A royal arrangement

Starting to fall

So, it's been a long time since I updated this, sorry. In my defense I forgot.

I've also just been busy unfortunately. I got my wisdom teeth out, my family is moving soon and I'm planning a trip across the country yay 🎉

So I wasn't writing as much as I should.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

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There was barely any time for Vadik to prepare; it had been only a few short hours, and Theo was freighted for his fiancé. He did have faith in Vadik, of course he did, but he'd never seen Asmund fight; he didn't know what the man was capable of. Everything was hanging in the balance: Vadik's leadership, Theo's future, his fiancée's very life—it could all be taken away if anything went wrong.

They had barely even had time to acknowledge the fact that he'd kissed Vadik. He'd done it on a whim, and his fiancé had looked at him like he was the star that hung in the sky. He wanted to have Vadik look at him like that again, but there wasn't time; there was never enough time.

His fiancé had needed to prepare, but he'd placed a hand on Theo's cheek and softly promised they would speak later, that they could talk through it all after Vadik had done what needed to be done.

Theo had let him slip away and considered staying sequestered in their tent, but it had only taken him a few minutes to decide he couldn't hide himself a way; he did need to see Vadik fight; he had to watch for his own peace of mind and also to assure Vadik that he cared.

It was hard for him to care, but Vadik seemed to bring it out of him—all those feelings and little hopes he'd extinguished over the years because he didn't think it was worth it to let people. At least he hadn't thought it was worth it to try, but Vadik made him want to try, not only to be a good husband to Vadik but to help himself as well, to heal the parts of himself that he felt had been broken.

He had assumed for a long time that they couldn't heal, that he'd be stuck in an endless cycle of hatred and anger, but then he'd come here; he'd been given a chance to start over, and the only obstacle in his path had been Asmund, but that didn't matter now, not when Vadik knew and had taken Theo's side.

The tribe was restless and loud. It wasn't a common occurrence for someone to challenge a chief for his position, certainly not a chief like Vadik, who was adored by his people. Most didn't see a reason to challenge him; why would they want to change anything when the tribe was functioning well?

But the laws must be obeyed, and the challenge has been issued. Theo just hoped it didn't end badly.

He hesitated to head outside, but a few moments later he couldn't stall any longer, and with a sigh, he stepped out. It was nearing evening now, and the sky was turning a darker blue as the sun sank into the horizon and created a beautiful spray of colors. They still made Theo breathless; they looked as if he could touch them if he only ran far enough into the distance.

The tribespeople had gathered haphazardly in the center of the camp, and Theo made his way through the crowd, slipping past groups of worried men and women. Many of them moved out of the way for him; after all, he was Vadik's fiancé; if anyone deserved to be at the front of the crowd, then it was him.

He pushed through the last line and came out in front of an open area, clearly set up so Vadik and Asmund could fight. The ground was bare of grass and instead had hard dirt that stuck to Theo's shoes as he carefully stepped forward and toward Vadik, who was standing at the edge, waiting for his brother to join them.