“Yes?” Marius asked when Elsurion knocked at his door. Elsurion entered and looked into Marius’ reserved eyes.

“Hello, Marius.”

“My King.” He said firmly. That hurt.

“I wanted to talk to you, Marius.”

“I am busy.”

The king took a step towards his friend. “I hurt you, did I not?”

Marius' eyes turned into slits. The man-made a snarky chuckle. “Hurt. Hurt?” Marius punched the king straight into the face. Surprised, Elsurion stumbled back and held his nose. He cried out in pain.

“No Elsurion. THAT is what I would call hurt. What you did to me was far worse!” Marius grabbed the king and shook him. Elsurion was unable to fend him off. Numbly, he let Marius have his way.

“I was your friend, all those years Elsurion! It ain’t worth dogshit to you!”

“I…” Marius pushed him against the wall.

“Shut the fuck up Elsurion! All this time! I can’t even flinch and you take this…this ‘woman’ into your circle of trust! I tried to protect you, with all means and what do you do? You shove me away like a was some kind of low tier servant to you!”

Marius’ eyes started to fill with tears. “What the fuck is wrong with you, you fucking idiot?”

Tears. Marius would never cry. What had the king done to his friend?

“Answer!” Marius punched the king again. Elsurion fell on the floor coughing.

“I’m…”, coughing interrupted him, “…sorry Marius…” The king kept coughing on all fours. “But, you just…would not…listen…” the king muttered. Marius grabbed the king once more and put him up on his feet. “Listen to what?”

“She is not…out to hurt me…Marius…you have to…believe me…”

Marius blinked a few times, then let go of the king.

“That is not the point Elsurion.”

Trying to catch his breath, Elsurion replied: “I know…I should have paid more respect to you trying to watch out for me. I’m sorry…”

Marius kept staring at the king.

“You have always been watching out for me. Since that faithful day, my father took you into the palace. I am thankful for that. You are like the brother I never had.”

Elsurion let that sink in for a moment.

“But…”, he looked his friend deep into the eyes.

“But what?”

The king sighed. “You are also a hen.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I am 25 Marius. You do not have to act like I am still a small boy, I am king now.”

“What in Solaria’s name are you talking about?”

The king tilted his head. “Have you ever realized how protective and patronizing you act towards me?”

“I…” Elsurion could see some gears turning in his friends head now. Marius sighed. “Are you seriously telling me that this is the reason you treated me like that?”

“Putting it bluntly: Yes.”

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“That’s harsh.”

“What do you mean harsh? My father just died! Give me some space here!”

“You have some nerve to talk about space! Since king Elias passed, I have shielded you! There are important decisions to be made Elsurion! You, as you so eloquently noticed, are king now. But a king’s behaviour is the last thing you have shown the last few days. I cannot let that stand, do you even consider that?”

The king had to take that in. Marius just confirmed what Elsurion already knew.

“You think I lack the qualities of a ruler, do you not?”

Marius’ look was resolute still. “I wouldn’t say ‘lack’. But you have to pull yourself together. No sane person would do what you did. Throwing all caution to the wind and letting that woman so close to you. Not to mention that you isolated yourself. You’re sad. I get that. But you have to be stronger than that…”

Elsurion rose his hand. “Alright, alright I get it! By Solaria, this is what I meant. I am tired of your lectures!”

Marius looked to the side now, avoiding the king. He quietly stated: “If I could trust you not acting like a boy, then perhaps I wouldn’t lecture you like one, my friend.”

Elsurion swallowed and took a deep breath. “Then give me the chance to be more than that.”

Silence.

“I am still alive. Sarenya has not slit my throat.”

“Yet.”, Marius concluded.

The king let out a sigh of frustration. “What, by Solaria’s mercy, do I, no, better, does SHE have to do, to finally make you drop this?”

“I don’t get what makes you trust her so easily. After such a short time. Honestly now.”

“I…I just trust her. I do not know why.”

“Not gonna hold up so well if I told that to the royal advisors.”

“Can you not just trust me and give her a chance?”

Marius did not answer.

“I don’t want to order you to do that. You’re my friend. Please, Marius.”

“And I don’t want you to get hurt.” He hesitated for a moment and looked at the king’s bloody nose. “By her.” Marius finished.

A chuckle escaped the king. “If she wanted to, she would already have killed us all. And you know that.”

“What if she is some kind of sleeper spy?”

“Why would she show off what she can do so openly then? Also, a spy from where? We are not in any conflict. Marius, we had that conversation before. Remember? But in my room and with a punch to my face that hurt a lot less than this one. You agreed to what I suggested then.”

“That was before you spit in my face and her breaking out and holding you at knifepoint!”

“I told you, that was wrong of me, and I’m sorry. Also, she was just defending herself! You are not acting any more adult than me here, by the way.”

“I cannot trust you with this, yet.”

“Then, as I said, give me a chance to prove myself.”

“I have to think about it, Elsurion.”

After a brief pause, the king responded: “Fine. Alright. With that, I can work.”

The king reached out with his hand. “Truce?”

Marius exhaled. “Truce.”

“I will leave you alone now, I have business to take care of as well.”

“I’m sure you do,” Marius commented. “How are her hands?”

The king flinched. Yes. Of course, Marius knew. How could he not? Not like the king wanted to hide this, but did he have to poke his nose into that as well?

“She is doing fine”, he lied. Because in all reality, he had no clue. Elsurion aimed to avoid further conflict, so he let Marius have thin one too. “Thank you for your concern.” The king thought about telling Marius about the tarot cards but refrained from bringing up the topic. He went to leave. Doorknob in his hand, the king turned his head and said: “Oh yes, I almost forgot: Once Sarenya’s hand heals, we will go hunting. I wish to see her skills. You are welcome to join us.”

“I will. It feels like ages we went hunting together.”

The king chuckled lightly and left. Once outside, Sarenya stood guard where Elsurion left her.

“How are your hands, Sarenya?”

The woman looked at him like she did not understand the question. Her look went down to the bandages wrapped around them.

“I’m fine.”

An awkward silence emerged.

“Well, I mean…does it still hurt?”

Sarenya looked at him in confusion again.

“It…stings a bit still. Nothing worth mentioning.”

“We need to replace the bandages.”

The king called the nearest guard and ordered to bring a servant with medical supplies to the royal quarters. Elsurion wanted to study a few maps to decide which part of the forest he wanted to hunt in.

“When the servant arrives to replace the bandages,” the king began and looked at Sarenya. She turned her head to face him.

“Do not twist their arm as you did with the tailor. Are we clear?”

She nodded with a grim look.

“Good.”

The servant, a young woman, arrived with a tub of water, ointment and fresh bandages.

The king sat at his desk and looked up to observe the servants work from time to time. Sarenya’s hands were washed carefully, fresh ointment was applied, and the fresh bandages gently wrapped around Sarenya’s hands. Elsurion’s guard let it happen without a word. She sat there like a statue, only moving when the servant asked her to move her hands.

“Thank you, servant. You may leave us alone now.”

The servant packed the utensils, bowed and left the room. Sarenya roamed over to the king’s desk.

“What are you looking at?”

“Maps for the hunt.”

“Will we go hunting?”

“As soon as your hands are alright.”

“They are.”

“They are not. We hunt in one or two days.”

“I can shoot a bow. No need to wait.”

“Letting its ‘inhabitants’ recover was not exactly the brotherhood’s greatest quality, I suspect.”

“My wounds are not an excuse for…”

“We will hunt later when your hands have healed.”