Tristan

Silence fell as Tristan walked into the training field. Followed by Mikal. Everyone halted and weapons hung in midair, while Tristan and Mikal passed through the lines of training warriors, both aware of the narrowed stares and looks of contempt aimed at Mikal, the winged Northman who was once an enemy, or perhaps still considered so. 

"Seriously?!" Cylia snapped as Tristan reached the middle of the field where she was training an advanced group of young warriors. "You dare bring that traitor here among us?" She turned to glare at Mikal.

"He is not a traitor," Tristan said calmly. "He is a friend. And he is here to help us."

"Help us?" Cylia scoffed. "Or stab us in the back you mean?"

"Perhaps I wouldn't need to stab you in the back if you acted a bit more courteous." Mikal said, and the next instant Cylia turned at him with a furious glare, her sword pointed at his chest, causing him to flinch.

"I did not ask you to speak," she hissed.

"Well, I do not need your permission to speak," Mikal challenged.

"Enough, both of you!" Tristan snapped, grabbing Mikal's arm and pulling him into the center of the training field.

Tristan tossed a wooden sword at Mikal, which he successfully caught. But the moment Tristan struck against him, Mikal's sword went flying away. A few chuckles rose within the field, and the look of shock on Mikal's face soon turned to anger. He retrieved his sword and attacked Tristan. Their swords clanked for a couple of times, before Mikal tumbled beneath Tristan's force, falling to the ground.

"So that's the kind of help you brought us?" Cylia sneered while her group of trainees continued to snicker.

"Well try to go without holding a sword for months and show us if you can do any better," Mikal retorted.

"Cut it off!" Tristan growled as he grabbed Mikal by the collar and pulled him up to his feet, before he struck again.

"Slow down a bit!" Mikal complained as Tristan attacked him with full force. "You didn't even give me a chance to warm up."

"Keep quiet and keep fighting," Tristan said, and next, his sword caught Mikal below the chest with a loud thump.

Mikal doubled over for a moment, almost losing balance, but his wings spread reflexively, saving him from another fall. Tristan smirked, before he suddenly changed course and turned to the side, aiming a heavy blow at Mikal's right wing. Mikal cried out, more likely in fury rather than pain, as he turned around to strike Tristan. But Tristan dodged just in time, and Mikal stumbled, falling to the ground again.

"You bastard!" Mikal hissed as he got up to his feet. "Can you at least bear in mind that I can't see as properly as you do?"

"I don't think your brother will bear that in mind when he tries to kill you on the battlefield," Tristan said as he struck his sword with full force against Mikal...

For the first few days, Mikal was a total mess. With half his field of vision missing and his lack of practice, he fought like a complete novice. And Tristan made sure to do everything he could to torture him. He enjoyed taunting him, sparring mercilessly, and especially attacking at his blind spots. Which eventually led to a remarkable improvement. It was only a matter of days, and Mikal was almost restored to his full glory.

"You have the advantage of your wings. Why do you never fly and strike me from above?" Tristan asked one day, as they lay back next to each other on the ground for a break.

"I only use my wings when my opponent is flying as well. Why risk being shot down when my target is on the ground?"

"Well that explains..." Tristan mused. "That's why you started the attack on foot at the battle of Grytia."

"Exactly. You expect us to fly, just because we have wings. But wings are our weak point. You won't find many of my people flying during battle too, especially the ones I happened to train, which are quite many." Mikal continued. "Unless if you let your winged forces lure them to fly. If you manage to draw them to an aerial fight they'll be vulnerable, and then you can let your crossbow shooters do their work."

"Interesting..." Tristan said. "And what about the Kassarathi? What is their weakness?"

"Oh the Kassarathi. They are savages who just sweep the earth without any fear or caution... And that, that is their very weakness. They are reckless. And they are not very smart either. They can be easily tricked. A trick, or a trap would be the best way to defeat them."

"A trap..." Tristan contemplated.

"That was the only way I could manage to defeat the whole Kassarathi army at Nordenvania on my own, four years ago." Mikal smirked.

"Well, indulge me with the details." Tristan turned to look at Mikal in great attention, and Mikal chuckled.

"We were already expecting the Kassarathi to arrive at Nordenvania at any moment. I ordered every single soul to evacuate the castle, the city as well. All the residents of Nordenvania, both winged ones and humans, left for the Western woods. All the remaining forces as well, myself included. We left Nordenvania completely defenseless, completely deserted. 

"When the Kassarathi finally arrived before nightfall, finding the castle abandoned, they just entered thinking they had an easy victory. They made themselves at home and spent the night celebrating, getting drunk and all." Mikal chuckled. "But then, in the middle of the night when they were all well wasted, I came back with a force of eighty men, and we killed all the Kassarathi in their sleep."

"That's brilliant." Tristan chuckled, genuinely impressed by Mikal. "The Kassarathi are not very smart indeed."

"They're not. And my people are not much smarter by the way, especially that I'm not leading them now anymore," Mikal said. "This can really be a very easy win, if you set up the right trap."

A sudden shadow loomed over them. Tristan blinked up to find Cylia towering above them. Her eyes frowning, her arms folded, and her mane of black curls an unruly mess of frizz, the effect of strenuous training in the height of a humid summer day.

"Will you keep dawdling here all day long?" she scolded. "Get your asses up and come over. We're starting a mock battle in a few minutes."

"Perfect!" Tristan said as he got up to his feet, and turned to Jared who stood guarding him and Mikal. "Jared I need you to join the winged forces today," Tristan said before he turned to Mikal. "And you, Mikal, will be joining the wingless forces."

"No he won't!" Cylia objected, while Mikal looked up at Tristan in surprise.

"Yes he will," Tristan insisted, taking Mikal by the arm and leading him back towards the training field.

"But he can't fight on our side," Cylia said as she followed them.

"Oh, he very definitely can, since he will be fighting on our side in the actual battle."

"But... Tristan, I don't think I'm ready yet for a mock battle," Mikal whispered as Tristan dragged him along to the training field. "I need to practice more first."

"I think you have practiced enough. And besides, we don't have much time to spare. We are marching to Grytia with the coming Red Moon."

***

It was quite late in the evening, yet Tristan was lucky to catch Merina before she slept. He had been extremely busy lately with the preparations for battle, spending most of the days, some of the nights as well, at the castle.

"Papa!" Merina squealed and hopped off her bed as Tristan entered her room. He couldn't help but run and kneel before her, scooping her up in his arms.

He hadn't seen her for days. He had promised her he would never leave her again, and yet he was failing her. He was going to leave her for months, perhaps more, when he left for Grytia. What if he died in battle? What if he left her forever, like Olivea had left them?

"Papa, look!" Merina hopped excitedly, distracting him from his dark thoughts, and he found her presenting him a flower tiara with a proud shine in her grey eyes. "I make it today! Maude nanny help me," she explained.

"Oh it's very beautiful." Tristan smiled as he took the tiara and placed it on her head. "My little princess."

"Princess?" Merina squealed in excitement. "Me princess?"

"Of course you are," Tristan chuckled.

"And Papa King?"

Tristan laughed out and took Merina in his arms.

"No, my little one, papa is not a King."

"Yes, Papa King. Meri princess and Papa King!" Merina snatched the tiara off her head, a few petals falling off as they got entangled in her raven black locks, before she placed it unto Tristan's head. And then she burst into giggles.

Tristan knew he must be quite a sight with pink roses and white baby's breath flowers decorating his hair. He just hoped no one walked in on them at that moment. No one would anyway, at this time of evening. But just as he thought of it, the door opened, and a maid entered the room.

His heart stopped.

Of all the servants in the house, it had to be Alina.

"Lina!" Merina squealed excitedly, while Alina stared at Tristan with the most curious look in her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Tristan frowned, quickly pulling the flower tiara off his head. "Shouldn't you knock before you enter people's rooms?"

"Forgive me, I thought Merina would be sleeping already. I wouldn't have wished to disturb her," Alina said as she walked inside, holding a pack of linens in her arms. "I just forgot to bring these earlier."

Tristan watched Alina place the linens in the large chest next to the bed, and he could tell that her hands were trembling. It was interesting that she seemed as nervous as he did, although he held on tight to Merina to stop his own hands from shaking.

Merina yawned, distracting him, and he quickly turned his attention from Alina to his daughter.

"Let's put you to bed, shall we?" Tristan kissed Merina's forehead while she wrapped her arms around his neck. He could see Alina out of the corner of his eyes, walking towards the door.

"Wait," he said, and Alina stopped, turning to him with questioning eyes. "Can you... help?" he asked, a bit reluctant. Damn, why am I reluctant to ask a mere servant for help? I can definitely  order her whatever I want. He frowned again, wearing his usual stern expression as he looked Alina straight in the eyes.

"Come put Merina to bed," he ordered firmly, despite his nervousness.

"I... shouldn't I better call Maude for that?" Alina hesitated.

"No, I am asking you."

"If it pleases you, my Lord." Alina sighed before she approached to take Merina's hand, her own hand trembling visibly. "Come along Meri."

To Tristan's surprise, Merina hopped excitedly out of his lap and took Alina's hand at once. He felt a little betrayed as Merina left him without even a second glance, but it eased him that she seemed to like Alina at least.

"You know, Lina? I am princess!" Merina said cheerfully as Alina tucked her in bed.

"Oh, indeed?" Alina gasped playfully. "Then you must be the most beautiful Princess in Engeldom!"

Merina giggled, and Tristan smiled as he stood at the door, giving Alina and his daughter one last look, before he left.

He didn't know what troubled him more, the fact that he was leaving Merina again to go for battle, or the fact that Alina haunted his every living moment. Even if she didn't disturb him in person, his mere thoughts of her disturbed his whole being. And if he went to sleep now, she would continue to disturb his dreams. And so, like he usually did at times like this, he straddled his black steed and headed off to the castle to see Mikal.

Mikal was still awake. As expected. A couple of candelabras lighting up the room to a prefect glow. But to Tristan's surprise, instead of finding Mikal staring into the mirror as usual, he found him sitting at the large table, engrossed in a thick leather bound volume before him. Reading!

"For the first time I find you not sitting before the mirror," Tristan teased as he entered the room, inviting himself to the large canopied bed.

"For the first time you don't walk straight to the chess table and nag me into a boring game with you." Mikal responded, not looking up from the book he was reading, his face curtained by perfect silver waves that now reached his jawline.

"Well, I am not interested in chess tonight." Tristan sighed.

"How intriguing. What are you interested in then?" Mikal finally turned around, raising a very curious eyebrow at Tristan. "And why are you in my bed?"

"Oh, it just looked comfortable." Tristan stretched and sank further into the mattress, Alina's eyes still haunting him.

"Would you be kind as to take off your boots at least?" Mikal shook his head before he turned back to his book.

But Tristan didn't respond. He only continued to look up at the canopy above him, still haunted by round honey eyes.

"What's troubling your mind, Tristan?" Mikal asked as he slammed the book shut and finally got off his seat, heading towards the bed and sinking into the mattress next to Tristan. "Is it the coming battle?"

"Battle? Of course not," Tristan chuckled.

"Is it a woman then?" Mikal's lips curved into a mischievous knowing smile, and Tristan felt suddenly exposed. Am I that obvious?

"Her name is Alina." Tristan just said it out anyway. There was no point in denying it, and he desperately needed to get it off his chest. Besides, Mikal didn't know Alina, so there was probably no harm in him finding out about her.

"Alina? That's a name quite common in the North." Mikal pondered.

"She is from the North."

"Interesting. So, is she a beautiful blonde?"

"I can't exactly say she's blonde, but yes she is very beautiful."

"Good. Did you fuck her already?"

"What? No!" Tristan snapped, more appalled by the idea itself rather than Mikal's bluntness. "She's not like that."

"What do you mean, not like that?" Mikal frowned in confusion. "I thought you said she's beautiful."

"She is, but... she's too young." Tristan sighed. "She's only seventeen."

"Seventeen?" Mikal laughed out. "That's not young. That's just the perfect age! I don't understand. How could you like a young and beautiful woman and yet you don't want to sleep with her?"

"I just don't think of her that way, not yet at least." Tristan frowned. "I think I need to get to know her better first."

"I really don't understand you." Mikal chuckled, shaking his head. "Why do you need to make things too complicated? If a woman is beautiful, and you like her, you just fuck her. It's as simple as that. You don't need to know her better. The only thing you need to know at this point is the size of her boobs."

"Hey! Don't talk about her that way," Tristan snapped, shutting Mikal up at once with a dark glare. "You know what? I changed my mind, I'll fucking play chess. Alone!" Tristan grumbled as he got off the bed and stomped towards the chess table, now finding himself more disturbed than he had been before he came here.

The last thing he had expected was finding himself opening up to Mikal about Alina, let alone being given advice on bedding the only girl he had been doing all he could to get out of his mind.

But how could he get her out of his mind now, after Mikal had put that most terrible yet most tempting notion into his head...

*******************

Mikal and Tristan now seem to be closer than ever, how do you feel about that? Do you think their friendship could prevail?

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