Blood-Forged

200 and some odd years ago...

“This doesn’t feel like the start of an epic journey.” Ves’hil’n said with a pout, staring out the window of the carriage.

“Oh? Why is that?” Eun asked.

“Ves’hil’n slowly turned to face him, leaning back. There was an open book on Eun’s lap that he was looking down at intently. Ves’hil’n crossed his arms over his chest, his pout getting more prominent. “I just thought that ‘riding’ out to battle would have more...urgency to it.”

Eun calmly turned the page and said without looking up, “we are not exactly riding off to war yet. We are on a diplomatic mission to Daraien to collect the Soothsayer’s prophesied final hero.”

Ves’hil’n slouched lower in his seat, “well, it’s boring.” Eun merely hummed in response, letting the carriage with the two of them in it driven by Tejara lapse into silence.

Within seconds Ves’hil’n’s leg was bouncing and his fingers were tapping against his arm. The silence only lasted two minutes before Ves’hil’n killed it, “what are you reading?”

“Records of past diplomatic missions to Daraien.”

“Ugh!” Ves’hil’n threw himself to the side, slumping against the wall of the carriage. “So! Fucking! Boring!” He lurched forward and ripped the book out of Eun’s hands, unceremoniously tossing it over his shoulder. Eun sighed and relaxed against the back of his seat, slowly looking up. Ves’hil’n crouched in the center of the carriage, looking up at his teacher and bodyguard.

After a few beats of silence, Eun sighed, “are you trying to start a fight, Your Highness? I assure you it won’t be a fun one in this cramped space.”

“No,” Ves’hil’n sighed, leaning forward to rest his cheek on Eun’s knee. Eun jolted, ears turning red. “Just talk to me, Teacher, I’m bored.”

Eun swallowed thickly, “sit in your seat properly. You’ll bite your tongue off like that if we hit a bump.”

Despite it being what he asked, Eun frowned a bit when Ves’hil’n raised his head off his lap and sat down. Eun rested his chin in his hand, staring at his prince. When Ves’hil’n didn’t say anything for a full minute, Eun raised his eyebrows, “well?”

Ves’hil’n pursed his lips, thinking of something to say. Finally, he said, “I think there is something going on between Brother and the Soothsayer.”

Eun smothered the smile that quirked at his lips, “oh? What is something?”

Ves’hil’n shrugged noncommittally, “I don’t know they just seemed to be planning something together.”

“I think what they are planning is their wedding.” Eun crossed his legs.

Ves’hil’n’s eyes went wide and he jumped out of his seat, nearly hitting his head on the roof of the carriage, “REALLY?”

Eun nodded, “they kept rather close to each other, whispering often. And I caught a few smitten looks being sent between them.... Plus a servant caught them kissing.” Ves’hil’n settled back in his seat, chewing on his lip contemplatively. “What do you think? Are they a good match?”

“Well if they are happy that’s all that really matters to me... Uling seems like a good woman...” Ves’hil’n’s face suddenly shifted into a sneer, “much better than that Xeit guy. I don’t like him one bit.”

“Neither do I. He has far too big of a chip on his shoulder.”

... Following behind the small carriage holding the three heroes from Kon was one being driven by Kliali that held Xeit and Uling inside. Uling stared out the window, her forehead pressed against the glass, her eye twitching as Xeit droned on and on about that “bestial woman” attacking him and how Kliali couldn’t be trusted to drive the carriage because ‘she’ was crazy enough to crash it just to spite him. Uling closed her eyes and tuned him out as best she could on the long road to Daraien.