Chapter 119 - Dhampir Knight

"We will be sharing the work with the Knights of House De Banksea, the Duke's cousins," Darim continued. "The Count De Banksea holds little influence, but they have been involved in supporting the young Duke's younger siblings' education, so they offered to chaperone this whole mission, which means that they will be working with us on this mission."

"They will be on our ass, you mean," Red grunted.

Theora was racking her brain, trying to remember. Where had she heard about House De Banksea before? She remembered it was figuring out the list of earl and count houses she had to learn for political classes, but she had a feeling she had heard something else about them she should remember.

"This is the mark," Darim said, lifting up an oil portrait of a young girl with brown hair and green eyes. "Venilla De Boreal, nine years old."

"Nine years old?" Theora repeated, stunned.

She hadn't thought their target would be this young.

"Her older brother, Devrin De Boreal, was also one of the bodyguarding missions, although that mission was ranked higher, so you'll most likely see some familiar faces at the De Boreal residence."

Theora hadn't seen another bodyguarding mission ranked higher and located in the Capital, but she realized it might not have been accessible to Whites if it was a more important mission.

"Our goal is simple: guard the target, accompany her wherever she goes, and protect her regardless of what she thinks is best. Everyone should have a decent amount of bodyguard training under their belts by now, so I don't want to see any stupid mistakes. We will be working on eight-hour rotations, so let me know which third of the day you'd prefer to be bodyguarding. And yes, some of you will have to wake up very early; the first shift starts at four. Be grateful that the De Boreal and De Banksea knights will be sharing the load."

Theora grinned; waking up early was genuinely her favorite thing, so she was looking forward to snatching one of the early shifts. Waking up to start working at four wasn't going to be an issue at all. Moreover, that meant she would potentially have free time in the afternoon to go see her cousins. The only issue was that it meant she wouldn't be able to go on runs around the same time Orion might be walking the horses, but since they would be in the same residence anyway, that didn't matter.

"You'll have to do a full reporting and a debriefing every day," Darim continued. "So consider that you'll have an extra hour of work, and you should all be training a couple of hours every day at least, so don't think I'll let you off the hook for the other sixteen hours. You can also be asked to swap with another knight or trainee at the last minute or be sent to do some patrolling, so don't think it's going to be a chill mission. I am not a monster, so I will give you some time off every day. Obviously, I expect you all to keep yourself to the Academy standards even in your free time. This isn't a vacation. I'm warning you, I know there are some guild fairs going on. If I catch one of you drunk or behaving in an inappropriate manner, I'm shipping your ass back to the Academy on the first train with a lengthy and explicit report that's going to sit on top of the director's desk. Got it?"

Everyone gave a long, understanding nod. Theora was just stoked about the entire mission: the more she heard about it, the more interesting it sounded.

"Another thing," Darim sighed. “We will be lodged here, at the Military Hall. House De Boreal refuses to accommodate foreign knights or trainees, and House De Banksea doesn't have the space, so you'll have to commute."

"Please tell me we get to borrow horses," Elexei whined.

Theora grimaced; she hoped not. She wasn't comfortable riding any horse but Mischief.

"You'll be using your own two damn legs," Darim scoffed. "It will be perfect to keep you guys in shape, and the House De Boreal is known to have one of the greatest selections of battle horses, so they might lend you theirs when needed for outside excursions, but don't count on it."

That caused Theora and a bunch of others to groan, although for different reasons. While the others were probably annoyed they would have to walk to and back from the De Boreal residence every day, adding a good extra hour of commute to their day, Theora was already dreading whenever she would be forced to mount one of their horses. Next to her, Selvie patted her leg and gave her a sorry look. If she had known, she would have told Orion to just get Mischief back to the dukedom. Except that he had never replied to any of the letters she'd sent, which she was still a bit bitter about. She hoped she'd get a good explanation for that if she got to see him at the Duke's residence.

"Anyhow, you guys are lucky; the train arrived early," Darim said, checking his watch. "You'll get a couple of hours of free time. After that, we're expected to have dinner at the House De Boreal's knights' quarters to get to meet those we'll work with, relieve those who were on the previous mission, and start the first shift. Come tell me which shift you'd like best, what your second choice is, and then you can go. I'm warning you, be back here at six sharp, or I swear I'll make this whole mission your worst!"

Everyone got up, stretched, and went to Darim to tell him their preferred shift, with those who wanted the popular day slot rushing first.

"Which one will you pick?" Kleis asked them.

"It's a no-brainer for me," Theora grinned. "I'm taking the four o'clock slot. It will be nice to have time to see my cousins in the afternoons, too. If I can't, I'll be fine with the night one. How about you?"

"I doubt I'll get the day slot; everyone's racing to get it," Selvie pouted, glancing at the line in front of Darim. "It's where we'll get the most action, if any, and it still leaves time in the evening to attend fairs and yet get a good night's sleep... I wouldn't mind the night one, though. It will probably be very quiet; she's nine years old, after all. I'll put that as my second choice; you never know."

"I'll go for the early one, too," Kleis declared.

"You alright with waking up early?"

"That sounds fine to me," Kleis shrugged. "My family always trained us with early morning drills."

"Well, at least I doubt we'll have to fight for it," Theora noted.

There was only one vampire on the team, one of the Fogs, who would probably grab the night shift from eight in the evening until four in the morning, so Theora doubted anyone would run to grab the four o'clock shift, hence why she was one of the last to ask Darim, who smiled.

"I figured," he winked at her. "Don't worry, blondie, you got it. Go put your stuff in your room if you want to enjoy some of the afternoon. See you later."

Theora nodded, and with Selvie and Kleis, they followed the older trainees upstairs. In a wing of the Military Hall she had never been to, she realized that there were plenty of rooms for knights on week-long missions to stay in, and once again, they were faced with familiar bunk beds, four in each room.

"I'd usually say we split between boys and girls," Elexei frowned outside a couple of empty rooms. "But we should probably split based on our shifts, no? I got the night one, and I have a feeling you'll strangle me if I wake you up..."

"We'll probably be coming and going non-stop anyway, and we will have to be up before you guys finish your shift," Theora shrugged. "But I agree, especially if we have to set up our alarm clocks... None of us got the day shift anyway."

"Got it."

Hence, Theora ended up sharing a room with Kleis, Themid, and Keffen, who were on the morning shift with her, and Selvie, Charle, and Elexei, who were on the night one, settled themselves next door, leaving a bunk bed in their room available for an upper trainee. They didn't take long to unpack and prepare their belongings for their upcoming shift: the rooms were quite bare, with just the beds, one wardrobe to share, and a couple of bedside tables with candlelights for the evening. Then they all split up, with those who had family or friends in town going to visit them, and the others heading to visit the Capital and check out the fairs before the night.

Much to Theora's happiness and surprise, a couple of familiar faces were waiting for her right outside the gates of the Military Hall.

"Theo!" Mymesia was jumping up and down, waving enthusiastically.

Theora couldn't stop the huge smile, and she ran to her cousins, opening her arms for them to dive into a now-familiar hug.

"It's so good to see you!" Mymesia cheered.

"What are you guys doing here?" Theora asked. "I said I'd come to your house!"

"We heard the train had arrived," Cylea explained. "And we were worried you might not have much time to see us, since our house is a bit far, so we thought we'd meet you halfway..."

"I love you guys," Theora beamed, hugging them once more. "We're lucky, the train arrived early and I have a couple of hours before I'm expected to attend a dinner at the House De Boreal's knight quarters."

"Oh, that's so close to our house!" Mymesia exclaimed.

"You're on a mission for House De Boreal?" Cylea blinked.

"The details are secret," Theora pressed an index to her lips. "But yes, I'll be around their residence for most of my mission. I got an early shift, but I should be available to see you guys some afternoons if nothing comes up."

"Oh, that's amazing!" Mymesia squealed. "I have so much to tell you, and so much happened! Did you read my letter? I have a fiance! He is such a sweet guy, and I know this all happened a bit fast, but he's so adorable, and he is very smart, too. He graduated from the Academy of Sciences, and oh, I cannot wait for you to meet him!"

"Me neither," Theora grinned.

"...You're planning on roasting the guy, aren't you?" Cylea whispered.

"You bet."

They let Mymesia go on and on, talking all about her fiance, although they were speeding for Theora to have time to see her aunt and uncle before her dinner at House De Boreal.

"You're lucky we're actually close to the House De Boreal residence," Cylea said as they arrived at their place. "You should come straight here after your shifts."

"I can't. I have to go back to the Military Hall to write and hand in my report to my mission leader, and that's if nothing else happens. But don't worry, I promise I'll come see you whenever I have free time."

"We can't wait for you like we did today?" Mymesia pouted. "What if we're out when you come?"

"Theora's welcome at our house any time."

Theora lifted her eyes and found her aunt, Genevia, coming down the stairs to greet her. To her surprise, she was even given a little hug in lieu of a greeting.

"You look good, Auntie."

"So do you, Theora. Welcome back, it is nice to have you here. Should I tell Herise you're staying for dinner?"

"I wish I could, but I have another dinner to attend as part of my mission this time. I miss Herise's cooking, though, so I promise I'll make time another evening."

"That is good to hear. She's out on an errand, but she baked a lot of your favorite lemon cakes for you to have. You should have some while you have tea with the girls. Mymesia, no more than two cakes for you, if you're to fit in a wedding dress next spring."

Theora's jaw dropped. Her cousin was going to be married by next spring? She glanced at Cylea, who shrugged.

"Mother liked her fiance," she whispered as if that was enough of an explanation.

"Also, Theora," her aunt Genevia got her attention back. "The Royal Bank sent a letter for you here. I didn't open it, but it's in my study if you want to take it."

"Oh, thank you, Auntie. It must be my earnings from my first mission."

She was a bit surprised a bank account had been created in her name since she'd only ever owned some small change, but perhaps the Academy had just sent her a check, and the bank was asking her to open one to cash it in.

"You should go get it while we get the tea and biscuits," Cylea smiled. "And then get ready for your ears to be sore..."

Theora chuckled but let her cousins go to the kitchen to get everything for their short tea time while she followed her aunt Genevia to her study. She had only seen that room in passing before, but it was a nice tiny little room next to her aunt and uncle's bedroom, where her aunt most likely did her correspondence and got herself ready, too, since along with the desk full of letters and the bookshelf, there was also a full-length mirror and a vanity.

"Here," her aunt handed her a letter with a large purple wax seal.

"Thanks, Auntie."

Theora took the letter and left her aunt's study, opening it while she was going down the stairs to the drawing room. She shouldn't have, however, for the content of the letter caused her to miss a step and fall down, landing painfully on her ass.

"Theora?" Cylea called, her head popping out of the drawing room with concern.

"Did you fall?" Mymesia asked, appearing next.

"Y-yeah..."

Theora was far less concerned by the pain in her butt and lower back than by what she thought she had just read. She let her cousins help her up, blinking, before she glanced at the letter again.

"Mymesia, can you go get the ointment? Theora might be hurt."

"Yes!"

Mymesia ran up the stairs while Theora shook her head.

"I don't need-"

"I know, it was just to send her away. What is it? You're very pale. Is it bad news?"

Without a word, Theora gave her letter to her cousin to read.

"Dear Lady Theora Skyler," Cylea whispered. "We have the pleasure of confirming the opening of a bank account under your name following an express request by His Royal Majesty King Lucius the First. Please find below the details you may need to access your bank account upon your visit at our main branch in the Capital of Lunaris or at any of our division branches. We are also happy to confirm that we have received three transfers since the opening of your account. The first transfer, from the Royal Academy of Military Training, of an amount of nineteen silver credits- Oh, that’s nice money, Theora. A second transfer of... Oh, my god."

"I'm not hallucinating, am I?" Theora winced.

Her cousin was now the one who had gone pale and wide-eyed.

"A transfer of a... My god, I can't even say that sum out loud," Cylea scoffed. "Theora, you're... rich! It says the second transfer was from the Royal Palace and the third one from House De Crescent..."

Theora grimaced. Even if she hadn't seen the names, she would have had a hunch about where the money came from... As crazy as it was to believe, she was now the owner of a small fortune of one thousand and five hundred gold credits and nineteen silver credits.