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In the training yard, there are several new recruits paired with our more seasoned guards. They are sparring and going through various maneuvers as instructed over the past several weeks. I assess the yard, ensuring everyone is practicing as they should be.
“There you are,” Nathaniel’s deep-toned voice calls from my left.
I pivot and watch him walk toward me.
“I was worrying about you,” he says with a knowing smile on his face.
I wonder if he could tell me what happened last night, but I’m unsure of how to ask without letting him know I have no memory. I never know which side of Nathaniel I’ll be interacting with. He can go from my loyal lieutenant to a man I don’t recognize at any given moment. And it’s hard to know what will set him off.
“I’m fine. Just overslept. Thanks for getting everything started for the day,” I say as he steps to me.
As my lieutenant, it is his duty to act in my absence, and it’s good to see he did so without hesitation.
“Not a problem, Captain. I wasn’t sure you would make it to training this morning. I figured you would be recovering from a wild night with your new lady friend,” he says with a wink.
Well, that confirms it then. I took a woman to the inn last night.
Why didn’t I bring her to Brightwick? I finally get laid, and I can’t remember it.
I hope I didn’t embarrass myself. I really don’t need word getting around that I’m terrible in bed. Not like my sex life could get much worse. Hard to have one when you’ve been pining over a dead girl for a decade.
I furrow my brows, and Nathaniel cocks his head to the side.
“I saw her leaving through the portal at dawn, you know? She caused quite the scene. She’s a feisty one. I hope her mouth was as hot as it is nasty,” he says, smirking.
I flinch at the statement.
“What do you mean?” I ask, and he looks at me pensively, unsure if he should tell me what happened.
“There was an issue with one viator. A woman was on the ground blocking the path and was taking too long to get up. I was telling her to move when your lady friend started yelling at me,” he recounts.
She was yelling at a royal guard?What kind of woman would do that?
Nathaniel strokes his chin, as if thinking hard, “What did she call me again? Useless. She called me useless,” he says with a huff of annoyance.
I can’t hide my shock to learn of her brazenness, and I’m not sure how to feel. Her apparent lack of respect for authority disgusts a part of me, but another part of me wants to learn more about a woman brave enough to stand up for others.
Honestly, I would have paid good money to see someone call my lieutenant useless. I try to stifle a laugh, but it doesn’t work. Nathaniel fakes an offended pout.
“I’m kind of shocked you ended up with her last night. She didn’t seem like your type. She was fierier than your usual pick,” he says.
I don’t disagree, but since I can’t remember her, it’s hard for me to know for sure. Her sharp tongue is not usually my type, but then again, I haven’t dated enough to know what my type is exactly.
I scratch at my jaw, unsure how to ask the next question, noticing the stubble I’ll need to shave off later.
“I actually remember little of last night, or yesterday,” I say.
Nathaniel looks taken aback by my admission.
“Gods, Theo, how much did you have to drink?” He seems concerned.
I’m not sure. Two ales could have affected me, considering I’m not a big drinker.
“I don’t know that either. Everything from yesterday is fuzzy, especially after we left for the tavern with Jonathan,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck.
Nathaniel looks as if he is about to fall over.
“So, you don’t remember punching Jonathan in the face?” he says skeptically.
