Scott scampered as quickly as he politely could, waving to nobody as part of the excuse. He had other places to be after all. His legs, being longer, carried him quicker than the polite walking of the pack of demands behind him.
Unfortunately, girls can get away with anything if they're squealing.
As soon as one broke from the pack with a giggle, the others surged forward. Like a pack of wolves scenting a wounded deer. The distance between them shrunk with alarming swiftness.
"Terribly sorry," Scott said, turning to the giggling pack, "But I must beg your forgiveness and your leave. I have an appointment to keep."
Scott exploded out, dashing with all his might. A few members of the pack broke off in pursuit. Scott caught a pole and swung hard around a corner, skidding into the next street over. Breaking line of sight briefly.
With a single bound, Scott leapt to the rooftops above and skidded flat. Hiding in the shadows and willing himself from being. It wasn't his forte, but seemed to work as the hunt for him continued below. Fruitless pursuit spread down the street and was soon a threat of the past.
Scott sighed and got up, walking across the roofs. He realized that he still had the tankard he'd lent Jasson in his hand. He chuckled, tucking it away into his locker along with the apple juice.
Scott said, "That worked well."
Harriett's voice said, "What worked well?"
Scott whirled, delighted to see the evasive girl on the chimney.
Scott said, "There you are! I've been looking for you all evening."
"I know," The way she said it gave Scott little flutters behind his abs, "What worked well?"
"Oh," Scott waved his hand, "I just tricked Jasson into getting drunk on plain apple juice."
Harriett raised her eyebrows and said, "It wasn't spiked with anything?"
"Just hot pepper," Scott said, "I learned the technique out east. It's supposed to be used to save alcohol on guests you don't like."
Harriett said, "Cool."
Scott looked up, and she was gone. He sighed, savoring the moments he'd had with her. Why didn't she stick around? There was nothing to be awkward about.
Scott willed a bridge into being and walked over to the next house, humming softly. It was a sailor tune from the eastern sea. Picked up from one of the countless countries he'd passed through.
"Where are we going?" Harriett's voice said.
Scott whirled, looking for her, "Where are you?"
He reached behind himself, waving his hand in his blind spot, but she wasn't there.
Harriett said, "Up here."
Scott looked up and said, "How…are you doing this? I don't feel anything. Are you a ninja? No. Even ninjas don't do this."
"Another eastern thing?" Harriett said, stepping off of Scott's face and practically floated down, "You seem to have done a lot out east."
"Ninjas are as far east as I went," Scott said, "They're masters of stealth, but I should have still felt you on my head. At least a bit. That floatiness is more indicative of a different eastern style of extravagant fighting."
"Hmm," Harriett said, rounding him and forcing Scott to turn to keep her in sight, "Tell me about what you did out east."
Scott shrugged and said, "I went wandering. Chasing rumors. Hunting monsters. I was a good wood mage and I specialized in traps. I woke up in the morning and walked towards where the sun came up, and everything managed to fall into place."
"Did you find the edge of the world?" Harriett said, suddenly on his other side.
"No," Scott said, "I got to that last country and asked them what was across the sea from here. They said 'water'. Since the world is a globe-"
Scott looked at Harriett and she smiled teasingly, and he continued, "Since the world is a globe, I figured that the ocean just went the rest of the way around. Until it reached back here."
Harriett asked, "Why didn't you sail across to find out?"
Why indeed? Scott thought. I could build the boat.
"I had developed a love of architecture out there," Scott said, "They build houses without nails. Ingenious. I…"
What do I say? Scott thought, That I felt guilty for abandoning all the people back home? I'd already done so much for them. Even now…
"I wanted to show off," Scott said, sighing dramatically, "But I'm afraid that my hometown didn't appreciate my approach to architecture. Especially the blacksmith, who made the nails."
Harriett laughed, a tinkling thing which made Scott smile. He had many words which could express it. Especially with the languages out east. But the words, somehow, hadn't shown up for work today.
A silence immediately followed the laughter. Scott looked at Harriett, who had finally stopped moving enough for him to meet her eyes. The world grew quiet.
"You took a while getting here," Harriett said, "did you have any trouble with Clout's forces?"
"Not an ounce," Scott grinned, "It did take me a few days to get back. I could have been back sooner, but I stopped to help an overturned carriage. Some rich noble from the Golden Apples family. Svarm, I believe. And his sister and butler. They'd ridden off of the road and managed to get rooms at the Wet Rat Inn."
Harriett nodded and said, "A good move…hey. You know something?"
Harriett stepped up and poked Scott in the chest. This required some stretching due to the disparity in height.
Harriett said, "Svarm was actually coming to court me. Still would have helped him then?"
Scott laughed, deep, and said, "Of course. And not just because he didn't stand a chance. Although, my effort to make an ally was wasted."
Harriett said, "Oh?"
"Yeah," Scott said, "You should have seen it. The air was frozen stiff when Svarm met the twins. Apparently, he was Clara's fiance. Something happened between them and…let's just say that the sparks flying were not about to light a flame of romance."
"Wow," Harriett nodded, "So did Petra skin him alive?"
Scott grinned wider and said, "No! That's the strange part. Petra was pulling Clara away. It was Clara that was railing at him and making a scene. I've never seen her so angry! Not since Clout."
Harriett frowned and said, "And somehow, I missed it again. I'm beginning to think that our fighter friend isn't a fighter so much as a raging barbarian."
"Wait," Scott said, "That's how she's been introducing herself? As a fighter? Why?"
Harriett sighed and said, "It's a…noble house thing. Never mind. Suffice it to say, it is not a good thing to officially be a barbarian as a noble."
"Oh," Scott said, leaning over Harriett, "Cool."
Another silence stretched and Harriett said, "You know, you haven't called me 'Riri' in a while."
"Yeah," Scott grinned, "Are you up for it? I know you hate the name."
Harriett smiled and stepped up to Scott, hovering just out of reach as she said, "Maybe it's grown on me."
****
That night thumped to the beat of a thousand hearts, strumming in time with a single cord. A single note. A sound beyond speech, a hum from a thousand breathless lips.
But that night is not this night. This night is a raucous celebration of life which, although confused, was no less celebrated for the lack of dread preceding it.
And in the high towers, a man entered. His presence was…demanding. The Duchess stood there, silhouetted against the city lights. The Duchess didn't turn to look.
The man stepped up, seizing her by the waist as he growled into her ear, "I love coming home to find that you've already solved the problem."
"You should be in the field," The Duchess said, pushing weakly, "the southern forces still need their general."
Duke Peckichire nuzzled his wife, saying, "And miss holding you? It's been days…"
The Duchess laughed and embraced him, accent thickening as she said, "I'm glad zat you got a war so close to home. You would not be one for an extended campaign."
The Duke kissed her, then pulled away and said, "Is Harriett here?"
"She's doing well," The Duchess said, "She has 'run away' all the way to the Sword and Shield unification project to the north."
"A short stroll," The Duke gripped his wife, "But I was speaking about this room in particular."
"Oh!" the Duchess turned to look at the closed door, then the window, and said, "She won't be in here anymore."
"Good." The Duke picked her up like it was their wedding day, "Release your scrying spells. You're going to be focused elsewhere tonight."