Arthur's Point of View

Dwarven Deserts

It wasn’t as potent anymore. With a chunk of my energy back, it appeared to be keeping the poison at bay. Although, I was going to keep my energy output to an all-time low to try and recover as much as possible. It would still be a few days before I would be anywhere close to full power. Maybe even a week or two. As long as nothing happened, the poison could be ignored over time.

A few more coughs escaped my lips as I tapped my chest before I changed the subject. “Shouldn’t you be letting the blonde wonder know I’m awake?” I asked her.

She smirked at that. “You’re not gonna tell your student?”

“He’ll know as soon as she does.” I said with a shrug. “They’re together, right?” Kheri nodded. “Then there is no issue.” The General didn’t respond. “Kheri?”

“Arthur,” Her face fell a little bit. “Would you be able to stay away from the Priestess for a little bit? You still have to rest, don’t you?”

That got me to pause as I slowly raised a brow at that. “Do you expect me to run to the front of this caravan and attack her or something?”

She sighed. “You two fight, it’s true, but that is not what this is about.” Kheri pursed her lips for a moment as she looked away from me. “Did you know you have a tendency to talk in your sleep?”

I felt my lip twitch at that. “I’m sure it was the poison talking, and being sleep deprived will make anyone delirious.”

The Zugal brough her arms in front of her as she eyed me nervously. “Delirious is one thing, but you mostly mentioned names.”

“Names? Which names could I utter that would make Elincia uneasy?”

She bit her lip nervously. “Several, apparently.”

My eye twitched at that. “Care to name a few?”

“Aydan, Aerowyn, Robert, Varvara, Elias…” She recited and my eyes widened a bit at that. “You said several others, but these were the ones that seemed to upset her. For some reason, she got a terrible headache and had to step away.” Then Kheri gestured toward the front of the caravan around our Elephant. “That’s why she’s up there with Typhon. The Priestess needed some time to think.”

I looked down at that before I tried to change the subject. “Do you know why we’re being pulled by an Elephant instead of riding one? Shouldn’t these carts be pulled by some donkeys or camels? Even a horse would make sense.”

Kheri looked less than impressed at my attempt. “Elephants were to help secure our safety, especially yours, during our journey through the desert. Queen Ventari and Prince Vitar were quite insistent on this. They even sent the Dwarven General Dwar.” She gestured to the end of the caravan. “He’s bringing up the rear.” Then she looked back at me. “I know you were trying to change the topic, but-“

Interrupting her, I spoke in a warning tone. “Don’t ask questions that you’re not prepared to hear the answers to.”

She immediately replied. “These are answers I’m more than prepared for, Arthur. In fact, I’m hoping these answers can explain a few things.” I was quiet at that. “Did you know the founders of the Lestranian Alliance?”

“All stories have a beginning, Kheri, but some are better left untold than others. Do you still wish to know about this despite knowing it could needlessly endanger the Priestesses?” I asked as I drank some more water since I had a feeling what her answer would be.

“All the more reason to know. Did you know them?”

“I knew them. Better than most others, but not as well as I thought.” I answered after a moment. “Have you ever wondered why the Priestesses took such specific students? From what I’ve read, they’ve continued a long tradition to keep such things in certain families.”

“You’re referring to the Reed and Farro families?”

“I am. Both are descendants of the rulers of old. What better way to stay in power-“

Kheri finished for me as she cut in. “Then to keep the rightful heirs to the old kingdoms by their side.”

I nodded and tilted my head to let it rest on the cart. “You remind me a lot of Aerowyn, so I wonder if you are also a descendant.”

She shook her head. “Not that I know of.”

“Mmh.” I mumbled back as I coughed a bit. “Did you get the answers you wanted?”

“Not yet. Why did this affect the Priestess?”