"Keep your guard up." The Huntsman barked, swinging a pair of blunted axes towards Lo, one of which she blocked, the other hit her side, causing her to yelp mildly.
"I said I wanted a dagger, not a sword." She muttered, attempting a swing but having it easily blocked before having an uppercut delivered to her stomach, causing her to keel over before a blow to her back made her topple to the floor. "And I'm still not well." She was being honest, it had been a week at most since she started walking again.
"Soldiers won't care about that." He stated, letting her get up. "And daggers aren't that good in a real fight."
"I wanted to defend myself from surprise attacks, not, real fights, as you put it." The elf replied, keeping her guard up this time, only to have her shins kicked out from under her so that she hit the black stone again, thanking the padded jacket she was wearing now. She rolled onto her back, glancing around the now empty training area. "Where is everyone now?"
"Funeral, we lost three people in our fight." He answered as his new training dummy pulled herself up,
"Who?" She asked as she stood up, managing to block the next series of attacks.
"Better." He muttered. "Gambler, his son, and Berserker."
"Hmm." Lo replied, trying to swing her practice blade but only to have her attack get caught and the blade twisted from her hands. "They probably won't be the last."
She picked the wooden sword up again, this time just trying to guard, stopping both of his blows and a brief pause. "I've lived through one war already, I know what to expect."
Lo glanced around for a brief moment, noticing that no one else was visible on the rock. "Did you ever meet my father?"
"Once." He replied, using the time she was distracted to land another blow.
"Can we stop now?" Lo asked disdainfully, tired of being hit over and over again.
"No." Another hit, blocked this time.
"What was he like?"
"Who?" The conversation continued, now wracked with the sound of mock weapons clattering against each other.
"My father." She replied, letting out a laugh as she managed a hit, only to be hit herself in return.
"I don't know much, it was less than a handshake. The old northern lord met him once while I was working as a guard for him. Didn't get a second glance before the pair disappeared into a room together."
Lo was slightly disappointed by that, though any sign was removed from her face as she tumbled to the ground again. She let out a huff and lay on the ground. "Any news from our new mole?"
"Nothing yet, it'll still take a few more days for the royals to get back to the capital. She appreciates the accommodation though."
"Good, I'm glad someone's getting some use out of my family's place." She replied, forcing herself up and giving her sparring partner the signal to stop as she went to fetch her bow. "I think I might get some training from our elf instead."
"I can stop making you hit the floor if you want?" He asked with a smirk, his wrinkled face switching into a smile.
"No." Lo replied back, returning his gesture. "I saw you and her training the other day and she uses her bow like a staff, I think I'd be easier than learning this. And she won't hit me when I'm down."
"It was only once."
"Might I ask why I have been asked here?" Oberon questioned slowly, mainting a slow tone as he entered the tent, silhouetted by the rising sun, appearing much more gaunt without his armour. A small, elderly woman was sat at a desk that seemed to mirror her own traits, the wood stained slightly with age, and next to her, the half elf, a mage hunter. The humans had a different name, but he didn't care enough to remember it.
The woman scrawled something on her paper before looking up. "It's a few more days till we return to the capital, so I thought I'd introduce myself."
Oberon let out a snarl. "I already know who you are."
"Fine, I'll cease with the pleasantries." She replied, stopping her work and giving a noise of dissatisfaction. "Sit. You owe my friend here some answers."
"So, a spy, always nice to learn more about your allies." He murmured, doing as she asked. "I can't imagine you chose him for his intellect or wit, so I'm trying to imagine his role."
"My friend here says you something with you, very powerful, very dark. Not benefiting of your position."
"Shh." He whispered. "Thinking." He tapped his temple with one hand. "You've returned after a long travel, but what were you after?"
"What do you have with you?" She asked again.
"I know about your past, your little romance when you were younger."
"How do." She was interrupted.
"Two generations for you, not even one for us, no crumbling of two societys either." He replied. "Why would you go alone? No guards or anyone else. Something you wanted to do in secret perhaps?"
Rose took a deep breath. "Khalenhad said that when you first met you said you were playing a game. How about we have one."
Oberon smiled. "I don't need to." He said. "I'm just running you through what I've already thought, and I imagine you've worked out why my people are here as well. So send your little pet from the tent so we can talk like adults and compare notes."
Khalenhad's face twisted for a moment as he left, leaving the pair. "So what have you worked out?"
"I assume you were after the next Overlord. Trying to talk to them down, or make sure the minions don't find them." He answered. "Now, what have you worked out?"
"Your using us, literally. You've been knocked off your last legs and you're us to get more people." She replied. "So what don't I know?"
"So very much. What do you think I don't know?"
"More than me." Rose replied, scribbling some more things down on her paper.
"I doubt that." He replied, stroking his chin lightly.
"What do you know then?'
Oberon smiled. "A lot."
"What do you know about the overlord?"
"The current one, very little, the previous one's, more than you."
She nodded. "I'll accept that."
Oberon slowly smirked. "I definitely know more than you."
"Would you like to share that knowledge?" Rose asked, looking up from her work.
"No." He replied, pulling himself up. "We're done here. I know all that you know, and more."
"Surely allies should share information." She said back.
"No." He stated, before leaving the tent.
"So, where are we going?" John asked as Tristan him and Drez them down the castle stairs, the trio ducking into an alcove as a guard walked past. It'd taken them a month to get back from Nordberg, and another week after that before the queen had stopped posting guards at John's room, and Tristan had the fun idea of abusing that trust in five seconds.
"Since you two made up, we're going to celebrate." He whispered back, peering out before heading out the indent.
"Why are we whispering?" Drez asked. "It's just the witch lover that's in trouble, we'd be fine."
"That's a good point." Tristan smirked, looking around the corner before carrying on.
"Well." John began. "We can't all sell our friends out." The tone was friendly, hiding the sense of hostility that was left.
"Anyway, the girl I met up north has come south and a friend is lending her a house in the city." Tristan finished. "And apparently she found a few crates of wine in the cellar and is having a night of drinking to make herself comfortable."
"So she's that type of girl." Drez commented.
"What type of girl?" John asked.
"Honestly, I don't know what type of person she is." Tristan replied with a content sigh.
"This is isn't fair." John muttered as he was pushed around the corner, Deed giving a not to a guard who walked past them. "How come I was insulted when I was like that?"
"I'm less whiney." The boy replied.
"He's not infatuated." Drez added at almost the same time. "Plus the one he's after has alcohol."
There was a slight issue at the main door, but Drez managed to convince the pair of guards to leave by giving them some of the drink he had in his flask, they stumbled off to later, letting them pass with ease.
"So where is this friend's place?" John questioned.
"Not far. Apparently she has friends in high places." Tristan replied, as they turned left then right quickly, the city streets winding with the curve of the hill that Heaven's Peak was built upon. John was about to say something before Tristan spoke again. "This, should be the place."
The building was large, a mixture of white plaster and marble, the building trying to imitate the style of the old empire, all clean arches and pale wood, though it had clearly seen better days. The plaster was crumbling, the marble was chipped, the doors having some signs of mold on them where the paint had worn away.
"Not exactly the best looking place." Drez commented. "Still better than a few mine shafts I've seen."
Tristan ignored his words, attempting to knock on the door to find it open and a voice called. "Come in."
The inside was much worse than the outside, half the stairs covered in cobwebs and clear marks on the wall where paintings had been taken down and nothing was left in there place. A small amount of light was coming from one of the rooms, the odd candle spread around the house seemed to be leading them towards it.
Tristan went into the room first, smiling lightly as he glanced around the room, a pair of empty bottles resting on a recently dusted fireplace, a fire being carefully stoked with several cushions thrown on the floor, all the wood in the furniture having rotted away a long time ago.
"Wellcome to my humble abode."' She stated, her back towards them as she poked the fire before turning around.
"Someone's done well for themselves." Drez whispered, nudging Tristan with his elbow, to which he rolled his eyes.
"I'll take that as a compliment." She interrupted.
"You weren't supposed to 'ere that."
"But I did anyway. Now, let's start drinking." She replied, holding a bottle. "Sit."
They did as they were told, and the drinking started, the conversation was relatively little at first, an awkward silence playing out till the subject of the house came up.
"So, how did you acquire this place?" John asked making a slightly awkward sound at the end as he realised they hadn't exchanged names. He stood up and started looking around, walking to a pile of paintings that had been covered with a piece of cloth.
"Kira." She said briefly. "A friend of mine bought it recently, I've got to look after the place and keep my eye out till she gets here."
"Any idea when that'll be?" The dwarf asked, taking a guzzle of wine.
"She wants me to do some work, learn a bit about the place before she comes in and finishes it off, otherwise not a clue." Kira, in this respect, was being totally honest.
John let out a sigh. "Of course." He murmured.
"What is it?" Drez asked, tilting his head.
John lifted one of the paintings. It was a family portrait. A young, red haired girl with pointed ears sat between a smiling woman with brown hair and a stern looking man, his face in a permanent frown.
Tristan gave a glumb look. "Makes sense. Everlight fell, only heir is a traitor, someone would inherit this place and sell it."
"I know. I'm done with it. With her." The prince replied as he sat back down.
"Doesn't sound like you're done." Drez stated.
"Start drinking your problems away." Kira added. "Always worked for me."
"And what problems have you had?" Tristan asked.
"Not getting drunk fast enough." She answered before taking another swig from her bottle.
"Good reply." The dwarf replied. "You should try the stuff my people make."
"No thanks. I like the slightly hazy state between tipsy and unable to walk."
A shrug was the response. "To each their own."
The drinking continued for some time in silence, till they drank to the point where any feeling of awkwardness has disappeared and was instead replaced by a slight warmth that assured them they could do anything. John collapsed first, the lightest drinker of the three, followed by Tristan, lacking Drez's natural constitution or Kira's expirence in the field, and the room fell silent for a brief moment, then a moment longer.
"Be careful." The dwarf said without any provocation, to which the woman tilted her head.
"Might I ask why you said that?" She questioned.
"I might give the lad an 'ard time, but I've know him for the better part of a centuary, and I'd consider him a friend."
"As would I." Kira stated, taking another sip from her glass.
"No. He likes you, so he's not being honest. He's rarely honest anyway but this is worse."
"Are you saying you don't trust him?"
"Course I trust him, I'd trust him with my life I needs be. The way he acts though, this whole, dumb carefree facade he puts on. It ain't him. Worst part is he genuinely likes you."
Kira put her glass down on the table and lounged back against a box behind her. "Just get the point."
"If you hurt him, you'll have hell to pay for."
"He's a big boy, he can look after himself."
"No he can't." Drez stated with a shake of the head. "I've watched him walk crotch first in stupid things."
"I begin to think you lack respect for him." Kira said before drinking again.
"Let me tell you a story. Back when the lad was sixteen, he met a lass who he thought was the love of his life. Had him wrapper around her little finger and he didn't even care. His dad found out though, told him he had to end it."
"Oh, I've head this story before." Kira murmured in a singsong voice. "The pair try to run off together but she dies or is forced to leave and the bards sing of the great tragedy."
"Not quite." The dwarf burped. "He went to her, told what was going on an raid they could run away together, find a place to settle down."
"I'm looking for the difference here."
"She said no. Turns out she was only with him for the money." Drez stood up and slung the prince's unconscious form over his shoulder. "He was a moapy cunt for about year, least John had the courtesy to get over it in a month."
"And you're assuming I'm going to do the same?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm prepared for the worst." He stated. "Stocked up on homebrewed stuff. Anyway, I better get this guy back to the castle before some one notices. I'll leave you two to yourselves." Drez went to the door, leaving quickly as Kira watched him through the window, finishing the final bottle before calling it a night.
A/N Sorry for taking a while. I've been busy with revision and coursework and writing some of my own stuff. I'd like to say the chapters will start rolling out again, but I make no promises.