Balcony Dispute

It was early morning when Damian found himself waking. It had been weeks since the group had a proper rest anywhere, and a stay in the mage’s court was absolutely incredible. With a stretch and a yawn he dressed himself in his new clothes and began to wander the halls of the magnificent tower. Everywhere he looked automatons worked to clean and improve the structure. He found himself wondering how much an automaton would cost for him to keep. He would never have to worry about daily chores then.

His inner humor faded as he remembered that he was here to begin with after the destruction of his home. He was nothing more than a wandering blade helping Emily with, whatever her goals were. Why couldn’t she tell them what they were after? She seemed to always know where the trouble was going to be though. He found himself sighing heavily as he recalled all the trouble she put them all through. Knoll and Lily seemed to not mind it much for some reason, maybe they were enjoying the fame she was bringing them, but he just kept getting compared to his father.

What was so good about his old man anyway? Vincent ‘The Heelcutter’ Clark, so what if he toppled a Cyclops and saved the continent? He wasn’t there when their home got destroyed, and he wasn’t there after the fact either. Just as his anger was about to rise he noticed a great glass door that lead out to a balcony. From this height the view must be incredible he thought and so decided to indulge his curiosity.
The white marble balcony was a brilliant and impressive structure in itself, with high pillars and tables endowed with draping a vases with bouquets of flowers. The amount of money the mage court had to possess was beyond even kings and here they were as honored guests to such powerful people. It really was an incredible journey so far, even if they almost died at least four times.

As he crossed its floors he could feel the strong chill of the wind through his thin clothing. He shuddered and nearly went inside when he noticed he was not alone. Leaning on the guard rails was Emily, staring out at the great fields below. He had gotten so used to seeing her look stern and angry, not to mention filthy, but catching her unaware like this, she was, well, beautiful.

He had a worry that he would regret approaching her but he decided to anyway. Silently he walked up beside her and joined her in her sightseeing.

“Have you ever seen so many flowers in one place before?” She asked him, entirely undaunted by his sudden presence. Looking out below vast fields of flowers bloomed for miles, was it a well taken care of garden of incredible scope, the purview of magic, or perhaps just a gift of nature. “It’s absolutely beautiful.”

“It is,” Damian agreed softly. He glanced at Emily trying to get a read on her, just a day ago she fought tooth and nail against the knight in silver armor like an enraged monster, but now she looked like an innocent girl, albeit a tired one.

“You know… it is funny, I thought you would have been a really unreliable guy out here.”

Damian frowned, “Well, that sounds great, thanks?”

“Let me finish.” Emily gave him a smirk with a sidelong glance. Both hands gripping the rail she stretched herself out. “You’re lazy, self-entitled, a little dimwitted, a womanizer, and the worst of us in a fight.”

“Uh, is there a good side to this?” Damian was beginning to feel crushed by her words, not that they were insults new to him.

Emily finished her stretching and finally faced him. “But you are also the hardest working of us. You are always there at the front of every fight, you try to cheer everyone up when you can, and you’re stubbornly determined.”

“You give me too much credit now.” Damian tried to deflect the praise. He was not used to that sort of thing. Odd, he disliked insults and felt uncomfortable with praise. Emily’s face was soft, but still she did not smile. He tried so hard to make her smile at least once, but it still eluded him.

“Honestly I feel you receive too little credit.” She turned back to gaze upon the fields below. “I have seen you late at night. You wait until you think we are all asleep and go off to train on your own. You take Knoll’s spell books and try to learn. I have seen the burns on your hands Damian. When we go to town you always slip away for your ‘fun.’ But you always seem to come back with valuable information. Why do you play the fool so much?”

“I’m not pretending anything.” Damian began to get defensive. “What you see is what you get.” He crossed his arms and focused on the fields.

“If you say so, but you can’t fool me.”

Something in Damian began to stir. She talked to him like she knew him for years, like she knew him so well, but he still knew nothing about her. For everything she could glean from him he only got more questions when he tried to understand her. “And what of you? You just come along, so perfect and never having to try at anything! You get all the praise and drag us around to improve your image.”
“What!?” Where was this coming from? “Damian, our homes were destroyed!”

“No! They weren’t destroyed, they were taken from us! Right after you showed up! You show up and all our lives go to Hell! Then we all throw our lots in with you and we proceed to go wherever tragedy is about to strike! It’s like you know it’s going to happen, or like you bring the trouble with you!”

“You think I caused your home to be destroyed!?”

“No, but I think there is a lot you won’t tell us and I… I am too tired and have suffered too much to continue to ignore whatever secret it is you’ve been keeping from us!” His voice was far more desperate than he could have predicted.

“I have no secrets to share Damian!” Emily fired back.

“Then how about the ones you can’t, no, WON’T share? How about those?” Damian watched as Emily struggled under his demands. She shifted in frustration at his hardheadedness. “Why not start with that pendant of yours? Maybe move on to just what you’re after?”

“You would never believe me Damian!”

“So there is something!” Not that he needed the confirmation. “You tell me, or I am ending this journey here,” and why shouldn’t he? It was safe here. There were no monsters or blood crazed knight after him, and they could repel any sort of assault that the court might come under with their immense magic.

Emily tried to form words but just found herself giving off a frustrated shriek. “Stop being so difficult! If that is truly how you feel, then fine! Stay here!”

Damian’s expression turned cold. “So you would rather I leave, than just admit to whatever is really happening.” He shook his head and just laughed before slamming a fist onto the railing. “Right, right, of course, because so much travelling and life or death struggles mean nothing! NOTHING!!!” He was done here. Damian had no more words and so he left, heading inside intent on leaving Emily and this journey behind.