STORM’S PRELUDE

The world at large slept, the drowsiness of the night coveting all tired souls as they lingered on into a dreamland. Lynne, on the other hand, was wide awake, staring through a window of his room, quaintly scrutinizing the world beneath. His eyes shone with tiredness and his face was slightly pale, yet he forced himself awake. A gentle breeze flung his hair backwards, revealing his face full, causing his eyes to blink.

The doors to his room suddenly creaked as a figure walked in; he turned his head sideways, alarmed, only to see Thalia walk in, wearing her night gown. It stretched down to the ground, lingering behind like a wedding dress, and was deep blue in color. Her hair was let go, her usual brutish nature gone… that is until she spoke.

“I heard that if you touch yourself first you sleep better.” she said, sitting down on a chair next to a table.

“You heard or you’ve experienced?” Lynne asked back, smiling.

“A little bit of both,” she smiled back, tapping the table gently with her fingers. “So, I’ve noticed you’ve been looking like a pale piece of shit throughout days recently. I guess I know why.”

“Aye, I’ve been testing this new skin-dye-thingy,” Lynne said, his expression deadpan. “Works somewhat.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“Not really,” he replied, turning back to the open world. “Not my thing.”

“I’ve noticed,” she chuckled lightly. “So, what do you think about Selena?” Thalia asked, smiling wryly.

“She’s cute.” Lynne said. “Of his eighteen daughters, she’s the only one I like actually.”

“So, what are you doing here instead of her bed chambers?”

“Oh?” Lynne turned sideways, giving her a short glance. “As impossible as it sounds, I’m not crazed in the matter of bed chambers.”

“You’re right. It does sound impossible.” Thalia added.

“You should go get some rest,” Lynne said. “Who else is gonna cheer for Parisa tomorrow atop her lungs? Well, I imagine more than half the girls of the city, really. But hey, you can still be the loudest.”

“Bottling it up isn’t the answer, Lynne,” Thalia said as she got up. “There’s only so much that heart can endure before imploding. Don’t spiral down the road of no return… please.”

“I’ll handle it.” he said somberly.

“…”

Thalia left, leaving behind a lingering scent of lavender. Lynne stared slightly at the chair she sat at before sighing and returning to his bed, sitting down. A flask flashed within his fingers, metallic and hand-sized, as he played with it slightly. Opening it, a strong, nigh faint-inducing scent exploded, causing him to grimace. He pondered slightly and sighed, closing it and putting it back into the black pouch. His eyes closed as his tiredness overcome him… yet sleep wouldn’t come.

**

The tournament arena sported over thirty thousand seats, yet many more people came who were standing. Among them were Lynne and Thalia, who were nearly at the edges of the cascading stands. The tournament beneath was a very simple one: horseback riding at its finest.

Equipped with nothing but steel armor, speedy horse and a gigantic lance, it’s one of the more common ways of competition. Next to the two of them were two girls, one besides Thalia and the other besides Lynne. The one next to Thalia was Layla, smiling brightly, her eyes shimmering.

The one standing next to Lynne was a woman in her early thirties, her skin dauntingly soft, eyes wide and brown, eyebrows arched like swords. Her figure was covered underneath commoner’s, brown robes, yet even still her curvatures were clearly visible. The woman was Selena, Theor’s eldest daughter, and one Lynne and Thalia briefly met as they were leaving the dinner last night.

“This is exciting,” she said, smiling warmly. “I’ve never been to one of these events before.”

“Lynne can explain it to you as it goes along.” Thalia said.

“Doubt it,” Lynne said, rising his shoulders slightly. “Never been to one of them either.”

“… you’re shitting me.”

“Whilst I would love to do it – just to see your expression – no, I’m not.” Lynne said, smiling wryly. “So I guess it’s up to you to educate us all.”

“… I’ve never been to one either.” Thalia said, sighing.

“Ha ha,” Layla laughed. “I’ve never been to one either!!”

“Well, I’m sure that it’s extremely interesting,” Thalia said. “And that we’ll have a lot of fun.”

**

“Goddamn, this so boring!!” Lynne exclaimed after three hours of standing, watching two grown men point over-sized sticks at each other whilst trying to knock each other off the horse. “And who was the idiot that made a rule of prohibiting Magic?! I could literally go to a farm and watch two cocks fight and it would be more fun!”

“… what?” Thalia asked.

“You know, two cocks battling for hens?” Lynne added innocently.

“… ugh, whatever. And, just because you think it’s boring, doesn’t mean it’s actually boring.” Thalia said.

“I’ve seen you literally fall asleep four times in just three hours,” Lynne said. “So, try as you will, you’re more bored than I am. Look at poor Layla,” he then pointed to the small girl sleeping in Selena’s arms. “She lasted for full twenty minutes before becoming the smartest person here.”

“It is a bit boring,” Selena chuckled lightly, her smile warm. “Ah, but look, your friend is finally up!” she pointed at the distant figure trying to climb up a horse, but failing a few times.

“… what friend?” Lynne said, faking ignorance. “I’ve never seen that man before in my life.”

“… shut up!” Thalia slapped him lightly against his shoulder. “He’s doing his best!”

“And his best will get him killed,” Lynne said. “So it’s better I sever all relationship with him so I don’t grieve over his inevitable demise.”

“… one day, I pray to all the gods, someone will sew your mouth shut for all eternity. Then, at last, we can have world peace.”

“Wouldn’t work,” Lynne said, shaking his head. “My body would simply grow another mouth naturally elsewhere.”

“… is it terrible of me to think that’s exactly what would happen?” Thalia said.

“Ha ha,” Selena laughed lightly as she stared at the two. “You two are really cute together.”

“I know, right?” Lynne smiled. “We’re like a husband and a wife, but without sex. So like a husband and a wife.”

“Wait, so you two aren’t…?” Selena asked, blinking.

“Ah, unfortunately not,” Thalia sighed longingly. “I mean, I keep professing my love to him, but he keeps chasing after tails of other women… like you…” Thalia winked sneakily at Lynne who groaned lowly, rolling his eyes.

“Eh?!” Selena blinked, startled slightly. “M-me?”

“Tell her Lynne,” Thalia chuckled wryly. “How we spent two hours last night talking about how wonderful she is. Oh, wait, how you spent two hours listing all the good things about her. Like, everything.”

“Aye,” Lynne nodded after short pause and a long stare at Thalia. “I did. I concurred myself unworthy of you,” he then turned to Selena, smiling apologetically. “So, please do forgive me.”

“Unworthy? No, no, Sir, you’re--- I mean, I’m unworthy of you--” Selena’s cheeks flushed red as she staggered back, unable to look at Lynne. Yet, the latter simply creased his brows, staring back at Thalia again who gave him a confused look. “If—If you wish, I- I wish… too…” she muttered in a low voice afterwards.

“Of course he does!” Thalia exclaimed before Lynne had a chance to reply. Goddammit, we’ve been totally out of sync these past few days! Wait, were we ever truly in sync though? “Right, Lynne?”

“… right. Of course. How could I not wish for a maiden as beautiful as Selena,” Lynne said in a rather robotic tone while staring daggers at Thalia. “Oh, look, he’s been defeated,” he then pointed at Parsia who was lying flat on the ground, holding his chest and groaning. “It’s a miracle.”

“… let’s go,” Thalia sighed, moving towards the exit. “I’ll go and meet up with him, and you escort Selena back home. Be a good boy about it, okay?”

“…”

The group quickly reached the exit, and were one of the few to leave early, with the remaining people staying behind in cheering fervor. They found themselves outside arena whereas Thalia circled it, moving towards the exit tunnel for the participants, while Lynne led Selena through the now familiar streets towards her house.

“… thank you, Sir Lynne.” Selena bowed slightly as the two reached her house, with Layla still fast asleep in Selena’s arms.

“It was not a problem,” Lynne smiled gently towards her. “Greet your father for me, won’t you?”

“… would you… would you like to come in? My father and sisters are working the fields at the moment.” she added, looking away, her eyes blinking fervently.

“… why not,” Lynne said after a short silence, sighing inwardly.

“Ah, let-let me make you a tea then!”

Lynne’s heart felt unease ever since he met Selena; he couldn’t explain why, but he trusted the feeling. Yet, at the same time, he also felt relaxed next to her gentle persona. The mixture of two caused confusion within him, so he was both alert and completely relaxed when next to her.

Siting on a familiar chair, he drank the cup of tea slowly while Selena put Layla to bed in the other room before coming back. She changed from her plain robes to translucent night gown, her cheeks feverishly red as she leaned against the doorway. Lynne looked at her unblinkingly; she truly had a marvelous figure, and even he was taken aback slightly.

“… you don’t even know me.” Lynne said calmly.

“Perhaps,” she replied. “But you promised to help my father, more than any other man I’ve ever met did. You treated us with kindness, despite us being ordinary, common people. You’ve dinned in our home and laughed with us. And, above all, you’re a good man.”

“… ha ha,” Lynne laughed lowly as he looked at her. “Your impression of me is as warped as my impression of you.”

“What do you mean?” she blinked at him, confused.

“Surely,” Lynne said, taking a sip of his tea. “Many-a-man have offered their hand to you. I have no doubts more than a few promised to take care of your family in return. Yet, here you are, as beautiful as a carving, standing before me instead. I thought you an innocent, clumsy girl in a woman’s body, but you are not, are you?”

“… and I thought you a mouthful kid without a thought,” Selena chuckled as she slowly walked over and sat across from him. “So I guess we were both wrong.”

“… there isn’t a poison in this tea, is there? Because that would be one hell of a mood killer.” Lynne joked lightly.

“No, no poison,” Selena shook her head. “I want you, not your corpse.”

“And here comes the question I’ve never asked before in my life,” Lynne took in a deep breath, smiling bitterly. “Why?”

“Ah, why?” Selena chuckled, leaning back into her chair. “I spend most of my days working the fields and markets, shouting atop my voice, trying to earn few shitty coins to survive. The rest of the time is spent convincing my father not to marry me off. While he’s a great father, he’s a terrible worker,” she added. “He wouldn’t be able to keep this family afloat even if you pointed a sword at his head.”

“Every day I wake up and I have my day planned out,” she continued. “But, today, it was different. I finally had a day of rest, of stress-free world, and I’d like to end it in a best way possible.”

“… by screwing a kid?”

“As good a way as any.” she added, still smiling. “Besides, you look like you could use some peace yourself.”

“A keen eye.”

“Not really,” she said. “It’s just written all over your face.”

“I could, indeed, use some peace,” he slowly walked over to her and prompted her chin up with her hand, leaning in. “So, let’s see how good you are at washing the thoughts away.”

“You’ll be surprised.”

The two kissed their way to the kitchen, plowing things off the tables and stands on their way. Clothes were torn off, strewn across the floor, as the two wrapped around each other in fervor of ecstasy. The midday bells chimed outside, signaling the today’s end of the tournament and the lunch break.

As the horses were fervently reined back into the stables, they kicked up earth beneath, causing dust storms to appear. Beneath the hooves of one horse, a cracking sound could be heard, as its hind legs kicked out a cracked, human skull, causing the stable boy to scream out in terror.

Soon, a total of eleven corpses were dug out, some fresh and some merely rotten skin and bones.