Just wanted to say hi

Mary sat drinking her coffee, Tenac had made sure she once again had gotten it with honey. Tenac and Jontak were talking about their latest training exercise. Mary listened but didn’t focus on the conversation.

“How do you like being here so far?” Sinhera asked Mary.

“It’s amazing. I can’t imagine not being here” Mary answered and got a smile back.

“You look much happier. I’m happy for you”

“Thank you” Mary said and then hoped to change subject. “Was there something in particular you wanted wo get at the fabric stalls?”

“Yes, I wanted to look to see if they had anything that was suited for bathing clothes” Sinhera nodded.

“Bathing clothes?” Mary asked, not having any idea what she was talking about.

“Yes, summer will be here soon, and I need some new clothes for when we go swimming in the river. Do you not have bathing clothes in Dermes?”

“I don’t think so. There might be, but I don’t think I have meet someone that goes swimming so I haven’t heard anything about it” Mary told her and then noticed that the three riders stared at her.

“What?” she asked.

“You haven’t gone swimming?” Jontak asked her.

“No, I don’t know how to”

“You can’t swim?” Tenac asked as if he had a hard time believing her.

“No” Mary told them, she was getting a bit embarrassed. “Look, the largest body of water I had seen before coming here was the large barrels in the kitchen” she admitted.

“Wow” Sinhera said.

“Then I will teach you” Jontak said with the biggest smile.

“Eh, what?” Mary said, feeling that that might not be a good idea.

“No, you won’t” both Tenac and Sinhera said as one.

“I’ll teach you” Sinhera told her, and Mary nodded a bit nervously. “Don’t worry, the water won’t be warm enough for at least two months. You will have plenty of time to get used to the idea” she continued and smiled at Mary. Mary nodded again and added a smile.

They continued talking for a while about the differences between the two cities. The three riders didn’t have a good knowledge of Dermes, so Mary told them about the city. Eventually they handed in their cups and decided to go to the fabric stalls.

Mary got a feeling that she recognise, a tingling at the back of her neck that she would know anywhere. She turned around and smiled.

---

Tenac was relived that the coffee break had calmed the mood of the group and that Mary seemed calmer and more at ease. Sinhera had started guiding them toward the fabric stalls. He let Mary walk in front of him so that he could keep an eye on her.

Suddenly Mary turned around and looked at something or someone behind him. Then she gave a brilliant smile. Tenac had never seen a smile like that on her face and it was blinding. He heard Jontak, that had been walking beside him, draw a breath.

“Kopa” Mary happily said with a slightly raised voiced before she waved.

Tenac turned around, following Mary’s gaze and saw Kopa, with a group of rides, came walking towards them. Automatically Tenac straightened his stands and saluted him. Both Jontak and Sinhera had seen him as well and followed Tenac in saluting him.

“Mary” Kopa answered her with a smile, he returned the salute as an afterthought, his focus was on Mary.

“What are you doing here?” Mary asked, Tenac saw that the radiant smile she had fired off, now had been dialled back to her normal happy smile.

“The Lady sent me on an errand, and I thought I would see if I could catch you to see how you are doing” he answered her.

“Are you checking up on me?”

“Maybe”

Tenac saw the bewildered look that Sinhera and Jontak were giving the exchange before them. Kopa was known as the strictest of the commanders for the riders. When he held training sessions, everyone knew that they were in for hurt and discipline.

At the same time sir Teeran had the most elite group of riders at his command. He tolerated no mistakes, he expected absolute devotion and dedication. It was an honour to be selected to join the Lady’s guard.

To see him smiling at Mary, sounding happy and joking with her, was not what they were expecting or used to. Not even Sinhera that had seen them interact during the trip, seemed to have seen anything like this.

“You shouldn’t have” Mary said, laughing. “I’m fine”

“It’s my job as your father. Are you having a good time?” he asked, giving the three riders a glare.

“I am. We have been to the foreign part of the market, to the perfumery, had coffee and now we are heading to the fabric stands” Mary told him.

“Good, then I’m happy” Kopa stated, looking at Tenac. Tenac was happy to be able to meet Kopa’s eyes without looking away. He was also pleased to know that Mary was happy with her day.

“Let me walk you to your destination before we need to go back” Kopa said to Mary. Mary looked at Tenac with a question. Tenac was not going to tell Kopa no so he just smiled at Mary and nodded.

“Sure” she said and Kopa started walking besides Mary. Tenac and his two friends trailed close behind. The group of riders were forming a wall before them, parting the sea of people walking around the market.

As they were walking, Mary and Kopa engaged in small talk. Tenac could hear them talking about a dinner they were having tomorrow, apparently with a family friend. Sinhera and Jontak kept giving him, and each other, curios looks.

When they were almost at the stalls that they were aiming at, Kopa stopped.

“I need to head back Mary. I hope you have e wonderful afternoon and I’ll see you at home” he told her. “Don’t forget to look after her” he continued, looking at Tenac. “I expect the same of you two as long as you are around my daughter” he said looking with the deadly look he had given Tenac the first time he had agreed to let him escort Mary.

All three of them promised Kopa to take care of Mary, to protect her with their life. Tenac was happy that his two friends had gotten to see how seriously they needed to take their protection of Mary.