Disclaimer: It was, is not, and never will be mine.
"I'm done with winter," Tobe grumbled a few weeks later. It was January, and he was sick of snow and sleet and being cooped up all day. They couldn't go out to the practice courts, because the snow this year was deeper than it had been in years. The trainees couldn't ride their horses, which tried Tobe more than the others. He had decided to not tell anyone just yet about his Wild Magic; he figured it was safer than that. The Lady Kel always said that "You need never unsay you never said in the first place." He figured that was sound advice. The only things they worked on outside were cartography and tracking, but that was still a pain because of sitting still a lot of the time in the cold. Everybody's tempers were running high, including Yasha and Halim, who would go for long stretches of time without speaking to each other because of some silly thing like Halim taking the last roll.
Needless to say, the entire boys' barracks was awakened before dawn one day by a very loud, very frustrated noise that sounded a lot like "Rrrghyakiddinmegrrr!" from Tobe's bunk.
"Tobe! What in the name of Mithros was that!" Halim cried, rubbing the head he'd bumped on the underside of his friend's bunk.
"I just opened up the shutters, and there's a blizzard out there! We can't go outside at all today!" He groaned. He knew he sounded like a spoiled little child, but he was sick of being cooped up.
The rest of the barracks groaned in unison, coupled with a few running to check out the windows.
Breakfast that day was followed by instructions to go to the indoor practice courts. The trainees, beaten into submission by the rumor that the storm would last all week, trudged down there. They discovered they'd have to share the court they were using with part of the King's Own trainees. Tempers were running high enough what with all the pent-up energy, but having to share the already limited space was enough. Needless to say, the blows they dealt were struck with much more force than was strictly necessary for drills.
The first drill was staff practice, and Tobe partnered up with Halim. They were on the outskirts of the riders, and were actually quite close to a pair of King's Own trainees who were sparring with practice swords. Tobe and Halim had finished the drills, and were starting on the actual fighting when Halim's staff slipped and hit one of the King's Own trainees on the shin. He gave a little yelp, and his practice sword accidentally hit his partner on the elbow.
"Watch it!" the tall blond one said.
"Leave 'em be, Petrach," the shorter redhead said. "Stupid foreigner can't control his staff," he muttered to his partner. Halim's stance stiffened, his jaw clenched. Then he just let out a long, deep breath through his nose.
"C'mon Tobe, let's move over here," he muttered to his partner.
Tobe followed him. "Buffoons," he muttered to his friend.
"And to think that we're all in the same kingdom anyway," Halim replied nonchalantly. "Maybe they're just acting out of anger at staying inside."
"You sure are calm," Tobe replied.
"I'm fine with who I am. They're the ones who have a problem," Halim replied, executing a tricky move that Tobe normally would have caught if he hadn't been distracted. Halim's staff hit home right below Tobe's collarbone, luckily lighter than a real attacker's blow would be.
Tobe just shook himself. He had to concentrate. He was rather amazed that Halim was so calm about it. Tobe knew that his friend was rather reserved, calm, and collected, but he also knew his friend was very prideful. He was pretty confused by all of this. In the meantime, he'd just practice with staff work
The bell to dismiss them to lunch rang, and they all rushed to the bath houses, gladly diving into the deep pools of steaming water. Tobe was a bright pink prune by the time he got out of the tub, and turned an even deeper shade of pink when he walked into the open air.
"You know, most people of your complexion are pink in the summer, and white in the winter," Yasha said, grinning.
Tobe just shot her a mock-glare. "So, Halim, what do you make of those two guys from the King's Own?" he asked, making a point to sound nonchalant.
"What guys?" Yasha butted in.
Tobe quickly explained, and Yasha gasped in indignation. "This is Tortall! Why don't they move to Scanra if they want to escape from diversity?" she exclaimed.
Halim pointedly took a long time to finish chewing a bite of bread, and then calmly took a sip of water.
"Stage whore," Tobe muttered. He had noticed Halim loved to be in the limelight.
Halim had finished, and made sure he had their complete attention before continuing. "Yes, I am slightly angry with them, but more amused." He paused for effect, watching his friends' faces, Yasha with raised brows, and Tobe with a half-frown, half-smirk on his face. "Look at it this way. They're in the King's Own, which as we know has the highest density of Bazhir of all the armed fighters in Tortall. They'll get what's coming to them from someone who isn't as easy-going as I am. And besides, I have my own revenge planned for them," he finished with a smirk and another sip of his water.
"Tell!" Tobe commanded, eyes alight with mischief.
"Oh, I'd rather show you," Halim said, a strange glint in his eyes.
AN: I know it's short, but I wanted to devote the next chapter to the luscious revenge Halim has planned! This is going to be waaaay too much fun.
