A Daisy In A Battle Costume

"Let… let… let's try the... approved... design…." The tailor, who was the first to recover, continued talking: "Madam escort, co… come. It is so that it is tailored."

"If... if you'll excuse me, with your permission..." The master armorer began as he walked away: "I leave you both... in good hands." The man left the room without saying another word. By all accounts, he was leaving the blacksmith in charge.

In the meantime, the tailor approached Kalina with a sketch in his hands.

¡Horror! It couldn't be.

"So...what do you think?"

¿What would she think? ¡Never in a millennium!

¿Did they want her to wear that ridiculous armor? What kind of breastplate had lace and feathers? She would look like a daisy in a battle costume next to her majesty. Kalina gave Irion a murderous look, but he pretended as best he could and touched her shoulder with his elbow, perhaps with too much impulse.

¡She was going to kill him! But when Kalina tried to glare at him again, she met his pleading eyes. Those eyes...

"All right…" - Kalina hissed as she prepared to follow the tailor and the blacksmith.

The castle walls shook slightly for only two seconds. 

The tailor, who couldn't take his eyes off Irion, didn't even notice the tremor. However, the blacksmith had visibly paled. The man possessed a tiny amount of intrinsic energy, just a small flame.

For his part, Irion was wise enough to wait there and then.

Dusk was about to fall when Kalina and Irion left the palace. They were both taciturn during the return trip until Irion said something strange. 

The comfortable carriage clattered along the cobblestone streets of Sacra Terra, and Kalina had opened her window to look out over the main avenue.

"Hey, Kal. I'm considering withdrawing you from the mission."

¿What? 

Kalina sat up straight in her seat, unwilling to believe what her ears had heard.

"¿Irion? ¿What are you talking about?" Saying this, she tried to meet his eyes, but Irion seemed focused on his side of the carriage. "Did you decide to do the mission instead of me?" ¿What was happening? ¿Was she not trustworthy enough? ¿Was he thinking of another job for her? Perhaps…

"I'll call Zark." Irion added.

¿What the hell? Zark was terrifying even to her.

Zark, Zintia, and Valian. She couldn't imagine those three together. And why the hell was she thinking about the Kru captain now?

"¿Really, Irion? "For what reason are you changing the plan?"

"There is no particular reason, Kal."

¡That was bullshit! "Irion, what is wrong? At least tell me there is a more important mission for me… ¡Damn! There cannot be a more important mission unless the world is going to end."

Irion took his time to speak again. However, he did not answer a thing:

"What did the princess have to tell you?" He asked instead.

Kalina was shocked. ¿Was Zintia the reason? She was missing something that was beyond question. Something had changed, and it had occurred that day.

"You can rest assured, Irion. Her Majesty approved me. She just said that she felt at ease."

Meanwhile, the carriage had almost reached the street that led to the guild.

"You felt that monstrous taboo energy, Kal. ¿Did you feel any strange fluctuations at any time? ¿Did you see Her Highness acting anxious or… in an impulsive way?"

Kalina looked at him for three seconds. This time, she connected with those golden pupils that looked like a pair of precious gems and seemed to carry the same sunlight.

"I don't know what you're thinking or what's worrying you." Kalina stated: "But, I won't react wildly to her enormous energy. And Zi… Her Majesty acted with dignity at all times." Well, perhaps Zintia had confided to her she had been on the verge of losing control on several occasions. And she may have mentioned that there was something inside her.

But Kalina wouldn't tell Irion all that. Zintia had trusted her. ¡And damn! She wanted that mission. Kalina now wanted to go.

"Irion, this is my mission. Please trust me." In response, Irion just looked at her. So Kalina pressed this time: "Is there something I don't know? ¿Anything I should know?"

This time, he took his time to answer, and as he did, he chose to look away: "Nothing. Looks like you wish to continue with this job. Then, I guess it's fine. We will adjust to the initial plan."

"Thanks, Irion."

Good. Kalina said to herself. It was better not to dwell on the matter any further.