Harry woke to the smell of something delicious in the air. It took his sleep-hazed mind a moment to remember where he was, Ash never cooked if she could help it. And while Fred and George were capable, no one trusted them not to spike the food with something. He actually wasn't sure if Fionn knew how, it had never come up. Which meant that Harry himself did all the cooking, unless Ash bought something for them while they were out.
None of which explained where the wonderful aroma was coming from. Sliding from the bed, being careful not to wake Fionn just yet, Harry walked softly towards the wardrobe and grabbed his robe. He rarely used it at Ash's house, but he didn't quite feel comfortable enough around Laric to wander in just his sleep pants. That, and Laric himself had seemed embarrassed to catch him half-dressed the morning before. Tying the robe around his waist, he quietly left the bedroom and walked down the hall to the living room. The food smells were stronger in here, but there was so sign of food or of Laric. There was however, another hallway across the room.
Heading down the new hallway, he ended up in a kitchen. Like the rest of the house, it was obviously lived in and well-loved. The counter tops were made of light grey granite, the floors a dark and glossy wood, and what appeared to be dark blue marble accents on the walls above the counters.
Laric was standing at the stove, busy cooking up what appeared to be a feast of epic proportions. Harry could see a few covered platters already sitting on the dining table, as well as eggs and bacon cooking on the stove top. The oven appeared to be on as well, and he could only wonder what was cooking inside.
"Breakfast is almost ready, please have a seat." Laric spoke without turning away from the stove.
"Oh, um. I'll just go wake the others then." Harry hurried back the way he came, pausing at Fred and George's door long enough to bang on it and then crack it open to let the food smells do the rest of the job. Entering the room he was sharing with Fionn, he paused and had to smile. The Fae was curled in the middle of the bed, with the covers pulled up half over his face so only his white-blonde hair was visible. Approaching the bed and gently tugging down the covers, Harry leaned over and kissed the end of Fionn's nose.
"Come on sleepy, Laric is cooking a feast. And Fred and George will be dragging us out to see what the Festival is like on Day 3."
One golden eye squinted open and Fionn sighed before stretching and sitting up in bed. As the Fae woke up properly, Harry shed his robe and quickly changed clothes. After they were both ready, Harry led the way back through the house and into the kitchen. Fred and George were already sitting at the table and loading their plates, Gideon and Herne were there as well. Harry hadn't known they would be spending the day will all three of the Warriors.
Taking their places, Harry still wondered how they were ever going to eat all the food Laric had cooked. Eggs, bacon, sausages, pancakes, waffles, fried potatoes, hash browns, muffins, toast, biscuits, fresh fruit, milk and juice. Did they eat like this every day?
Gideon noticed Harry's wide-eyed stare and chuckled. "Today is the day for testing our skills and winning prizes. Warriors from all over will be competing against each other today, and the trials will go on until dusk. If we're lucky, we will have time to get some lunch, but if they schedule the bouts too close together then this is the only meal we will get until dinner."
"Are you all competing?"
"Yes, but we're in different divisions. So at least one of us will be with you at all times. Don't wander off, but if you should get separated, tell someone you are under my protection and they will show you back to the correct ring." Gideon ate the last bite on his plate and carried it to the sink.
Harry blinked. It seemed like he had only just sat down, but most of the food was gone already. Even his own plate was empty. Putting his plate into the sink with the rest, he then followed everyone into the living room.
"Gid will be taking us to the Rings, and traveling by Shadow isn't quite like other methods of transportation you've used before." Herne grinned. "Everyone grab hands, and whatever you do, don't let go until we're there."
Harry took Fionn and George's hands, Fred grabbed George and Laric's hands, while Laric and Herne completed the circle. Gideon stood just behind Laric and Herne and gripped them by a shoulder each before flaring out his wings. Darkness fell like a heavy curtain around them all, Harry couldn't see anything, it was like he had been struck blind. But he felt when the others seemed to take a single step forwards, and followed them. The next thing he knew, light and noise exploded around him. They had arrived in a roped-off circle that seemed to have been set aside specifically for travel to and from this event. All around them were Warriors, most were chatting to each other and pointing at others. But some were working with various weapons, or reading from the lists posted on two large boards to one side of what looked like it might be a judge's and Herne herded them out of the circle and to a slightly less-crowded area, while Gideon made his way to the lists. After a few moments he returned.
"They actually seem to have sorted things well this year. Herne, you're up first in the 8th Ring, they've got you fighting Andruar." Gideon paused a moment, but Herne just shrugged. He didn't seem to have an opinion either way about his opponent. "I'll be in Ring 3, and Laric is Ring 6. You're going up against Krimgan."
"They allowed him back after last year?" Laric looked surprised and slightly grim.
"Apparently it was an 'accident', and he has been suitably punished for it." Gideon sounded as though he didn't believe it however. "Keep your guard up, you're the better fighter even with his dirty tricks. But you can be sure he'll try something." Laric just nodded silently. "Well! Let's head over to Ring 8 before all the best spots are gone. We'll see you after Herne." Gideon clapped his friend on the shoulder, and then led the way.
Ring 8 turned out to be in one of the farther areas from where they had arrived. The stands surrounding it reminded Harry of a football stadium he had seen once on TV while he was cleaning his Aunt's house. They all managed to claim a bench close enough to see the fight, without being too close. The floor was dirt, and there really was a ring surrounding the fighting area. It was made out of some kind of dark blue metallic looking substance and hovered a good 3 feet above the ground with nothing visibly supporting it. Laric noticed him looking at it.
"The Ring marks the out of bounds. If you can knock your opponent under or over the Ring, they forfeit the match. It is as much a test of your awareness as your physical skills."
A hush suddenly fell over the crowd, and two figures walked out into the middle of the Ring. One was Herne, and the other was a Water Demon of average height. They both inclined their heads to each other before turning their backs and taking 10 steps away. As they pivoted to face each other once more, Herne's right hand shot out and as his wrist twisted, a wooden staff appeared. His opponent had also called a staff into being.
Circling each other, they looked for a good opportunity. With a loud crack! Andruar's staff connected with Herne's, he had tried a powerful overhand blow and been blocked easily. Herne somehow managed to hook his staff around and shove the Water Demon's staff sideways just long enough to jab with the other end towards Andruar's face. He also missed. After that, the blows rained down quickly. Harry watched but couldn't keep up with the speed the Warriors were moving at. And then suddenly Herne managed to sweep the legs out from under Andruar, and before the Water Demon could roll to his feet, the end of Herne's staff was prodding him under the chin. Dropping his own staff, Andruar raised his hands slowly, yielding the fight to Herne.
They met up with Herne on the pathway leading to the Ring. He was a little ruffled looking, but not hurt from what Harry could tell.
"Well, that was my easy one for the day. Who's up next?"
"Laric. May his be the easy match these first few are supposed to be."
Ring 6 wasn't too far off from where Herne's match had been, so they were still in time to find decent seats. As Harry settled in, he caught a snatch of conversation from above and behind him. He couldn't make out most of it, but he could have sworn he had heard the phrase the Shadow in there somewhere. Try as he might, he wasn't able to hear any more or figure out who had spoken, or even if they had meant Ash and not a normal shadow. This Ring was set up like the previous one, only it was a few feet smaller in diameter. Once again, the two Warriors met in the middle before pacing 10 steps.
That was where things changed. Laric called a pair of... Harry wasn't sure if they were swords or daggers. They were long for daggers, and a bit wider than what he thought a dagger should be, but they were fairly short for swords. The blades curved very slightly, and he wondered if they were sharp on both edges. The Fire Demon he faced called a single sword, it also was curved and looked wickedly sharp. Krimgan grinned before attacking, his first move was to try to remove Laric's head from his body, but Laric dropped to one knee and struck out with his left-hand blade while holding the right one in a defensive position. The crowd yelled, though whether it was because Krimgan had missed, or because he looked to be attacking to kill, Harry didn't know. The Fire Demon jumped back and Laric rolled to his right before springing back to his feet. They circled each other a moment before another flurry of blows rang out. Laric took a slash to his left bicep, they could just see the blood trickling from the wound.
Krimgan had a bruise forming on his forehead, Harry wasn't sure from what. The next clash saw Laric holding his blades crossed, trapping the Fire Demon's blade between them as they strained for control. Fire suddenly leapt to Laric's hands and he jerked them away, beating them on his tunic to put out the flames. One of the judges yelled something that was lost in the noise of the crowd, it looked like he was trying to call the match but Krimgan ignored him and lunged for Laric again. Laric twisted quickly, but was just a hair too slow and took another slash across one wing. Swinging back around, he suddenly dropped and shot out his right foot at the same time. A loud crunch was heard as his foot connected with the Fire Demon's left knee and Krimgan collapsed to the dirt floor. 3 Warriors entered the Ring from near the judge's stand and surrounded Krimgan, dragging him from the Ring and out of sight.
Laric stood still a moment before nodding at the judge and heading out of the Ring. "I was declared the winner, and Krimgan is barred from the Rings."
"They should have done that last year! Everyone knows he only made Warrior because of his family," Herne spoke angrily, but Gideon raised a hand and cut him off.
"Enough! Not here, too many ears. We need to get Laric to the Healer's tent so they can patch him up before his next match. I still have a little while before I have to get to mine."
Blood was dripping from the slashes Laric had taken, and there were a few bruises as well. As they moved to leave the area, Fionn reached out towards Laric's wing which was bleeding the most. But before his hand could connect, and before Gideon realized what Fionn was about to do, another hand shot out and grabbed his wrist, squeezing it and yanking it back down.
"What the fuck are you doing? And in a crowd like this? Have you no brains in that head of yours at all?"
Turning quickly to see who had grabbed Fionn, Harry saw Rialyn. But he had never seen the Fae look this angry before. He appeared to be beyond livid, his red eyes flashing with his anger and a flush across both cheeks. Flinging Fionn's arm down and releasing him, the red-haired Fae took two steps until they were almost chest to chest, and hissed his next words. "Do you have a death wish? Because to use that Gift in a crowd like this, that is exactly what it would be. For you and for your mate and anyone who tried to intervene once they realized what you are."
Fionn shrank back, almost stumbling into Harry as he crumpled in on himself. Gideon cursed softly under his breath. "I suggest we move this somewhere a little more private, we are drawing attention I'm sure you don't want." Motioning towards a nearby tent, Gideon led the way inside and invoked a privacy ward once they were all in.
Fionn huddled in Harry's arms as Rialyn stalked back and forth angrily muttering to himself under his breath. The others moved out of the way, even Fred and George looked a little cowed by the red-haired Fae.
"How did you know about Fionn's Gift? For all you know, he could have been about to do anything." Harry was upset that Rialyn had scared Fionn so badly, but he remembered the warning Gideon had given them, it seemed so long ago now.
"Indigo Fae." Rialyn tapped the golden markings around his eyes. "I use Runes to keep my Gift turned off unless I invoke it specifically, but it still gives me glimpses of important things on occasion. I Saw him. And then I Saw what happened next if I wasn't here." His voice was still on the cold side, but it was evident he was trying to calm himself. "As you obviously need things explained in small terms... Do not use that Gift in public! There are still things worse than death, and worse than what you have suffered in your life to have gained that Gift." Rialyn took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment before letting it out and seemingly to make a decision. His fingers went to his shirt, and in one smooth motion, stripped it off over his head and turned his back to them.
Scars stood out against the caramel skin of Rialyn's back. Some were raised up, some were flat to the skin, and a few were sunken in slightly. But all of them were pale and old-looking. There were so many of them it was hard to tell in places where one scar ended or another began. They curled around his ribs, over the tops of his shoulders, and down his spine. They nearly covered his back, and when he turned slightly, Fionn could see that there were a few on his chest as well. Not as many there, but enough to be noticed. Where his unmarred skin peeked out between the scars, it looked strange against the paleness. Even the Warriors looked sickened by the sight of so many.
"What you see is the result of many years, too many. Even our Healing can only do so much."
"What caused all that?" Harry pulled Fionn closer to himself, felt the Fae gripping his shirt tightly as he looked upon the scars.
Rialyn laughed, it was completely devoid of humor and he looked away a moment. "What didn't? Whips, knives, acid. But I didn't break, and sometimes I think that may have been the best revenge of all." Pulling his shirt back on, he turned to face them fully once more. "This or worse will happen to you too, I have Seen it. Unless you take better care to hide your Gift, and without training it will call to you to use it. And so, to keep you from that path, and to keep Harry alive to give Djuran and I the favors he owes, I am willing to teach you the use of that Gift. Do you accept?"
Fionn raised his golden eyes, locking them with Rialyn's red for a long moment. Finally he nodded, licking his lips he spoke softly. "I accept."
"Good!" Clapping his hands, the red-haired Fae seemed to lose all his previous anger and smiled brightly at them all. "Then your first lesson will start after the Festival is over. Until then, do not use your Gift. Unless it is a life or death situation, and even then you must be careful no one sees!"
Dropping the privacy ward, the group left the tent and headed off. Rialyn back to whatever match he had been going to see, and the rest to watch Gideon in the two-handed sword fight in Ring 3.
AN: Review replies can be found in the forum, which is linked on my profile. Thanks as always go to Nicky Noodle for being a wonderful beta.
While writing this chapter, a friend asked if one of the guys was going to be in Harry's mateship and how it would happen. He isn't going to be, at least he was never planned. But the idea kept bothering me until I wrote it. So now there is a one?-shot posted separately called "Shadows and Light: Dreamscapes".
There may or may not be future additions to that, it depends on what my muse cooks up for me. But if any of you are interested, you can find it here under that name.