200 and some odd years ago...

Tejara stood with her back as straight and unbending as an old oak tree. In front of her eyes was a noose. There was a world stretching out beyond that noose, a sea of faces, some angry, some indifferent, some grieving, some triumphant. But Tejara did not study them, she focused on the noose, studied the knot and found it passable; It should grant her a quick death.

Tejara studied the rope, not thinking about the world beyond it. The world filled with sweet cakes, laughing children, and beautiful women singing and dancing. Women like...

Tejara closed her eyes. The world beyond the noose no longer concerned her. It hadn't for a while.

Suddenly the voice of the old man droning out her list of crimes was cut off, "Master Eun, what is the meaning of this?"

Tejara opened her eyes once more. Standing across from her, just on the other side of that noose, was the man who had arrested her.

If Tejara's posture was like an unbending oak tree, the Swordmaster of the Royal Guard's was like a sword, straight and poised to cut. His eyelids drooped indifferently under his thick, straight brows, his long glossy black hair was pulled into a high, tight ponytail, leaving only a few tresses of baby hairs loose on his forehead.

"Death is too kind a punishment for the vile villain that ruthlessly cut down my cousin," the voice that spoke was not coming from Eun, but rather from behind him. Tejara tilted her head to the side to look around Master Eun's broad-shouldered frame in time to see a slender, agile teenage boy effortlessly leap onto the gallows platform. "Especially when it seems to be what she wants." He stopped beside Eun, a smile in his eyes even as he seemed to fight to keep it off his lips.

Based off his words and his apparent age, this youth was none other than the second prince, Ves'hil'n. However, he looked nothing like a prince at all. He wore his black hair in a high ponytail, like his bodyguard, but his was far sloppier, with tangles and random cowlicks standing up out of the bangs that fell in front of his face. His face was tan and there were even a few small scars on his royal visage.

"Instead of running off to the gods of the underworld, why don't you sell this bloodied life and soul of yours to me?"

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Before anyone, least of all Tejara, could say a word in response to this wild prince, he drew his sword, cutting the noose in front of Tejara's eyes.

Suddenly and aggressively opening up the world beyond it.

*

Tejara swung the wooden practice sword with the heaviness of an ax at the second prince's shoulder. She expected him to dodge but instead he met her blow with his blade, Blood-Forged, head on.

Despite the fact that many underestimated her due to her gender, Tejara had never lost a test of strength to anyone. And yet this willowy-looking teenager held her strike at bay with a force that rattled her bones.

"That's enough." Eun's voice gently, but firmly, interrupted. He had returned to the training yard, a tray of drinks in hand, "It's time for a break, Your Highness."

Prince Ves'hil'n obediently disengaged and trotted over to Eun, a big smile on his face. "Did you bring me fruit juice, Teacher?" Without waiting for an answer Ves'hil'n took one of the cups and started drinking from it.

Eun turned to Tejara, the soft smile he wore for Ves'hil'n turning to neutral indifference when looking at her, "Come drink some water, Tejara."

Tejara nodded and made her way over, "Teacher how was my form?" Ves'hil'n asked, like an over-enthusiastic puppy.

Eun slid his eyes back over to Ves'hil'n and raised his eyebrows, "Do you not know already? You still need me to outline your faults?"

Ves'hil'n stuck his tongue out, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

A few months ago, when he first cut the noose in front of her eyes he was still shorter than Swordmaster Eun and Tejara, but now he towered a full head taller than both of them. With that sudden growth spurt his moves were bound to get a bit clumsier for a time. But even with mistakes in his forms and clumsiness in his steps he could still crush any member of the guard, aside from Eun, in a duel.

As Eun coldly recounted every wrong step he had seen Ves'hil'n make that day to his carefree, smiling face, the Crown Prince Ka'shin'lai walked briskly through one of the covered halls between buildings that bordered the training yard. Unlike his younger brother, Ka'shin'lai looked more like a prince, with pale, unblemished skin that had never seen the sun or an ounce of training and a severe look. He kept his hair loose and wore pristine white clothes, too loose and flowing to run around, jump, or fight in like Ves'hil'n did. Tejara dropped to one knee and bowed to him, drawing Ves'hil'n's and Eun's eyes to him.

"Brother!" Ves'hil'n called out with a wave.

At first Ka'shin'lai only glanced at his younger brother and gave him a nod but after a few more steps he stopped and turned. He looked at Ves'hil'n and then down at the sword in his hand with pursed lips, then called out, "If you want your endless playing around with swords to have some meaning, come with me."