Since he was a child Ivan had been told that magic was what kept the realm alive. The kingdom strong. The people safe. Magic was essential for life to go on. But you only had so much natural ability. As for the strong, they were either born with a surplus of magic or stole it from another. Protecting your magic was the most important thing.
Ivan frowned as he walked along the row of new recruits. Boys. These children were hardly fit to serve as the king's knights, but this was the lot he had been given to train this year. Weak. Usually only half of them lived to see their first winter of knighthood. He usually only accepted nine new recruits, but there had been one extra upon the king's request.
What the king saw in the boy, Ivan would never truly understand. The recruit in question was a bright-eyed boy by the name of Alfred. While he claimed to be twenty-three, he had a baby's face and didn't look a day over sixteen. He was eager and brash, and could barely do the required minimum of magic. As far as Ivan was concerned his type was either dangerous or useless. Sometimes both.
He stared at Alfred in the row; the boy was shifting impatiently from foot to foot. "Jones" He said firmly, the boy froze and straightened his back. His Adam's Apple bobbed in his throat as he swallowed and looked at Ivan.
"Yes Sir?" He squeaked.
"Would you kindly demonstrate a simple shield spell for me?" Ivan smirked. He knew it was cruel to pick the weakest magic user for such a task, but the boy had to learn somehow.
Alfred popped his back and took a deep breath. His brows furrowed from the effort as he muttered the phrases to project the invisible protective barriers. His hand splayed out in front of him as he did so, his fingers twitching slightly.
"Are you ready, boy?" Ivan said slowly.
His nose twitches at the word boy. He looked at Ivan with a nod.
Ivan smirked as he spoke the words of attack. A blast of ice crystals erupted from his palm. They collided with Alfred's barrier with a burst of flame, melting instantly. Alfred flinched and let down the barriers immediately afterwards. He slouched over, supporting himself with his arms on his knees, gasping for breath.
"Good" Ivan said pleased almost purr. He patted the Alfred's shoulder as he walked past. "Work on keeping it up longer but you had the parameters correct." Alfred looked at him with a ragged pleased grin. His eyes burning with the same intensity as the fire he had conjured a minute before. Ivan felt something deep down inside him shiver as the blonde boy looked at him, but he shook it off and ignored it, moving on to test the next of the recruits.
"Jones, keep your back straight." Ivan yelled as the boy parried the blow. Alfred's bright blond bangs were drenched with sweat and clung to his forehead, surprisingly that particular tuft still stuck up. He heaved his sword up at Ivan with frustrated cry. There was a loud clang as metal hit metal and Ivan prevented Alfred's sword from moving forward. He pressed his free hand against the flat side of his word, giving a great shove. Alfred fell backwards, his sword clattering to the ground. He lay sprawled out on the ground where he fell panting. The chain mail rustled as he moved to get up.
"It's hot, I know. You'll eventually get used to it." Ivan held his hand out to the boy and got him back on his feet.
"Do we have to practice in it?" Alfred whined as he picked up his sword.
"Yes. You're going to be fighting in that mail and armor, you need to be accustomed to the weight." Ivan stepped back and held up his sword. "Try again, give me everything you've got."
The right corner of Alfred's mouth twitched and he lunged at Ivan. His movements were a bit faster than Ivan had anticipated and he stumbled backwards as he tried to counter. Alfred gave a little triumphant whoop as Ivan paused to steady himself. The boy closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair, pushing the dripping bangs out of his face. His eyes jerked open at the touch of cold steel at his throat.
"Never take your eyes off your enemy" Ivan said softly, his breath tickling at Alfred's ear as he held the sword against his neck. He felt the boy shudder as he spoke. Ivan chuckled softly as he withdrew his sword. "But overall, good. You've improved a lot. I'm proud of you, boy." He patted him on the back before stepping away. Alfred gave him a bashful smile before going to passing off the sword to one of his fellow recruits.
Ivan always tried to stay responsible during feasts; he felt an obligation to watch out for his recruits. Always to make sure they are not lured away by a magic sucking temptress. But he had no recollection of the previous night's harvest feast other than the fact that he must have consumed monstrous amounts of ale.
He groaned a little as his pounding head adjusted to the light of the room. A loud snore sounded from his left. Oh. It was only then he became aware of his nakedness.
Ivan was a bit of a lonely man, he was dedicated to serving his king, and so he promised himself to never take on a wife or the distraction of a family. But he did however entertain the occasional company of wenches and other willing young women. Occasionally men. The harvest feast one of the few times of the year he allowed himself this luxury. But this year he really had no recollection as to whom he had taken to bed. His ale-addled mind was simply blank. He hoped whoever the owner of the snore was decent.
The warm lump that was curled up against his side shifted and snuggled closer against Ivan's bare skin. As Ivan's senses became less foggy, he began to sense that the second occupant of the bed was not a nubile young maiden. Well!
Ivan squirmed lightly and turned his head towards the man he had obviously slept with. The head was buried into the pillow, but a familiar tuft of hay colored hair was all Ivan needed to see to know the identity of his one night lover. Oh.
Ivan's heart pounded in his chest. What had he done? He was supposed to mentor and train those young men and boys, not sleep with them. Perhaps he could wriggle out of the boy's grasp and flee. Perhaps the boy's memory would be clouded as well!
Ivan turned his head the other direction to inspect the room. His heart sank in disappointment. This was his room. Quite obviously his room. There was no way of getting out of this now. He decided he best take the time before Alfred woke up to come up with some excuse or apology. He owed the boy at least that much.
What had he been thinking last night? Had the power of the ale turned his brain that much? Alfred was young enough to be his ison. By many years. Ivan chewed his lip and wriggled away from Alfred's sleeping form. After an agonizing half an hour passed the boy began to stir.
Alfred blinked a few times, confused by his surroundings until his eyes drifted over to Ivan. A smile spread across his face as he looked over. He mumbled a lazy "hey," and stretched.
"Hey" Ivan murmured in a nervous reply and went back to worrying at his lip. The ache in his head from last night's drinking had since faded and he was left with nothing to distract him. He sat up, leaning his back against the headboard of the bed, pulling the sheets tightly around his waist after they slid down from his movements.
Alfred sat up as well, but chose to lean against his knees, rubbing his sleep mussed hair with a yawn. Ivan stared at the boy's now visible back, watching the lean muscles ripple. He chewed his lip harder.
"Um. Alfred?"
The boy stopped running his fingers trough his hair and turned towards Ivan. "Hm?"
"Do- Um. Do you remember last night?" He asked quietly, cursing himself for sounding so weak. He was a seasoned warrior, one of the most powerful knights in the realm! He shouldn't be scared to talk to boy he fucked last night!
"Yes…you don't?" Alfred cocked an eyebrow, a worried frown falling on his lips.
Ivan shifted uncomfortably. "No. I'm terribly sorry, but I really don't remember hardly anything from last night." He curled his toes into the sheets.
A brief smile flitted on Alfred's face before he looked terribly hurt.
Ivan panicked. "Um- Well- It's not like you haven't had sex before! One night of your partner not remembering isn't so bad, right?" He laughed nervously.
Alfred just turned away, squirming uncomfortably. Ivan's heart sank.
"You haven't before?" He said in a soft quiet voice. There was an awkward pause. "At your age? You're young and handsome, surely you managed to woo some-"
"I've always been to busy with other things." Alfred said curtly. He sighed and squirmed back in the bed to rest against the headboard like Ivan. "I was a poor child in the slums, I hard to work hard to help keep my mother and myself safe and well fed. My only dream was to one day be part of the king's guard. I spent all my free time training with a sword and trying to learn magic. Sex seemed like a waste of time." He laughed bitterly and slumped against his knees again.
"Oh." Ivan said and mulled over the boy's words. The guilt settled in his stomach like a lead chain. He hesitantly reached out and clasped Alfred's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I feel terrible now; your first experience should have been with someone better than me. I-"
"No, no, you were fine. You were great." Alfred grinned at him "Given I have nothing else to compare it to, but I'm glad it was with someone as experienced as you."
Ivan snorted. "I wouldn't exactly use the term "experienced" by any means. I've lived through forty-seven years and never taken a constant partner. I swore an oath to protect the king. I must follow that alone. Part of my reasons for coming here to the capital was to escape a marriage anyway."
"Was she that bad?"
"You have no idea. She was actually my cousin but had been following me around since she was five telling people how we'd get married some day." He shuddered. Alfred patted his arm in sympathy.
Ivan took a deep breath and pulled back the sheet. "I suppose I should go awake your fellow recruits, eh? Nothing like a good magic drill to wear off the effects of a feast and ale!" Alfred groaned as Ivan began pulling on his trousers, begrudgingly getting out of bed. Ivan tried his hardest not to pay the young man's naked body any heed but couldn't resist taking a quick peek out of the corner of his eye. He may not have remembered it, but he certainly made a fine choice last night. Not bad at all.
AN: This fic style is a bit of mimicry of George R.R. Martin's style, and I'm not that familiar with it yet, so bear with me for any awkward wording, I'm learning. Any feedback you have would be appreciated! :
