Published at 25th of July 2026 12:53 pm

Chapter TWO HUNDRED NINETY NINE: Bonus Points for the Straightforward

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Ploomp wasnt a speedboat, especially not when she was cruising high in the water with passengers on her back. Alden could have kept pace with her if he were running alongside on the bank, but that wouldnt have been nearly the excellent experience that this was. Esh-erdi showed off his ability to make an orange fall apart into perfect segments, and they shared it while Alden learned a mix of facts about terackerins and this Rapport.

Esh-erdi knew something about every field, dock, and building they passed.

There was a house that had been empty for most of a year because the wizards who lived there had gone to manage Avowed for an undh knight who was guarding the planet that provided the Fetuna with most of their food. And not far down the river from that house, a cluster of buildings shaped like squat cylinders were having their exteriors finished so that their sculpted mud walls turned as glossy and wet-looking as the surface of the river itself.

Esh-erdi said they were apartments with no particular owners, kept ready for anyone who might want a place here. Mostly, they were occupied by young adults who wanted to get away from their universities for a while but who had no family in the Rapports. And Esh-erdi said there were older knights and votaries, too, who made use of such housing because they preferred not to settle for too long in any one Rapport.

Wanderers by nature, he said, who dont get enough of it from their work or who find the wandering the work demands easier if they never stop and grow roots.

I can imaging how that would be, I think, said Alden. Ive been very homesicktorn away from deep rootsa couple of times. It can be overwhelming. Mastering more of a wanderers lifestyle could be a strength. Being at ease with uncertainty, being someone who can give your best wherever you find yourself and then move on to do it again in the next place. Likedrifting without letting what youve left behind distract from where youre going. Doing that well is admirable.

Admirable. Thats a nice observation. Will you aim to become such a wanderer one day?

No. I dont like it.

Esh-erdi had been shredding the orange peel and tossing it in front of Ploomp every once in a while to see if he could convince her to try it out. He paused with a piece pinched between thumb and forefinger, ready to flick toward the terackerins head. A short and <<adamant>> answer.

I suppose it is.

There have been positives to my life changing drastically eight or nine times in less than a year, said Alden. Ive learned a lot. But one of the things Ive learned is that I really want more solid ground. People, a place, and a purpose that wont fall apart too easily. I know everything changes, so its not like I expect it all to stay exactly the same. But I wantIm going to builda home to go back to. Id rather have a place to miss than be good at drifting.

Anesidora? asked Esh-erdi.

Alden hesitated. Anesidoratheres a lot to like about Anesidora. Its complicated. Im not sure about the future. Stuff might come up.

Stuff. I sound like I dont know what I mean.

All of the specifics that came to mind were unshareable.

He wondered what Esh-erdi would think if he knew Alden had opened a window on his interface just a few minutes ago to start taking notes on Rapport III. It was like the cheat sheet he kept to remember details about all the members of the arth family hed met, only now it wasnt just about not mixing up too many new faces and names.

Stuart deciding that the storytelling class was Alden training a new socialization skill so that they would be welcomed as entertaining company among other knights might be far-fetched. But the idea that the two of them might need to apply effort beyond the norm to get along with people kept popping up in his thoughts.

If, after they had both succeeded at all the things new knights were supposed to do, Stuart was still seen as fragile and Alden as ignorant how would it affect them?

Screw the haters, of course, but it would be much better not to have many among knights. Im already expecting to be viewed as problematic by wizards and who knows how many other groups of people. After my oaths, which I will totally absolutely be allowed to take and succeed at, Id like to be liked by the group Ive joined.

He tried to get along with people anyway, but if putting in more effort could give him and Stuart an advantage, he would.

So here he was using his mental typing skills to record everything he could about Rapport III. His imagination was running a little wild. Hed just pictured himself being introduced to someone called Hntyon Vyn-sitha one day and turning to these notes to make a better first impression.

How nice to finally meet you. I rode a terackerin down the river in front of your house with Esh-erdi a while ago, and he told me about you. The net in front of your dock was completely full of skimflies. Esh-erdi said those were good fried.

And then, whatever concerns Vyn-sitha has about working with the human knight will evaporate! Because a person who once rode Ploomp past her dock is obviously competent.

Wellhe didnt have to use the notes if the right moment never appeared. Making an attempt to prepare still made him feel better.

Wizardry. Bearer of All Burdens. Language and social ability. Thats all got to be given attention. Plus mental health. Having a panic attack in chaos would not be okay, so I cant let myself neglect that just because Im in a brighter mood these days.

Another shred of peel floated by, caught in the current created by Ploomp as she swam. She clearly saw Esh-erdis snack offerings as litter.

They were passing a building with rows of jars and barrels out front. Esh-erdi pointed it out as a place of interest. A mildly intoxicating drink was made there from the local bundlefruit. He assured Alden it tasted nothing like the Champagne that had divided wizardkind during their Thanksgiving feast. The beverage was served just across the water in a sheltered pavilion that looked like a smaller version of the summonarium theyd arrived in, although it was full of tables and seating.

Its popular. Alden guessed that based on the number of tables and the dozen people already drinking and eating there.

Its the place to go in the evening if you live on this river and dont want to travel to Wathe to find company.

Famous drink. Chill place where everyone hangs out together. Thats the kind of thing knights from different Rapports could chat about when theyre bored.

Thats Moshk nodding at us. In the corner there, stuffing his mouth with bread. Well pick up his daughter and deliver her to him. Esh-erdi raised his voice. Because hes too lazy to get back in his boat!

Im giving a knight a chance to serve the Triplanets, Moshk called back. Get on with it!

He had light brown hair, dark skin, and a grin so wide it was easy to make out from a distance as Alden turned around to study him.

Does that comment mean hes not a knight himself? Hes so casual with Esh-erdi, but that doesnt necessarily rule out ordinary class if they know each other well. What do I put in my notes?

There was a heap of fabric on the floor beside Moshks chair that was likely to be a coat or a robe, but Alden couldnt see whatever markings it might have. The turtleneck he wore gave no indications.

A friend? he asked Esh-erdi.

An acquaintance Im fond of. And a good neighbor. Moshk is only a little younger than me. He considered knighthood once but became votary instead.

For a specific knight or for the Rapports in general?

Hes quite the <<generalist>> wizard for this area. Whatever project needs another wand poited at it. As soon as I saw him sitting there I sent him a message to find out what hes been doing lately. He always has the small news. He spent the day helping some of our newest newlings and their mentors set up for camping practice.

Moshk a jack-of-all trades votary who has the local gossip. Alden made the note before letting himself be distracted by the other thing Esh-erdi had just said.

Knights practice camping?

You understand that since Welcome End has recently passed, many have just experienced their first binding? Esh-erdi replied.

I know.

This is a particularly good time to keep those newlings together, focused on their futures, and busy with tasks that dont require them to use magic. This camping practice will be about learning procedures and familiarizing themselves with equipment theyll carry with them on missions.

Alden remembered Stuart showing him the tent he liked that had two different ways of making water for them to drink.

Even if he knows how to use that, what other equipment is there? What procedures?

If someone misses the camping training because they didnt time their first binding to match Welcome End in either hemispherehow do they catch up? he asked. Or do they have to wait for the next opportunity?

I hope youre not worrying that the Primarys son might be allowed to die from improper use of a tent. Because that would be a ridiculous thing for anyone to worry about.

That wasnt my worry exactly.

Stu-arth may have other trouble along this path if he walks it. Such as not having anywhere to stand inside his tent because its so full of other arths trying to watch over him.

He doesnt need that, Alden said. At all.

Esh-erdi rubbed the terackerins back while he considered something.

A knight can go where his oaths lead him in defiance of others. And he could order his votary parents to step aside. But that doesnt mean its best or easy to do those things. Being his friend and observing how forces push him, it might be tempting for you to push on him from the other side.

I dont, said Alden. I just listen to him. And believe him.

A friend who listens and trusts, said Esh-erdi. Thats good.

Actually, can I send him a picture of us and Ploomp? Alden asked. I think hed be surprised to see what were doing.

A friend who torments with images of leisure while he endures lessons. Even better!

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When they reached their destination, they stepped off Ploomp and onto a dock. Then it was a short walk up a staircase to reach a long, two-story house with narrow windows that looked down on the river. Esh-erdi led the way around the side, and Alden followed him until they reached the front.

At that point, he had to pause and stare at the lawn ornaments. When you said they were studying rocks, you meant rocks.

There were over a hundred magnificent specimens here if he only counted the ones that were bigger than himself. He was standing in front of a ten-foot-tall ruby red boulder. Maybe it was a ruby. He had no clue how big rubies got if you used magic or dug them out of other planets. And scattered around its base, as if to give it company, were piles of other pink and red stones.

I have a sling in my bag, he thought, temporarily driven mad by the sight of so many projectiles. I could sling awesome rocks at the river all day, and not even put a dent in this collection.

But what if there are some husenots hiding in the piles?

As if that were the reason not to do it. He shook off his surprise and caught up with Esh-erdi beside a towering geode.

A few steps farther on, they spotted a group of children and the elderly wizard who Alden thought must be both the teacher and the owner of the rocks. The class was clustered on one side of a massive shard of purple-streaked gray stone that pointed up toward the sky like a knife.

The kids were younger than Kibby and older than Weset. Still a silly enough age for it to be unsurprising when one of Esh-erdis nieces spit out a bright pink pebble shed had in her mouth, screamed Uncle Esh! and almost fell over the pile of rocks in front of her sister as she ran to be the first to greet him.

Its a more casual kind of lesson for sure, Alden thought, taking in the scene.

There were no learning cushions. The old woman had been telling them about how heat and pressure had transformed the rock in her hand, but she only chuckled as six of her eight students abandoned her in favor of the visitors.

The nieces were twins who looked similar enough that Alden thought he would have known they went together even if they werent both hugging Esh-erdi and trying to tell him ten different things at once. Like their uncle, they had dark hair and unusually close-set eyes. One was wearing a peach-colored auriad on her head, and the other was doing the same with a sky blue one. Alden wasnt sure, but it made him think they might have finished binding them recently and been eager to show them off. A third child was holding an arm out strangely, like they wanted Esh-erdi to see the green one they had on their wrist.

I need to make a huge deal out of Kibbys when I see her in person. Dalat-orni and Alis-arth dont know to brag on her because they think she had one all along.

Youre tall.

Such was the power of Hntyon Esh-erdi that it was only now that one of the children decided to look away from him to see who else had arrived. Wide gray eyes studied Alden from beneath lavender brows. The brows matched hair that hung almost to the ground.

It must not have been cut since this kid was born.

The mane wasnt braided either. It was a shiny, untangled sheet.

Youre tall, and your eyes are green. This was said in a tone of fascination. Why do you cast illusions on your eyes? Theyre pretty. May I have one?

For a second, Alden was stumped. Probably because of all the talk about Lute earlier, he misunderstood and thought the little Artonan was asking to hold an eye.

That young man isnt a wizard, Zakithee, said the teacher. The two remaining students were trailing after her as she came over to welcome them.

Oh! Zakithee was asking me to cast a spell that turns eyes green.

Im an average height for a human man, Alden said in a friendly voice. But I might grow a little taller.

Hed recently checked his height with the System, and hed officially made it to 510.

Some humans naturally have green eyes like me. We also

Youre an Avowed! Zakithee shrilled, taking such a large step backward that he collided with another kid.

At the word Avowed, every childs head turned to inspect Alden.

A human!

An Avowed!

Uncle Esh, who is the human?

Did he come from Earth?

Uncle Esh, are more of them coming?

Hello, Avowed Human Avowed!

Theyd all gotten loud and higher-pitched, but that was because they were excited. Only Zakithees exclamation had been alarmed. Both of the adult Artonans had looked startled at the sound of it.

Zakithee, said the instructor, Hntyon Esh-erdi has brought Avowed Alden as a guest to surprise you all. Hes traveled here from Earth. Now would be the right time to greet

Ill be a Knight of the Mother Planet one day! Zakithee said, turning his back so that the epic sheet of hair was toward Alden.

Im getting ignored suddenly?

Youre too young to declare! half of the children present said so quickly that it must have been the thing to say to classmates who got ahead of themselves by a decade.

A knight doesnt like Avowed! Your eyes are green, but they arent interesting. Even if you were an ordinary human I wouldnt notice your tallness. We wont share wevvi! Not even that! Ill walk away in this direction now. Thats what I should do.

The last sentence sounded relieved, as if bolt of inspiration had given Zakithee an answer to the problem of an Avowed existing only a few steps away.

Just take more steps. Simple.

Esh-erdi thwarted the escape attempt by picking up the escapee and holding them up at arms length for an eye-level conversation. Zakithee-undh! Where are you going?

Zakithee-undh didnt squirm. Away in that direction.

You did say that. Why are you going away in that direction? Are you scared of Alden? Are you angry at him?

No.

Then what behavior is this?

Im very proper, arent I?

Not right now. No. Alden, pardon us for a moment more. Zakithee-undh, who am I?

Zakithee-undh glanced at the twins. Youre Brim and Droons uncle.

Thats correct, the instructor said when Esh-erdi failed to respond right away.

Thats correct, Esh-erdi repeated, staring at the child hed caught. Im their uncle. And Im also a Knight of the Mother Planet, arent I?

Yes. And youre Hntyon Lind-ottas, so you must have more to you.

More than what? Esh-erdi asked. No, dont answer that. I can guess who you borrowed those words from. Avowed Alden Thorn of Earth is someone I like. Hes been commended by the Quaternary, whos a knight. He was trying to greet you, who are no knight at all. So whatever idea you have that makes you say knights dont like him as you try to run away is improper.

But I heard

Perhaps you heard something with half your thoughts asleep or an ear turned to a door crack, Esh-erdi said, setting the child down. I know all the knights in your house, and they would say hello to Alden. Not, Your eyes arent interesting. And he recently saved your cousins life! He could ask your family for her weight in manyadeeth, but he hasnt.

Which of my cousins?

Zeridee-undh. You might not remember her. The point is that Aldens a person who wouldnt say hurtful things to you. And look at whats in his hands. Hes brought fruit. Thats not someone you should refuse to share your wevvi with, is it?

Zakithee-undh looked so unsure that Alden felt a pang of sympathy.

I dont want to be hurtful

Of course you dont, Esh-erdi said comfortingly. None of us thought you did. Thats why I stopped you from running to jump in the river. So that you could be proper after all.

Hello! said Alden, deciding a glance from the adults was his cue to try again. Its good to meet you all. I did bring Earth fruits with me if anyone wants one. What are your names? Which rock here is the best?

It turned out all right.

The class soon became lighthearted again, as Esh-erdi must have intended. Seven out of eight kids thought Alden and his oranges were the coolest things ever to happen on the Triplanets.

He had a skillamazing! He was willing to use it on children who asked politelyeven better! He confessed to having a bellybuttonso unique at his age. Respect to his mother!

They showed him the best rocks and pronounced the difficult names of those rocks carefully. Maybe, the children decided as the adults were showing signs of ending their fun, what needed to happen, what almost certainly would be for everyones benefit, would be if Alden became a student in rock class, too. So that he could bring them fruit and stories every day.

What do you think of that? Brim asked, adjusting her blue auriad on her head. Zakithee wont be upset tomorrow. If you were offended by him today, you wont be tomorrow.

I wasnt offended, Alden said, cheerful and loud so that his voice would carry to the undh boy who stood downriver with a net, collecting the pieces of pumice they were all dropping in. Zakithee-undh showed me how this pumice floats. Hes been properly welcoming, and Im pleased we met.

Zakithee-undh relaxed visibly at the praise. Unfortunately, hed be tense again in about a minute. Alden had seen the cycle repeat several times.

Right after their bad start, the boy had briefly disappeared with the instructor before returning to accept his orange and apologize. Alden kept trying to make him comfortable, but now it was like this.

Hes really confused. He heard some grown-ups say something about Avowed, and he learned it. Then when he tried to do what he thought was right, a knight and his teacher let him know he was wrong. Now all of his friends are having a blast with the alien, but hes not sure how to.

The poor kid was so uncomfortable that Alden was uncomfortable with him.

Despite all my anxieties, I didnt think someone would come right out and shout, A knight doesnt like Avowed! in my face. Bonus points for being straightforward, Zakithee-undh. But when I was thinking about haters, I wasnt picturing one like you.

I cant come to this class with you all, Alden told Brim. I have my own classes to attend on Earth.

He saw Zakithee-undh relax more as those words reached him. He even smiled, no poker face whatsoever to hide how delighted he was that Alden wouldnt be coming back.

Alden dropped his largest chunk of pumice into the river, making sure it wouldnt be too far out for the boy to collect with the net when it floated by him.

Okay, little jerk. Cut out my heart and grind it into your pumice collection, then. Thats fine.

There was no way for a child this young and clueless to offend him. But honestly

Its time for us to go! Esh-erdi announced. The sun is setting, and Im sure hot meals and beds are waiting for you all at home. A few of you get to ride Ploomp with us. If only I could remember which children are my sisters! He tapped a boy on the head. Are you my niece?

With much giggling and dubious claims of blood relation to the erdis, the children were sorted into those whod be riding the Ploomp bus and those whod be traveling home in other ways.

We all rode the terackerin once, Zakithee-undh said as his farewell to Alden. We rode her to the summonarium upstream, and I teleported home from there.

Alden wasnt sure why a farewell was happening under the circumstances, but the kid had steeled himself and stomped over here to do it, so Alden would try to make it go well for him. Im sure that was a great chance to appreciate the river.

It was. I like terackerins.

I like them, too.

The boy stood as tall as he could and looked up at Alden with shining eyes.

Hey, whats this? Alden wondered as he took in that expression. Are we actually going to connect over being terackerin fans? Thanks, Zakithee. That would be a nice end to it.

Im going to find out what my cousin weighs to make sure this is over! Zakithee-undh announced. Thank you for saving her and serving the Triplanets in other ways. Im honored to make your acquaintance, and Id give you wevvi if we met again, but we wont have to do that. Live a long life. On Earth!

He ran up the bank toward the house, the wind catching his hair and tossing it, his arms pumping to help him get away from the Ryeh-bt he looked forward to never seeing again.

Esh-erdi had sent his nieces, Moshks daughter, and the boy with the green auriad to board Ploomp at the end of the dock. Hed had one eye on them, but the other was watching Alden take his final blows from the little undh.

You handled that well, he said quietly when Alden reached him. I apologize for making you handle that well.

Hes just Alden shrugged. Hes too young for me to hold any of that against him. Practically a baby. He thought I was a tall, green-eyed wizard, and then he found out Im an Avowed and that wasnthe got bonk-noggined by it.

Esh-erdi exhaled. I told you the small undhs wouldnt be a problem, but it turned out differently. Hes been eavesdropping on his elders without understanding nuance.

Whats the nuance?

Is there a tiny snap in that question? There shouldnt be. Im not mad at anyone here.

The ones he lives wih try to avoid summoning prejudices and emotional turmoil by avoiding relationships with other species, said Esh-erdi. They believe neutrality and detachment make them more effective.

Detachment. Neutrality. No relationships with other species.

He looked back toward the house. Zakithee-undh was out of sight.

Are there are a lot of undhs who feel that way? he asked.

Many of them. Some have their own ideals.

Better or worse ones?

Both. According to me.

I understand. Alden started walking toward Ploomp. Can I buy some of the bundlefruit drink? When we take Moshks daughter back?

Esh-erdis eyebrows rose. If you want it.

Im not trying to get intoxicated, Alden explained. Im making some notes about life in Rapport III. Since theres a famous drink, I should taste it. The Contract says its mild for humans, and if I take a sip, Ill be able to tell people from here that I know exactly what theyre talking about if they ever mention the riverside pavilion.

You dont have to explain your reasons.

My reasons are my notes. You know I ended up talking about sermuntha juice with Grand Senator Servin-ith? Little things matter. Ill taste the food, too.

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