I couldn't lose control.

That was the mantra I muttered under my breath as I approached Mastan D'viritazi. I could feel my soul raging within my chest. I felt the heat of its fire upon my skin, the scorching sear as it flowed through my veins and set my blood to boil with an almost indescribable rage. Such was its intensity that I half feared if I looked down I'd see steam curling off my body.

Maintaining a hold on my soul was a battle all its own. The edges of my vision were beginning to turn red, the rage ever encroaching and hoping to make me succumb. It felt like I was balancing on a pole that was suspended precariously over the earth far below. If I lost my balance, if my will wavered for even a single instant, I'd fall and madness would take root in my mind. It would be just like before, when Tessa had attacked Elora. I couldn't allow that, not here, not now. I refused to take a step back, to allow my instincts to rule me.

It helped to focus on the problem at hand. Mastan D'viritazi seemed completely untroubled by my unfaltering approach, not flinching as I undid my belt and let my sword fall to the stone beneath me. Even when I'd batted his guard aside like a gnat, he'd failed to look impressed. In fact, he was showing very little emotion at all. I couldn't get a read on him, which added a drop of caution to the cauldron of anger that swirled in my gut. There were only two reasons that a man would be so calm just before a battle began. Either he was arrogant enough to believe himself above me, or confident enough to handle me without too much trouble. He didn't call for his guard, nor did he show even the slightest hint of trepidation, but my gut wasn't saying he was full of himself. If anything, it was saying the opposite.

Something about him made my mind scream with danger. There was something to the way he stood, relaxed and at ease that put me on edge. It was a subtle feeling and, surprisingly enough, one I found rather familiar, for it reminded me of my own Smith.

The sharp look to his sky-blue eyes might as well have been a mirror of Tessa's own. Like her, Mastan seemed a predator, a warrior without equal who fought with wild glee. It helped me to focus on that, it forced my soul to calm, to question if unadulterated and mindless rage was the right answer against such an opponent. Its hesitation allowed me to gain ground, to secure my hold and push back the crimson tide. I narrowed my eye at the man and raised my hands defensively. I suddenly felt like I had been caught in some kind of trap, almost as if this was what he'd wanted all along.

I could hear the sounds of fighting at my back, but a quick check of my Bonds showed that neither Elora or Tessa were in any danger. Had they been, I wouldn't have gone through with this, but I knew they'd be safe in the care of Vera and Boldrin. Alden and Deirdric were behind the guard, standing nearer to Tessa's sisters and mother. I didn't begrudge them their place. They were servants of the D'viritazi house, after all. I couldn't expect them to turn on their masters for the sake of me and mine. I did notice that the sisters seemed to be calling to the guard, telling them to stand down, but considering the continued sounds of fighting that filled the Great Hall, the D'viritazi ladies weren't successful.

A flash of the horrible fate that befallen Tessa made itself known to me as I finally came into range, the image of her strapped to a slab with manacles that bit into her wrists. I'd felt her pain, her fear, her anxious need to appease the sadness of her parents. It only fanned the flames as I gritted my teeth so hard I thought they'd crack from the pressure.

I couldn't quite explain how I'd managed to follow Tess into the nightmare that had captured her consciousness. I'd felt her terror as she backed away from her father's extended hand, felt the panic that haunted her heart rise to the fore and consume her. My Smith's need to flee became all-encompassing and her soul complied, hiding her mind down and deep. I'd followed our connection without even realising it, my need to keep her safe forcing me to act. I dragged myself along the Bond, hand over hand, until I caught sight of her soul in the distance. It was far from its usual serene state, more like a turbulent ocean in the midst of a horrendous storm. I'd dived without thinking, aiming for the glowing centre with all of my considerable will. Before I knew it, I'd found myself forced to watch as a man cut into the body of my Smith, mutilating her flesh and making her scream with every agonising slice.

I roared as I threw a punch at Mastan D'viritazi. I cast all of my contained anger into that strike, aiming my soul and guiding it as best I could. Controlling it was much like controlling fire itself. An impossible task, but one I would do regardless. For her, I could do anything. Tessa had escaped the shadows of her past, had cast them off like a soiled cloak. If I hid within myself, within my soul, what kind of man would that make me?

I didn't deserve to hide from what she went through. I wouldn't give up control just to spare myself from having to feel what she felt. I am her Knight, her protector. She went through all of it for me, always for me. If I ran from it, let my soul take control and turn me into an animal, I would be nothing but a coward.

Mastan continued to stare at my approaching fist with his same solemn expression. His eyes were fixed to mine, his lack of intimidation giving me yet more pause, but I couldn't stop now. I was committed and driven by a dark need to kick the living shit out of him. To show him that he couldn't get away with what he had done, not while I still drew breath. I felt my strength grow with every moment, my body bolstered by the memory that I'd witnessed, that I'd been forced to see. It was why I'd let my sword fall, why I needed to do this with my fists, to feel his bones break under them. My strike sailed through the air, looking for all the world like it was about to collide with the side of Mastan's head with devastating purpose.

Yet I missed.

For a moment, I couldn't understand how. I hadn't blinked, yet my fist sailed past his head as though I'd always been aiming to avoid him by an inch. A small smile crept onto the bearded face of the Knight as he stared, as he caught the light of realisation blossom in my eye. He nodded lightly, as though in approval. Well, fuck.

He was fast. Faster than me. Faster than Tess. I didn't think that was fucking possible, not without being Bonded.

The rebuttal was instant and terrifyingly quick, his own fist smashing into my face before I'd even registered he'd moved. The sharp pain stung, but I reacted in time to avoid the second, blocking it before it could strike. I responded with a haymaker, but I might as well have been moving through syrup for all the good it did me. He slipped it with ease.

It the space of a second, he struck four more times, each one finding the same spot on the right side of my face, on my blind side. He was taking advantage of my weakness. Part of me yearned to use the Eye, to take his advantage away, but pride stayed my hand. I didn't need to rely on supernatural powers to beat Tessa's father. Like me, he wasn't Bonded. I was fighting a Master Knight, true, but one without the advantages that his position gave him. All I had here was a particularly skilled warrior, one who had earned the respect of the man who had trained me. A tough opponent to beat, but I'd done it before. Everyone had a weakness, I just needed to expose his and exploit it.

Easier said than done, especially seeing as the fucker wasn't giving me room to breathe.

I found myself on the defensive instantly, trying with everything in me to predict his strikes and respond in kind but I'd barely realised he'd finished attacking before he was halfway through another sequence of punches or kicks. I'd never really been that interested in learning how to fight with my fists. Investing the time in proper technique hadn't seemed worth the effort. Sheer brawn had usually been enough to see me through.

It seemed that Mastan hadn't allowed for such an oversight. His movements were flowing, his footwork aiming to impede mine and his hands moving hypnotically, calling at my attention as he tried to distract me. I was completely outmatched and out of my depth. I realised all this in the span of second, yet I didn't feel even a hint of helplessness fill me, nor any kind of despair.

I was always at my best while I was getting the shit kicked out of me. Tess had made damn sure of that.

I chuckled loudly as his fists found my ribs again and I felt them creak. I'd be pretty bloody bruised when all this was over, but while Mastan had me beat in nearly every other aspect, he'd failed to account for my sheer, indomitable stubbornness. His initial advance had taken me by surprise, but I was over it now. He could punch and kick all he wanted, he'd need a fucking battleaxe to fell me.

As he moved through another exquisite sequence of highly thought out kicks, I stepped into his guard. His eyes widened for a split second as he failed to follow through, his softly garbed foot hitting my chest ineffectually. I smiled and felt blood leak down my lips.

Then I grabbed his beard and smashed my forehead into his nose.

A cry of surprise left him. He tried to pull back, but his long beard had provided a rather effective handhold. I smashed into his head again, and again. He threw stabbing punches into my gut, ones that left me winded and weak, but that only made my grip all the tighter. If I let go, I would lose this fight. I couldn't allow that, not with Tess and Elora watching.

I sent my elbow onto a collision course with his temple, watching as his eyes glazed for a split second before snapping into focus. He gave me a narrowed stare and sent a blistering sequence of blows to my abdomen. So fast were they, so intense, that they made the strikes he'd thrown earlier in our fight seem almost laughably childish.

I felt the air leave my lungs in an instant, my grip quiver and become frail. Mastan didn't waste any time, pulling free and spinning into the air, his heel colliding into the side of my head with what I could only describe as soul crushing force.

I lost consciousness for a spilt second, the feeling of fast moving air on my skin causing me to be yanked back into the waking world. I looked up as I fell, saw Mastan already turning away. Dismissing me.

Well, we couldn't have that. I may have underestimated how much trouble this fight would give me, but he'd made the same mistake. I'd make him pay for his twice as dearly as he made me pay for mine.

I gritted my teeth against the pain that radiated through my body and lashed out with both legs, wrapping up his and bringing him to the ground with all the strength I could muster. The Master Knight grumbled, catching himself before his head was dashed against them stone and struck out with his foot, breaking my nose and causing my eye to fill with tears.

I pushed myself to my feet as he did the same, the two of us already exchanging blows on the way up. It was a bout which I came up woefully short. I landed a mean right on his cheek, but he returned the favour with three of his own. I was growing weaker, the only thing keeping me up right being the raging flames of my soul. I pulled them into me, let them grow and take a hold. I felt red begin to form at the edges of my vision once more. I needed their power, but I wouldn't give into them. They worked for me, not the other way around.

My pain vanished. It was a false thing, I knew that. My anger had been enough to banish it, to give me a second wind. Mastan went on the offensive once more. He was like me, I realised. He always pushed to be the one on the attack. It was a strange thing for me to be defensive, but I didn't have a choice. He wasn't making the same mistake he did before, throwing his long beard over his shoulder as he glared at me. I think I'd pissed him off which only made my smile all the wider.

“Not so cool now, are you, you bearded fuck!” Not my best insult, but to be fair, my head had just taken a rather massive beating. I could barely see straight, let alone think of mid-fight quips.

“Disappointing,” Mastan grumbled with a shake of his head before he attacked once more. More often than not, I couldn't avoid his hits. It was more like fighting three people than one, all perfectly synchronised and focused on tearing me to shreds, “You are crass and inarticulate, both traits unworthy of your title. A result of your upbringing. I shouldn't have expected so much from Erin.”

I blurred and smashed my fist into his chest once more, feeling the bone bend under my strike. Mastan winced, backing away, but I followed like a man possessed. Pressing forward and taking his response without a hint of hesitation. I felt the Eye aching to be awakened, Tessa's Gift begging to be let loose, to set the winds to whirl and the thunder to crash, but I restrained myself. I didn't think for a moment that I'd seen everything this man could do. Better to wait him out, to prove myself the tougher of the two of us. I wasn't in any hurry, I told myself. I have all the time in the world.

“Keep the Sister's name off your tongue,” I growled as I struck him again, this time my fist striking his chin and making him reel, “She was more of a mother to me than you ever were a father to Tessa.”

Mastan's eyes flashed with... sadness? A deep well of it sprung forth, removing the razor edge that they'd contained only a moment before. The Master Knight flinched as he heard the truth in my words, the raw honesty of them. Not one to waste an opportunity, I lunged for his fucking throat, aiming to throttle the man and beat him senseless.

I was too slow. I was far too slow.

“Enough.”

A flicker of Lightning, bright though subdued, crackled across one of Mastan's fists. I only had time for my eye to widen in shock before I felt myself turning in the air. Something smashed into my jaw as I was airborne and I felt that little bolt of our shared Element run through my body and make me seize. I gritted my teeth against the feeling, seeking to right myself but it was all for naught. I slammed into the ground hard, feeling my brain rattle as my skull smashed off the stone. Warm blood formed. My head felt heavy, filled with cotton. I rolled a numb tongue over trembling lips as I sought to gain control of my hands. For some reason they wouldn't stop shaking.

He'd used Lightning. I'd seen it, felt it. But that wasn't possible. His power was locked, hidden behind doors that could only be opened with the aid of his Smith. Vera had never mentioned anyone being able to use their power while they weren't Bonded. She'd said that I was the first. What the fuck was going on?

I felt a hand grab one of my still uncontrollable arms and pull it back painfully until it was suspended from the ground. Mastan twisted and I gasped in pain. I could feel the strain in my arm. If he twisted any more he would rip the bone from the socket. I clenched my jaw with more fervour, seeking to gain control over my body but finding myself unable to exert any significant amount of control.

“It's pointless,” Mastan replied and his words seemed to be a signal for the fighting to stop. The sounds of violence dying down until the Great Hall was silent once more, “My Element runs rampant through your body. It will continue to do so until I run out of Aurum, and that will not happen anytime soon. No harm will befall you, but my Lightning will not allow you to control yourself. You are beaten, Orin of Myrin. Yield.”

“Orin!” The yell was Elora's. I looked up at my Princess to see her being held back by Vera, who had clearly Bonded with Annabelle, considering how little effort she was using to keep Elora from running to my side. The First Knight looked inclined to help me, her angry, icy stare fixed to Mastan, but I shook my head to prevent it.

I wasn't done yet.

The sounds of fighting I had been hearing had been the result of one battle and one battle only. It appears my mentor had decided to have some fun with the D'viritazi guard. Five lay scattered around Boldrin the Bold, his axe holstered at his back. The remains of weapons surrounded him and he held the throats of two more warriors in his hands. It seemed like he'd just been repeatedly smashing them together. Considering their lack of helmets, battered armour and pale faces, they didn't appear to be enjoying the experience. A few more stood by Vera with weapons drawn, but none had dared to try and fight her. They had sense, at least.

I smiled gently at Elora, the absent fear in my eye giving her pause as I sent a wave of calm over the Bond. She stopped struggling in Vera's grip, her mouth tight as she stared, worry clear in her golden gaze.

Finally, I looked to Tessa. She was standing in exactly the same place as she had been before, her eyes glowing with an unknowable feeling. She smiled at me, the sight of it seeming to make the air shimmer. She knew what came next. There wasn't a hint of worry in her steely stare.

“T-Think that might be c-cheating there, Mastan,” I stuttered, my voice as affected by the Lightning coursing through me as my body was, “D-didn't know you could use your E-Element while you weren't Bonded.”

“There are many things you don't know, Knight of Knights,” Mastan said calmly, “The Lightning of my clan is potent whether Bonded or not. We can call to it even when without our Smiths. It makes us faster, stronger. It is a pale shadow compared to the real thing, but even this is enough to subdue the mightiest of mortal warriors. You too will learn to harness this power, in time.”

“I-I'm honoured you thought me worth the effort.” I replied sarcastically.

“Don't be. I am just done entertaining you. You have some skill, but you leave a lot to be desired. Boldrin has clearly been lax in your training. You are better than I thought, at least. I have seen all I need to see.”

“Oh, I don't know about that,” My voice took on the visceral timbre of thunder, “You ain't seen nothing yet.”

I opened my Eye. The smell of ozone filled the air and a gentle breeze blew around me, causing the furs near to where I lay to sway as the sudden wind gathered them up with a soft breath. I took a breath of my own, drawing the wind into my lungs and feeling the world expand, watched it grow until I could feel everyone. Elora and Tessa were the closest and the most familiar. I'd know their forms in my sleep, for they were as easy to identity as my own. Next was Boldrin, then Vera. Finally it passed the guard and touched upon the family of my Smith. The D'viritazi sisters and their mother were standing next to Alden and Deirdric. I saw the rustle of their clothing, the air as it left their lungs. All of it set the world alight in colour.

I looked within, turning my Storm Sight on myself and catching glimpses of the shades that made up my very being. I could see my own soul, the dark flames bursting with silver and blue. More than that, I could see my body and the Lightning that Mastan had unleashed upon me. It was moving slowly, too much so for it be natural. It raged through my veins, taking my hold over my own self away from me. It was time I changed that.

This was nothing when compared with destroying a hurricane created by rampant Aurum. Whatever Mastan had done, it was a subtle thing. Had I been without my Sight, I would be defenceless, but Tessa's Resonant Gift gave me control over all things related to the Element that was inherent in her family line.

I brought my will to bear as I had in Yelmora. It was far easier this time. I didn't know if that was a result of me having done this before, or because it was the actual Element itself I wanted to conquer instead of one of the lessers that served it. Either way, my grip over the power Mastan let loose within me became firm in an instant. It was almost like the Element wanted me to direct it, to channel it. I didn't have to fight, it leapt into my spiritual hand as though I was the one who had been its master all along. I basked in the feeling, strangely awed by the experience.

Then I felt another will press against my own. It pulled at my grip, striking at my constructed fingers with a veracity that left me breathless. I hardened my heart, felt my eyes fill with tears from the strain as my mind fought against that of Mastan D'viritazi's. As eager as the Lightning was to serve me, it was just as invested in him.

“This...” Mastan's teeth were gritted, his hold on my arm tightening as he pressed his foot against my prone back, “How is this possible!?”

I laughed and redoubled my efforts. This had become a battle of attrition. While I couldn't beat Mastan in a test of skill or speed, I was more than willing to pit my hard head against his. My hand closed into a fist at my urging as the Lightning in my blood and bone receded. I wrapped it close, compacting it tighter and tighter as I sought to suffocate it. Mastan's own will was not insubstantial. Every single mental strike felt like being struck a thousand times, but I refused to let up, refused to let him win.

“Tessa's Gift to me,” I intoned, my voice sure and mine once more as I pushed against him all the harder, my smile growing wider and wider, “The Gift of the Storm.”

I roared both in the physical world and the spiritual, tearing apart the Lightning in my body and scattering it to the empty abyss in the next instant. There was no great release of energy, no tremendous explosion, merely a great exhalation, as though the world had been holding its breath during our brief Elemental duel. I didn't give him time to think, time to act. I moved.

I pressed into his grip, feeling my shoulder snap out of its socket. It was a familiar pain and one I'd felt many times before, it gave me no pause. My act of self harm made Mastan's hold on me weaken. I embraced the Storm, jumping to my feet and whirling as I aimed a kick to his chest. I felt his ribs crack under my attack, felt the wind expand at the place of impact. The Master Knight went soaring backward, his eyes widening with genuine surprise before he landed heavily in front of his cruel throne, his chest heaving with exertion and stunned sky-blue stare seeing nothing at all.

The silence that followed my attack was deafening. I could feel the disbelief as it radiated off of both the guard and Tessa's family. I could feel them staring at me through the Storm. Dawn, Freida, Lilian and Tilia all stared at me with wide eyes and open mouths.

Then my sight found Theadora, Tessa's mother. She was looking at me not with shock on her face, but a wariness that reminded me that she was a Master Smith and not just a guilt-ridden mother. Her stormy grey eyes, exact copies of her daughter's, analysed me with a practiced stare. I could almost see the gears moving in her mind as she came to the realisation as to what I had just done. Her gaze flickered to Tess, realisation quick to follow as a complicated expression crossed her face. At once proud and profoundly sad.

“Incredible,” Mastan's voice pulled my attention back to him, the pain I heard there music to my ears as the man pushed himself to his feet, “A Gift that can be used without the aid of a Smith. An eye taken, an eye returned. It is Resonant, is it not? I sense belief, such belief as to defy the Old Gods themselves. You have created something beautiful, Tessaraina.”

I gritted my teeth at the pleased tone to his voice, in the satisfaction I heard there. For some reason, I still felt like I was playing his game and into his hands. I narrowed my eyes at the man as he pressed a hand against his chest with a wince, the pride on his face made me feel like insects were crawling beneath my skin.

“Guardsmen, pull back,” Mastan's command was simple and softly spoken, but his word was absolute and his warriors returned their posts without a single backward glance. Those that could stand in any case, “I would appreciate it if you would release my men, Boldrin.”

The giant didn't answer, only looking to me for confirmation as I gave a subtle nod of my head. This was noted by Mastan, who raised a brow as Boldrin released the broken wrecks of the guards he held in his hands, each falling to the ground with a heavy bang, unmoving.

“Thank you for the demonstration, Orin of Myrin. I'd say you passed, most impressive,” Mastan continued with a grin, his eyes alight with excitement, “It seems that I was right, after all.”

“I passed? You... You were right?” I could only stare at the man.

“Of course,” Mastan said with a chuckle, “Seeing you now, seeing what my Rainie has crafted for you. It proves it was all worth it. We have a chance. Ouros has a chance.”

“Ouros has a chance.” I repeated quietly, gently, but my words carried to all corners of the room regardless. I continued to stare, stunned, as my soul roiled within the void, its fury renewed in a single moment. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, couldn't quite wrap my mind around it, “So you see me kicking your ass as validation? Torturing her, banishing her. You believe it all justified?”

That brought Mastan up short. The man's eyes suddenly fixing to my own. I walked towards him once more, my whole body shaking as I quickly grabbed a hold of my arm and snapped it back into place with a practiced jerk, growling at the agony of it, “No father could believe that. No real man.”

I stopped before him. I could feel the held breaths of everyone behind me as the tension in the air reached a fever pitch. I felt a cool breeze lift at my clothes, touching Tessa's favour on my arm and the piece of Elora's dress in my hair.

The Master Knight opened his mouth to speak but my fist stopped him before he had the chance. The blow rocked him, sending his head to the side as I hit him again and again, “You left her alone! Left her in the dark for years!”

I screamed as I struck, reaching a dangerous precipice as the crimson tide nearly consumed me. I grabbed a hold of his collar and continued my assault. Mastan made no attempt to defend himself, merely taking each strike, each punch, with a stoic indifference.

“My Tess was abandoned! Because of you!” I shouted as I threw a knee into his already battered ribs. I felt them splinter further under the intensity of my attack. Mastan winced, his body doubling over as he attempted to push me away. I didn't give him the chance. I smashed my elbow down onto the back of his head, watching as he crumbled under the vicious attack, falling to his knees, “Tell me the reason!? Tell me!”

“Ouros needs you, Orin,” Mastan's gaze was glazed, his words mumbled, “The world needs you...”

“Why!?” I snarled as I punched him again, the wet sound of my fist crushing against his bloodied face echoing out into the deathly quiet, “Because I'm an Heir!? That made it worth the life of a little girl!?”

“Yes!” Mastan snapped, his eyes defiant as they met mine, “I knew it from the moment I was made aware of your birth. The world is changing, Orin. All the heads of the Five feel the tides are turning. Something is coming, a threat that will require not one Heir, but two. Alice isn't enough. She is soft, coddled, as those who came before her were. You are a warrior! Everything I've put my daughter through, everything you've been through, all of it was to make you stronger. Look at you now!”

“I didn't ask for your fucking help!”

“Don't be naive!” Mastan's voice was just as loud as my own, “Without me you would have died of the cold, or starved to death on the streets of Myrin. I gave Erin the money and means to keep you alive, Orin. I even gave up Tessaraina to ensure your safety, or would you have preferred for me not to have sent her at all!?”

I flinched at that, my grip on his collar loosening as I stared down at his blood streaked visage. A spark of realisation appeared behind Mastan's sky-blue stare, “I see. This isn't about me at all, is it? This is about yourself. I know what my Rainie went through, I know she spent years alone without you knowing she was there-”

“Shut up.”

“-So now you wallow in self-hatred and try to find redemption by, what? Beating me to make up for your own failings as a Knight? You're trying to save your Smith from her past and yet you can't even come to terms with the part you played in her going to Myrin.”

“I said shut up!” I roared and pulled his face close to mine, “You have no idea what the fuck you're talking about!”

Mastan chuckled, smiling, “That may be true. I don't know what you went through, Orin of Myrin, nor do I know what Tessaraina experienced. Reading a report is all well and good but it can't show me what happened as though I was there. That works both ways. I've punished myself for the last decade, second-guessing my decisions at every turn. You can strike me as many times as you wish, curse me out as much as you please, yet the pain you cause me is nothing but a drop in the ocean of agony that I have had to live with for ten whole years. My daughters shun me and my wife can barely stand to look at me. Do you have any idea how hard it is to stay the course when all around you is turning to dust? To know that you can build a better future for everyone and all it will cost is those you love most in this world?”

“Am I supposed to feel sorry for you, Mastan?”

Mastan shook his head, “No more than I do for you. I may not know who you are, Orin, not truly, but my previous words were not empty. You blame yourself far more than you do me. I see it in your eyes. You can kill me now if that would please you. I would happily die if that would give you the peace you need for what is to come, but I don't believe it will.”

“Don't know about that,” I growled, “Pretty fucking tempted to give it a try anyway.”

Mastan laughed loudly, the tension in the air cracking under the strain of the sound, “I'm sure you are.”

“You're a coward.” The familiar voice of my wife caused me to hesitate as I turned to lift my brow in surprise. Elora walked forward until she was standing beside Tessa, my savage Smith looking to the Princess with just as much bafflement on her face as I had.

“Excuse me? I don't believe I know you.”

“All you've done since we've arrived is try to ignore your own guilt. I've listened as you've justified it, as you revelled in the reveal of Storm as though that vindicates you. I've listened to your daughters as they told us of the day you told them Tessa was alive, of how you showed no remorse for your actions, claiming it was all for the greater good.”

Mastan narrowed his eyes at Elora as she continued to speak, his frown becoming pronounced as all listened to the words of the Venosian Princess.

“You try to throw everything back on Orin because, for you, it's far more believable that he hates himself for the act of being born. What a strange way you have of seeing the world, unable to connect with the pain of others. In truth, he does blame himself, but not in the way you might think.”

“Elora-”

“It's alright, love. I have a point to make,” The Princess said with a fond smile, “Even when speaking of your 'guilt', all you've spoken of is yourself. Of how Tess leaving affects you, how telling your family the truth affects you. Not once have you mentioned your daughters and the pain they experienced, or your wife who was forced to give up her youngest child at your word. What of your son who still lives in your lie? You are a coward, Mastan D'viritazi, one who masquerades as a saviour because its easier than facing the truth. Perhaps you had good intentions once, but the years have long since stripped those away. What I see before me now isn't a powerful warrior with convictions, but a sad, old man who runs from his regret. Even you taking this beating is just another show, trying to convince everyone that you are some kind of martyr. I saw how fast you can move. I am no master of combat but your daughter has been teaching me a few things. If you wanted, you could have beaten Orin before the fight had even really begun.”

“Steady on, love,” I grumbled, slightly insulted. It was true, I'd had much the same thought myself, especially after he called to Lightning without a Smith, but I didn't need to be reminded of that fact. Part of me was slightly relieved that I wasn't the only one who'd noticed. For the whole fight I'd felt like I was on the back foot. Even now, with my hands literally at his throat, I still felt like I was at a disadvantage.

“I'm sorry, Orin, but it's the truth.” Elora said gently with a sheepish smile.

I could see the clenching of Mastan's jaw even beneath his lustrous beard. His sky-blue glare was aimed at my Princess, but Elora didn't flinch, her own eyes like twin suns as they stared him down, “An interesting theory, but a false one. I know your face. What is your name?”

Elora shook her head, ignoring Mastan's question, “You know what frustrates me the most? It's the fact that you can't even apologise. Tilia, Dawn, Lilian, Freida and Theadora, all have said they were sorry. Such a simple thing that means so much, and they weren't even the ones to blame. But you won't do that, will you? I don't think you can. You've built this world in your head where you're the one who gave everything, that you're the one who sacrificed.”

“You do not know what you're talking about, child,” Mastan growled and my rage cooled as I fixed him with a steady, dead-eyed stare. I had no intention of killing the man, but if he tried to reach Elora, he would be dead before he could take a single step, “You simplify matters beyond your ken.”

“And that is the difference between you and Orin, Mastan,” Elora continued with a nod, as though Mastan's words had confirmed her suspicions, “My Knight isn't perfect, but he is ready to dedicate his life to making up for the mistakes of the past, even those that aren't of his own making, for Tessa's sake. You, well, you're not even willing to say sorry for putting her through hell. You both blame yourselves, yet only one of you is willing to do anything about it.”

Mastan opened his mouth to reply, his lips parted as though to speak and yet no words emerged. He looked first to his daughters, to Tilia, Dawn, Freida and Lilian. Each didn't return his nearly desperate stare, all facing forward with nothing but apathy on their faces. Finally, he looked to his wife, who met his eyes with cold indifference. The man didn't look surprised to see such an expression on the face of the woman he loved. Rather, he seemed resigned to it, “It's not that simple.”

“But it can be,” Elora continued, in her element now as her voice filled with that earnest sincerity which had long since captured my heart, “I know that much from personal experience. Family is only as complicated as we make it.”

“You hurt us all, father,” Dawn spoke up, one hand held protectively to her pregnant belly, “Princess Elora is right.”

“Princess Elora...” Mastan's eyes moved from Dawn to Elora and then back to me, “So... the Scarred Knight of Myrin and the Heir are one and the same.”

“You never came to visit Freida after what happened the last time we were gathered in this Hall,” Dawn said as she looked to the demure and delicate looking woman who flushed at the attention, “Mother came a dozen times to try and speak with her. You didn't try, not even once. It was like you'd given up on her, given up on us.”

“Dawn, I would never do that. Never that.”

“Yet we felt abandoned,” Tilia went on in her sister's place, the pixie like D'viritazi looking anything but her usually mischievous self as she did so, “It wasn't just Freida, it was all of us. You hid away in your study as though nothing had happened, as though nothing was wrong. Our little sister was alive. Cause or not, we needed you and you weren't there.”

“That isn't the man we call our father,” Lilian said, the Knight narrowing her matching eyes at Mastan's own with furious frustration, “We don't know when it happened, but you changed. You became cold, distant. Elora is right, you are acting the coward.”

“Lily...” Mastan sighed, “All I do, all I ever do, is work for the future of this family.”

“No, Mastan,” Theadora spoke up next, shaking her head at her husband with profound disappointment, “You only tell yourself that to counsel your grief. After we told our lie, we changed. We stopped speaking, first to each other and then to the girls. I know it as well as you do.”

“What more was there to do?” Mastan shouted, the sudden increase in volume making his guard bristle, “What should we have done? What could have possibly made it right!? The boy needed to be protected! That had to come first, at all costs!”

“And it did! For years, that was what came first!” Theadora replied with a thundering boom, “I agreed with you, Mastan! I knew what his coming meant, knew what the omens foretold, but it shouldn't have come at the expense of everything else! Our children, Mastan!”

I blinked and Mastan slipped my grip. I didn't even notice him stand up and yet I suddenly found myself blinking at my empty hands. Fuck, Elora was right, he could've really kicked the shit out of me if he'd just let loose. I caught sight of him in the Storm, standing before Theadora and his daughters. How he'd managed that, I had no fucking idea. Most likely something to do with his ability to use Lightning while not being Bonded. That was definitely something I needed to look into. Just add it to the ever-growing list of shit I needed to get done. I wasn't angry that my prey managed to slip my net. My soul didn't smoulder and spout flame at the idea of him getting away. Because in that instant, in that moment before he'd moved, I'd seen something in Mastan's eyes.

A hint of understanding. A beginning, a possibility. I didn't beat Mastan with the intention of killing him. No, I wanted him to see.

To see the pain he'd put Tessa through. I'd begun this fight with the simple intention of hurting him, but as his skill and speed became apparent I knew I wouldn't be up to the task. Even with the Eye, I wasn't sure if I would be able to defeat him in a straight brawl, but that didn't mean I couldn't win. That look in his stare when he'd seen Storm, the belief that he was right. That's what I wanted to destroy.

Because no one, not an Heir or a King, is worth ruining a life that hasn't even been allowed to walk its first steps.

Mastan looked to each of his family members in turn before staring at Elora, who remained beside Tessa, “You see much for one so young.”

“I have to,” Elora said with a bright smile, “My Knight and my Sister-Smith are a little dim when it comes to handling their emotions.”

Tessa bristled at that, all but pouting at the Princess as I laughed and wiped at the drying blood on my face. Most of the scratches I had sustained during the fight were all but gone already, though the bruising would definitely be sticking around for a few hours if I didn't get healed. Mastan looked like he'd never been in a fight at all. I didn't know how it was possible, but breathing seemed to be giving him no issue. Yet another aspect of his mysterious abilities? If it weren't for his bloodied face and reddened skin from the impact of my fists, I wouldn't have thought I'd any lasting affect on him.

“The Princess' words are... compelling. You are also right, Theadora. I've walked through a haze since the day Tessaraina left us. Maybe its time I try to make up for the mistakes I've made instead of living them.”

“We both can, Mastan,” Theadora said, their terms of address and tones that they reserved for one another still seeming formal and cold, “Though I think it best that we wait until we are alone to continue this conversation. Without strangers and our guard being present.”

Her pointed look at me seemed rather telling.

My Princess winked at me as she bumped against Tessa good-naturedly, prying an unwilling smile from the lips of my savage Smith, “The fight is over now, wouldn't you say, love?”

“I'd say so, yes,” I sighed and closed my Eye, feeling the Storm ebb away as a torrent of weakness ran through my body. The battle had been brief, but emotionally it had kicked the living shit out of me. I was proud of myself for being able to put what I learned in Yelmora into practice, both in regards to the Eye and my control, but now I felt like I wanted nothing more than a hot bath. My body and soul were both drained from this first meeting with Mastan D'viritazi, “I'd say you were the winner this time, Princess.”

“My first successful battle while not Bonded, and one of words at that,” Elora grinned, “Are you proud-”

Tessa grabbed a hold of Elora and pulled her into a very brief hug, all but smothering the Princess, whose panic I could feel building over the Bond as I snickered, “Thank you. I didn't like seeing them fight.”

“I know, Tess,” Elora said after she'd managed to get a hold of herself, wrapping her arms tightly around her Sister-Smith in return, “That's why I did it.”

Tessa snorted as she separated from the Princess, “Don't expect another show of affection any time soon. One hug is about all I can manage.”

Elora beamed, eyes sparkling as she all but jumped from foot to foot with joy, “That's more than enough for now, I think.”

The clearing of a throat caused us all to look towards Mastan and his family. The distance between them may have only been a matter of feet, yet it seemed so much larger than that. It was a gulf that had been allowed to grow and fester like some malignant wound. It seemed near infinite to my eye. I didn't know if it could be healed, I didn't even really know if Mastan took Elora's words to heart. All I did know was that it had given him reason to doubt himself. Hopefully that would be enough. Because, despite the promises of support that Tessa's sisters had given us, I knew better than most how intense a love for a parent could be. I'd known them only for a matter of hours, yet I felt close to them for the simple fact that they were close to my Tess. Clearly they cared for their father deeply, enough to feel betrayed by him when he revealed the truth about their sister. It would be up to the Master Knight and Smith to set things right.

It wasn't exactly how I was expecting this whole show to go down, but it would do. For now.

“For so brief a meeting, I believe I have learned a great deal,” Mastan intoned quietly as he looked to the form of the soldier I'd slammed into the ground. He was beginning to stir now, his armoured fingers twitching as eyes moved behind closed lids. I might have done a bit far on that one, but I couldn't say I regretted it. Something about him made my teeth itch, “It seems I needn't have worried about you at all. You have quite the Second Throne, Knight of Knights. Knowing her mother and father the way I do, I'm sure she'll be a boon to you in future.”

Tessa narrowed her eyes, “Elora is First Throne. I am Second.”

“You are? That is interesting,” Mastan took a deep breath before placing his hands behind his back once more, “But more interesting is that she is right. I do owe you an apology, Tessaraina. I know you forgave your mother and I for sending you away. I say now that Theadora didn't need to beg your forgiveness, for it was not her fault, but mine.”

The Master Knight walked forward until he stood before Tessa, making sure not to touch her. His sky-blue eyes softened and his lips pulled up in the beginnings of a proud smile, “I would refuse to accept your forgiveness out of hand if I hadn't just received a rather stern awakening to the fact that I have let my own self-pity rule my life for far too long. Instead, I'll only say that I will be better. For you, for your sisters, your brother and your mother. I hope that will be enough. I'm sorry, Tessaraina. I promise now, before strangers and compatriots alike, that I will do whatever it takes to make it up to you. An impossible task, but one I am willing to do regardless. I love you, sweet girl. Seeing the woman, the warrior, you have become couldn't make me more proud.”

He did not try to hug her, he only held her gaze. I could feel the gesture meant a lot to Tess, could feel the meaning behind it touch her soul deeply, though her face remained impassive. She nodded once and said nothing.

“Mastan,” Boldrin grumbled as he stepped forward, placing a hand on Tessa's shoulder which she didn't shrug away. I noted the look on Mastan's face, the echo of grief followed by a spike of anger as he looked to the offending limb. Part of me thought I'd imagined it, for it dissipated before long and the head of the D'viritazi looked to the mercenary with the same, empty expression he'd greeted us with upon arrival, “Our journey has been long and this meeting has been anything but peaceful. The kids need their rest and Orin needs healing before he passes out. I think we should call a halt to this, at least for today. You and your family have a lot to talk about. Theadora is right. I believe it would be best if we take our leave.”

“Is that what you believe, Boldrin the Bold?” Mastan's voice was cutting. I sensed tension between the two men, though the reason for it escaped me, “I have to say that I am surprised to see you here. I would have thought you'd have already taken your leave for Venos and your mercenary band.”

“No, old friend,” Boldrin took a huge step forward until he towered over the significantly smaller man, glaring at him in grim challenge, “I serve the boy. I go where he goes.”

“I ain't gonna pass out from a little head-wound, Boss,” I said as I took a confident step forward, only to stumble slightly. Shit, maybe I was more out of practice than I thought after my time aboard the ship to Nian. I knew I was pretty out of it, albeit not as bad as I actually was. I just had to do something to disturb the frosty glares that the Master Knight and my former commander were sharing, “Okay, maybe it isn't so little.”

Elora and Tess immediately made their way over, sharing a look before they turned to me with scathing criticism in their eyes, “Don't look at me like that! It's not my fault.”

“It never is,” Elora rolled her eyes as she kissed me on the cheek and knocked her forehead against mine, “But don't worry, I love you anyway.”

Tess placed gentle fingers against the shoulder that I'd forced back into place, making me wince as she did so, “You made a real fucking mess out of that, Orin. Might as well have just cut it off.”

“I thought about it, but it seemed impractical,” I quipped back with a grin that was returned instantly, “Besides, me being injured means you have a chance if we have a scrap. Care to have a go now?”

For a very long, very terrifying, moment, Tessa said nothing. She only stared at me with a complete absence of emotion on her face and an edge of hunger to her eyes. It gave me flashbacks to our horrifying 'staring contest' back in Yelmora. I found myself quietly praying to the Spirit that she wouldn't kick my ass just to prove a point. Mercifully, thankfully, my savage Smith's stoic face broke as she suddenly grinned and shook her head, “You nearly shit yourself.”

“No, I didn't.” I replied rather childishly, rolling my eye. I did, but she didn't need to know that. I'd rather fight a refreshed Mastan than a sadistic Tess any day of the week.

I noticed Mastan and the other D'viritazi's watching us out of the corner of my eye. Tessa's sisters and, surprisingly, her father, were smiling at our antics. Theadora on the other hand continued to stare at me with pursed lips and a careful stare, almost as though she wasn't quite sure what to make of me. I could understand her caution. I was an unknown quantity in her eyes, the man she'd been forced to give up Tess for. I'd have to wait and see how that all played out. I hoped to show her that I was a worthy Knight for her youngest daughter.

“It gladdens my heart to see that you are so close to one another,” Mastan said as he clicked his fingers into the air. A guardsman seemingly appeared from nowhere, taking a knee and offering up some form of towel which the man took without looking, dabbing at the blood on his face and neck. His smile seemed forced, his good humour artificial, almost as though he was trying to find a way to connect, “Truly. There are few things more important in this world than the Bond shared between a Knight and Smith, or Smiths as the case may be.”

Mastan looked to Theadora then, steel meeting the sky as something unfathomable passed between them.

“So is it your turn? Or is it mine?” Elora asked Tessa politely.

“Yours this time. I have something I need to do.” Tess said in response, causing both Elora and I to look at her with raised brows, “Nothing sinister, I promise. I just need to make something clear.”

After exchanging a look with my wife, I nodded and she laid a hand against my chest, turning into light and sinking into my skin. Immediately I very nearly groaned with relief as the unbearable pressure that had been building in my head began to decrease by the second, “What exactly are you going to make clear?”

“Something I should have on the docks,” Tessa shook her head when I tried to pry further, “It's nothing, just stay close.”

“Always.”

I trusted Tess implicitly and only nodded as I followed her back over to the others. Vera and Annabelle had separated once more, splitting apart at the withdrawal of Mastan's guard. The First Knight of Venos looked me up and down as I drew closer, tutting in disapproval as I caught sight of the same feeling in Annabelle's eyes. Tessa separated from me, walking closer to Boldrin, who was speaking with Arno, the near ancient chief steward of the D'viritazi. For some reason I got the impression that the man didn't like me. Call me paranoid, but I felt it none the less.

“I was concerned I was going to have to step in for a moment there,” Vera said with a sigh, “It's almost a shame that I didn't. Must you fight everyone you meet?”

“If that person had something to do with my Smith being tortured and left alone for years, then yes. With everyone else, it's just a toss-up on whether or not they're an asshole.”

“For a moment there, I didn't think you would let him live.” Vera stated quietly.

“For a moment, neither did I.”

“What changed your mind?”

“I'm not an idiot, Vera,” I grumbled, “I know what comes down on all our heads if Mastan D'viritazi loses his life. Samuel will smell blood in the water and come running. Besides, he's Tessa's father. I'm not much of a Knight if I start killing my Smith's family members left and right.”

“Those are the only reasons?”

“Elora gave a pretty damn convincing speech,” I shrugged as I looked inward, feeling my Strength surge as I caught a hint of the presence of my Princess, who worked to heal me from within my soul, “And... He knows more about who I am. The Five Houses, the Heirs, this mysterious threat that I'm to somehow defeat despite not knowing its fucking name. I've been flying blind for too long, with everything I've learned only giving me more questions. Some more answers would go a long way. Even you two, as Masters, don't know as much about Heirs as he and his family does. I can put my own shit with Mastan on hold if it means it gives me a better chance of keeping Elora and Tess safe.”

“I for one am curious about his ability to control his Element whilst separated from his Bonded partner. Is it unique to his family? To the Five Houses?” Annabelle chimed in curiously, “I witnessed his soul as he did it. For a moment, it almost looked like his Lightning became his Smith. It was bizarre. I've never seen the like before, but then Vera and I have never fought either with or against Mastan D'viritazi.”

“Can't really help you there,” I said with a helpless chuckle, “I was as surprised as you were. I thought Tess was the first to make something that could allow someone to use an Element. But as I'm constantly being reminded, I really don't know shit.”

“He said it was something you too could learn, I believe.” Annabelle replied.

“We'll see. First I'd like to be able to use my Elements while already Bonded.”

“You've changed, Orin,” Vera whispered with a smirk.

“You said that before.”

“It bears repeating.”

“Tessa!” Freida dashed over to her sister and wrapped her arms around her waist fondly, causing my Smith to freeze. I was so proud of her self-control. I remember a time when even the thought of touching another human being filled her with nothing but disgust. I'm glad she was trying, especially for the sake of her family. It showed she valued them, was interested in reforming the connections she'd once thought lost forever. I also knew she was terrified of doing just that, but that's what I was there for, to give her courage even when she believes there's none to be had. I watched as Tilia, Dawn and Lilian all encroached on their sister as well, all smiles as they gathered around my shivering Smith. She had made tremendous strides, but I knew having so many people in her personal space was almost akin to a physical pain for her. I sent a sliver of comfort over the Bond to ease her mind and she shot me a grateful look in thanks, “Arno will show everyone the Nest and their rooms. The day has been short, but trying for all of us. Sir Boldrin is right, it is time we talked, just us family. Will you stay?”

Tessa smiled gently at her sister before shaking her head slightly. I can't say that I was surprised by the rejection of the invitation, but the same couldn't be said for the sisters, “I've forgiven father for the past. There is nothing I can add.”

“But you are a part of this Clan,” Tessa's mother took a step forward, hesitant and unsure, “You should be here for this.”

“I am. Even saying that is strange. When I left Myrin, the last thing I was thinking about was seeing you all again. It's... well, far nicer than I thought it would be and I hope to spend more time with you. Shit, that's something I never thought I'd say. However,” Tessa looked to Mastan then as a shadow fell across her face. For some reason, I thought I heard the crackle of thunder despite not using the Storm. I suppressed a shiver in my hand as I spotted the look in Tessa's eyes. It was one I knew well. It was the possessive longing to protect, the hidden and incredibly violent part of my Tess that she kept buried. It only emerged when she felt I was in danger, or when she was emotionally disturbed. It immediately brought up memories of that day in the arena, of Tessa as she very nearly trumped Boldrin's physical strength with a sheer, mad desire to inflict incredible pain on Berthold, to rend him limb from limb with her teeth. Reason had fled her then, I'd felt it over the Bond. Trying to send feeling over to her was like trying to use a knife to cut through a bar of steel. Her cryptic words crystallised in that moment. I knew what she needed to be clear on. Tessa wasn't a shadow, not anymore. She didn't have to hide herself from anyone, least of all the man who'd played a hand in making her the way she was now. She aimed to enlighten her family.

“I wish to be clear as to where I stand. It's something I should have done the moment I stepped off the ship into Nian,” Tess pulled herself free from Freida's grip, still looking to her father with her savage stare, “Orin is... well, he is more than my Knight. I can't explain it, can't put it into words. I've tried before, but only Orin understands. He is... He is everything. I am not loyal to you, father, nor am I loyal to this family. I am a D'viritazi in name only. If you were expecting to somehow bind a second Heir in allegiance to your line by sending me to Myrin, you have failed. I was bound to Orin long before we became Knight and Smith. I am his protector, his Smith and sword. Whatever blood ties us together won't be enough to break my promise to him, nor his to me. I would happily watch this place burn to the ground before I let any harm come to him. That is my promise to you. Do you understand?”

Dawn, Tilia, Freida and Lilian all exchanged familiar looks. I'd seen them on the carriage ride up the mountain, when Tess had mentioned dealing with threats to my safety in the past. I said nothing, keeping my face perfectly neutral. Theadora was looking to Tess with deep heartbreak in her eyes, small hands clasped together at her front as though to still their trembling. Mastan said nothing for a moment, only staring as he took in the form of my savage Smith, the personification and brutal definition of barely restrained violence. Finally he nodded once, sharply and concisely, “A Smith's first duty is to her Knight. I understand, daughter. You, your Sister-Smith and Orin have my word, as well as the words of all who serve in the Nest. I would never let any harm befall your Bonded partner, Tessaraina, and I never wanted a slave to serve our House. All I wish is for Orin to live up to his potential, to protect us from that which threatens all of Ouros.”

“I hope so, father.”

Tessa came back to me then, tapping the back of my hand once with the back of hers. Arno was already waiting at the doors to the Great Hall that were proudly engraved with the seal of the D'viritazi's. I nodded to her once. I didn't feel the need to speak, this was something Tess felt she needed to do and I could respect that. I had long since stopped being so concerned with Tessa's mind when it came to how she perceived me. She liked the way she was and I didn't aim to change her. The fact that I'd even contemplated trying was just another reason to curse myself.

Tessa's last words to her father were whispered. A quiet repetition that held within them a dark intent, a hidden meaning that was buried beneath soil blackened by blood. She met Mastan's eyes as she spoke and, for perhaps the first time, I saw the smallest hint of fear in the Master Knight's eyes as Tessa sealed her silent promise to her father.

“I hope so.”