Page 34 of Wings of War

Instead, he had stayed here with a group that wasn’t about to do anything more sketchy than drink too many sodas.

There was a pause. Then Tiny crossed his large muscular arms. “The Outpost is a culturally and historically significant site. For humans, trolls, and elves. The events there began the Alliance.”

Fieran shifted, his ears going even more red as he hunched as if hoping the others wouldn’t remember him.

But Stickyfingers turned to him, his eyes widening. “Oh, right. They’re your parents.”

Right. Pip grimaced. She had forgotten that, for a moment. The reason she’d always wanted to go to the Outpost Museum was that it was the location where Prince Farrendel and Princess Elspeth had been married nearly seventy years ago in the wake of the first treaty forming an alliance between the elves of Tarenhiel and the humans of Escarland. That event started the whole cascade of events that eventually led to Kostaria, Tarenhiel, and Escarland becoming the Alliance Kingdoms.

Even now, the Outpost Museum had an exhibit that featured Princess Elspeth’s and Prince Farrendel’s wedding attire from the second elven wedding they had in Estyra.

But Pip could understand how seeing his parents’ wedding immortalized in a museum might be uncomfortable for Fieran.

“We don’t have to go, if you don’t want to.” Pip had to tip her head back to look at Fieran’s face. She edged back a few inches so that she didn’t have to crane her neck quite so uncomfortably. “I can go a different time.”

Fieran sighed, then shook his head. “No, let’s go. I’ll be fine. It isn’t like we won’t be tripping over monuments to my family members no matter where we go in Bridgetown.”

“I think that might be a statue of your uncle King Rharreth over there.” Speaking for the first time, Merrik pointed toward the end of the street, where a statue gazed north toward a row of stone buildings.

“You’re not helping.” Fieran scowled and crossed his arms.

Pip stifled her laugh, even as she joined the others in peering in the direction of the statue, which did indeed appear to be a stately troll warrior regally gazing toward the north.

Yep, she’d definitely made the right call in joining this group. It was like hanging out with a whole gang of brothers. Not that her attraction to Fieran was sisterly, but she could push that aside to be just a friend to all of them.

“And…” A grin played across Merrik’s face, banishing that severe look. “Fort Linder is named after the island where your parents met.”

Fieran groaned and rubbed his temple. “The island was where both the first and second alliance treaties were signed. I’m sure that’s the reason the fort was named Fort Linder. Not my parents’ first meeting.”

“Uh-huh. Sure it was. It was not like your uncles General Ardon and King Averett were sitting down figuring out the name for the new fort when the old outpost was closed down.” Merrik’s grin took on the edge of a smirk. “And we both know how sentimental King Averett is.”

Pip glanced between Fieran and Merrik. It was so strange to hear them casually joking about such high-ranking generals and kings. But to them, those kings were people they’d actually met, not just a face on a coin or glimpsed at a distance while peering over a fence in Estyra.

Fieran glanced from her to Stickyfingers, Tiny, Pretty Face, and Lije, who gaped at Fieran with various levels of awe. Fieran scowled. “And now you’ve reminded everyone of just how annoyingly famous all my relatives are. Guys, I’m still me. I’m not uppity or anything.”

“How did you manage to turn out so…not spoiled rotten?” Pip shook herself. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t known exactly who Fieran was related to the moment he’d said his last name when she first met him.

“Well, he is kind of spoiled.” Merrik’s smirk grew. “Just not spoiled rotten.”

Fieran rolled his eyes, then jabbed a finger at Merrik. “Don’t say another word.”

Merrik grinned back, then turned toward the main road. “Do we want to see this museum or not?”

Pip hurried to fall into step with Fieran. If they were going to see the Outpost Museum, then she wasn’t about to miss out.

Chapter

Twelve

With Pip trotting along at his side, Fieran trailed after Merrik as they wound their way through the familiar streets of Bridgetown.

Along their walk, Merrik oh-so-helpfully pointed out all the monuments and historical plaques along the way. There was the statue of Uncle Rharreth at the end of the stone buildings, which had been the homes for the troll workers when the Alliance Bridge was built. That workers’ camp had developed into the city as it was now. The statue of Uncle Averett at the end of the Alliance Bridge faced a similar statue of Uncle Weylind across the way on Tarenhiel’s side of the river.

Of course Merrik would pick this morning as the moment to come out of his shell and show off the humor he hid beneath.

They boarded a trolley and rode that through the streets of Bridgetown until they got off at the stop near the base of a broad, grassy hill. At the top of the hill, a wooden stockade fort overlooked the Hydalla River. A few of the older style historical cannons perched on the corners.

Paths meandered over the grassy hill and along the bank of the river. A few trees had been allowed to grow to form shady spots, creating a place of peace in the bustling city. Several people jogged along the paths, ignoring the museum on the hill.

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