My Obligation
Chapter 29: Occupied Motives

This entire journey is ridiculous. Innes paused and very nearly flinched when he thought over his words. Negative. The Silver Knight joining us for this journey is ridiculous.

"Innes, did you say something?" Ephraim cast a glance over his right shoulder to the archer, as if he knew very well how the other man seethed quietly.

Seth in turn, eyed his liege lord for only a moment before facing forward with that stoic expression he was so adept at wearing. From the corner of his eye, he spied Forde being his typical, nosy self. Consequently, Renais' general shifted his steed to catch up to the blond. He'd prove to be a far better companion than Innes at any rate and Seth refused to travel the entirety to Port Kiris without some form of man waiting to defend him. In the event that one of Innes' arrows suddenly went astray…

"I know that look well, Wild Knight," Seth addressed him calmly. "What is it that you wish to know?"

"Why, I never," Forde sarcastically replied. Then he cracked a smile—and a broad one, at that. But he'd reluctantly come to the conclusion that throughout the war and even prior, his reputation was that of predictability. "You smile so little," he continued, his expression a bit teasing. "What's on your mind, General?"

"A great number of things," Seth confessed. "A mind was made for thinking, however. Waste not, want not. Tis better to be thoughtful than to be empty, no?"

Forde made no attempt to hide his frown. "And the General of Renais' army returns with the very familiar cryptic responses. Could it kill you to be a little more upfront about what's really going on upstairs?"

He'd heard it before and he doubted that Forde's addressing would be the last. Seth had never made a habit of being particularly open. Even with Eirika, his thoughts were mostly on how he could further please her. The consistent sentiments of how much he really longed to wed her or knock Innes flat to his face remained unspoken. It was a knightly obligation to keep his desires to himself. His loyalty and need to swear fealty to Renais' prestigious family left no room for self-indulgent behaviour on his part.

My needs must consistently be secondary.

And he had a feeling if he ever said as much, there would be much chiding to endure. Eying Forde a few moments longer, he offered little in the way of an amused tone, but his words betrayed his humour. "It very well may. I am not eager to escort the Everlasting upon my arm just yet. I prefer to keep my thoughts to myself."

"Now, you say that," Fore began, "but look how that has turned out with Princess Eirika. All of Renais has seen the way you look at her. It'd make a couple of unforgettable portraits. You ought to let me bring that to canvas sometime."

At first Seth said something. Then he drew up his sword arm and pinched the very bridge of his nose, unsure how else to express his disbelief. "You are inappropriate as always, I see. Mind your tongue. At least—I would, were I you." He cast a look behind them to the liege lords, then his pointed gaze found Forde's visage once more.

He didn't even have to look. Seth was only subtle by so much, after all. And Forde—like most of Magvel—was far from deaf to the continent's whispered words of romance and sweet nothings. It wasn't ill to find a remarkable story of love between noble and knight coming to life. Historical love, was what he referred to that as.

"Aha," Forde started with another of his knowing grins. "You know, I doubt he much cares for you. Or anyone outside of the Frelians. And I'd guess Gerik's mercenaries."

He cares for Lady Eirika. Seth thought as his posture grew a little more rigid. But he was pleased that Forde knew better than to bring it up. Sometimes the truth of a matter could only make one feel helpless. If Seth felt anything regarding the relationship between his lady and the archer, it was momentary bouts of lost hope.

"Undoubtedly so," Seth conceded as though he had no other option. "Yet that is not one of the matters we are to be concerned with. Our positions are ones of protection only, perhaps with an accompaniment of guidance. Judgmental we will not be."

Forde's initial reaction was of vague surprise, as if he was smarter than Seth was giving him credit for. He'd not missed the tension in the general the night Innes had so boldly staked his claim. He doubted Seth—for all of his conservative nature—didn't want to teach Magvel's greatest archer a thing or two. He probably could have done it easily, too. So what really stopped him? Obligation, Forde supposed. And while he was dedicated to his own allegiances, he didn't fancy himself to be wound so tightly. Casting another look over his shoulder to Ephraim and Innes, who walked together like brothers not quite in the same world, he squinted with some consideration.

"I could always hold him down and let you do the punching," he spoke up nonchalantly.

Seth's stiff reaction did not go unnoticed. He sharply turned his head and stared Forde down for a few moments. But his attention was diverted when Kyle joined them, and with a most… Kyle-like expression. A little more concerned than Seth's, but ultimately well on the way to its own form of stoic.

"Stop bothering the general," Kyle wasted no time with what was certain to become a famous fashion of lecturing. "I can just imagine the ideas and schemes you're trying to plant, if they're anything like what you shared during our trip with Prince Ephraim."

Forde groaned and frowned at the green-haired haired knight. "I've not even done anything and you come to interrupt any potential fun to be had."

Kyle jerked his head behind them. "They may not be able to hear you but I can and did. Fortunately, the general has the good sense not to listen to you. Gods help us if he somehow fell victim to your shenanigans."

Then he looked over to Seth, who was as silent as he often seemed to be. The man spoke more when he had a reason to and to random company, Kyle imagined Renais' general must have appeared intimidating. "I apologise if he's been bothering you. I'm sure you have many things occuping you and he likely shouldn't be adding to it."

For as much of an isolated man as he was, Seth almost smiled when he considered Kyle's concern. Not only that, but Forde's as well. 'Friend' was not a term he would have used lightly, but at the end of the day, that was precisely what both were to him. He couldn't say when he first began to feel that way, but on the rare occasion, one or the other provided him a reminder. Not even he had to do all things alone. But old habits died hard, and Seth certainly was a victim of old habits.

Finally he shook his head. "The journey is more entertaining with you both. I would not be so hasty to change that." For what awaited them at the end could have been entirely poor. Eirika could have been killed, beaten, bruised, or otherwise abused. He preferred it if he could have two of the greatest knights he knew distract him from his pessimistic thoughts.

"Did he just refer to us as entertaining?" Forde turned to Kyle, feigning an incredulous tone. "He most definitely just referred to us as entertaining. I do believe he's mocking us. I demand to know what you intend to do about this, Kyle. So please, tell me what you intend to do."

Kyle couldn't believe how long Forde could sometimes go on a dramatic charade. He did know that the blonde would only continue if given the opportunity to. Yet a swift wallop to the back of his head quieted him rather hastily.

"Forde. Just… be quiet."

-x-x-x-

Innes was almost certain that if he glared at the back of Seth's head long enough, he could eventually force it to explode. That'd certainly be a happy ending, wouldn't it? One less obstacle in his way. One less annoying obstacle, anyway. And if he was going to be caught with one, he far more preferred one that didn't make him want to rip out his hair.

Ephraim had caught on rather early, and being a man of tact if needed, he'd kept quiet until he noticed the trio of retainers move together. Then he strode closer to Frelia's prince, offering him a cock of the brow. "Did you know that you have this incredibly obvious nature about you?"

For many moments, Innes simply stared back at him. Then his expression hardened, "I have no reason to be hiding my feelings. I own my words and my actions."

"Ah, that you do," his rival agreed. With his right hand, he motioned to the three knights—specifically to the redhead on the right. "I've barely seen your eye leave him. Thinking about switching over to the other side? I'd think that from an objective perspective he has quite the reputation. And some charm, in addition to it."

At first, Innes didn't even understand what Ephraim was getting at. But the painted amusement on his face became all too apparent. Innes wasted no time in scoffing and nearly sputtered out his words. "Excuse you?!"

"I don't believe I asked for a pardon," Renais' prince replied with a sly smile.

All right. So forcing both Seth and Ephraim to explode would have served as a storybook ending. The difference between the two was that Innes could actually tolerate Ephraim. Although in hindsight, such 'acceptance' was likely due to the stain of nobility and old allegiances formed between their countries. Seth, on the other hand, seemed to have made it his life's goal to step in front of Innes at every available opportunity. He really did have a lot of audacity and had he been a retainer in Frelia, Innes would have dismissed him without a second thought. Or had him executed. That would have been fine, too.

"My feelings for the Silver Knight are entirely the opposite. If he was to be sold as a slave, I would sooner not buy at the market and leave him to starve like the animal he is." Innes looked aside with a scowl, "He will only be worth something once he's dead."

Ephraim eyed him with a little concern. Of course he'd known of their dislike for one another, and he could hardly hold either at fault. They'd not begun to exchange blows, which he was grateful for, but he couldn't say how long that would last. Eventually one was going to crack and both men had merit. He doubted when such a thing came to pass that rationale would be a close companion. So while he wanted to chide Innes for such juvenile behaviour, he could not forget what Tana told him about Seth and Leonardo.

"I suppose it would be too much for me to expect civility from you two. Yet, if care is not taken, both of you may plunge our two kingdoms into a war." He paused with consideration. "Over a woman."

"Your sister is worth a war, at the very least," Innes countered without skipping a beat.

And Seth probably reflected those thoughts. By the gods, even Ephraim agreed, but it didn't mean he wanted one. He could just imagine how Eirika would take it. Mostly… not well. She had never been the sort for attention and she'd had plenty of it when it came to her position as Renais' princess. He could not condemn her to such a poor fate… With that thought in mind, again rose the idea that it'd be easier to take her as his second queen. Surely kingdoms had done it before. If not, then he could simply be the first.

"Let us focus on one thing at a time," Ephraim said calmly. "If you're both so determined to hate one another, we might not even get to Port Kiris, much less any town in Carcino. I don't intend to suffer because you two want to act like children."

Innes almost spit on him. It was tempting and he wasn't entirely sure why he refrained. He could practically hear Ephraim's twin berating him for the thought and finally decided that she was reason enough. To be so controlled by a woman… If anyone had ever accused him of it, he would have vehemently denied it with the hastiest aid of bow and arrow. Ultimately, while he could deny a truth to the world, he could not deny it to himself.

She certainly had a hold upon him.

"He is far more the child, Ephraim." Innes finally spoke up. "You did not hear how he spoke to me. Your retainer has such a wicked tongue that if you've chosen him to represent your kingdom, you will—no doubt—have little issue with befriending enemies."

"That troublesome?" Ephraim shook his head, "Dislike simply due to envy is one thing. If respect is called into question, then he and I will need to exchange words." He frowned, not liking the possibility of destroying the alliance between Renais and Frelia.

"Yes," Innes agree with that authoritative tone he wore so well. "You had best do that. I'm without uncertainty that if he'd said to you what he did to me, you would seen to it he'd be a retainer no longer."

Words that put his position in jeopardy. Not to claim Seth had ever been remotely open, but Ephraim had always imagined the man to take his guardianship quite seriously. After all, if he lost such a status, he'd lose his liege lady as well. Unless… somewhere along the lines Seth had surrendered Eirika to the 'better' man. Idly, in the back of his mind, Ephraim entertained the idea that Seth was simply playing the part of a very bold character in their 'play' of sorts.

"What exactly did he say?" he asked the archer. "I'm having difficulty fathoming as to why Seth would condone of inappropriate behaviour, even with someone he doesn't like."

"You would take his word over mine?" Frelia's prince couldn't hide his disbelief. Not… that he'd wanted to, of course.

"The man has been serving Renais over eighteen years." It was a plausible point to bring up. "Do remember that he was a retainer to my late father before even serving as one to Eirika and me. I can hardly think you worthy of forcing him entirely from his composed disposition. It is admittedly a stretched tale if I've ever heard one."

"And yet our kingdoms have been allies longer than General Seth has served you. Unless you wish to dispute how an ancient man retains a relatively youthful appearance." Not an wholly impossible idea and the theory that Seth was potentially a grand magister with darker intent seemed far more entertaining.

"Now you are just being dramatic for no reason," Ephraim scowled, appearing every bit the way Innes portrayed himself a good deal of the time. "I already said I would speak with him, so try to maintain some decency. I have no qualms with sending both of you back to Grado."

For in his mind, they really were children. The kinds of children who needed to be put in solitary confinement. Or sent to bed without dinner. And despite the situation and growing conflict, Ephraim couldn't resist holding a small smile.