Kitaya took a deep breath, the scent of burning herbs stinging her nostrils. Light from the two standing torches flanking the table made the shadows dance. The battle field was at a standstill, the remainder of her troops awaiting her next move. This was it. No more games. This wasn't child's play. This was all out war.
Kitaya bit down on her thumbnail and examined the board for the umpteenth time. Her soldiers, in the form of figurines, were alight with the soft blue glow coming from beneath it. She shifted her eyes to the two wooden cards in her hand. One depicted a group of archers loosing arrows into the sky. The other two golems holding massive shields in front of them. One of them or both, would lead her to victory. Or so she hoped.
What can I do? No doubt Aldeheid would have some trick up his sleeve. He was probably thinking ten moves ahead of her at this point, damn him.
Half her front line was gone, and her golems were on their last legs. Meanwhile, both his dragons were halfway healthy and he still had another dragon siege. She looked down at the cards in her hand. She still had another Golem defense, and an arrow volley, but she'd need to roll at least a ten to use them both.
I'm dead.
Kitaya looked up to see Aldeheid staring at her, with brows drawn tight. The orange light from the torches danced in the depths of his eyes, making him look like an avenging angel. "What?"
"Well." He looked away, his face reddening, as it always did, for no apparent reason. "You've been staring at the board for some time, and... I was wondering if you plan on making a move. I mean, there's no rush," he added when she scowled.
"Was it not you who told me that I should think carefully about every move I make? That I should be planning turns ahead of my opponent?" She arched a brow.
"Indeed, I did say that, kitten."
She folded her arms across her chest. "And do I rush you through your turns?"
"Well I don't take as much—" He coughed. "I mean, no, you don't, kitten."
"Then if it would please his Majesty, I'd like to have my turn in peace." She hissed out the last word, her nostrils flaring with agitation.
He held his hand up in a gesture of surrender.
"That's what I thought." Kitaya went back to examining the board, studying the position of every figure, the outcome of every possible move she could make. And she didn't see herself winning. Perhaps she could bluff somehow, get him to play less aggressively and chip away at his defenses.
It was worth a shot.
She rolled the twenty-sided die, sweat beading on her skin as it twisted and twirled before landing on a four. It took everything within her not to swear out loud. That was only enough for an arrow volley. It would have to do.
She took four ether stones, popped them into the slots in the back of the card and played it in the board's offensive slot. Her archers came to life, nocking arrows of light in their bows before firing them into the air. They traveled in an elegant arc and rained over Aldeheid's troops. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to take any of them out.
"I win," Aldeheid said. "You have no means of defending yourself and I have both a Dragon Siege and a Calvary Rush." He brandished the cards in question, smiling sheepishly. "But I'll roll, just in case." He picked up the die and tossed it.
Kitaya held her breath, watching it tumble across the board before landing on a twelve. Which meant he could use both his cards and destroy what was left of her troops. Her hands curled into fists, and her blood heated to a simmer. Damn him.
Aldeheid's smile morphed into an obnoxiously toothy grin. "See I—"
She kicked the table, and it jumped into the air, rolling end over end. The cards, ether stones and figurines rained over him before pattering on the ground like hail. The table landed on its side between them, with a thump that made the floor tremble.
"Kitaya!" Aldeheid screeched, his voice an octave higher than usual. His expression was somewhere between shock and disbelief as he looked down at the mess.
"This game is stupid." She leaned back in her seat and folded one leg over the other, the silken fabric of her night robe fluttering with the motion.
"You know there are better, less childish ways to concede defeat." The seriousness in his tone was offset by the comical way a Dragon Siege card was sticking up from the mass of curls atop his head.
Kitaya picked through the mess, plucking a small white flag from under the board. "Here's your surrender." She flicked it at him, and it landed in his hair, the white fabric billowing. "We both know you wouldn't be able to defeat me in a real war."
Aldeheid didn't seem amused by her outburst. "I don't doubt that." He picked the card and flag from his hair, brushing out a few ether stones as well.
"We should set the board back up. I want to play again." She grabbed one leg of the table, flipping it right-side-up with the flick of her wrist.
"We've been playing for hours, kitten." Aldeheid leaned back in his seat, the wicker of the chair groaning under his weight, and scratched at his shadow of a beard.
"And?"
"And I'm exhausted. And I haven't packed yet. And we're leaving for Aiisha in the morning." He exhaled a yawn and roughed up his unruly mass of curls. "I should cut my hair before we go too."
"Fine. Rest. Pack. Whatever else. We'll play on the boat ride there." And she'd finally beat him at this dumb game. Jayer and Jetei had gifted it to her at her one millennia celebration and Aldeheid had spent hours teaching her all its secrets and intricacies.
"Alright, but not so late into the night. I want to be able to train with Leandyr and Gebarro once we get there." Another yawn stretched his jaw, and he rose from his seat.
Always with the training. Every chance he got he worked himself into the ground. She didn't get the appeal of training with Leandyr and Gebarro anyway. All they did was slap him around until he passed out. It was more bullying than anything else.
"Would it not be better to take that time to relax? You've been training nonstop since we first left Aiisha." Kitaya planted a bare foot on the edge of the table and rocked her chair back on two legs.
"But..." Aldeheid grimaced. "I don't feel as though I'm getting any better." And then he made the face – as Kitaya had come to call it. The face that she so despised. The face that made him look like a child who'd been abandoned by their family.
"You have gotten better, angel eyes. 'Tis only you that is blind to your progress."
He scoffed. "I can't even last two minutes against Leandyr."
"And when you first fought him, you couldn't last two seconds. Listen," Kitaya said before he could self-deprecate even more. "You're not going to get any satisfaction comparing yourself to Leandyr, or Gebarro, or even me. Instead compare yourself to the person you were last month or last year. Do you feel as though you're a better magician."
"No, I don't."
She rolled her eyes. "Well, I know you're much better than the witless fool that wandered into my Orchard all those years ago. You can still be an idiot sometimes, like right now. And I'd love to knock some sense into you sometimes, like right now."
Aldeheid seemed to take that as a threat, and inched closer to the stairs.
"But for all your faults, our cause is stronger with you. Whether you think so or not."
A blush coloured his cheeks once more. "I suppose..."
"I've said my piece. Take it how you will." She rose and headed towards her room, throwing a wave over her shoulder. "I think I'll head to bed as well."
"Kitaya?"
She paused with one hand resting on the door handle and looked at him over her shoulder. "Hm?"
Aldeheid was blushing again, and looking everywhere except in her direction. "I know I don't say it often enough, but thanks. For everything."
Kitaya smiled. "You're welcome. And for what it's worth, I'm glad I brought you along." She breathed a laugh when his blush intensified. "Goodnight, angel eyes."
"Goodnight, kitten."
As Kitaya closed her door, she recited a short spell to ignite the candles arranged around the room. As she leaned against the door, she listened as Aldeheid's footfalls disappeared up the steps. Hopefully, the herbs she'd burned would help him sleep more soundly.
He'd been tossing more and more in his sleep as of late. But he didn't seem keen on telling her what was bothering him, brushing off her questions and assuring her that he was fine. She wanted to help him, but he made it impossible by shutting her out.
She'd initiated the game of Tactica to make sure he got enough of the herbs in his system. Though her theatrics at the end may been a bit much. She'd have to apologise for that in the morning, even though he didn't seem upset about it.
Kitaya thumped her head against the door, a soft laugh escaping her lips. To think, she'd gone from wanting to punt him out of her Orchard to actually caring about the fool. But then again, Aldeheid had that unique effect on people.
Pathetic as he acted, he made others want to help him. He'd drawn her in with his morbid way of spellcasting, and just like that, she'd found herself wanting to see him grow and learn. She wanted to see him make the most of his wanton spellcasting, make the most out of something that had caused him and so many others so much agony. And she wanted to aid in that process as well. It almost seemed like a crime not to.
Even though he seemed oblivious to it, Aldeheid had was leagues better than he was back in Etheria. It made Kitaya wonder how much more he could accomplish with the right cape. With... her, perhaps?
A bump from upstairs pulled her out of her pondering. It was followed by a muffled swear, and some grumbling.
She breathed a laugh and looked around her own room. The box was sitting opened next to her bed, and nigh stuffed to the brim with things she would and wouldn't need. She just couldn't find the conviction to clear it out after every trip, and only took things out as she needed them.
Her small garderobe was half empty, door hanging ajar, and her sword and dagger sat atop the dresser. As far as she was concerned, she was all packed up. So she hopped onto her crumpled bedding, and fell asleep to the sounds of Aldeheid's rummaging drifting over her.
[AN]: What did you guys think about Kitaya in this scene? Does her behaviour seem out of character? Also, I'm dedicating this one to angelmlee83 because she's read pretty much all of my stuff too. You rock :)