The rest of the day, and the week for that matter, passed in a constant blur. Tennillius's election of Theronin went unopposed, leaving the patrol heavily in Caeros's hands. With this knowledge in mind Godric's days flew by in a daze. Ennor, Thain, and Sarah did their best to support Godric and Mira from the background workings of the city, but nothing could dissuade the dark feelings that had settled in his heart.
Thankfully the pleasure of Mira, and ever increasingly Aeis's, company was the only comfort to him. As days passed, however, even this simple pleasure slipped away. More and more time did the two spend together, feeding the ever-growing resentment Godric felt toward the other boy. To his immense regret, his time seemed to flow through his hands faster than water, despite his struggles to make the most of it.
Every morning he was either greeted by Bor or met the drowsy dwarf at the taverns for breakfast. This meager meal was abruptly followed by hours of treacherous sword practice with Theronin where he would be hammered harder than metal on an anvil. By the end of three weeks his body had adapted to the fierce conditions until his arms had grown thick and muscular, his chest powerful and toned, and his legs nimble and firm. Unfortunately, Theronin's disdain only increased with Godric's proportionally increasing abilities. In time Godric even managed to land several blows on the young lord, but this did little in improving his attitude.
Naevir continued to supply a stream of knowledge that Mira anxiously devoured. Her understanding of the surrounding lands, politics, and major figures of the city grew daily until she became renown in the city for her discussions and debates with fellow scholars. She continued to nervously pursue the topic of the Orshi in secret, but little information could be discovered on it even in the bounty of books that filled the immense library. Her fearfulness grew daily, though she restrained it successfully, particularly in the company of Aeis, who was her primary companion. Mira's eyes sparkled in his presence, her laugh at its fullest when talking to him. Not that she spent all her time in his company, however. She did her best to pitch in with the daily duties done by other young women such as cooking, sewing, and washing.
Aeis remained as kind and understanding as ever, though this made Godric dislike him even more for some reason. The very fact that there was no reason for Godric to resent him only caused him to that much more. Going on watch for long stretches every couple days, there was not much opportunity for social time with the boy. He remained Godric's only friend, in a loose sense of the word, from the city. Occasionally they would spar in the Arena at night, which provided a mutually comfortable outlet to release Godric's frustration.
It was on one such occasion that Godric noticed more excitement than usual on his night-walk to the Arena. As he wandered through Rae-Orion he noticed men, women, and dwarves placing candles of every height and size along the edges of the landing and staircases. He tried asking one of them what they were doing, but the man just grumbled and shrugged him off.
Making his way into the Arena, Godric gave Aeis, who was already waiting, an acknowledging nod. For the most part, the vast training ground was empty, save a pair of men who stood talking on the edge of the Arena and the few guards that lumbered about.
The other boy stepped down from the sparing rink, slashing the wooden training sword he carried absentmindedly through the air.
"Hey Godric. I trust all is well?"
Godric shrugged, drawing an identical mock sword from the rack. "Fair enough, I suppose. And you?"
Aeis grinned. "Quite well, thank you."
The two boys struck up positions across from one-another and paced slowly, circling each other. Rarely did they converse before their bouts and today was no exception.
Godric made the first move, darting forward in a straight-on stab. Aeis side-stepped, parrying the strike and responding with an overhand to Godric's face. Godric raised his wooden blade to counter and the duel continued with increasing ferocity.
Though Godric had rigorously trained with Theronin for countless hours over the past several weeks, he was still slightly Aeis's inferior with the sword. To compensate for this inconsistency, the young watchman tried his best to go easy on his fellow with varying levels of success. The majority of their clashes ended in one form or another of a draw, with the primary remainder of them in Aeis's favor.
Not on this night, however. Godric had been on the verge of boiling over all day and he released the enormity of his frustration out on his opponent, who was barely capable of resisting the vicious assault. It was not long before Godric sent Aeis's sword spinning against the smooth stones of the Arena.
Aeis wiped the beads of sweat that had formed on his brow with the sleeve of his shirt. The motion stirred something in Godric, a memory of the day Dunn had been ruined when he had been working out in the fields before Mira had gotten him. In a moment it felt to him that he was back in the fields amid the bright green foliage of the forest, surrounding the meager but comfortable settlement of his home. The brief vision caused Godric to smile broadly, which Aeis mistook as an expression of satisfaction at his victory.
Aeis chuckled. "You might have beaten me, friend, but there is no need to gloat about it."
The comment broke Godric's train of thought and he reverted his attention to his opponent. "My apologies, Aeis. My thoughts were momentarily diverted."
The other boy laughed again, retrieving his sword. "Don't sweat it; I was only joking. What's on your mind?"
Godric thought briefly of describing the image he had imagined, but something in his heart told him that it was still too soon to describe the beauty of his home, which was now forever lost to him.
"Um, I thought only of a peculiar scene that is going on inside the city."
Aeis cocked his head, still breathing heavily. "And what might that be?"
"When I came down this way there were people placing candles along the corridors. It was quite an elaborate display, yet when I asked the reason I was shrugged off."
"Candles? Oh, you must mean the decorations for ball."
"The ball?" Godric inquired. "You mean there is a celebration being held?"
Aeis gave him a queer look. "Yes. The Dragon Night, haven't you heard of it?" Godric raised an eyebrow and Aeis planted a palm on his forehead. "I'm so stupid. Sometimes I forget that you are still new to our customs." The boy grabbed a cup of water nearby and took a long swig before continuing. "The Dragon Night is a celebration that started a decade or so ago. The Council of Lords holds it each year to supposedly mark the Night that the first Dragon came over the North Peaks to wage war against Eroth. It is a celebration that we exist despite of it and has become quite a tradition in the city."
This was all new to Godric, but was, for the first time in quite a while, a pleasant surprise. "So a ball is held to mark it?"
Aeis nodded. "Right. The Lords open the festival with a dance to begin the celebration. From then it goes for hours; one time it went even until the next morning."
"Is it...." the correct word seemed to allude Godric's mind until he alighted on a suitable substitute, "...fun?"
The watchman laughed again, so hard that he keeled over, hold his sword against his chest. "That depends! The women usually love it. I can't claim anything else. The men commonly view it as an obligation, if you ask me. It's often a merry party, at any event. Musicians come and play music in Rae-Orion and candles burn until the late hours. Out of the last four years, I've had to work the Watch for three of them, so I can't say that I know a whole lot about it, though I've heard fine stories."
Godric rolled this information around in his head. He was not overly anxious for such a large event, as monotony had become his friend over the last several weeks, giving him something to hold onto despite the constant changes that had racked, ruined, and wrecked his life. At the same time, a chance to have fun for once in the city sounded alluring. Memories of the festivals and dances that had been held in Dunn, even the Planting Festival that had been held a day or two before the Dragon's attack, flooded Godric's mind. How much like those will a formal ball here be? He wondered. They had been fond memories before they were corrupted with the coldness of melancholy knowing that he would never again see the faces that filled them.
"Interesting," Godric replied vaguely, which Aeis was quick to catch.
"What? Don't you like dances?"
He was slow to formulate an answer. Aeis was kind and all, but Godric still had reservations about how much to reveal about his personal life. Life at Dunn seemed years away, but it cut as freshly in his mind as though it had been only several days before.
"I do..." he murmured, "but, well..." Hellstorm, he thought, I've nothing to hide. "There was this festival the day before my village was attacked. The whole village was there. It was wonderful, we danced and laughed for hours, far into the night, just like you said. Mira was there, too, even more beautiful than usual. It just seems too soon to me," again he struggled for the right words, but nothing came. "You probably don't even understand what I'm trying to say."
Aeis's eyes softened. "I think I know what you mean. If it's any consolation, you don't have to come. Anyway, it's not for another week or so. A day before you leave for patrol, if I'm not mistaken. No matter, let's change the subject. You mentioned Mira. She's quite a girl, isn't she?"
Wiping his brow, Godric dropped his sword in the rack beside the others that were left there. Hearing Aeis mention her name stirred something in him, but he swallowed it and nodded. "She sure is." They both could feel a steady awkward tension building until Aeis gestured to Godric.
"Why'd you put your sword away already? Quitting while you're ahead?"
Godric offered a small smile, taking his sword again from the rack. "Unless you would like to give me a chance to increase my lead?"
The watchman chuckled and the boys returned to their sport for some time. For another hour or so they fought, crossing their swords against one-another in a blinding, hostile display. When both their wooden edges were battered down and the sun had ducked completely beneath the valleys' horizon, Aeis called a stop and left for the Watch. Godric listened to his footsteps echoing across the vast Arena before turning and heading back toward his quarters for the night, anxious for a long rest.