Chapter 3
Four hours of meditation had done Will good and he felt alert and refreshed when he and Piotry set out at daybreak to find the perfect spot for their defense. Eventually they stood on the northwest slope of the hill where their forces would set out from.
They had decided to use polished earth to reflect the light instead of a water shield and Will scanned the ground for the right kind of earth. He found it further down closer to the riverbank and they set about to extract the layers they needed to make the reflectors large enough. They calculated the angle of the sun and where it would be setting, and if they were lucky there would be hours left of daylight when the Iloron forces came to the crossing.
It wasn't really difficult to harden and polish the several square feet of earth that they pulled up from the riverbank, what was difficult was to keep it floating and steady and wide enough to reflect as much light as possible.
Will found he was sweating slightly by noon when Aron and Sernan joined them on the hill to inspect their progress. Sernan, who was stronger with airkin spells than Will, came with a few suggestions that made the grip on the earth much easier to hold. Aron helped Piotry to straighten out the folds in his reflector and Will realized the redheaded sorcerer was having difficulties with his spells, his mouth was set in a tightly pressed line and his forehead was creased in concentration.
From their vantage point on the hill they saw the scouts return across the river and they all headed back to camp to hear the news. The soldiers were already preparing for battle when they got there and a lieutenant asked them to head straight to the commanders' tent. Will tried to swallow to moisten a suddenly dry mouth and walked quietly behind Aron and the others.
The silence that met them was disturbing and Will hesitated to step into the large tent, but the high commander beckoned them all in.
"The enemy will be here sooner than we thought," Rión said and his voice was harsh. He turned directly to Will then. "Can you still reflect the sunlight at them?"
Will swallowed again. "Yes, sir. I believe we can. It's just a matter of angle."
"We just have to recalculate a few ends, commander," Piotry helped, sounding a bit more confident now than he had seemed up on the hill earlier, and definitely more confident than Will under the scrutinizing looks.
"Very well, then." Rión turned to Aron and Sernan and they began to discuss this or that about the offense.
Will took a step back from the table and looked around at the men gathered around the large table and its maps. They all seemed calm and confident, but then again they were soldiers of profession and this anticipation and tension before an eminent battle were something they faced every time. Will wondered if he would ever get used to it. His gaze fell on the prince and their eyes met briefly, even thought the prince was discussing the position of the archers with one of his commanders. Will turned away first.
Gods, what was it about that man that made him feel so… so…
~Weak in the knees?~ Ashiná suggested.
~Yes,~ Will said without thinking, then, ~No!~ He blinked at his readiness to admit such a reaction to the prince's presence.
~He is a handsome, young man, Will,~ Ashiná murmured.
~What do you mean by that?~ Will asked a bit annoyed, but Ashiná didn't answer.
"Make sure you are ready when the time comes, sorcerer," high commander Rión was saying, and Will realized the command was directed at him and Piotry. He managed a nod and was more than a little relieved when they were allowed to leave the tent and the officers' imposing presence.
"I'm sorry, Piotry," he said apologetically to the redheaded sorcerer when they were out of earshot from the tent. "But I wasn't really paying attention just now. What were we supposed to be ready for?"
Piotry gave him an arched eyebrow and then laughed at Will's lost expression. "I swear, if you weren't so young I'd think you suffered from scatterbrain like an old man."
Will managed a smile but blushed when he thought of the reason for his distraction.
"We're to raise the reflectors when the first of the enemy troops have crossed the river. That will cut them off from their reinforcements who'll be too blind to see where they put their feet, to come to their aid." He gave Will a pat on the shoulder. "The commanders are really happy with this plan of yours. They can't stop babbling about it. Even the prince was so overjoyed; he came to our camp to see you last night."
Will stopped dead in his tracks. "What?"
Piotry gave him an odd look. "Aron didn't tell you?"
"No…" he said slowly, warily.
"The prince came to see you, but apparently you had gone off to meditate. It's just like Aron to forget to tell you."
Will trudged on in Piotry's wake, staring at the other sorcerer's back. The prince had come to see him? That was a disturbing thought. Despite the fact that Will had become an accomplished sorcerer during his eleven years long apprenticeship under Sharican, Will was still a simple carpenter's son at heart. That a nobleman and prince would want to see him was just so out of the ordinary, Will couldn't quite believe it.
But he had to put all such thoughts aside when he and Piotry began recalculating the angle of the sun and its course. They had to reshape the reflectors to accommodate the new angle, but in the end they were confident it would work out fine.
They had just swallowed down the last of a quick snack when they saw the first of their own troops emerge from the forest to take their positions at the foot of the hill. Will thought he could see the prince among them, but he preferred not to take a closer look.
Aron and Sernan approached on horseback up the hill towards them, their faces set and focused. Will could sense the powers they all were already gathering and shaping before the battle.
"We'll be higher uphill where we have a clear view of everything," said Aron. "Make sure you set wards or keep yourselves hidden among the trees. If they should see you they will set their archers on you and I don't want to find any of you with an arrow through your heart."
Piotry and Will both agreed; the prospect of dying by an arrow wasn't too tempting.
Will was hardly breathing by the time the entire Waunban troop had taken position by the hill. So many thoughts of error and misjudgment and failure ran through his mind, that he didn't even notice the rider heading their way.
"You okay there, sorcerer?"
Will wasn't even coherent enough to start at the unexpected question. He just turned his head and blinked up at the rider who had the sun at his back. It took a moment and the shadow of a hand before Will recognized the prince.
Oh no.
"I came to see you last night, but unfortunately you had already gone." The prince looked down at Will from his high position on the charger's back, his body covered in armor and chain mail except for the head that still lacked the helmet.
"Yes, sir – um, my prince," Will stuttered stupidly. "I'm sorry, but I only just found out from Piotry." He was worried he'd get scolded for his ignorance, it never occurred to him that not even the prince could do such a thing to a sorcerer.
The prince just nodded with a curious expression on his face. "I thought Aron might have forgotten to tell you. Well, I'll just have to see you after the battle, then. Tonight, if everything goes well."
Oh no! Will couldn't even nod.
"I'll make sure he gets there, my prince," he heard Piotry's voice behind him; he could have sworn the redhead was grinning.
"Very well, then." The prince gathered the reins and spun his horse around. "Good luck!" he shouted over his shoulder and rode back down the hill to his waiting men.
Gods, he looks good on that horse. Will wasn't even sure he had thought that thought, but he started none the less. Ashiná chuckled in his head, he had never heard her chuckle before.
Piotry laughed and that pulled Will's attention back to the now.
"What?!" he ground out between clenched teeth and shot a glare at the other man.
"Well, at least now I know why you're such a scatterbrain."
Will wanted so badly to wipe that smirk off Piotry's face. But he never got the chance to utter the sharp reply he had on his tongue.
In the next moment one of the scouts came galloping back across the river at neck braking speed, the river water spraying around horse and rider, and the reason for his haste was soon clear. Five of the enemy's men were on his heels and they had their bows and swords ready. However, they never got the chance to release their arrows or bloody their swords; the prince's own archers had already taken aim and all their shots fell true. Men on horseback set out to collect the riderless mounts and hide the dead so the bodies wouldn't give the Waunban troops away. Then it seemed to be only heartbeats before the enemy troops emerged out of the forest on the other side.
There were nearly three thousand men and horses, an army as large as their own. Heavy wagons kept the pace slow in the end of the line, while infantry and pike men moved up in the front and mounted archers and light cavalry followed behind them. The sound of feet and heavy hooves reached them on the hill, and the sun glinted in armor and steel. Will drew a deep breath and prepared to take hold of his spells. He felt Piotry prepare as well and soon they were both vibrating with leashed power.
Closer, closer still they let the enemy come and then finally the infantry was crossing the river, every man none the wiser of what death that awaited them on the east shore. In the depth of his mind that was detached from the magic coursing his innards, Will felt sadness for the lives that would be ended this day. He hoped none of the men would suffer or at least be given an honorable death.
Will waited for the moment when he felt Piotry release his spells to lift the reflector off the ground where it lay hidden by leafs and loose dirt, and then he did the same. Their earthkin and airkin spells crackled almost visibly in the air and the reflectors rose heavily. Will reached out his hands to grasp at spells and air, and angled the reflector inch by inch. Gritting his teeth together he stopped the motion in midair and earth shuddered under his command. The sun mirrored off the smooth surface and the enemy was instantly blinded and the sudden, bright light was their undoing. Horses neighed and bucked wildly to throw off riders who had raised both hands to shield blinded eyes. Many of the soldiers ended up in the river under trampling hooves and were pulled down under the surface by their heavy armors.
That's when the prince's archers set to work. Their arrows took out enough men to color the water red before the enemy could organize their lines and retaliate. Their cavalry was temporarily trapped in the chaos on other side by their dead filling the river and its shore.
The prince's cavalry charged and the battle began. The sound of the two forces crashing into each other was deafening and Will and Piotry watched from the safety of their hideout among the trees, strangely isolated from the flesh and blood savagery of men that claimed to be civil. Horses screamed as they were wounded and men fell dead to the ground regardless of color or rank. Will was glad he wasn't down there, it looked horrible.
Aron and Sernan only involved themselves in the battle once it was clear that the enemy had brought their own sorcerers; suddenly firekin spells crashed down over the reflectors and made them tremble dangerously in Will's and Piotry's grasps. They held them with an effort, Piotry struggling under the pressure more than Will. But it seemed the Iloron sorcerers were not as strong or as many, the magical clash lasted only a few minutes before the other side gave in.
The enemy force was at a real disadvantage, blinded and decimated. But they met the attack just the same, their cavalry charged across the river with their weapons raised even though it seemed hopeless. Out of desperation perhaps, it was said king Uriche was unforgiving when it came to weaklings in his own army and it was the desperate hope to escape his vengeance that made them fierce and deadly. Many had overtaken their challengers and were ganging together to fight back the prince's soldiers and the sudden counterattack caught many of the prince's men off guard.
Will heard the desperate, shrill cries for help before he even saw the men, their panic and fear pierced his concentration and reached his heart. The right flank had been forced away from the main force and was now hard pressed by cavalry and pike men. Many of them had already fallen and only a desperate few were still fighting on foot as well as on horseback, though the enemy seemed inclined to take out as many animals as possible to hinder the Waunban soldiers' retreat.
Without conscious thought for the consequences of his actions or any concern for his own safety, Will threw his spells at a startled Piotry and set off running down the hill. He hardly heard Piotry's terrified, angry screaming for him to come back over the desperate soldiers' pleas for help.
~What are you doing, Will?~ Even Ashiná sounded frightened.
~They need help! I can't just stand by and watch as they are being slaughtered!~ He didn't have time for negotiations with his guardian now, she just had to accept it.
~But you've never been in battle before!~
~Watch my back for me, then.~
And then he was running in among the riders. Instinctively he ducked a blade that came swooping down and kept running even as he sent the man flying from his horse with an airkin spell. He was careful not to use deadly magic, only enough to make sure they wouldn't get back in the saddle for a long time.
He found himself surrounded by soldiers locked in battle with each other, Waunban infantry and unhorsed cavalry struggling to stay alive under the onslaught of mounted, grimfaced Iloron soldiers. Will took aim on those in enemy colors and they toppled gracelessly from their saddles, horses neighed and fled.
A pike man took aim for Will and charged with a raw scream on his lips. He fell on the suddenly shifting ground under his feet and shrieking clutched a broken leg. The enemy riders became aware that there was a sorcerer among them and those who didn't seek a winnable fight elsewhere, turned their combined attention to Will. A deadly, ferocious attention in the eyes of bloodied and dirty faces that held nothing of the compassion that would grant mercy.
~No more kindness, Will!~ Ashiná roared at him. ~Kill or be killed!~
Will gritted his teeth together in reluctance, but knew she was right. He sent his emotions to the back of his mind and threw out a series of firekin spells that killed more than he cared to count, the stench of burnt flesh filled the air along with screams of the dying. No honor in their deaths. Many more fell to their doom, men and horses alike, down the abyss he had opened under their feet and he closed it again to silence their voices.
There was a moment when the enemy hesitated to attack the sorcerer whose eyes had turned golden, and Will had time to draw breath and calm in the crazy churning of fighting bodies. Somehow there had become a radius of empty space around Will, and neither friend nor foe dared to cross it. His vision was curiously narrow and red hazed at the edges. His breath was coming fast and hard through his mouth to avoid smelling the blood and sweat and panicked adrenaline.
Then a steeled fist clamped down on his shoulder and he spun around with a snarl, lashing out a hand sparkling with a firekin spell to get rid of the threat.
~No!~ Ashiná screamed.
"NO!" the man in front of him screamed too, horror plain on his face and at the moment the only thing Will was capable of registering. The hand on his shoulder trembled but did not let go, in fact it squeezed harder. "Will De'Noa!" the voice yelled.
Will blinked at the sound of his name and took a moment to really look, and finally recognized the prince. His surcoat was dirty and bloody and ripped, and a cut ran the length of his cheekbone, seeping red in the dirt on his face. He had lost his helmet somewhere and the braid was coming loose and strands of hair were clinging to his face.
"It is I, prince Kell Deasir al E'Tharion!" He held his sword raised as if prepared to protect himself against a man supposed to be his ally.
Will lowered his hand and the prince sighed hesitantly with relief, though his eyes were still wary on Will's face and the sword was still raised as if he wasn't really sure whether the sorcerer wouldn't attack.
"I'm glad to see you, sorcerer. We were done for."
Will could only nod, he still fought down the strong spells ripping through him and it took too much of his capacity to prevent speech.
The enemy was becoming aware of the moment when magic was interrupted, and they took the chance to regain their courage and fighting fervor. They charged again to reclaim lost ground and bloody their swords.
"Back to back!" the prince commanded.
Will felt the hard edges of the prince's armor through his own clothes, as they braced against each other to meet the enemy. He wondered what it felt like to be encased by so much heavy steel, thought the prince moved gracefully enough despite it. Will redoubled his efforts, he wasn't just fighting for the soldiers now, but the prince as well.
"Men, to me!" the prince shouted and his soldiers raised their heads and caught sight of him. They fought their way over, most of them on foot and struggling, and they formed a circle together, shoulder to shoulder with sorcerer and liege.
"I need a horse," the prince muttered angrily as he dislodged his blood slicked sword from an enemy that had broken through their defense.
Will looked around. There were plenty of horses around them, but they were either dead, wounded or mounted by Iloron soldiers. And the Waunban men were seriously outnumbered, he realized then. A scant dozen of the prince's men were still standing and one more fell as a spear pierced his chest. Will cursed under his breath and toppled a chosen number of enemies from their mounts. He felt the prince stop startled in his movements for a moment before he screamed for his men to seize the horses and get mounted. He caught one for himself and swung in the saddle.
Will found himself staring in awe of the grace and strength of that one, swift movement. Then he realized the prince was reaching out a gloved hand for him. Men were fighting a desperate battle around them.
"I can't ride," he said, a bit stupidly, he could admit.
"Doesn't matter. Get up!" the prince replied with an urgent tone in his voice.
"My guardian…" he began but was cut off.
"Give me your damn hand and get up behind me, you daft wizard!" the prince commanded, his patience had all but run out.
Will grabbed the hand and was more or less pulled off the ground and onto the horse's wide rump. He let out a startled yelp at the sudden, new experience and threw his arms around the prince's metal clad waist.
"Can you make a way for us?" he asked and there was a frail hope in his voice.
"Yes, sir… um, my prince." Will dared to release a hand and clenched his fist hard with gathered spells before he thrashed it out in the direction of their escape. Men and horses alike were thrown aside and the earth rose up to create a walled way for the prince and his men.
"Go! Go! GO!" The prince sent his men in first to make sure they all got to safety, at least the nine of them that were still alive.
~Will! Behind you!~
He turned his head and saw a rain of arrows falling down over them, retaliation for the Iloron men dead at his hands, perhaps. He didn't much consider the action he took, he just pulled up the earth behind them and arrows meant for flesh fell useless against rock and dirt.
"Gods of mercy!" the prince hissed through clenched teeth as he stared wide-eyed and a little shocked at the feet thick layer of earth hovering over their heads. He fought to keep the thrashing horse from bolting heedlessly after the others. Then he seemed to collect himself and let the animal set off down Will's path.
* * * * * * * *
It wasn't until almost two hours later when the battle had seized rather abruptly after several Iloron commanders had fallen and the army fled, that Will could calm down enough to be of any use to their own wounded men. That's where Aron found him, stalking into the clearing on the other side of the hill, face dark like night and practically boiling over with anger. Will wondered desperately what he could do to escape.
"What in demons' Hell were you doing out there, you daft, dumb, slowwitted, little boy!" Aron yelled without considering the poor man Will had just healed and was now helping up off the ground.
"Forgive me, Sorcerer Aron," Will said as carefully as he could and bowed his head to the older man. He in no way wished this man's rage upon himself and was prepared to do anything to appease him. But it was a lost cause; Aron seemed to become more enraged by Will's submissiveness.
"Forgive you! You threw your spells at Piotry to handle – as if he didn't already have enough with his own – neglected your post and responsibility, and rushed off head first into blade battle like a man seeking death. You could have gotten yourself killed and you want me to FORGIVE YOU!!"
Will winced at the sheer volume of that last bellow and bit his lower lip in uncertainty of what he was supposed to say now that wouldn't anger the man further. Aron was already pulling for breath to continue his scolding.
"Aron." A soft, mellow voice cut the sorcerer off without even raising in tone and Aron snapped his mouth shut.
Will dared to raise his head enough to peer through ragged bangs to see who had come to his rescue. Escorted by two armed and grimfaced soldiers, the prince walked into the clearing, still dressed in the padded tunic he wore under his armor and the sword rested in the belt around his waist. His expression was grim in contradiction to the smooth tone of his voice, which made him all the more daunting. He met Aron's gaze without as much as blinking.
"Don't be too hard on him, Aron. He saved my men's lives out there." The prince held the old sorcerer's gaze. "He saved my life as well."
Aron lowered his eyes respectfully and nodded, his jaws clenching and unclenching a few times. Then he sighed deeply and put a hand on Will's shoulder to allow him to straighten his back. "Still, you shouldn't have gone out there, Will. It's far too dangerous, especially when you haven't been in battle before."
"I know, Aron. But I couldn't just stand by and watch." Will hesitantly met his eyes.
Aron's mouth drew somewhat crookedly and his hand squeezed around his shoulder, a brief acknowledgement of the courage and selflessness Will had displayed.
"And you did pretty damn well, sorcerer," the prince complimented and grabbed Will's other shoulder.
Will tensed a bit under the touch and felt his stomach make an odd little flip flop.
"Which reminds me," Aron broke in, to Will's relief. "You never told me you were this powerful. Where on earth did you learn all that?"
"Um… well, I've always been able to; I just never did it in such a large scale before. I didn't know it was powerful," he ended kind of meekly and very truthfully. Sharican had told him he was skilled with his spells, he'd just not thought that meant strong in the way Aron meant it.
"Well, it was. And I'll be damned if you'll be supporting the defense from now on. You're up in the front with me and the brothers next time, Will. Gods be damned if we won't win every fight then!"
Will almost crumbled under the older sorcerer's strong grip. He shot a glance at the prince and definitely did blush, the prince was smiling at him and despite dirt and blood and grime smeared on his clothes and in his face, he was beautiful. The way his hair was messed up and coming loose of the braid was beautiful.
"So, you're saying I got myself a warrior mage, Aron?" he laughed, a little thrilled at the idea of something so legendary.
"Perhaps, my prince. But the boy still has a lot to learn." Aron let go of Will and bowed to the prince. "I've got some things to tend to before we head back. If you'll excuse me." And then Will was alone with the prince.
The strong hand was still on his shoulder and the prince tilted his head slightly to study the young sorcerer, the notion of having a warrior mage was clearly an interesting idea. "Any of that yours?" he asked and indicated Will's clothes with a nod.
He looked down at his bloodstained coat and breeches. "No." It all belonged to the men he had healed and was a grim reminder of how many that had died today.
The prince nodded. "You can heal as well?"
"Yes, si– my prince," he corrected himself. "Every sorcerer can."
"But not every sorcerer cares for it," he replied and unbuckled his sword belt.
Will didn't have an answer for that, and he found himself staring stupidly at the prince as he began to undo the sturdy leather lacings of his padded tunic and the shirt underneath. His clothes smelled of sweat and blood, though both fluids had dried by now.
"I have a cut here that's bothering me a bit." The now half naked prince gestured at a wound just above his hipbone. It was deep enough to still be seeping blood and Will almost chided him for not coming to have it healed sooner. It was bad enough to attract foul spirits and would become badly infected if left unattended. But it wasn't Will's place to reprimand the prince.
He put a hesitant hand on the prince's arm to urge him to lift it and became aware of all the other injuries he had received. There was a patchwork of bruises across his lower back that probably continued down his thighs; a rather ugly swelling and tenderness around his left wrist where he had thoughtlessly blocked the shaft of a spear after having lost his shield. Lesser cuts and scrapes did theirs to add to the blood that stained his clothes and the smooth, perfect skin of his torso. Will was astonished the prince could move as gracefully as he did with these injuries. Unlike himself the prince had paid for his participation in the battle.
Will blinked and pulled himself together with a bit of effort. He gestured for the prince to sit down and kneeled beside him on the moss covered ground to take a closer look at the worst cut.
"Enemy spear," the prince explained unasked for. "Got under the edge of my cuirass and pierced right through the chain mail. Threw me off my horse, that one."
"I see," Will said in lack of a better response. He picked up a sponge from the bucket with water he had at his disposal and gently cleaned the wound of dirt and grime. The prince tensed and hissed through clenched teeth at the first touch of cold water to sore skin and flesh, but then forced himself to relax.
"Sorry," Will mumbled, but refused to meet the blue eyes that turned to him.
The prince bravely endured Will's cares as he cleaned all the wounds that needed cleaning and then prodded the different bruises to find any broken bones, but the prince was lucky enough to have escaped without any of those.
The soldier further down the clearing had not been so lucky and he startled Will with his heart searing scream as Piotry and Sernan set his leg right before healing it.
"You saved lives out there today, sorcerer." The prince's quiet, mellow voice brought Will back to the present and the body under his fingers.
"Perhaps if I had been faster I could've saved more…" Will whispered.
"Don't say that!" Blue eyes turned to lock with his, anger in them. "Never regret your actions today, you saved plenty enough!"
"Yes, my prince." Will lowered his eyes and silently continued with his task. The prince tensed and shivered when healing magic flowed into wounded muscles and flesh. His golden head slumped forward when the body began to mend and a deep sigh escaped his lips when the worst bruises faded.
"Gods. It feels good to be able to breathe properly again."
Will moved in front of him and put gentle fingers around the swollen wrist. He felt the prince's gaze on him but kept his eyes lowered and concentrated on what he was about. Soon enough the swelling went down and the bruises were gone.
"You have a gentle touch, Will De'Noa," the prince murmured just as the young sorcerer was about to get up.
He stared confused, almost shocked, shifting his eyes from hand to face. "How do you know my name?" he whispered and completely forgot the correct way to address the man in front of him, much less the proper title. He couldn't remember telling him his name.
"Aron told me last night."
"Oh."
"I'd like to see you join us at my tent for supper tonight. Your fellow sorcerers will be there too, as well as my commanders."
Will hesitated.
"I'm sure you'll find the food served at my table preferable to the rations you usually get."
Will glanced up. "I wouldn't want to offend you, my prince. I'd be honored to join you for supper."
The smile he received then made his stomach do that odd flip flop again.
"Tonight, then. If you'll excuse me, I have duties to attend to before we can move back to camp." The prince rose more gracefully than should've been allowed for a man so recently healed, and pulled on his shirt again.
Will realized he was a bit disappointed to see him leave. Thankfully Ashiná refrained from giving any comment, but Will was certain she smiled. Widely.
* * * * * * * *
Janu held out the black tunic with the gold patterns and Kell Deasir al E'Tharion glared at it with all his princely might. Didn't he have anything better than that old thing? Janu just raised his eyebrows and wondered what had gotten the prince in such a mood this evening. After all, they had won the battle.
"I know, and it's nothing. Fetch my black breeches and boots, will you?"
Janu shook his head and sighed, but did as he was told. Janu had originally held the title of steward of the royal manor in Adeban, but had taken the position as the prince's manservant, since the old man that had held that position back in the capital hadn't been able to make the long journey out here. Janu had learned a lot during the almost year he had been in the prince's service, and knowing when to speak and when not to, was one such lesson that served him well.
Kell appreciated the man's tactfulness, but gods, he was a bit moody. And even though he knew the reason for it, he didn't want to tell anyone. It was still too new for him and he needed to understand for himself what all this was about before he could share it with anyone else.
The tunic looked acceptable once he put it on, though, and he let it remain open in the front to show the shirt underneath and just a hint of collarbone. He let his hair fall free around his face and looked at himself in the small mirror. That's when he discovered the cut on his cheek was still there. So that's why it had stung when he washed before. Well, it wasn't a life threatening wound so he guessed it didn't really matter. Though he smiled when he thought of the young sorcerer's expression when he'd realize he had forgotten one, while the rest of Kell's body was as good as new.
He looked at himself again. Gods, what was he doing?! Dressing up like he was attempting to woo the sorcerer. He glared at his reflection and cursed himself for even letting that foolish thought cross his mind.
Janu cleared his throat and announced that Rión and the other commanders had arrived. Kell got up and took the belt with the dagger his father had given him, the one with the tiger eye stone that was the same golden color as his hair. He drew a deep breath before he pushed back the tent flap and went outside to greet his commanders.
There were candles and oil fueled lanterns and several braziers to light up the evening and the long table that had been set for the occasion. The warm light fell on every familiar face and Kell shook all hands with a firm grip and a smile that told his guests just how pleased and proud he was that they had done such a good job that day.
Despite the slaughter on the prince's men and his own near death experience, their losses had been surprisingly low. Much thanks to the young sorcerer's idea with the mirrors. Even the soldiers in camp had been impressed, and more so when the same young sorcerer was suddenly among them, fighting. Though that last part was spoken quietly about, they weren't really at ease with the brute force the sorcerer had displayed and some had even made a quick but discrete gesture against ill fortune. Kell could understand the men's caution, no one wished to be at odds with a sorcerer.
The commanders took their seats on the benches and sat bragging and boasting about their own feats in the heat of battle. This little unofficial victory supper was important to lift his men's spirits, he knew, even though it felt a bit awkward to have it so soon upon the battle. The soldiers had a small feast of their own this night, he had seen to it that they had the best the cook had to offer, and cards and dice games had already begun; the voices of victory and defeat could be heard among the tents.
Kell stood by himself, staring out into the camp to spot the sorcerers when they came. Those were men he very much wanted to celebrate with tonight since they were a large part of the reason they had won. He didn't have to wait long before he saw them melting out of the dark like shadows poured from the night's cloak. Their grey coats hid them well in the scant light outside the lanterns' reach.
Will walked in the middle, Kell noticed, like he was being herded. Piotry nudged Will's ribs with a pointy elbow at the sight of the prince and the dark haired sorcerer ducked his head to let long, ragged bangs hide the expression on his face. That subtle motion caught Kell's curiosity and he wondered what they had been talking about.
"Welcome!" he greeted them all, just as he had greeted the commanders and they soon took their seats on the benches as well. Kell made sure it looked like an unplanned and spontaneous action when he squeezed down on the bench between Piotry and Will. He jested lieutenant Beyn across the table about something as he made himself comfortable, shoulder to shoulder with the two sorcerers. Piotry readily moved to make room for him while Will tensed and seemed just a little bit lost.
"Please, begin." He gestured across the table at the food and wine and every man immediately and with much enthusiasm found something of their liking to put on his plate and in his glass.
Kell reached for a bottle of red wine and brushed up against Will's arm. That was very much intended and very pleasant; the way the sorcerer's arm did not yield to the touch. That spoke of physical strength as well as magical, and both of them sprung from a strong mind.
"Excuse me," Kell murmured and looked at Will from the corner of his eye. Will only nodded, he had his mouth full with a large piece of venison, though he managed a somewhat crooked smile.
Supper passed with much talk and storytelling as the boasting commanders and the talkative sorcerers exchanged experiences. Kell found himself laughing hard more than once as Piotry told one story after another and made everybody's moods lift even higher. Lieutenant Beyn even toppled a glass and spilled red wine over himself, which made everyone laugh even harder.
Kell's breath hitched in his throat once when he caught Will looking discretely at him. Their eyes met for a moment and the prince was entranced by the depth of those dark, brown eyes. Then Will said something and the rich voice that washed over Kell made a shiver run down his spine.
The night ended too soon though, and one after one his guests dropped off to get a few hours of decent sleep before the march back to main camp. In the end it was only Rión, Aron and Will left, and the older sorcerer let his far too knowing eyes move from the young sorcerer to the prince, before he too rose with a discrete smile on his lips and bid them all a good night.
Thought Kell didn't see it he was fairly certain Aron had given Rión a meaningful look, the high commander suddenly decided it was time even for him to roll into his blankets. Kell was more than grateful. But Will seemed uneasy to suddenly be left alone in the prince's company and with no ready excuse for himself to leave. Kell had not wished for that, he wanted Will to relax and enjoy himself and he set about to make him do just that.
"More wine?" he asked even though Will's glass wasn't empty.
"Well, I suppose a bit more wouldn't hurt," Will said quietly and watched as the red liquid filled his glass almost to the top. He had to stay at least the time it took for him to drink that, it was impolite for a guest to leave the table with wine still in his glass.
"Tell me more about your sister," Kell asked as he filled his own glass. He got a questioning look at that. "You told me how you used to drive your father mad with mirrors?"
"Right." Will smiled and sipped on his wine. "Well, what can I say, she's my sister."
"You seem close."
"We are. We're the only children in our family, well, we and our cousin Ina."
"More girls? You're the only son then?"
Will smiled and rolled his eyes. "Gods, yes. And sometimes I wish they both had been born boys as well, then it wouldn't be so damned much screaming and bickering all the time."
Kell couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, I know what you mean, that time of the month and all."
Will nodded and took another sip of wine, if he continued in that pace it would soon be empty. "You have a sister too?"
"Yes. Beanice, she's six years younger than I. Gods, so she'd be almost seventeen now." A young woman, not the girl Kell remembered leaving behind a year ago. "Then there's my brother, Shane. He is almost thirteen." He was just old enough to begin learning the sword proper and Kell wasn't there to teach him. He clenched his teeth and took a mouthful of wine to wash down the lump forming in his throat.
"How long since you've seen them?" Will asked carefully as if he sensed the prince's feelings.
"One year next month."
"I'm sorry."
"Do not be. I'll go back home as soon as this war is over and if the Fates smile at me I'll be able to give Beanice away at her wedding and see Shane graduate from officers academy."
There was a short silence when Kell fell into thoughts about the future to be, the future he hoped wouldn't be too far away. He felt Will's eyes and pushing all feelings and memories down, he turned to meet them. Will turned away first, hiding behind the rim of his glass.
"Tell me more about your family, Will," he urged.
Will nervously spun the stem of his glass between his fingers. "Well, my father's a carpenter and runs his own little business. Mother does the laundry for an inn down the road and runs errands for the old lady next door. Nila and Ina help with whatever they can and aunt Elyn sells fruits and such at the market."
"So your father is the only man to support your family, then. Sounds like harsh living."
"I guess it would to you, but they have enough to get by." A defensive tone had found its way into Will's voice and Kell cursed his stupidity.
"Forgive me," he said quickly. "I didn't mean to offend you."
Will sat quiet and sipped on his wine. Kell searched desperately for a change in subject. "So, how come you can't ride?"
Will shrugged. "Probably because we never had a horse."
Kell blinked before he realized the sorcerer was still angry with him. "Gods of mercy, stop being so testy. I did apologize." There was only so much he was willing to take. Will shot him a glare and turned away. Kell scowled and fixed his eyes on the tabletop, this was not going the way he wanted it to.
"Shut up!" Will hissed irritably then and Kell really took offence.
"Now, wait minute!"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean you, my prince." Will quickly turned to him with concern on his face and put a tentative hand on his arm before Kell could open his mouth again. He stared at the sorcerer, feeling the weight of his hand like all the fires in the world ran through his veins. It startled as much as intrigued him.
"Then who? You and I are the only ones here."
Will glanced around and then slipped his hand away. "I have a very talkative guardian that wants to meddle all the time," he explained with an edge to his voice that told Kell he was chiding the guardian in question.
"I see. Isn't it strange to have someone talking in your head all the time?" Kell wondered and Will laughed. Gods, what a beautiful laughter and so very rich, Kell almost shivered under its wash.
"I've had my guardian for nine years now and I've gotten used to it. Although sometimes you wished they couldn't barge in every time they felt like it."
"No privacy?"
"Not much." Will emptied his glass.
Kell promptly reached for the bottle to fill it again and Will quickly put a hand over the rim.
"No more, please," he said a bit apologetically. "I really should get back to my camp. I'm sure it will be a long walk tomorrow and I need my strength."
"I'll make sure there's room for you in one of the wagons," Kell offered.
Will looked grateful and gave him a small smile. He began to rise then.
"Before you leave." Kell stopped him with a hand on his arm and brown eyes turned to give him a puzzled look. "You forgot one cut when you healed me today." He gestured at his face.
Will's eyes widened and his hand darted out to put warm, surprisingly steady fingertips against Kell's cheekbone. Then healing magic passed from Will's hand to Kell's skin and the tingling made him gasp.
When Will made to pull away Kell caught his hand and looked at it. "Strange what soothing magics can come from hands like these," he murmured. His thumb stroke gently across the palm, smooth, soft skin and fingers. Kell looked up into the sorcerer's eyes, there was confusion there and perhaps even shock. And when Will tensed Kell had to let go.
"I should get back. I bid you a good night, my prince." Will got up and hurriedly disentangled his long legs from the bench. Before Kell even got a chance to return the courtesy, the sorcerer was gone.
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