Vows of Blood and Honor

Briar grinned as Sebastian neatly avoided her blade. With nothing much to do beside practice the two of them were getting better at using each other's weapons. Sebastian's skill with the rapier was nearly on par with her own. And thanks to his elven grandparents he too had a way of moving that incorporated the smooth flowing style of the martial arts.

Her uncle Mory called a halt to their sparring telling Briar that her father had arrived. The girl wiped down her blade and sheathed it, turning to bow to the elf.

Vidan smiled at the bow. His child had a delightful sense of humor, seeing the ridiculous in everything. Today so that she could practice her blades she wore hose and a hooded tunic. Vidan had no doubt that the clothing was similar to what she had worn at Serendal. The fabric was old and soft, clinging to her form and her lovely face smiled from under the tight hood. She clearly believed she resembled a boy.

The elf's smile did not falter as he took in his daughter's companion but neither did it warm overmuch. Prince Sebastian like Briar wore older clothing. The black leather was worn in spots but the vest and cannons were bleakly businesslike and revealed what the bladesinger had previously overlooked.

The prince was tall, and slim due to his elven heritage, that had always been evident. But revealed by his bare arms and exposed chest and abdomen were corded wiry muscles, suggesting a strength and power normally concealed.

"Briar my dear," Vidan shook his head with a smile. "You don't truly believe you look boyish in those garments?"

His daughter shot him a startled look as he called her by her nickname. "Do I not?" She asked in surprise darting a glance at Sebastian and then at her father.

The appreciative gleam in Sebastian's eye was all the confirmation she needed. Vidan simply shook his head chuckling. "My very dear child, the men of this city truly must have been blind." He said. "You could not be mistaken for anything other than a girl."

"Her disguise is much more effective if you don't know her." Sebastian grinned at Briar. "She also tended to pad everything so that her figure didn't show and her face was dirty."

"And yet you saw through it rather quickly from what I have been told." Vidan observed. For the first time the elf's voice wasn't cold when he spoke to the younger man.

Sebastian's grin grew wider as he mischievously pulled Briar's hood off her head, spilling her braids down her back. "I had the good fortune to attend her performance and then the next day heard her as a boy speaking to someone. The name caught my attention and I got a bit closer than she liked. Distance was also fairly important. It wasn't really a very good disguise." He shrugged apologetically at Briar. His hands stroked her braids and he tugged at one teasingly.

"I imagine Dragon's rather intimidating figure aided the distance factor." Vidan commented. One slim forefinger rubbed at his chin consideringly. "You have yet to put your blade away your highness. Perhaps you would care to spar with me?"

The teasing smile fell abruptly from Sebastians face and he bowed formally. "I doubt my skill is to your standards but I would be honored my lord."

Briar looked at her father and then at her lovers set face and her heart twisted inside her ribs. "Sebastian," she whispered as he began to move forward. The prince turned to look at her with gentle eyes though his expression did not change.

To his utter shock she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a long passionate kiss that he couldn't help but respond to. When she finally released his mouth she still had her arms around him.

"My Rose, not that I don't delight in your kisses, but what inspired that?" Sebastian barely managed to keep his voice from shaking from the desire she'd lit in him.

Rosaleen shot a hard look at her father who gazed back unfazed. "Because I love you." She murmured. "Before all else my prince, I am yours."

Vidan's sharp hearing caught her words and as he wondered if he had been meant to hear, half expected Sebastian to agree and claim her. Instead, to his pleased surprise, words wiser than he'd hoped for were Sebastian's reply.

"Rose," the prince whispered gently. "I am humbled and honored that you wish to be mine. But we both know that before you are mine you are a bard and a warrior and a daughter, just as I am many things and also yours. Do not reduce your vow by swearing an untruth no matter your longing." Sebastian's voice was the softest of murmurs. "I love you for all that you are, my loving Rose. Do not reduce yourself to being only mine."

Briar sighed at the truth in his words and nodded even as she wrinkled her nose at him playfully. "Why can you never act the fool along with me Sebastian?" She asked with a forced smile. "Why must you confound me with wisdom?"

Sebastian kissed her forehead. "Because if I didn't you would grow bored with me." He said. "Now may I go spar with your father?" His eyebrows lifted inquiringly.

"Yes, yes, go on then." Briar sighed and retreated to stand by her uncle.

Mory had watched in his stoic way with folded arms and a curious gaze. He now smiled down at his niece. "Why the performance?" He asked softly. "What are you so concerned about?"

"That this will go further than sparring." Briar said soberly. "That this is a challenge in a way."

"It is, but not in the way you are thinking." Mory told her. He gestured at the two men who had begun, his voice had automatically risen slightly to be heard over the clash of blades. "I forget that you do not know him as well as your mother and I. Vidan never spars with folk he dislikes." He smiled watching his friend. "He is testing your teaching of Sebastian, and estimating your young man's skill. He does not take this at all seriously. I can tell by the way he's fighting."

"How?" Briar asked curiously. She had sparred with her father quite a bit and saw nothing different in his manner.

"You've never fought in a battle with him. There's a controlled intensity to his movements that's missing now. And his eyes go completely black. He looks dangerous." Mory shrugged.

"Well if you know my father, I know my prince." Briar replied grimly. "He may not be fighting for his life but he is taking this very seriously."

"How can you tell?" Mory murmured the question.

"His smile." Briar murmured never taking her eyes off the two men.

"What about it?" Mory inquired. "He looks as he always does, as if he's bored."

"Yes." Briar nodded slightly. "A true smile from Sebastian can stop my heart with delight." Her lips tilted a bit in recollection. "His smile now, doesn't brighten his eyes. It makes my heart go cold and ache."

Sebastian wasn't entirely sure of his motivations in agreeing to spar with Vidan. He certainly expected to be defeated without even scoring a touch on the elf. His only other certainty was that he knew the elf wasn't out to kill him, a fear he suspected had fueled Briar's actions before the fight.

The prince fought with a gritty determination to last as long as possible while not going completely on the defensive. He doubted he could force the elf to respect him, but perhaps Vidan might finally understand there was more to Sebastian than the courtier.

The elf was hard pressed to keep from laughing. Sebastian fought similarly to Briar, but with more strength behind his blade and a way of moving that was purely masculine as Briar's was feminine. He also seemed to fight from the viewpoint of a man who has been in a battle for his life a time or two. Though the prince made slight errors in technique they were never of the sort that would leave him vulnerable. Still he was not Vidan's equal in skill and did the elf choose he could easily overwhelm the prince.

Finally the bladesinger halted bringing up his blade. He watched as Sebastian did the same and smiled. "You are quite skilled." He told the young man. "Your way of fighting though, has the echoes of my daughters ways about it." Sebastian simply looked at him inquiringly and Vidan's smile widened to a grin as he looked over at his daughter. "You fight from the standpoint of one who is reluctant to kill, very defensively. I can see no lack of resolve in you but your rapier point often comes short of its mark. And you are not making use of your strength in your movements, only your grace. Combine the two and you might exceed my child in skill."

Briar frowned where she stood regretful that she'd transferred the weaknesses in her fighting to Sebastian. Her father shook his head at her. "You taught him well. His technique is very good my dear." He beckoned she and her uncle forward and took her hands gently. "But you haven't the experience in teaching required to adapt your technique to another's strength's and weaknesses." He bowed to Sebastian slightly. "The most obvious flaw in your skill with the rapier is that you always seek a killing blow. You do not seem to be accustomed to drawing your blade for sport or pleasure as many young nobles do. Yours is an intent to take blood and life when you fight with live steel."

Sebastian bowed in return and his lips twitched into a smile. "You have become very observant sir." He remarked quietly. "And you are correct. My teachers do not see swordplay as sport. It can be beautiful, and enjoyable certainly, but a blade is a weapon, and such skills are to be honed and respected, not dabbled in."

Vidan nodded his understanding. "So it is with many bladesingers. There are few among us who take such talents lightly." He cocked his head looking amazingly like his daughter as his dark eyes brightened with amusement. "I would train you myself, since I have announced now all that I have found to be needful in your teaching, but…" he glanced at Mory. "My old friend could tell you that while I am skilled with my blade, I am not a good teacher. I lack in patience."

Mory muttered almost to himself. "Oh, never say so!" He rolled his eyes.

Vidan chuckled. "Will you teach him then?" He inquired. "I know of no one who is more capable, or more skilled. You have a gift for it, for arms and for the teaching of them. I easily see your hand in my daughters skill. Perhaps you might convince her to remember your early teachings of her. She is trying to forget that her rapier can kill."

Briar flushed and nodded. "If I have taught Sebastian so wrongly in this…then yes, I must relearn those early lessons." She looked at Mory. "Will you?"

Mory looked at Sebastian who was studying the elf with dark blue eyes and a slight smile on his face. "What say you, your highness? Will you bear being taught by an old bastard commoner like me?"

Sebastian looked at him. "I had hoped you knew me better than to ask." He replied mildly. "I am pleased you will consider me your student. My only condition is that you do not call yourself a bastard when you are with me. In my mind it is more of a description of character than birth, and there is nothing that marks you so despicable to me." When the older man seemed to consider objecting Sebastian added softly. "Please sir, I have an intense dislike for that term. My mother's parents were handfasted, but she was told for years that her birth was…illegitimate. However untrue it was for a long time a source of pain for her. I will not consider any child to be so. A liaison yes, but a child…never."

The soft intensity of his words and voice made Mory blink but he shook his head. "I will endeavor to censor my tongue, but old habits die hard. I will do my best though, out of respect for your mother and for you."

Briar smiled slightly. "Then tomorrow lessons begin again?" She asked. "I would begin now but I must bathe, I have an appointment with her majesty. She has asked it I would teach her a bit of the harp, and in exchange she is tutoring me in the violin."

"Ah, good luck then." Sebastian grinned. "I had better follow your example, I have a great deal to accomplish as well."

Vidan smiled slightly. "Well since you are escorting my daughter safely to her quarters, I shall remain with my old friend and see if he will give me a match before I begin to prepare for your Court." Briar's eyebrows shot up in surprise as her father bowed to them both and regarded her uncle challengingly.

Sebastian however was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Offering his arm the prince whisked her away to his rooms muttering. "I never thought to be getting approval from that quarter, let alone a near blessing to be alone with you. What in the world did you say to him beloved?"

Briar smiled. "I told him the truth about my past, and how you and I met, how you courted me." She told him. "I did my best to make it clear that much of what I am, how I act is due to you and Dragon. That you taught me to trust, and that I can be proud of who I am." Her lips brushed over his cheek. "I did not tell him what you do, only how you have protected me and behaved with respect towards me from the start. And that to be with you is my choice, not coercion."

"I could get used to being able to show that I am in love with you when your father is around." Sebastian grinned. "Not that I have truly been attempting to hide it."

"Show me Sebastian…" Briar whispered as she began to pull her tunic over her head. Her shift clung to her breasts and stomach and forced a groan from her lovers throat. "Bathe with me…I don't truly need to be anywhere for a while yet. Do you?"

Sebastian grinned. "I have a few hours I could wile away." He answered and let his black vest fall from his hand to a chair as he moved towards her.

Sebastian in a rare display of displeasure crumpled the parchment into a ball and hurled it away from him. The black scowl that darkened his features was so unlike his normal carefree expression that Briar stared at him a moment in shock.

"Tears of night Sebastian, you haven't had a fit of temper in years, not since you were two." His mother commented from where she sat tuning her lute. "What brought that on?"

"I've just received word on Loren's whereabouts." Sebastian replied curtly. "I'm sure you'll be simply delighted to hear that she is at this moment aboard a ship bound for the South." Sarcastic anger practically dripped from his voice.

"I see." His mother didn't raise an eyebrow. "And we know this for certain?"

Sebastian sighed his anger seeping out of him at his parent's reasonable tone. The concerned look on his love's face as she regarded him soon had him seating himself beside her and taking her hands in his own as he addressed them both. "She was last seen boarding the ship. Scrying revealed her to be on board when it sailed and a day after that. There is no further word, but her ship still sails south and she has not been seen elsewhere. It did not dock at any other port but took a direct course."

"So she escapes then?" Briar asked softly. "She is out of reach?" She wasn't sure which answer would be worse, yes or no, since her cousin was clearly without remorse. But she was still Briar's relative, a girl the bard had sung to sleep after nightmares and played dolls with when they were both young. That she would soon be dead was terrible, but that she live to wreak more havoc and suffering on the Obarskyrs was unthinkable.

"Raden makes it a policy to avoid any Southern entanglements. The spies we have are very discreet and rarely take on the assassin's role. To try and retrieve her from those lands would be unwise. To sink her ship would be obvious, and there is no guarantee it would be successful in killing her." He grinned at his mother who smiled thinking of the last time a fireball had hit a ship she'd been on. "So for now, unless she returns to Cormyr, she is out of reach."

"Of course the agents we do have in down there will be alerted. And if they see her she will be dealt with, discreetly of course, but dealt with." Sabine interjected quietly. "Raden is quite…determined in his protection of Cormyr and its royal family." Her mouth twisted wryly as she glanced at her son.

Sebastian nodded. "For which I'm sure Father occasionally thanks the gods." He grinned slightly. "I will have to talk to him about whether or not we allow folk to leave the palace, or stay safely here for a while longer." He rubbed his forehead. "Of course Lorelei and Andreas really shouldn't go anywhere just yet. Even if Loren is gone, they are still members of this family."

"Raden will be coming up with new Watchers soon I should think." Sabine said quietly. "He is very efficient about that sort of thing."

"I'll ask him how it's coming. I'm certain once word gets about that our confinement is coming to an end the twins will both want to get out of the palace, or as Andreas has occasionally called it, 'this damnable rock of solitude'." Sebastian said, mostly to remind himself.

Briar blinked and giggled at the repeated comment and shook her head. "Its not that bad." She offered. "At least there's a lot to do." She rolled her eyes.

"Yes." Sabine smiled at the girl. "We could be stuck in Suzail." She made a face at the thought.

"You don't like your home there?" Briar asked curiously.

Sabine looked at Sebastian who shook his head ever so slightly. "Amon and I haven't cared as much for the Royal Seat since one of the noble ladies gave him dream wine while I was away, then tried to trick him into sleeping with her niece. The plotting was for nothing, and we turned it against the lady, but that episode is…typical of the situations we remember of Suzail. Others tried to use magic to spy on my husband in order to use his affectionate nature against him."

Briar blinked in horror thinking of how she would feel if she had to guard every moment from gossip and plotting and magic as well. "Sweet Maiden! How could they? But someone's bedroom…it's so private…"

Sebastian nodded. "You see why I am so careful in my dealings with Kelso and the other watchers I have? My cadre? I never want to become so callous that I ignore such a basic human need."

Briar nodded. "I think I see too, why you are so careful in your use of magic's to fulfil your responsibilities."

Sabine smiled. "I expect though that soon Raden will want you to learn a bit more about magic?" She theorized. "His position requires a full array of talents."

Sebastian responded with a nod and a groan. "He is arranging a tutor." The prince rolled his eyes. "Let us hope that I prove apt, or my career as a courtier may well begin in truth." He sounded so completely and sincerely horrified at the thought that both women began laughing.

TBC