“Have you ever considered having a surname?”
Galyn looked up from what he was doing. Admittedly, Galyn wasn’t doing much. He was just happily stuffing his face with a bowl of mash, gravy and soft meat. It had been a long day of guard duty and cleaning, and Galyn was finally relaxing.
“A what?”
Sitting next to Galyn was Vikalos, one of his partners. Vikalos had also been working hard, but he had been doing office work and a handful of purifications. Admittedly, Vikalos rarely did guard duty, he rarely needed to because the Thantir had plenty of staff now. Galyn had only done guard duty today because he fancied a change.
“A surname.”
Galyn turned to face Vikalos. Vikalos wasn’t eating anything but he was sipping a beer.
“I don’t have a surname. I’m a Beh’enu. We don’t have surnames.”
“Some of you do. The Great Blades do.”
Galyn grunted. “Only the best of the best have surnames. You have to earn one. And that surname has to be given to you by a Mother.”
Vikalos shrugged, then sipped some more of his beer. Galyn wondered how much Vikalos had had to drink so far.
“And you are not among the best of the best?”
“What?”
“You are one of the best, as far as I’m concerned.”
Galyn sighed. “I appreciate the thought, but, well, when it comes to everyone else, I am among the worst. Especially since most Beh’evok are part of the Phantai, and even those Beh’ens outside of the Phantai know that I essentially ruined everything.”
“Ruined everything?” Vikalos tutted. “You did no such thing!”
“That is what other Beh’ens think. Everyone knows that I convinced a soon-to-be Black Blade to leave the Phantai, to run away completely. Sure, we formed a new sect, but other Beh’ens don’t care about that, they only care that I tricked Itaviir into leaving. I mean, most folks don’t even know my name, I am just “the Deceiver”. People at least know Itaviir’s name, even if they call him “Itaviir the Betrayer” or “Itaviir the Abandoner”. I am only the “Deceiver” and nothing more.”
“Surely we can change that though?” Vikalos asked. “I mean, you have done far, far more than just leave the Phantai. You formed your own sect, you survived the Ancient Collector and we helped blow up the Diamond. We have done plenty.”
“Sure, I have, but that just means “the Deceiver helped blow up the Diamond” instead of “Galyn helped blow up the Diamond”. Heck, most people do not even know my real name. If they do know me, I am Leafblade.”
Vikalos thought for a moment, then grunted. “How do we change that?”
“I don’t know. I really don’t know. But in all honesty? I stopped caring a long time ago. I know I’m essentially an exiled Beh’en. I have no problem with that because I know I did the right thing, I know that I have done great things and I know that I am, well, better. I shouldn’t let strangers get in my way.”
“That is understandable, but you deserve better.”
“I have what I need, mostly. Especially since I am not alone. I have you and Itaviir. I have friends and a sect that cares. I even know other Beh’ens that actually like me. Fengar willingly talks to me and wants to spend time with me occasionally, and I am no longer kill on sight when it comes to the Phantai…” Galyn trailed off, lost in his own head for a moment. “Hang on, why are you asking me about surnames? You know most Beh’ens don’t have surnames.”
Vikalos shrugged. “I just think you should have a surname. You have done enough to earn one.”
“Even if I have, it doesn’t matter. We don’t have a Mother around here to facilitate that.”
“We… literally know three of the Final Mother’s kids. Two of them are members of the Thantir.”
“Uh…” Galyn paused. “That… that is a good point. But I don’t know if other Beh’ens accept Phovos as a Mother.”
“Maybe not Phovos, probably not Elkay-En since he presents as male, but the Phantai have met Sini, they are well aware she is also a daughter of Kinisis, maybe they’d accept you getting a surname if Sini gave it to you.”
“I… I guess? But even then, I don’t think anyone would accept it. Also, I am beginning to wonder if you have some ulterior motive here.”
Vikalos didn’t reply at first.
“There is something you want.”
“There is, yes.”
Galyn grunted. “But you are not telling me what you want.”
Another long pause. Galyn sighed, then took the silence as an opportunity to eat more food. As he did so, he watched Vikalos take larger and larger glugs of his drink, up until he finished the bottle off and got up to get another beer. Vikalos wasn’t gone for very long though, and came back with two bottles of beer, handing one to Galyn.
“I didn’t want alcohol, but thanks…” Galyn grunted some more. “What do you actually want? Because you are being rather coy right now.”
Vikalos grunted back. “What I want is stupid.”
“Do you want me, in bed, or something? We are always rather awkward when we want romance.”
“No… I… I want something more than that.”
“More than physical intimacy?”
Vikalos glanced around, to check to see who was nearby. The only person close by was Elkay, who had fallen asleep on a nearby bench with a bottle of water in his hand, after having done one of his many blood donations for a rather awkward purification. Galyn noticed that Vikalos was quite focused on Elkay.
“You want something rather specific.”
“I do, yes.”
“You…” Galyn hesitated, glanced at Elkay, then turned back to Vikalos. “You… want to get married? You want to marry Itaviir and I in some sort of official manner?”
Vikalos sighed, then nodded. “I do, yes.”
“Huh.”
Vikalos sighed, clearly feeling embarrassed, waiting for Galyn to respond. But after a moment, Galyn just shrugged.
“We should ask Itaviir, see what he thinks.”
“You are not angry?”
Galyn smiled as he finished his food then got up. “Not at all. Come on, dear. We have things to talk about…”