Chapter 24: Confrontation

For what seemed like the thousandth time, Sehn was bitten by yet another insect, something that would result in an itchy red bump that'd last a few days. At first he was dealing with the situation, content to randomly light trees on fire as they passed along the narrowing section of forest, but Saerina started up again about the whole ‘respecting magic’ nonsense.

Princess Saerina had been riding alongside Nero for the entire day, and Sehn didn’t want to let the boy out of his sight—not that he cared about him or anything, he just didn’t want Saerina to steal his disciple. Still, Sehn had to admit that he didn’t trust the princess, and he didn’t want her anywhere around Nero. Cah’lia seemed to mostly agree, looking at Sehn with approval every time he put himself between the two.

Early that morning, Sehn did one of those things that he did sometimes, that ‘thinking’ thing. It’s not that Sehn didn’t like to think—he sometimes did—but he especially didn’t like to reflect on the past. What was done, was done, yet as Sehn continued to travel toward the treasure, things didn’t seem to be adding up.

For one, why did the princess insist on bringing Nero along? At first, Sehn was sure it was just an attempt to steal away his greatest disciple instead of finding her own, but now he was beginning to realize there was more to it. Nero had used magic, something that Sehn felt both proud and frightened of. Oddly, Sehn wasn’t frightened because he feared the boy would become more powerful than him and take his place, he was frightened because he worried that Nero might hurt himself, or…

I am not! I am only upset about Nero having magic, because now I have competition. That’s the only reason. It is!

They were riding much slower than usual. Now that they were in the middle of the forest, the terrain had become very difficult to ride over, and one misstep could trip the horse and possibly even kill the rider.

Saerina had not taken her eyes off of the two since early that morning, when Nero had casted his first spell.

“Boys,” she said. Her words were directed to them, yet she kept her eyes straight ahead of her while she rode, both addressing and ignoring them at the same time. It was discomforting to say the least.

“How would you two like to learn a new spell?”

Sehn and Nero answered at the same time.

“Absolutely not!” Sehn spat.

“Yes, please!” Nero begged.

Sehn glared at Nero. “Disciple, I command you to refuse her request at once!”

Cah’lia, overhearing the conversation from where she was riding a few feet ahead of them, rushed over to join the three. “And I, as your sister, command you as well.”

Sehn gave Cah’lia a disapproving glance, and Cah’lia sighed. “But only as a secondary command, which weighs less than Sehn’s primary command, happy?”

Sehn nodded. “That is sufficient, Cah’lia, and I thank you for correcting yourself. As a reward, I will only ask you to remove one kidney instead of two, for having attempted to overshadow my command with your own.”

Cah’lia ignored him, and continued to stare at Saerina, who seemed content to keep her eyes forward, and look none of them in the eyes.

“It’s not a dangerous spell,” she said. “It’s one that can harm no one.”

“Well then I’m definitely not interested in it,” Sehn grunted.

Saerina stopped riding for a moment, ordering her horse to a halt. Cah’lia and Nero followed in suit, with Sehn riding past them. How dare he be expected to stop just because someone else did? When he realized they weren’t going to follow him, he shouted a curse, and swung his horse around to rejoin the three of them.

“I know you’re our princess,” Cah’lia said. “And I know that you stand leagues above us as a noble and respected ruler. But I’ve been thinking lately. Nero is my brother, and even if I have to raise a hand to our own nobility, I’ll do it if I must, if it means protecting him. Gods help me, but I will.”

Saerina did not seem taken aback by Cah’lia’s words. There was fear on Cah’lia’s face, for it was obvious even to Sehn, that she was worried about the consequences of what she’d just said to the princess.

“You seem surprised,” Saerina said. “You look shocked that I’m not yelling, or even reprimanding you for your treasonous words. If you will learn one thing about me, then let it be this. As you have no doubt witnessed with Sehn, I, unlike most people in this world, care little for words. With most people it’s the other way around. Most will fight to the death over a muttered insult, but be perfectly content to allow hatred in the hearts of their subjects, if only they would show proper respect. That is not me, however. It is what can be found within the heart that matters to me, and nothing else. Nothing you can ever say will cause me to react harshly with either you or Sehn, and like I have said earlier, if such were the case, I’d have killed Sehn when I first met him.”

Cah’lia’s ears twitched as she spoke, and Sehn knew she was considering the woman’s words. “If your brother does not practice his ability to call upon Her Grace, then it is possible he may do so unintentionally, or accidentally, in a way that can be harmful, or perhaps even fatal. He need not practice anything dangerous, and it is for this reason I’d have him learn the spells of rain.”

Cah’lia leaned in close and whispered in the princess’s ears. Sehn had to strain to hear her words. “Can you promise me that he won’t be harmed? If you can read my heart, then you should know that if you brought him any harm, I’d kill you, even if you are our princess. That is of course, if Sehn did not get to you first.”

Sehn decided not to deny the claims. He was beginning to realize more and more that they were true. Of course, only because Nero was his disciple and he didn’t wish to find another. The princess nodded at her, offering a whispered promise.

“Fine,” Cah’lia said out loud. “Nero, I’ll let ya learn this new spell, but only if Sehn learns it too.”

Sehn laughed. “Well, I guess he’s not learning it then.”

Cah’lia walked her horse over to Sehn, and whispered something in his ear. “Sehn,” she whispered. “If you don’t learn the spell with Nero, I’m going to kiss Prince Saerith, and confess my love to him.”

Sehn’s lips pulled back in anger, and it was a struggle for him not to bite down on them. He wasn’t angry at the thought of Cah’lia kissing the prince, no way! He was only angry because Cah’lia’s love would make the prince happy, and he didn’t want Saerith to be happy. It was true!

Cah’lia looked over her shoulder, and called out to Nero. “Nero, Sehn has just agreed to learn the spell with you,” she said, answering for him. Sehn made a mental note to punish Cah’lia later. No one may answer for the Great Sehn!

Nero’s ears wobbled and his lips expanded in his widest, happiest boyish smile. “Really? Yay! I love you, Sis.”

Saerina clapped her hands twice, and as if summoned, Prince Saerith rode over, looking his finest. He rode over to Cah’lia, and kissed her smooth fingers. “Good afternoon, my beauty,” he told her. Cah’lia blushed.

“A-Afternoon, my prince,” Cah’lia said with a fluttery voice.

“Brother, I need you to inform the rest of our party that we’ll be camping here early for the night. It is of great importance that I spend time with Sehn and Nero.”

“Very well. Cah’lia,” he said. “Perhaps you might join me for a drink while my sister takes care of whatever business she is conducting with the two boys?”

Did he just call me a boy? Sehn thought.

Odd thoughts that Sehn had never before encountered, came barging into his mind at a rush. For the first time in his life, he was comparing his own looks to another person’s. A fearful thought came to him.

Gods, he is better looking than me! And he’s rich. And he owns a fucking castle! Cah’lia’s going to love him…not that I care or anything, but Gods, I hate him so much.

Sehn wanted to rip off the prince’s ears, and cook them in a campfire. He and his sister changed their clothing twice daily, and today he was wearing yet another outrageous outfit. He wore a red vest, woven from the finest fabric, complementing his dark and piercing gaze. Golden chains hung from his neck, with ornate rings of mixed diamond and aquamarine on each finger. How in the hell was Sehn supposed to compete with that?

Aha! Sehn thought with a blazing triumph. I get it now, it all makes sense. I don’t love Cah’lia. Hah! That would be ridiculous. I’m just trying to win a love-war, that’s all. After all, the Great Sehn loses at nothing, not even love. It’s perfectly manly and acceptable for me to compete over Cah’lia, because if I don’t, then I’ll have lost at something, which cannot happen!

Thinking of these things, Sehn finally had the courage to do what he’d only dreamt of, something he'd wanted for so, so long. Sehn leaped from his horse, and walked with a calm determination over to the prince and Cah’lia.

“A most blessed afternoon to thee, my good prince, champion of Her Grace,” Sehn began in his best formality. “Whether sun or stars, rain or fire, blessed the day be to thee, for whilst thine own body stands before thee, let it be known. In the presence of thine prince, truly thou hath been blessed. Thou art a champion to all. Too, am I, grateful to be humbled by your eternal light.”

The prince looked flabbergasted, his mouth hanging open. He was quick to regain his composure. “I offer my thanks to thee, Sehn, son of Suhn.”

“Oh, and one more thing,” Sehn remarked with a smile.

“Yes?” The prince leaned in closer to listen.

Before anyone could react, with a blinding and maddening rage, Sehn grabbed the pompous fool by the shirt, and threw him off of his horse. The prince screamed as he hit the ground, his priceless clothing being soiled by filthy mud.

Cah’lia put a hand to her mouth and gasped, Nero following with a similar gesture. Patrick and Rillith, only a few feet away, also had a similar reaction to the sight of such overwhelming treachery. Only Saerina seemed to be unsurprised.

Sehn leaned in close, pulling the prince up into a sitting position, and forcing the Elf to meet his enraged gaze.

“Listen to me, you little fuck!” Sehn shouted at him. “If I ever see you smile at Cah’lia, if I ever see you kiss her hand, if I ever see you so much as wink at the woman, I swear to the Gods and heaven above, that I shall rip out your still beating heart, and eat it in front of you! Do I make myself clear, Prince Saerith?”

Daniel had been walking over with a bag of feed for the horses. He dropped it to the ground, wasting a week’s supply of feed as he looked upon the situation with a morbid terror. Saerith pushed Sehn off of him, and stood to his feet, drawing his sword. His eyes were so filled with outrage and disgust, that to Sehn it looked like they were actually casting out a visible red light. His nose curled, and his eyes narrowed in the purest expression of thunderous uproar that Sehn had ever seen on a person, Elf, Human, or Dwarf.

When he screamed, his voice was a high-pitched cackle, a sound filled with bloodthirsty and murderous intent. “Goals be damned! No one dares to speak this way to me, especially not some lowly subject!”

Sehn drew his own weapon. Never once in Sehn’s life had he wanted to kill a man quite in the way he did now.

Saerina leapt from her horse in a single graceful maneuver, and sprinted in-between the two. “You mustn’t, brother! If this one dies, the world dies with him.”

Saerith turned to her, and it was obvious his mind was too clouded with rage and thoughts of revenge, to be in any state of mind to think logically. Sehn had no idea what Saerina’s words meant, but at the moment he was finding it a little hard to care.

Saerith’s fine clothing dripped with mud and grime, while he spoke to his sister. “I do not care!” he yelled. “If that’s the case, then I shall cut off his arms and his legs, flay him to within an inch of his life, and then drag him to our destination as nothing more than a tree stump!”

“Mallos REHL” Saerith roared. Sehn leaped back as a bolt of lightning appeared from the cloudless afternoon sky, slipping neatly in-between the darkening trees, and crashing into the prince’s sword. Sehn had believed him to be a user of daggers. It was the weapon he wielded upon their first meeting, yet, it seemed that the prince was more comfortable with a blade after all.

Sehn grit his teeth at prince’s vile words. “Then,” he said, turning to face Sehn. “I will make you watch as I court your beloved Cah’lia, perhaps I shall bring your stump of a body into our sleeping area late at night, that you may watch as I—”

“Remmos Salas!” Sehn howled at him. Princess Saerina jumped out of the way as the ball of flame soared at the prince. Sehn was going to kill this man, of that, he was now certain.

The prince’s blade, still crackling with charged lightning, met the bolt of fire head-on, causing it to dissipate without so much as a dying flicker.

“You can’t win!” Saerina yelled at him, grabbing Sehn’s shoulders. “You don’t understand, Sehn, the prince is the greatest warrior of the Elven people. Let me diffuse this situation, this will end horrible for all of us.”

Patrick looked around at his Human subjects, before drawing his own weapon. “Gods help me,” he cried. “I think I’m about to declare war on the Elven people, but we must protect Sehn.”