The tavern was crowded. With evening upon them, this was not so unusual. That being said, Caspian felt like the reason this particular tavern was so crowded had nothing to do with the time of day, but rather, with the two sorceresses sitting beside him.

There were a lot of people visiting this tavern who were too young to drink.

Erica looked as ravishing as he remembered. To say that she looked like sin would have been a grave insult to her, an understatement. Such a word, any single word, could never adequately express the sexuality that oozed from her very being.

Even if she did have a little girl sitting in her lap.

"You're looking good, Caspie," Erica said, her lips tracing an elegant curve that expressed amusement. "It is strange. We have only been apart for little over a month, yet there is something different about you."

"Is that so?" Caspian asked. "Well, you haven't changed at all. You appear every bit as vain as I remember."

"Ufufufu, what claws you've brought out today." Giggling some more, Erica then turned to Elincia, who sat by Caspian's side. "And who is this? Your girlfriend?"

"Um, my name is Elincia, and you are Lady Erica, correct?" Elincia bowed her head. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Elincia. Elincia." Erica let out a thoughtful hum. "Oh, yes. Now I remember where I've heard that name. You are the newest sorceress, if I am not mistaken."

"Y-yes, I am."

Elincia squirmed as Erica's penetrating stare pierced her. Knowing how uncomfortable Erica's stares could be, Caspian placed a comforting hand on his friend's thigh. Elincia relaxed.

This did not go unnoticed by Erica, whose smile was reminiscent of a Cheshire cat. " I see that you two are quite comfortable with each other. Tell me, Elincia, what sort of relationship do you have with Caspie?"

"R-relationship?" Elincia squeaked.

"Yes. Are you two lovers, perchance?"

Caspian was grateful he hadn't been drinking anything, otherwise he would have spit out his drink like the half-elf dressed in the butler suit who was standing behind Erica.

"M-Mistress Erica!" Cassidy squawked.

Cassidy had not changed at all since last he'd seen her. Dressed in the black and white lace frills of a maid, her brown hair and doe-like eyes remained unchanged. Even the way her face turned into a lobster at the slightest innuendo from her mistress was just as he remembered.

Erica laughed at Cassidy's indignant expression, but the man standing beside the maid merely shook his head. "My Lady Erica, please try not to cause Cassidy so much duress. I thought you were going to be supportive of Cassidy's desires."

"I am," Erica said almost dismissively. "I merely enjoy having some fun. Don't ruin it for me."

"As My Lady wishes." The man bowed.

Caspian frowned at the man standing vigilantly by Erica's side. His resplendent armor gleamed crimson in the low lighting, yet a large golden dragon curved around the breastplate, as if to constrict the man wearing it. Gauntlets and grieves covered his forearms and shins, and shoulder pauldrons lent him a well-defined look. His face was youthful, but somewhat gaunt, and his swept back hair possessed hints of gray. A large claymore hung from his back.

"Who are you?" Caspian asked.

The man's jaw dropped and his eyes practically popped from their sockets. "S-surely you jest, Caspian! It's me!"

"I don't know who you are. Do we know each other?"

The man... began to cry. "W-what sort of cruel trick is this? How could you not remember me? My Lady Erica, why does Caspian not remember who I am?!"

"Because you look nothing like you did one month ago when Caspia was acting as your replacement," Erica said. She waved a hand in the crying man's direction. "Caspie, this is Derek. You'll remember him as my useless, bed-ridden Knight."

"Derek?" Caspian glanced at the man, and then back at Erica. "This is a joke, right? You're making a joke."

"I am afraid not."

"But the Derek that I remember was a total whimp! A stiff breeze could knock him over!"

"T-that is so cruel!" Derek cried even more.

Erica giggled. "Oh, but aren't you a cruel man, to say such things about your tutor, who offered you so much advice and wisdom during your time of need. Now, then..." she turned back to Elincia, "... your relationship with Caspie, please, do tell me more about it."

Squirming in her seat, Elincia looked like someone had just told her that she wasn't wearing underwear today.

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to," Caspian told her softly.

Elincia shook her head and smiled. "N-no. I don't mind telling them how I know you. I was just caught off guard by the question." She paused, and Caspian felt a soft, feminine hand fall on top of his, which still rested on her thigh. "Caspian and I have known each other since we were kids. We grew up together."

"Oh, my. Childhood friends, is it? Well, that is awfully tough to defeat." Erica nodded in what Caspian assumed was supposed to be a sage-like manner. "Cassidy, dear, I am afraid you're going to have your work cut out for you."

... Silence.

"Cassidy?"

... More silence.

Erica turned, and Caspian also looked at where Cassidy had been standing. She wasn't there anymore. She was, instead, crouched down in a corner of the room, mumbling to herself and rocking back and forth on her heels.

"I can't believe it... she's his childhood friend... how can I beat that... what am I supposed to do now?"

"Um." Caspian wondered if this would be an appropriate time to wonder about Cassidy's mental stability. "Is she going to be okay?"

"Oh, yes. She'll be fine." Erica waved off his concern. "She's just in shock, I imagine. Worry not. She shall recover shortly. I still need her to carry my luggage, after all."

Derek coughed into his hand. "Excuse me, My Lady Erica, but I thought carrying your luggage was my duty."

"Your duty is to please me in bed," Erica said. Caspian could have sworn the space beside him suddenly got warmer. The half-elf boy standing on Erica's left looked like his face had just exploded. "I can't have you wasting your strength carrying luggage."

"Very well, then. My Lady Erica's wish is my command."

"Yep, that's definitely Derek," Caspian said at last. "Only you would say something so stupid with such devotion."

"That's how you recognize me?!" Derek cried.

"So, I don't believe I was ever formally introduced to these two." Caspian gestured to the half-elf boy and his little sister.

"That is because you never formally met them," Erica said, gesturing to the boy. "This young lad here is Cauliflower—"

"It's Callofloore," the boy muttered.

"—and this adorable little girl on my lap is Tiffania."

At the sound of her name being called, said adorable little girl looked up, blinking her large eyes at Erica. Her face was an absolute mess, covered in gravy, meat, and string beans. Even her hair appeared to have bits of food in it. Caspian looked down at Erica's plate... which was also a mess.

This girl hasn't had any etiquette training, has she?

Erica's smile, gentle as a mother's and eyes warmer than the sun, carefully wiped off Tiffania's face. "Go on and tell them how old you are, Tiffa."

"Tiffa is this many years old," Tiffania said, holding out a single hand with all five fingers. Erica took hold of her hand and changed it so that only four fingers were showing.

It was absolutely adorable.

"You've taken quite a liking to her, I see," Caspian commented.

"But of course." Erica's expression, bright enough to outshine Apollo's light, reminded him of a child. "She's such an adorable little girl. How could I not fall in love with her?"

"Tiffa loves Big Sis Erica lots, too!" the little girl proclaimed. Erica squealed.

"Um, Caspian?" Elincia started, her tone questioning. She stared at Erica with something resembling horror, as the several hundred year old sorceress doted on Tiffania.

"Please don't ask. I don't have an answer," Caspian said.

"O-okay."

"At least, not one that wouldn't end with my sanity shattering into a thousand fragments."

"What?"

"... Never mind."

***

The late night greeted Caspian upon his return to Arcadia's Knight Academy. He and Elincia had spent several hours with Erica and the others. It was odd, to be sure, but Caspian had enjoyed his time with the unusual cast of individuals.

Erica had spent many hours talking about herself—and also teasing Derek and Callofloore, but mostly talking about herself. She'd complained about how much work she had and told Caspian that, ever since he'd left, her workload had tripled. Cassidy, who'd recovered by then, had pointed out that Erica had so much work because she spent more time having sex with Derek than she did working. The girl was promptly sent away when Erica tossed a casual comment about childhood friends. She'd remained in the corner until it was time to leave.

Perhaps it was due to the excitement of meeting another sorceress, but Elincia had fallen asleep. She rested in his arms, her legs slowly swinging as he walked into the courtyard, her head resting in the crook of his neck. Warm breath from her exhales tickled his skin and caused his chest to flutter.

Elincia's room was in the servant's quarters. Caspian would normally have never been caught dead going there, but it wasn't like he could let Elincia bunk in his room. Disregarding matters of propriety, he didn't want Christo anywhere near his friend while she was sleeping.

I think I'd prefer it if he never came near her again. There's no telling what he, or any one of these nobles, might do if they believed that using her would benefit them.

The servant's quarters weren't much to look at. Unlike the massive cathedral housing the students, classrooms, and cafeteria, the servant's quarters looked like a squalor. It was a tiny two-story building composed of bricks. Several windows lined the walls, and numerous doors were found on the first floor.

Caspian entered one of those doors, being careful not to wake Elincia. He flinched when the girl mumbled, but then she nuzzled his neck and drifted off again. He couldn't quite contain his relieved sigh.

The interior wasn't poorly build, nor shoddily decorated, but it still paled in comparison to the academy proper. Caspian crept along the stone floor. Spirit crystals on either side of the hallway guided him, allowing him to eventually locate Elincia's door.

Elincia's room was tiny but well-built. Caspian stepped into the room, softly shutting the door behind him with his foot. He then walked over to the bed, where he set Elincia down.

What should I do now?

She would surely be uncomfortable if she slept in all those clothes, but he didn't feel right about taking them off or changing her into her nightgown. In which case...

Lifting her left leg, Caspian pulled off her boot, then did the same with her other leg. He also took off her socks. He briefly considered placing her under the covers, but he didn't want to wake her, and she would be quite warm with her clothes on.

Staring down at his friend, Caspian reached out a hand and brushed away a few bangs that had fallen into her face. He let his fingers meander along her face and, after tracing the delicate curve of her cheek, he slowly pulled back her hair to reveal her ears--rounded and human-like. Elincia shifted some, mumbling incoherently, and then settled back down.

She's a lot prettier with elf ears, Caspian thought to himself before dispelling the thought with a shake of his head.

Standing up, Caspian turned around to leave. He didn't get far when something grabbed onto his shirt. Looking down, he stared at the hand that was clutching his shirt. It was Elincia's. Had she somehow felt him leaving and grabbed onto him out of instinct?

Her lips moved, and she mumbled something again.

"What?" Caspian frowned and, kneeling down, placed turned his head to hear her words.

"Don't... leave... stay..."

Caspian closed his eyes. If he stayed in here, there was a good chance that he would get into trouble. Elincia was also asleep. If he left, then she would never know about what happened tonight. He could leave and not worry about hurting her feelings.

He opened his eyes and looked at Elincia again. Her partially opened lips looked unusually pink and glossy. Moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating her hair in an ethereal silver sheen. The slow rise and fall of her chest was innocent yet somehow enticing. Perhaps it was because she seemed so vulnerable.

He sighed, then settled down beside the bed and grasped Elincia's hand in both of his.

I'm going to get into so much trouble for this.

Somehow, Caspian found that he didn't mind getting into a little bit trouble.