knight explained with a stern bow of his head.

Fin nodded in understanding while stepping closer to the Knight. “Well… it’s great that you did.” The Viscount then dropped his voice so that the children around him wouldn’t be able to hear.

“The Troivackians will reach shore soon. They’ll reach the castle in a matter of hours on foot, so I recommend you all leave as quickly as possible.”

The Knight nodded imperiously. “I will guarantee their safety no matter what. Sirs Andrews and Lewis are skilled archers, they will aid you in taking down the dragon.”

“Yes, I was surprised to learn Sir Lewis was such a skilled marksman,” Fin commented before turning to Hannah who had strode over to them. “I will see you when this is all over.”

The blonde threw her arms around his neck, squeezing him tightly.

“Ms. Hannah, he’s married!” one little girl shrieked out, making the adults laugh.

“It’s okay, Patty, he’s like my brother, and I quite like his wife,” the blonde replied when she had pulled free of hugging her friend while wiping tears from her eyes. She then fixed her beautiful big blue eyes on the redhead. “I heard your father hurt you, are you alright?”

Fin smiled down at her with pain and affection radiating from his eyes, but didn’t answer the question. He never liked lying, so instead he replied with, “Stay safe.”

With a final farewell, the redhead exited his kitchen, and strode down the garden path he had tread more times than he cared to count since arriving to rejoin the battle preparations.

‘Gods… I would prefer preparing for a hundred Beltane festivals than this… I’m not a soldier. I’m not a killer… ’

As Fin neared where Norman and the Captain stood conferring, Knights stood at the ready nearby, crossbows in hand, for when they would all assume their new defense positions for when the dragon would undoubtedly return.

“We can’t spare too many men to just focus on the dragon, they will be overwhelmed. Even with the witches’ aid, we cannot.”

Fin overheard the Captain explaining while handing Norman a parchment that presumably held their numbers.

The King was opening his mouth to reply, when a hawk suddenly appeared above them, causing a flurry of men to suddenly fall silent.

Confused, Fin watched as the bird flew straight down to Captain Antonio, who was ready and waiting, his expression already grim.

Stepping even closer, the redhead watched as the military man unfurled a small missive that had been strapped to the bird’s leg, before he raised his bright blue eye to his ruler.

“The Troivackian military didn’t attack Xava… They attacked Rollom and the Southern Islands first.”

Fin felt his world suddenly shift as his heart for the briefest of moments hesitated a beat.

Rollom had been one of the places that made very little sense to attack first… for one thing it was the nearest point of Daxaria to Zinfera, and the Zinferan army was due to arrive in a week… For another, the rocks were dangerous and the weather unpredictable in the coming fall.

Only a fisherman who had lived there his whole life would have been able to know how to safely navigate around them. Transporting soldiers alone on a single vessel would have been dangerous enough, let alone an army.

“The aunt of the King.” Annika’s quiet voice drew everyone’s eye to her. Most people had forgotten she was even present as she blended into the shadows.

Her brown eyes were fixed on Fin as she gave him an anguished look he didn’t fully understand. The Viscountess then stepped forward and bowed her head before the King.

“The Viscount told me months ago that there was a woman who had been exiled from Troivackia on the island of Quildan. I believe it was the former Troivackian Princess... Nora Devark. It is possible she had a hand in helping them.”

Everyone fell silent as the weight of this discovery settled over them. They all knew that while there were Knights and soldiers in every city, Rollom would be sieged with great ease if half of the Troivackian efforts were targeted there.

“Goddess… may you guide the people of Rollom to safety in the forest of the afterlife… and please… forgive me for my shortcomings.” Norman’s quiet prayer could only be heard as agony swept across his face. Thousands of people would have perished… and no matter how much one prepared for war, nothing could take away that burden.

From any of them.