Disclaimer: I do not own any characters referenced
"AARRGAGGAHHH!" Fenrys scream was heard throughout the entire complex as Rowan sat beside him with the piece of duct tape dangling from his fingers. All three were currently in Fenrys' apartment.
"ROWANN! My prepubescent mustachio!" Fenrys rubbed the palm of his hand over his face and swore under his breath as he spit out two bloody cotton balls. Aelin sighed as she chucked new ones to him.
"The bleeding hasn't stopped yet." She stated as Fenrys stuck them into his mouth obediently.
"By the wyrd," Rowan rolled his eyes at Fenrys, "you're no prepubescent teenie and you don't even have any facial hair what-so-ever."
The addressed growled in response, "Speak for yourself, Mr. I-shave-everyday-to-maintain-my-appearance-of-a-feminine-little-bitch!" Aelin snorted.
"Go to sleep Fenrys." She dismissed him with a flick of the wrist and he groaned, "but AAEEE! It's only, like, 4pm!" Cocking her head, Aelin sighed, glancing at Rowan before smirking and suggesting, "Then how about we play Attack of the Valg?"
A devilish grin made its way onto Fenrys hopped onto the couch and snickered, "You're on."
"Time! Team A wins!" Chaol and Nesyrn fell back, panting slightly as they lay down their practice swords and exchanged a fist bump. Cheers and claps echoed through the hall as the next two teams made their way into the ring.
"No fair! You two are the best in the club!" Nox complained as Chaol helped him up from where he and Ren were crouched on the ground after being beaten. The Kendo club. All four were active members.
"You two are Team B. It was the fairest matchup." Nesryn explained, offering Ren a hand. "Only for 2v2. I bet the match would've been far closer if I would've been 1v1. Me against one of you two!" Nox exclaimed, rolling his shoulders as Chaol chuckled and shrugged.
"Don't kid yourself," Ren scoffed at Nox, "You would've lost either way." Nox huffed, but before he could respond, a booming voice interrupted them, "Practice's over! Faliq, Westfall! A word!"
Ren and Nox exchanged a glance before excusing themselves, heading for the exit of the Dojo. Within moments, the hall was empty save for Chaol Nesryn and their teacher.
"Arobynn." Nesryn dipped her head in acknowledgement, an action Chaol mimicked. Arobynn stayed stone-faced as he approached the two students. "You two know the 2v2 Kendo has only been added as an official tournament this year," They nodded.
Arobynn folded his arms before continuing: "You've already qualified for the regionals, but the nationals are a complete different situation. I need you two to practise together as much as possible."
"Arobynn, with all due respect," Nesryn stated, "We already are the best fighters in the club, and Ren was the one who qualified for the 1v1. isn't that more important?"
"The best in our club, but a far call from winning nationals." Arobynn growled but neither students flinched back.
Chaol turned to Nesryn and explained, "Ren can practise whenever and however he wants, us two on the other hand have to train teamwork and cooperation as much as possible. Together." Nesryn blinked.
"I'll leave you two for now. The dojo is going to be unoccupied for the next hour. Make use of the time you have." Arobynn excused himself, walking out of the hall without looking back.
"Ready?" Chaol picked up his sword, falling into stance in the ring and beckoning for her to follow suit, "The best way to improve our teamwork is to spar. Learn each others style, speed and gait." He spun the handle in his palm and shifted his footing.
"Chaol." Nesryn stepped up to him, "This is important to you... Yes?" Chaol froze, his gaze lingering on his feet as he tilted his head.
"Yes." He answered, fastening his grip on the sword, "We have to win." The gleam in Nesryn's eyes beckoned him to elaborate, so he did, "I have to win the nationals to prove myself to my father. To show him I'm worthy and not some worthless drop-out."
She did nothing but nod and prepare, knowing fully well of Chaol's troubled past with his father. "Well then. let's fight."
Manon grinned as she hooked her arm around Dorian's neck, making him support her full weight. They started along a path after exiting her matt-black 6x6 Mercedes G wagon. Dorian chuckled as he poked a finger in her side, making her flinch back and laugh.
"Are you sure about this?" She asked him as they walked along the street side-by-side.
"The Blackbeak estate isn't necessarily the most safe place to be for a young, handsome heir." she warned jokingly and Dorian scoffed, "I have set my mind on meeting and befriending this beast of yours - Abraxos."
"Oh, this is gonna be fun." Manon laughed aloud as they took a sharp left and ended up face-to-face with the largest residence Dorian had ever seen. His face went blank as he eyed the building up and down.
"By the gods, it's larger than my mansion!" He exclaimed in utter shock, "is anyone else home at the moment?" he asked, scratching his neck unsurely.
Manon chuckled and shrugged, "More likely, is anyone not home? I lost track of the amount of people who live there years ago" Dorian snorted as they made their way through the front gardens.
Childishly, Manon hopped onto the brim of the massive fountain in the courtyard and balanced along it, grabbing Dorian by the hand to steady herself. A minuscule blush crept onto his cheeks as he chuckled lowly and said, "I never pinned you for such childish type. Except for at the mall"
Manon stuck her tongue out as she reminisced of the time they encountered one another at the shopping centre. Playfully, she jumped from the edge of the marble fountain, landing royally beside Dorian as she explained, "As long as I'm not in class or with my demon grandmother, you'll find me quite sympathetic. Especially with my Thirteen!"
"Your Thirteen?" Dorian cocked a brow and she clicked her tongue, "me and my 12 favourite cousins and sisters. We the gang 'round here." She put up a made-up gang sign and faked a gangster expression, causing Dorian to brake into uncontrollable hysterics.
"So you pretty much run the place?" He asked an Manon nodded, taking the moment to explain, "naturally. I am the Blackbeak heir after all."
There was a moment of silence as Dorian processed the information. "Wow." Was all he was able to say. "That bit of information must've slipped my mind."
She flicked his temple as they ascended the steps to the porch. Dorian leaned against one of the black marble columns as Manon tapped her foot against the cherry wood decking, a habit it seemed she had developed over the years. The chain her keys were attached to jingled as she unhooked them from her belt and unlocked the entrance.
"Ladies first~" Manon mused as she swung open the doors and gestured for Dorian to enter, who in return scoffed, but obliged, mumbling something about not being a goddamned lady under his breath. Manon giggled cutely and followed.
As soon as the door fell into lock, a flash of yellow bolted down the stairs and glommed Dorian, tackling him to the floor. "Manooooon~! Finally, I-" The attacker froze and blinked, sitting up, albeit still firmly pinning Dorian down. "You're not Manon."
"Asterin!" Manon exclaimed, laughing aloud as she watched Dorian stare at her cousin in awe. She was breathtaking for truth. Asterin was beautifully wild with golden hair and gold-flecked black eyes, freckles peppering her flushed cheeks like constellations. A braided leather band held her bangs out of her face, but few loose strands still fell to frame her heart-shaped face as she huffed and stared at Dorian in a suspicious demeanour.
"Dorian Havilliard. What the hell are you doing in our house." It wasn't a question. It was a demand. Dorian opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Manon slapping the back of Asterin's head and laugh.
"He's our guest! Dead-set on getting on Abraxos' good side. I wanted to see how it turns out." Manon explained and Asterin laughed sheepishly, getting off of Dorian and standing beside Manon. She smiled at Dorian apologetically, "Sorry, mate. I'm Asterin! Nice to meet'ya!"
"I know who you are..." Dorian mumbled feebly, before regaining composure. He stood up, casually folding his arms and shifting his weight onto one foot. "You're paired up with Sorscha for that project, right?"
Asterin cocked her head, but ultimately nodded, piercing him with a curious gaze as she said, "You were that poor loser who got paired up with Aedion, no?"
Dorian chuckled, but confirmed the accusation. His eye twitching in response to being called a loser by an inferior family. Not that the Blackbeaks were much inferior whatsoever.
"I'll accompany you to see Abraxos! Dorian can meet my wyvern as well!" Asterin exclaimed giddily, no longer fazed by Dorian's presence whatsoever.
"Let's gooo!" She yelled, grabbing both Dorian and Manon's hands and braking into a sprint down the halls, dragging them along. "Don't want to keep our babies waiting for some fresh meat!"
A/N: I hope you liked it! I don't have much to say right now. I'm on vacation for two weeks, so I'll hopefully have more time to pre-write the chapters. Keyword: hopefully ':)
Please, please, PLEASE leave a review suggesting a name for Asterin's wyvern, because it isn't mentioned in the books. I'm not even sure of the gender. And I am simply not creative enough to think of a wyvern name, appearance or which gender the magnificent beast should be. So I really would appreciate your help.
Anywayyyyys~! That's it for this week! Ja ne!