Main Character Crusades: Boy's Night Out - Part 1

Two or so years had passed since that fateful day, and since the defeat of Galmor. The kingdoms were prospering. Magnolia had invited the other four to her palace, to the dining hall which she had made specifically for the five of them. Azia arrived first, punctually on time, like always. 

She had grown older, yes; she was now eighteen, just like Evanora and Magnolia. Her hair was tied in a bun, the same style she had commonly worn two years ago. Her dress shirt was blanched a perfect white which had become as synonymous with her character as her own name. Now that she was older and wiser, she had taken a slightly more adult and motherly role She curtsied to Magnolia, which the queen of peace returned to her. With that, Azia took her seat in the chair which Magnolia had specially crafted for her, made by the same master carpenter which had furnished her and Cyrus’ bedchamber.

“It is good to see you again, Azia,” Magnolia said, nodding to her.

“Indeed. Today is a fine morning.”

“I am glad,” Magnolia sat down as well. “If it were to be raining, I might have postponed our meeting.”

“Ah, you know how I am- even if you were to postpone it, I would have arrived anyway.”
“Yes, I admit that you would most certainly do something of the sort!”

Just a few seconds later, Staerrlingg strolled in, dressed in a gray flannel and black dress pants. Despite being nineteen, he still held a similar flame to the one which had burned in his seventeen-year-old self. His light pink stubble remained unshaved, grown slightly longer than it had been two years ago. His eyes were full of light and jubilee, now that he no longer had the beliefs of the ardorists weighing him down. He took his seat, doffing his gray hat at them.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning, Staerrlingg! I am surprised you are as punctual as you are; you live so far away!”

“Well, I figured that it would be smart to go early. Plus, I had other stuff to do here.”

The three of them waited for Evanora and Kayne to arrive, however, they were late. So they talked together about various things which interested them. Between what had happened to the three of them over the past two months which had passed since their last meeting, and things relating to their careers, and their family, and friends, they had much to talk about.

The sun hung directly over their heads now. In an instant they heard a carriage skidding to a halt outside the palace, and the confused hub-bub of Magnolia’s valet. In rushed Kayne and Evanora, the latter nearly falling on her face in panic, while Kayne simply followed her in a brisk jog, not seeming entirely bothered.

“To the… seven seas…” Evanora puffed, hands on her knees, “There was… so much… traffic!”

“Couldn’t even see the street under all those carriages.” Kayne walked up to Evanora and patted her back as to help her catch her breath.

Kayne had somehow grown even taller over the past few years, his eyes filled with all the anger and woes that a soldier held in his core. Even here, in the dining hall, he had refused to give his sword to the butler, which would be an unforgivable crime if it were anyone else, but Magnolia had explained to her staff his occupation and they tried to understand. He wore the same brown shirt and green cargo pants he had worn two years ago, which he refused to get rid of until they were completely unsalvageable.

Evanora, meanwhile, similar to Staerrlingg, had maintained her childish image and persona over the years. If she were not as tall as she was, and did not have the figure of a fully grown woman, many would have mistaken her overexuberance and constant happiness for the behavior of a small child, and would have treated her like one. She had a long cloak draped around her more akin to a shawl, since it was too large for her. Underneath, she wore a shirt and pant combo; she was the only one of the three girls in their group who wore pants instead of skirts or dresses.

“Good afternoon, Evanora. I am glad you have made it.” Magnolia smiled at her undoubtedly closest friend of the two.

“Hey, Magnolia!” she hopped into her seat, her previous tiredness immediately disappearing.

Kayne took the seat at her right, looking around.

“You’ve got new tapestries.”

“Yes, I believed the others were… hm… they were simply not fit for the space.”

The truth was, the others had been destroyed. Evanora had gotten very, let’s say, rowdy, during their last meeting. 

Azia, now setting down her tea, nodded at the two of them, smiling her now signature maternal smile.

“Good afternoon, you two. How have you been?”

“Fine.” Kayne placed a hand on Evanora’s shoulder, as he always did to prevent her from talking over him.

Even after he finished, he did not remove it. While all five of them had grown as people, Kayne and Azia were still on very rocky terms, mainly on Kayne’s end. Azia was ready to forgive and forget, and she had done so a long time ago, but Kayne was not one to let go of something he considered such a violation of trust as what she had done two years ago. They exchanged curt smiles, which were only expected of them because the others were present.

And so they talked, the conversation much more lively now that the final two members of their group had joined them. They talked well into the evening, took a stroll to the royal garden, even said hello to Cyrus. At the end of the day, Magnolia had the butler show them to their rooms, and each of them stayed in a guest room which was dedicated for them; Azia did not go to her room until later, for she had to watch over the moon’s rising as she did every night.

 

The next morning, they were woken by the butler at a very early and normally unreasonable hour and directed back to the dining room. There Magnolia and Azia were waiting, talking about the beautiful morning.

“Why were we woken up at… just after the sun rose!” Evanora exclaimed, rubbing her eyes.

“We simply wished to make the most of the day,” Azia said, taking a sip of green tea.

“And Hernacio wakes everyone in the entire castle up before dawn, so, in fact, you have slept in.” Magnolia added with a smile.

The three of them sat down, Kayne looking outside the window.

“Is… Magnolia, I think there’s a messenger about to come in.” he muttered, looking out at a frightened herald holding a large scroll.

“Is there?”
The herald burst into the room, panting and looking straight at Magnolia.

“My queen! You and Cyrus must hear this! Where- where is Cyrus?!”

“Please remain calm, my comrade.” Magnolia smiled her typical smile. “I shall summon Cyrus.”

Magnolia sent the maid off to get Cyrus, who was busy writing a new amendment regarding his and Magnolia’s succession. In a few minutes, Cyrus entered, planting a small peck on Magnolia’s cheek immediately upon entering.

“Yes, my love?” he asked, standing tall, his face graced with a peaceful and happy expression.

The herald rushed to him and whispered something in his ear, then turned to Magnolia and did the same. Their faces dropped, their optimistic facade as the peaceful king and queen ruined.

“What- why-” Cyrus began to say, before being interrupted.

“How awful!” Magnolia cut in. “Why should they be- no, we must talk about this, this is of utmost importance!”

Magnolia quickly stood, and rushed to Evanora and Azia. They both looked up at her, confused on why she had gone to them. Magnolia told them the same thing the herald had told her, whispering it in their ears, to which they were visibly shocked.

“No way!” Evanora exclaimed. “How come I wasn’t invited!” 

“I do not think that is our biggest issue currently, Evanora,” said Azia, doing her best to keep her composure. “I believe the three of us should discuss this privately.”
Magnolia nodded and turned to Cyrus.

“Could you please take yourself and Staerrlingg and Cyrus somewhere else? We would like to discuss this on our own.”

“Of course.”
“Wait, whatever’s going on’s so important that you want us to leave? Why can’t we hear? What’s so secret?” Kayne burst out, frustrated as he always was when he was not told the full story.

“It is not a secret, I… think of it like this! You will go on a boy’s night! Would that not be lovely?”

“That would be fun.” Staerrlingg said, standing up. “And I, for one, have no intent to meddle on whatever you girls need to talk about. Come on, Kayne.”

The latter crossed his arms before leaving with Cyrus and Staerrlingg. These three had never really talked much- it was true, the girls were the quintessential glue between them. Had they not been as good of friends, the boys would not have bothered to talk to each other. However, with this new issue that had been levied, one which was so clearly personal to the girls, one thing had become certain: they had to find a way to have fun on their own, and fast.