I Hate Dungeon School

I sat in the station commander's office. The chair was fairly comfortable, which meant I wasn't being interrogated. At least I assumed so, based on my tiny stay in the gaol of Revenstahd.

Lucio returned with two cups of a delightfully fragrant spiced tea, of a variety I hadn't smelled since my days as a noble girl. The nostalgia was delightful and reminded me of, while not better, a different time.

"Do you still take honey in your tea?" He asked as he set the cup before me.

"Faerie Bees?" I asked hopefully. They were a species of bee native to Burgotova, and their honey had a flavor like no other.

"Luckily, yes. I took some with me, before they stationed me out here." He pulled a small jar of the delightful golden fluid from his desk.

"Bless you! Yes please! I haven't had any since I left, and didn't think I'd ever get to again." I smiled widely as he poured a spoonful into it. I used to like it sweeter, but doubtless he had to conserve the sweet treat.

We sat there in silence for a moment as we stirred and sipped our tea. It was nice to feel fully warm. I had been able to shed my furs for the first time in days and warm myself.

"You've gotten stronger. And you've definitely been practicing your sword play. I approve." He said, lifting his tea cup in a sort of salute.

"I thank you. I grudgingly have to admit, Cass's training was good for something." I frowned as I sipped the tea.

"And your magic? Have you been slacking off? I can barely sense any mana on you. I'll be honest, if I didn't know better, I would have thought you were dead." He set the cup down and looked at me seriously.

I sighed. I guess he would notice. He was always good with mana detection and manipulation.

"I had a bit of an accident, and my mana flow has been severely damaged. I'm having trouble channeling it right now. It's something that I'm working on fixing, but I really can't talk about it." I felt really sad as I said it.

"Can't or won't?" He pressed.

"Can't. It really would be better if you didn't pry too much into it. It's a bit of a sore spot right now." I continued.

"Ah. I understand." He took a deep sip and set down his now-empty teacup. He leaned forward, his fingers intertwined. "I suppose I should get the point before it gets too much later."

Here it was. I felt a forming pit of dread, though whether it was from anticipation of what he was going to say, or just being back in my homeland.

"There's something peculiar going on with this wedding. The news came out of nowhere, and with a Togalli of all people? The fact that our parents aren't protesting at all. The king hasn't done anything either. The response from the king has been so minimal, there have been rumors that he's dead, and the Royal Court has kept it to a minimum. I think Elio and I were sent so far out of the way because they know we have more loyalty to the crown than the family," He sighed deeply and held his head in his hand.

"And then there's me, right?" I said the thought before he could say it.

"Exactly. Our parents have always been cold to you, and Cassandra has been absolutely horrible your whole childhood. Elio and I could never get to the bottom of that, so we tried to help you as best as we could, but... well, you know." He gestured vaguely.

"So what are you thinking?" I asked, sipping my tea again. The tea calmed my nerves, and this conversation was not helping at all.

"I don't know, and that scares me. I make a point of knowing things, and I'm so in the dark I can't even see my metaphorical hands in front of my face. I'm a royal mage, and we haven't gotten orders in regards to this possible rebellion, and it's right out in the open! We've just been told to stay at our stations and limit passage to and from Burgotova. No word from the family except, don't come to the wedding. And then just a few days we get a list of approved persons, and who is on the top of the damn list but you!" Lucio slammed a fist against the table, nearly startling my teacup out of my hands.

I let him stew there for a moment while I finished off my tea. Didn't want to spill after all. He hadn't really said anything I didn't know, except for the list of approved persons. And so recently, too. Did someone in Revenstahd tell me that I was going? Was it Mariana? Was she some kind of spy? Did it really matter?

I was becoming increasingly glad I had abandoned any thoughts of politics in my future. Being a dungeoneer was so much better for my nerves. Monsters and traps were easier to deal with than all this cloak-and-dagger nonsense.

I finished my tea with an undignified slurp.

"I assume you're going to get to the point eventually, Lucio. Or did you detain me and my party just for a chance to rant?" I cocked an eyebrow at him, trying my best to seem uninterested.

He cocked his eyebrow at me. Gods above and below, he saw right through my façade. Of course, I wasn't trying that hard.

"I know you're trying to sound tough, Alta. I guess I just want you to be careful. I got a bad feeling you're really important to whatever nonsense Cassandra, mother, and father have planned."

"I can't really imagine what they could have planned for me. I'm the family outcast. There's not much else they could do to me, save frame me for rebellion, but anyone with half a whiff of sense would know that's a lie. It would also serve zero purpose. Gods above, below, and sideways, I hate politics!" I groaned and flopped backwards into my seat.

"You and me both, sister mine! Now, tell me about your friends! Also, why is Mariana with you? That was a shock and a half!" He laughed while standing to get us more tea.

-

I filled him in about my roommates and our adventures so far, as well as Andritch and her classes. I told him all about Eira and our quickly blooming relationship, to which he congratulated me. I told him about how Togalli had also been invited, and didn't want to go alone, but I also didn't trust her as far as I could throw her.

I noticed the time on the wall timepiece. A utilitarian thing, but it served the job. I frowned at how late it had gotten. I cursed out loud.

"Language, sister!" He clucked at me.

"Mortal Common, but you'd know that. This is going to throw a wrench in my timetable." I growled at him.

"Oh, you've got plenty of time to get there. It's not for a few weeks yet." He looked a me, a little smirk forming at the corner of his mouth.

"Don't. Just don't. I can't explain, but you know me well enough to know it's important." I glared at him. He returned my glare for a few moments.

"You know, I have to admit I don't even care at this point. I trust you not to do anything world-shattering, and frankly, I'm not paid enough to stop you if you were." He shrugged as he relaxed back in his chair.

"Aren't you the Waystation commander?"

"Not. Paid. Enough." He said with a very serious look. "In any case, you're right. It's too late for you all to get going out there tonight. Stay in our guest quarters and take off at first light. I can even get you a private room for you and your lady love!"

I blushed and scowled at the playful wink he gave me. "It is unbecoming to mock a lady and her paramour. That said, I'll take it."

He led me to my friends, and I was happy to see they had been well-treated and fed as well.

"Sorry, gals, the station commander had a lot of questions. We're good to go, but with the hour, they've offered to put us up for the night in the guest quarters." I explained, with my best apologetic expression on my face.

"I get it. A bit of family catching up can take longer than expected, at the best of times." Cori nodded with a wry smile.

"That's definitely one way to put it." I agreed.

"Smitty very sleepy, want sleep, please." Smitty mumbled something in Kobold after that, which I didn't quite hear. I assumed it was something a bit on the grumpy side, given her expression.

"If you ladies will follow me, I'll show you to the guest quarters. We'd also like to invite you all for breakfast, though I admit it won't be amazing. Station guards don't get the best rations these days." A guard said from behind me. They were young. This was probably their first assignment. Poor, poor bastard. Hard to advance out here.

The rooms they led us to weren't the greatest, but that was to be expected. They paired us off into various rooms, Andritch getting one to herself. She was decidedly insistent on that.

The guard showed Eira and me to a room at the end of the building, and showed us a room much larger than the others.

"It's rather big," Eira noted, looking around. "As is the bed."

"VIP suite. Commander's orders. Good night, you two!" The guard gave us both a cheeky smile before closing the door.

"Lucio, you son of a-" I grumbled under my breath.

"Oh, it's fine, isn't it? Enjoy luxury while you can, I always say!" Eira giggled before flopping onto the bed. She grimaced slightly. "To a certain definition of luxury, I suppose."

I joined her on the bad and discovered the source of her expression, much to my rear ends dismay.

"Wow. How fancy. A sheet over straw. I feel like a princess." I said with as much sarcasm as I could manage.

"Well, I guess it beats sleeping in a tent for the night." Eira frowned. "I was kind of hoping for some sexy time, but I just can't. Not on straw. Sorry, lovely."

"Oh no, I'm right there with you. I'd rather not get poked in the rear by straw." I nodded in agreement. "Besides, I think I'm a bit worn out from the cold, the wagon, and the interrogation."

Eira wrapped an arm around me, holding me close.

"Was it that bad?" She asked, giving my head a soft pet.

"Not really, but a lot is going on. I hate to say it, but the dungeon is going to be the easiest part of this trip." I sighed, leaning into her, letting her arms wrap me up in their strong warmth.

"Anything we didn't know already?" She rested her head atop mine as she asked.

"Not really. Just confirming how much of a farce this whole wedding is. Things are going to get ugly in a hurry, and I hate it." I sniffled. I found myself wanting to cry, and I wasn't sure why.

Eira ran her fingers through my hair, a sensation that soothed my very soul.

"We'll manage. We're tough badass ladies who don't know when to say die!" She said warmly. It was a tone that pushed my fears and doubts down, letting my quashed confidence rise to the top.

"You're right. If we need to, we'll kick every ass on our way out, while looking good doing it!" I peeled myself out of her arms so I could give her a kiss, which started innocently enough, but got deeper and deeper. We parted and got our breath back.

"I thought we weren't going to get steamy? Pokes in the butt and all that?" Eira said with a smile and raised eyebrow.

"A little steam is fine, I suppose. I'm not getting naked, though." I said, before pulling her down onto the bed with me.

"Fair enough! Now come here, lovely!" She giggled before pulling the blanket over us both.

Rest would come soon enough, I thought as I smiled internally.