Some time had passed. Heron's father's health was somewhat improved, but it had been becoming obvious that he never would be at full capability again.
The doctors said that it would be best if the king was not allowed to stress much. In other words… he should retire. That way he could live longer and actually see his children's children.
Heron's father did not agree at first. He turned away with a sigh, looking faintly troubled. Before everyone left though he whispered, "Come talk to me later, son."
Heron nodded, "Rest well…father."
It was hard seeing him like this. Even if he didn't agree with his father on everything he still loved him. He'd done his best to be a good father.
To get his mind off of it Heron went to meet with Luth. He'd been getting more in touch with this club over the past weeks and while he had not been invited to any meetings they were really starting to trust him.
Though Luth still seemed to not want to get close to him, but he wasn't sure what was up with that.
Luth was off duty at the moment. Heron found the young knight sitting in an out of the way sitting room, poring over a paper, one leg dangling towards the ground and the other on the seat. His arm rested on his knee as he held the paper.
Once again though, Heron was struck by the fact that for a knight Luth was incredibly slender. Even slenderer than he was, and Heron was considered very small for an Amrielian boy. Poor knight was probably teased a lot. Probably didn't help that instead of handsome, Luth's face could have been described as pretty.
"Am I interrupting?" Heron asked from the doorway.
"What did you need, my prince?" Luth gave him the polite smile he always did. One that clearly said, I'll listen to you but don't try to get close to me. Heron had no idea what made this knight so prickly.
"I was wondering if you might be able to finally answer me when I ask just how many knights belong to your club?"
"…Mmm. I don't think I'm supposed to tell you yet." Luth tched.
"Also…what exactly is it that your club usually does? In meetings?"
He was met with only silence. It was frustrating that even though he was winning trust they wouldn't confide even this much to him.
Finally, though Luth sighed, "We have deep discussions about how magic doesn't make someone a terrible person." It wasn't much of an answer really, but from Luth it was pretty good of one. Seeing as the guy seemed to dislike having prolonged conversations with Heron.
So Heron accepted it as the best he was getting right at this moment.
"Fine. Any more ideas your club has come up with that you need my aid for?"
Luth shook his head, "Nothing new, I'm afraid. Though we have some good news. We keep an eye on trends, and there seems a growing trend of people not speaking quite so much against magic. Its gone down from mass hysteria at the very mention of any magic being here to a mixed ranged of reactions. Some people even show suppressed curiosity."
"That is good. I guess." It was a start at the very least.
"If the laws were changed, it might be easier. As it is, no one really speaks in favor of it." Luth said with one of his shrugs.
"I wonder how easy it would be to change the laws."
"You'd have over half the knight force backing you up at least." Luth said. "We are loyal to the royal family after all."
"Even if you have started up an illegal group." Heron couldn't help the joke.
"Well, loyalty has limits." Luth shrug, "If a rule, or social custom is stupid, why keep it?"
Heron had to keep from snorting. That seemed like a very Jarenkul sort of philosophy. Well, not quite as far as Jarenkul went, but still.
He bid Luth a good day and left. He spent the rest of the day having a bit of blessed solitude, only emerging at dinner time. After dinner, a servant came and told him that his father wished to speak to him.