Ambient Mage

-A few days later-

"Hello students."

The dean stood in front of the combat courses.

"I realize the last week has been hard on many of you."

"However the academy has decided to address the issues arising from the incident."

"Many of you have lasting mental damage, and because of that we have decided to ask the help of the empire to acquire some high ranking mental mages to assist with the mental health of our students."

"Beyond that, most of you here are already mentally sound."

"Therefore we will proceed with the reward ceremony for the brave acts of the students involved in saving the lives of the fellow students."

"With that I would like to call to the stage: Princess Charlotte,"

Claps rang out all around as she walked across the stage over to the dean.

"Ms. Rose, and Lady Aurelia."

People started to whistle and shout.

Rose walked over waving at the crowd, while Aura spedwalked to the dean's side.

"And finally, Knight Lucas."

The clapping abruptly stopped.

The whistling and shouting came to a standstill.

I felt my throat close up as I tried to walk across the stage.

"You almost got us all killed!"

"Why were we the ones fighting on the frontlines just so you could wake up?"

'Daddy!'

Alea's accusatory tone shocked me.

I could tell she hated me for almost letting Aura die.

It was so hard to breathe.

My sight darkened as I gave into the breathlessness I had been surrounded by.

***

I shot up in bed gasping for air.

I reached my hand up against my throat.

"Lucas?"

I turned over to look at Aura.

"You had a nightmare didn't you?"

She pulled her covers off and walked over to me bandages over her hands and forehead.

She pulled my head into her chest, rubbing my head and back softly.

"Can I ask what it was about?"

"It was about the dean's speech next week?"

"The one happening in a few days?"

"Yeah."

"What could have scared you? Some accident occurring there?"

"If that's the case no need to be afraid, he's a 9th rank entity, to be afraid while he is around is like saying there's something out there capable of hunting a 9th rank entity."

"No, nothing so absurd as that."

"Then what Lucas?"

She pulled away from me sitting beside me on the bed.

"I was afraid that I was going to be blamed for the injuries of the students, or the toll on their mental health I caused."

"What?"

"You saved the lives of everyone there including me. Don't ever say something that stupid again got it?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Now move over, I wanna go back to sleep."

I obliged and shifted over on my bed to give her some room.

She turned to put her feet facing the end of the bed and turned her body towards mine.

"Do you think the kingdom will get involved?"

"Of course they will, what did you imagine the king sentencing you to death too?"

"No way."

She put her arm over my chest and soon fell asleep.

***

*Duchess Svarmet's Pov*

Lucas' room.

Well now it was a room converted into a sick bay, although the people inside were less sick and more injured.

"Mom, is Aurelia going to be okay?"

"Yes, you're big sis is going to be just fine."

"Why haven't you asked about your brother?"

"He'll be okay he always is."

"...."

"Right?"

"I don't know yet Theo."

I rubbed his head, before opening the bedroom door.

Aura's bed was empty with the blanket half off drooping down at the floor.

Lucas' bed had two heads poking out of it however.

It felt like it was just yesterday that those heads were small enough to fit in my arms.

I walked over to the bed, watching over the two.

Aura was sprawled over Lucas, somehow twisting the blanket.

I looked back at Theo peeking through the door.

"Just come in, they're still asleep."

"Okay."

Theo came up to the foot of the bed looking at the two before smiling.

"Theo, no. Don't."

I looked sternly at him.

He pulled his hands back from Lucas' bare feet.

"If you want to stay, don't do anything, I'm going to get Stephen."

I turned away for a moment before I heard something launch and fall on the bed.

"Uaaagh."

I quickly turned back to see Theo lying on top of his brother.

"Ughh Theo."

Lucas turned his head away from Aura and towards Theo on top of him.

"I think you may have broken my ribs again."

"Really? I'msosorry- I'llgetoffright-"

Theo attempted to get up but tripped over Aura's legs, falling over, and crushing her too in the process of falling off the bed.

I grabbed his upper body and pulled him off the bed.

"Theo, I said not to do anything."

"Now look at what you've done."

Aura rolled over onto Lucas' legs and opened her eyes, as Lucas began to sit up.

He pulled her up to his chest .

"Hey you two, there are other people in the room too."

Theo still looked worried despite the three of us being calm.

"You still aren't married or engaged, so please disengage."

Aura, using Lucas legs as a grip pulled her self into an upright position, sitting on his lap.

"I- Alright, Aura-, haaah, fine, sit like that, but don't injure yourselves anymore otherwise I will separate you two this time."

"Luke, are your ribs really broken because of me?"

"No, you never injured him, I checked when I pulled you off the bed."

"You!"

Theo put his hands up, as Lucas turned his back to Theo moving Aura into his chest.

Theo began to hammer away at his chest as hard as possible making sure to avoid hitting Aura.

"Theo."

"Mom, I'm not hitting big sis, so it's okay."

"I'm okay with it, he might not be though."

I pointed my finger at the open door with Stephen standing there.

"I didn't do anything."

Theo said putting his arms behind his back.

Lucas turned back putting his back against the headboard.

"Hey."

He smiled.

"So you have both of my younger children surrounding you."

"What's more, you have my wife there too, did you need more help?"

"Dad, Theo was hitting me."

"No, I was only hitting Lucas."

"So you admit it?"

"Huh?"

Theo turned red.

"No!"

"She's lying."

"You're an idiot."

"At least I don-"

Lucas covered up Theo's mouth.

"Let's not say that, yeah?"

"Fine."

"Lucas."

I stared at his face.

"Yes."

The room was silent.

"School will start for you first years again in a few days."

"However the king has decided to reward a few of you working in your survivor camp."

"That includes you and Aura."

"It's the day after tomorrow, will you be able to stand, walk and kneel for a few hours."

"I could right now."

"I mean in ceremonial garb."

"Oh, I hate that."

"I know you do."

"I'll be back to check on you tomorrow, and your breakfast should be here soon."

"However Stephen has to leave the duchy again for work, so get out any questions for him you may have."

With that I gave him a hug before giving Aura a hug too.

I knelt down.

"I love you both."

Then I stood up and took Theo out of the room.

***

*Aurelia's Pov*

"Lucas, we need to stand you up and measure you for the clothes."

"Why? Don't I already have clothes for that?"

"You do, but remember the alterations we made so you could move freer and fight in it?"

"Yes?"

"Well, that's actually meant to make standing and kneeling for long periods of times easier."

I lied back down facing Lucas' stomach.

"Aurelia you're okay you don't need to come with me to be fitted."

"How am I supposed to protect Aura if I can't move in the garb?"

"Well, you are more hurt than she is, and to be completely honest, if the imperial throne room isn't safe, I daresay there isn't a single safe place in the empire."

"What about the imperial hall?"

"That won't be as safe, sure, but with nearly the entire empire's security there I doubt the action of any dangerous group."

"We'll do this tomorrow since the insides of your of your garb don't require nearly as much work as the material that is seen."

"I'm sure you're already strong enough to walk around and stand for an hour to be fitted."

"I am."

He started to stroke my head.

"I'll send someone here tomorrow to measure you."

With that father kissed me on the forehead, before standing up.

"Both of you, get well soon."

With that father left the room and a few maids came in to serve us breakfast.

"Miss, knight captain."

"You can leave them here, Yura."

The maid bowed her head and the her entourage left the room, closing the door behind them.

"How did you know her name Lucas?"

He turned to me a little shaky.

"I know all of the maids' names here."

"And why do you know that?"

I sat up in his lap.

"Because I'm a servant of the family, technically Aura."

"Lucas, where is Alea?"

"She's probably in the kitchen being adored by the staff."

"Oh."

"That's fine let's eat just the two of us."

***

*Lucas' Pov*

After Stephen and the maids left, Aura turned to me with scary looking eyes.

"Why Do You Know That Maid's Name?"

I turned to her slowly.

I need an excuse fast.

"I know all of the maids' names here."

"And WHY? Do YOU know that?"

She sat up, staring holes into me.

I could swear her eyes turned red.

"Because I'm a servant of the family, technically Aura."

After she asked about Alea, and ate our breakfast.

Afterwards, she lied back down between my legs resting her head on my stomach with two arms wrapped around my back.

I closed the curtains Mother had opened, and let Aura sleep on top of me again.

***

"Lucas."

"Mom?"

"Yes, get up it's time to get you fitted for your garb."

"Wait so father got you to get me fitted?"

"Of course not, we have someone in house doing it, and I'm just bringing you there.

"Ah."

"Mother, is the program for the ceremony complete?"

"Yes, in fact, I want you and Aura to have it memorized."

"Okay."

With that I was fitted for 2 hours and upon returning to the room, was ambushed by a very bored Aureliamon.

***

"Lucas are you ready to get into the carriage?"

"Yes."

The garb actually did support me.

I was still extremely sore and if I leaned back a little I could relieve some of the pressure off of my feet and back.

I guess I never needed this when I was uninjured to this extent.

"Lucas, escort Aura, we'll be going ahead since we are part of the arbiters, not the awarded."

"Alright."

I extended my hand to let Aura walk up the carriage stairs.

I also let Lucy in ahead of me.

"Lucy, where is Alea?"

"She is with Knight Captain Lucas."

"Oh."

With that I walked in and closed the carriage door.

***

When we finally reached our mansion in the capital I realized something was wrong.

"Hey, Aura, you don't have your flower brooch."

"You're right."

"Where did- oh, you left it on accident didn't you."

She looked down as did Lucy.

"Lucy you're her maid for crying out loud, how did both of you miss it."

"Well, the miss is so beautifu-"

"I thought I had-"

"Stop."

I put a hand out.

"I have an idea."

Both of their eyes lit up as signaled the coach to stop.

As we came to a stop on the side of the road I told them my plan.

I would use the same aura crystalization on her hairpin, on a larger flower recreating a brooch.

I asked Lucy to find one in the capital mansion.

Aura and I stepped out of the carriage as Lucy and our escort knights went to look for a big and regal looking flower.

Eventually Lucy found a pink and yellow dahlia.

"This looks great, just wait for me to crystalize it so we can get the fastener on it."

"Lady, wouldn't it be faster to go back through the gate back to the mansion?"

"No, since all gates aside from the main one is disabled due to the royal ceremony, we would have to go back via the main gate, since our mansion's gate is disabled too."

"Oh right."

"Alright I'm done, lets get someone in house to get the fastener."

Finally the brooch was finished.

"Lucas, put it on me."

I obliged, to which she twirled and smiled at me.