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Agrias knelt on the ground next to the pile of dry wood and leaves she had gathered, striking a rock against the steel blade of her knife. It took a few tries but eventually she created a spark. She carefully nurtured it until she had a small fire going.
“I am suitably impressed,” Ovelia said, beaming at her. “I would have been at a loss without you.”
“I doubt that, Princess,” Agrias demurred. She was embarrassed by even that small praise as it was only because of her that they were even out here. If she had been able to protect the princess as was her sworn duty, Ovelia would still have been safe inside the monastery.
“You are too modest, as ever.”
“And you are too kind.” Agrias found she could not even meet Ovelia’s eyes and instead got back to her feet, brushing the dirt from off her breeches. “Will you watch the fire, Princess? It may take me a few moments to catch something.” She gestured to the nearby stream, where she hoped to be able to catch a fish for their meal.
“I believe that is within my meager capabilities,” Ovelia said, and she was still smiling a little.
Agrias made herself smile back and walked to the stream. Ovelia was still in her eyesight, crouching down beside the fire and holding her hands up to absorb its warmth. It was a dreary, misty day, and the fire would go a long way towards chasing the chill from their bones.
Ensuring that even when she was focused on the stream Agrias could still see Ovelia out of the corner of her eye (and certainly she would hear any sudden noise), she set to work. She could see small, fat fish swimming just below the surface of the clear water. Agrias pulled out a small net from her traveling bag. Luckily she had had practice at living away from the comforts of home and so it did not take long to catch enough fish to sate their hunger.
“Oh!” Ovelia said when Agrias joined her again by the fire, the fish in tow. “You make it seem so simple.”
“I could teach you, if you like,” Agrias offered.
“I would like that a good deal. It would be nice not to need to rely on others for everything, for a change.” Ovelia’s expression was pensive, her eyebrows drawn together, forming a tiny crease on her forehead.
“That is our pleasure, Princess. We are all here to serve you in what manner we can.”
“Dear Agrias, I know you mean well, but you have never been forced to count on others providing for your needs. If I should… If I should ever find myself alone, I would like the comfort of knowing that at the very least, I could feed myself.”
Though Agrias found the notion of Ovelia struggling alone and uncared for in the wilderness truly repulsive, she understood the princess’ point and respected her for it. “Would you like me to show you how to clean the fish?”
Ovelia nodded, seeming both grateful and relieved.
Gutting fish was a messy business but Agrias had learned long ago not to be surprised by Ovelia. She was unafraid to assist, wielding the small knife Agrias gave her and dirtying her hands while she knelt in the dirt in her fine dress.
Watching her, Agrias felt compelled to say, “Princess, I am happy to teach you whatever you wish, but I hope you know that there a great number of things you can do that people like me could never dream of.”
“Book learning and politics, fine manners and the art of conversation,” Ovelia sniffed. “I should think there is far more use in your skill set.”
“On occasion. But not always.”
“Oh, let us then agree to disagree,” Ovelia said, her tone cheerful. Her skirts were spread around her, mud on her hem, and strands of her hair had fallen loose from her braids. Her hands were covered in fish and she smelled like it too, and Agrias loved her.
Agrias loved her like she had never loved anyone. She wanted Ovelia to have everything she had ever wanted and the things she hadn’t yet thought to want. She wanted Ovelia to be protected, and safe, and happy. Agrias wanted to give all of that to her and she didn’t care if Ovelia ever knew. She wanted those things for Ovelia, not for herself.
“Am I doing it wrong?” Ovelia asked, and Agrias startled.
“What?”
“I asked if I am doing it wrong. You were staring.”
“I apologize. I wasn’t aware, I…”
“Will you stay with me, Agrias?”
Now Agrias was entirely aware that she was staring. “I beg your pardon?”
Ovelia had stopped cleaning the fish, dropping the knife and wiping her hands on a handkerchief. “Will you stay with me always? I know that I said I want to be able to take care of myself, and I do, but I would rather be certain that I can spend my days with you.”
“Princess, I… You know that I will always serve you, that I will always protect you.”
“Yes, I know, but that is not what I am asking. I wish to know…” Ovelia moved forward until she was sitting to-to-toe with Agrias, looking into her face with those blue, blue eyes. “I care for no one in the world the way that I care for you.”
Agrias felt somehow short of breath, as if she were running for her life, lungs screaming with effort. Her face was flushed and Ovelia could not mean what she seemed to be saying. “You are more important to me than my own life, more important to me than life,” Agrias said, and it was true, every word. She knew she should not say it but she would never take it back.
“You are trembling,” Ovelia said, reaching out to lay her hand upon Agrias’. “Do not be afraid, brave Agrias, my knight.”
Agrias looked into Ovelia’s face and said, “I am not afraid. I have you.”
End