Since our mission begins after breakfast, we gather with the other knights beginning their mission in the gardens. Butch left for his own group. As it's the four of us standing together not really talking. We're waiting for the signal. I look at William. He's default leader by the sound of things. He's proven lead qualities. Has to as heir. Still, he's not a knight and never will be one. He's here because of me.
Lucas wraps an arm around my shoulders while leaning into our group. "Glad to see you all together. Was worried watching you at breakfast." He glances at me. I know what I did. "Anyway, you'll be with Team A for today. Get a feel for what Harvest mission means." He squeezes my shoulder. "Al will be in tonight for dinner. Agoin may or may not join her. They will probably have guards for obvious reasons. Raida knows about it and will act the head of house. Thomas will get to join that table."
Nothing stops me from making a face. William elbows me for it.
"Team A has Vincent as lead. He's a three blue. You can trust him to handle anything. Everyone on that team is over four white, so trust all of them before you trust yourself." Lucas points out the team we're looking at. High whites and low blues. By their looks, this has been a mission they've done many times now. Although the lack of goblins should be new. "Vincent!" Lucas has us walk over to the team of five. "These are your trainees." Lucas shoves me forward. "Crown Prince Thomas. Lord William Pennington. Lord Ryan Pennington. Lord Daniel Swifting. Please treat them with respect while teaching them manners."
Vincent chuckles. "You got on Lucas's bad side?" Lucas shrugs and walks off. "Not every day Lucas tries to suggest I need to beat someone up."
I glance at the lord who left us here. "Might have to do with the fact I am kinda at fault for him facing court charges."
"You are not. Hydrangea could say that. I watched the court back then. She threw him under the bus. Suggesting he was cavorting with Telligence. It was nasty."
Daniel agrees. "Hydrangea and Lucas have a contracted relationship, Thomas. They have to throw each other under the bus to keep it from acting."
"They do?" I stare at Daniel. He nods. "I should apologize to them."
"Don't." Vincent pats my shoulder. "Let them be. Accept the fact they are friends and fighting at the same time. I suggested to both to remove their titles, but they didn't want to. The gold really does matter." He taps his bronze. He's a born commoner without a gained title.
Silver means you were given title. Gold means you were born into title. Or adopted in. Butch would switch to gold if he agreed to the adoption.
"Glad I didn't have to give it up." Ryan covers his. "I... It was going to be my life or a change in name. I may not have been able to support the royals in court because I was less aware of it, but I started questioning things enough to say..."
"You weren't a threat to the country." Vincent nods. "I know. Your sister made sure every single Telligence of threat was executed. I had no idea that petite thing was so strong."
"Even to say her grandmother didn't to be stripped of titles?" William whistles. "My sister is something else."
Vincent chuckles. "And this one is picking up spare nobles to boost Pennington's growth."
William shrugs. "Only a master teleportation mage can lead the house. That's me. My brother will be able to in the future. The rest I collect are to gain connections with other houses."
"What I'm shocked by is Hellsgate." Vincent pauses looking around. "She's not here." Must mean Callie. "He was supposed to take over Telligence. Refused. I'm going to assume they're being watched more closely as well."
I think of it. Hellsgate is at the capital. Are they under watch? Is that why they're there? Makes sense. Mom will handle it. Father will handle it. My job is the goblins and learning more about the Harvest Mission.
"Okay, we're getting front position." Vincent looks at the group beginning their walk on. So he starts. We follow. "Since combined we have more experience than any other group, we get the hard part."
"Guaranteed high level monsters." One of the others tell us.
"Yes, Lyrie. We're going to be battling. I think they're giving us how they are to help us establish a safe space." Vincent glances to me. "And boost support if the one we think is out on the plains really is."
"Boost support?" I question.
"Is he back?" Ryan shudders. "I guess it makes sense you want us there."
"Who's back? What are you talking about?" Daniel looks between Vincent and Ryan.
"Cleaver." Vincent answers. "He was a warhog, but a magical mishaps made him humanoid."
A... Warhog? But they're resistant to magic?! Am I only going to watch? With Odin and Mom watching me... I can assume they mean them as bonus guards. Cleaver...
"He... Was abused... Quite a bit." Ryan clicks his tongue. "He would be happy to learn my brother is dead, but that won't truly calm him down. Warhogs are aggressive. Can't believe he's still alive."
"I'll cover anyone." William holds up a hand. "As long as I can get a sensory read on you, I can teleport you." He pauses. "No wait. Can I touch everyone's skin? It's not creepy-"
"It's so you can teleport us to you if you lose sight of us." Vincent pulls off his gloves. "Of course. I did this with your father actually."
"Really? Before he became Lord Pennington?"
"Yeah." Vincent does not look that old, but he must be. Most in their forties and beyond would retire. The pension for serving more than twenty years is nice. Although... What would they do with their time? Unless they found a house's guard who wanted an experienced lead. Blue three says something. But to take decades to reach it... Commoners do not have the same access points. Vincent proves that. "Did you just think I don't look my age?"
"You really don't, Vincent." Lyrie says. "I tell you that all the time. Can you believe this man is forty nine? Still acting like he twenty five."
Vincent pushes Lyrie to William. "Have him mark you."