Not obligation.
I held his gaze. “You call yourselves the land of the free.”
Dean nodded. “That’s the idea.”
“Free to be what?”
The question settled between us heavily enough that his posture changed almost immediately.
“Yourself.”
“Even here?”
“Yeah.” His eyes stayed fixed on mine. “Here too.”
I thought about Ethan Miller. The others. Athletes who moved openly through the Village without fear stitched into every interaction.
“There is a word in Velkaran.” I hesitated. “Svobren.”
Dean waited.
“It means freedom.” I frowned. “Not exactly.”
“Okay.”
“More like...” I searched unsuccessfully for the English. “Something that already belongs to you.”
His focus sharpened visibly after that.
“Your anthem says freedom belongs to everyone,” I continued. “I am still trying to decide whether that is true.”
Dean didn’t answer right away, but he looked like he wanted to.
That unnerved me more than an easy response would have.
Finally he said, “Sometimes we fail at it.” It felt like an honest answer. “But we’re supposed to keep trying.”
I looked away after that because part of me wanted to believe him.
Another anthem began playing overhead, British this time.
Neither of us moved.
“How does it feel before you compete?” I asked eventually. “Hearing your anthem.”
Dean leaned against the boards while considering the question.
“It pushes,” he said after a moment. “Makes you want to skate harder. Better.” A faint smile touched his mouth. “I’ve never felt crushed by it.”
I nodded. “One anthem is carried. The other is chosen.”
No accusation entered the words, only recognition.
Dean studied me carefully after that.
“You carry yours like it costs nothing.”
A sharp laugh nearly escaped me before I managed to suppress it. “That is the objective.”
