Chapter Ninety-Three: Teach Me
"Breakfast is ready!"
Those three simple words, as they always did, had an instantaneous effect on Ella's brain.
Sitting up like a mummy, she blinked blearily at the wall, then turned with sleepy eyes to see Amelia spooning food onto some dishes. Beside her, Sinmir let out a small grumble and deftly rolled to his feet, cracking his back with a yawn. Gus and Vrael were both already up.
Getting off the furs with a tired sigh, Ella stretched and flattened her messy hair, then glanced around for Xaphile as she always did each morning.
She felt her heart sink a little when she realized he wasn't there, but then she caught herself and froze, feeling a stab of irritation.
I must have it bad if him not even being around upsets me, she silently muttered. Shite.
"I take it he's left again," she said aloud, furrowing her brows. "I hope whatever he learns is enough to work with after we take our leave."
Vrael's ears flicked and he looked up at her with a slow smirk sliding across his mouth.
"Well, if you want to see how he's doing, you can take his breakfast to him," he slyly proffered, making her glance up in confusion. "After all, he's training on the island today."
Ella paused, processing that.
"He's training on the island?" she finally asked, staring at him in confusion. "What's he doing?"
"Flapping those big old wings of his," Vrael cheerfully chuckled. "He's really, really strong, by the way... much stronger than I'm sure any of us were aware of. He's already gotten the hang of getting himself off the ground, which is pretty impressive, but even more impressive was the fact that he managed to hover in the air for ten minutes while working against the wind!"
"What's that mean?" Sinmir asked, glancing up in curiosity; his deep baritone came out even deeper with sleep. "Hovering in the air for ten minutes doesn't seem like it would be so hard."
"You should see him in action," Vrael gushed, leaning forward with bright eyes. "He's really working as hard as he can! You can tell just by watching him that he's pushing his limits!"
Ella stiffened, feeling a pang of worry that bled into yet even more irritation.
"That idiot," she growled, letting out a sigh. "I told him to do his best, not go overboard!"
"Oh, stop it," Vrael scolded. "He seems to be enjoying himself, and since we all know how little that happens, you shouldn't get upset over it. In fact, I think you should go watch him and see for yourself. Go take his food to him. He hasn't eaten."
"Excuse me?" Ella scoffed, cocking her hip. "What makes you think I should be the one to do it?"
"Well, you're the one who claims you're going to marry him someday," Vrael innocently shot back. "No time like the present to get in the habit of being a good little wife for him, right?"
Mouths fell open all over the room when her face turned bright pink with a hot flush.
But when Sinmir threw back his head and let out a booming belly laugh, the flush tinting her cheeks deepened to a deep scarlet. Her irritation flared up so much in that moment that she found herself needing to hold her temper.
"You know?" Ella seethed, clenching her fists and stomping over to the plate Amelia held out to her, "you are very fortunate that I'm trying to behave like a proper lady these days, because I'd have punched your smug little teeth in for a jab like that a few months ago."
"Yeah, yeah," Vrael sighed, rolling his eyes and flapping a hand. "Scoot along, Mrs. Heseroph!"
When she turned even darker red and stomped outside with a humph, Sinmir's knees buckled and he fell hard on his backside, holding his gut. He was laughing so hard that his face was nearly as red as Ella's, eyes squeezed shut and streaming tears, but by that point, even Gus and Amelia were chuckling a bit.
She kicked the door shut behind her to escape the uproarious laughter in the room, face burning and pride stinging.
Then again, she had to wonder why her pride was stinging.
Her fury faded a little when she thought about it more carefully.
Vrael had definitely only been teasing her... she knew it wasn't malicious. In fact, his jokes had been nothing more than good-natured humor.
After dissecting her own feelings and examining herself, she realized that she hadn't been angry because he'd teased her about anything. She'd gotten angry because of the power she'd placed in everyone's hands.
Personal knowledge like her true feelings gave them power over her, and the anger had stemmed from her dislike of that sensation.
In a nutshell?
She'd been embarrassed.
And she REALLY didn't like being embarrassed.
"I'll have to sit down and tell him that it bothers me later on," she muttered, carrying Xaphile's plate of food across the island. "If I am going to change for the better, I must hold my temper and properly communicate with people. And I must also listen to what others are saying."
After she said it, she realized something and blinked.
She had changed immensely.
Three months ago, she had been the type of person who had given commands, no questions asked, and she had been very stubborn and reluctant to listen to what others had to say.
If she'd deemed their words unimportant, she'd ignored them, and practically everything unrelated to her training in swordplay or her political responsibilities had been unimportant to her.
For nearly three years, she had completely disregarded people's words, and looking back on that time made her realize that what she'd originally valued as important had changed.
She didn't really understand how a boy like Xaphile had wormed his way into her heart, but it didn't really matter in the end, because now that he was there, she wasn't planning on letting him out again.
She wanted him.
And even though he'd said he couldn't accept her feelings, he had still marked her, so Ella was going to make use of the second bond she'd been given by opening her heart to him as much as she possibly could.
She had, after all, made more than a little progress with him since they'd gone from being enemies who hated each other to friends in only three months.
Who was to say that love wasn't something in store for the future?
It wouldn't be easy, that much she knew, but she was willing to take the chance if only it would make him happy.
Peering around as she walked, she looked for the object of her internal musings and wonders, feeling herself growing a little skeptical. She had been looking around for more than a little while, and she was beginning to wonder if Vrael had played yet another joke on her, but then, after moving into the small copse of trees on the island, she found him.
Ella instantly froze, and a shiver ran through her whole body.
He was sitting against the misty tree trunk in the early morning sunlight, dew and sweat clinging to his face and body in the haze. He was so still that she thought he might be asleep, and she hovered a step closer, wondering at the shining droplets caught in his dark, thick lashes.
He was beautiful...
From the exotic shape of his eyes, to his strong, aquiline nose, to his high cheekbones... and his lips... soft and red against skin as white as snow.
She found it hard to believe that she could have ever thought of him as ugly.
Even with his inhuman features, he had a face that could make a woman weak in the knees.
And his physique... Good Lord, that physique... even back when she'd first suspected him of being a monster, she'd found it hard to keep her eyes off of him whenever he'd been shirtless.
Ella was no stranger to the soldiers of Chisago sparring without their upper clothes since it was actually very common for men to run around topless, but Xaphile had a body that looked as if Asgrog had crafted it with his bare hands.
Abdomen muscles for days, broad shoulders, and arms that rippled with raw strength.
He was lean and extremely flexible, but his whole body was toned almost perfectly.
And right then, his eyes were closed, as serene as a cold, white statue. The sight made her heart stir restlessly.
Padding over to him, she squatted down with the plate of food and held it out, making sure it was hovering right beneath his nose.
From this distance, she could tell that he had fallen asleep fairly recently, since he was still covered in a film of sweat and his resting posture was awkward.
He'd probably sat down with the intention of taking a break and had drifted off.
Regardless, the moment he smelled the food, his eyes fluttered and he dragged them open. He blinked at the plate, then looked at her dazedly before things visibly clicked and he woke up.
"Ella?" he rasped, making her mouth slide into a smirk. "What are you doing here?"
"Bringing you some breakfast, you dumb ox," she quietly shot back, raising an eyebrow when he rubbed his eyes. "I thought you were training, but it looks more like you were sleeping."
He blinked, pausing for a second, then glanced at her.
"Vrael told you I was still here, didn't he?"
She nodded, then held the plate out a little higher.
"Take this," she commanded. "And eat everything on it. If you're still hungry, wait an hour and I'll be sure to bring some more back. That way you don't give yourself cramps."
"Eh?" he mumbled, staring at the food. "Oh... thanks."
When he took the plate and set it in his lap, Ella sat down on the grass and made herself comfortable. She planted her chin on her hand and watched him eat, then glanced at his wings, which were spread out a little farther than usual.
"So," she began, drawing his eyes to her face, "Vrael tells me you were impressive earlier."
Xaphile blinked, then slowly finished chewing and swallowed before he responded.
"Not really. I'm just doing the best I can under the circumstances."
Ella nodded, then gave him a long look, feeling her heart softening.
"I am sorry for putting so much pressure on you," she murmured, "but do not worry. I do not think you should strain yourself to the point of exhaustion just to meet our demands. Whether you learn everything you need to know by the time we leave is unimportant."
His head snapped up, ears drawing back the way they always did when he was alarmed.
"What?" he asked. "I thought I needed to try my hardest so I could be prepared when we left."
"I did, but don't misunderstand my words," Ella corrected, giving him a long look, "I want you to do your absolute best to learn everything that you can. What I don't want is for you overdo it and wear yourself out. After all, once we find your brother and a mage who can dream walk, if necessary we'll return here and make plans for a much longer stay."
Xaphile nodded, but then something strange passed over his face.
He lowered his eyes for a moment.
"You said you'd be heading back to Chisago when that happened," he noted, making her heart jump involuntarily. "After this is over... you guys will go back home, right?"
Ella's heart began to pound when she heard the faint undertone of dismay in his voice.
"I'm one of the four rulers of this country, Xaphile," she said softly, forcing herself to look at him head on, "and Sinmir is the crowned prince of Adanac. He and I have responsibilities that we cannot simply shirk off, no matter how much we want to. And that boy, Vrael... no matter how sweet of an individual he is, it doesn't change the fact that his existence makes him a fugitive."
"You'll all leave," he murmured, speaking in a blank tone. "That's what the future holds?"
Ella let out a sigh when he set his plate of food to the side and set his head back against the tree, bBut before he could sink into the state of despair he'd been stuck in, she shifted her legs and began to crawl forward, up between his legs until they were chest to chest.
He stared at her with raised eyebrows when she set her hands on his shoulders, but with all the emotion she could muster, she attempted to project a feeling of reassurance.
"We won't leave you behind," she said firmly, staring him straight in the eye. "I can promise you this above all else. No matter what happens, even if I am forced to head back to Chisago while you train your mind and body here amongst your kin, I will come back to get you someday."
His eyes drilled into her own with no expression, then narrowed slightly, as if he were confused.
"Why?"
That one word asked so little of her, yet so much at the same time.
But she kept her answer simple and clean.
"Because," she murmured, giving him a little smile, "I love you."
He drew back, staring at her in shock before he managed to regain his composure.
"You know? You've changed since I first met you," he stoically muttered. "It's kinda scary."
"I was thinking the same thing on my way here," Ella agreed, squeezing his shoulders and purposely ignoring the clammy, sweaty sensation that assaulted her fingers. "But I've decided that I'm liking those changes enough to accept them as they are and not be embarrassed."
He stared at her, face completely blank.
It was only when she realized she could see the swirling flecks of green and gold within his aquamarine irises that she realized just how close the two of them were. Flushing, she jerked her hands back and pulled away, taking a moment to regain her composure.
After a few moments, he grabbed his plate of food and began to eat again, quietly.
Ella was a little worried, since she wasn't sure if her words had upset him, but her worries disappeared when his long tail curled around her back and came to rest on her lap.
There was no change in his expression and he didn't look at her when she cast a curt glance his way, but his actions were irrefutable. He wouldn't have done it were he truly bothered by her actions and words. She glanced down at the twitching limb encircling her body.
Succumbing to a sudden fit of temptation, Ella lifted her hand and tentatively ran her fingers through the sleek black fur along Xaphile's tail, marveling at the texture. He shivered and glanced at the spot she was touching, then returned to eating.
After a moment, though, he stopped and lowered his fork.
"I'm not sure how to feel about being trained with a sword," he muttered, speaking completely out of the blue and throwing her a little off guard. "I don't like weapons, but I'm willing to go through with it since I feel like its a necessary evil on Atlas."
"Your first statement contradicts the second one," Ella noted, frowning a bit. "Why aren't you sure how to feel if you know you dislike weapons?"
"Mostly because Sinmir's a good guy and he seems pretty eager to teach me," he explained, giving her a look. "I don't want to disappoint him, but the thought of knowing how to use a weapon scares me a little. Unlike martial arts, which is taught for self defense, a sword is used solely for the sake of taking another life."
Ella's brows rose and she instantly shook her head.
"I think you're looking at this the wrong way."
When he raised an eyebrow, she shifted her cloak and patted her daggers.
"I was taught the art of swordplay a long time ago," she continued, "but I've never thought of swords themselves as things meant for killing. To me, the sword is a symbol of protection. It is not just a form of self defense, it is a tool that one should only pick up for the sake of another."
Xaphile frowned when she unsheathed one of her daggers and held it up to the light.
The blade gleamed, and the razor sharp edge caught the sun.
"This weapon," she said softly, feeling herself drifting far away, "has taken many lives. That much is indeed true. I had no choice but to use it and defend what I held most dear."
"I understand where you're coming from," he sighed, "but at the same time... it's wrong."
"Wrong or not, I would do it again, were it necessary," Ella shot back, giving him a look. "Don't think for an instant that I would hesitate to use this tool to cut down any fool who dares to threaten what I love. My blades are a symbol of my devotion, loyalty, protection, and sacrifice."
"Sacrifice?"
She gave him a long look.
"Yes, sacrifice... because as I said before," she murmured, sheathing her blade with a sense of finality, "killing never gets any easier. It only gets harder, because you never forget. Even if the life you're taking belongs to a monster, you never forget a single face."
He swallowed, Adam's apple bobbing with the action, but she fixed him with a glare before he could say anything.
"What you must remember is very simple," she whispered, leaning forward. "Even if you are trained in the way of the sword, it doesn't mean you have to act on that knowledge... but in my personal experience, it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it."
Xaphile blinked, then let out a sigh and nodded, taking another bite of his food.
The tip of his tail flicked back and forth, dusting her ankle until he suddenly paused again.
"I haven't actually finished teaching you how to do martial arts," he said in a displeased tone, making her quirk a brow. "With all the other stuff going on, we haven't had a chance to continue where we last left off."
"We'll figure something out," Ella said, leaning back. "I can't deny that I want to learn, though. Being able to defend myself without a weapon is a valuable skill to have."
He blinked, then hastily scarfed the rest of his food down and rose to his feet, but Ella frowned when his tail flicked up and wrapped itself around her neck.
She loved the feeling of his fur, but she couldn't help but swallow when it slid across her skin in a silken manner.
Her cheeks burned when he looked down at her with languid, half-lidded blue-green eyes.
"Let's do it," he murmured. "Right here and now. I told you I would, so I will. I'll make time to teach you for each day that we're here."
"Right now?" Ella asked, raising her brows. "Are you certain?"
"The real question is," he shot back, "are you ready?"
A stubborn smile pulled at her mouth, and with a surreptitious glance, she tossed her hair.
"Let us start, then," Ella snorted, rolling to her feet as gracefully as a spring deer. His tail slid off her shoulders and danced behind him when she took off her cloak.
"Do you remember your goal from last time?" he asked, settling into an Aikido stance and looking at her intently. "It's been a while since we've done this."
"To avoid getting tossed over your shoulder," Ella shot back, stretching her limbs the way she'd been taught to do before a practice session. "I wasn't able to manage it last time, but I feel like there's some trick to it that I haven't yet discovered, so today I'll make that my second goal."
He nodded, eyes mellowing out a bit before the stoic expression returned.
"Come at me," he muttered, pupils sharpening into focused slits. "Give it all you have!"
Ella took a deep breath and charged forward the way she would if she were holding her daggers, throwing her arm out in an attempt to hit him. Like last time, he caught her arm and dragged her off balance, and before she could catch herself or react, she went flying over his body.
She landed on her back with a heavy thud and grimaced, eyes squeezed shut.
"My pride stings every time," she muttered, letting out an irritated grumble. "Damn it."
When she opened her eyes, she was met with the sight of glimmering teal and she stiffened, face flushing bright red since his face was right there.
"You're going at this the wrong way," he murmured, warm breath washing across her face. "Aikido is designed to use your own body against you. Instead of charging at me full on, you should instead come at me slowly, with careful precision. Keep control of your movements."
Ella's face burned when he straightened up and held out a hand, but she took it and allowed him to pull her upright even though she was embarrassed.
When he settled back into the battle stance and looked at her, she glanced down at herself and frowned, thinking about his words.
Keep control of my movements, she silently mused, flexing her palms as she thought about it. I do have a tendency to charge in, but perhaps speed and flexibility is inefficient with what he's trying to teach me. I keep going at him with the hopes of catching him off guard.
Deciding to try something a bit different, she looked up at him and began to walk toward him slowly, arms raised and eyes narrowed. His sharp irises followed her movements even though his body was practically as still as a stone.
Even his tail was stagnant.
When she was only about a foot away, Ella lashed out and swung her fist, but to her surprise, he caught it and twisted her arm so precisely that the action spun her around in a circle.
Before she could blink, her arm was pinned behind her back and the warmth of his bare chest engulfed her from behind.
Ella didn't move, since she felt like doing so would break her arm.
"Good job," he said softly, speaking directly into her ear. "You achieved the goal I set out for you."
"Eh?!" she scoffed, tilting her head with a stunned feeling. "Wait! It can't have been that easy!"
"Your goal was to not get thrown over my shoulder, Ella," he quietly chuckled. "In order to do that, you needed to stop charging in at top speed. That was what I was trying to convey."
"Then, what now?" she asked, wriggling her captive fingers. "What's the next step?"
When he let go of her and stepped back, she turned and glanced at him, cradling her arm.
His grip, while very firm, had been almost gentle.
He hadn't hurt her at all.
"I'm going to be teaching you the basics," he said. "I'm going to teach you how to use your hands as shields. Once you get the hang of parrying every blow that comes your way, the disarming move I just showed you will be the next goal, then we'll move onto the grapples and see how well you can apply them in a real fight."
"Sounds like a plan," Ella replied with a nod. "What do I do first?"
"Take the stance I showed you before," he ordered, watching as she settled back into the odd knock-kneed position he'd first taught her. "Now bring your hands up the way I showed you."
Lifting her arms, Ella blinked and positioned her hands. looking at him questioningly.
He observed her stance, then nodded.
"Good job. Looks like you remember everything I taught you."
"Why exactly do I need to position my arms this way?" she asked, frowning a little. "I understand the position of the legs after being thrown over your shoulder so many times, but grabbing your opponent could be done just as easily without this odd position."
Xaphile blinked, then looked down at her hands and he raised his own, palms out.
"You hold your arms like this for two reasons," he explained. "First and foremost being balance, and the second being that you can block any attack being thrown at you with your arms in this position."
Her brows rose.
"Any attack? Surely you jest."
"I'm not," he explained. "You've seen me fight before, but for the sake of example, let me give you a demonstration. Punch me."
"Punch you?" Ella asked, furrowing her brows. "Really?"
"Yup."
She narrowed her eyes at his flat expression and raised her arms, watching as he slid back into the fighting stance and held his hands up.
Rolling her shoulders, she lunged forward and swung, but to her absolute shock, he easily batted her arm aside using the side of his hand.
Stumbling as her center of motion was thrown off, she looked at him in surprise, then charged forth and swung at him a second time. He knocked her arm away, throwing her off balance again, but this time he took a heavy stomp forward and swung the fist he'd kept drawn back.
She gasped when it stopped just short of her stomach.
"Oh my Gods," she whispered, straightening up with stunned eyes. "You really can block any kind of forward attack using only your arms!"
"Exactly," he explained. "That's what I was trying to tell you."
Ella folded her arms and tucked her chin down, tapping her foot.
"I believe you," she said after a few seconds, "but can it be done if your opponent is holding a weapon? Such as a sword or a dagger?"
"Yes," Xaphile confirmed, making her head snap up. "Do you remember when I first met you?"
"Hm?" she asked, thinking back to the first time she'd ever seen him. "Yes, what of it?"
"I caught your sword with my bare hand, remember?"
Her eyes widened in shock.
"I remember that," she whispered, shivering. "I couldn't believe my eyes. And then, when I lunged out with my daggers, you caught my arms like it was nothing."
"That was a result of Aikido."
Ella swallowed, heart pounding with anticipation.
"Teach me," she breathed, feeling gooseflesh rising on her arms. "Teach me everything."
He gave her an uncharacteristically soft expression.
"As you wish," he murmured, letting out a sigh. "Let's begin."
And so, they did.
For nearly an hour, Xaphile taught her how to defend herself, and they only stopped when Sinmir showed up with a wide grin on his face.
"Oi!" the blonde man called, thick accent coming out even thicker with delight. "Phil, glad you're still here! You up for having a quick sparring match?!"
"Sure!" Xaphile called, then turned and gave her a nod. "You did great. I'm proud of you."
His eyes and words did something funny to her heart.
A wave of warmth washed over her, and for the longest time she could only stand there, fighting to catch her breath.
When her mind started up again, she slapped a hand across her breast and bowed, panting heavily and sweating profusely.
Sinmir halted in his tracks, brows rising.
"Thank you for teaching me," she rapped out, lifting her flaming pink eyes with a broad grin. "I will be sure to do even better in the future, you have my word. For now, I'm going to head to the springs and wash myself off."
"See ya," Xaphile murmured, watching as she straightened up and trotted off.
What's wrong with me? she wondered, face flaming.
She knew the reason, and she knew a cold dunk in a river would have fixed everything, but since they only had a hot spring, she decided to settle for taking a good long soak.
🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗
Sinmir smirked devilishly as Xaphile trotted up, looking him up and down in a way that made him frown a little.
"Well, that was a sight I thought I'd never see," he chuckled, slapping a heavy hand down on his shoulder. "You seem to be in better spirits today, Lad... how are you holding up?"
"I'm doing the best I can, I guess," he sighed, glancing at him. "I was expecting Vordt to do something awful to me, but this morning he just... flew away."
Sinmir quirked an eyebrow.
"Do you have any idea why?"
"Well, I mean, he did expose me to some sort of weird flower," Xaphile shrugged. "He got all bent out of shape since it bloomed for me. Apparently, it means I'm not actually a bad guy."
The blonde man snorted.
"That much should have been obvious from the start. There isn't an evil bone in your body."
"Well, he didn't seem to think so until earlier today."
He and Sinmir stared at each other for a few moments.
"Well, are you ready?" the prince eventually asked, grinning. "I'm eager to teach you how to defend yourself!"
"I guess."
Even though his reply was half-hearted, the man let out a big belly laugh. Then, with a flourish, he pulled two wooden swords out from behind his back. Xaphile twitched, staring at them with surprise, since they had been carved to look like the real thing.
"Here," Sinmir barked, tossing one to him, taking a deep breath, shrugging his shoulders. He circled around Xaphile, pausing, bouncing on his feet. "Keep your eyes on me."
Xaphile stared at him warily.
"Kind of hard not to."
"Good," Sinmir purred, face spreading into a ferocious grin. "Block me."
Xaphile never could have.
The instant Sinmir swung, aiming straight for his face, his heart flew up his throat and he leapt backwards, slamming himself into a tree. The rush of air from the man's blow billowed his dark hair back. Xaphile flinched, but Sinmir's wooden sword froze a fraction of an inch from his face.
"That was a dodge... not a defense," Sinmir chuckled, sweeping the stick away and stepping back, letting him take up the position again. "Now, block me."
He came in from the same angle, slower this time, and Xaphile threw the stick up, blinking furiously at the slam they made. He could feel the strength behind it, even with Sinmir holding back so much, but it didn't help the shudder running up his arms.
It rattled his teeth.
"Do not be afraid, lad," Sinmir said softly, grey eyes softening. "I will not hurt you for real. There might be a few bruises here and there, but such a thing is natural during sword practice. Just fight!"
Xaphile didn't think he was going to be very good at it, but he tried anyway.
Unfortunately, his suspicions were absolutely right.
Sinmir swung his wooden practice sword again and again, sometimes slower, sometimes faster, harder and less so, but every time was an instant too quick for Xaphile to properly block it. He kept back-stepping, missing, glancing off Sinmir's stick until the tip broke through and nudged him. He had been careful that first time, but after that he started going full out.
Xaphile was whacked multiple times without managing to block a single attack.
Sinmir apologized after every blow, of course, but his stormy grey eyes shone from within.
He was really enjoying himself and it showed.
Lunging forward, he landed a particularly painful swipe on his arm.
"Ow!" Xaphile yelped, jerking back and waving his stinging hand. "Shit!"
But Sinmir didn't hesitate,
With a howl, he charged forward and swiped again.
Xaphile's reaction was instinctive.
Sliding to the side and dodging the blow, he threw up the arm holding the wooden sword and slammed it into Sinmir's, knocking the man so off balance that he actually stumbled. The blonde whirled around with an open mouth, eyes wide when he continued nursing his hand.
"Phil!" he breathed, mouth spreading into a huge smile. "Phil, you just pulled off a riposte!"
"A what?"
"A riposte!" Sinmir repeated, trotting over and looking down at him with shining eyes. "One of the hardest moves for a swordsman to pull off in actual combat! Do it again!"
Sinmir swung without warning.
Xaphile instantly slid to the side and smacked his sword up with all of his strength, sending the prince stumbling yet again.
Then Sinmir let out a laugh, dropped his sword, and whipped around. Trotting up, he slammed both of his huge hands down on Xaphile's shoulders.
"Amazing!" he exclaimed. "You're a natural, Xaphile! With the right amount of training, you could end up becoming skilled enough to outshine my father's guard captain!"
"You think?"
"I'm positive!"
"I agree!"
Both of them turned at the sound of Gus's impressed voice filling the air. He was sitting in the grass with Amelia and Vrael.
"How long have you guys been there?" Xaphile called. "I didn't hear you come up!"
"We've been here for a good while," Vrael called, waving with a cheerful grin. "We thought it would be a good idea to keep you company while you train!"
"Ah... I have to get back to that soon," he muttered, glancing at Sinmir. "I can probably get away with another hour of doing this, but then I really have to start training my wings again. I might get in trouble if Vordt finds out I wasn't following his instructions."
"You finished the main goal he laid out on your first attempt," Vrael shot back, making everyone blink in surprise. "So what if you decided to spar a little with Ella and Sinmir? It's still physical activity, and it's not like you're shirking off your duties."
Xaphile felt an intense stab of anxiety prickle within his gut.
"True," he acknowledged, "but the last thing I want to do is make him angry."
"Well, if that's the case," Sinmir murmured, swaggering up and planting two large, reassuring hands on his shoulders from behind, "today, you and I will continue our match for another hour as you said, then you can go back to your original duties. In the future, we'll make time to do this later on in the evening so it won't interrupt your teachings and exercises."
Xaphile turned and looked over his shoulder when Sinmir squeezed a bit.
"You know?" he sighed, giving the blonde man a glance. "If I'd had older brothers, I think they'd probably have been just like you and Vrael. I don't know why, but you two make me feel at home no matter where we are."
Sinmir looked shocked by his unexpected statement, but Vrael's eyes lit up like the sun.
Leaping to his feet with a whoop, the halfling tore over to them and tackled Xaphile, mauling him with a crushing bear hug.
After a moment, Sinmir's whole face softened and he wrapped both of them up in a bone crushing hug, giving both boys a painful noogie.
"Having you goofy lads as my siblings would have made me too spoiled of a man!" the prince bellowed, lifting them into the air and squeezing them harshly. "I'd have been unfit to be king!"
"Agh!" Vrael laughed, kicking his legs. "Sinmir! I can't breathe!"
"Good! Suffer!"
Xaphile, with his arms squished and his shoulders bunched up to his long ears, peered at the laughing faces that were so close to his own.
He felt the strength of their arms.
Before he realized what was happening, a long-forgotten warmth started blooming within his heart and spread through his whole body.
Warm waves of emotion washed over him.
When Sinmir squeezed them tighter and Vrael started kicking his legs, squawking insults that made the prince let out another booming belly laugh, his mouth twitched a little.
Then he grinned, slanted eyes crinkling at the edges as he let out a breathless chuckle that was lost on the two men embracing him.
Nobody saw that smile aside from one person. Someone who was watching the scene from above with grim, shadowed eyes.