Chapter 6 – Up in Arms, pt. 2

Five minutes passed. Then ten. Then fifteen. It was nearing the twenty-minute mark that Arden finally placed his left hand next to his right, both hands finally in a death grip around the hilt of his sword. From beneath her helmet Almira smiled a weary smile. She was starting to feel the bruises underneath her protective gear and along her legs, but she managed to pull her posture together, standing as attentive as ever. Her chest heaved, but she refused to let her shoulders slump. She was almost there. She could taste her victory.

From the other side of the room, Arden's posture seemed like a mirror picture. Neither opponent could hide their encroaching exhaustion from how hard they had been fighting. Truth be told, it was a mental game; surely their bodies would have given out from all the twisting, turning, warping, and jabbing that they had been doing. But there was something inside – part pride, part exuberance at fighting an equal once more – that kept them going.

Readjusting his stance, Arden regripped the sword and charged forward, the only sound in the room his padded boots, all else muffled far away. Almira held her stance, waiting for the precise moment when she would strike. Closer he drew, until she swore that she could see herself reflected in the polished steel of his weapons. Swinging again from the right to the left, Arden found himself swinging over the head of his opponent as Almira ducked below, instead taking the moment to swipe at the back of his knees. As he buckled over, she prepared to deliver the final blow to the base of his neck, the move to end their game.

But as quickly as he had been kneeling below her he vanished, nothing but the dull metal of the training floor below her. She had only a moment of warning before she sensed an impending figure looming above, the pommel of the sword delivered into her left rib. Breathless she flew to the side, colliding with the floor. This time was different, as all the blows she had sustained during their duel were beginning to scream at various levels. As tempting as it was to remain on the ground for a second longer, to grant a reprieve to her aching body, she forced herself to roll over, just moving quickly enough to avoid another blow that stabbed into the ground where she had just been.

How was she to end this? Perhaps it was short sighted to simply pick the sword and bet on a shift in weight and balance so late in their fight. But just as quickly as her doubts flooded her mind, an idea shifted in. She just needed to tempt him into swinging one more time.

Reenergized with a burst of strength, Almira found her way back to her feet. The opportunity was here; Arden was charging at her one more time, sword swinging again in that predictable pattern that would be his downfall. Readying her lance one more time, she barely had enough time to jump backwards, just beyond his reach. With all the strength she could muster, she mimicked the movement, mirroring the gesture and swinging in time with the sword.

If Arden realized what she was doing, it was too late. Lance connecting with his hand, the sword was sent flying through the air and out of his reach. Any attempt to reach the weapon was futile, as the blade of the lance rested at this throat, daring any more movement. In battle, it would have been fatal, although arguably, any other battle would not have lasted nearly as long. Hands raised and chest gasping for air, the larger man signified his defeat.

"I yield."

For a moment there was no movement, save for the heaving of their chests from exertion. They were frozen in time, processing the entire battle that had led to this conclusion. Then they heard a noise from above, escalating into a cheer from the crowd that had amassed during their battle. Looking up, Almira was shocked to see that the numbers had multiplied from when they began, most likely latecomers who found interest in such a lengthy battle. Finally broken from the trance, she dropped the lance from Arden's neck, tucking it under her arm without a flourish, her body not in the mood for such frivolities.

Weaponless, Arden took the opportunity to remove the training helmet, shaking out hair damp with sweat from their confines. His cheeks were flushed, sweat dripping down from the sides of his face as he moved to wipe them away. A smile was glued on his lips, radiant even while beaten. "That was a tricky finishing move." He offered his hand out to grab the lance, removing it from Almira's grasp before moving to retrieve his own displaced sword.

Removing her helmet, Almira greedily drank the cool air, still regaining her breath. Similar to Arden she wiped her hand across her forehead to remove the sweat that was still beaded, then moving to undo the bun and allow her braid to move freely through the air. "I was waiting for you to use two hands on the sword, but then I realized I didn't really have a plan. I was too tired."

"Still, it was a good move to think on your feet." The two made their way back to the equipment closet, dumping their weapons and removing their protective armor. Massaging her arms and her ribs, she groaned as Arden sealed the closet.

"Everything hurts."

"Good. Because I'm sore too. We'll just have to suffer for our insatiable need to fight."

When Almira laughed, it was impossible to avoid smiling. The princess' laugh was contagious, her humor a boon to all who found favor with her. Arden chuckled, swooping in to hug his little sister and enjoying the squirming at his embrace.

"Ugh, disgusting! You're so sweaty! Get off!"

His only response was to hug her tighter, laughing all the while. "C'mon, this is family bonding time! Don't be so uptight."

Wriggling her arms, she managed to create enough space to elbow him in the gut again, producing another grunt and creating an escape. A triumphant smile on her face, she laughed. "Come on, back to babysitting."

Arden sighed in an exasperated manner, although it was obvious that he was only joking. "And I was just starting to enjoy myself."

Sweaty and partially exhausted, the duo made their way out of the room. As Almira look up, she noted that much of the crowd that had gathered to watch their spar was dispersing, having seen the spectacle and most likely getting back to work. Spotting the paladins, she saw Lance and Pidge waving over the edge, excitement in their movements, and Almira found it was contagious even from her position far below them. She waved back briefly, continuing to make her way to the elevator with Arden. It was time for a drink, or something along those lines.

Elevator doors hissing open, the sparring duo was met with a new, but familiar sight. Teal blue locks were pulled into a bun at the top of his head and sharp blue eyes turned in their direction, and Almira had to smile at the black uniform and orange sash that complemented his features. While the figure smiled at the sight of his younger sister, Arden groaned dramatically. "Is there ever a moment where you don't intervene?"

Dipping his head conservatively, a bemused smile crossing his lips, the figure shot back just as quickly. "Rumors reached my ear that you had abandoned our esteemed guests. I thought you were above petty squabbles, given your age."

The confused looks on the paladins' faces brought a smile to Almira's lips, and she covered her mouth before controlling her face once again. Lance looked almost insulted at something the newcomer had said, while the rest of the group held looks of confusion and amusement plastered on their faces. "Everyone, this is Akil, third prince and head of the technological side of the army."

Akil turned back to face the paladins directly, bending at the waist in a formal bow. "It is an honor to meet you all officially. But," he turned back to Arden and Almira, a playfully admonishing look on his face, "do not think that you can run from my question."

"Come on, we were showing them the battle simulators and getting them acquainted with the whole business." Even if he was older, Arden complained like a child every once in a while, amusing both siblings as they crossed their arms.

"Then you should have known to send them in my direction. I head the entire operation from the technological side, after all."

"Aren't you supposed to be busy?"

In comparison to his two elder brothers, Akil was a quiet, nonviolent, soul. Slender like a willow, he appeared at first glance to be almost more delicate than Almira, so deceptively pure and innocent on the surface. It was a strength that he often played in his favor, something that his siblings knew intimately that he utilized to hide the razor sharp wit and verbal onslaughts that caught many by surprise. Tilting his head delicately, his face demurely smiled in Arden's direction. "Aren't you supposed to be doing your job? A shame that you've been put on babysitting duty instead of war preparations. One successful speech against the noble classes cannot be equated with a week of vacation."

The horror on the paladins' faces in addition to the standoff between her two brothers sent Almira into hysterics, her placid face finally cracking at Arden's raised eyebrow that seemed to ask if Akil was only here to exchange verbal blows. Bowing over, her peals of laughter turned all attention to her, the blue haired newcomer smiling generously and earnestly at the youngest sibling. As she calmed down, she wiped her eyes of the tears that had begun to form, waving her hands dismissively. "I'm sorry, it's just been so long since I've seen you both together."

Smiles broke out on her siblings' faces at their youngest's amusement, both looking back at one another as though the entire verbal exchange had never happened. Arden's toothy grin and glittering eyes looked on in friendly challenge. "So really, what's your business here?"

"I came to offer a tour of sorts." Briefly, his eyebrows furrowed in frustration. "Unfortunately we've hit a block with an installation on one of our carriers, so a break is in order for just a few moments."

Almira's eyes shone in excitement. "Need some help?" She ignored Arden's mutter of "nerd" in her direction as she watched Akil. He instead, however, shook his head.

"I'm certain we can manage."

This time, the green and yellow paladins jumped into the conversation, physically and verbally. Almira could have sworn that she saw their eyes sparkling with emotion, practically begging Akil to take them with the overflow of emotion. "Did you say a tour of your Fleogan tech and maybe some assistance with your problems?"

Confused, the third prince looked to the paladins, finding solace in Shiro's amused and knowing gaze. He spoke up to offer an explanation, which was sorely needed on Akil's part. "Pidge and Hunk here are our technicians. They're capable of fixing anything and everything they get their hands on."

Another genuine smile crossed Akil's face, lighting up in excitement at the energy that was pouring from the duo. "In that case, come with me. There's plenty to see on our side of the action." He looked at the rest of the group for any other additions before turning to the other royals. "What will you be doing?"

"Probably more training, if anyone's up for it." The predatory look had returned to the golden eyed siblings once again, sending a shiver down everyone's spine. Lance was the first to break, taking a few steps in Hunk's direction and safely away from the sharp looks and grins that were sent in his direction.

"Yeah, no thanks, I'll think see what's up with Hunk and Pidge." While Arden continued to stare down Keith and Shiro in a daunting manner, beginning to make them doubt their choice, Almira shrugged her shoulders, sighing at the disappointment.

"Shame. We'll see you later."

Giving another shallow bow at his leave, Akil turned towards the exit, beckoning the three paladins to follow him. While Pidge and Hunk were practically clinging on to the Fleogan, already launching into questions about their ships and another systems, Lance followed casually behind them, hands behind his head in a relaxed manner. After their leave and the doors closed, Almira sighed, placing her hands on her hips and turning back to their reduced group. "And then there were four."

Arden was practically glowing, looking at the two remaining paladins. "So, who's up for some pointers?"

Shiro and Keith exchanged a glance, shrugging their shoulders before turning back to their new companions. "Sure," Shiro spoke up, rolling his shoulders in a warm up, "it couldn't hurt to learn a few things."

Their new group made their way back to the elevator, Almira stepping inside and pushing a few buttons. "We still have our unit for the rest of the day, so we'll start there." Even though Arden retained his excitement, Almira seemed more subdued at this point, a calm and collected aura taking over her body. The ride and walk back to their room was oddly dichotomized, what with one Fleogan practically oozing energy out of his body while the other exuding peace and conservation.

This was going to be one hell of a training session.

Keith had been paired with Almira, and Shiro with Arden. To be honest, he wasn't sure which Fleogan he would have rather fought with; Arden had proven to be incredibly strong and brutal, while Almira used her flexibility and speed to her advantage. Both of them had been incredibly fast, warping back and forth faster than an eye could blink, and it was clear that they both could deck the paladins if they wanted. Fortunately, Arden had partnered with Shiro, mostly due to their similarities in height and their companionship that was forged from their long trek the night before, while Almira moved to the side with Keith.

"Do you have a weapon?"

He blinked out of his thoughts, looking over to his new partner as she stepped into the weapons closet. Arden had already selected the lance he had given Almira to use in their previous spar, talking with Shiro on the other side of the room in muted voices. Pulling out his bayard, he nodded. "Yeah, I do." Upon its activation and transformation into his sword, Almira's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Huh. Go figure." She returned to the closet, voice muffled slightly as she spoke into the room and away from Keith. "Never seen anything like that before."

"Yeah. It's a paladin thing."

"That's neat." Her search was shorter than before, and she returned with a dao. Testing its weight, she swung it a few time in sweeping arcs, finding it satisfactory and sealing the weapons closet. She moved to place about twenty feet between them, readjusting her grip as she spoke. "Alright, come at me."

Confusion on his face, he readied his stance regardless. "Just, do whatever?"

She nodded. "Do whatever."

Waiting for a moment, he allowed the sounds of Shiro and Arden's spar to flow into his mind, the familiar whirring of the prosthetic arm buzzing through the air to collide with the metallic spear. After a moment of waiting he burst forward, swinging the sword in an upward arc as he drew closer. It was inevitably met with the sturdy steel of her own sword, and he was caught off guard at how strong she held off his attack, their blades locking momentarily. Her face was serious, focusing on his movements as she pushed him away, forcing a few feet of space between the two.

He returned with a flurry of strikes, pushing harder each time she warded off his attack. Still she remained as focused as before, her face maintaining composure although he could tell she was breathing harder than before. Just as he began wondering how he could break through her defenses, she rolled to his side, swinging swiftly in an arc aimed as his open torso. Barely able to comprehend the movement, he moved his own sword just in time to block the attack. It was then that she began her onslaught, and Keith was forced to realize that she had merely been playing on the defensive this entire time.

Never one to withdraw from a challenge, Keith focused in matching her blows. It was difficult, as her movements were more varied than his own, striking from a multitude of directions and varying strikes from arcs to stabs, the variation blowing his own techniques out of the water. Still he persisted, finding ways to block and dodge out of harm's way, the novelty of her movements forcing his mind and body to get creative.

It was after another minute that he noticed the smallest of gaps in her defenses, the patterns with which she moved slowly becoming more familiar to him. Finally he made his move after he dove forward with a thrust, stepping out of her way and aiming his sword at her head. Even though it had taken the length of their spar to finally spot a weakness, he had finally found one, giving everything he had in an effort to swing faster and harder, to make his blow collide.

But as his arms and blade moved to connect with her neck, she dropped her head and hands to the ground, a move that he hadn't been expecting. Equally as unexpected was the leg that came up from the ground and smashed into his arm with such force that his grip loosened on his sword, sending it flying across the room. He grunted at the unexpected movement but maintained his composure, refusing to let up. As soon as he had centered his balance, Almira had pulled herself up from the ground. Wasting no time he charged, watching as she prepared to swing her blade in another arc. Without a sword to worry about he slid underneath the clean arc, hand latching onto her ankle and pulling hard. It was a dirty move, but it was enough to knock Almira off her balance, also forcing her to let go of her sword as she fell to the ground with a grunt.

Before Keith could think of his next move, she had pulled herself into a ball, his hand still in a grip on her ankle and dragging him a few inches across the metallic floor. For the first time today he was grateful that he was still wearing his paladin armor, cringing as his body was pulled along the ground. It was enough to release her ankle in surprise and pain at the movement, and before he could react she had thrown herself over his body, pinning his hands and sitting on his chest without a second thought. She had placed enough of her weight on him to ensure that he wasn't about to move, but the hold was light enough to ensure that he could breathe. It was then that the red paladin knew that she hadn't necessarily been holding back, but had truly been in control of their fight the entire time. It lit a fire in his chest, but as soon as his mind flared to anger she stood up, offering a hand to pull him from the ground.

Groaning, he took her hand, and with a forceful pull he found himself standing on his two feet once again. Even if he had essentially failed their spar, he found satisfaction in the sweat that had beaded along her forehead, the hair that was slightly more tousled than before, and the large gulps of air that her lungs took in. Taking a moment to regain his breathing, he looked in confusion as she turned away from him, walking away from his position. It was only after she picked up his bayard in its dormant state that he remembered his weapon that had been discarded, and he gratefully took it back after she handed it to him.

"You did well."

"Don't lie." His eyes followed her movements as she walked to one of the closest walls after picking up her own sword. Back against the wall, she slid down until she was sitting, crossing her legs in front of her and beckoning him over. He followed, keeping steady eye contact with her. "I know you were in control of that fight the entire time."

Almira hummed lightly, her eyes lingering on something across the room. After sliding into a seat next to her, he saw Arden and Shiro still hacking away at one another, neither willing to yield. "When did you learn to fight?"

The question caught him off guard, and he paused before answering. How had he learned? "Pretty young." He felt sheepish for his answer, but he told her anyway. "I got in a lot of fights at home. Most of the things I learned I learned from experience."

"And how long have you been a paladin for?"

It was another bizarre question, but he was beginning to see where she was leading. "A few weeks."

A moment passed between them, the only sounds the fighting of the other two in front of them. "I've had years to perfect my skills. I practically grew up in war, where the enemy is ready to cut my throat out." Her golden eyes moved to focus on the paladin beside her, who met the gaze with obsidian orbs of his own. "You held your own against me for longer than even some Fleogans can. Isn't that a feat in itself?"

Her words were a complement, he could tell, but Keith wasn't satisfied with complements. "Tell me how I can improve."

Nodding her head, she seemed to stare off into space for a minute, collecting her thoughts and analyzing their spar. With a thoughtful hum, she turned to look at him. "I think that most of it is just experience. You were able to keep up with me based on creativity and thinking on the spot, something that even the most seasoned veterans can't be taught. If you work with someone with more experience, the more difficult moves with become easier for you."

It was something he had known all along. His fighting style was adaptive, not necessarily the most rigid. But even the Altean training bots in the castle could provide only so much new information for him. He needed someone like Almira to teach him. "Can you teach me?"

Her smile was gentle and genuine, and Keith couldn't help but feel relaxed in her presence. "For as long as you're here, yes. But," she held up a finger, eyes twinkling with deviousness and cheer, "you're going to need to work on more thing."

"What?"

"Flexibility."

To be fair, Keith was probably more flexible than most people, especially on Earth. But in comparison to fighters like Almira, who seemed to stretch further than a rubber band, he was out of his league. It was a daunting task, but if it gave him more of an edge in his upcoming fights, then he was willing to do it. "Alright." He was apprehensive, but elated at finding a mentor and peer to fight alongside. "I'll work on it."

Almira cheered quietly, an excited "yes" and a pump of her arm moved in celebration. It was infectious, as were most moods with the white haired Fleogan, and Keith found that he was slowly but surely becoming less and less adverse to her company specifically, a twitch of his lips quirking into the most tiny smiles. She settled down into a more serious mood, but still carried the same positivity. "Let's start with some basic stretches."

Shiro was wondering how much longer Arden was going to hold out; the man's stamina was impressive, especially considering that he had just come out of a fight with his younger sister, where neither had seemed to be holding back. The black paladin himself was becoming winded, and he knew his movements were getting sloppier as time went on. Still he pushed on, refusing to give up. There was no rest in war or in battle, and the Galra certainly weren't going to be easy on him.

His respite came sooner than anticipated, and by a means that he had been expecting much earlier in their fight. As he surged forward to capitalize on an opening that the dark haired Fleogan had left him, said general barely had time to block the jab of his palm, bringing his lance up to defend himself. Even though the weapon had lasted this long, it finally gave way under Shiro's thrust, snapping neatly in half in Arden's two hands. The general stepped back, putting his hands up in a yielding manner. "I think that's enough for now."

Both were breathing hard from the exertion, and Arden used half of the lance to lean on, taking a moment to catch his breath. "That hand's really something."

Taking advantage of the break, Shiro deactivated his arm, returning it to its normal, unglowing state. He shook it out and rubbed his wrist, getting rid of the way that it sent vibrations up through his arm. It was useful, but certainly still foreign. "Thanks. I'm surprised that lance held up."

Arden twirled the two pieces, setting them down on the floor before sitting down himself, gesturing for Shiro to follow. Their sparring session was done for now, and they took the moment to continue their conversation. "They're made of a special metal found deep within this planet. Fortunately we've been able to protect them from the Galra, and they haven't been nosy enough to poke into the earth themselves. It's said to be unbreakable, but I guess it couldn't handle whatever your arm is made out of."

As he worked on slowing his breath, Shiro took the opportunity to look in the other direction at the other duo in the room. He had been so preoccupied with Arden that he hadn't had any time to check up on the younger paladin, to ensure that he was doing fine. To his surprise, Keith was spread out onto the floor, Almira stretching and pulling his legs in different direction in a way that looked fairly painful. Her words were soft as she appeared to be coaching her partner through the movements, Keith's face twisting in agony but accepting his fate all the same. With raised eyebrows, he turned back to Arden. "I guess they're getting along well."

"You seem surprised."

Allowing a cautious nod, he turned back to look at the unlikely duo. Almira had gotten onto the ground next to him, apparently demonstrating a movement and gesturing to her lower body as it twisted like a pretzel. Keith copied, clearly less flexible but processing the movements at his own pace. "Keith is closed off to almost everyone, even the team at times. It takes a lot to get through to him."

A thoughtful hum resonated in Arden's chest as he crossed his arms, looking fondly at his younger sister. "That's Almira. She may seem all business and cold a lot of the time, but she's warm at heart." Shiro watched as his eyes seemed to dim at the thought, becoming distant and musing more to himself. "She's had a rough life. Never knew her mother, and she was practically the runt of the litter in the palace. Everything's tried to make her cold and cruel, but she still believes in the goodness in people."

Confused at Arden's words, Shiro couldn't help but press on. "Never knew her mother?"

The way that Arden stilled and turned to look at Shiro nearly stopped his heart. There were few times that the jovial commander dropped into dead intensity, but it appeared that when it came to matters about his sister, Arden's joking dropped. "She's our half sister, the only child of the third queen. People suspected witchcraft when it came to her ascension, thought that she had trapped the king under some spell. Then suddenly, she vanished. A year later, the king goes to investigate a massacre at an outlying crater, and comes back with Almira." His voice lowered even softer, forcing Shiro to lean in to their conversation. "It's important that this information stays secret. Very few people know that Almira is the third queen's daughter. It's believed by most that the king took pity on an orphan and decided to raise her in our household."

Secrets, secrets, and more secrets. The royal family was becoming even more complicated that they initially thought, and Shiro's head was busy processing this new information. "And she knows this?"

"Almira knows who she is. Unfortunately, so do some of the nobles. They're sworn to keep the secret, by order of the king, but they're the ones that cause trouble for her when they can."

Shiro frowned. "Why? Why can't they just leave her alone?"

Arden's face had become smooth once again, although it still carried a serious look. "They hold a grudge against the queen. Some think that they're the reason why the third queen left. And at the end of the day, politics and grudges are what can move an individual to power or to shame."

Looking at Almira interacting with Keith, Shiro would have never known how troubled her past truly was. She threw her head back, laughter echoing off the walls at something Keith had said, brightening up the space and making the artificial lights seem less harsh, the metal walls more forgiving. In the stale environment she was the life that made life seem more gentle, more livable. She was brilliant, honest, and truly believed in the kindness that she dole out, and it made sense why everyone seemed to revolve around her, even the most cautious and guarded people like Keith.

His guide and partner continued. "From how you explain Keith, it sounds like he's very similar to our other brother, Eaghan."

As tempting as it was to roll his eyes, Shiro refrained, instead shifting to a more comfortable position on the ground. "How many siblings do you have?"

"There are six of us; three from the first queen, two from my mother, and Almira. Alastrine, the crown prince, is the one you saw trailing the king this morning at the meeting. Then there's Akil, third prince and leader of the technological advancements and repairs." Shiro could remember those two easily; recalling the morning's meeting, an image of a young man with fiery clothes came to mind, an interesting dynamic with the cool blue colors of Akil.

"And the third?"

"Eaghan Fakhir, fourth and final prince of the Fleogan Empire. Third leading tactician and insufferable asshole, in my opinion. You probably saw him standing next to Almira."

To be honest, Shiro had been paying less attention to Almira during the meeting, seeing as though most of the debate was happening right in front of him. However, he recalled seeing the snowy haired women dressed in magnificent robes that matched her tresses, a vision of strength and femininity as her muscles peeked through the wispy material. If he stretched his mind, he certainly had noticed someone standing next to her, both of them exchanging cautious whispers during the entire process. But it was a stretch, and he shook his head. "Can't say I really remember what he looks like."

Arden snorted, an exasperated look rolling over his face as he leaned back on his hands. "He's always been a pretentious little snot, but he and Almira get along incredibly well. In fact," he mused half to himself, "she's the only person he actually gets along with."

He wasn't sure what he could believe based on Arden's explanations; even if he likened Eaghan to Keith, Keith certainly wasn't snotty or uppity about anything. But knowing the secrets of the royal family and the Fleogans in general, there must have been something that he was missing out on, and he kept his mouth closed. Deciding to focus on the heart of the matter, he found solace in Almira's extension of companionship, and decided to be thankful for that. Pushing on, he pressed about the rest of the royal family. "And you? You mentioned you had one blood sibling."

"Lavena Sidhe, first princess and my younger sister. She's hardly a fighter, but what she lacks in combat training she more than makes up for in smarts. You'll hardly find a more insightful politician in the entire world."

It was a lot of information to take in, so both sat in silence a comfortable for a few more moments. The other duo had moved from laying on the floor to sitting positions, both cross legged and folding over at the waist. Keith was focused on maintaining his form, while Almira amusingly had folded in half, forehead practically smashed into the floor. Both were facing one another with their eyes closed, breathing in silence and calm. Shiro smiled at the sight. Whatever the facts were, it was surely a blessing that Almira had come along.

Arden seemed to be thinking along the same lines, as he voiced his thoughts. "Almira is probably the most cautious out of all of us, but also the most talented and positive. If you win her trust, then she'd follow you to the end of the universe and back, without hesitation." Looking into his eyes, golden eyes glittered dangerously, but with less humor and zest than before. "You'd be wise to cherish that trust."

Shiro knew that the thought was less for him and more for Keith. Sparing another glance at the duo, he noted their casual positions as they rolled up from their stretch. In all his days with Keith, he couldn't remember a time when the red paladin had looked so comfortable, except for moments spend in Shiro's company. As his partner spoke, Keith focused on her intently, absorbing everything that she had to tell him, a new calmness weaving into his posture. He hoped that he never had to repeat Arden's words to his friend, and that he would realize on his own exactly the friendship he had so innocently attained.

AN: These next chapters might seemed really rushed; in addition to work, I'm actually working on another two stories as well. One's around 20k words right now, and the other is hovering around 15k, and at this point, words are words are words and a lot of phrases are blending. Honestly, I can't even tell what phrases I've used in which stories so if you start to see some repetition, please let me know!

Special shout out to some new followers of this story; Shiranai Atsune, Just2aw3s0me, bellaXmonster, Owlgirl1209, and lipsticks. Every time I get a notification in my email, I get super excited! Here's to chunking a bunch more stories out in the next two months!

As always, please leave a review to let me know how I'm doing. I really appreciate everything!