Colette's Covenant

Power of Perception

Power of Perception

Colette in no way wanted Nicolas to do a bad job as acting military leader of South Gate. Her people's safety came first and, by all accounts, she was pleased that he seemed to know what he was doing. He must have been using Vivienne as a source of information, along with listening to her soldiers and guards, because he knew how to set them and who to set to work together.

So, of course, she was happy.

But she was also just a little bit bitter.

She didn't want him to mess up, but part of her must have secretly wished that he would need her despite the way she had made it clear that she didn't want to have anything more to do with him. Seeing his competence and dedication with her own eyes, following his orders herself, was both satisfying and just a little bit disappointing.

She forcefully pushed the useless emotion to the back of her mind. She had much more important things to do than deal with than her own petty jealousy.

Though no one would tell her – both because it sounded wrong and because they didn't want her to take it the wrong way – war looked good on Colette.

Her cheeks were alive with color from excitement and her eyes shined with purpose. She had stopped putting her hair into a messy braid, instead now tying it at the back of her head in a long tail that was both smoother and held in place with a pretty bow. She still dressed in male clothes made feminine, but there was something new in her walk that really made her seem powerful and beautiful.

And she wasn't even in charge of this campaign.

Under Sir Sacha's orders, Colette had taken the position of second in command. She didn't receive her orders directly from him though. They came either from her grandmother or from a servant relaying them in his name.

Which was fine with her, she didn't really want to see him. She went about her duties, seeing to carrying out his orders and arming her troop, with a serious determination that the entire town agreed was a drastic change in their girl.

Colette had never had cause to be serious before though. South Gate was an out-of-the-way border town that often didn't even get gossip from the rest of the kingdom. Being in charge of the town's safety meant that Colette rarely saw more than the occasional mindless drunk. Even then, the 'criminal' usually only needed to sober up under her watch.

No one had ever seen her like this. In an odd sort of way, it comforted Ferrant.

From where he watched her at his forge, he could see her moving quickly around town. She still preferred running to walking, but she did so with a purpose now. It wasn't quite the carefree flight he had become used to seeing. Which surprised and pleased him.

Part of the reason Ferrant hadn't wanted her off joining the army was partially because he was worried that her happy, seemingly careless personality would get her killed. Seeing how she reacted to a real taste of combat soothed that fear in him.

He didn't get to watch her for long. Since the impending threat had arrived, the orders for weapons out of his forge had tripled, if not more. Ferrant despised making weapons, but he couldn't very well not do so and let South Gate fall because of his own beliefs.

Still, he wished that he could take to the situation as well as Colette had.

Even Nicolas couldn't miss the change that had come over the girl. She still smiled brightly, but she seemed to understand the gravity of the situation at hand. She didn't attempt to subvert his authority, nor was she arrogant and unbearable if she believed he was doing something wrong. He would merely get a politely worded reply via messenger that gave him her opinion. Usually, he was quite happy to change his plans because she had a sound mind for strategy.