A flick of Kale's blade landed just shy of his opponents neck snapping off the leather strap that held on a sparring mask. Golden blonde locks cascaded down as the safety equipment fell away, brows knitted in concentration hardly noted the loss. Kale's twin sister Evie swung wildly in a reply blow, but it was haphazard, Kale parried the blow with a chuckle enjoying the upper hand he had on the heir apparent.
"Her majesty is a bit sluggish this morning, perhaps she needs her morning tea?" Kale mocked only adding to his sisters anger making her form that much more predictable.
"Shades devour you, Kale!" the young queen-to-be sneered. ducking around the corner she shouldered through the massive gold inlaid doors that led to the court gardens. The midday sun showered over the sparring pair, with blinding radiance. Kale raised his off hand to block out the glare as his sister backed off into the open air recomposing and raising her guards once more. "Get on with it, I want to beat you before Charise finds us for lessons."
Kale snickered, diving back into the fight. It didn't take five strikes before the situation was right back where they started with Kale dangerously close to disarming his sister. Locking blades Kale forced Evie's back against the soft moss of the gardens interior wall. "I think its time to surrender sister. You don't have the strength to get out of this position. I have won." A glint of taunt sparked in his eye. Sparring was one of the few places he was able to get the better of her.
"Don't count your victory before its yours." Evie managed to sputter through the effort of keeping Kale's blade back. "Isn't that what Master Kinoc is always telling you during your tactics training?" Her long lashes fluttered in a sudden spasm, lips moving just barely noticeable, wordlessly chanting. Kale's eyes widened as he recognized the look of a channel, but it was too late he felt the course snake like root writhe up around his ankle and yank.
The sudden change of his footing was all his sister needed. Shifting her weight around and changing the angle of her blade sent her significantly larger brother toppling to the ground, followed by a loud clatter as his gem encrusted broadsword bounced off the hard stone of the courtyard walkway. When Kale opened his eyes he stared down the polished steel of his sisters rapier. Sweat stuck long blond hair in a tangled mess around her face, failing to hide the wide grin behind it. "I told you."
With a scowl Kale swatted the thin blade from his face and push himself to his feet. Running his hand through a strand of his sisters wet hair he grunted. "This much effort on a nature channel? Your're lucky Charise isn't here yet to scold you for such poor control."
"I am, and I assure you, you both will be scolded for a great deal more than that." The staccato rhythm of the Royal instructor's chide stung their young ears.
"Selin's shade!" Kale cursed under his breath. before turning around. "Mistress Charise we were just about to find you, my sister just wanted some further instruction on the sword." he managed in his most humble verse.
The elderly woman gave an exaggerated roll of her eyes. "Kale, the day your sister asks for instruction will be the day I retire my switch." The boy chewed his lip at the comment sending a sidelong glance to his sister, with an only slightly veiled grin. The glare he got in return only served to break the grin into a full smile. The instructor sniffed loudly regaining their focus. "Kale, as much as I would prefer to discipline you both together, the Lord General has requested your presence in the main hall."
Kale cocked his head, "Uncle Draven? What does he want?"
"He would like you to start witnessing the diplomatic counsels, the emissary of Hardinia just arrived this morning. It is likely there will be talks for the next week." casting a disapproving glance at the grass stains on his formal shirt she added. "I would suggest you change before making your appearance."
Kale grimaced, a lifetime spent watching a bunch of old men competing to bore each other to death was hardly his choice of future, but it wasn't really his choice to make. Since the founding of Aeliria, the royalty had always been broken down into two groups. The Queen governed the country making the choices and allocating the resources needed to keep the people safe, productive, and happy. The Lord General led the armies. It was the Lord General who dealt with the foreign affairs and met with the nobles to dictate strategy.
The Lord General and the Queen were always twins, brother and sister, born from the previous queen. It was never certain if that was the way it had been originally, but now the magic behind it was fairly simple. The Queen would marry, after no more than two years, and, through a series of blessings and enchantments laid down by the royal clerics, conceive twins the next spring, one boy and one girl. Each child would spend their life being groomed to fill their respective role. It was a great honor, coupled with great respect and a lavish albeit stressful lifestyle. Kale hated it.
Its not that Kale did not love his country and want to serve his people, but Kale didn't enjoy the idea of being tied down. He had spent his whole childhood stuck in the walls of the castle hurried from one class to another or with private tutors and sword instructors. He had stood in the corner as his mother had meandered around ballrooms greeting one dignitary after another. Sat silently at the feast-room table while his uncle lectured about the threat of Hardinian spearmen in Lancend or Ondish lords seizing territory on the borderlands. All the while he stared out the windows wishing he was free to do something, anything on his own, out in the world, to have an adventure.
When he was still young, probably only four or five, his father had taken him on a hunt in the western plains, it was just a days ride from the Syandor River, but to him it was the depths of the Lost Lands itself. He had searched around every oak tree they passed looking for a trace of a wood nymph or timber troll, but he hadn't even seen a nature sprite. Of course no one had seen any of those things, not in the past hundred years. It was rare to even see a light walker anymore, and those golden beings had been active in civilized areas commonly until about 50 years ago. The only people who would talk of any of those mysterious creatures anymore were the various hunters and explorers who still dared to enter the Lost Lands, and the tales they told were usually more myth than memory.
But not finding any mythical beings hadn't stopped Kale from loving every second he had spent out on the plains, living off the land with his father. He loved exploring, hiking in the crisp fresh air outside the walls of the city. He felt free out there. All he ever wanted was that freedom. But life was not about what you want. Kale had a responsibility and however much he disliked it, he had been raised to commit to that responsibility completely.
"Kale!" the shrill way Charise managed to utter the single syllable name always sent an uncomfortable shutter down his spine.
Finally shaking off his reminiscing the young royal nodded to his teacher. "I'm going!" he started off at a trot narrowly dodging the old hags riding crop as he passed her.
"Shades devour you, Kale!" the young queen-to-be sneered. ducking around the corner she shouldered through the massive gold inlaid doors that led to the court gardens. The midday sun showered over the sparring pair, with blinding radiance. Kale raised his off hand to block out the glare as his sister backed off into the open air recomposing and raising her guards once more. "Get on with it, I want to beat you before Charise finds us for lessons."
Kale snickered, diving back into the fight. It didn't take five strikes before the situation was right back where they started with Kale dangerously close to disarming his sister. Locking blades Kale forced Evie's back against the soft moss of the gardens interior wall. "I think its time to surrender sister. You don't have the strength to get out of this position. I have won." A glint of taunt sparked in his eye. Sparring was one of the few places he was able to get the better of her.
"Don't count your victory before its yours." Evie managed to sputter through the effort of keeping Kale's blade back. "Isn't that what Master Kinoc is always telling you during your tactics training?" Her long lashes fluttered in a sudden spasm, lips moving just barely noticeable, wordlessly chanting. Kale's eyes widened as he recognized the look of a channel, but it was too late he felt the course snake like root writhe up around his ankle and yank.
The sudden change of his footing was all his sister needed. Shifting her weight around and changing the angle of her blade sent her significantly larger brother toppling to the ground, followed by a loud clatter as his gem encrusted broadsword bounced off the hard stone of the courtyard walkway. When Kale opened his eyes he stared down the polished steel of his sisters rapier. Sweat stuck long blond hair in a tangled mess around her face, failing to hide the wide grin behind it. "I told you."
With a scowl Kale swatted the thin blade from his face and push himself to his feet. Running his hand through a strand of his sisters wet hair he grunted. "This much effort on a nature channel? Your're lucky Charise isn't here yet to scold you for such poor control."
"I am, and I assure you, you both will be scolded for a great deal more than that." The staccato rhythm of the Royal instructor's chide stung their young ears.
"Selin's shade!" Kale cursed under his breath. before turning around. "Mistress Charise we were just about to find you, my sister just wanted some further instruction on the sword." he managed in his most humble verse.
The elderly woman gave an exaggerated roll of her eyes. "Kale, the day your sister asks for instruction will be the day I retire my switch." The boy chewed his lip at the comment sending a sidelong glance to his sister, with an only slightly veiled grin. The glare he got in return only served to break the grin into a full smile. The instructor sniffed loudly regaining their focus. "Kale, as much as I would prefer to discipline you both together, the Lord General has requested your presence in the main hall."
Kale cocked his head, "Uncle Draven? What does he want?"
"He would like you to start witnessing the diplomatic counsels, the emissary of Hardinia just arrived this morning. It is likely there will be talks for the next week." casting a disapproving glance at the grass stains on his formal shirt she added. "I would suggest you change before making your appearance."
Kale grimaced, a lifetime spent watching a bunch of old men competing to bore each other to death was hardly his choice of future, but it wasn't really his choice to make. Since the founding of Aeliria, the royalty had always been broken down into two groups. The Queen governed the country making the choices and allocating the resources needed to keep the people safe, productive, and happy. The Lord General led the armies. It was the Lord General who dealt with the foreign affairs and met with the nobles to dictate strategy.
The Lord General and the Queen were always twins, brother and sister, born from the previous queen. It was never certain if that was the way it had been originally, but now the magic behind it was fairly simple. The Queen would marry, after no more than two years, and, through a series of blessings and enchantments laid down by the royal clerics, conceive twins the next spring, one boy and one girl. Each child would spend their life being groomed to fill their respective role. It was a great honor, coupled with great respect and a lavish albeit stressful lifestyle. Kale hated it.
Its not that Kale did not love his country and want to serve his people, but Kale didn't enjoy the idea of being tied down. He had spent his whole childhood stuck in the walls of the castle hurried from one class to another or with private tutors and sword instructors. He had stood in the corner as his mother had meandered around ballrooms greeting one dignitary after another. Sat silently at the feast-room table while his uncle lectured about the threat of Hardinian spearmen in Lancend or Ondish lords seizing territory on the borderlands. All the while he stared out the windows wishing he was free to do something, anything on his own, out in the world, to have an adventure.
When he was still young, probably only four or five, his father had taken him on a hunt in the western plains, it was just a days ride from the Syandor River, but to him it was the depths of the Lost Lands itself. He had searched around every oak tree they passed looking for a trace of a wood nymph or timber troll, but he hadn't even seen a nature sprite. Of course no one had seen any of those things, not in the past hundred years. It was rare to even see a light walker anymore, and those golden beings had been active in civilized areas commonly until about 50 years ago. The only people who would talk of any of those mysterious creatures anymore were the various hunters and explorers who still dared to enter the Lost Lands, and the tales they told were usually more myth than memory.
But not finding any mythical beings hadn't stopped Kale from loving every second he had spent out on the plains, living off the land with his father. He loved exploring, hiking in the crisp fresh air outside the walls of the city. He felt free out there. All he ever wanted was that freedom. But life was not about what you want. Kale had a responsibility and however much he disliked it, he had been raised to commit to that responsibility completely.
"Kale!" the shrill way Charise managed to utter the single syllable name always sent an uncomfortable shutter down his spine.
Finally shaking off his reminiscing the young royal nodded to his teacher. "I'm going!" he started off at a trot narrowly dodging the old hags riding crop as he passed her.
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