Demon King's Gardener

“What’s that!?” Malson asked, pointing to Meir’ril’s new accessory at the midday meal.

“It’s an arcanum,” his brother replied, clearly pleased, “A divine arcanum from Udhai.”

“What?” Ayelma demanded, “Where did you get a divine artefact?”

“I had an audience with Nosu this morning,” Jurao explained, “It seems fos contacted Udhai on Meir’ril’s behalf after learning he has no affinity.”

“Apparently, that means I can learn any magic there is,” Meir’ril grinned, then chuckled, “Though I’ll never learn the most powerful spells of any.”

“Ugh, no fair!” Ayelma pouted, “Wind magic would be so cool, but I only have an ice affinity!”

They were eating on the garden veranda today, as it was raining. Jurao and Braelin sat on one couch together, Petal underneath, and were joined by all three of Braelin’s siblings. Malson was partnerless today, and neither Gaele nor Exkla were in attendance. Aya had announced Owren was not joining them because the rain made his artetica act up. Beneford and Milve were eating with him in the cottage. Nevve had come out, which kept their party from being too much smaller than usual.

“Ice and wind affinities are still compatible,” Meir’ril shrugged, “It’s not like you have a strong affinity like Mom, so you could still learn some wind magic.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true…” Ayelma huffed, “But I couldn’t learn fire magic – oh, or lightning magic!” she pointed dramatically while making sizzling sounds, “Or- or!”

“You could learn water magic!” Malson snorted, “That shit’s practical! Meir’ril should see if anyone around here knows healing magic!”

“Lady Carvve says there are two battle medics that can use healing magic,” Meir’ril nodded, “Well, one is a blood magic user like her, and the other has a healing affinity. And that there are a few fire and light mages in the army, too.”

“Our magic is influenced partially by sun elves in Caslavven,” Nevve agreed, “Their affinities tend toward those two, so ours do as well.”

“That seems like a lot for how rare magic is supposed to be in demons,” Braelin remarked.

“That’s just because we’re in the castle,” Nevve snorted, “Between here and the city, you’d only find about a hundred magic users that can generate and use magic – but the army actively seeks them out and recruits them, and will cover their commission into officership. Very tempting to earn an immediate jump in status to Petty nobility.”

“That makes sense,” Braelin nodded, “Do you not look for magicians?”

“There are not enough magic sources in the realm to make the effort worthwhile,” Jurao said, “Did Jost look for magicians.”

There were two kinds of people with magic ability – those who could generate magic within their bodies and use it, and those who could only manipulate existing magical energy. Those who could generate magic were known as mages, and those who could not were known as magicians.

“We had annual fairs in major cities for those who wanted to try!” Malson said, “But we didn’t have testers actively looking through the country like Erei does! But Erei has easier access to magic-generating artefacts – since they did a lot of trading with the Elven Realm before the Empire took over the Gate!”

“It makes sense, though,” Braelin nodded, “No point in identifying magicians if you can’t provide them the means to use their skills.”

“I’m having a hard enough time asking the plants to generate magicka for me,” Ayelma sighed, then grinned, “But I’d rather focus on swordplay, anyway!”

“Speaking of!” Malson said, looking to Braelin, “Remember you agreed to start coming to training tomorrow!”

“Oh,” Braelin said unenthusiastically, “I did, didn’t I…”

“Training,” Jurao asked, tail resettling.

“Ben wants to make sure we can all defend ourselves if we need to,” Ayelma said, elbowing her twin, “Which includes Braelin and Meir having at least some weapon training to rely on.”

Meir’ril seemed equally excited by the prospect, adding, “Maybe since I can start learning battle spells, I can do that instead…”

“So Jurao can make sure you wake up on time!” Malson added, pointing to Braelin, “Since he already wakes up to train around the same time!”

“Would you like me to do so,” Jurao asked his partner.

“Yes, please,” Braelin sighed, “Otherwise, Malson will, and he won’t be as nice about it…”

“You’re lucky you’re too heavy for me to drag anymore!” Malson agreed.

Braelin hummed noncommittally.

Nevve laughed, “Reminds me of Jeakke! She never wanted to do her smithing training, so I always had to drag her along. Otherwise, our celas would scold her for the rest of the day when ce found her.”

“Is my saelas very harsh,” Jurao asked. His aunt rarely spoke of their family in Mesescima, and he did wonder from time to time.

“Ce likes to think so,” Nevve snorted, “But Lala is really just proud – not that the Maesculikens don’t have reason to be, but ce is especially so.”

“Celas?” Braelin asked.

“One of my parents – Jurao’s grandparent and current goniarch of the Maesculiken family,” Nevve explained.

Braelin smiled, “I see – by the way, Jurao, how did your meeting with Nosu go?”

“Ah,” Jurao nodded, “Yes – fos suggested using my Wish at the Hundred Years Ball, and I’ve decided to expand it so that anyone living in a realm where the average lifespan is longer will have their lifespan extended to match.”

“Huh!?” Malson demanded.

“We were discussing the length of demon courtships before marriage at breakfast – if marriage is a goal,” Braelin chuckled, “I pointed out a human could not go through a centuries-long courtship, but Jurao said he’d like to spend more time with me, and I agreed.”

“That-!” Malson paused, then blushed, “Well! I can’t say I wouldn’t want to spend more time with Jaevve, either!”

“If Mom and Dad make it here,” Meir’ril added hesitantly, “She wouldn’t outlive him by as wide a margin anymore, either.”

“That’s true!” Ayelma agreed, “And we can make up the time we missed together several times over!”

Jurao had gotten so accustomed to taking his partner’s hand, he didn’t even notice he had before Braelin leaned into his side.

“Yes,” he said, “We very much could.”

“How do you think Mom and Dad will react to them?” Ayelma asked her twin.

“Probably the same way we did,” Meir’ril chuckled, “Malson’s the only one who would jump to extremes…”

“Hey!” Malson huffed, “I have good reason to jump to extremes! Sometimes!”

“Sure,” Aya scoffed, then laughed as she caught the pillow her older brother tossed at her.

“Some things never change,” Braelin smiled as the two got into a proper pillow fight – Meir’ril caught in the crossfire.

Nevve chuckled, “Some things don’t need to.”

The rest of the day passed without any major incidents or events, and as promised, Jurao made sure to wake his partner to join him for morning training. Braelin was so drowsy that the King carried him part of the way while he woke up, which appeared to amuse those also awake at the early hour. Jurao thought it was an improvement from the early confusion and concern.

He was surprised to run into Feyl on the training field.

“Good morning,” Jurao said, a guiding hand still on his groggy partner’s shoulder.

“Good morning,” Feyl snorted, “I admit, when you said Braelin was going to do combat training last night, curiosity got the better of me.”

Braelin yawned, “Mornin’.”

“Are you awake enough for combat training?” Minaz mused, then turned, “I can run through some dagger work with you, Fae.”

“I could probably do with the refresher,” Feyl chuckled, eyeing some of the others on the field, “But forgive me if I look for a partner more experienced with… grappling.”

“And of the male persuasion?” Minaz asked wryly.

“I’m sure if I was interested in women, I would find you very attractive, Min,” Feyl replied.

“Of course you would,” Minaz laughed, “Doesn’t mean you’d have a chance, though. You’re not boring or mean enough.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Feyl snorted, flicking his hair over his shoulder.

“You know,” Beneford observed, approaching their little group, “Even with Malson asking the King, I wasn’t sure you’d be joining us, Braelin.”

“Mm,” Braelin hummed, yawning again.

“Still have that bad habit of staying up late, do you?” Beneford sighed.

“No,” Braelin sighed, then smiled, “Jurao doesn’t let me.”

“I do not,” the King agreed, finding the sleepy expression very charming as he tousled his partner’s hair.

Beneford snorted – then smiled, “The let’s get you and Meir’ril stretching so you can wake up – even if he can learn combat magic, staff work won’t fail him.”

Braelin made a noise of assent, following after the former captain of the guard to where his younger brother was waiting. Malson and Ayelma were jogging around the field as a warm-up of their own, Ayelma looking eager to begin.

“I see you’re looking forward to this,” Minaz snorted, eyeing Jurao’s tail.

He hadn’t noticed it was swaying until she’d pointed it out, and did not intend to stall it, “I suppose I have been curious as well.”

The warm-ups didn’t take long – Beneford was keeping them light for the siblings with less stamina, Jurao supposed. Malson unsurprisingly paired off with his sister to practice forms and sparring, while Beneford oversaw Braelin and Meir’ril.

Jurao thought the clumsiness his partner showed was endearing, though he could understand Beneford’s evident frustration. Especially since the King knew his partner was more surefooted than he was acting at the moment. Though Jurao found that endearing as well.

“That’s about what I expected,” Minaz chuckled.

“I think he’s faking,” Feyl replied.

“I’ll bet you two birds he isn’t,” Minaz replied.

“I’ll raise it to a roddie he is,” Feyl returned.

“You’re on – but how to prove it…” Minaz hummed.

The former guard captain saved them the trouble by striking out at Braelin without warning, and his partner’s instinctive defense against the short series of blows showed he was far more capable than he’d been acting before.

“Now then,” Beneford panted, looking back at a surprised Meir’ril, “If your brother could stop pretending he doesn’t know what he’s doing instead of just being rusty, this lesson can go more smoothly.”

Minaz swore with a sigh as she pulled out a rodent scale, a demarcation of their leather-stamped currency, and handed it over to Feyl.

He smirked as he tucked it away, adding, “Thank you – though I’d say the real winner here is Jurao.”

Jurao wasn’t paying their bet much mind – in fact, he’d found himself rather distracted the moment his partner had put up a real defense, tail swishing behind him. While he’d known his partner was playacting, he hadn’t expected to find the human’s real skill so… appealing.

Braelin chuckled sheepishly at Beneford’s reprimand – then caught the King’s gaze. He flinched in surprise, then looked away and scratched at his chin, cheeks turning pink.

Beneford noticed the reaction, then looked over at Jurao and snorted before calling out, “Would you like to join us, your highness?”

“Yes,” Jurao replied, missing the amused looks his Right Hand and best friend were giving him as he trotted across the field.

“I’ll leave him in your care,” Beneford chuckled, waving as he went to instruct Meir’ril instead.

“I am rusty,” Braelin said, getting into a more prepared stance all the same.

“Then practicing strikes should be fine,” the King replied, tail still swaying as he held up his hands, “You will not hurt me.”

His partner smiled, “I know.”

“They’re ridiculous,” Minaz said fondly from across the field just before they began.