"Oh dear, my King," Hermi said, dipping her head in a bow with the grace of a queen. "How delightful of you to visit me during my training."
The moment she turned and saw the shock on Cassian's face, her lips curved into a radiant smile. By now, the reaction had become instinct, for over the past few days, she had perfected the art of the sudden blinding grin.
Cassian's schedule was rather predictable. He hunted every other day. On his off days, he preferred to grace the training grounds with his brooding presence.
More often than not, Hermi caught sight of him lingering near the weapon racks, barking at knights and squires the instant their form wavered. When he wasn't busy terrorizing the lower ranks, he was busy dismantling his Commanders' dignity in front of their men.
Yet the most absurd part of all was his gaze. Though Cassian never once approached her, she would often catch him watching from the edges of the field. Each time their eyes met, Hermi would offer that same saccharine smile. Without fail, Cassian would snap his head away, as if he had accidentally swallowed something foul.
Now, confronted with her honeyed greeting, Cassian shook himself from his trance. His eyes sharpened into something calculating as he strode toward the archery lanes.
The archers did not so much as shift when their King approached. Their gazes remained fixed on the ground, as though meeting his eyes might cost them their lives.
"Your Majesty!" Otho and Marco barked, snapping into rigid salutes.
Cassian did not spare them a single glance. His attention was fixed entirely on Hermi. By the time he reached them, the dangerous glint in his expression had vanished, replaced by a smile far too dazzling to be sincere.
"My Queen," he cooed, hands clasped behind his back. "I see your training has yielded results. I had no idea my wife was such a gifted archer."
Hermi regarded her husband's spotless façade with internal disdain. She widened her smile another fraction, returning the sugary tone.
"I was merely fortunate, my King. Perhaps I owe it to that heavy training sword you gave me. Its weight was… challenging, but it seems to have strengthened me well."
Her words were not entirely untrue. The relentless days spent wrestling with heavy steel had carved new strength into her shoulders and back. They had conditioned her muscles so thoroughly that the heavy draw of a war bow now felt almost merciful. Otherwise, she would never have had the strength to pull the string, let alone loose such a shot.
Despite her modest deflection, Cassian did not seem convinced. Though the smile lingered on his lips, his head tilted slightly, as if her explanation had only deepened his curiosity.
"From what I recall, Aurellanza is not particularly renowned for its archers. Tell me, my dear, where did you learn to shoot like that?"
Hermi felt an icy tremor coil in her chest. It seemed Cassian's interests extended beyond monster hunting to the nuances of foreign militaries. Though he rarely cared to cross Ferramonte's borders, he was perfectly aware of the military standing of every other kingdom.
Across the continent, the Silver Knights of Aurellanza were famed for their swordsmanship. They took such pride in their blades that their archer divisions were kept to a minimum. Even Lucian had been forced to switch to the sword when he joined the Aurellanza Army, though his natural talent lay with the bow.
Regardless, Hermi could not plainly admit that she had learned to shoot from Lucian, in the muddy woods beyond her village. Composing herself into regal poise, she began her careful fabrication.
"Perhaps my father neglected to mention the versatility of our knights. They are celebrated for the blade, certainly, but the bow is a quieter point of pride."
At her answer, Cassian's tone turned deceptively light. "Then I must confess my ignorance. I clearly haven't studied my wife's kingdom closely enough."
"Your ignorance is only natural, my dear," Hermi waved it off. "Some matters are simply understood among those of us raised in court, my King."
Cassian's smile sharpened at once. "Is that so? And how does a princess find time, between scholarly duties and air magic, to master the bow? The way you held it, my dear, suggests you've done so countless times."
Across the six kingdoms, royal education prioritized magic. While armies were respected, it was the mages who held the true leverage in court.
For a princess to possess unconventional expertise in the tools of a common soldier was more than just a quirk. It was a breach of class. It was only natural that Cassian questioned it. To him, perhaps her proficiency with a bow was as out of place as a scholar wielding a butcher's cleaver.
"Oh, perhaps you never knew, but it was all part of my magical training," Hermi replied, weaving the lie as she spoke. "Studying an arrow's flight is essential to the Way of the Wind."
Cassian did not look convinced in the slightest, though he inclined his head as if indulging a child. "Oh? Is it?"
"Indeed," Hermi continued without the faintest trace of shame. "I spent hours observing the archers. Watching how the air carries the shaft helps me visualize the movement of a gale."
"I see." Cassian's voice took on a sardonic edge. "Then I assume your association with these archers was… intimate."
The implication in his tone made Hermi lift a brow. Was he suggesting she had been overly familiar with the Silver Knights? It was strange of him to imply such a thing, considering how thoroughly he had accepted her virginal performance on their wedding night.
Still, the lie had to stand. "The knights of Aurellanza are renowned for their chivalry, my King," Hermi replied evenly. "They were always most supportive of my education."
Cassian now looked genuinely intrigued. "If your education was so extensive, then I suppose you are ready for the test."
Hermi froze. His sweetly spoken words hung in the air between them like a threat. She had no idea what test Cassian meant, but the reaction of the men around her was answer enough.
Beside her, Marco shifted anxiously, while Otho suddenly found the volcanic stone beneath his boots intensely fascinating.
Gathering her mask of a smile, Hermi pressed on. "My King, what test are you referring to?"
Cassian's dazzling smile remained fully intact. "We can't have just anyone joining the raids, my dear. The test will determine whether you are truly ready for the hunts."
Hermi narrowed her eyes, her suspicion mounting. "And when exactly do you intend to judge me?"
Cassian's smile curved into a smirk. His eyes glinted, clearly savoring the dramatic weight of the moment. "Judging by your performance today, I presume a week from now is reasonable?"
Hermi went utterly rigid. A week? Her previous shot had been nothing but a fluke, a scrap of muscle memory she had stumbled upon by chance.
Now she was being condemned on the strength of a single stroke of luck. Marco had likely avoided mentioning any 'test' these past few days, probably hoping she would abandon the idea once the physical torment of sword drills became unbearable.
Marco finally spoke, his voice strained. "Your Majesty, I believe it is too early for a test. Her Majesty has only been practicing for a few days."
Cassian did not so much as glance at him. "But my wife has spent her whole life studying the… 'Way of the Wind,' hasn't she? She's a prodigy. Apparently, she's more accomplished than any of you."
Hermi finally grasped how dire her situation had become, but she needed to know the full extent of the disaster. "And how do you intend to test me, my King?"
Cassian was visibly pleased to deliver the final blow. "On the field, of course. What better way to prove you are ready for the hunt?"
Now even Otho found his voice. "Your Majesty, surely you don't mean… you intend to take Her Majesty to—"
Cassian jerked a thumb toward his Commander. "You are still sharp for your age, Otho. What better way to acquaint our Queen with the life of the Archery Division than by taking her on a Mummy Bats hunt?"