Chapter Twenty-Five: If I Give Up On You, I Give Up On Me
"Good morning," Alennia greeted Tristran cheerfully as she sat down beside him in the courtyard.
Tristran glanced up at her. She was dressed, as was now customary, in a Roman gown, with her hair swept neatly back.
"You'll need to change," Tristran told her.
"And why is that?" Alennia asked, raising one eyebrow questioningly.
"I'm going to teach you to fight," Tristran told her.
"I can fight!" Alennia protested.
"Not well," Tristran told her bluntly.
Alennia narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Who are you to say whether I can fight well or not?"
"Someone who was killing men before you even knew what a sword looked like. You are coming with me, and you are learning to fight," he rose, making as if to go, but Alennia stopped him, standing as well.
"You are not going to insult me by saying I cannot fight!" she almost screamed at him, boiling with rage at the insult.
Vanora, who entered the courtyard at that moment, rolled her eyes at Dagonet, who was watching the fight with an amused expression.
"Lovers' quarrel," she grinned at him.
"You will do as I tell you! Now go and change," Tristran was saying to Alennia, his voice adopting a dangerous tone.
"And if I refuse?" Alennia asked.
"Would you prefer me to help you dress?" Tristran asked in a menacing voice.
Alennia looked at him for a moment, and then burst into laughter. Tristran tried to look dignified for a moment and then collapsed into mirth as well.
"Alright," he said, wiping away the tears that were streaming down his face. "Maybe that was slightly ridiculous."
"A bit more than slightly," Alennia giggled. "Now, if you don't mind, I will go and change alone, and I will be back soon!"
Five hours later, and Alennia's bad mood had returned. She was in the large indoor ring by the stables, with Tristran. They had been fighting since the morning, and it was now late afternoon.
Alennia was tired. She had never fought with swords so heavy, and every muscle ached, not to mention her many injuries that were burning with a fire-like pain. She was getting worse because of her exhaustion, and still Tristran was refusing to let her stop. She was tired, hungry, and in pain, and in no mood to be pushed to her very limits.
Tristran, in contrast, was still fighting with the cool efficiency that he had begun with. He showed no signs of fatigue, and there was not even a drop of sweat on his brow as he wielded the heavy sword.
Alennia saw an attacking stroke coming and desperately tried to bring her sword up to parry, but she was too slow, and had Tristran not arrested the motion of his blade, she would have been hit.
"Try harder," Tristran told her in a calm voice.
"I'm trying as hard as I can!" Alennia snapped at him.
"No you're not," Tristran said in his infuriatingly composed voice.
"I am trying!" Alennia shouted at him, flinging the sword into the sand and stalking away. "You can't make me do this!"
"Pick the sword up, I'm not finished with you yet."
"Well I'm finished with you!"
"Pick up the sword!" Tristran shouted this time.
"No!" Alennia refused, rounding on him, her anger bubbling to the surface. "Why are you even making me do this?"
Something snapped inside Tristran. "I'm doing it because I'm scared!" he shouted, immediately silencing Alennia. "I'm not strong enough to carry on if I lose you. I care about you Alennia! I care about you and I cannot bear to think of a world without you."
A silence fell as Tristran finished. They stood, facing each other. Tristran's breathing was heavy and ragged, and Alennia searched his eyes, trying to find truth in his words.
"What did you say?" she asked, her voice scarcely above a whisper.
Tristran did not move for a minute, and Alennia had just thought that he wouldn't answer, when he stepped forwards, kissing her fiercely. The second that Tristran lips touched hers, Alennia was sure she could feel the earth shake beneath her feet, as thunder crackled around her mind, and lightning tore her world apart
Somehow her arms found their way around his back, and she pulled him close towards her, kissing back with a passion that Tristran had not expected. She sighed softly, releasing him, and then placed her cheek against his.
"It seems I have paid my debt," she whispered to him.
Tristran shook his head, still dazed from the hunger of her kiss, and pulled back so he could study her. "Oh no, Lady. Do not think you can escape so easily. You owe me a kiss. This time I kissed you."
"Is that so?" Alennia asked, an impish smile on her face. "Well, if you can catch me, I will pay whatever debts you feel I owe!" and so saying, she skipped away from him, running lightly away on nimble feet, her exhaustion forgotten.
Tristran laughed, following her with steady and deliberate strides, as Alennia danced in front of him, always slightly out of reach. She led him out of the arena, and down the deserted hallways before he caught her.
Alennia did not move away fast enough, and Tristran caught her arm, pulling her towards him, and Alennia surrendered to his touch, melting into his arms and bringing her hungry lips to meet his.
And when he kissed her Alennia suddenly realised what it was to be loved. It was the moment of complete vulnerability, when she yielded to him, but in the moment that Tristran kissed her, she knew that he had given his heart to her. He had tried to hide it away, but somehow along the way Alennia had managed to steal it, and treasured it as dearly, if not more so, than her own. When they came up for air, both were gasping.
"My room's closer," Alennia whispered in Tristran's ear.
He looked at her in amazement. "Are you sure?" he asked, and they both knew that the question wasn't about the location of their rooms.
Alennia didn't answer, instead she brought her lips up to meet Tristran's again, and he was hers, unable to resist any longer.
Of all the knights, it was only Dagonet who noticed Tristran and Alennia's absence that evening, and he could not help but feel uneasy about the outcome of their affections.
A/N – What can I say? Hope you liked it – I couldn't keep them apart much longer (!) Please R&R as ever!