After the meal, we head back to my wing. William stretches. "And now to meet your beloved."
I sigh. What I should do and what I wish to do are different here. "Must we?"
"If she's going to be crown princess, I need to know her well to pull off the level of expected teleports." William nods.
Expected teleports... William will handle the tracer spell for her. But that won't be an issue until she gains the golden eagle wings. It has me rubbing my head. I won't be the only one wearing that.
"Why are you trying to block me from meeting her?"
I grunt. The meaning to the words are the problem. She's going to be seen as my princess instead of as my friend. And there's no way to counter it? Unless I fall in love with someone comparable within the next few years? "I don't want to sign the contract."
William grabs my arms to keep me in place. "The contract will enact even if you don't sign it."
I huff. "But my signature means we can't fight it."
William blinks. "She signed already?" I nod looking away. That has William back off. "Oh... Sorry."
"She was forced into it to enter the knighthood. It really did explain the fight she gave during the exam." It wasn't long ago we took the exam together. "I sent the letter... Is that not enough for right now?"
"Either you have me greet her now or someone else will." William steps back form me. "Although, you don't have to this exact moment. As long as you manage before the balls end."
If I sign that contract tomorrow morning, there is a chance Jessica will be marked and known as crown princess before I even return from the Telligence ball. William would be meeting her as her teleporter not as my friend. Does it matter?
"Don't worry about it so much, Thomas." Butch watches me. He never had to deal with the noble politics before. "If you want to see her, that should be enough."
Do I want to see her? "I want you both to be very aware of the fact I am not in a relationship with Jessica. Not like that. We're seriously friends. Only friends. And that is even considered limited." I grip the locket she gave me. Defensive spells.
"Do you want to be friends?" William eyes me. I refuse his desire to catch my eyes. "Do you wish to try for romance with Lady Jessica?"
I sigh. This is so annoying. "I want to live without being dragged by this requirement or that nonsense tirade. Even if I liked Jessica, I wouldn't wish my feeling would counter her desires to become the head knight."
"So you do like her."
"Not in the way you're thinking." I stalk out of the room.
William catches my arm. "I'm teleporting us there. Stop fussing."
William brings the three of us to my bedroom in the halls. He looks about the place. "This was marked your room. Seems lame."
"It's better than mine." Butch quivers at William's disappointment.
I shrug. "I don't have any room mates. They're treating me special, but not so special to suggest I am not a real knight." I step into the hall. "It's late. Jessica is normally practicing at this time." Is she at her usual courtyard? Can I just causally wander? Should I check her room in case?
"I got this much." William starts walking. He can find anyone using his teleportation magic. I also know that skill is a master classification. There is a reason he can be my tracer guard.
The thunk of an arrow hitting its target settles in my bones as we reach the courtyard I found Jessica at before. She's training bows... No. I freeze looking at the crossbow in her hands. She's learning a new weapon. But she already has enough weapons skill to graduate. What will be her block? She knows what's required. Or could they try for her test now?
"Lady Jessica Warton, it is a pleasure to finally meet you." William moves in to offer a hand. She's really confused which gets her a kiss on the back of it. "Wait a moment, Lady." William tugs at her glove.
I move in to break them apart. "You didn't explain a thing, William."
Jessica seems bewildered by William's actions.
"He teleports." Butch explains to Jessica. "Did the same with me before... Uh... Without the kiss."
Jessica's eyes come to me. "Teleports?"
How do I explain things? "Did you get my letter?" She freezes. Did she? Did she read it? "Anyway, William is my teleport tracer. He's joining me on my mission. And this is Butch. You saw him before. He'll be joining with Susan Storm in the future."
"A silver selection..." Jessica eyes Butch. "You're still a white knight, though." He's not even high enough for lead.
"Sorry. I've only been here a year. I joined last June."
"Don't worry about Jessica." I step between them. "It is impressive how far you came in such a short period of time."
William moves back to Jessica taking her bare hand in his. "A moment. I'm just registering your mana in my memory."
"Now you sound like Odin." I cross my arms. William smirks. "Sorry about all this, Jessica."
"Apology accepted. I can understand why you were forced into things." Jessica takes a step back from William once he lets go. "But I can only hope I don't gain the consideration for a while yet. Can you tell your father to hold off until I'm at least a white knight?" She sighs turning back to her target. "I guess I need to just accept whatever." She's pulling off a bullseye in this darkness with a weapon I didn't know she could use.
"I look forward to seeing you as the princess, Lady Jessica." William offers her a bow.
I elbow him. "Are you trying to flirt with her?"
"Never." William winks at Jessica. She rolls her eyes. "Are you the only one allowed to flirt with Lady Jessica?"
"Can you stop with the Lady Jessica?" I growl out. "I don't care if you flirt or whatever. Stop marking her as a lady first. If you wish to use a title call her knight."
"Ah. That's where the problem was." William focuses on Jessica. "I humbly wish for your forgiveness, Knight Jessica. I will do my best to not interrupt you while you have such a small window to greet your beloved."
I slap his arm. "Knock it off."
"There is no beloved nonsense here." Jessica only focuses on her training. "Thomas and I are just in a contract." She doesn't look at me.
I wouldn't call the feeling a dagger, but it's not pleasant to hear her words between thunks of the bolt hitting the target. She doesn't recall our first meeting. We've had the contract ever since. But that's not my place to be bothered. We're not in a relationship.
"And friendly enough to offer sincere gifts to one another." William says. Jessica freezes. She eyes William. "Did I say something strange?"
"I was told to give that to him by my parents." Jessica puts her crossbow down. "I don't get a choice in the matter. Once they realized I had a spell for defense, it was to hand him the locket. So any mage looking would realize Thomas has one backing him." She scrubs her face. "Argh! Give me that locket." She holds her hand out for it.
I step back covering it. "No."
Jessica jumps a little looking at me with shock in her eyes. Surprise maybe. "Why?"
"He can't have a collection of mana signatures yet. The spell is beyond him. So he can ask his magic for you if he carries your magic next to him." William says. I look away. "Or maybe he just wants to stare at it longing like a conflicted romance hero." He taps his chin.
"As if." I shove him. "You really want to learn about the compost heap, don't you?" I glare at him.
"You... want my mana signature?" Jessica knew the real answer the moment William gave it. The weird romance nonsense isn't how our relationship is.
How do I handle this? "I don't control my magic yet. I'm blocked until further notice. But having your mana sitting here in the locket means I can use it to locate you or bring you to me depending on how my magic wishes to give me the answer." That's how I found her before even. "Thank you for the gift."
"I probably should offer the same." William nods. "It would be even more helpful if I meet all your friends and close relationships. Then you only need me to be involved. I can handle it."
I grasp the locket. It's a connection. With it, she isn't far from me. I trust Jessica. "I'm going to sign the contract in the morning as long as my father offers the contract I requested of him." It solves too many issues, but he still didn't want to do it. I'm making it closer to a win-win situation. Whether my mother and Odin do anything with the allowance is up in the air, but it is needed there.
If... Would I do the same?
"I understand. If I didn't I never would've signed it in the first place." Jessica goes back to her crossbow. "I'm not taking any classes at the moment. Outside of weapons practices. I'll be ahead of you here."
"Better if you manage that." I was forced into graduating because of their pressure. "The wedding date will be noted sooner rather than later, but I know it won't be for years yet. Please let me know if we must fight against it more seriously."
"I will." Jessica holds up the crossbow. She looks deadly. But her target is just a straw barrel in the distance. "Go be crown prince, Thomas. We're just cogs in the wheel right now. Figure out how to make the impact you want without losing your place."
"I believe Thomas is already managing that." Butch comments. "But for now, I think we should head for our rooms."
"Are you sleeping in my wing, Butch?" I ask him. Butch shakes his head touching his hilt. "I'll see you tomorrow in my rooms then. Enjoy your night." He walks off after giving me a bow.
"Thomas?" Jessica looks to me. I'm not sure what I should say. "I know we grew up in the world we did for a reason. But if the titles are too much for you, I won't hate you for trying to escape."
Escape artist is how I'm going to be remembered. Better than the laziness my father is remembered for. I offer her a grin. "Sorry that I'm kinda aiming for king titles. Let me know if that's something you don't wish to join in."
Jessica only grins back at me. "Go be crown prince then. I'll continue training for now."
"Yeah." I look to William. "We can go now."
"Your beloved gave you a boost so now you're ready to tackle the world. And you keep saying-"
"Teleport, William. Stop teasing me." I growl out. We end up in my rooms before I even finish my comment. It calms me. "I need a bath."
"Yes. That sounds pleasant. I'll see you in the morning." William leaves me alone.