Chapter 16 - A new world

I looked across the festival, now seated next to Quinn on a random bench.

He was staring straight ahead, lips slightly parted as he quietly mumbled something.

Clearly, he was trying to make sense of the situation just as much as I was.

"I'm-" He turned towards me abruptly, before stopping, groaning as he dragged a hand through his hair. He got up, pacing in circles.

"You're working yourself into a frenzy, Quinn. Stop it already." He was worrying me.

"How- why- how is it possible that you don't know about the child soldiers?" His tone sounded frenzied.

"It- it has never been discussed in high society. I'm not entirely sure if it's even in the history books." It was not. I had pondered over those damn books many a night. Something like child soldiers would have immediately been recorded.

Especially since it was dirt on my grandfather, and the nobles loved every single bit of gossip concerning him.

"But how is that even possible? How would all of the nobility forget about the child soldiers?"

I scratched my nape, perplexed. "The official drafting decree was that every firstborn son of the nobility was to participate in the war along with the soldiers. The rest was made up by volunteers."

"Do... do the people think I... I volunteered? To be in a war?" I couldn't see Quinn's face as he was turned away from me. But his voice sounded unsteady, shaky, as his clenched fists trembled.

"That is what the public was told. Is it... not true?"

He turned around, and for the first time in a while, I really looked at him. At the small scars that trailed his face. At the thick callouses on his hands.

"I was ten years old, Antony."

And I realized that he was weirdly tall and bulky for a nineteen-year-old.

"Quinn..."

"It was your grandfather."

"Huh?"

"Your grandfather saw me at the front. Saw that I was one of the last surviving kids. Decided that he'd take me back to camp. He's the only reason I'm alive today." He looked at his toes. "I'm not a war hero. I was a kid."

I remained silent. I didn't have any words to comfort him with.

And so I stepped closer, and I hugged him tightly.

His breath hitched as my arms enveloped him.

"M'sorry." I didn't know what else to say.

He seemed as if he wanted to say something, but it got caught in his throat. He instead made a choked sound, before carefully hugging me back.

And we stayed like that for a bit.

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"Not the best autumn festival, ey?" We resumed walking around again, some dry tearstains on both of our faces.

"Psh, we haven't tried any of the games yet. I'll get you a prize n' everything." He sighed, stretching his hands.

He walked over to one of the shooting stands.

It was a bit rickety, sure, but it seemed fun enough.

We approached, and the young woman in the booth lit up as we did.

"Sir Farraday! It has been so long since you last came!" Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him. "And who is your companion, if I may ask?" She gave me a somewhat mean glare.

"This is my cousin, Antony. Go on, take a dart." As I handed her a few coins, she lit up.

"Ah, just your cousin, I see. Say, Sir Farraday how have you been? I've-" As she kept talking, I looked over to Quinn.

He didn't look displeased, but not happy either that a girl as cute as she was talking to him. If anything, he looked mildly disinterested.

I raised a brow at the realization. Even around Madeleine, he never seemed particularly interested. And well... it would be stranger not to like her, would it?

I threw the dart. Bullseye.

"Excuse me, what would the prize be?" I turned to the girl, who was now twirling a piece of hair around her finger.

"Oh, just take any one thing you want from the pile, really." She just waved her hand at me.

I sighed, turning to the pile on the table.

There were mostly cheap jewelry and toys. But then my eyes fell on something else.

"Um, sorry, what's this?" I held up the item.

"Oh, that? It's an iron laurel crown. The local blacksmith made it." She yawned. "It symbolizes hard-earned victories."

Quinn nodded. "I was given one when I returned from the war."

My attention returned to the crown.

"Could I... have it? Perhaps?"

"It's a prize, lady. Yes, you may take it." She snickered.

"Alright then." Quinn clapped once. "Drink time."

I quickly put the crown into my bag, hurrying after Quinn as he walked to the bar.

He was already in the middle of ordering two beers before I caught up.

"That girl liked you, huh?" I snickered. I had never seen anyone flirt as obviously.

Quinn sighed, rolling his eyes. "Yeah. 'M not a fan."

"Why not? She was cute, no?" I propped my chin on my hand.

"I guess she was... let's just say, as you aren't interested in men, I'm not interested in women." I almost spit out my drink, flushing at his words.

"Wh-what're you-"

"C'mon, I'm not blind. Whenever you see a pretty girl you act like a lovesick fool. Especially around that Campbell lady." He sipped his drink, stating his words as if they were fact.

"And... you're... the same? Just with men?" I was shocked.

"Yeah." He grinned.

I looked at my hands. It felt as if a whole new door was opened.

"That's- but how are you so... you know. Fine... with it?"

"The lower class is pretty fine with stuff like that. It's only the nobles who worry about things like marriage and gender. We could care less." As he said that, I looked around.

It was true. Many women were wearing more masculine clothing. In a corner, I could see two men slow dancing, as a person whose gender I couldn't even begin to guess sang a drunken yet beautiful opera.

"Yer eyes are sparklin', Antony." He laughed, flicking my forehead.

"This is... all so new to me..."

He pat me on the shoulder, grinning. "And you're part of it now."