“Focus up, Princess. If you fall again, I'm going to break your legs!”

Tessa's shout would've been troubling if I didn't have a direct line to her soul. I knew she was just motivating my wife, but the threat did sound pretty convincing and seemed to have the affect she wanted. I watched as Elora pulled herself to her feet, in her hands was a long piece of wood vaguely carved into the shape of Rionna. She settled herself into a stance, breathing heavily and face touched by dirt as she stared intensely at the mercenary across the clearing from her. Tessa nodded approvingly and hefted her own practice weapon as the Princess charged.

Elora's swing was clumsy, but it was night and day compared to when they had first began these sessions a week ago. Tessa easily deflected the blow, stepping past the young woman as she stumbled and following up with a rapid series of responding slashes. Elora's eyes opened wide in panic as she backed away from Tess, who followed after her with a dogged determination. She managed to block three of the strikes, her arm clearly trembling under every tremendous impact. The fourth, however, knocked the training blade from her hands.

“You need to secure your grip, both hands on the hilt,” Tess said slowly, leaning over to pick up Elora's fallen sword, “And don't try to catch every strike. Blows that Orin can block with ease will shatter through our guard. We need to deflect, to slip, to dodge, and then take advantage of a lowered defence. Pure strength has its place but nine times out of ten you'll be fighting someone who is far stronger than you. In a fight like that, you have to be the smartest, not the strongest.”

I smiled at my savage Smith, noting how gentle she was with Elora. Especially when you compared it to the training she and I had gone through during our time with the band. The Princess hung on the mercenary's words with intensity as she took the proffered piece of wood from Tessa's hands.

It had been the Princess' suggestion to have Tessa teach her how to fight, something which had taken both myself and the mercenary aback when she had brought it up, that first night away from Myrin. It had been a topic I had pondered before and at length, but that had been back when attacking either one of us promoted a violent reaction in the other so it hadn't been viable. While Elora being attacked by others would still cause my protective instincts, enforced by the Bond and my soul, to jump to the fore, it didn't quite affect me as it once did. For Tessa in particular, it didn't even twitch, though that didn't surprise me much. As my Smith, she was Bound to me as Elora was. She would never hurt her, this I knew with my whole being. Well, not badly at least.

On further reflection, Tessa was the obvious choice to train Elora. The mercenary and the Princess were very close in terms of body type and height, though Tess did carry significantly more muscle. She could teach Elora to take advantage of her small size to win fights that might seem out of her league. The choice of practice weapon was my idea. While I had yet to summon the Gift of the Crown since Paldrum, it was only a matter of time before I learned how to harness the power and Gift it to my Smiths. Having Elora prepared to wield Rionna at a moment's notice could make all the difference one day. Tessa had yet to create a Weapon, much to her dismay, but she agreed with me whole-heartedly.

“Stop admiring your girls, Orin,” Vera's voice cut into my musing as she shouted over to me, “We have training of our own to do.”

I gritted my teeth and turned back to face my grinning opponent, ready to begin our sixth bout of the morning. Vera leaned on the wooden staff in her hand, posture easy and guard lowered. It was a ploy, one she had used before and one I wouldn't fall for again. I twirled my own weapon, trying to get used to the feeling of it in my hand. I had endeavoured to make it as comfortable and close in approximation to Rionna as possible, but it still fell short by quite a bit. Wood lacked the bite of steel, the comfortable weight in my hand and the tremor of the impact against another sword.

I will admit that a small part of me was rather happy about the choice of training material. I had severely overestimated how good I would be in a fight against Vera. Don't get me wrong, I won one or two of our training bouts, but it usually ended with me on my back and gasping for air.

There was no need for us to hold back either. Short of death and the removal of limbs, our Smiths could heal us up pretty damn fast, which meant that unlike Elora and Tessa's seemingly gentle session, mine was a little more intense. I actually rather enjoyed that part. Pain had always been a good motivator for me to become stronger and it also gave Tess a chance to brush up on her Aurum control. A skill which, I had learned, was not yet quite at Elora's level of proficiency.

I charged Vera, using the very same attack that Elora had used moments before, but far more controlled. I came to a dead stop as I reached her, bringing my faux sword down upon her head with all my strength.

She answered with a spin of her staff, knocking my weapon aside as she jabbed me in the ribs, causing a wince to form on my face as I backed away. She didn't take the bait and I growled as I unleashed a devastating strike to her abdomen.

Vera sweated as she caught the blow on her staff, both hands trembling slightly under the impact. While the First Knight was the superior in terms of skill and Knightly power, I was a scrappy bastard and didn't go down easily. If we were Bonded with our Smiths, this fight would be a forgone conclusion. Without them we were far closer in terms of ability.

Training with Vera was always difficult. She seemed to have an innate affinity for any weapon she turned her hand to. Her skill with a glaive was beyond my comprehension, reaching a level of mastery I had once thought impossible. It was almost like the weapon was a part of her, the techniques and stances etched into her very soul. We discovered early that I couldn't keep up with her when she used something like that, so she down-graded herself to a staff, or whatever other weapon struck her fancy at the time of our sessions. The change in weight and length was just enough to throw her off some, allowing me to stay in the fight for longer before falling. Still, her natural ability as a warrior reminded me of Tessa in a way. Whatever implement she turned her hand to would sing in her grasp.

I did take some pride in the fact that she had yet to beat me sword against sword, even with only one eye. Those sessions always ended in my favour, though the First Knight was hardly put out by this. Instead, she used me for training as much as I used her. The worst part of it was she improved at a tremendous rate. Any tips I gave her were instantly implemented. So much so in fact that she had begun to give me a run for my money. After a week.

I know I wasn't the most gifted swordsman in the world, but fuck me, could she slow down a little?

I kept an eye on her weapon as it spun. She had a habit of doing this with her glaive as well, the blunt end no less deadly than the sharp, which could attack me from any angle. I caught her blows as they came, deflecting some and blocking others as I continued to push forwards. One of my attacks got lucky, slipping through her guard and smashing against her forearm. I wouldn't be surprised if it was broken.

That moment of elation costed me. Vera blurred and a jarring impact caused me to spin, smashing into the grass beneath me as stars bursting behind my eyes. I shook myself off instantly, nausea causing my head to swim as I burst to my feet. I located Vera easily enough but the First Knight was once again leaning against her staff. I wouldn't have known she'd been in a fight at all if it hadn't been for the way she kept clenching her left arm with difficulty.

“Good. You kept an eye on my movements and your footwork has improved, though you did slip a little at the end there,” Vera said shortly, “Next we try with your Storm Eye.”

I grunted an acknowledgement and rolled my shoulders, wondering if I needed to ask Tess for a quick mend. There was nothing broken as far as I could tell, so I took quite a bit of joy out of Annabelle approaching her Knight, entering Etherin and reappearing only moments later. Vera rotated her arm and nodded at her Smith with a grin.

I had discussed with Elora and Tessa whether keeping the unique aspect of the Storm Eye hidden was for the best. While they both were as unsure about revealing it to Vera as I was, I couldn't keep it hidden forever and we had no reason to doubt the First Knight's intentions. The worst they could do would be to let the King and Queen know of the Gift of the Storm, but that wasn't exactly a scenario the three of us hadn't expected. A Gift as powerful as the one Tess had made for me couldn't be kept hidden for long. I was far more leery about letting Alden and Deirdric know of my power, since they would no doubt tell their D'viritazi master of its properties. We had collectively decided that taking the risk was worth it. Vera was a Master and may offer some insight into harnessing the ability, which had actually paid off quite a bit.

I activated the Eye, looking towards my soul realm and touching the thin, pure white thread that connected the heart of my being to Tessa's Bond. It was a strange thing to feel it form, like a sudden gust of wind behind my closed lid. A moment later and I smelt the barest hint of ozone as a sharp hiss of thunder filled my ears. I opened my Eye and examined the world around me.

Everything was once again touched by colour as I reached out, the winds painting the world around me. I could seen Tessa and Elora beginning another bout, could feel the disturbance in the air as their weapons met. I saw Alden sitting with Deirdric on a fallen log, the two having a discussion of some kind, before I focused once more on Vera when Annabelle moved to the edge of our 'arena'.

The first hurdle I had to overcome with the Eye was the initial summoning of it. Being suddenly able to sense everything around me threw all my senses out of commission for at least a few seconds, though that would improve as I got used to the sensation. The second limiting factor was in my ability to process the information that the Eye was giving me. I would get used to the jarring nature of the change, but if I couldn't understand what I saw then there was little point in having the Gift in the first place.

Vera threw the blindfold over to me and I caught it without looking. Vera felt it was important that I limited what my real eye could see to focus wholly on Storm. The idea being that once I understood what Storm could do, I could reintroduce my physical sight to work in tandem with the Gift. The reason I sparred without the Eye was to further accustom myself to being limited. If I ran out of Aurum on the battlefield, I'd have to be able to keep fighting even without the ability to fully see.

“Alden, you're up. Remember, strike and don't keep to a singular pattern. I'll do the same.” Vera called to the Ragoran, who jumped to his feet at her call. I noticed that the Knight from the east showed an almost unsettling amount of respect towards the First Knight. When Elora had asked why, Alden said that Masters were not that common, each having to sacrifice much to reach their rank, which deserved deference in his eyes.

I suppose that made sense. I mean, Dunhold only had one Master in their entire army. Venos had about a dozen, including Vera, Annabelle, Gida and Julian. It wasn't that much in the grand scheme of things but I had learned countries put a great emphasis on the Masters under their flag. I wondered once more about what it took to reach the rank of Master. Elora had told me that Vera and Annabelle had reached it much sooner than Gida and Julian, despite the Monarchs clearly superior power.

I tied the blindfold around my eyes, taking a deep breath as I felt the wind on my skin, saw the flickers of lightning within the flesh of Alden and Vera, who circled me with weapons in hand. Deeper still, I could their souls. Vera's was so much more potent than Alden and my own that it was nearly laughable. A glimmering eye of deep, ocean blue touched by a sparkling white. Alden also had his flames behind his core, though it seemed much dimmer than Vera's and some of them seemed to flicker through the glass-like surface at times. I wondered if compression was merely the first step in a longer process. More questions for Vera later.

I threw all my focus into Storm, the blindfold doing nothing to hinder my Eye, and took a stance, preparing myself for the inevitable onslaught. Two on one was not exactly fair, but neither Alden or Vera would be putting their all into this fight. This was merely to get me used to working with my Gift.

The first attack came from Alden, a sweeping strike with a vaguely sabre shaped branch. I lifted a leg and it missed, deflecting the slow stab to my head by Vera. Each movement was caught by the wind, each shining in my globe-like view of all around me. I blocked, dodged, deflected, danced. Moving with increasing speed as the two Knights continued to pile on the pressure. I felt my Aurum dip and looked within myself. Letting the Eye just sit in my skull kept the drain of my power source to a minimum, but actively using the thing made the drain far more substantial.

I lasted about five minutes this time, which was a bit of an improvement, before my concentration slipped and the world turned black for a moment as I lost control of the Storm. I felt the impact of wood on my head and silently cursed myself. Two head blows in one session.

I fell to my knees and ripped the blindfold off my face, breathing heavily. Five minutes may not sound like a lot, but when you were using a technique that usually required a Smith to actively make use of, it felt like hours.

“Incredible,” Alden said admirably, offering his hand to me with a rather shame-filled smile, “That Gift of yours is a powerful one. Though I suppose I would expect nothing less of Lady Tessa.”

He had begun to call her Tessa, instead of Tessaraina. I didn't like it, he was getting too familiar, but it didn't seem to bother my Smith so I said nothing. I waved away the man's hand and climbed to my feet before turning away from him.

Alden had been trying to 'get to know' me for the last few days and I really had fucking nothing I wanted to say to the man. After learning of the part he played in Tessa's arrival in Myrin, part of me just wanted to kick the shit out of him all over again. But that would be counter-productive. I would say nothing, do nothing. We were all on the same side, at least for the moment and I could freely admit that the man was a talented warrior. We had sparred occasionally and I had nothing but respect for his skill with a sword, one which was the match of my own. I believed that Alden was like me, no real natural talent to speak of but his will to becoming stronger gave him the drive to push himself.

I felt the same of Vera, though she hadn't been trying as hard as Alden to rope me into a conversation. She simply seemed content that I was training with her, which was enough for me.

“Better,” Vera said while tapping her chin, “You lasted longer, but you need to start learning how to turn it off and on when you need it most. Using the Eye constantly will drain you too fast. That was only five minutes at full power.”

I nodded, listening intently, “Yeah, at the moment it just takes too long to activate it. Three seconds to switch from seeing normally to all around me.”

“We'll need to bring that down, but that's what training is for,” Vera said with shrug, seemingly unworried by it, “By the time we get to Ragora we should get it down to two seconds, maybe even one if we're lucky. We also need to speed up your reaction times. I have some exercises that can help, but your Eye will shine the most when used in tandem with Elora and Tessa.”

I agreed with everything the First Knight was saying. That was yet another thing we had been working on during our days on the road. The girls would Bond with me while we rode and I could see just how long I could keep them contained. Doing so while on a horse was never fun, it did help me increase my endurance somewhat. At the same time, Elora and Tessa could learn how to work together more efficiently, using the Thrones to balance their use of the Gifts. Something which they claimed to have made great strides in during the last few days.

The First Knight looked up at the sky and frowned, “We'll need to leave soon. Pack up camp and we can be on our way. I want to make the most of the daylight. Annabelle will work with Elora on soul strengthening tonight, while you and Tessa will join me for Elemental tuning.”

I nodded and turned to where my Smiths were still hammering away on one another. Elora was still losing, but she was paying close attention to Tessa's guidance and her footwork looked a lot cleaner than it had before. Repetition was the key, something that Tessa and I continually told the Princess. I grinned at the two of them as I approached, receiving an answering smile from my wife and a roll of the eyes from my mercenary.

“Vera wants us gone,we're packing up,” Tessa nodded immediately and threw away the branch she was using for training, heading over to where our tents stood. Elora looked a little disappointed, so I gave her a kiss to alleviate her troubles, “You look a lot better out there.”

“Not fast enough,” Elora muttered, tucking herself against my chest, “I need to do better.”

I couldn't help but chuckle, “I was the same when I first joined the band. Don't worry, it'll come. No one, even Tessa or Vera, start off knowing exactly what they're doing. Its only been a week, give it some time.”

Elora nodded, “Tessa felt it when Alden hit you, had to stop her from attacking.”

I glanced over at my savage Smith, watching as she dismantled her tent with an efficiency that spoke to her many years of doing the same thing in the Brigade. I also noticed the pointed glares she was throwing in the direction of the Ragoran Knight. I'd have to deal with that.

“Think you can grab our tent? I'll talk with Tess.” I said to the Princess, who nodded gravely before casting aside her own weapon. Carrying them with us would be more efficient, but we just didn't have the space for a bunch of sticks and it wasn't like we were lacking for them among the heavily forested regions of Venos. Plus, by the time we were done with them they were battered and near broken in any case. Better just to make them anew each night for a spot of light training.

I left my Princess to it, having already been instructed in the art of throwing up a tent on our first night away. I sent Tessa a little pulse through the Bond, just to let her know I was there. She stiffened for a moment before relaxing as she turned to face me, an inquisitive look on her face, “What?”

“You alright?” I asked, “Elora said you were about to beat the shit out of Alden. I wouldn't complain, but I think crippling him would slow us down some.”

Tessa chortled at that and I joined her, settling in as I helped to pull down her tent.

“I'm still not used to the Bond,” Tessa admitted after a few seconds, “The whole protective instinct thing is still pretty fresh for me. I've managed to hide it since we started training, but I slipped up. It's not as bad as it was for you and Elora, but it'll be a minute before it calms down. At least, that's what my family's books say.”

“Huh, I didn't think it would be an issue,” I answered honestly.

“All new Bonds have some level of possessiveness attached to them,” Tess explained slowly as she undid a knot, “You and Elora were more intense because it was forged in combat. Your Bond looked months old when I first saw it, not days. For us, because of who I am and who you are, it'll take some time to settle, but its not that extreme.”

“I wonder if that will work both ways?” I asked, “You've yet to be in a really dangerous situation since we Bonded.”

“I know. Boring, isn't it?” Tessa said with a sigh, “Though I doubt that will last long.”

I looked sidelong at my Smith slyly, “Oh? Do you know something I don't?”

Tessa grinned at me excitedly, “No, but things never stay calm with you around. I want to test what Elora's taught me in combat, want to Bond with you in battle. I can't fucking wait.”

I laughed, caught up in her excitement. Honestly, I felt the same way. Fighting Alden back in Myrin had scratched part of my itch, but it was barely enough. I wanted to fight, freely and without issue. I was stronger now than I had ever been and testing the Eye in true combat would be almost soothing.

“You know, you two scare me a little when you get that look on your faces,” We turned to see Elora staring at us with a small smile on her lips, a tightly wrapped bundle under her arm.

The three of us laughed, drawing the attention of the rest of our group. Alden and Deirdric, as always, were watching Tessa with a strange mixture of confusion and bafflement on their faces. It was almost as if they couldn't understand why she acted the way she did, probably comparing her to when she was still a little girl.

As much as I hated the man and Tessa's father for sending her to Myrin, it did mean I got to meet Tessa. I blamed myself more than anyone else, for not noticing her for so long, for leaving her alone. I planned to make up for that. We were a family of three, Bonded forever. Tessa and Elora were closer to me than anyone else and I wouldn't have it any other way. If anyone tried to take them from me, I'd destroy them.

“Right, lets get a move on,” Vera said, already atop her mount with Annabelle riding beside her, “We're closing in on Sind but we're going to bypass it entirely. We won't be able to hide who we are in a place so densely populated. Luckily, Annabelle and I pass through this part of Venos often enough to know many of the villages around. If we're lucky, tonight we might actually sleep in some warm beds instead of cold ground.”

I would definitely enjoy that and I felt the girls, especially Elora, agree with me over the Bond. We had gotten soft, I realised. I used to sleep outside with no form of shelter when I was with the band and it didn't bother me in the slightest. Yet now I was ready to do anything to make sure we found some form of inn tonight. Elora threw me a glance, blushing to her roots with a grin.

That was promising.

It took us only moments more to set off, though it took me a little longer than the others to mount my own horse. He didn't like me much. In fact, whenever I was in direct view of him he'd watch me like a hawk, almost as though he was planning something. I had brought it up to Tessa and Elora a couple of days ago. Tessa had instantly laughed at me while Elora had stroked my arm and told me they wouldn't let the big, bad bay hurt me. I couldn't tell which reaction was worse.

They can laugh all they want, but I know what I saw. I saddled the bastard up, something he endeavoured to make as hard as humanly possible, before climbing atop his back. He had bucked me off three times since we'd left Myrin and I felt more than justified in my paranoia. I held my breath and prayed to the Spirit as I got a tight grip on his reigns, tense and ready for his inevitable start.

When nothing came I could only sigh in relief and pat his big neck companionably. I hated him, but I could show appreciation where it was-

He whipped his body up and into the air, reigns ripped from my hands as I tumbled onto the ground below with a groan.

“Orin! Are you alright?” I love my wife.

I felt Elora's hands on me as she pulled me to my feet, my head still spinning. Make that three hits on the head now, all before the sun had reached its apex. Shit, maybe I was being punished for something. Spirit knows I'd taken its name in vein more than once.

I grumbled and glared bloody murder at the fucker who'd tossed me. For a second, a single second, it looked like the bastard winked at me before he went back to the business of perusing the ground innocently. Looking for all the world like an angel sent by the Great Spirit.

“I'm fine, nothing broken,” I said, more for Elora's benefit than my own. I caught sight of Tessa's concerned face which, upon realising that I was alright, transformed into a smirk.

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“You have to keep a tight grip on him,” Tessa explained sarcastically, her smile growing all the wider, “He thinks he's in charge.”

“I know how to ride a horse, Tess!” I snapped at my Smith, though without much bite, “He just doesn't like me.”

“You could always ride behind me, Orin,” Vera leered at me, a comment which drew the ire of both of my Smiths, who stared daggers at the warrior.

I didn't answer the First Knight, instead walking back over to the horse and leaning over to whisper in his ear, “You done, asshole?”

All I received in reply was a short snort and a nudge of the head. I didn't exactly speak horse. If the lot of them fell over tomorrow I'd throw a fucking party, but I believed that, at least for the day, we we're alright.

Spirit, I hoped so.

I climbed back atop the thing and grabbed his reigns once more, which for some reason pulled a chuckle from my Princess.

“You look so afraid,” Elora laughed, “I've never seen you like this before.”

“Don't get used to it,” I said shortly, which only caused Elora to laugh more. Finding the stirrups with no small amount of effort and giving the beast a nudge between the ribs, I started at a trot “Lets get going.”

*

As we rode, I read.

Specifically, I read the very informative manual that Julian had given me back in Myrin.

While keeping my skills with a sword sharp was important and increasing them even more so, I couldn't ignore my abilities when it came to manipulating the Elements. It was what made Knights who they were, even beyond the Gifts of Strength and Speed that I already had. I sat with Vera and Alden most nights, usually Bonded to one or both of my Smiths as I reached within myself to drag free some of the power within.

With the help of the House Brand breathing methods, I had made some great strides with Darkness. At least, I managed to manifest it consistently over my skin. The dark smoke that Padma, Dumas and Tacitus had seen emerge from my body was in fact a sign that I was in tune with my Element.

Vera and Alden both had demonstrated this very phenomenon by summoning Ice and Fire respectively. The First Knight's was significantly more powerful than I expected. Where Alden suddenly began to exude a tremendous amount of heat, Vera looked like she became ice. It formed at her feet and started to grow outwards at a steady pace. So much so in fact that I took a step back, slightly afraid of being entombed. The air carried a chill that would be more suited to the top of the White Peaks rather than north-eastern Myrin. Even the trees and foliage around us did not escape her wrath, with the cold killing those close by and causing ones further away to become laden in frost. It was incredible and yet another example of the difference in power between us. Vera truly was on another level and, despite my personal feelings towards her, it did make me want to learn all I could.

Apparently, becoming tuned to your Element was merely the first step. It meant that the power was now yours to call, but it needed direction. What I had done with Space was just unleash all of it at once, without direction or control. It worked at the time, but Vera told me that was wasteful. In the Hall, they taught Techniques. It was something that Julian had brought up when he had mentioned the manual, so I sought further clarification one night around the fire.

“Techniques shape our Elements, give them form. By picturing a Technique in your mind, the power has a place to go and won't run rampant. Letting it loose as you did could have dire consequences, including forcibly causing of your Smith to exit if you aren't careful.” Vera explained as she threw another log into the fire, “Techniques are jealously guarded, especially among the Five Houses.”

“How long does it take to create one?” I had asked.

“Minutes,” Vera shrugged, “You can come up with an idea for one easily enough. Implementing it is another story, though. That takes time, often it can take years. By the time Annabelle and I had left the Hall we had mastered a total of six Techniques. That was over three years”

That statement had both relieved and infuriated me. It was good to know that I wasn't completely hopeless when it came to mastering my Element, but dedicating months or years to use a Technique wasn't good enough for me. I needed to get stronger faster. I just didn't have the time.

A feeling that wasn't only shared my me, it seemed.

I turned my head, trying to keep my body as neutral as possible to stop myself from spooking the horse between my legs. Tessa and Elora were talking with Annabelle. I had asked if they wanted to Bond for part of the journey, to train my endurance, but both said they had questions for the First Smith. They were in an animated discussion and I knew what it was focused on.

Tessa had been dedicating herself to the Forging of my Weapon since our first Bonding, something that I had been completely unaware of. Honestly, I had been so taken up with Storm that I hadn't given much thought to the future of my spiritual arsenal. It wasn't until Elora had brought it up to me while we were on the road that I had realised what was going on. I had yet to approach Tess about it, mainly because she hadn't done so herself. In truth, there was very little I could do to help her. I knew from talking with the Princess and her father that a Weapon had to be Forged with a specific purpose in mind, but that couldn't come from me. I would wield the Weapon, true, but the Idea must come from her.

I also knew that she believed she was letting me down in some way, something which couldn't be further from the truth. By this point I knew Tessa's mind well enough to know that she put a huge amount of pressure on herself to be the best Smith she could be. Spirit, the same could be said for Elora.

I frowned as I stared at my savage Smith, sending a small bolt of comfort over the Bond as I noticed the dejected expression on her face. Tessa looked confused for a second, still unused to the feeling of me touching her soul, before a small smile crossed her lips, one which was mirrored on my own. Her eyes met mine, a flush catching across her cheeks as she realised she had been caught out. She rolled her eyes and returned to her discussion.

I doubted very much that anything I said to Tess would make her feel better about Forging me a Weapon. Just letting her know I was there for her was enough, at least for the moment.

“Have you managed to make sense of anything?” A voice came from my right and I turned to face the First Knight with confusion, until she brought me back to my senses by pointing at the open manual in my hands.

“Some,” I replied with difficulty. The whole situation with Vera was still rather strange to me. She had tried to kill me, if indirectly, which wasn't something I normally forgave. Yet I needed her help to become stronger. Now more than ever with Samuel on the horizon.

Samuel. The name haunted us, even as far away from Myrin as we were. According to Alden and Deirdric's estimates the man would be arriving in the capital in the next few days, if he wasn't there already. Elora had grown increasingly concerned as the days went by, her fear for the King and Queen becoming a real issue. The worst of it was that I didn't know how to help her. No words would be able to alleviate her worries, at least not for long before the lingering despair returned. I hated feeling helpless, especially when it came to my wife.

“Give it time,” Vera replied, “You're not starting from scratch like Annabelle and I did, but even with the Brand manual it could takes months before you can master even a single Technique. It will be both harder and easier for you. As an Heir, you're going to have more Elements to choose from but even getting in tune with them will take time. How are you doing with Lightning and Space?”

I grimaced. Tessa, Elora and I had been working on it every night since we left but I had yet to reach either of my primary Elements. Shit, I was convinced Space was actively ignoring me. Darkness came as easily as breathing to me now, all it needed was a focus, but it was ultimately my secondary. That didn't mean it was useless, but the King himself had told me that it wouldn't be enough.

I was still stuck on the first Technique described within the thin tome. Some kind of cutting attack that used pure Darkness like a blade. It sounded easy enough but the Dark didn't want to be used in that way. It wanted to spread, not be confined to a particular shape. The descriptions weren't helping, seeming to follow in the same vein as near everything else to do with Knighthood: Extremely vague and even more unhelpful. Expressions like 'let the Dark resonate inside of you' and 'be one with the Darkness'. What the fuck did that mean? Was that just being tuned into it, or something more complex? I wish the ancient Brand Knights and Smiths had been a little more clear in their instructions.

I said as much to Vera and she laughed at my frustration, “It is the way it has always been. Two Knights are never alike, even those who are in the same family. Look at Gida and how she uses her Element. Her father was the opposite in many respects, as was the Knight of Brand before him. The fear is that telling someone too much could leave them worse off than telling them nothing at all,” She pursed her lips as though she was considering something before nodding to herself slowly, “Saying that, I will give you a piece of advice that I wish had been given to me when I first arrived in the Hall: You'll find that the best Techniques, the ones that will stay with you for the rest of your life, come from within. Julian didn't give you that manual just for you to learn the Techniques of other Knights. Do you understand?”

I frowned, “No.”

Vera shrugged, “Think on it, and remember that your Smith has just as much say in the creation of Techniques as you do yourself. Sometimes more, in fact.”

Vera dug her heels into her mount and pulled ahead of me to level off with Alden and Deirdric. I watched her go, pondering her words as best as I could. Yes, it was more nonsense and half-truths, but maybe I could actually glean some fragment of knowledge from Vera's instruction. Did Julian truly not give me the tome to learn the secrets within? But what could the reason be if not that? Was the purpose of gifting me the book only to give me some kind of framework to begin building my own Techniques? That would make sense in many respects, I had never met two Knights who were the same. All I had to do to confirm that was to compare the three Fire Element based warriors I had fought, each different, each unique in their use of both weapons and abilities. It was something to consider at least, though I had no idea what Vera was talking about when she mentioned my Smiths had just as much input in the creation of Techniques.

As we rode, the book lay forgotten in my grip as I tried to reach the truth behind Vera's words. When she finally raised a hand to halt our small formation, I hadn't managed to make any kind of significant progress, though I did believe that I was on the right track. I made a note to mention it to Tess and Elora once we had stopped for the night. Maybe my Smiths would glean something that I just couldn't see.

“We're approaching Sind now,” Vera said as she whirled her mount to face the formation, “Patrols will not be too regular, but the city guard have a presence to deter bandits from setting up in the area. We'll be playing the parts that we talked about last night. Deirdric is a merchant fallen on hard times from Ragora. If we're stopped he'll be doing the talking.”

The man bowed from his place from atop his horse with a small smile on his face. We had agreed unanimously that he should play the role. After all, he was dressed finely enough for it and didn't have the look of a warrior about him, more accustomed to books than blades.

“I will endeavour not to disappoint, Lady Vera.” The scholar said with a small smile. I hadn't had any significant interaction with the man over the past few days. In fact, he seemed to be actively avoiding me. I suspected it was due to what happened with the Sister.

“The rest of us are his guards,” Vera said, “If spoken to, just be polite. I don't suspect we'll be stopped and even if we are, the city guard won't be suspicious enough to hold us for long. As long as Annabelle and I keep our hair hidden we'll be fine. I would be surprised if they recognised Elora.”

That had been a concern I had brought up the night before. Despite Elora never leaving Myrin, I knew that her likeness was often distributed among the villages and cities of Venos. It was for the common-folk to feel closer to their rulers, to not feel isolated even on the far-flung edges of the Kingdom, which Sind surely was. The city was only a few days from the border with the Yelesi Republic, after all. Vera said that it was not an issue, considering that the last circulated pictures of the royal family was from three years ago and Elora had changed significantly since then, not to mention wearing peasant clothes with her hair tightly tied behind her head.

The reason for our need to be discreet was an obvious one. We weren't exactly sure how the Hall had managed to find out about me, nor did we have any idea as to their sources or their reach in the Kingdom. Keeping a low profile and avoiding cities seemed like a reasonable way to avoid Samuel's attention for as long as possible.

“Is it strange that I'm excited to be a guard?” The Princess asked as she pulled up next to me, her cheeks flush and golden eyes sparkling with excitement, “It sounds so adventurous.”

“Protecting caravans are pretty good gigs, easy work,” Tessa said as she trotted to my other side, “Though I don't know how exactly Deirdric is going to explain away our lack of cargo.”

“Hard times, Vera said,” I shrugged, “Probably just say we got hit by bandits to the south. It happens often enough.”

“It does?” Elora asked, surprised.

Tessa nodded grimly, “The closer to the capital you get the safer it becomes, but near the borders, especially with Andapa and the Republic, highway robbery is pretty common.”

“Is there nothing being done about it?” The Princess looked concerned and I understood why. Elora had said it first when we met in the gazebo: She cared about her people and took her duty to them seriously. Meeting me and becoming an Heir's Smith didn't change that.

“Every effort is being taken, Highness,” Annabelle piped up from behind us, the First Smith of Venos looking every inch the Noblewoman despite the rather threadbare dress and scarf covering her hair, “It is the duty of the local guard to police their own areas. However, as Tessaraina said, closer to the borders present other challenges in that our own forces cannot follow if the bandits flee across it, lest we spark an international misunderstanding.”

Elora still looked uneasy, but she nodded to her teacher nonetheless and fell into silence.

It wasn't long before we caught sight of Sind in the distance. The city was smaller than Myrin, though not by much, and nestled into a large valley with mountainous terrain surrounding it. I had once heard Sind described as a merchant's playground, though I had never visited the place myself. It's location meant that it was perfectly situated for trade with Fero to the north and Yelesi to the east. I examined the city as we skirted the edges of the valley, which allowed us to look down on its entirety. It was a nice enough looking place, I supposed, but it didn't hold a candle to Myrin. It looked utilitarian, with each building and home seeming like it had been built to regimental standards. Squat and ugly it may have been, but it's sense of symmetry was somewhat soothing to me. I found myself wondering if I could defend such a place from attack and I thought it unlikely. Unlike Myrin, no great walls defended Sind as it was open to the plains around it. Not to mention the fact that you could look down on the entire place with ease from the surrounding hills, as we were. The only break in the monotony was a large building at the centre of the carefully arranged city. While it looked opulent, carefully constructed of smooth stone, it was hardly the palace in Myrin.

“I know that place,” Elora said softly, pointing at the large structure, “I've never seen it before, but I've read about it. The ancestral home of Cellus' House in Sind, where his family founded the city and also where they swore the oath of fealty to mine. I wonder if he made it back safely. Embla told me that he left soon after you met with my father in the palace.”

“We can go down and visit him if you like?” I suggested with smile, “Though I don't think that he'll be very pleased to see me.”

“I explained everything to him in Paldrum. I'm sure he understands...” Elora didn't look too convinced herself.

Tessa snorted, which pulled a glare from the Princess, “Yeah, I don't think bringing your new husband to meet your former betrothed is a good idea in any situation. I may not know much about shit like that, but even to me that's pretty obvious.”

I couldn't help but agree with Tess. Cellus would not be happy to see me and I wanted to avoid complications wherever possible. I had nothing against the man himself. At least, not anymore. Sure, he had been a little shit to me initially but I had long since forgiven him for that. I didn't want to cause him undue distress, especially seeing as he would always hold a special place in the Princess' heart. Besides, It was hard to remain bitter about our past grievances when I was the one who walked away with the Princess on my arm.

“I know, but I worry about him. I wish we had the chance to talk in Myrin, but we just didn't have the time,” Elora sighed as she placed a hand on my arm, comforting herself with my closeness, “I just hope he finds the peace that I have.”

“Peace? We're being chased by a psychopathic killer from the Hall, not to mention the warped Knights that seem to find you at every turn,” Tessa said, “We're currently on our way to see my family, whom I haven't spoke to since I was seven and that's only if we survive the journey.”

“It's not where you are, but who you're with, Tessa,” Elora chuckled, beaming at the mercenary, “I'm sure you, more than anyone else, understands that.”

Tess' eyes flickered over to me before darting away again as she grumbled, “I suppose.”

We continued on in relative silence, all of us a little paranoid as to if we would be stopped by some kind of patrol from Sind. Thankfully, that didn't come to pass and we passed into the heavy woodlands of the east unmolested.

Gel'mardin was what this swathe of land was called. It was where the first Venosian-Yelesi war came to a close over two hundred and twenty years ago, when the ragged fragments of the Kingdom's army used the mountainous terrain and their knowledge of the forest to wage a gorilla campaign against superior republican forces. The only reason I knew this was because of old Brin. A drunk he may be, but he was also something of a scholar when it came to military history, especially that of his homeland in the Republic.

I tried to imagine that conflict now as I passed through the high trees. As old Brin told it, only three thousand Venosians held off nearly three times their number until reinforcements arrived from the west to put the attempted invasion to bed for good. That sort of thing happened often in this part of the world. Shit, Dunhold had invaded Venos three times since I had been born and that was not even mentioning the countless skirmishes that took place with Fero and the Republic.

It had made me proud to be from Venos when I heard the tale, something that I didn't think about often. I realised now that I was actually from Ingemar, but I would never be able to think of that cold place as my home. No, I was Venosian. Being born in another country couldn't change that, even if in my youth I wished I lived anywhere else.

I found myself looking to the north. I knew that my new land, the Lostwood, was relatively close. The forest itself took up much of our northern border with Fero, with only one real route through it that was considered safe from the monsters that dwelt deep within. It was also forbidden to pass through the Lostwood at night and with good reason. From the many, many tales I had heard of that mysterious place, the horrors within would make damn sure whoever decided to go ahead with that plan wouldn't see the morning, and I was the Count of the fucking place. Even thinking that tended to make me shake my head in disbelief.

I wondered, and not for the first time, what manner of creature actually existed in the Lostwood. Eye witness accounts were not all that reliable and any that could were the accounts of men who had long since lost their lives.

Vera raised a hand again after we had faded into the forests surrounding Sind. We were using a well-travelled merchant road for much of our journey. It would be far safer to travel the far lesser known paths, but in this instance Vera had decided to prioritise speed. While keeping curious eyes off of us was the goal, we didn't have the time to waste by trying to find new ways through the border. Something was different about Vera' sudden stop compared to our last, however.

The First Knight's head was on a swivel, her eyes moving from side to side with a narrowed focus that I recognised all too well. I had been with the band long enough to know what a scout looked like when he caught a sign of trouble. Without hesitation, I moved up my blasted horse to take a place next to her, Alden and Deirdric. My Smiths following beside me wordlessly. Tessa nodded to me, already catching the signs that I had myself. Elora looked a little confused, but she had seen enough combat to recognise the seriousness in our postures.

“Something ahead?” I asked of Vera who nodded solemnly.

“Possibly,” Vera cursed to herself in a whisper, “I was afraid of this. We've been getting reports of bandits hitting the smaller villages to the south, but I didn't think they would drift this close to the city. I think they're just ahead. We may have a fight on our hands.”

Excitement and worry both formed in my stomach, as it always did when I thought battle approached. Tessa looked as she ever did, but her jaw did tighten, as did her hold on the reigns of her horse. Elora was a little more hesitant, but the grim resolve she wore was enough to let me know she was ready for a fight as she fingered the hilt of the dagger at her waist

.

“They may decide we aren't worth the trouble. Let's carry on for now.” Vera whispered to Alden and I, the two of us nodding in agreement.

“How far ahead is this village you want to spend the night at?” I asked.

“A few more hours, five at the most,” Vera replied, “We'll never get there before they attack. If they attack.”

I knew what Vera was hoping for. Bandits were cowards who would never pick a fight they knew they couldn't win. She may very well be right, in which case the scavengers would just let us pass without any issue. I didn't expect that, of course. They wouldn't see Vera, Annabelle, Tessa or Elora as threats, based solely on the fact that they were women. Deirdric was out as well as he was clearly not a warrior. That left Alden and I. While we were intimidating and our swords were sharp, I doubted they would believe they would have problems with only two warriors. No, an attack was imminent. I felt it in my soul.

I was almost happy to be proven right almost immediately.

A single man stood in the road ahead of us, a shit-eating grin on his dirt streaked face. He was without weapon, which I found more than a little strange, but just chalked up to the idiotic and unearned confidence of cowards. He hopped from foot to foot, all but rubbing his hands together in glee as we approached.

“Greetings, friends!” The man screamed at us when we were but ten feet away, his nasally voice grating on my nerves even after saying so little, “I am Fynn. Some know me as Fynn of the Fields, or Bloody Fynn. I must ask you now to stop and turn over your possessions at once! This is a robbery!”

I couldn't help but laugh at the idiot. Fynn of the Fields, indeed. Great titles for a man who looked like he had been dipped in a pot of shit and left to stew in it for days. The smell that wafted off of him seemed to confirm that, “You rob us? I don't think we have much to fear from a man without a sword. Fuck off Fynn, before I give you a new title. Headless Fynn, maybe?”

I drew my sword as I spoke, the clean blade emerging from my scabbard with ease. Tessa had truly outdone herself when selecting my sword, seeming to know exactly what I looked for in a blade. It wasn't Rionna by any means, but it felt even better in my hand than my first sword had, the one gifted to me by Boldrin all those years ago.

Fynn did not look intimidated in the least by my display, which I had to expect. Bandits didn't work alone. They liked to overwhelm their enemies with numbers. A lone robber was a dead robber.

“I will ask again, friend,” Fynn bowed low, clumsily and without grace, but a damn sight better than anything I'd ever been able to pull off, “Do not do this. I have no desire to take your life today. Hand over all the coin you have... and leave the women. We will let you pass in peace.”

The little fucker clicked his fingers dramatically and the treeline to either side of the road moved. A whole company of anaemic looking fools trudged out. In their trembling hands were weapons of all sorts, though not a one of them seemed cared for. Fynn's band of miscreant cut-throats spread out behind him, trying their best to look intimidating as they did so.

“Twenty in all,” Vera yawned, frustrated, “Could they not have just left things be? We don't have time for this.”

“I can deal with it if you wish, Lady Vera?” Alden spoke up respectfully.

“I want the tiny one with the blonde hair, bet she screams real nice!” One of them shouted.

I stopped.

“Fuck that, look at that wild bitch next to her. She looks like she'd put up a fight.” A sickly looking man carrying a flail laughed with his buddy as the rest of their companions shouted and raved.

I stared at the two men, taken aback by the sheer fucking stupidity of their statements. They had killed themselves and yet they didn't seem to realise it.

“As you can see, sir,” Fynn said, his disgusting grin still in place, “I do have weapons. These men are my swords. Leave the coin and the women,”

I got off my horse.

“We'll take good care of them,”

I looked at Tessa and Elora.

“Real good care, ain't that right, lads!” Booming laughter erupted among the ranks of the degenerates.

“They shouldn't have said that,” I said seriously, meeting the eyes of my two Smiths. Elora smiled at me hesitantly, looking a little intimidated and shaken by the shouts, but I felt her confidence as she leaned over her saddle to kiss me on the cheek sweetly. Tessa only stared at me, what I could only describe as a deep hunger, a heaviness, in her eyes.

I held out my hands to my two Smiths, each of them taking a hold of one with both of theirs. “Vera, I'll handle this.”

Etherin struck as my Eye opened. My Smiths flowed into my chest and with it came the power of a Knight. Strength and Storm flowed down each of my limbs, setting fire to my body as I trembled under the weight of Bonding both of my Smiths at the same time.

I reached out a hand and called to Rionna. Elora obliged and the silvery hilt of my black sword of stars appeared in my outstretched hand. I swung her once, feeling how she displaced the wind in my Storm Sight and let go of a deep ache, a tension, that I didn't remember having.

I felt complete.

I turned to the bundle of bandits. They had stopped laughing. I expected as much.

Fynn of the Fields, or Bloody Fynn, looked like he had just shit himself, adding to the already foul aroma that was enhanced by my Knightly senses. I stared at the man with my lightning filled eye and he paled.

“W-wait, now,” Fynn raised a trembling hand outwards as he sought to placate me, “W-We didn't know you were no Knight. We'll just be on our way. N-No harm done now!”

I moved.

With the speed of the Storm, I crossed the distance between my target within a second. My Eye helped to steady my balance, allowing me to sense what was underfoot and avoid obstacles with ease. It appeared that the two aspects of my Gift of the Storm worked well together. Something to explore later.

I appeared in front of the first man who had spoken. He hadn't had a chance to move an inch, his grip on his rusted sword failing as it dropped uselessly to his feet, not that it would be of any help to him if he'd kept a hold of it.

“'I bet she screams real nice'.” I repeated, my voice dead, my anger so great it had gone cold.

“W-wait, I didn't mean-” I put my hand through his chest. My Strength enough to easily tear through the skin, flesh and bone of the disgusting creature with ease. I pulled my hand free, caked in blood and viscera, and raised Rionna above my head.

The man tried to speak but shock and the hole where his heart used to be wouldn't allow him to. My razor sharp Weapon cut through his body from shoulder to hip, severing him cleanly in half. Before he had even fallen I had moved on to the next, his buddy who had stood next to him and talked about Tess.

The brigands around me had exploded with fear, each making for the treeline. The man with the flail looked at his now falling friend with bulging eyes before turning his terrified gaze to me. He screamed in pure agony, his voice hitting a higher registry than I had ever heard a man reach. He swung his flail and brought it down on my shoulder with all his strength.

I let it hit and didn't move, even as the spikes on the end of his flail sunk into my flesh. I just stared at the man. He yanked at his weapon, trying desperately to pull it free but unable to find purchase. I grabbed the long chain and pulled him closer until he was in reach before grabbing him by the throat.

“'Wild bitch'.” I snarled at the fucker as I squeezed and his face turned blue, his now empty hands pounding uselessly on my arm, “'She looks like she'd put up a fight!'.”

“Please-” The man's words went unheeded as I slammed him into the ground with all of my might. I felt the crack of bone beneath my fingers as the man's body was literally turned to mush. He lived a few seconds longer. Long enough to regret his actions.

I turned to find my final target, reaching out with my Storm Sight even as I yanked the barbed edges of the flail from my arm, feeling Elora and Tessa set to healing the small wound.

I found Fynn easily enough, the man clumsily trying to dash through the forest in the opposite direction as the rest of his men. No doubt trying to use them as a distraction so he could escape unscathed.

I couldn't have that.

I ran into the woods of Gel'mardin, skirting trees and leaping over the underbrush with ease, until I caught sight of the stumbling Fynn. In the blink of an eye I was in front of him, a girlish scream escaping his throat as he stumbled backwards into a tree.

“I promised you a new title, Fynn,” I said with a low growl, “You should've let us pass.”

“I-I'm sorry, please!” Fynn cried and whimpered, his shaking hands held over his chest as though they would protect him from what was to come.

“I accept your apology, Fynn.” I said calmly, “But I keep my promises and I would hate to disappoint.”

Rionna sang as she swung through the air. So fast was the cut, so smooth, that the bandit didn't realise he was dead until a line of red appeared around his throat, his head tumbling to the ground and away from the heap that was once his body.

I took a deep breath, calming myself as I sought to settle the flames of my spitting soul. I closed my eyes and chuckled before beginning my walk back towards Vera and the others. I briefly considered chasing the other bandits but regretfully cast it from my mind. They had seen me Bond with both Elora and Tessa at the same time, but the looks on their faces meant that they'd probably never seen a Knight before in their lives. I doubted any problems would arise from it. My only regret was not being able to finish them all off. Chasing after them with both of my Smiths would mean having to risk reaching our limit sooner, which could result in them being forcibly ejected from my body. I wouldn't put Tess and Elora in danger like that.

“I think we've found out if it works both ways, Tess,” I said to my Smith, feeling her and Elora turn their attentions to me from within my soul, “I'd say that's a yes.”

As I said, a family of three.

If anyone tried to take Elora and Tessa from me, their fates were already decided.

I would destroy them.