A Visitor from Terrasen [Indefinite Hiatus]

Part 5: Born with a Blade

Ever the spymaster. Rhys couldn't help but mentally drawl to Cassian, who's face tightened to hold in his smile. "Mocking Azriel is not going to make me go easy on you High Lord." The general deliberately raised his voice and looked pleased when Azriel gave a low growl in response. So add another person to the list who was angry with Rhys, he was sure this may even be Azriel's 600th entry.

The High Lord didn't have enough braincells to watch the fight behind him because Cassian used up all of them to make a fool of him. In effort to avoid getting his head crushed, Rhys let it go. At least Azriel wasn't pushing Rowan's buttons, the two of them were exchanging in swift but pulled blows, testing the waters.

The pair had decided to forgo any weapons and just brawl it out. Rowan seemed cautious of the wings and tried some different tactics to feel out what did and didn't work with them. Azriel followed much the same strategy with trying to feel out the strange male's rythyms, but even the talented shadowsinger couldn't seem to follow.

Rowan certainly packed a punch and although Azriel tried to cover the fact his neck nearly snapped upon impact the slight shock in his eyes betrayed his surprise. Rhys could feel at least the slow prowl of the two behind them between the swiftly exchanged blows even if he couldn't see them.

Cassian obviously won their duel, the general looked like he had gone on a light jog, but Rhys was panting. There were a few nicks on his body from light slices Cassian had gleefully given him but they were healing quickly.

He finally got a look at the other sparring pair but they had already stopped. Azriel's face was a mask of politeness and Rowan was equally quiet as they stood beside each other like old comrades. Rhys hadn't been ignorant to Azriel's growing closeness to the outside trio, yet now he saw in a new light the friendliness they offered him that was not extended to anyone else.

The wolf reemerged from where he had been sniffing around the plethora of weapons and padded over to his companion and Azriel. The spymaster glanced down at the beast who just licked his hand cheerfully and pottering off again with a snuffle. Rowan raised a single eyebrow with an expression which said 'Just ignore me then.'

Azriel's small smile at the wolf's interaction flickered out, as he caught a glance of the Rowab's face, forcing his own expression straight back into a cold mask.  Rowan just smirked at him, eyes glittering with amusement. Rhys watched curiously as his spymaster's face brightened in response and then exchanged a genuine smile with the other male.

Cassian shoved Rhys in the back without warning and let out a thunderous whoop, "Time to go brother dear, you've got a new foe to fight."

Rowan's face slipped back to it's usualy coldness as he dipped his head in agreement and turned, following the wolf to where he had wandered. Rhys started to wonder if they were underestimating the creature, for he seemed to have picked out a range of dangerous tools for the Fae male.

The High Lord dawdled over to see what they were up to and found handpicked - or rather pawpicked - weapons laid out on the ground, Rowan was nearly finished strapping them to his body when Rhys got close enough to see. When the male turned Rhys had to consciously not take a step back due to how fast Rowan turned with narrowing eyes.

He held up his hands in an apology and gave his best grin, "That's a lot of blades."

The white-haired male just sighed as he tucked in the last straps, "Magic?" A male of few words then, although he seemed more open when his lovely wife Aelin was around. That was also a strange dynamic, but it worked well.

"I'm happy to if you'd like, there's barriers around this area so we won't damage the house."

Rowan simply dipped his head in acknowledgement and stalked ahead of Rhys to reach one of the training rings. The male toed the ground in assessment before looking up to stonily meet Rhys's eyes.