11 years earlier
"You've been promoted?" asked Max, a wide smile on his large face.
Uli held the letter in his hands. "Me? A Knight Flora. Who'd thunk it?"
Max lightly punched Uli in the shoulder. "We both know that you can run circles around anyone here with your wood work."
Max was only mildly exaggerating. Uli didn't know what had happened. Before he had joined the Legion, Rachni was not powerful at all. The little fury could barely help him fertilize the fields or hold a piece of fencing for long enough for Uli to repair it, and Rachni's manifestation, when it could manage one at all, was a tiny little spider that only fit in the palm of Uli's hand. Now, Rachni was helping him take down Icemen, sense incoming arrows and pila from yards away, and even move trees. Crows, the last time Uli saw Rachni manifest, it was just a bit bigger than his torso. Uli didn't know whether it was because Rachni was getting stronger with Legion practice or if his grandpa had somehow given Uli his fury before he passed away. Regardless, it seems that Legion command had taken noticed.
"I don't know 'bout this," said Uli. "I mean a knighthood, that's big. I don't even know any manners or politics and stuff."
Max scoffed. "You're not going to politely ask your enemies to run into your arrows, and if you do actually have to talk to someone, just do what I do: make it up as you go."
Uli didn't tell Max that it only worked out for him because his father was a powerful man in every sense of the word. Though Uli knew that some aspects of Max's life were a living nightmare, he had many privileges that Uli would never get to enjoy. Max could run his mouth at every High Lord in the realm and their mothers until his face turned blue and not suffer a lick for it. If Uli showed a tenth of that disrespect, it could mean his death.
Of course, talking to Max about it would be uncomfortable.
"Anyway," said Max. "This calls for a celebration. Let's go drinking!"
The two young men made their way to one of the tents that served as a bar. They weren't the only ones; many other legionares were out celebrating the end of their turn. Some were laughing it up with the new friends they had made. Some came to wash away the pain and horrors they have seen. Regardless, each and every one of those men looked much older than when they had started.
"So d'you think you're gonna go another term?" asked Uli.
"Probably," said Max. "It's not set in stone, but it's not like I have anywhere else to go. What about you? Are you going to accept that promotion?"
"I dunno," said Uli. "I always thought I'd go back to the farm after my second term, but becoming a Knight. That is really sumthin'."
Max put a hand on Uli's shoulder and squeezed. Uli felt the heat rush to his face and took a swig of his beer to hide his blush.
"Either way," said Uli, putting his mug down. "This might be the last time we're in the Legion together. Any regrets?"
This time, it was Max's turn to take a drink. "I guess my only regret was that I never had a chance with you."
If Uli had been drinking in that moment, he would have coughed out his beer. "What?"
"Don't tell me you didn't notice," said Max. Despite the rather intimate and slightly scandalous confession, Max was grinning. "I've probably propositioned you about seventeen times these past two years."
Had he? Uli supposed the bath comment might have been a little suggestive, but Uli had figured that bathing with other people was just what city folk did. Uli had never been very good at reading other people, even when they were being obvious with their feelings. Back on the farm, his grandpa always said to him that he had a good head on his shoulders, even if it wasn't screwed on the same as everyone else.
"Really?" asked Uli, his voice almost dipping into a whisper.
Uli felt his ears pop. Max must have put up a windcrafting bubble around them.
"Why not?" asked Max. "You are rather pretty." Max laughed when Uli glared at him. "I'm joking. I…respect you, Uli. I don't know, ever since the night after I almost got stabbed in the heart with a pilum, then later when I found out that you like men…crows, I just feel comfortable with you, okay?"
Uli suddenly became very aware that Max's hand was still on his shoulder. Max still had the air bubble up. Uli called to Rachni to make them invisible against the wooden table and placed a hand on Max's knee.
Max chuckled softly, moving his hand down to Uli's back. "I'm guessing it's not too late, then?"
Uli just scoffed in response. Max leaned forward and kissed Uli on the lips. Uli answered the kiss as best he could, moving his lips in tandem with Max's.
Max pulled him closer and deepened the kiss. The Antillan tasted like fine wine and Legion rations. Having Max's tongue in his mouth felt strange, but Uli wasn't going to back down. Max moaned in Uli's mouth as Uli squeezed his leg.
They pulled away.
"Let's go somewhere more private." Max looked at Uli through half-lidded eyes. "I know where we can get a tent together."
Uli froze, though he did his best not to let it show. This was all he ever wanted, but it also meant that he would be letting Max see him naked. He wasn't sure if he wanted that. He wasn't sure…
"Lead the way," said Uli.
Max kissed him once more, and the two of them made their way out of the tent.
As they walked into the night, Uli's heart raced. He never imagined that this night would come. He had wanted this for a long time. Yet, he was sweating buckets. He and Max were careful not to walk too closely to one another, and they were both completely silent as Max led Uli to where the prostitutes' tents were.
Uli stopped. "Um, Max…"
Max stopped and turned to him. "What's wrong, Uli?"
"I, um..." Suddenly Rachni was warning him of an incoming arrow. Uli tried to call on his fury to redirect its path, but the attacker must have been using their own wood fury. Uli met with too much resistance. When the arrow came, it shot Max in the shoulder instead of the head.
Max cried out and drew his sword. Suddenly, three figures emerged from the shadows. Max was a blur as he took on two of the attackers, using metal and wind craftings to speed the blow. Uli had just enough time to take out his pilum and start deflecting the other attacker's sword strikes. It was only through Rachni that the wooden shaft of his weapon withstood the attacks from the sword.
Rachni warned him of another incoming arrow. Max was still engaged with the other two. Uli only had the briefest of moments. He reached out and deflected the arrow just as his opponent sliced into his side.
Blood poured out. Every event that happened next blurred into one another. Uli heard Max cry out for him, but it sounded muted and distorted, as if coming from far away. Before he knew it, Max's entire body was surrounded by a large halo of fire. The Antillan, now with an arrow in his shoulder and another in his neck unleashed an inferno all around him. Uli could feel the intense heat as the flames soared above his head. He hadn't realized that he had fallen to the ground. Uli also felt fear, deep, primal, unimaginable fear as Max's firecrafting washed over him and the assassins.
The next thing Uli knew, he was in a tub. A pair of soft hands were in the water with him.
"Is he going to be all right?" Max asked frantically.
"Not with you distractin' us!" yelled Foss. "Now let's get you t'yer own tub!"
Uli woke up with a start, gasping for air.
"Take it easy," said a feminine voice.
Uli paid the healer no mind and scrambled out of the tub. He fell over the lip and stumbled onto the ground. To his horror, he was completely naked. He quickly tried to cover his unbound breasts with his arms.
"Here," the healer handed him a large roll of bandages. Uli looked into the face of the young-looking woman he had bribed to keep his secret. Though her face looked young, her hair was heavily lined with white. Uli snatched the bandages out of her hands and began to frantically bind his breasts.
"Antillar Maximus was here," said Uli.
"He didn't see anything," said the healer. "He tried to come see you again after we were done with his injuries, but Foss shooed him away."
Uli simply grunted in response. The healer gave him another set of bandages. "Not all the blood in your tub came from your wounds," she explained. Uli merely blushed before grabbing the bandages and getting to work on the other half of his disguise.
Once Uli got changed into clean clothes, he walked briskly back to his tent. Since he had been recovering, many of the legionaires had already packed for their trip home. He wanted to see Max, make sure he was all right.
Nonus's and Bortus's things were untouched. Garius and his possessions were nowhere to be found, and neither were Max and his things.
"Where's Max?" asked Uli.
"How the bloody crows should we know?" said Bortus, picking wax out of his ear.
Uli's heart sunk. He was surprised that Max would just leave without saying goodbye to him, especially after what happened that night. To be honest, he felt a little lost. He had no idea if he and Max would ever see each other again.
Uli dejectedly walked over to his bed and started putting things away. He still had a choice to make: go back to the farm or accept the promotion. Either way, he would not be coming back to this tent.
He found a note in his knapsack.
Uli,
My father heard about what happened and pulled me out of the Legion. He's enrolled me into the Academy in Alera Imperia. I'm not sure how much safer it will be there than here, but it seems to make my father feel better. Either that, or he wants me as much out of the way as possible.
I'm really, really sorry for what happened. I should have known that it was only a matter of time before she started hurting other people to get to me, and I really regret that it was you.
I think, in light of all that, it wouldn't be a good idea to continue where we left off. I'm sure you understand why. I wish that our circumstances had been different, but they aren't. Again, I'm sorry.
You've been a great friend to me. I don't know what I would have done without you. Probably roast on a pyre after getting shot in the heart with a pilum. So, thanks for that. Who knows? Maybe if I can hang on for long enough, we can see each other again.
- Max
Max stood face-to-face with Uli outside the bandit fortress. Uli's fair face was a stone mask set in a noticeable scowl. They were both accompanied by retainers as they met to negotiate Uli's surrender, Max with his heavily-armored legionares and Uli with peasant outlaws who could afford no more than heavily-padded cloth armor but were no less determined or well-behaved than Max's own soldiers. Max was rather impressed with the discipline that Uli's men were showing. Max figured that he shouldn't be surprised, as they were being led and trained by a Knight Flora.
'Former Knight Flora,' Max thought bitterly. There was no way that Uli was going to keep his title after taking up banditry. Max had to remind himself to stay focused and not dwell on that fact that it was his friend who had fallen so far.
Max could also see the mule stationed at the gates. The impressive machine was loaded with dozens of fire spheres, ready to rain fire on his men. Painted vord scuttled up and down the fortress walls.
"Ulixius," Max greeted.
"Let's cut the gargant drek," said Uli. "Count Otho Fabius has committed many injustices against the people of Redhill Heights. When the war with the vord ended, he has appropriated land from people who have fled their homes; to make up for lost slaves, he has forced former steadholders into a form of servitude just to stay on their lands; he has withheld relief efforts to maintain himself and his buddies in Alesis; he has intimidated, harassed, and assassinated Senator Valerius's political opponents to keep power in the Senate; he has imposed heavy restrictions on the freemen to prevent them from voting or participating in the governing of this area; when I organized the freeholders to protect themselves from the count's thugs, they resorted to raiding villages to discourage people from joining our cause; the situation escalated until we were practically revolting against the count; before that, the count has allowed countless freemen to die from the Blight.
"Here are my terms." Uli's speech might have become more refined since Max had first met him, but Max could still hear a drawl under all that. "First, I want the count to be arrested and thrown from power. Second, you can do what you like with me, but the people who followed me are to be pardoned. Third, I want my grandfather's farm officially returned to me."
"Why didn't you send word to Appia?" asked Max. "Crows, why didn't you contact me earlier? You obviously knew where I was when you attacked my camp."
"I didn't trust you or the First Lord," said Uli. "I didn't want to risk you or the First Lord taking the count's word over mine and making things worse for the people here."
"Tav-the new First Lord doesn't care whether someone's a noble or a freeman," Max protested. "He would have heard you out."
Uli remained unmoved. "Really, now?" he asked, crossing his arms.
"Yes, really," said Max. "The world has changed Uli. Nobles don't get to just do what they want anymore. The Realm will look into this."
"And what'll come of that?" asked Uli. "There's some really powerful people who liked things just fine the way they were. Will that bastard, Otho be able to squirm his way out of a punishment? Will other nobles, including the First Lord, be inclined to help the peasants."
In the blink of an eye, Max got up in Uli's face, anger boiling up inside him. The men on both sides tensed up and readied their weapons. Uli and Max were face-to-face.
"If it were anyone else, I would have fried them on the spot," Max said slowly. "Tavarus Magnus cares more about the freemen and slaves than anyone I know. Time and time again, he has laid down his life for the good of the Realm. Everything he has done, he has done for the good of those without power, and he did all that without furycrafting. You had better show some respect."
Uli looked up at Max. Defiance filled his clear, blue eyes. They were so close to one another that Max could feel Uli's breath on his face. "I came home from hell to find a land broken and bleeding, and that the son of a bitch that has made my life hell since I was a baby is still making people suffer. Don't talk to me about how things are better now and expect me to just be happy with what I have. The truth is that when the new First Lord took power, he just slapped a bunch of laws and left everyone to fend for themselves."
'Tavi is doing something!' Max thought. 'He did send someone to investigate the count. He sent me.' Max didn't say these words out loud. His mission was on a need-to-know basis, and, as painful as it was, Uli was the enemy.
"Those are my terms, Max," said Uli.
"And the hostages?" Max was just able to calm himself down. "The nobles your men kidnapped and my missing Knights Aeris?"
Uli nodded. "Yeah, I have your men. I'll release them once you put the count in prison."
"Show me a sign of goodwill," said Max. "Send one of them over, and I'll think about your proposal."
"No deal," said Uli. "Either take it or leave it."
Max sighed. "Let me think on this. We'll reconvene tomorrow."
The two men and their guards went back to their respective camps. At least Max was making some progress: he had found the bandits, and he was closer to finding out what Count Otho was hiding. Unfortunately, he didn't have any proof. Even if Max did manage to bring Uli back to Alesis for testimony, no one would take that as evidence.
Still, at least he now knew what to look for. If only he had his crowsbegotten Knights Aeris, he could cover every Steadhold in the area and watch for any movement from the count. Also he had been hoping that his men would have some more information on the bandits after having been their prisoners.
'What happened to you, Uli?' thought Max. It had pained him to see Uli so bitter. Sure, back in the Legion, Uli had never been a ball of sunshine, but he had always been there for Max, a steady and warm presence whenever he had needed it. Strange and with a few screws loose in the head, but not in the heart.
Max forced himself to forget all that. Instead he tried to imagine that this was one of Maestro Killian's exercises. What did Max know about Uli? Uli was a freeman who lived with his grandfather after his parents had died from the Blight…
The Blight. Uli had just said that Count Otho had let countless freemen die from that epidemic. Was Count Otho the ruler of these lands when Uli's parents had died? He would have to ask Renata.
Max trained his mind back to Uli. He also knew that Uli had joined the Legion after the ruler (again likely Count Otho) took his land away from him after his grandfather had died, another even that shook him to the core.
Max also knew that Uli after he and Uli had parted ways in the Legion, Uli would go on to accept the promotion and do another turn before Kalare's rebellion started and would go on to fight in that war. After that, he fought in the vord wars, where he must have seen unimaginable horrors: people running for their lives, countless soldiers dying, Alera Imperia going up in flames. Max would never forget the look on Uli's face when they met again in Calderon Valley. The poor man couldn't go two words without breaking into tears.
And when Uli came home, despite becoming a Knight and earning his Citizenship, he never legally got back the farm that he fought so hard for. Max knew that because the deed was still with the count when he and Renata went to investigate.
When Max put all this together, it painted a picture of an angry and frustrated man filled with fear and an axe to grind with Count Otho, a recipe for disaster.
Yeah, Uli is a trans man. I was going to save that reveal until later, but, as it took almost two months for me to upload this chapter, I wasn't sure what my upload schedule would be like, so I thought I may as well show it now.
