"She's what?" Arran looked at Liane in confusion, unsure whether he heard her correctly.
"The Patriarch's granddaughter," Liane repeated. "She arrived in the city just this morning, to see my father. She's a novice, and if you join her, none of the others will dare touch you."
"But why would the Patriarch's granddaughter want to recruit me?"
"She doesn't," Liane said. "She didn't intend to recruit anyone. But my father has known the Patriarch for a long time, and when I called in some of his favors, she couldn't refuse."
"You called in your father's favors for me?" Arran looked at Liane, surprised that she would have gone that far to help him. Whatever there was between her and Darkfire, she only barely knew Arran.
"Consider it payment for a debt I owe you," Liane said. "I know you and Darkfire were going to travel together, and I got in the way of those plans."
"That was his choice to make," Arran responded flatly. "You don't owe me anything."
"I owe you a companion," Liane replied. "Someone to watch your back beyond the border."
Arran opened his mouth to object, but then, he reconsidered. "Thank you," he said after a moment. "But if she's the Patriarch's granddaughter, doesn't joining her put me in the Iron Mountain faction?"
He remembered that the Iron Mountain faction was made up of the Patriarch's old allies, and although he didn't know much about it, it seemed like joining the Patriarch's granddaughter would certainly put him in their camp.
Liane shook her head. "She's not involved in the conflict, and has no taste for politics. That's why the others won't touch her — any attack on her would only create enemies for those responsible."
Arran rubbed his chin as he thought it over. From what Liane said, it sounded like the perfect solution to his problems. And yet, there was something about the whole thing that felt off.
"Why isn't she involved?" he asked after some thought. "It's a fight over the future of the Shadowflame Society, isn't it?"
"She's a herbalist," Liane said. "An accomplished one, supposedly. And from what I've heard, she cares little about other things."
Suddenly, the girl's question about plants made sense to Arran. "So across the border…"
"You'll spend the year gathering flowers and plants," Liane said, some amusement sounding in her voice. "With a bit of luck, you'll be able to avoid combat altogether."
Arran sighed at the prospect of a year spent picking flowers. "I suppose it's better than dying," he said. "If only slightly."
"So you'll join her?" Liane asked, a smile appearing on her face.
"It sounds like it's my best chance to return alive," Arran said. After a moment's hesitation, he added, "And thank you. I'm in your debt."
"I'm just looking out for Darkfire," Liane said. "If something happened because he wasn't there to help you, he wouldn't forgive himself."
"One last thing…" Arran began. "What's her name?"
"Dao Xueyun," Liane replied. "But people call her Snowcloud."
"Dao?" Recognizing the name, Arran raised an eyebrow.
Liane nodded. "She and Darkfire are family, albeit very distant." With a laugh, she added, "So you could say I traded you one sword for another."
Understanding that he had to decide, Arran took some moments to give the matter more thought.
Regardless of what Liane believed, he doubted that joining the Patriarch's granddaughter would help him avoid trouble. Even if she could protect him from his current problems, he was all but certain that joining her would merely create new ones.
Still, the offer was tempting. As the granddaughter of the Patriarch, the girl should have answers to many of the questions that plagued him. And even if she didn't, she would certainly know someone who did.
Moreover, joining her meant he could avoid choosing one of the factions in the Shadowflame Society. With as little as Arran knew about the situation, delaying a choice like that could save him a great deal of regret.
It was a difficult choice, but of all his options, this seemed like the best one.
"Alright," he finally said. "I'll join her."
Liane gave him a pleased look. "Let's go tell them."
They walked back to the group, and even as they approached, Snowcloud turned toward them.
"Have you decided?" she asked, a hint of impatience in her voice.
"I have," Arran said, nodding. "I'm joining you."
"Good," she replied. "Then stop wasting time, and let's go."
"Right now? We're not staying to watch the tournament?"
"Why would we?" she asked, a chill in her soft voice. "There's little point in watching some recruits beat each other with blunt swords."
"What about the auction?" Most of the influential novices would be present at the auction, and Arran had hoped to use the chance to find more information about the other novices in Hillfort. Even if he wasn't going to participate, he would at least have like to see it.
"If you think I'm going to bid on you, you're mistaken," she said in a flat voice. "Now get ready. I've waited long enough."
"Just give me a moment," Arran replied, understanding that there would be no delaying his departure until another day.
He turned to Darkfire, and when he did, there was a heavy feeling in his heart. Although they had only known each other for some months, Darkfire was one of the few true friends he had made during his travels, and now, their ways would apart.
Their farewell was short, and more sudden than either of them had expected. Taken by surprise, neither of them had the time to find the right words, and there was little they could say that had not been said already.
As they said their goodbyes, Arran knew he would miss Darkfire's company in the months to come. Although he would not be alone this time, what little he had seen of Snowcloud convinced him that her company would be far less pleasant than Darkfire's.
"So you'll return once you're a novice?" Darkfire finally asked.
"I will if I can," Arran replied. "And I'll keep the two of you safe across the border, if you still want to go by then."
"Then we'll train as hard as we can," Darkfire said. "So we won't be a burden when you return."
Arran glanced at Snowcloud, who was waiting with an impatient look on her face. "I suppose I'll have to go," he said, suppressing a sigh.
"Stay safe," Darkfire said. The look on his face said there was more he wanted to say, but no words came forth.
Arran nodded, then turned to Snowcloud.
"Let's go."
Just moments later, they were on their way, leaving Hillfort behind, and Darkfire with it. When Arran turned to look back, he saw Darkfire and Liane standing next to each other on the hill, their hands locked together as they watched Arran and Snowcloud depart.
He gave them a final wave, then turned back to the road ahead of him. Although he didn't know whether he would see Darkfire again, some part of him suspected that their paths had separated for good.
Arran and Snowcloud walked in silence for the better part of an hour. Although Arran had many questions he wanted to ask, the girl seemed to have little interest even in friendly conversation, much less answering questions.
"I have some questions," Arran said finally, no longer able to control himself. "About the Shadowflame Society."
Snowcloud looked at him, then shook her head. "I'll answer your questions, but only after we reach the Society and you take the Oath."
"There's an oath?" Arran asked. "What kind of oath?"
"You'll find out when we get there," she replied. "It should only take us a week or two."