“Look at this handsome young man,” Adam said, smiling down towards the boy. “Son of a beast? I think not!”
Bobby flushed red, shuffling between his feet. He wore deep blue clothing with silver trim. The boy felt the soft cloth against his skin, the fabric a different blend than what he typically wore. He was the cleanest he had been since he was born. A servant had trimmed his hair around the back and sides to reveal more of his young face.
‘So he’s a boy lover?’ the servant at the doorway thought, bringing in food for the young boy. A pile of bread waited for the boy, with a bowl of hot soup, and strips of fried meat.
“Wash your hands first and then eat the food slowly,” Adam said, picking up the hot bread buns, cutting them in half before buttering each half. “You have to eat it all, otherwise you’ll still be all skin and bones.”
Bobby didn’t complain, dipping the buttered bread into the soup before eating it slowly. He had never tasted such flavours before, the spices dancing along his tongue. He nibbled bits of the meat between bites of the bread and soup.
‘He’ll need to learn etiquette, otherwise they’ll all pick apart everything he’ll do.’ Adam sighed, thinking about how much he disliked the politics of it all.
Once the boy was full of bread, Adam assisted him in making sure he was washing his hands properly after eating, before guiding the boy in brushing his teeth and flossing.
“I know it’s awkward, you have to do it every morning and night, understand?”
“Yessir!”
“Yes, sir,” Adam corrected.
The boy was eventually allowed to sleep within their room. Adam had forced his way into the castle and had commandeered a room for them all. The Baron, still unsure of the young man, allowing him to take the room, posting up guards nearby to make sure he behaved. The four delayed their sleep for a while, though took watch to make sure there was no funny business from the Baron.
Omen: 6, 20
‘Nice,’ Adam thought, smiling. ‘This magical weapon is going to be so sick.’
Adam had the boy train with them that morning. Bobby walked a few laps around the yard before joining them with running. Adam handed the boy a staff, before training the boy with the staff, teaching him the basic movements with the staff.
‘I’ll have to figure out something for you,’ Adam thought, training the boy well past noon, though the training was still light. “I want you to take another walk later in the day, alright?”
“Yessir!”
“Yes, sir,” Adam corrected. “I’ll request the baron send someone to tutor you, but I’ll be in charge of your physical training, alright?”
“Yessir!”
“Yes, sir,” Adam corrected once more.
Adam ate with the boy, assisting him with his meal, before the Baron assigned someone to tutor the boy. The lord stared at the young man, wondering what he was planning.
“That boy is going to be the key to your success,” Adam said, flashing a charming smile towards Baron Moonglow.
Matteas only saw a wicked smile on the young man’s face, but he said nothing. His thoughts were full of scenarios of Adam betraying him. ‘I can’t allow him the upper hand.’
Adam napped later in the day, trying to force his schedule forward so he could enchant throughout the night. Jaygak forced him awake, causing him to twitch towards her angrily, before he sat up. The tiredness of half sleeping twice clung to his body, dragging his steps as he marched towards the field, where he found the young boy and the young lord.
Bobby wore a pair of shorts and a sea of bruises across his body. Fortunately for him, Kitool stood in front like a wall, her staff resting against her shoulder casually.
Adam marched onto the scene, unarmoured, though Wraith hung at his side, the handle rubbing against the side of his legs. “What happened?”
“The young lord states he was sparring with Bobby,” Kitool explained while Adam heard the heavy footfalls of the Baron and his guards quickly arriving onto the scene.
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“I see…” Adam stared down at Bobby, who had been struck with the sheathed blade several times, even across the face.
“I tried not to hit his face, so you could enjoy him later on, but I missed,” Mikael stated, shrugging his shoulders, a wide smirk plastered across his face.
“Good to know,” Adam said, pulling out Wraith, causing the guards nearby to tense, and the knights to reach for their blade. Adam handed the axe to his brother, who stood beside the half elf, silent like a statue. “Baron, how tough is your boy?”
“He has been trained since he was young,” Baron Matteas replied, glancing between the pair.
“Good,” Adam said, cracking the side of his neck, before motioning with a finger. “You’re wearing a breastplate and you’re wielding a sword, so that should be good enough.”
“First the boy was playing at being a noble, and now you’re playing at being a hero?” Mikael almost cackled with laughter.
“Are you going to keep yapping?” Adam asked, tilting his head again, cracking his knuckles.
“I have heard that you were disrespec-,”
Attack - Fist
D20 + 8 = 20 (12)
Hit!
1D6 + 7 = 12 (5)
12 damage!
Adam’s fist struck against the young noble’s face, forcing him back from the heavy blow, before Adam stepped forward towards the retreating young noble. The knights stepped forward, but found Jurot and Jaygak stepping after them.
Attack - Fist
D20 + 8 = 12 (4)
Miss!
Health: 78 -> 66
As Adam stepped forward, Mikael gathered his bearings, before he swung with his sheathed blade, barely deflecting Adam’s arm. The half elf barely winced as his arm was struck, before Mikael swung his sword towards Adam’s chin, causing him to back up slightly.
“You bastard! How dare you hit my face!” Mikael snarled, though he began to grin, unsheathing his blade. As he did, he noted the shadow of a smile appearing on Adam’s face.
Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2
Health: 66 -> 71
Attack - Fist
D20 + 8 = 13 (5)
D20 + 8 = 25 (17)
Hit!
1D6 + 7 = 9 (2)
9 damage!
Attack - Fist
D20 + 10 = 24 (7)
D20 + 10 = 27 (14)
Hit!
1D6 + 7 = 12 (5)
12 damage!
While Mikael drew his bare blade, Adam darted forward, striking the young man square across his face, breaking his nose, before his left fist struck the young noble’s chin, before he wobbled and fell onto the floor, without a chance to retreat.
“Halt!” the Baron shouted, thrusting his hand into the air. “That’s enough.”
“If I wanted him dead, he’d be dead,” Adam replied, without so much as looking at the older half elf, before he squatted down in front of the young man who was clutching at his face. “I’ve got to thank you, because beating up nobles always brings a smile to my face.”
“You! You bastard!”
Adam slapped the young noble across the face while his heavily armoured knights watched. Jurot and Jaygak stood opposite, hands against their weapons, ready to act in case the knights decided to take action.
Adam grabbed Mikael’s hair, gripping it tight in hand, before bringing his head up. “Even your grandfather knows his place, so who do you think you are to act up in front of me, you little shit? I’m the one who let your grandfather live. I’m the one whose going to put a crown on his head. I’m the one making you a prince.”
Adam pulled Mikael up by his hair, turning his head so he could see the onlookers. “Who is my little bitch?” Adam asked, glaring at them all. “Go on, tell them.”
“You are a bastard,” Mikael growled, readying to spit on Adam’s face, but he could only spit on the floor as Adam slapped him across the face.
“Wrong answer,” Adam said, dragging the boy by his hair, stepping towards the Baron. “Who is my little bitch?”
“What are you doing?” the Baron asked, his eyes filled with shock, seeing the red flush against Adam’s face.
“Your son is seconds away from death, so someone better answer my fucking question right,” Adam replied, glaring back into the baron’s eyes.
“Let him go.”
Adam stepped up towards the baron, leaning in uncomfortably close. “Or what?”
“This is unbecoming of you.”
“There’s a lot of reasons why I hate nobles. You’re stuck in the past. You think you’re big shit because you were born into the right family. You think you’re unkillable. Motherfucker, don’t you forget how many barons we’ve killed this year alone.”
“I asked you to let him go,” the Baron stated, grinding his teeth together, his jaw clenched tight.
Adam pushed Mikael away from him and tilted his head. “I’m going to take a guess at what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, oh yeah, I’ve got my armour. I’ve got Wolffang. I know what it does now. He doesn’t even have Wraith, which makes my Wolffang look like a toy. Even if he has magic, I can cut him down before he can cast a spell.”
The Baron remained silent and still, glaring into Adam’s eyes. He could see how the young half elf’s face was deep red, almost crimson, from rage.
“Try it.” Adam beckoned with his head. “Go on. No armour. No magical axe. This is the best chance you have to cut me down.”
The Baron remained still, feeling the cold sweat on the back of his neck, though his face was also growing red hot with anger, the same as the young man opposite him.
“Whose. My. Bitch?”
“Adam,” Jurot called. “It is enough.”
Adam’s eyes remained glaring at the baron, before he reached up, finger pointing towards the lord before him. “You are.” He looked towards the young man, pointing towards him. “You are.” He turned his back to the baron, and waited, and waited, before pointing to all the knights. “You are. You are. You are.” Adam continued to point at the knights and guards.
“All of you are my bitches,” Adam stated, firmly, before he stepped towards the young boy, who was wincing from breathing. Adam dropped down to a knee before placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder.
Lay on Hands: 30 -> 25
The warmth flowed into the boy, soothing his aching wounds, healing them until his body was free of blue and black.
“Anyone hurts my Robert, I’ll butcher Mikael before you, Matteas, and then I’ll castrate you. Am I understood, Lord Matteas?”
“You are understood, Sir Adam,” the Baron replied, a bead of sweat dripping down the side of his face.