Lon'qu, Champion of Khan Basilio watched the blood bath taking place in his arena. A rabid beast of a man invaded his home. One who did not know his place. Cyrille Dusk, he spat in the faces of the two Khans, representing neither.
The brutality of the invader went against all customs in the arena. These were not supposed to be battles to the death! Yet, he appeared to aim for savage and fatal blows. It was disrespectful, despicable.
Lon'qu had enough. He needed to petition for the disquali-
Khan Basilio's voice boomed at his side, "Did you see that? That's a battle, boy! That's the type of scrap Gregor and I got into when we fought for my title as Khan. None of this pansy flower picking shit you lot been doing. Get down there and fight a real battle for once! Go!"
Basilio shooed him away, ordering him to challenge the savage.
Lon'qu would just need to put an end to Cyrille's unknown ambitions before he could do any further damage.
Clovis
Clovis remained waiting in the lobby, his shoulder somewhat stinging. That girl had given him a good warm up. He was ready for whatever the arena had to throw at him.
Two more guards came running out to speak with the employee behind the bars in hushed whispers. Eventually, the employee waved Clovis over. He looked a little nervous.
"H-hey, good luck. Going to need it…"
Sounded like an opportunity to make plenty of coin to Clovis's ears.
"I'm Cyrille Dusk, I don't rely on luck. Just my hard earned skill."
"Right… good luck regardless."
Clovis wandered down the tunnel, waiting for the announcer to do his job. He was actually getting a little excited.
"Ladies and gentleman! Prepare yourselves… Our Champion has decided to teach our newcomer a lesson! Yes, you heard that right! Cyrille the Accursed is fighting once more, his third match in a row! Who better to put down such a mad beast than the reigning Champion!"
The gate opened, allowing Clovis to see Arena Ferox's Champion for the first time as the two met each other in the center of the arena.
He looked strong. There was confidence in his gaze. The way he carried himself showed he was clearly trained. Clovis's instincts were still telling him the man before him was just as dangerous as his previous opponent.
The announcer's voice erupted, "You all know Cyrille the Accursed! Can we get-"
His voice was immediately drowned out by boos.
Those people couldn't be reasoned with. How could a people who respected strength, fear it when it's actually displayed?
The boos subsided just enough for the announcer to cut back in, "Facing the Accursed, our Champion Lon'qu!"
A deafening cheer broke out amongst the crowd. Lon'qu seemed to pay it no mind, instead completely focusing on him. His hand looked to be twitching near his sheathed sword. As Lon'qu took a sideways stance.
Why didn't he draw his sword yet?
Clovis tightened his grip on his spear. He didn't like this. It was hard to read his opponent's stance.
Clovis shifted his foot back, watching the body language of his opponent. Despite his combat style being unknown, his body was somewhat giving his intentions away. Lon'qu looked tense, as if he was about to strike as soon as the announcer began the battle.
Clovis watched him carefully as he waited for the announcer.
"Let the battle… begin!"
Clovis warped, prepared to dodge the blow he had expected to happen.
Except…
Clovis looked at his opponent. Lon'qu's hand was still on his sword. His opponent was just watching him.
Clovis wondered if he had read him wrong. Was Lon'qu faking his body language to mask his true intentions?
He must have earned his title in the arena for a reason.
Clovis warped by his side to try to get him to react.
Lon'qu twitched, yet he still didn't draw his blade.
Clovis warped back to his starting position.
What was Lon'qu looking for? How did he know Clovis didn't plan to attack him after that warp?
Clovis warped towards his front, thrusting his spear forwards towards Lon'qu's chest.
At that exact moment, Lon'qu… swung.
The tip of Clovis's spear was deflected. Lon'qu used the momentum of the deflection to flow directly into an attack of his own.
Clovis warped away, keeping a firm grasp on his spear. Lon'qu had always managed to disarm him with that deflection.
Lon'qu gave him little time to recover, speeding towards him in a dash with his foreign blade.
Clovis warped behind him just as he was about to reach him with his blade.
Clovis thrust his spear towards his lower back.
Right as he did, Lon'qu turned sideways. The spear scraped along his side, failing to pierce through his padded armor. At the same time, Lon'qu slashed his blade towards Clovis's arm carrying the warp staff.
The slice barely missed. If it had landed, Clovis might have found himself truly disarmed.
Clovis warped far away from his opponent. Taking a moment to study his opponent once more.
Lon'qu sheathed his sword, taking a sideways stance.
He was trying to aim for a counterattack once more.
Would he be fast enough?
Clovis grinned.
He warped, front right.
He warped, back left.
He warped, back right.
He warped, front left.
He warped, back left.
He warped, front left.
There!
Clovis jabbed his spear forward with all of his might.
Lon'qu drew his sword in a rapid counter and… missed.
Clovis's spear dug deeply into the armpit of Lon'qu's sword arm.
Lon'qu's sword hit the ground. He collapsed onto his knee, his good arm clutching his limp sword arm.
He glared at Clovis, before shaking his head.
The announcer stammered out, "C-Cyrille the Accursed is the winner! The Champion has fallen out of the running!"
The audience didn't boo, they didn't cheer. No one seemed to know how to react.
Clovis knew how to play his part.
Clovis turned his back to his defeated opponent, "That was all the Champion of Arena Ferox amounted to? What a terrible tragedy."
With those parting words, he walked back down the tunnel towards the lobby.
The lobby itself was quiet, yet Clovis could hear the outrage within the arena. He likely emptied the coin purses of quite a few people. It wasn't his problem. Their loss was his gain.
The employee at the barred window looked incredibly nervous as he spoke, "Things are getting a little rowdy with the crowd. Fights are going to be on hold until later in the day. Be careful out there."
Clovis collected his winnings, "See you then."
The implied danger of the crowd wasn't worth considering. They would be foolish to lash out against fighters participating in the arena. It would not only risk the ire of the targeted fighter, but the ire of the Khans as well.
Clovis waited in the lobby for Kellam to show up. It took a little longer than usual for his friend to come by. Kellam likely got stuck collecting their winnings at one of the main collection booths.
Kellam's hands were shaking as he handed over a pouch of gold, "You just turned my 12,000G into 60,000G. I.. I don't know if it's really hit me yet. I might just pass out. There's so much I can do with this gold…"
Clovis had bet 10,000G on himself that fight. Kellam handed 50,000G over in bet winnings. His actual win against the champion netted him 1,750G. Somehow, Clovis managed to scrape together 74,000G over the course of just three fights.
Clovis's tone was filled with mirth as he spoke to Kellam, "May as well rebuild your mother's entire farm."
"I'm considering it. You know, if this isn't all just a dream. I can build her a full manor with this."
Clovis was happy for him. It would have taken Kellam years to save up that much coin with just his knightly salary.
Clovis suddenly heard rapid clanking of metal coming from one of the side paths inside of the lobby. A soldier draped in blue headed right towards him and Kellam. The soldier was breathing heavily underneath his helmet.
The soldier took a minute to catch his breath before speaking, "Cyrille Dusk. Khan Basilio wishes to share a round of spirits with you at your leisure. Be it now or later."
The soldier held his hand out, emptying a gold circular medallion into Clovis's hand. The medallion was engraved with the initials KB.
"Show any guard in blue that medallion. We'll help get you to the Khan at any cost. Would you like me to lead you to him now?"
Clovis didn't really see a reason to refuse the invitation. While meeting with the Western Khan might make the Eastern Khan uneasy, he didn't particularly care for either of their opinions. It was through his own merits he knocked the reigning champion out of the arena pool.
Clovis wasn't stupid. Khan Basilio was probably trying to gather favor with him, likely in an attempt to get him to support Basilio's continued reign. Knocking Lon'qu out of the running meant Clovis could potentially play Kingmaker if he remained undefeated. If Lon'qu was the best the arena had to offer, Clovis wasn't worried about losing his newfound power.
Clovis rose his hand, clenching the medallion between two of his fingers, "Let's make it now."
He was about to flick the medallion back to the soldier, but the man shook his head, "Keep it. It's a symbol of the Khan's favor. Not my place to take it away."
Clovis pocketed the medallion. Cyrille Dusk certainly left an impression on the ruling Khan if he was letting him keep a symbol of personal favor. Was the Khan that desperate?
He supposed he'd just have to see for himself. Clovis fell into step behind the soldier, Kellam following him at his side. They exited the arena, a few more soldiers in blue joining their escort. The soldiers partially surrounded him and Kellam, keeping them away from irate civilians exiting the arena.
They passed through part of the market, heading into a tucked away alley. Most of the soldiers broke off, guarding the entrance into the alley. That left Clovis and Kellam with only the single soldier leading them forward.
They took a sudden right, going down a small stairway covered in a thin layer of snow. The soldier guiding them knocked on a sturdy looking wooden door. He seemed to knock in a pattern, alternating between two knocks, one knock, three knocks.
The door opened, another soldier on the other end. He ushered Clovis and Kellam in, as the soldier that led them there entered and shut the door.
The room they were in looked like a makeshift barracks of sorts. A few unhelmed soldiers were playing cards next to a fireplace. A few men were sleeping on beds, covered in furs. Clovis could see stairs leading to the next floor in the western corner of the room.
One of the soldiers spoke, "The Khan is up those stairs. You can bring your weapons with you, but your companion needs to stay down here with us. Don't worry, we'll keep him entertained."
One of the guards playing cards waved in Kellam's direction.
"Enjoy yourself Kellam. Don't go losing all your gold," Clovis lightly punched Kellam's shoulder before heading towards the staircase.
Kellam called out, "I'm not carrying you back if you end up wasted!"
Clovis grinned, shaking his head as he moved up the stairs. He knew Kellam would carry him back if he did get wasted. He was a good guy like that. Well that and he probably didn't want to get killed by Lissa.
Speaking of Lissa…
Clovis needed to be careful about how much he drank. He still wasn't feeling at his best after whatever happened last night. He didn't want to imagine what would happen if he turned up drunk again. Especially after slipping away this morning without saying anything.
Clovis opened the door at the top of the stairs, shutting it behind him. None of the soldiers had followed him up. It looked like it was just going to be him and the Khan. Clovis was in a hallway of sorts. His left ended on a dead end, a few closed doors lining the area. He went right.
He followed the short hallway, making a sharp turn. The hallway opened up into a tavern of sorts. The walls were made of stone, a fireplace was aflame to his right. There was a scattering of empty tables and benches. Clovis could see only one man within the room.
Sitting at the counter for the tavern bar was a tall dark skinned man with an eye patch. He was sipping from a mug, an open bottle next to him.
The Khan took notice of him, "Come sit with me boy! Grab a bottle and mug from behind the counter. I know I plan to drink my fill! Ha ha!"
He was in good spirits if nothing else. Clovis heeded the Khan's advice, grabbing a mug and a random bottle of mead from behind the bar. He took a seat beside the Khan, opening his bottle of mead.
Clovis poured his mead into his mug, taking a sip from it as the two drank in near silence. Outside of the nearby fireplace, Clovis could hear some movement on a floor above them.
The Khan slammed his mug onto the wooden counter, "Nohrian, huh? You're a mean bastard, I'll grant you that. Haven't seen fighting like yours in ages. Did you come to Ferox just for the tournament? Don't give me that merchant hogwash either."
He tapped his eye patch, "I might be partially blind, but I'm no fool."
Emmeryn would probably be mad at him for what he was about to do. It was a good thing it was only him and the Khan.
He slipped his mask off, putting it down on the counter. The Khan silently studied his face. A moment later, he drank heavily from his mug.
The Khan held his hand out towards Clovis, "Basilio, Khan of Ferox."
Clovis shook his hand, "Clovis, Prince of Ylisse."
The Khan drank from his mug again, "I saw your brand. How did a kid like you end up how you are? I thought you were Nohrian with how much blood you were spilling in the arena. Especially after what you did to that Nohrian noble girl in your second fight."
Clovis sipped his mead, "Emmeryn likes to pretend Ylisse is a place of peace. You should know better than that, Gramps. Wasn't that long ago we were raising Plegian villages in the heart of their land. Ferox missed out on the fun. Could have used you there."
"Bah, I remember. I'm not senile. There was no reason for us to get involved with your squabble. It's hard enough to keep everyone fed at home. I'd have had to figure out how to keep all my men fed while marching down to Plegia. Your father mobilized so many Ylisseans that your kingdom barely exported food during the conflict. Too many people would have gone hungry with both countries mobilized."
"A token amount of support would have still been appreciated outside of mercenaries," Clovis grumbled.
"I had to think of the bigger picture, boy. That conflict of yours already weakened Ylisse and Plegia by the end of your war. If Ferox took just as many losses, the continent would look awfully ripe for a naval invasion by our neighbors across the sea. If you think Ferox has food issues, you should have your advisors go over the Kingdom of Nohr's situation with you."
"Something happening in Nohr?"
The Khan smirked, "Aye."
It seems he wasn't going to share his secrets.
Clovis made note of that potential danger. He'd have to try to get something out of Emmeryn or look into it on his own time.
The two silently drank until the Khan spoke once more, "Sounds like you took Ferox's lack of support for your war personally. Why is that?"
"Outside of it being my father's war? I was there. I was his squire for the last two years of the war."
The Khan sighed, standing from his seat. He went behind the counter, pulling out a different bottle of liquor. He pulled out two small glasses, placing one in front of Clovis and one where the Khan had been sitting.
He filled up both glasses with a clear liquid before coming back to take a seat, "I was afraid you'd say that. Drink, boy."
The Khan drank the entire clear glass in one go. Clovis followed his example, the liquor burnt its way down his throat, tasting unbearably acidic to his palate.
Clovis coughed, covering his mouth with his sleeve.
"Sorry if it was too much for you. I thought we'd both need a shot for what I'm about to ask."
The Khan reached out, holding Clovis's shoulder, "Boy, are you okay? You look young enough to be around my daughter's age. War isn't a place for children. There's a reason we no longer follow the Old Ways."
It took Clovis a second to regain his composure, "I'm feeling fine, the drink was kind of strong."
Basilio shook his head, "That's not what I'm talking about."
The Khan reached out and tapped Clovis's chest where his heart would be, "I'm talking about right there. Is your heart fine? A child that goes to war doesn't leave as a child. You've killed, I can see it in your eyes."
There was no denying that, "I've killed plenty of Plegians."
"Aye, I can tell just from the way you fought in the arena. Spilling blood that young does things to you. I killed my first man when I was around your age and it took me a long time… to stop seeing him in my dreams."
Clovis looked down at his mug, "Oh."
"Aye, I'm not forcing you to speak. You don't owe me."
Clovis frowned, shaking his head, "I experienced something similar when I killed my first Plegian. My father let me drink when I couldn't sleep. He told me he was proud of me those nights. It got easier to kill after."
Clovis drank from his mug, "My first kill. It was a saboteur. I had been up late, cleaning my father's armor. Heard something outside of my tent. I had a dagger with me, just in case. Didn't think I would need it."
"He was wearing leather armor dyed in dark colors. He had been so focused on sneaking by my tent to get to my father's tent that he didn't notice me sneaking up behind him. Had a few seconds to realize his throat had been pierced though. I was ten at the time."
Basilio spoke somberly, "For a child to kill so young, there's a reason the Gods abandoned us. There was honor in your kill, I can't fault you for staining your hands. My first kill is not a glorious one. I carried out an execution on my father's behalf. I beheaded a murderer."
Basilio sighed, "There is no denying that killing gets easier. It shouldn't but it does. The best we can do is avoid the siren's call of death. The more lives you take, the greater the temptation it is to strike down all of your problems."
"I'll keep your words in mind."
"You do that, boy. Our meeting has gone in a completely different direction than I expected. I think it's about time I got us back on track. What are your intentions? My champion is out of the competition. Flavia is still flailing about looking for her own. Then there's you. An independent strong enough to knock the champion around like a child. What are you doing here?"
That was a good question.
Why did he come to Ferox? He could have crossed the seas, joined Chrom on his adventures, or remained home finding his purpose. The only place Emmeryn didn't want him to go to was Plegia. He had plenty of choices, so why Ferox?
"I don't know. I…" He drank from his mug.
"I guess I just wanted to make Emmeryn happy. She was mad at me for hurting a Plegian messenger. She told me I needed to find something I wished to do with myself. I recalled hearing about your arena fights in Ferox. Packed my things with her blessing and headed over here to test my metal."
The Khan grunted, "Don't feel too bad if you still haven't found your purpose in life. I was clueless about mine for the longest time."
"Took me losing one of my honor guards to discover mine. He orphaned his daughter when he died for me. She didn't have anyone else. I took her in as my own. These days my daughter is what I live for. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to secure Ferox a brighter future for my dear Olivia…" he trailed off.
The Khan hummed, "That Plegian king is still rattling his saber isn't he?"
"He's done more than that. Ylisse has had a sudden influx of bandits. I encountered some near the border on my way north. Their weapons were Plegian made without a doubt," Clovis knew those bandit weapons just had to be Plegian made.
"He's playing a dangerous game. He's putting our entire continent at risk. And for what? To get more of his people killed? There is no chance for a Plegian victory with the amount of damage they took in the last war. They would just be tossing men away for the sake of it," Basilio's tone was harsh.
Basilio rubbed his chin, "Say, what would it take to get you to throw your support my way? Like I said, I'll do whatever it takes to secure Ferox's future. I can't entrust Ferox to Khan Flavia, not in these troublesome times. Do you even have any plans on crowning one of us?"
Basilio continued, "This is the first time an independent of your strength has interfered in our battle for rulership since we switched the way the title was passed down in my grandpa's days."
Clovis considered his question. He didn't really have a leader in mind to support, mostly because he didn't even know the Khans. Basilio didn't seem that bad. His excuse for not mobilizing against Plegia was logical, if irritating. Clovis wasn't just going to just surrender his influence for free though.
"We might be able to negotiate something, Khan Basilio," Clovis grinned at the Khan.
Basilio's expression grew serious, "Prince Clovis, if you ask for my daughter's hand, I will shove my plated boot so far up your arse you'll end up warping yourself to the Mila Tree to beg for your goddess to retrieve my boot from your arse. Olivia is far too pure for people like me and you."
Did he give the Khan that impression? The only wife he was searching for was one for Chrom!
Clovis shook his head, "I never planned to. If I'm putting you back in charge of Ferox, I won't be doing it out of the goodness of my heart. I want something from you."
"Well, get on with it boy! I'm not getting any younger over here. What do you need from me to get you to become my champion?"
What he wanted was obvious. He desired nearly the same thing Basilio did, except for his own nation. All his father ever wanted to do was secure the future of Ylisse. Plegia was an existential threat to Ylisse. Ylisse would never be safe as long as Plegia knelt before their Fell God.
The worship of the Fell Dragon was so ingrained in Plegian society that Clovis doubted his Exalted bloodline would ever be safe so long as Plegia remained. Plegia as a whole would need to be wiped off the map. Their people left for the vultures to feast upon, their history forgotten.
Clovis set his mug aside, "I need you to make me a guarantee. It's not a matter of if Plegia will go to war with us, but when. When that day comes, Ferox needs to lend their support. You said it yourself, we can't afford for the continent to grow any weaker. The faster we teach Gangrel the folly of his ways, the sooner we can turn our attention back to the kingdoms across the sea."
"Be clear with your words, boy. How do you want me to support your country? Full mobilization is off the table, unless Ylisse can afford to feed my people. I can toss mercenaries your way again."
Clovis wished Ylisse could feed the mobilization of both nations, but the reality was they really couldn't afford to. His father's war did result in the loss of a sizable amount of manpower over the course of the decade-long crusade. Ylisse was still recovering from the setback, most farms producing less than they had before the war.
There were other ways the Khan could lend his support.
"I'd appreciate the support of Feroxian mercenaries once more. Emmeryn hasn't been preparing as well as she should be. I ask that you also ramp up your production of arms and armor. The second war is declared, my sister's advisors will panic and do their best to arm my people as fast as possible. They'll look north. Ferox will just so happen to have a surplus of goods to sell with reduced export prices."
"I'd be bleeding gold for at least a year to fulfill that request! The moment I order the blacksmiths to light the forges, they won't stop until they get their weight in gold," Basilio scowled.
Clovis shrugged, "You might need the weapons if Nohr suddenly decides to show up as you seem to fear. If such a small show of support is such an issue, I can always look to the East. Khan Flavia is unmarried isn't she? I'd sacrifice a lot to protect my family."
Basilio harshly laughed, "I'd be worried if I thought you two would get along. No, the only way that pairing would work is if you ripped the crown from her head and kept her permanently in a birthing bed."
Clovis had no idea if Basilio's assumption was true or not, "Wouldn't you risk the same in my shoes to secure Olivia's future? If you won't help me protect Ylisse, I'll turn to Khan Flavia."
"You have balls, boy! Fine. We'll start stockpiling for war. It's up to you to get Ylisse to pay for our goods."
Clovis nodded, "Thank you, Khan Basilio. I have another minor request."
"Spit it out."
"My brother, Prince Chrom, has established something of a newly born knightly order within Ylisse. They've taken to calling themselves the Shepherds. They're new, untested. From the tales I've heard, my brother's forces have mostly dealt with wolves and the odd brigand here and there. They've accomplished more in the gardens outside of their manor than in the field of battle."
Basilio hummed, "Where are you going with this?"
Clovis softly smiled, "I worry for my older brother. Emmeryn has given him a token amount of support for his knightly order. They've mostly been left on their own. He's almost certainly bleeding through his allowance. He needs an investor, a secret one. Arms, armor, even just supplies. Knowing him, he'll get directly involved in the war once it begins. I don't want to lose him."
Basilio closed his eyes, dramatically sighing, "Damn you for tugging on my heart while turning me into a beggar king. Fine, I'll work something out. He can expect a wagon or two to show up at that manor of his. Just let me know where it's at."
Clovis briefly described the location of Chrom's manor, before holding his hand out towards the Khan, "Do we have a deal?"
The Khan met his hand, "As long as you throw me the crown when you finish slaughtering your way through my arena, boy."
"Let it be known that Cyrille Dusk fights for the great Khan Basilio!" Clovis declared as he rose his mug of mead for one last drink to empty it.
"Let it be known that you're a right pain in the arse," Basilio set his mug aside, snatching Clovis's bottle of mead to drink directly from it.
"Feel like stealing any more of my coin or are we done here?" Basilio put the bottle down after finishing it.
"Well, if you're insisting… I could use a bite to eat. This is a tavern or something right?" Clovis glanced around their surroundings.
He'd been drinking with the Khan for a while now. It was probably about time to eat lunch. Clovis just hoped Lissa wasn't trying to hunt him and Kellam down with the rest.
Basilio grunted, "Or something. It's an inn, usually. I took it over for the day. Well, more like I was forced to take it over."
Basilio closed his eyes, "Dammit... We'll get something to eat."
He shouted, "Olivia! You can come down here now, it's fine. Bring a snack."
Clovis looked towards the stairs leading to the upper floor as he spoke, "Your daughter was here? Is this her inn?"
Basilio stiffly nodded, "She needs to learn how to balance coin someday if she's going to take my crown. You better be on your best behavior or so help me…"
Clovis brushed him off, "The boot, got it."
He heard the telltale sign of jingling metal as the Khan's daughter came down the stairs.
She had long pink hair tied in a ponytail, centered by braided strands of hair flanking both sides of her head. Bracelets and other jewelry covered her arms. Her body was nearly fully bared, just barely covered by white silk.
Clovis nearly coughed, choking on air, as he noticed her.
Why was the Khan's daughter wearing such revealing clothes?! This wasn't Plegia!
His eyes briefly roamed her figure, before Basilio elbowed his side.
Clovis decided it was far safer for his gaze to focus on the cake she held upon a tray.
Clovis could only thank Naga he had somewhat grown used to seeing such revealing outfits back in Plegia or he probably would have made a fool out of himself. He wasn't without… feelings. He just had to hold himself to a higher standard, lest he became Chrom and ended up with his own Cordelia.
He brushed off his sense of awkwardness as the skimpily clad daughter of the Khan approached the counter. He ignored the temptation of letting his eyes roam as she cut them both a slice of cake.
Clovis decided it would be in his best interest to distract himself by making conversation, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Olivia. Your father has been bragging about you to me. This is your inn, isn't it? It's very inviting."
Basilio was watching him like a hawk as Clovis kept his gaze firmly on Olivia's eyes and the cake. He was afraid to let his eyes slip further down.
Olivia looked away from him, "O-oh… It's very nice to, uhm, meet you too. Mr…?"
She seemed to somewhat panic before looking at her dad.
Basilio sighed, "He's Prince Clovis of Ylisse. He's also Cyrille Dusk, that arena fighter. We've negotiated, he's my new champion."
With the cake placed down on the table, Olivia hurriedly moved to stand at her father's side. She partially hid behind him, "P-Prince?"
Clovis heard her as she leaned in to whisper into her father's ear, "Papa, what do I do? You've never told me how to greet a foreign P-Prince! What if I embarrass us?"
She was clearly nervous and panicking. He felt bad for her, enough to try to break the tension.
He cut into his slice of cake with the fork she had provided, taking a bite out of it.
It was delicious, almost on par with some of the sweets the kitchen staff could make at home.
Clovis smiled as he pointed at the cake with the fork, "Did you make this? It's delicious! If you weren't Basilio's daughter, I'd offer you a position at the castle kitchen back home."
She stiffened, her face turning a bright shade of pink, "...Ah ha ha…"
She swiftly ran away back up the stairs. Her jewelry jingled the entire time she… moved… up the stairs. Clovis's gaze lingered on her retreating figure before Basilio's words caused him to look in the direction of the Khan.
"Dammit Olivia…" The Khan rose from his chair, placing his hand on Clovis's shoulder.
"Enjoy your snack. Leave the way you came in. A word of advice…"
The Khan's hand dug into Clovis's shoulder, "Don't get any ideas. Your heart is too dark for her."
The Khan began heading up the stairs, before he turned around.
"Show up at the arena today when the sun begins to set. I'll personally announce your status as my champion. The moment I do, my old rival will challenge you to a fight. He's always done that with each of my champions. Win or else."
Clovis nodded, "I understand, you have nothing to worry about. I'd win no matter who challenged me. Ylisse needs me to."
Basilio seemed satisfied by his words, turning his gaze back upwards, "Olivia!"
Clovis went back to eating the cake, it really was delicious.