Lucky Rabbit

Thaniel napped off and on the rest of the day, though by lunchtime Pandy was fairly certain Timon and Mistress Rose were slipping him sleeping draughts in his ‘small, light meals’. There was no way the Thaniel she knew wouldn’t have been stir-crazy after an hour with nothing to do. Lian had recovered his usual cold detachment, which he liberally applied to everyone except his brother. Pandy, for one, was glad to be ignored, though she thought Timon almost looked hurt by the younger boy’s abrupt dismissals.

After dinner and chores, a small horde of children turned up at the infirmary door. Pandy had expected to see them long before this, but their absence was quickly explained when Geraldine apologized and explained that Mistress Rose had told them no visitors were allowed until now.

Thaniel nearly melted into tears again at this news. “I thought you all h-hated me now,” he finally managed to say, and there was a group hug which Pandy was able to participate in thanks to her presence beside him. It was definitely the highlight of a very long day.

Each of Thaniel’s friends gave him a quick recounting of their day, at which point the healer firmly ushered them back out again. After another round of hugs, three dejected children and Isidor trooped back out, leaving one dejected child still in bed.

“You have good friends,” Lian said unexpectedly, gazing at the door thoughtfully.

“I do,” Thaniel agreed, swiping a tear from his cheek. “An’ you do, too.”

Lian looked almost startled as he focused on his brother again. “I do?”

“‘Course you do,” Thaniel said. “That Edgar guy came all the way from home to help us when our carriage got stuck. And Aiden helped tutor us in the library.”

“They…did,” Lian admitted. He looked a bit like he’d encountered a lemon unexpectedly lurking in his banana pudding. “They’re not-”

“Not just friends, but best friends,” a voice broke in as the door opened. “That’s what you were going to say, right, Lian?”

Lian, Thaniel, Pandy, and Timon all turned to stare at the two boys who’d just entered. Timon and Lian both looked pleased, though the expression only flitted briefly across Lian’s face before settling rather more firmly on that of the apprentice healer. Lian’s expression, of course, settled almost instantly back into one of irritation. Several people spoke at once, but Pandy’s brain had simply thrown its hands in the air and was refusing to process anything, because the boys standing in the door were Edgar and Dorian.

Pandy had met Lian – and been threatened by him – often enough by now that she’d become somewhat numb to the experience. She’d even spent a few hours being ignored by Kaden while he tutored his little sister, so she’d almost gotten used to his glory as well. But she’d only seen Edgar once, briefly, and this was the first time Dorian had appeared before her, in the flesh.

Edgar’s route was that of the gentleman, the intelligent and highly refined scholar and lord. While he was rarely romantic, his dark, elegant good looks, dry humor, and those glasses were enough to sweep anyone off their feet, at least in Pandy’s admittedly biased opinion. He was also the only one of the four who bought Clara gifts, thanks to the generous allowance he received from his extremely wealthy family.

Kaden, of course, was the proto-king – he could smile as he stabbed his opponent in the back, and they would thank him for his time as they fell. He started out almost as cold as Killian, but by the end of the game, he quoted poetry and used magic to sweep Clara into the air as they danced. The hidden psychopath became the devoted lover, and his route was by far the most popular among romantic, impressionable young gamers. He liked to delve into the Royal Treasury for the presents he brought to his girlfriend and eventual fiancee.

Dorian, however, was a simple, straightforward battle maniac. He loved to hit things with his sword, and he did it well. He was devoted to Kaden, hoping to someday become his friend and king’s personal bodyguard. Everything he did and said revolved around Kaden, West Altheric, or the Knights of the Royal Eagle. He was also the most religious of the four, and could usually be found at a church or shrine if he wasn’t practicing with his sword. Of course, he spent ninety-nine percent of his time practicing, so that didn’t leave much for piety.

He was also large and musclebound, not unlike Keros as he’d been when Pandy first met him. He didn’t wear a toga, of course, but that was probably only because his sheath would get tangled in it. He often mentioned that he had to duck when entering rooms, because he was so tall and his shoulders were so wide. This younger version of him wasn’t quite that large, but he was already taller and broader than Timon, who was at least a year, if not two years older.

“What’re you doing here?” Lian demanded, rising from his chair.

Edgar’s dark brows rose. “Don’t you mean, ‘Hello, my friends, how pleasant it is to see you’?”

Lian scowled. “No, I don’t, and you know it. Why did you come?”

Dorian’s voice was already deeper than those of the other boys as well, sounding like that of a full-grown man as he said, “You weren’t in class. We asked where you were, and Chancellor Farbridge sent us to fetch you.”

One corner of Edgar’s mouth curled up. “Well, it wasn’t quite that easy, but not far off. Our fair chancellor mentioned you had had a family emergency, and I happened to know your brother was here. So I offered to fetch you in my carriage, and she agreed.”

Dorian grunted. “You told her you were going to get him.”

Edgar waved a hand. “Po-tay-to, po-tah-to. Either way, here we are.” He glanced around, smiling when he saw Timon. “You made it, did you, Timon? Well done.”

Timon actually grinned. “Thanks to you two,” he said.

“If you’d studied properly in the first place, you wouldn’t have needed the help of a pair of ten-year-olds,” Lian muttered, before turning to Thaniel, who looked wide awake for the first time that day. “I suppose I’ll have to go, since the chancellor is expecting me back.”

Thaniel wilted. “D’you have to?” His long lashes fell to hide his eyes as he sank back into the pile of pillows that had somehow accumulated behind him. “I wish you could stay longer.”

Pandy knew manipulation when she saw it, but while Lian was smart and generally cared little for the opinions of other people, his weak spot for his brother was a mile wide. His expression softened, and he was just starting to open his mouth to reply when Edgar said, “Is that a rabbit?”

Pandy’s favorite love interest came closer, then crouched down so he could peer at Pandy, where she sat, snuggled into the crook of Thaniel’s arm. The boy had been allowed to put a nightgown on over his underclothes, so he was no longer as self-conscious about his scars, but he still flinched away when Edgar reached toward him. Once he saw the older boy was only holding out his fingers for Pandy to sniff, however, he relaxed and smiled.

“Her name’s Bunny,” Thaniel told Edgar. “She’s the best rabbit ever.”

Edgar face did something Pandy had never seen it do before, not in a single one of the many Gacha Love playthroughs she’d done. He was often serious, though as the game progressed he would sometimes tease Clara, usually with one eyebrow and one corner of his mouth lifted in a slightly mocking way. When he asked her to marry him, he was solemn, but even when she said yes, he was never simply happy.

But now, he smiled, and when he did, his expression held nothing but pure, honest pleasure. “I love animals.” He hitched a thumb back at Dorian. “It’s why I won’t go hunting with this one.” Gently, he stroked Pandy’s ear and down her back, and for a moment, she thought her brain might short-circuit, allowing her spirit to return to the ether from which it came. Truly, though, she would die happy.

Thaniel grinned, obviously aware that he’d just met a kindred soul, and said, “All of my friends have pets, too. Geri has a cat named Miss Cupcakes, Bing’s capybara is Brook, Izzy has a tortoise called Tempest, an’ Ellie’s puppy is Lord Winston.” He giggled. “He acts like a noble, too. He has really good manners, except when he starts chasing something.”

Edgar’s brow rose, and he looked at Lian over the rim of his glasses. Now that was an expression straight out of Gacha Love, though Pandy’d only seen it in scenes where he was alone with Clara. “Ellie, is it? And she has a dog?” the young lord murmured, and the corners of Lian’s mouth pinched in irritation.

“It’s a common enough name,” Lian said, though Pandy could tell it was too little, too late. Edgar’s sharp mind had caught hold of a few small shreds of evidence, and he’d put them together to come up with what was undoubtedly the correct answer. Fortunately, the only things Edgar ever really talked about were books and rather gruesome facts and folklore – the two of which were sometimes difficult to tell apart, according to Edgar – so Ellie’s identity should be safe enough with him. Meanwhile, Dorian just lurked in the doorway looking confused.

Reaching down, Lian picked up the small bag which contained a toothbrush and hairbrush, as well as his dirty shirt. The one he was wearing now was a bit snug, but it was the largest one Mrs. Farrier had had, so he was making do. “Let’s go, then,” he said. “Thaniel, if you feel the slightest bit worse, you’re to find Mr. Blackwood right away.” His gaze caught on Pandy, and he grudgingly added, “Or send someone to fetch him.”

Thaniel nodded. “I will. I wish you didn’t haveta go, though.”

“Have to,” Lian said, correcting Thaniel’s grammar for the first time since he’d arrived. He was standing stiffly, unable to leave because of Dorian’s bulk blocking the path, but clearly uncomfortable with the other boys’ presence. “But I do.” He flicked a glance at his brother. “Send me a letter through the library. Professor Beeswick will make sure I get it.”

The younger boy brightened. “We can do that?”

Edgar somehow even managed to snort elegantly, stroking Pandy once more as he stood up again. “No, ‘we’ can’t, but Lian can. There is a mail system between the schools, but letters are transferred by carriage, and only once per day. The professor simply has a soft spot for your brother.”

“And you,” Lian said, and for a moment, it almost seemed like he was teasing Edgar back. Then his expression shut down again, and he looked away. Edgar caught the withdrawal, and some complex emotion crossed his face before he gave that lopsided smile that was already edged with cynicism.

Dorian clearly missed whatever had just passed between his friends, because he said, “The both of you spend too much time with your heads buried in books, and not enough working your bodies.” Grinning at Thaniel, he added, “That old librarian probably doesn’t remember me at all, but Sir Harriet will. Would you tell her Dorian said hello?”

Thaniel nodded, but Pandy was caught on something else. Had Dorian just called Professor Beeswick old? Pandy supposed he might be, since she had no idea how dragon-people aged, but he certainly didn’t look or act old. That was…strange. Wasn’t it?

In moments, the three boys were gone, leaving behind a space that suddenly felt empty. Thaniel sank back, pulling Pandy close. Both of them jumped when Timon said, “I think Mistress Rose will release you tonight.” They looked up, seeing that he had come to stand beside them, and when the young healer extended his hand, Thaniel obediently offered his small wrist so his pulse could be taken. Timon counted silently, then nodded.

“You really do seem to be fine now, and obviously that…your situation hasn’t caused you any significant problems over the past few years, so-” He grimaced, as if realizing that his foot was already halfway into his mouth, and Pandy felt a momentary kinship with him that was swept away a moment later when he added, “Besides, nobody else can use the infirmary while you’re here. Chancellor’s orders.”

Thaniel bit his lip, slumping down in his bed. Pandy placed her paws on his chest, feeling the heartstone beneath her furry toes, and nuzzled his chin, making him giggle. she thought as she bumped her head against his jaw. Thaniel sniffled just a bit, arms coming up to gather her closer, but when she looked up, he gave her a little smile.