Journey of Love
Chapter Five
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Marcus and Neroon, or anyone else from
Babylon 5.
Authors notes: Rated PG-13 Contains slash: two males in a romantic/sexual (although not explicit) relationship. If this offends you please turn back now.
…… denotes thoughts
As I walked to the side of the room to hang up my cloak and vest I overheard a few whispered comments about my relationship with the Alit but chose to ignore them. This approach became impossible however when a few seconds later I overheard the beginnings of a conversation between two of Neroon's elite guards, who I later found out were named Gaspar and Dayanelle, regarding Neroon and myself.
"Did you hear that the human slept with the Alit last night?"
"That's not surprising. He probably bribed Neroon with personal favors before. How else could he have remained alive fighting against a warrior of the Alit's caliber? What does surprise me however, is that Neroon would be so foolish as to appoint his catamite as a bodyguard, and then expect us to obey him."
"He must be handling the Alit's 'pike' skillfully to have Neroon so-"
I was so angry I could barely see straight. That they would be so deluded as to think that I was whoring myself to Neroon, and that Neroon was so stupid as to let me, absolutely pissed me off. Before he could finish that derogatory sentence, I had my pike extended and his legs swept out from under him.
"Would you care to repeat that?" I questioned the guard now laid out on the floor as I aimed my pike at Gaspar's head.
I assumed, incorrectly as it so happens, that the fact I was temporarily in charge of their unit would belatedly occur to them. So imagine my surprise when Gaspar simply glared at me then twisted my knee backwards with his leg, causing me to fall on my ass. This was a grave miscalculation on his part, which I'm sure he realized later. If I hadn't been angry before, they could bet I was furious now. As I regained my equilibrium and stood up I found myself faced with two Minbari warriors ready to take me apart in front of Neroon and his crew. Perhaps I would have found a more diplomatic solution if what happened next hadn't happened. I was only planning on talking some sense into them with my pike for visual emphasis but, as I looked towards Neroon with a raised eyebrow to gage his reaction, I was hit full force in the back of the head by Dayanelle's pike. I fell face-forward, my head impacted with the deck and my pike went rolling out of my hand. Hearing a few suppressed laughs I couldn't help the growl that came out of my mouth as I forced myself back up into a kneeling position, carefully keeping my face blank.
"Marcus catch." Neroon said as he threw my pike back at me, which I deftly caught one-handed. His damn eyes were twinkling again and he looked like he was trying his hardest not to laugh. What the hell does he find so funny! My glare only served to amuse him further and Neroon made a 'go ahead' gesture with his hands toward Gaspar and Dayanelle, who were standing in battle-ready stances behind me.
Without waiting for me to regain my focus they both attacked. I managed to parry each of their attacks with ease, and it became readily apparent that they were nowhere near Neroon's level of skill, nor mine for that matter. By this point, my anger had cooled considerably and I was simply playing with them. They both realized this at the same time because after a few minutes they attacked simultaneously hoping to catch me off guard. Before they knew what was happening, Dayanelle and Gaspar lay battered and bruised at my feet with my pike level with their skulls.
"Now would you care to repeat your comments, gentlemen?" I asked in a deathly quiet voice.
"Um…no.." Dayanelle stuttered out a reply unnerved by the sudden quiet in the gym where previously there had been Minbari cheering them on.
"No what?" I snarled at them keeping up my menacing persona.
"No. Anla'shoc Cole." Dayanelle said as he stood and bowed, quickly followed by Gaspar.
"I will not hold myself back next time gentlemen should I hear that kind of discussion again. Is that understood?" I asked, projecting my voice to include everyone in the room, although I continued glaring at Gaspar and Dayanelle.
"Yes sir." The two elite guards responded standing at attention in front of me. What surprised me was that every officer in the gym also stood at attention, with the exception of Neroon. I didn't acknowledge how the show of respect affected me however, and kept up my staid disciplinarian act.
"Good. Now if you will excuse me, I believe I promised the Alit I would spar with him." I said only then relaxing my posture, which up until that moment had still been tense. The Minbari who had been cheering during the fight, mostly for my opponents, stepped back to a respectful distance and cleared a path as I approached.
Chapter Five
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Marcus and Neroon, or anyone else from
Babylon 5.
Authors notes: Rated PG-13 Contains slash: two males in a romantic/sexual (although not explicit) relationship. If this offends you please turn back now.
…… denotes thoughts
As I walked to the side of the room to hang up my cloak and vest I overheard a few whispered comments about my relationship with the Alit but chose to ignore them. This approach became impossible however when a few seconds later I overheard the beginnings of a conversation between two of Neroon's elite guards, who I later found out were named Gaspar and Dayanelle, regarding Neroon and myself.
"Did you hear that the human slept with the Alit last night?"
"That's not surprising. He probably bribed Neroon with personal favors before. How else could he have remained alive fighting against a warrior of the Alit's caliber? What does surprise me however, is that Neroon would be so foolish as to appoint his catamite as a bodyguard, and then expect us to obey him."
"He must be handling the Alit's 'pike' skillfully to have Neroon so-"
I was so angry I could barely see straight. That they would be so deluded as to think that I was whoring myself to Neroon, and that Neroon was so stupid as to let me, absolutely pissed me off. Before he could finish that derogatory sentence, I had my pike extended and his legs swept out from under him.
"Would you care to repeat that?" I questioned the guard now laid out on the floor as I aimed my pike at Gaspar's head.
I assumed, incorrectly as it so happens, that the fact I was temporarily in charge of their unit would belatedly occur to them. So imagine my surprise when Gaspar simply glared at me then twisted my knee backwards with his leg, causing me to fall on my ass. This was a grave miscalculation on his part, which I'm sure he realized later. If I hadn't been angry before, they could bet I was furious now. As I regained my equilibrium and stood up I found myself faced with two Minbari warriors ready to take me apart in front of Neroon and his crew. Perhaps I would have found a more diplomatic solution if what happened next hadn't happened. I was only planning on talking some sense into them with my pike for visual emphasis but, as I looked towards Neroon with a raised eyebrow to gage his reaction, I was hit full force in the back of the head by Dayanelle's pike. I fell face-forward, my head impacted with the deck and my pike went rolling out of my hand. Hearing a few suppressed laughs I couldn't help the growl that came out of my mouth as I forced myself back up into a kneeling position, carefully keeping my face blank.
"Marcus catch." Neroon said as he threw my pike back at me, which I deftly caught one-handed. His damn eyes were twinkling again and he looked like he was trying his hardest not to laugh. What the hell does he find so funny! My glare only served to amuse him further and Neroon made a 'go ahead' gesture with his hands toward Gaspar and Dayanelle, who were standing in battle-ready stances behind me.
Without waiting for me to regain my focus they both attacked. I managed to parry each of their attacks with ease, and it became readily apparent that they were nowhere near Neroon's level of skill, nor mine for that matter. By this point, my anger had cooled considerably and I was simply playing with them. They both realized this at the same time because after a few minutes they attacked simultaneously hoping to catch me off guard. Before they knew what was happening, Dayanelle and Gaspar lay battered and bruised at my feet with my pike level with their skulls.
"Now would you care to repeat your comments, gentlemen?" I asked in a deathly quiet voice.
"Um…no.." Dayanelle stuttered out a reply unnerved by the sudden quiet in the gym where previously there had been Minbari cheering them on.
"No what?" I snarled at them keeping up my menacing persona.
"No. Anla'shoc Cole." Dayanelle said as he stood and bowed, quickly followed by Gaspar.
"I will not hold myself back next time gentlemen should I hear that kind of discussion again. Is that understood?" I asked, projecting my voice to include everyone in the room, although I continued glaring at Gaspar and Dayanelle.
"Yes sir." The two elite guards responded standing at attention in front of me. What surprised me was that every officer in the gym also stood at attention, with the exception of Neroon. I didn't acknowledge how the show of respect affected me however, and kept up my staid disciplinarian act.
"Good. Now if you will excuse me, I believe I promised the Alit I would spar with him." I said only then relaxing my posture, which up until that moment had still been tense. The Minbari who had been cheering during the fight, mostly for my opponents, stepped back to a respectful distance and cleared a path as I approached.
