Benjamin slammed the door of the apartment shut, he hated to even think it. But his uncle was right, his actions were contradicting his words. And he didn't like it one bit. His father poked his head through the doorway of his own room.
"Were you successful?" he asked. Benjamin nodded, but didn't say anything. "Good, not that I suspected anything less from you."
"Except it wasn't me who closed the rift, it was not our people who defeated the Riftwalkers." Benjamin snapped. "It was Kiara who closed the rift, you remember her? The daughter you left for dead? The one with 'not enough magic'? She closed the rift without knowing how, she led the Lordling's army towards the rift. They fought with the Riftwalkers without proper training. They were in time, got the people of the small village out. And we were too late to do anything. Next time I just round up the men and leave, I am not going to look for you and beg you on my knees for permission. I have a duty, I have...." his father slapped him across the face.
"Watch your tone, boy." he said in a low, growling voice. "I am the leader of the Core of Protection, and above all that I am your father."
"And you are doing a bad job on both fronts, big brother." uncle Bjarne said, he appeared just behind Benjamin. When did he come back? Benjamin left him behind at the village, and he was the one who brought Kiara too, the Gods knows where. But that those not matter right now, they needed to put his father in his place. Yes, he was the leader, but he wasn't the one who needed to fight the Riftwalkers. He was the one who stayed behind, and he didn't have any right to hold Benjamin back. "Your boy, here, is the one who can sense when and where a rift is going to open. Just like dad before him, and as such, he needs to have the freedom to leave this compound when ever he sees fit. And your daughter is doing great, she was still asleep after her performance. But she is fine, thought you want to know."
"Well, you thought wrong, little brother." Benjamin's father replied. "And he is not leaving this compound without my permission!" He now pointed towards Benjamin. But Benjamin shock his head.
"You are delusional to think that I am ever going to ask you. When I feel a rift, I am going, and there is nothing you can say or do to stop me." Benjamin said, and he passed by his uncle and father. He had said all he needed to say, he was a fucking adult right now, and Uncle Bjarne was right. It was highly time to grow the fuck-up and make his own decisions. He opened his room and... "Emma, what in the name of the Gods are you doing in here?" Emma Olesen was a young woman with long walnut brown hair and summer green eyes. She was sitting on his bed, dressed in something that could be described as a translucent dress. Making his question rather stupid, she was here on the orders. His father has pushing him towards women before. One of the reasons that he was so late by the rift was because his father wanted his opinion. Well, clearly, the old Håber, has taken matters into his own hands. "You know what, do not answer that. I was just surprised to see someone else inside my room." Emma nodded, clearly glad that she didn't have to answer anything. Benjamin wanted to curse out loud, but he didn't. Knowing that Emma would think that his anger was directed at her. He shock his head and sighed, stepping closer towards her. Keeping his eyes locked on hers, not daring to look down at anything else. "Please only answer with your head. Do you know why you are her?" from all the women his age, his father picked this shy girl. Emma nodded. Alright, that skips the need to explain things. "I am not going to do anything if you do not agree with this." he said softly, hoping that his father didn't hear the statement. Emma just gave him a soft smile, placing her hand on his cheek.
"I consider it to be an honor to carry your child." she whispered softly. "I am fine with it, and you are so sweet for asking my consent." He nodded, glad that she thought so. But he wasn't sure about any of this, he knew that he needed to get his ass in gear. Literally, it seems, to create the next generation. He stepped closer to Emma, she might be shy, she was however a strong warrior. Just as strong as Kiara, so she wouldn't be a bad choice to carry his children. He knew that his father wanted him to sleep with multiple women to enhance the chance, but he knew that it was not something he would do. If he picked a woman, he would stick with her until the end of his days. And again, Emma wouldn't be a bad choice. He wanted to explain this all to Emma, and he did.
"Now that you know all of this, do you still agree?" he asked. She nodded again, there was a shimmer in her summer green eyes. He smiled, and kissed her softly on her cheek. "Well, then there is nothing that is going to stop me now."
********
Arion was sitting on the same chair as he did a week ago, his head was bobbing slightly. He was so tired, but there was no way that he was going to lay down or fall asleep. Not while Kiara was still asleep, after what he has heard from her uncle, he wanted to be there for her. He wanted to give her everything her own bloody family couldn't give her. And he wasn't even thinking about gifts, which was something that made his stomach turn every time he thought about it. Although, he considered his childhood a bit harsh, with his father being away all the time and his mother resenting him for it. But still, he was able to say that his parents loved him, that they can't wait for him to get home. Kiara started to stir in her sleep, it appeared to him that she was suffering from a nightmare. He got up from his chair and took place on the side of the bed. Whipping her strawberry hair out of her face.
"Please do not leave me?" she whimpered, repeatedly. His blood started to boil, who was leaving her in her dreams. Her father, brother, mother, the rest of her family? It didn't matter, and at the same time it did. She was clearly pleading towards someone to stay.
"Don't you worry, I am not going anywhere. I am going to stay right here." he whispered. Tom entered the room.
"Captain, you are needed." Tom said. But Arion shook his head, and motioned towards Kiara. Who at that moment grabbed his arm tight.
"Please do not leave me?" she whimpered again. Arion glanced towards her, and then back to Tom. Hoping that he was able to see that he was needed here. Tom's mouth thinned out.
"Your father is here, captain. But I can clearly see that you are needed here." Tom said. Arion almost jumped up, his father was here. What, in the name of the Gods, was his father doing here? "Should I ask him to join you in here?" Arion nodded, even if he wanted, he wasn't able to leave. Kiara's grip was strong. Tom moved away and not much later his father joined him inside the room.
"Father," he said shortly.
"Arion, I see why you were not able to meet me outside." his father said softly. "Who is she?" Arion slowly wiggled with his head, knowing that large parts of her story were not his to tell. So he told his father the basic's instead, her name and what she can do. His father nodded slowly. "One of your men showed me a corpse of what you just named a Riftwalker." That had to be Tom. "I can't believe that they are the creatures responsible for this mess. What I can believe is that our ancestors turned those of her organization away, even if they had solid proof. Everyone before your grandfather was kind of arrogant. I believe my mother or grandmother had something to do with my father's kindness. Ohh, she is waking up." Arion turned his attention towards Kiara, and indeed her gray eyes slowly opened up.
"Welcome back," Arion whispered. She gave him a smile. "We have company," her gaze snapped towards his father.
"Lord Carl Snemåne, at your service." his father introduced himself. "My son told me a little bit about you, and your organization. At least the parts he felt comfortable sharing," so his father had noticed that he left out some parts. "But that is how his mother and I raised him, so I can't blame him for that." Kiara sat up straight and smiled.
"Thank you," she whispered, and then started to tell her story herself. Some parts were simply repeats of what Arion shared, but his father didn't comment on that. He simply nodded and listened.
"I am so sorry to hear about your family, although there is nothing I could have done to prevent it. As a father myself, I can't fathom the idea of treating my son like your father treated you." his father said, and Arion knew that he meant it. "But like my son, I thank you for your efforts and providing the answers we desperately needed. I am not going to tell you that there is no place for a woman inside the Snemåne army, because that is no longer up to me. That is up to my son, and he, like yourself, told me that you are a trained fighter. I agree with your uncle though, this army is not suited to fight those monsters, at least not yet, and so I will ask you to train them to the best of your abilities." Arion nodded, it was indeed up to Arion to decide who to include inside this army. A privilege to his duty, but he never used it before.
"I will train them, as best as I can. Sir." she replied with a nod. Arion smiled, knowing that she would do more than just her best.
"Good, then, instead of one group fighting and one cleaning up after them. We have two groups, and hopefully no more clean up." his father said with a smile. "So what I want you to do right now is go back to sleep. You did a lot today, from what I have heard." She nodded and lay back down. Arion placed a simple woolen sheet over her and walked out of the room together with his father.
*******
"She seems nice, strong and more than capable to hold her own. When she is awake, at least. I heard that you barely beat her in a duel." his father said, while they arrived in the mess hall. Various soldiers gathered around to grab something to eat or just finished up and went out to do their chores. Tom who was standing on the otherside of the food line serving food, nodded.
"After she beat up me a few times, sire." Tom said. Arion placed his hand before his mouth.
"Ten," he said while coughing. Tom looked at him with narrowed eyes. His father started to chuckle. "But what you heard is true, father." His father lowered his head. "And I am not ashemed to admit it. She is a strong warrior, and I am not surprised at all about that, after fighting with those Riftwalkers myself." His father looked at him.
"Please son, I am so glad that we finally have the answer to what plagues our lands. But I am not willing to lose you, so that we can get rid of them. If that is even posible." his father said, they sat down at one of the tables. Eating their food.
"Captain," one of the soldiers approced him. He was in charge of the firewood, and today he should be part of that team. He forgot all about that, he cursed.
"I am so sorry, it totally slipped my mind." he said. The soldier nodded.
"You had much going on, so I understand." the soldier said, but Arion shook his head. No that was not an excuse, if someone other then him forsakes his duty, he would have punished them. And he shouldn't be any different.
"How late am I?" he asked. Which earned him a strange look from his father.
"Half an hour, Captain." the soldier replied, Arion nodded and stood up.
"I am sorry father, but I forgot that I needed to gather firewood for the forges and kitchen." Arion said, his father now looked even more confused. But he stood up as well.
"Do you mean to say that you are doing the same type of chores as the rest of your men?" his father asked and Arion nodded. "Laundry, cooking, cleaning out stables." Arion nodded again and his father's dark brown eyebrows shot up.
"Is there something wrong with that?" Arion asked, and his father shook his head.
"No, but let me help you as well." and so they walked out of the mass hall to gather the firewood. "So this is your way of earning respect from your men?" His father asked and Arion nodded as a reply. His arms were filled with small sticks, and some pinecones. His father was the one who told him to do so, and he saw no shame in participating in day to day tasks. "Smart, you are showing to them that you are not above them. But that you are one of them. But I have a hard time picturing you cooking something." Arion started to chuckle.
"To be fair, I am banned from touching the food while it is boiling. I am only allowed to peel the patatoes and clean the vegtibles." Arion said. His father started to laugh. loudly.
"That woman, Kiara. Is she also doing day to day tasks?" he asked and Arion nodded.
"Only not tomorrow. I learned from her uncle that it will be her birthday, I also learned that her family never celibrated it. They even took away every present that wasn't a weapon." he said and his father started to curse. "I am thinking of taking her through the village, and ask the men to prepare something nice for dinner." his father nodded.
"And what do you plan to give her?" his father said. "It is a bit late to get something made, or to buy something expencive like jewelry." Arion nodded towards a meadow, on there was a whole herd of horses. Their owner was a man that lived inside the village, and Arion already planned on meeting him after Kiara had woken up. "A horse?"
"She always wanted one, according to my source, her uncle. But her father never saw the need to give her one." Arion replied and his father nodded.
"Well I say lets deliver this firewood, and then we are going to buy her a horse." Arion didn't miss the word 'we'. His fatehr really wanted to help him with this and there was nothing that would stop him from doing so.
