'Rage, Orin!'

I awoke with a startled yell, my trembling hands rising up to stop an unseen blow. Lights danced across my vision, the memory of my dream still hanging heavy over my head as the last vestiges of it burst across my sight.

I thought I glimpsed the Queen of Venos. Gida looked to be on her knees, the marks of battle clear on her body as she cried tears into a land stripped of life. The King held her tightly, his own cheeks wet as he spoke into her ear.

Then, as quickly as it appeared, I blinked and it was gone. The knowledge of my nightmare fled soon after and I frowned into the dark, my breathing fast and uneven as I tried recall what had just occurred, but found myself unable to do so.

I sat up in our bed, one constructed with blankets of rough wool. Uncomfortable, true, but they were thick and warm enough. We may need to shed them soon considering the increasingly warm weather. I ran a hand through my damp hair, scraping it back against my skull, my fingers brushing against my scar as I did so. A tremble ran through my hand. I couldn't remember the dream beyond seeing Gida's face, but the emotion had stuck with me. I had been afraid. So afraid that the terror seemed a step away from killing me. To wake from such a thing was both a blessing and curse. I wished I could return to sleep, to see what had frightened me so, but I knew I may not enjoy what I saw.

“Are you alright?”

The whispered words were lightly spoken but hearing her voice was enough to settle my frayed nerves. I turned to my Princess, who stared up at me from her place wrapped in the blanket. She wore a small,comforting smile on her face, her golden eyes filled with worry. Her tangled blonde hair was a mess, one which I knew she would never abide beyond the entrance of our makeshift dwelling, but I found made her look all the more beautiful.

I lowered myself back down next to her gently, turning my head so our noses near touched and sighed as I felt her hands upon my chest and face. She had a tendency to trace the line of silver that ran through my right eye, a habit which seemed to soothe the pain it exuded after my troublesome slumber.

“I am now.” I said just as softly, moving closer still until I could see nothing but her. Elora's closeness helped me to forget.

“Very smooth, my love,” My Princess pressed her lips to the side of my mouth before retreating quickly with a smirk, “But you won't get out of talking about this one. What was it? Leila again?”

I flushed, my cheeks touched by embarrassment. It had been more than a little disturbing the first time it happened. On the road to Dunwellen I had slept like a child with Elora in my arms each night. Now I found myself waking wildly almost every time I closed my eyes. Memories of the past coming back to haunt me, though why now I couldn't say. I hadn't had this many since I was a child. Elora was always holding me when I awoke, my night terrors pulling her from a restful sleep. She didn't seem to mind and had only rolled her eyes when I said I could find somewhere else to rest my head, gripping onto me tighter as though to stop me from fleeing.

“I don't really know,” I frowned as I closed my eye, trying to see if I could glean any detail from the fading vision, “I'm pretty sure I saw the Queen, though I have no idea why.”

“Dreaming of my mother? Okay, now I'm very concerned,” Elora grinned as she stroked my hair, “That certainly explains some of things you were muttering.”

“What did I say?” I asked with a raised brow.

“You kept talking about black hair... and something about a sovereign?” Elora shivered then, her leg moving over to press against my own, “You sounded so afraid, Orin. It wasn't... you don't think it was...”

I knew what Elora was getting at: When Gida had held me suspended in the air by the throat. Her clawed fingers, garbed in black metal, digging into my flesh. I shook my head immediately. I knew that Elora blamed herself. She had failed to pry me free from her mother's grasp and that still hung over her head like a black cloud. I didn't need to add more distress by telling her I was dreaming about it, even if I wasn't sure either way.

I wasn't the only one who had nightmares.

“No, that wasn't it,” I said with a shrug, shaking off the last vestiges of sleep, “It was just the past, I know it was. Dregs returning to haunt me. I'm sure they'll stop as soon as we can sleep in a real bed.”

“Oh?” Elora replied coyly, “Is that what you would like to do when we finally spend some time in a real bed. Sleep?”

I near growled at her tone, my desires rising as my hands moved around to her back, slowly making their way down, “Oh no. I can think of a hundred different things I would much rather do than sleep.”

“Uh huh,” Elora moaned huskily as my mouth found her neck, her fingers running across my chest and back. I pulled away to press my lips against the Princess', to feel the flick of her tongue on mine as I lost myself to the feel of her body. The fact that only a thin tunic stood between me and bare skin caused my soul to flare.

Then the sound of a pot hitting the ground and a curse caused me to stop. I closed my eye and begged whoever it was to shut the fuck up, to return to bed, but I knew it was futile. Day was breaking, sunlight already shining dimly through the thin canvas of our tent and with it came the awakening of our small group.

I groaned into Elora's shoulder before sitting up on my elbows and aiming a furious glare at the flap to the outside world. I was almost positive that I was going to kill whoever had ruined the moment. Honestly, I was past caring about our travelling companions hearing us at this point, but I knew that Elora felt differently. While my Princess wanted to consummate our marriage as much as I did, she didn't want to do it on the side of the road and I understood that. It became harder and harder every night when I lay down beside her, but I still understood.

The sound of laughter pulled me back from my own nebulous thoughts and returned my focus to the beautiful, almost naked Princess. Elora had laid her head back down and proceeded to pull the blanket up until it covered her mouth, her golden eyes sparkling with mirth as she took in my reaction.

“I'm glad one of us can laugh about this.” I huffed.

“Whose fault was it that we were chased out of the last town?” Elora asked sarcastically. I could see the grin on her face despite it being hidden from view. It was as plain as day to me, “Oh yes, that was you, my love.”

“Well, I can't really say anything to that,” I grumbled, yanking her free from her blankets and eliciting a yelp of delight from my Princess as I pulled her into my arms, “Won't stop me from being bitter about it.”

“Please don't stop,” Elora said, kissing me on the nose lightly, “I quite enjoy seeing you like this.”

“I'm sure you do.” I smiled, “Though it won't be for long. I hope you are enjoying these peaceful nights of sleep while they last, Princess. That'll be changing as soon as I can manage it.”

“Promises, my Knight,” Elora's face nearly glowed as her eyes stared at my chest, “If you're not careful, I'll start holding you to them. We reach Yelmora tonight...”

“See that you do,” I said before a sigh of pain left my lips, “I suppose I should rise anyway. Boldrin will be waiting to begin training.”

Elora winced at that, her fingers smoothing down my hair, “I really do wish he would take it a little easier on you. Even Tessa gives me breaks.”

I thought the chances of that unlikely.

It had been over a week since Boldrin had joined our little band and he'd stayed true to his word, working me over harder than anything I had ever experienced with the Brigade. I didn't even have peace while travelling. There was always something to do, something to learn. Even with Tessa Healing me to improve her own skills, my bones and muscles were still soaked with fatigue at the end of each day. I was usually asleep as soon as my head hit my makeshift pillow. My body was beginning to feel like one large bruise at this point.

But the results were undeniable.

I felt sharper than I ever had. Under Boldrin's tutelage I was finally moving forward with the sword, a skill that had stagnated after my return to Myrin. The man was an absolute beast, more so than I had initially thought, and his energy seemed boundless. He would train me to the point of exhaustion before also sparring with Elora, Tessa, and Vera. My Smiths did well in their fights, especially Tess, but they proved about as effective as me against the giant. Even Vera had to throw everything she had with the glaive against the man. It was something that I thought I would never see: Vera pushed to her limits.

He even trained with Alden , though those particular sessions seemed to be charged with some kind of history. If I had to guess, it was something to do with Tess. Both of them had played their parts in sending my Smith to her fate. Tessa had told me that Alden wasn't happy about handing her over to a brutish sell-sword and I could sense his hatred for my commander when they fought. There was something else there, though. Like me, Alden was reserving plenty of ill-feeling for himself, for the role he played.

Thinking of my savage Smith made me smile and I subtly looked within, towards the golden thread that connected us. My smile widened to a grin as I felt her probing its length. She liked to do this in the mornings, I'd noticed. It was almost as if she was checking to make sure it was still there. I also knew she was trying to hide her perusal from me. Her touch had become gentler since we had left Myrin, but I was quickly becoming accustomed to it. I send a swift pulse over the Bond, my version of saying 'good morning'. I had gotten better at it over the last few days. As always, I felt Tess' panic at being discovered before her touch retreated and the Bond returned to its usual state. I chuckled to myself and waited. After a few seconds, she sent a returning acknowledgement. It was clumsy compared to mine but that was to be expected considering the practice I'd had with Elora. It contained a lot of hesitation and unease, so I sent a final message of comfort before returning to the waking world.

“Is Tessa awake?” Elora asked. I must have been gone longer than I thought because she had taken advantage of my distraction and managed to get dressed, running a comb through her hair as she gazed at a small mirror propped on her meagre pile of belongings.

“She is,” I replied with a yawn, getting to my feet and stretching as best I could under the restricting ceiling of our tent. “She says hello.”

Elora smiled, “Will you let her know I'll be out in a moment? I just need to fix my hair.”

Elora and Tess had a standing agreement to meet every morning for practice while I worked with Boldrin. I wasn't the only one who had been improving in regards to combat. Elora had begun to look like an actual fighter, her form and strength improving by the day. She had yet to best Tess, or land a single blow, but she was getting better and I couldn't be prouder of her.

“You know, I don't think I'll ever understand why you fix your hair before you practice,” I said, watching my Princess fondly, “You're just going to tie it up before you leave anyway.”

“That's not the point, Orin. Being presentable is very important. I am a Princess!” She winked to show she wasn't serious, “I just like to be ready for anything.”

“Even impromptu arrivals in court?”

“Exactly!” Elora nodded earnestly.

I couldn't help myself and leaned over to kiss my Princess on the cheek. She was quite adorable when she acted like this, “I'll be outside awaiting your arrival, your Highness.”

I stepped into my boots, feeling no need to change my breeches, and threw my tunic over my shoulder before walking through the tent flap and into the wide open world beyond.

We had passed the border into the Yelesi Republic four days ago, making good time by cutting through Gel'mardin. It had been Boldrin's idea to do so and Vera agreed. With the trouble he and I had caused in the small town of Arn, it was wise to get as far away as possible, even if Samuel was still some way from catching us. It had shaved nearly five whole days off our trip. Sure, we had to pass through the relatively cluttered woodlands of the east, but Gel'mardin was hardly Estalin and nowhere near as heavily forested. It had actually been quite nice to be so immersed in nature again. It had taken the bite from my rigorous training schedule.

The Republic was much smaller than Venos, less than a third its size on a map to be exact. But of the four countries in this part of the world, it was definitely the richest. Their iron was famous across the continent and was used across all of Ouros. Boldrin told me that the reason their metal was so valuable was that it took particularly well to Inscription and was even used in the armour of the Vigilant.

The heat was also beginning to rise the further east we travelled. Gone were the climbs of Venos with its cold winds and winters, we were entering the enlightened realm of eternal summer, where the sun always seemed to be hanging above our heads.

Spirit, how I hated it.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the sunshine as much as anyone else, but I was native to Myrin and the cold had always been somewhat comforting to me.

Our surroundings were also changing. Gone were the rolling hills and mountainous heights of my homeland, replaced by the flats and warm breezes of the Republic's western border. We had been camping in the rugged terrain, away from any wandering eyes and curious ears. The mercenary commander's knowledge of his home country was quite extensive and he continued to prove his worth by showing us the less travelled and faster paths through Yeles. They were harder on the horses at times, but the days of travel we were saving as a result were worth the risk to our mounts. Boldrin and Vera had decided that today we would be joining the Red Road, an unbroken line of crimson soil that ran from west to east. If all went well we would blend in with the crowds and reach the capital of Yelmora, seat of the Senate, by tonight. I had never been to Yelmora, though I had seen it once from a distance and couldn't wait to do so again. The city marked the main line of defence against invasion from Fero. The small Kingdom to the north was something of an arch-enemy of the Republic, their invasions near annual at this point, though I was unsure if the Ferosian King actually wanted any of their resources or instead just wanted to sharpen his warriors through combat. He had sent his own son, Maric, for just such a reason. The very same where I had gained my famous scar.

Upon our arrival in Yelmora, the plan was to gain passage on a ferry further east along the River Lith towards Hostor, a port city, where we would secure passage to the Eastern Islands. If everything went as planned that is, though considering my record I doubted that would be the case. Nothing was ever easy where I was concerned. I was just counting my blessings, glad Yelmora was so close to border and we were moving so quickly toward our destination.

“By the Spirit,” The whispered exclamation came from behind me and I turned to face the voice, finding the tall, scholarly figure of Deirdric staring at me with wide eyes, clutching a small bundle of cloth in his hands.

I was confused for a moment as to his expression until I realised that my tunic was still over my shoulder and my scars were on display. I could understand his reaction. Even the hardened veterans of the Brigade had been taken aback upon seeing them for the first time. Now that I thought about it, the only one who didn't seem the least bit shaken by them was Tessa. But then she had seen them before, fresh and recently inflicted when we were both little.

“Something I can help you with, Deirdric?” I asked the man with a frown. Communication had improved over the past week or so, with me trading a few words with the Ragoran Knight and Smith, but having him openly stare at my scars without the slightest hint of shame was making me more than a little uncomfortable.

Thankfully, the Smith managed to pull himself together, his eyes rising to meet mine as he bowed his head once contritely, “Forgive me, Lord Orin. I have heard your title before, but I honestly thought it referred to the scar over your eye. My apologies for staring.”

“Impressive, aren't they?” The voice of Vera came from a few feet away, the woman already in the process of pulling down her tent. Annabelle stood nearby over the fire as she did most mornings and nights. I truly hadn't expected a Lady of Annabelle's stature to possess such an affinity for cooking but she could make even the simplest of meals palatable. I was appreciating her food more and more as the days dragged on. Heston was better, but then it was his job and he was good at it. I smiled at the memory of his famous chicken broth. Tessa was sitting on the grass near Annabelle, watching the First Smith work, “I first saw them on stage when he fought Craven, bare chested and sword in hand. Apparently bards are already composing songs of you in Myrin, Orin.”

I snorted at that and rolled my eye before pulling my tunic on. I was long past the point of feeling ashamed of my scars, but I didn't like flaunting them either. I knew they had the ability to make some people uncomfortable. “If it's all the same, I'd much rather they didn't.”

“May I ask how you received the ones on your back?” Deirdric asked, though he seemed to regret the question almost as soon it left his lips, “They seem rather... excessive.”

My expression darkened, “Doesn't matter much anymore. Tess ensured that what happened to me wouldn't happen to anyone else.”

Deirdric paled and Alden, standing near his horse, immediately looked over at his former ward, conflict in his eyes. I ignored the both of them and walked up to Tessa, taking a seat next to her in the grass with a yawn.

“Morning,” Tess said softly. She looked tired and scooted a little closer to me until the tips of our elbows touched, her arms wrapped around her legs.

“Good morning,” I replied, “Elora said she'll be out in a moment for training.”

Tessa nodded but she didn't reply, too busy staring at Annabelle and her deft movements, “Hoping to learn something?”

My savage Smith nodded intensely, “I just realised that I don't know how to cook. I never felt I needed to before. We always had Heston. I'm beginning to realise it's a valuable skill to have.”

“I came to the same conclusion when I was about your age,” Annabelle said as she added a sprig of some plant to the pot, “Vera and I were very busy upon our return to Venos after graduating from the Hall. We seemed to be somewhere new everyday and we didn't always stay in an inn. Vera has a sensitive stomach and can't just eat anything, so I decided to learn for her sake.”

“Oh, don't tell them that, Annie,” Vera grumbled, her deft fingers pulling apart their tent with ease.

Annabelle smirked as she stared at her sister, “It's true. Remember the rabbit? Vera managed to catch-”

“They don't need to know that either!” Vera interrupted before she could finish, panic on her face, “We're the First Knight and Smith of Venos, we can't have our juniors thinking less of us.”

“You, you mean?”

“If it makes you feel better, dearest sister, then yes.” Vera replied sharply, though the humour that danced in her eyes made me believe she was far from serious.

There was something incredibly endearing about seeing the sisters squabble, their playful back and forth did much to raise my spirits while on the road. It even almost made me forget about the fact they had tried to kill me.

Almost.

“Anyway, there are more important topics to discuss than your eating habits,” Annabelle said to her sister before turning to Tess with a gentle smile. “Did you have any luck last night?”

The mercenary squirmed uncomfortably, the movement bringing her closer to me, “None. I just can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.”

“Your Weapon?” I asked, already knowing it was the case. As the days passed we had improved by much, but Tessa was still finding it near impossible to bring her Weapon into existence.

Tess nodded, biting her lip gently as she stared off into space, “I've tried everything at this point. Elora's been trying to help me, but the Forging of a Weapon is a personal thing. I just don't think my reason for bringing it out is good enough.”

“Not true,” Annabelle shook her head, “I believe your Idea is sound. The problem right now is the pressure you are putting on yourself to Forge it. The harder you try the more it will escape your reach. It requires time and you've been Bonded for all of three weeks.”

“I've known what I was going to Forge for Orin since I was seven years old,” Tessa replied bitterly, “I don't think it's a case of time. Elora Forged Rionna when her Bond was as old as mine.”

“Ah, but your forgetting just how strong Orin and Elora's Bond was after Forging in combat,” Annabelle explained, her patient tone soothing, “And the fact that Rionna herself was created in a desperate situation. Many books on Smithing state that Forging a Weapon even a month into Bonding is nothing to worry about.”

Tessa glanced at me out of the corner of her eye, the doubt on her face as clear to me as the sky, “I should be better.”

I nudged my Smith gently, my brows furrowed. I reached within myself and touched the thread that was my Eye, activating it with ease. A crackle of thunder followed as the wind whipped up around me, pulling at my tunic. My right lid lifted to reveal my summoned sight. I stared at her through the Storm. “And you believe you're not? Tessa, you created a Gift for me that has never been seen on Ouros. Storm is fucking incredible and so are you. Don't doubt that for even a second and don't believe that I would think anything else.”

Tessa's cheeks flushed as she looked at the whirlwind of storm clouds and lightning that was my right Eye. The smallest of smiles touched her lips as she nodded once, her uneven hair falling forward to cover her grey eyes.

“Good,” I said, brokering no argument as I dismissed my Storm Sight, “You're my Smith, Tessa. I don't care if it takes ten years to Forge a Weapon, the fact that I can call you that is enough.”

Annabelle was watching me with a smile, approval and pride in her eyes as she examined the two of us, “Now, breakfast is almost ready but-”

I dove to the side, instincts screaming as the whistle of wood passed where my head was a moment before. I rolled across the dirt and jumped to my feet, spinning in place as I lifted my arms to block the next blow I knew would be coming. Boldrin's training sword smashed against my forearms. I felt the bone in my arms bend from the sheer pressure of it, the sharp stab of pain making me wince but it wasn't enough to make me hesitate. I threw myself forward and aimed a punch at the grizzled, bearded face of my mentor.

Boldrin grinned and avoided the blow with ease, throwing another casual attack with his sword that smashed into my ribs with tremendous force. I cursed and fell back as I grasped my right side with a hiss. I avoided the next two blows, skittering on the back foot as I tried to create some distance but I was just playing further into his hands.

With a sudden blur of motion his make-shift blade collided with the side of my head and sent me to the ground. I would have voided my stomach if I had the ability to do so. I wheezed as I jumped to my feet, glaring at the giant man who twirled his weapon and whistled at me insultingly.

“Where's your sword, boy? That was pathetic.” Boldrin said with a shake of his head.

“I haven't had the time to grab one, boss,” I sighed and touched the side of my head, pulling it away to reveal blood. I wasn't too surprised. Boldrin held back in our training, but not by much. I was beginning to curse the fact that I possessed the Gift of Healing, “I woke up five minutes ago.”

“No excuse, lad,” Boldrin stated, “You said you wanted to get better and this is how you do it. Someone like Samuel isn't gonna wait till you're ready. He'll just attack.”

“Aye, I know,” I grumbled as Tessa approached me, glaring at Boldrin as she brushed by him. Without a word she grabbed my hand and Etherin took hold, turning my savage Smith to light as she sank into my skin. I felt the cool wave of Healing soon after, followed by the uncomfortable feeling of it spreading through my skin and mending my minor injuries. Say what you want about Boldrin's training methods but it was giving Tess plenty of practice with controlling Aurum. Besides, he was right. I hadn't been aware of my surroundings and deserved the pain that came with the lesson, “Care to try now?”

Boldrin barked out a booming laugh that I'm sure could be heard miles away, “While you can move like a bloody hurricane? No thanks, lad. I ain't in a hurry to be laid up again. I could probably give it a shot if I still had my Inscribed gear, but they took that away when I left the Vigilants.”

“Could it really let you match a Knight?” I asked curiously, more to take my mind off the tingling pinch of the Healing Gift than anything else.

“Aye, though it didn't do as much as you'd think,” Boldrin shrugged, “Made us a little stronger, a little faster and our weapons could cut through Armour given enough strength behind them, but it was less than even the weakest of Knights. That's why we worked in teams.”

Tessa emerged only a moment later, a sheen of sweat on her brow though she looked a lot better than she had even two weeks ago, “All done. Your forearms were cracked and it wasn't easy to heal. Well, not for me. Elora could've done that in her sleep.”

“Thanks, Tess,” I said with a smile as I picked up a random branch from the ground. The foliage was becoming scarcer the further east we travelled but there was still plenty to choose from, “Guess I should get on with this.”

Just as I said that, Elora emerged from our tent, her hair tied up as expected and ready to begin her own training. Tessa nodded to me and walked over to my Princess, picking up two vaguely sword shaped sticks she had already prepared along the way. I smiled fondly as my Smiths began chatting. Well, Elora chatted while Tessa listened and spoke when warranted. I couldn't help but feel proud of Tess. She was still her reserved self but she was opening up to Elora a little more, which was a nice thing to see.

A not so gentle rap hit me on the head pulled me away from my own thoughts towards a smirking Boldrin, “You can admire your Smiths later, kid. We've got work to do.”

And work we did. Boldrin came at me with the intent to put me down and I was more than willing to meet him. My blade-work was improving. Mistakes I had made just yesterday were no longer an issue as I actively purged them from my body. My feet were quicker, my reactions sharper as I blocked blows that even a week ago I would have had trouble with. Boldrin's training was as brutal as promised, but the strength I was seeking suddenly seemed a lot closer than it did when I had arrived back from Paldrum.

I leapt aside to dodge a particularly dangerous blow from my mentor, breath coming heavy and sweat dripping down my exhausted limbs. We had only been going at it an hour, but already I felt myself flagging. Boldrin looked as inexhaustible as always, his face red from the exertion of pushing me. He had caught my brow with a fierce stab early into our match and blood poured freely as I distractedly wiped it away, focusing on Boldrin to the exclusion of all else.

He attacked again, his body moving through the forms he had taught me with impeccable timing, his blade spinning as I tried to keep up. I would have liked to at least be able to use the Storm Eye but Boldrin had forbidden it, at least for our morning sessions. He wanted me to rely on my own power as much as I could. If I put my trust in the powers of a Knight they may fail me at the moment I needed them most. Plus, he didn't want me to become addicted to the feeling of Bonding.

I thought it was a little late for that but he assured me otherwise. He told me that some Knights hated separating from their Smiths. It got to the point that their physical dependence on each other was so great that any time they separated they could barely stand under their own power.

I dodged another strike and whipped my sword up towards Boldrin's face. It was a mark of the man's experience that he told me to go at him with everything I had. He knew that I wasn't quite up to the task of besting him. Still, I felt I was getting closer.

Boldrin easily knocked my attack aside and retaliated with a massive overhand strike. I raised my sword to block, realising too late that the attack was a ruse. Boldrin's knee came up and collided with my undefended sternum. The air fled my lungs as I wheezed in what I could, swinging clumsily to provide some distance.

The former commander didn't ease up even slightly, pushing forward with another distracting twirl of his longer wooden stave. I wiped the blood away from my eye and met him once more, my own blade dancing alongside his as we each sought to find a weakness in each other's style. Unfortunately, he found one before I did.

Boldrin slipped forwards and struck his blade against the fingers of my weapon hand with a quickness that should have been impossible for a man his size. My grip went numb and the stick fell from my grip. Before it had even touched the ground, the tip of Boldrin's weapon rested underneath my chin.

“Good work, lad,” Boldrin complimented as he stepped back, a grin on his face, “Your footing is solid enough and your strikes feel stronger, though you should try to get yourself fully into position before attacking. You can't always do it, but taking an extra half-second could mean ending the fight before it really begins. Your eye remains your weakness but I reckon you're near back to where you were before you lost it. Your sword tends to be lower than it should be, you drop your shoulders too low when you deflect or block and you need to watch your right foot with that forward thrust. If I swiped down I could've taken your toes off.”

I nodded along with him and listened intently as he pointed out what I did wrong, each lesson was a chance to grow and I felt like I was doing that in spades despite my griping to Elora. Boldrin was exactly what I needed to become better as a warrior. While I appreciated the sparring I had done with Vera, she was just too different to me in terms of how we approached training. I needed the sweat, blood and pain. I needed a brutal teacher. It was why I had blossomed under Tessa and Boldrin, who gave me no quarter. They demanded I be better and didn't hold my hand when I failed. It was all on me and I'd have it no other way.

I turned to catch sight of my Smiths, who were in the middle of their own training. Elora was throwing rapid blows at Tessa, sweat glimmering on my Princess' brow and some of her hair falling loose from her bun. She had a spot of blood at the edge of her mouth, a large bruise already forming there, but she wasn't letting it slow her down. Tess was untouched, as always, her hand loosely on her sword as she easily turned aside the blows of the Princess.

Yet another rap to the skull made my brain shake as I turned, annoyed, to face a frustrated Boldrin, “Spirit damn it, boy, the girls aren't going anywhere. I'm keeping an eye on them, Tess won't push your Princess past her limit.”

“I'm not worried about Tess,” I said with a shrug, “I just enjoy watching them spar.”

“Is that so? You enjoy watching your girls fight?” Boldrin said snidely, “Over you?”

My eye widened as I turned to my mentor, “What the fuck is that supposed to-”

I didn't have time to formulate my response in full as I was already being struck at again by a laughing Boldrin, his blade already twirling and my bones bending as I attempted to fend off his furious assault.

“Shit, boy. We've got a couple hours before we hit the road. If you don't hit me in all that time I'll have you running beside the horses again!”

*

I was running beside the horses again.

I caught the eye of my own mount, the bastard of a war horse looking at me haughtily, if that was possible. He seemed especially happy that he was free of my burden, so much so in fact that he was flaunting his lack of rider every chance he got. He was an asshole.

I had been running non-stop for about twelve hours now. At one point in my life, I would have believed such a thing impossible, but now I knew better. Every time I collapsed from exhaustion, Boldrin would have Tess heal me to get me back on my feet again. It was a false energy. The euphoric feeling of Knighthood was soon replaced by the soul crushing despair of the hike laid out before me and my weary body could hardly take any more of it.

“Rest for a moment.”

Those words were like the gift of water to a man dying of thirst. I immediately fell to my knees, my whole body caked in sweat, my tunic sticking to me uncomfortably and my long hair falling in front of my eyes. I reached into my pocket with shaking hands and pulled free a familiar piece of cloth. It was the band of Elora's dress I had worn during our wedding. I tied my hair back before allowing my arms to fall by my side, drawing in great breaths as I looked at the unforgiving sky above. The sun had long since past its apex and had begun to descend over the horizon, but the cursed heat of Yeles remained, frying me alive.

“Please, Spirit. If you made me, if you brought me into this world for a purpose, make it fucking rain. Free me from this bullshit,” I murmured the prayer, nearly weeping as it went unanswered, “You're such an asshole.”

“You shouldn't curse the Great Spirit, Orin,” Vera said snarkily, barely holding back a laugh, “Men and women tend to regret it.”

“Aye, but I'm the chosen one,” I groaned as I rolled onto my back, “I should be allowed a little leeway.”

“I don't think the chosen one would ever refer to themselves as the chosen one,” Annabelle said, a little frown forming as she spoke, “Lacks modesty.”

“Agreed,” I grumbled pushing myself until I was sitting, sinking my head into my hands and praying for my vision to clear, “Probably chose the wrong person for the job then.”

I felt hands on my back and a water skin pushed against my lips. Elora was standing behind me as my taciturn Tess slowly fed me water, stopping me before I drained the thing in one, enormous draw.

“You shouldn't push him so hard,” Elora snapped at Boldrin, her eyes finding the large man and pinning him in place, “Or at the very least let us Bond with him. I don't see the point in letting him suffer like this.”

“No Bonding,” Boldrin grumbled.

“And why not?”

“Endurance,” Tessa answered in Boldrin's place, “Orin needs to build himself so that we both can Bond with him longer.”

I knew the argument. It didn't take a scholar to figure out what Boldrin was doing. This sort of training would have diminishing returns if I was a mortal of flesh and blood, but I wasn't. Every time Tessa healed me, I was stronger than before, my muscles thickening and lungs expanding. It was a furious trial and one I understood. Even if I hated every moment of it.

“Bonding is an act of the soul, not the body,” Elora argued, “And its not like Orin could be built up much more than he already is. I mean look at him!”

“Thank you, my love,” I said, basking in the compliment even as I enjoyed the feel of her touch. I caught Tessa nodding along with Elora involuntarily out of the corner of my eye. She caught the look and froze before rolling her eyes, continuing her tender ministrations.

“This training isn't physical,” Boldrin clarified, “It's spiritual. How does it feel to be healed, Orin?”

“What?” I blinked at the man, still trying to catch up with the conversation despite it being about me. Fuck, my head felt it was on fire.

“Come on, lad. How does it feel to be healed?”

“Not great,” I said with a yawn, “physical wounds close but it takes a toll on my soul, like the fatigue of the body is transferred or something.”

“Exactly,” Boldrin nodded, satisfied, “Healing isn't a cure all, it has its limits. The energy to rapidly heal the body comes from Aurum and that in turn drains the soul. Think of it as a muscle: the more you use it, the stronger it becomes. Like anything, it's a long road to see results, but see them we will.”

“You're talking about Aurum exhaustion,” Vera said, throwing a troubled look at Boldrin, “That can be dangerous. Orin, you've experienced it before on stage the first time you Bonded, when Elora was cast out of your soul. There's a reason that we don't do this sort of training at the Hall: It can have disastrous consequences on the Bond.”

“For anyone else, I'd exercise caution,” Boldrin agreed, “But I don't have to be able to see souls to know how Orin feels about those girls. I don't think we've got to worry about their Bonds fraying. I bet they shine bright even to someone like you, Annabelle.”

“They are powerful,” Annabelle replied, though her expression made me believe she was far from convinced, “Even his Bond with Tessa is beyond what one would expect of a newly Bonded of only a few weeks. Still, pushing his body is one thing, pushing the soul is quite another.”

“If I may interrupt for a moment,” Alden said from astride his mare, “I can confirm that even Alice doesn't have stronger Bonds with any of her Smiths. I only saw her at a distance and I only saw the one due to her defences, but it was her First Throne and so should be her strongest. It looked normal to me. Orin's are anything but, Alice's Bond a pale imitation of the Princess'. In my opinion, this sort of training could only serve to help him grow stronger faster. His Bonds are special and Boldrin taking advantage of that is the smart thing to do.”

“You hear that? We're special!” I said, grinning at Elora and Tessa. The former chuckled at my sarcasm while the latter gave me a predatory smile, “Still, I thought the only way to improve my Aurum was through compression?”

I hadn't slowed down in my efforts to bring my soul closer to its core. My progress on the other hand, had. It was a journey of inches rather than the miles it had once been. Still, my flames drew ever closer to their centre and every step renewed my faith in the tedious meditative sessions I put myself through every night. My Aurum gains had been barely perceptible since Paldrum, but I could still see progress being made. I just wish I could figure out how to make it hurt less. It had only grown more uncomfortable since Bonding with Tessa. I had consulted Vera and she told me this was normal considering my circumstances. My Bonds and my age made things harder than they should be, especially considering I should have been actively compressing when I was very young. She didn't mention if the wound in my soul played a part, but I was sure it did. The closer I got to it, the more it burned me. I didn't bring it up to the First Knight for... well, obvious reasons.

“For Aurum, it does,” Vera clarified, “For strengthening the soul itself, Aurum exhaustion is an effective, if extreme, way of improving it. This sort of training would only really be used to build defences in order to stop attacks aimed at the soul itself. For you, I believe Boldrin thinks it will help with Bonding Elora and Tessa for longer.”

“It could work,” Annabelle said, though her conflicted expression remained, “I can't say for sure. Vera and I have had no interaction with any Heir besides Orin. Alden is correct, however. We must push you further and trust you to know your limits enough not to break. Your Bonds are strong, almost unnaturally so. They should be able to manage the strain the lack of Aurum will place upon your soul. In theory.”

While I'm sure she meant it to sound like a compliment, having my Bonds with Tessa and Elora being described as unnatural was not exactly soothing my unease.

“Right you are, First Smith,” Boldrin turned to me, “I ain't gonna sugar coat it, kid. I'm kinda going with the wind here, but I do think it'll work. I've worked with many Knights over the years, including once where I was helping out the old Heir, Count Verdun. I picked up a few things in passing. You just need to keep at it.”

“I trust you, boss,” I said with a sigh, seeing the necessity. I reached up and squeezed Elora's hand reassuringly. I know the Princess didn't like the idea of me going through this, but if it worked then neither of us could argue with it, “Does this mean you were never gonna let me ride my horse? Even if I managed to land a hit?”

“Not a chance,” Boldrin boomed with laughter, “The only reason I've let you anywhere near that temperamental old bastard of yours over the past few days is because I wanted to make sure you weren't gonna die on me. And besides, kid, you? Land a hit on me? You couldn't hit the wall of a fucking fortress with that sword of yours”

I growled at the man, knowing his words were simply meant to spur me on, but feeling their bite nonetheless. I pushed myself to my feet, swaying slightly as I did so, only to be caught by my two Smiths, “I'm ready to keep going.”

“That'll have to wait, kid,” Boldrin said in reply, turning away, “Reason we stopped is we're near the Red Road. We'll be in Yelmora in a few hours-”

Thank you, Great Spirit. I promise I'll never blaspheme again. The promise of a warm bed shared with my wife was in my near future.

“-Though we won't be staying long. We'll pick up some supplies and rent a ferry. Gotta keep moving.”

Fuck you, you non-existent bastard.

I didn't try to argue. Boldrin may have only been with us a week, but his experience in both war and in the territory we currently found ourselves travelling through had made the man our leader in all but name. Even Vera, the First Knight of Venos, showed deference to him. Despite what he said about leaving the band because they were better off without him, Boldrin was a natural leader, born to the role. I knew in my heart that if he had chosen to remain, not one man or woman, warrior or traveller, would have refused to ride with him.

I walked up to my great steed, the ornery old war horse pulled away from me but I managed to grab him by the reigns before he managed to flee. I smiled smugly at the horse. It was time for him to work for his feed.

“What do you think you're doing, boy?” Boldrin's shout made me freeze. I winced and turned to the man, confusion plain on my face.

“I'm... getting on my horse?”

Boldrin laughed again, the sound causing my bones to tremble, “Did you hear nothing I just said? Just cause we're approaching the Red Road doesn't mean you stop running. We'll just be going slower is all, to avoid having to explain why a Knight keeps getting healed by his Smith. The Princess thinks you're perfect just the way you are, but you can be better tempered yet. Now hop to it!”

I should've expected that. I thought my war horse grinned at me, but then that might have been my mind playing tricks.

A few hours later found me jogging lightly beside the significantly slowed steeds of my companions, once again caked in dirt and sweat as I struggled with every breath. For some reason I would much rather be going at a flat out sprint. At least when I collapsed from fatigue I'd get a momentary reprieve until Tess could heal me. This just felt like torture of another sort, but I didn't slow even for second. Boldrin's promise to forge me anew, to make me deadly, was all I needed to keep me going.

Still, when the gates of Yelmora came into view I all but cried with relief. I was a stubborn bastard but I was hardly fucking invincible. Putting a brave face on my 'training' was one thing, but having to push my body past the point of screaming to the silence of a bone shaking weariness was enough to make even me feel like I could take no more.

Yelmora was known to many as the place where true democracy was born. It had been four hundred years since the civil war that had resulted in the Kingdom of Yeles becoming a Republic, but the scars of such a thing remained even today. The walls had once stood proud and tall, but they had been ripped down when the city was seized by the first Senators and never repaired. Boldrin had told me way back when that it had been a symbolic act, meant to invigorate the populace and prove that the Senate was different from the crooked King that had ruled them. It had worked for the most part and their government did seem to be doing a good job of keeping their promises.

Yelmora was bigger than Myrin by a mile. The outskirts of the great city covered in lush farmland. Fields of wheat and barley swayed in a gentle western breeze, the earth teeming with life. This incredible sight was worked by happy labourers, each of whom was paid well for their backbreaking work. I had heard tell of many a man and woman in Myrin who had made the hard journey to Yelmora for just such a reason, to earn more wealth than they had ever seen in their lives. Say what you will about Yelesi politics, but they took good care of their people, even those who travelled from distant lands to settle down. Even this far outside the city's heart, the buildings were something to see, spread out and elaborately constructed. Their roofs tiled with red clay that gleamed in day's fading light and greenery climbing their sheer walls. The houses themselves were made of a pristine white stone, the only material that anyone used in this part of the world, said to keep the heat out in summer and hold it in during their shorter winters. The estates were sprawling, many showcasing courtyards that put our modest one in the orphanage of Myrin to shame. I found my jaw near dropping at the beauty on display. Myrin had its virtues, of course, but the sight of Yelmora was something else entirely. The further one travelled into the city, the denser the buildings became. They formed into a sprawling labyrinth surrounding a great fortress that I could see even from the gates: The Senate in all its splendour.

It had been the palace of the Yelesi King once, but after the coup it had been transformed into the home of the Senate. The building was not too dissimilar to those around it, constructed of the same stone, but its scale was something else. It was wasn't as large as the marble palace of Myrin, however, which I took some point of pride in despite hating the place myself.

The Senate was made up of sixty individuals, each elected by their provinces within the country and each having an equal say in the halls of power. Each Senator worked for the betterment of their community, while together they all aided the growth of Yeles as a whole.

It was a pretty idea, but I was no fool. Give a man power who didn't deserve it and corruption would grow like weeds. I wasn't naive enough to believe that the Republic was any different than Venos in that regard, but maybe I would be proved wrong.

We approached the gates on the crimson soil of the Red Road, named for the churned up and battered earth beneath our feet which shone the bright colour of blood. There were no walls in Yelmora, this was true, but you had to pass by a checkpoint to enter the city. Many had tried to take advantage of the lack of external defences and sneak in. I'd heard some horror stories when I with the Brigade about them being caught by the extensive patrols that moved along the city's perimeter. The Senate may have removed the walls for the benefit of the people, but they had merely replaced those of stone with others of steel and flesh. Hardly a difference but I didn't expect anything less. It was their seat of power, after all. Leaving their defences open and believing in the goodness in men's hearts wasn't exactly a viable strategy to protect from attack.

“Welcome to Yelmora, the greatest city in the world,” Boldrin breathed in the air and sighed with a grin on his face, “I was here quite a bit back in my days with the sixth Legion. Better wine you'll find nowhere else.”

“Then perhaps we should spend the night. It might be nice to get to know the city a bit more and I'm sure Annabelle would like to spend some time in a real bed,” Elora said the words rather hurriedly, and I noticed she was pointedly not looking at me as she spoke, “We wouldn't want to pull you away so soon after returning, Boldrin.”

The mercenary commander laughed and rolled his eyes at my Princess, “Aye, true that. That's awful nice of you,, Princess. It'll also give you and your husband time to yourself, that right? I suspect we best move on. Pulling you two from the bedroom will be hard enough without a Knight on our trail.”

Elora immediately blushed to her roots and refused to look at the large man, her back straightening as she stared ahead, feigning offence. I smiled at her for the effort, which elicited a shy grin in reply.

We stood in in the line to enter the city, the crowd ahead of us clogged with merchant caravans and all manner of folk hoping to gain entry.

“Is it usually this busy?” I asked with a frown, holding the reigns of my horse and leaning against his flank, something that the big bastard did not seem to enjoy. The day was coming to end as the sun began to fall, I really didn't expect us to have to deal with large crowds.

“Not usually, which means there's something's going on,” Boldrin frowned, staring at the animated people surrounding us, each more excited than the last, “Maybe we chose a bad time to visit.”

A commotion at the front of our barely regulated formation drew all of our eyes to the front of the line. Alden stood up in his stirrups to see if he could catch sight of what was going on before

lowering himself and turning to us, a frown on his face.

“There looks to be around fifty legionaries leaving the city, two men at their head. One looked like a Senator.”

“Well, shit,” Vera turned to Annabelle, “Make sure your hair is covered.”

“This isn't my first mission, Vera,” Annabelle rolled her eyes at her sister but secured her head wrap regardless as the First Knight did the same, “What are the chances that it's one we've met before?”

“Orin is like a conduit for bad luck, so I wouldn't surprised,” Vera answered before wincing, “No offence.”

“None taken,” I grimaced, checking to make sure my sword was still securely placed on my saddle, “I'd be the first to admit that I've been finding myself in increasingly fucked up situations lately.”

“Have you ever not?” Tessa smirked at me. Considering she had been there for most, if not all, of my misadventures, she knew the answer as well as I did.

I sighed, “No, not really. But the Spirit loves a chancer. Maybe my luck has finally turned?”

“Unlikely. They are coming this way.” Deirdric said subtly, checking his robes before sitting primly in his saddle, “I will do the talking.”

The group of legionaries came into my view a moment later. I had worked with a group of them before, so I knew them as professional soldiers who knew how to do a job right. Still, their armour was just as ridiculous as I remembered.

For some reason, someone in the Legion's Command structure back during their formation had thought leather skirts were a good idea. Their bare legs undefended except for a pair of greaves strapped below the knee. Their arms were also naked to the sun, their torsos wrapped in a combination of leather and light steel plating. I knew the reason for it. The sun would have made them collapse inside of an hour should they decide to wear plate. But it was still ridiculous.

Each at astride a horse, a short spear and buckler in hand as they moved in firmly disciplined lines, their faces hidden by leather helms with iron crosspieces. They didn't look it but I knew their light armour let them move pretty damn fast. Not only that, but each one was put through a hellish training regimen, one which I had been through myself when I'd first joined the band. That was the reason I was forced to sleep outside all the time, among other exercises to harden my body.

If that wasn't intimidating enough, Boldrin often said that the Legions of the Republic remained the deadliest mortal army he had ever seen. Bonded I didn't have a problem, but I was a few feet away from my closest Smith, being Tess. As I said, they can move pretty damn fast, horse or no horse.

The only break in the dark browns of the Legionaries were the two that stood at their head. A young man and one of about middle age. The young man looked like what most young women believed they desired in a partner after reading fairy tales of handsome princes and slain dragons: Piercing blue eyes and a full head of thick, black hair. His stare examined us in turn, an air of authority and nobility to his gaze. This was added to by his ornate legion armour, black and touched by gold in some places. I wondered if it was a mark of rank, but I had never seen it before so couldn't say for sure. He didn't carry the spear and buckler usually attributed to the legions, carrying only a short-sword on his hip.

The older man was wearing something far less regal but no less impressive. A white robe the colour of bone adorned his muscular frame, his smile almost blinding me as his excited eyes, the same shade of the younger man next to him, locked onto Vera who was trying in vein to hide her face.

Two things became apparent to me in that moment; One, the two men were related and, two, they knew who we were.

“Greetings, Vera of Myrin!” The man, whom I assumed was the Senator, shouted at the First Knight who cringed slightly at the call, “Fancy seeing you here.”

“Hello, Senator August,” Vera said with a grumble of defeat, throwing back her hood to reveal her short white hair, “And young Lencel as well. My, how you've grown.”

The young man, Lencel, immediately smiled at the First Knight, all but bouncing in his saddle, “It is a pleasure to see you again, Lady Vera, Lady Annabelle. We have been expecting you for some time. Father received word of your approach three days ago.”

“Is that right?” Annabelle replied lightly, fixing August with a glare, “I don't suppose you noticed we were trying to remain anonymous, Calliston?”

“Of course, Lady Annabelle,” August stated gracefully, “But I would be a fool not to greet my saviours at the gates of my city. I assure you, you are beyond safe within the borders of Yelmora.”

“If only you knew,” I heard Boldrin mutter under his breath, his hands so tightly wound around his reigns that they threatened to snap.

“But, of course, you did not come alone,” August grinned as his eyes immediately found Elora. He bowed in his saddle, his forehead touching the mane of his steed in the process. “I am Senator August, representative for the great city of Yelmora. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Princess Elora.”