I Stopped Simping and the Heroines Lost Their Minds

Arthur woke up much later than he intended. The guest bed was an absolute wreck, the sheets hopelessly tangled and the blankets half off the mattress. He reached blindly for his shirt, only to spot it crumpled on the floor on the opposite side of the room.

Emily was already gone.

Arthur got dressed, collected the rest of his scattered things, and opened the door. The guest wing corridor immediately offered evidence that the rest of the household had been awake and functioning for hours.

Nessa was standing a few doors down, directing a junior staff member who was stacking leather travel bags onto a small cart. Arthur looked at the pile.

"Why are there three?"

Nessa checked the strap on the top bag. "Ask Lady Seraphina."

Arthur immediately stopped asking.

The junior staff member pushed the cart toward the front of the house. Once the corridor was empty, Nessa reached into her apron pocket and held out a slightly bent metal hairpin.

Arthur looked at it. "That isn’t mine."

"I had gathered that."

She didn’t ask questions. She simply placed it in his palm and turned to continue her rounds. Arthur caught her around the waist before she could step away and pulled her back against him.

Nessa gave him a familiar, dry look. "People are waiting for you."

"They can survive thirty seconds."

He kissed her, one hand settling at her waist before slipping lower. Nessa kissed him back for a moment, then caught his wrist before he got any further and pulled it away.

She stepped back and smoothed her apron. "Try not to destroy another guest room before you return."

Arthur glanced back toward the bedroom door. "That sounds more like Emily’s fault."

"Of course." Nessa shook her head and walked down the corridor, her expression already shifting back into perfect professionalism.

Arthur reached the dining room to find Kael already arguing with Adrian while Seraphina sorted through enough supply lists to outfit a small military expedition.

Gareth looked up from his coffee. "Heading straight back to the academy?"

"Not yet," Arthur said, taking the empty chair beside Emily. "I’ve still got time before I need to be back. I’ll head east for now and see what’s worth doing on the way."

Kael leaned forward. "So you’re wandering around."

"I prefer flexible planning."

"He means wandering around," Emily told her brother.

Arthur reached for a piece of bread. "I liked my version better."

Adrian pushed his empty plate away and looked across the table. "Are you keeping up with the dagger while you travel?"

"I’m not giving up the bow," Arthur said. "I just don’t want everything that gets close to me to automatically become somebody else’s problem."

Adrian gave a short nod. "Keep the basics sharp."

Gareth finished his coffee and set the cup down. "Don’t rely on the elixir."

Arthur glanced toward Kael. "He’s already thrown me onto the floor enough times to make that clear."

"You’re welcome," Kael said.

Gareth ignored him.

Seraphina finally set her pen down and handed a list to a waiting servant. Arthur looked at the sheer volume of provisions she had apparently packed into the three bags. He tried to point out that he was only one person traveling a relatively populated route.

Seraphina ignored the protest completely. "Bring the containers back next time."

Arthur caught the phrasing. He glanced at Emily.

Emily smiled into her cup and took a slow sip.

"Come back stronger, brother-in-law," Kael offered cheerfully.

Emily kicked him hard under the table, and the breakfast conversation quickly dissolved right back into an argument.

The family vehicle was idling near the front steps, ready to take Arthur as far as the nearest regional transport city before turning back toward the Thorne estate.

The staff finished loading the last of the bags into the back.

Arthur stood near the open door with Emily, taking a few minutes away from the rest of the family on the steps.

Emily crossed her arms. "You actually don’t know where you’re going, do you?"

"I know the general direction."

"That’s not the same thing."

Arthur smiled. "It’s close enough."

Emily bumped her shoulder against his. "Answer your messages."

"You’re really not letting that go."

"No."

Arthur pulled her in and kissed her without caring who was moving around the courtyard. Emily kissed him back just as hard, her hands settling against his chest.

When she finally pulled away, she reached up and squeezed his bicep once.

Arthur gave her a look. "Again?"

"Last check," Emily said. She patted his arm. "Acceptable."

"Yesterday it was inconclusive."

Emily grinned. "I collected more data."

She stepped back and pointed toward the open vehicle door. "Get in before Kael starts shouting."

Adrian gave Arthur one last reminder about the dagger while Seraphina checked the luggage with Nessa. Kael, meanwhile, was still talking about their next match as though Arthur hadn’t even left yet.

Gareth stepped forward and offered his hand. Arthur took it, meeting the older man’s grip in a firm forearm clasp.

"Thank you for having me," Arthur said, looking toward Seraphina.

"You survived," Seraphina noted.

"Barely," Kael added from the steps.

Emily told her brother to shut up, and Arthur laughed as he climbed into the back of the vehicle.

The engine rumbled, and the car pulled smoothly away from the compound. Arthur looked out the rear window as they reached the gates. Kael was still talking, gesturing toward the road. Arthur couldn’t hear the words anymore, but Emily’s expression suggested another threat of physical violence had just been made.

Arthur smiled and settled back into the leather seat.

Arthur watched the Thorne gates disappear behind the trees and settled deeper into the seat. With Emily staying behind, the entire rear compartment suddenly felt much larger than it had on the journey there.

He stretched his legs into the empty space opposite him and turned toward the window.

For the first time in weeks, nobody was waiting for him anywhere before dinner.

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