[IRP] As Firm as a Mountain

[WyvernSlayer]

"Well... uh." Satsume fumbled over Cecily's proposal. His mind flashed back to the last time he accompanied a royal lady, prompting a physical shudder. He looked to his father, who just sort of raised his eyebrows as if to say "Well?"

“That is… I have a responsibility to my family, you see,” he said to Cecily.

“Wrong answer, boy!” burst his father. He motioned for Satsume to stand and accompany him outside the room. “Excuse us a second,” he said to Cecily as he left. Satsume followed him out.

“Dad, what are you talking about? You and Stella need the money! I’m going to keep helping until you set up the business again!”

“Take a look outside, Satsume.” His father pointed out the window towards the back, where the armory lay. It was not a large building, and the path leading out to it from the main road was beginning to grow over with grass. Satsume stared out the window, slightly mesmerized by the thin plume of smoke coming from the forge chimney.

“It doesn’t look like much, I know. Moving out of Lycia hasn’t done us any favors. But it’s enough to live on!” Satsume’s father clasped Satsume’s shoulder and turned him away from the window to face him. “You’ve done so much for your sister and I since your mother died, and for that I’m very proud of you. But this lass needs your help, and you’re the only one she can trust right now.”

Satsume said nothing.

His father continued, lowering his voice. “It’s time you started fighting for someone else. Maybe it’s for that young lady in that room.”

“But I don’t even know her!” Satsume whispered back. “She was just some girl sick in a tent, and I just happened to be around, and-“

“And you could have said no.” His father folded his arms. “You could have left her with her problems and come straight here. But you didn’t. I know a thing or two about you, boy. I know you’re like your mother was – something in you felt compelled to help.”

Satsume went silent again. He was right – he had even said to Cecily herself that it felt wrong not to help her. And even now, it felt wrong to refuse her proposal. He looked his father in the eye, sighed, and nodded.

“You’re sure about this?” he asked.

“Absolutely.”

“Stella, too?”

“Yes.” Satsume’s father looked over his shoulder at Limstella, who was still sashaying about the kitchen. “She’ll be fine.”

Satsume nodded slowly, then returned to his room. He met Cecily’s expectant gaze and stood over her.

“I had a talk with my family,” he said softly. “And I’m afraid that if you want to find your vassal…” He slowly sank to one knee and bowed his head.

“…then we had best be on our way… milady.”