Caj’s eyes took in the slim figure that was Maxim Noblis, and the expression of absolute disgust on the man’s face when he looked at Rai. Caj felt a surge of protectiveness that he didn’t know he possessed as he locked eyes with the young noble-man. The man had the good grace to look somewhat ashamed, but more than that, he looked unnerved. Caj felt anger surge.

Really? I understand that Rai’s scars might be a shock, but they aren’t that bad. His neutral expression twisted into a glare, and venom was about to spew from his mouth before Rai stopped him.

“Easy there Big-man,” the lad said, “It be ye that’s scarin’ him, nae me.” Rai’s voice was soothing, reminiscent of the first time he and Caj had ever exchanged words in Shades alley, almost three and a half years ago. Despite all reason, Caj felt an unsuspecting rage sneaking up on him, a fiery snake worming its way into his belly, and curling itself into a tightly coiled serpent of flaming anger. When a cold, delicate hand touched his arm, that burning fire was a suddenly banked as a candle in a rainstorm. He looked down to see Emma’s eyes, full of worry. The poor girl looked scared witless, and not by Maxim. Caj felt muscles he didn’t know he had untense, and his facial expression relax from a snarl into a neutral, and somewhat shamefaced expression. What had gotten into him? Really, snarling at Bietre’s son? He was an idiot. Maxim could probably beat Caj into the ground if Bietre was anything to go on. Bietre still won 7 out of every ten practice bouts they had, although by an admittedly small margin. While Caj doubted that Maxim shared the same level of skill as his father, he would without a doubt be formidable. His style would also be unfamiliar to Caj. Caj kicked himself internally.

Well played Donovan, well played. The man will already have reason enough to want you dead if he finds out you’ve been sleeping with his sister, and now you’ve probably convinced him that you’re a madman. Superbly done. Caj thought sardonically. Caj realized that a heavy silence had settled over the courtyard. He also realized that he didn’t care to break it. A small ember of anger still blazed in him. The disgust on Maxim’s face was inexcusable. Eventually, the young lordling broke the silence. His voice sounded almost identical to Bietre’s. Smooth, deep and rich.

“Ser Caj, I believe it is?” he asked, obviously not expecting an answer. “Forgive me and my rudeness.” He bowed to Rai next, actually surprising Caj. “I also apologize to you, young sir, for my gawking. I have shamed my family and myself in my thoughtless surprise. It is not fair to think poorly of a man due to the marks he bears from past hardships.” With that, Maxim hustled his way out of the training yard, leaving Caj standing with his two wards.

“Huh,” Rai said, “He called me good sir.” He pursed his lips thoughtfully. “Seems like a right nice enough bloke.” Caj gave him a confused look.

“Rai,” he said with disgust, “He was a gawking loon.” Rai shrugged.

“People gawk.” He replied, “People stare. Don’t much matter tae me now does it?” Caj looked at him with a raised brow.

“What Big-man?” Rai asked, “A hard look is a damn sight better than a hard word, and that be a fair bit better than a hard fist.” Caj snorted at that as he turned back toward both of his charges. Emma was back on the bench, book in her lap. Rai was standing at the ready. Caj smiled. It could be worse he supposed. He had two members of his family here. Two people who were like younger siblings to him. He looked at Rai and his smile turned to a grin. He didn’t care that it made the young man squirm. Caj looked at the sky.

“We still have and hour until supper. Reset.” Rai sighed dejectedly as he dragged himself back towards the center of the ring.

***

“And, then,” Valerna said, energetically stabbing the air with her spoon for emphasis, “He just caught it! He caught the chaff burned practice knife, and threw it in Pappi’s face! Then, he just ducked under Pappi’s swing, easy as you like, and beat him up neatly from behind!”

At this point, Valerna’s spoon looked in danger of losing the potatoes that rested precariously on their none-too-stable roost. Natalia let out a breath of relief when, the spoon came back over her sister’s plate, just in time for the potatoes to land there, instead of on the good lace table cloth. Why she even bothered to have a good lace table cloth was still a matter of internal debate for Natalia. While she loved lace, and table-cloths, her families eating habits made having one something of a dangerous proposition.

“Horse Shit!” Maxim crowed loudly. His face was red and breath sour from drink, and he had long since fallen from any form of politeness. He wasn’t as far gone as Father, who was slumped in an arm chair in the study, passed out from the drink and revelry that came from the celebration of his son’s return from Edral. “I’ve never seen anyone do more than score a hit on Pappi!” Maxim slurred; his accent heavy with the presence of Edral. His time in that country really showed, in everything from his attitude and accent to his drinking habits and weapon choice.

“But He did, Maxim!” Valerna shrilled loudly, her eyes wide and lacking the reason of a sober individual. “He was in front of him. And then he wasn’t!” Maxim shook his head firmly and pursed his lips, obviously trying to appear sober.

“There is no way! It could not happen.” Maxim stated with the utmost confidence. He almost actually looked sober. Of course, the effect was ruined a moment later when he tried to straighten his spine completely, and tipped over into Valerna’s forgotten plate of cold potatoes. “It is like man trying to beat large bear with stick. Great in theory, but in practice… Impossible!” He stood up waveringly, distractedly brushing mashed potatoes off the sleeve of his fine linen shirt.

Natalia pinched the bridge of her nose and inhaled deeply, blowing air out of her mouth, and rubbing her eyes wearily. It was well past time to be to bed. Oh well, it wouldn’t be the first time she had stayed up all night in pursuit of preventing her family from burning down the world. Maxim’s voice made her look up again. This time his tone was sharp, and somewhat belligerent.

“Is that correct kozyol?” he asked, swearing in the Edralian tongue. “You beat Pappi like he was a babe?” His insulting tone was directed across the room, where the final three members of the night’s cadre sat, playing cards. Caj, Captain Gerald, and Rai were six hands into a game of The Liars Jest, a card game that was curios mix of the Edralian game, Verish' Ne Verish' and Old Maid. Both games were bluffing games, although Verish’ Ne Verish’ was the simpler of the two. Rai was currently beating both of the other men soundly, and had won five hands out of six. It seemed that the lad either played a good deal of card games on the street and remembered it now, four years later, or that he was using his head for numbers to his advantage. Natalia suspected it was a mix of the two. It was a good thing that the men were not playing for money, because if they were, Caj and Captain Gerald would be being taken by the fourteen-year-old Rai. Caj turned from the game board tiredly. He obviously had wanted to go to bed hours ago, but he and Captain Gerald had agreed to stay for the duration of the party, perchance Maxim and Valerna got difficult. Putting drunk Maxim and drunk Valerna in the same room was asking for trouble. Come to think of it, Natalia wasn’t even sure why she had allowed it.

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“I’d not say that I beat him as though he were a babe. It was mostly luck.” Caj replied carefully, sipping at his first, and only, glass of wine for that evening. Rai piped up from across the table with a snort, not even bothering to look up.

“If he’d beat a bairn like he beat yer pappy, ye’d nae have a bairn anymore.” Rai reached forward across the table and lay three cards on the growing pile in the center. He nimbly maneuvered the three he wanted between his pinky and ring finger and stretched them forward, facedown to set on the table. The remainder of his hand he held between index and middle finger, and facing the palm of his hand, so as to hide their faces. “King and Queen of Bone, and a Fist of Daggers.” He said, laying down a run of cards that was worth 10 points. Gerald exhaled heavily.

“Bullshit. I call Liars Jest.” Gerald was a heavyset man with a fair bit of fat, but even more muscle. He was a bear of a man, not as tall as Caj or Bietre, but far bigger and stronger. He currently was wearing a scowl that made his bearded face look something like the aforementioned bear. Rai remained completely unruffled, grinning at the man cheekily, stretching forward his cards, and happily displaying all of them. The jester was not among them, and Gerald swore. Caj immediately turned from looking at Maxim back to the table. After doing a quick scan of the cards, he practically shouted:

“I call Jesters Lie on Gerald.” He wore a triumphant grin, that just made his face scary looking. Gerald swore again, but begrudgingly revealed his cards, displaying two of the four jesters. Rai cackled gleefully.

“Ha! Yer out fer the game Captain!”

“You don’t have tae sound so threshing happy about its Half-head.” Gerald said, but rough affection laced his voice. He liked Rai wall enough, the boy was a good enough lad.

Natalia watched the complex interaction that only took a matter of seconds. She watched Maxim’s face go red, and the anger rise in his eyes. She was about to stand to stop this before it was too late, but it already was.

“Excuse me???” Maxim asked with the over-enunciation of the truly drunk. His eyes were blazing. Natalia could’ve facepalmed. Poor Rai. It wasn’t his fault that he wasn’t educated on the intricacies of Edralian culture.

In Edral, parenthood was taken very seriously. A father decided the honor for his sons, and a mother for her daughters. If a man could bloody someone’s father, it was implied that he could bloody that someone as well. Two beat someone “as though they were a babe” meant that you had bested them so badly that they were completely at your mercy, like a babe left without defense. It was a most grave insult. Maxim had been practically begging Caj to make the immense social gaffe. Caj was probably too tired to remember the cultural context, but he obviously recognized that there was a trap in place, and had answered the question accordingly. Rai’s comment was quiet enough that the boy probably thought that Maxim couldn’t hear. Natalia knew, however, that her older brother had sharp ears. Very sharp indeed.

Maxim started advancing on the game table, hand going to the silver-chased hilt of his belt dagger. Natalia had very wisely gotten him to leave his sword in the ante-room, but had been unable to relieve him of the dagger.

“What did you say, waxy-skinned mongrel?” Maxim snarled as he stalked across the room. Everything seemed to simultaneously slow down, but speed up at the same time. Afterwards it felt like everything had happened in a moment, but in future recollections, Natalia would swear that she could recall each moment as though it were a sequence of events that took place over a period of minutes rather than a handful of seconds. Rai looked up in an instant, and a number of interesting expressions crossed his features. Natalia noted them for later. You could never know too much about members of your house after all. At first, Rai looked surprised, but not scared. The next expression that stole across his face was one of calculation, as though he were examining every possible outcome of the situation. In half a second, his eyes flicked to Maxim and the knife that was halfway out of its sheath, and then to Caj and Gerald, who were already starting to move, and then to the nearest exit. Then his expression settled. He had decided on his plan of action. He stood up and prepared to bolt for the door. It turned out to be unnecessary.

Caj and Gerald surged to their feet, Caj slightly faster than the burly Captain. Caj stepped into Maxim’s path, bracing for the young lord’s advance. Gerald, unable to move fast enough to intercept the younger man, stuck out his foot instead, tripping Maxim. Even stumbling and drunk, Maxim was a well-trained warrior, and his strikes towards Caj were hard and fast. Caj slipped them like they were nothing, and somehow left the exchange holding Maxim’s knife. He tossed the knife to the corner of the room with a flick of his wrist. In flurry of motion with his hands, Caj pulled Maxim in, and had him in a chokehold. He applied the chokehold until after the young noble had passed out, then let go. He looked up assessing the threats within the room, and finding none of note. Natalia gave him a small smile, and he returned it. Across the room, Valerna fell into a giggling fit, mumbling hysterics that where disjointed and didn’t make a lot of sense. She turned and stumbled up the stairs, letting out a strangled, “I’m going to bed. I think I might be drunk…” before disappearing up the stairs.

***

Natalia sighed deeply and tiredly. That sound really didn’t suit her, in Caj’s opinion.

“Well,” She said wearily, “I think we ought to call it a night. No need to worry about getting up early gentlemen…” She looked at the slumped body of her older brother and rubbed her eyes. “Gerald, can you please put him in on the couch?” she requested politely. Gerald nodded his assent.

“Aye mi’lady. I will do so at once.” Gerald did just that, picking up Maxim and high-tailing it out of the room, most probably eager for bed. He and Caj exchanged a nod on his way out, and then the man was gone. Rai had returned to the table and was cleaning up the cards and dice from the various games he had been playing. Natalia turned to him next.

“Master Rai,” she said, with sorrow in her tone, “I must apologize on my brothers account, for I fear he will not. He is a vain man, and petty too, but is still my family, and I love him. I ask that you not take too much offense at his words and actions. The only explanation I can offer is that he was drunk…” Rai just looked confused, a pretty natural state for most 14-year-old boys if Caj recalled correctly.

“Uh Nat…” He looked at Caj’s disapproving look, and immediately rephrased. “I mean, Lady Natalia, I do nae be upset, he was drunk. Men do stupid things when they be drunk, things they would nae due otherwise. There be no need for apology.” Natalia bowed her head in acceptance. Caj wave Rai towards the stairs.

“Alright Rai. It’s time to go to bed, we may not have an early morning tomorrow, but we still have one.” Rai cocked his only eyebrow at Caj, and his one good eye darted between Natalia and Caj. A smirk twisted his burnt lips, and a twinkle appeared in the only eye he could see from, making it sparkle like an emerald.

“Aye Big-man, we do.” He headed towards the stairs, but threw over his shoulder, “Don’t ye be stayin’ up too late either Big-man. After all, we do be having a morning tomorrow.” He gave a cheeky wink to Natalia before he disappeared. She chuckled, and Caj rubbed his eyes tiredly.

“That boy will be the death of me.” He grumbled in a low voice. Natalia laced her arm with his and leaned against him. Caj didn’t pull away, despite the thoughts he had this morning. Even if he didn’t love Natalia, he liked her, and that was enough for now.

“He’s not that much of a boy,” Natalia noted, “He’s only what, six years younger than you?” Caj groaned aloud.

“It seems a lifetime some days.” Natalia smiled and laid her head on his shoulder, resting there for the moment. After a few seconds, Caj disengaged himself and walked to the corner of the room, picking up the dagger that Maxim had drawn. He laid it gently on the table, before turning to the stairs. Natalia waited for him there, and smiled at him. He smiled lightly at her.

“Are you in need of an escort, my lady?” he asked with politeness. She grinned tiredly.

“I don’t want to be alone tonight.” She replied in a whisper. Caj smiled.

“I’m too tired for our normal activities…” Caj said cautiously, making sure that she wasn't asking for sex. She laughed.

“Me too Caj, me too.” She replied softly, “I just don’t want to sleep alone.” Caj smiled at her gratefully. The climbed the rest of the way to his quarters. When they entered, they found Rai cleaning up the central room. He grinned at them and winked at Caj

“Good going Big-man.” He stage-whispered. Caj just rolled his eyes and waved his hand in the direction of the young manservant’s room. Rai chuckled and disappeared.

“He’s a cheeky bastard, isn’t he?” Natalia asked, yawning through her words, and too tired to care that she didn’t sound like a lady. Caj chuckled as he led her into his bedchamber and they began to undress.

“He is at that.” He replied, as the two of them slipped into bed, and curled into an embrace. He thought that perhaps, he might not need a year or two to come to love Natalia after all. Just then, he couldn’t think of any better way to fall asleep than curled up with her.