"To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved."
-Xamdú
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There was no snow, only ice. It formed around the trees, hanging from them like extending, vertical branches. After catching Ake in glances, Karos knew that it filled him with amazement and wonder. He saw how wide his eyes would grow. He noticed the short outstretch of his hand, hesitation, and then how he withdrew his hand back into himself. It was new to him.
The cold air chilled Karos. It caused his footsteps to become heavier and stiff, his body rigid. Ake moved with grace, head up, posture straight, footsteps light as a feather. It was no wonder why he proved to be so lethal.
Finally, as if giving in to temptation, Ake grasped the ice seeing the water evaporating at his touch. It quickly melted which caused Ake to look at his hand and then back at Karos.
"It is only frozen water, Ake. Soon, you will see snow. I think that is, truly, the beauty of winter... watching the snow as it falls." Karos gave him a small smile before carrying on.
All Olidus told him about Ake was that he needed something of him and left it at that. It explained why he had saved him countless times and endured his presence. It gave reason to why he decided to journey with him still. Though he may never admit it aloud, he had grown used to his companionship and would be short of emotion without it.
That thought stopped him in his tracks and caused him to eye the ground with mixed feelings swarming through his mind. Growing attached to him was something he could not have happen, but it happened already. At a young age, he very well knew of the matters of friendship. They never last long... One always ends up hurting the other, using the other, dying, living.
He could hear the people of the town from where he stood and knew they were only but a few moments away from it. Gaining a friend made his blood run cold. Ake grabbed his arm before he could start moving causing Karos' eyes to widen at the heat radiating off of him in waves. It warmed him in seconds. He could feel the pulse of the energy just by that mere touch. Ake's eyes never left his for a moment as if it had sensed his growing unease. Just as he was about to speak, a woman's shrill voice broke out nearby.
"Travelers afoot!"
Ake's hand dropped as he let out an audible sigh of irritation.
"Soldier of the war, eh?" He felt her breath whisper into his ear causing him to follow suite and sigh. Of all people to have run across, it had to be her, he thought with annoyance.
"Analia," he muttered with closed eyes. Her caravan came brushing past his face so fast it almost kissed his cheek.
"Not so much the ladies man, now are you?" Her finger dragged down his chin to the nape of his neck as she took in his disheveled state. It only made him roll his eyes and push her away from him. He was surprised this woman was even still alive.
"Oh! And you have a friend. Never would I had thought you would actually have friends, Karos! I thought you went and killed the lot of them."
Finally, he decided to open his eyes and peer at the queer girl jibing at him at every instance she was given. Her hair was still the uncommonly pale, blonde he last seen her with, a stark contrast to her browned skin. She gave him a small smile with cheeks the color of a fresh, bloomed rose.
After a moment, she turned her attention to Ake who, continually, had a look of disdain for her.
"So you could not find a woman and settled with a man. Is that it, Karos?" Her eyes glimmered like the hazel color of honey waiting for a rise that would never come.
"Leave him be, Analia! One day, he may kill you as you sleep the way you pester him!"The voice of Fariel made his eyes widen.
"Nonsense. He and I are like older sister and younger brother to one another. Is that not ri—" He pushed her so hard she fell into Fariel's arms causing him to laugh.
"I cannot be your sweet, little brother simply because I am older, you imbecile."
"He lies to the public eye, but, through closed doors and quiet walls, him and I are quite close."
"I am sure that is so. By Gods, how I missed this," Fariel laughed.
Just as Fariel was approaching him, Ake pushed him behind him and gave him a glare. It was as if he wanted to say something, but his mouth stayed close-lipped. Fariel continued to look at him with an amused expression before smirking with that lascivious grin Karos had grown so use to seeing.
"And who is this... lovely friend of yours?" He saw the glint in his eyes causing him to scoff.
"His name is Ake and, no, he is not a servant you can do what you will with, Fariel."
"Well, surely, he cannot be a soldier from your battalion. He is rather small for that laborious kind of work. Delicate, almost," Fariel said with a playfulness about him as if Ake could understand. Karos shook his head at the utterance as a light smile covered his lips. If only he knew the horrors he could do. He would not see him as this lovely flower.
"Your whorish ways will be the end of you," Analia said with disgust.
"I am a lover of fine, beautiful things, unlike yourself. And if I am not mistaken, you are quite whorish yourself."
"Ah yes, because I am a woman and you are a man. I cannot be this 'lover of fine things'. I must be a whore."
They went on to bicker some more causing Karos to grab Ake's arm and push him forward towards the nearing town. Though he knew Ake could take care of himself, more than well, he did not want him going on a murderous rampage because of wandering hands and misplaced sighs. He would have to keep an eye on both him and Fariel, he gathered. He wanted to be in a warm bed and eat food from tables again, not to hear the bickering of fools.
"Ah, Karos, I do not believe you have your papers... to get into Ganash's border town do you?" That utterance from Analia stopped him in his tracks.
"It will be quite hard to get into the town without them, soldier or not." Karos cut his eyes to Fariel's brown, studied ones before sighing out with anger. He heard Analia laugh before tilting her head and flashed him a charming smile that would make any man swoon.
"In the meantime, let me get to know your friend... more intimately." Karos could only sneer at her lewd suggestion causing him to hold onto to Ake's arm tighter.
"He is not yours is he? I thought you were not so fond of men?"
He was quick to release Ake's arm then slightly enervated by his subconscious show of protection for him. "Neither of you will touch him, do I find myself clear with you both?" Karos watched for Ake's expression and all he saw from him was animosity directed towards Fariel.
"Fair enough. Come now, let us be kind friends to one another."
As they reached the border, Karos noticed two men checking papers from travelers, merchants, and the like just as Fariel and Analia had said. He had forgotten all about the procedures of getting back into Ganash. All that was on his mind was going home.
Their turn soon approached causing Fariel to give him a soft smile. "Let me handle this."
Karos eyed him with a mix of scorn and gratitude. The man always had a way with words which served him better in his private chambers than anywhere else. He was always dressed in well-tailored clothing adorned with golds and cremes. Sometimes in the dark, navy blues of royalty. His hair, that was usually tied in a bow, hung loosely down his back drawing his attention further.
Dark brown hair, brown eyes, yet those features attracted the likeness of both men and women. Truly, there was nothing dull about him. He came back with a smile and, soon, Analia's caravan was given access to the town's gate as well as them.
Karos let out a visible puff of air as Fariel sneaked his way over to Ake's free side allowing for Analia to go on Karos' other side. He ignored her through their walk into the town, being too engrossed by the sights and smells of human civilization again.
He could smell the stench of fish, both old and fresh. The squawking of the seabirds and seagulls were like a soothing lullaby to his ears. Along the rim of the cobblestone streets, he gazed into the stalls and wares of the traveling merchants. All the fine jewelry, beads, tapestries, and exotic spices found from the furthest reaches of the land was brought here to the boisterous town of Ylon. The colors, the smells, the style, and intricately shaped beads and fabrics all caused him to question his reasons of not wanting to stay longer.
"Tell the crew to begin unloading the merchandise and be quick about it," Fariel said to the caravan driver. With a nod, he whipped the horses into a faster strut and went off into another direction.
His eyes continued to take in the buildings he had long since forgotten. They were tall varying in assortments of cremes and browns. Windows were tightly shut in homes, others were opened, welcoming winter's cold kiss. He took a closer look and saw the banners of blue flying across poles, down arches, and ducking in between homes. The crest of the royal family was brimmed across each one. He knew then, more soldiers from Incarceon had survived and were making their way back to the citadel.
The sound of passerbys filling each other's ears with wild tales of adventures and gossip only sounded off the final horn of civilization for him. However, their words seemed so foreign and distant now after learning more of Ake's language. His native tongue sounded much more personable and close. His eyes lingered on Ake for a moment before Analia interrupted his thoughts with thoughts of her own.
"You seem quite fond of him."
"Might I say the same for you?"
"Only because you are." His lips parted at her insinuation growing thicker in the air by the moment.
"Am I wrong to say that?" she questioned. He stayed silent causing Analia's smile to turn into a grin.
"Have you made a friend?"
"Enough of this." Karos was growing more and more bothered and restless at her speculations. He wanted them to end, but the woman was relentless when it came to such things. He knew he could not allow for them to find out what Ake truly is and how they came to be.
Her eyes strayed from him and onto a woman dressed in cloth that draped and covered every inch of her body in a rich creme, held together by a golden, eagle brooch. There was layers and layers on fabric with a thick, wool shawl to cover her arms. She stood out amongst the others who were dressed in such dreary colors of black, brown, and beige tunics and ragged clothes that followed close behind.
"You have bothered me enough with your questions. Do you not want to go bother someone else who may pleasure you with their leisurely talks of love and war?"
"No one wants to speak to a woman dressed in garbs of a man. She will not have me."
Karos took a good look at her, unfazed by her attire from knowing her for so long. As was said, she wore black breeches made for a man paired with a cotton shirt with loose sleeves. His eyes went further down and noticed her breasts compressed by leather armor tailored for her body. Down her hips, she wore a leather belt decorated with small weapons, accompanied by scabbards that yielded two light-weight swords across her back.
A small dagger was sticking from her char-colored boots splotched with mud causing one of his eyebrows to arch in amusement. The only thing clean about her was that of her face. Even her hair held cakes of dirt within the layers.
"Do not be coy and sell yourself so short. You have faired worse and exceeded well. Give way to chance."
"You only want to be rid of me," she said while hitting him with a light punch to his shoulder. "We have come together by chance after so many months apart. Let us share this moment together. Do not say you did not miss me."
Before he could respond, he felt Ake's hot touch on his arm that was once filling with cold air outside brought on. Now, he could only feel the warmth of the sun. Ake pulled at his wrist trying to veer off into the opposite direction of the inn Fariel and Analia had planned to stay.
"This way. It is towards the inn." His tugging grew worse pulling him away from Analia and into another direction, but Karos continued to resist.
"Ake!" he whispered with a raise to his voice. "Not that way. This way. I am tired and in need of rest. Analia and Fariel are trusted..." He paused. "They can be trusted."
Ake's eyes narrowed then and brimmed with worry and had an anxiousness about him that he had yet to witness until that moment. Still, he did not budge. Whatever Ake has in need of him could wait until the morrow. The sun would be setting soon and the air will only grow colder, he thought.
"Patal mo," Karos went on to say causing Ake's eyes to soften. He knew it meant something along the lines of trust and hoped that it would be enough to appease him for a couple more hours. Ake could drag him by the foot of his ankle to whatever place he desired to go, he very well knew. However, they had an unsaid understanding growing about them and he knew Ake would not do something as aggressive as that.
As soon as he saw the resolve diminish from his grasp, Karos took notice of Fariel's eyes on Ake before looking away.
"Give us a moment. We will meet you there."
"Take as much time as you need. Analia and I will check in. Come find us when you are done." Karos gave a nod and turned his attention back to Ake who had nothing but a glare for Fariel. He knew Ake would not respond too well to many humans so soon, especially not Fariel and his obvious shows of interest.
"It will be fine," Karos soothed. "You will be fine. Be at ease."
"Le menai amurrete..." His grip tightened. "Tam se gu danleta.", he stressed. Ake pulled him closer to him causing Karos' eyes to squint.
"Karos."
"Ake, patal mo."
He was silent causing Karos to eye him.
"Patal mo," he said again, this time, holding his stubborn eyes.
Ake pursed his lips then and nodded in pure reluctance. Whatever Ake needed of him, surely he would give without explanation. He had saved his life, something that would take his lifetime to repay. For that, he knew, he would not let anything happen to him.
He touched the left side of his chest where the mark laid out of habit. On his honor, he would swear by it. Until then, Asalph could wait, along with his father, and blood and death.
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[A/N]
I need major feedback on this chapter. Tell me your thoughts! ♡