The Red Glaive

Caius hadn’t come to train for days. He was placed alone in one of the rooms so that he could rest after his time in the dungeon but it had nearly been a week and Caius had yet to present himself to the overseer. Every time Aeria or Niko showed up to his room, he claimed to be tired and that he needed more rest after being unable to sleep in the prison for days. Aeria couldn’t judge him if it had been a couple days, it just wasn’t like Caius to take so much time off.

Aeria had the sinking feeling that it wasn’t his time in the dungeon as he claimed rather it was what had been revealed in the trial afterwards that had him so down. Anytime she approached the topic, Caius shut her down immediately or told her to leave. He hadn’t left the room.

The only person that could’ve helped him, Reimar, left nearly as soon as the trial was over. Aeria hunted him down after and found him in the stables readying his horse.

“Reimar!” Aeria had shouted angrily. “You need to talk with Caius!” he had to explain himself to his son, Caius deserved to know about his mother. “Then you need to talk to me!” She needed to reprimand him for waiting so long to speak about Caius’ mother and to ask about her father as a glaive. The sages seemed to know about her father well enough.

“I don’t intend to stay here with longer than I need too.” He said securing the saddle to his black steed. “They’ll all start whispering soon, I hate the capital. People never have anything to do here.” he grumbled.

“Then stay for Caius.” Aeria said.

“Last person he wants to talk to is me.” Reimar said.

“You don’t know that!” Aeria said. There was no way to gauge Caius’ stoic expression during the trial. But Reimar climbed atop his black horse regardless. “He needs you, you’re his father!”

“You and Grieppila are here for him already.” he had said before climbing atop his horse. “So be there for him.” he said before galloping away. Caius had been released later on the day. Reimar had been so quick to leave Caius didn’t even get to say goodbye.

“Damn it all.” Aeria said at Caius’ door after he refused to open it. He had just kicked her out after mentioning about the trial.

“What are you doing?” Niko said coming up to her. He had his citole on his back, he was probably practicing in some dark corner somewhere where no one could listen.

“He’s not answering.” Aeria replied. Caius was roomed in one of the few empty rooms left. They were saved for the King’s Brand glaives but they had yet to go through the Branding. It only happen after all the apprentices came out of the chamber. The very last group had gone in a few days ago.

“He’ll come out when he’s ready.” Niko said sensibly.

“Caius! Come on open the door!” Aeria said shouting through the wood. She couldn’t stand leaving him alone, especially when she knew he needed someone there for him.

“Will you shut your mouth already?” Telfer’s voice came from the empty room next door. Both Niko and Aeria turned to face him. This particular hall’s rooms were being spared for the King’s Brand adepts that had yet to go through the Branding. No doubt Caius would have to be moved to accommodate them when they joined them. Telfer’s presence in his hall was a mystery when their own rooms had been already been decided.

“What are you even doing here Telfer?”

“Needed to make sure these rooms weren’t better than the others.”

“They’re all the same,” Aeria said curtly. “Are you spying on us? Or do I need to knock you on your ass again?”

“As if your mediocre life was of any interest to me.” Telfer huffed.

“We have the same life right now imbecile,” Aeria replied. They were both training to become glaives. “Now move along while I break down this door.”

“Why don’t you just use the key?” Telfer said and Aeria stared at him dumbly. She had walked by the keys on their hook everyday and never paid them any mind. “No one is supposed to be in these rooms so they leave the keys at the end of the hall.”

The soft creaking noise brought Aeria’s attention back to the door. Caius had opened his door. If he was feeling anything, Aeria couldn’t tell. Both his eyes and face were completely stoic. “We’re going out.” he said.

“Yes! Let’s go!” Aeria said. It didn’t matter to her, she just didn't want him alone and wallowing in self pity. “Right Niko?”

“Uhh.” was all Niko said. “Sure.”

“You, asshole.” Caius pointed to Telfer. “You’re coming too.” There was no arguing with Caius, everyone knew that. All he had to do was walk into the training yard and everyone would scamper away. Telfer had no choice, you just didn’t say no to Caius.

Caius left like he was on a mission, one that no one couldn’t quite help him on, not even Aeria. The best she could do was stand by his side.

They arrived at a tavern, a favorite of Caius’. It was noisy and as close but out of sight of the Ivory Bastion. Inside, many a drunk spoke slurred nonsensical arguments while the bar tavern whores sat upon their laps. Upstairs, those same women slept with passing strangers to feed hungry children back at home.

Everyone seemed to know Caius, women greeted him cheerily while some of the men walked up to greet him. Caius walked up to the best table in the tavern and the drunk group that sat there took one look at Caius’ and immediately vacated the table. Caius wiped clean the table with a sweep of his arm and dropped himself on the stool. Aeria and Niko, his citole still slung across his back, sat down too while Telfer lingered standing.

“Sit.” Caius ordered. Telfer gulped and sat down.

The beer maid came and placed a drink before Caius. “What will your friends be having?” she said eyeing the new customers.

“They’ll be having what I’m having.” Caius said.

“You seem miffed? Something the matter?” the brown eyed woman said.

“Just get the drinks Perii.” Caius said, and began to chug his own drink.

“I don’t see why I need to be here.” Telfer said nervously and glanced quickly at Aeria. Perhaps he thought Aeria had told Caius what had happened.

“The more the merrier.” Caius said dropping his empty drink.

Perii returned with their drinks and brought an extra of Caius who started to drink immediately. Aeria took a hold of her cup but didn’t drink. Telfer began drinking almost immediately, while Niko eyed his drink reluctantly.

“Come on, don’t make me drink alone.” Caius said after lowering his drink to notice his friends still very much sober. There was something in his voice that wasn’t quite right.

“Bottoms up!” Aeria said raising her cup. She, Niko and Telfer all took a swig. The taste was bitter all the way down.

The few times Aeria accompanied Caius during his outings he had always began with alcohol, that wouldn’t change now. He’d find a woman and abandon them soon enough for the rooms upstairs. It’d be up to her to comfort him then.

“Are you going to play something for us Niko?” Caius said pointing at the citole strapped to his back. Niko lowered his cup, half his drink already gone.

“You didn't let me drop it off!” the blond boy defended. Aeria had practically dragged everyone out of the caverns before Caius changed his mind and retreated back into his room.

“I bet you can’t even play it.” Telfer said under his breath. No doubt he had seen Niko lug about the training grounds.

Niko smiled. “I can.” he said. “I just want it to be perfect.”

“You just want to attract women.” Telfer said with sneer.

“What?!” Aeria exclaimed with a laugh. That was so out of his character for Niko it was hilarious that Telfer would think that of him.

“I never thought of that.” Caius said mulling it over. “Fucking bards.”

“You’re an idiot.” Aeria said, there on the edge of his lips a small smile appeared.

“I have heard that bards win over a lot of women. . .” Niko paused and looked at Aeria. “Do you think Elyon would like it if I played for her?” he had said it so abruptly it took a while for Aeria to think it over.

Elyon was a recluse. Her work as a healer was her life. Anything outside the walls of the shrine didn’t matter to her so she never left. The other sisters liked to talk about her for it. “Play for her.” Aeria said finally. If only to see Elyon's reaction. Niko glanced down at his citole nervously.

“Who’s Elyon?” Caius asked.

“She’s a sister at the shrine and the best healer they have!” Niko beamed.

“The shrine? What were you doing there?” Caius asked. Aeria glanced at Telfer who looked away. “Did you beat his ass Ariel?” Caius laughed. “There’s a glaive medic we’re supposed to go to, or was Telfer too much of pussy to deal with the pain.”

“I didn’t come here to be ridiculed.” Telfer said standing, his face red.

“No, you came cause you're scared shitless of me.” Caius said. “Now sit, drink. We’re having a good time.” Telfer glanced at Niko at Aeria. “Don’t make me get up Telfer.” Caius warned and with that, Telfer sat back down slowly. Then turning back to Niko and Aeria, Caius asked, “Should I meet this Elyon?”

“No!” both Niko and Aeria answered in unison and Caius shrugged defensively.

“There’s plenty of women here.” Telfer said eyeing a particularly busty woman being taught to play a card game a few tables down. “Not that any would want to be with a brute like you.”

“Perii!” Caius called from across the room. The older girl turned to their table and Caius waved her over. Her brown hair was disheveled from work.

“You need something hun?” She said, but Caius grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her on to his lap. Perii giggled before Caius planted a sloppy kiss on her lips. He pulled away only to give Telfer a smug smile.

“That’s the Caius I remember.” Perii smiled and kissed him again.

His point proven, Caius let Perii go so that she could fetch them more drinks. So they stayed and the drinks kept coming. Strangely, Caius stayed with them instead of going to find a women to sleep with. Somehow, Caius drank twice what Aeria did. At some point in the night Aeria stopped drinking, despite Caius ordering more and more. As adepts, they were granted a small allowance from the Red Glaive for whatever luxuries they pleased, but there was no way Caius could afford it. Maybe since everyone seemed to love Caius, they would let it slide.

At some point, a man came up to their table and demanded an arm wrestling rematch from Caius. Already inebriated, Caius knocked over most of the cups on the table when he slammed the man’s hand against the table in defeat. They went a few rounds with Caius winning each one before the man admit defeat. He vowed he’d get him on another day.

As more drinks came, the looser their tongues became. And none spoke more than Telfer who grew friendlier and more talkative the more he drank. He spoke about growing up in an orphanage along the Durus-Flumina border. The children were made to work and since no one really cared for taking in any children when they could have their own. Only slavers came to take them away. The only way out was through the Red Glaive unless you were lucky enough to be chosen by a knight as a squire.

Niko spoke of his family, his parents and older brother who was set to rule over their land as Baron Grieppila. Niko had only been a precautionary child, in case the first didn’t turn out to be exactly how they wanted. When he did, they shipped off Niko to be a glaive. Niko had hoped became a sage eventually but the alcohol mad him reveal that the did not enjoy the animosity between the two groups and vowed to remain a glaive for the rest of his life.

Eventually Perii returned to her seat at Caius’ lap. She whispered in his ear, and nibbled at his earlobe and neck. No one payed her mind as Niko and Telfer went on discussing who had it hardest growing up. Eventually, Niko conceded while Telfer went on and on about how difficult it was growing up in the orphanage.

Aeria who had remained mostly calm was brought into the conversation when Niko claimed her life as a fisherman’s son was much harder. Aeria had to go into depth on the difficulty of fishing without ever gone fishing a day in her life. There was only nonsense spewing out of her lips but the alcohol made it easy. Niko and Telfer seemed convinced and Telfer remained adamant that his life was still hardest.

Caius drank not really saying much, just listening with Perii kissing and running her hands over his hair and body. By the entrance, a fight broke out at a table over a card game and two inebriated men fought clumsily over broken chairs. Caius sat at his table watching, but not really watching. Aeria realized that Caius needed this. He needed the chaos and the noise to keep his mind at ease.

As the evening grew longer, Caius slinked away to the rooms upstairs with a content Perii at his side like he usually did. Aeria seemed to be the only one who noticed as Niko and Telfer continued talking. Niko’s friendliness and Telfer’s drunkness made it easy for the two to communicate. But Caius’ absence bothered Aeria, though she couldn’t quite understand it.

After a while, and enough alcohol to push those thoughts aside, Aeria glanced at the doors to the tavern. There, still dressed in their training fatigues, were all the little barons, Brecht, Griffo, Loris, Friehei and Pynnis. Aeria had made a point to learn their names. They scanned the crowd with repulsion on their faces.

“You told your friends we were here?” Area said irritatedly before she really thought about it. He had been with them the entire time. There was no possible way for him to run off and tell them.

Telfer glanced at the entrance. He blinked a few times as if trying to get his eyes to focus. When Aeria and Niko had stopped drinking, Telfer had continued and nearly matched Caius drink for drink. Only Telfer wasn’t as big as Caius and lacked the tolerance. “Shit,” Telfer said with a heavy slur on the S before slipping under the table.

“Telfer?” Niko called to the very inebriated young man under the table to no response. Aeria tapped Niko on the shoulder and pointed at the doors. “Should we go?” he asked.

The group of newcomers easily spotted Aeria and Niko sitting at the finest table. “It’s too late.” Aeria said as they group walked through the mess of people to them. They didn’t even ask before they sat at their table, some having to take stools from others before being able to do so.

Niko edged closer to Aeria as the table began to fill and she felt her heart begin to race. Their capacity to do great harm wasn’t something she’d easily forget. “What do you want?” Aeria said, her voice surprisingly clam and her eyes staring down hard against those of Brecht. He smirked but she wouldn’t let them see her falter.

“What’s this?” Griffo said coming up last and pulled Niko’s citole from his back. Niko stood quickly, his face red, as if he was about to strike him but stopped himself.

“It’s a citole.” the brown eyed said politely with a hiccup. “My brother gave it to me.”

“What a useless thing.” Griffo said before tossing Niko’s citole to the floor near a group of especially rowdy patrons. Niko raced to retrieve it before it was crushed while Griffo took Niko’s empty seat. They laughed when as Niko came back with no where to sit. The whole front of his stringed instrument caked in a mysterious thick fluid.

“I heard you went to see a healer.” Brecht said his voice mocking and cold. “Real glaives deal with the pain not run to a sister like a coward the second they get a scratch.”

“I said, what do you want?” Aeria said boldly. Niko moved closer to her still holding his citole in hands.

“Calm yourself peasant, remember what happened last time.” Pynnis warned. He looked so much like Niko, they were probably from the same region of Glacies but his eyes lacked all the warmth in Niko’s.

“We’re not here to start nothing.” Loris said. “Right Brecht?”

Brecht stared down Aeria before saying. “That’s right. We wanted to train before going to bed.”

“Then go do it.” Aeria said.

“Now you see,” Brecht leaned closer to Aeria, he opened his palm and a small stone hopped up and down in his hand. He must’ve brought it in from outside specifically for this purpose. “We wanted to train but someone stole our practice dummy.”

“Look around moron, there is nothing for you here.” Aeria said.

“I beg to differ.” Brecht said and a loud thud was heard under the table just as the table jumped in place. Telfer slowly emerged from under the table. “There’s our dummy.”

“Are you avoiding us?” Friehei asked.

“N, no.” Telfer said, he seemed to have sobered up rather quickly. “I’ve just been a little busier than usual.”

“Looks like he’s been too busy sucking Ariel’s cock.” Pynnis said and they all laughed again. “I thought one beating was enough for you Telfer, and here you are asking for another.”

“It’s not like that!” Telfer said his voice growing frantic. “Th, they made me come here.”

“It’s alright Telfer.” Brecht said calmly. And rubbed his knuckle over Telfer’s head. “Let’s go back and get a training session you can get stronger remember.”

Telfer looked around miserably, but they were all set on using him.

“You can train without him.” Aeria said firmly knowing that she’d probably regret it later.

“If this weakling wants to run with us he has to be strong.” Brecht said. “Not get beat by the first worthless commoner, like you, he comes across.” Inside Aeria laughed. She was a Baron’s daughter. In terms of status she, as a woman, stood as their equal.

“Skill doesn't come with birth.” Aeria said standing. Caius was enough evidence to prove that. Niko stood by her, his brown eyes nervous but his feet standing firm.

“Peasant filth like you say that to justify your own existence.” Friehei said when Brecht couldn’t think of a response.

Just then, from the upstairs walkway, a shirtless Caius was thrown out of the room he had disappeared into with Perii. Perii angrily tossed his shirt over the railing where it feel into the pit of people below.

“Come back when you’re back to normal!” an angry Perii said before the she shut the door.

This seemed to be a regular occurrence as everyone in the tavern continued on with their drunken debauchery. The only people who had stopped to watch were those around Caius’ favorite table and the lucky man in the pit who acquired himself a free shirt. Caius turned to look at his people, and when his eyes fell on his table, Aeria swore she heard Brecht pucker up.

Caius left the upper walkway and came down the steps calmly like a lion descending upon an already incapacitated lamb. The cool sheen of sweat on his toned muscles was clearly visible when he came up on the table and Aeria felt her face grow hot.

“Off my chair fool, I sit there.” Caius said his body a lumbering tower standing over Brecht.

Brecht stood, but only to face Caius. He opened his mouth to say something before closing it again at a loss of what to say. He probably thought Caius was still locked away somewhere. Brecht seemed to weigh his options. If he threw a punch no doubt Caius would sit him back down in heart beat. The same couldn’t be said for Aeria and Niko however. If Brecht or Caius threw that punch, Aeria and Niko would be left to deal with Griffo, Loris, Friehei and Pynnis.

It was Telfer who chose to move first. With a shout, he rose to his feet and flipped the table with all of his might. It landed against another table where an intense card game was being played. The small gold coins flew everywhere. “Fucking asshole!” one of the players shouted and struck Friehei in the face. Loris jumped in to pull off the attacker only to be intercepted by another player with a full body tackle. They landed on a table where a man just shrugged and started pummeling his neighbor. Pynnis and Griffo went off in a futile attempt to help their friends as more and more people began to join in on the rampant violence.

Telfer could be seen racing around the tavern flipping tables into the intoxicated brawlers. The whole tavern had joined in by then. A complete and utter stranger decided to take a round at Aeria, but she had seen his messy swing from a mile away. Aeria dodged it and the man, who had put all his drunken strength behind the blow, tumbled forward into what looked like Griffo being pinned down by a heavy set man.

A bottle flew across the room and landed on the side of Telfer’s face. Blood and rum dripped down Telfer’s head. He stumbled but Niko, coming out of the throngs of people, managed to catch him.

“Ariel!” Niko called holding up Telfer who staggered in his step. “I got him!” he said, “Get Caius, he’s going to kill him!”

Aeria turned and saw Caius holding Brecht in a deadly headlock. Brecht’s face was starting to turn blue and his eyes looked like they were about to pop from their sockets. Aeria raced over and shouting for him to stop but her voice was lost over the chaos.

Just as Aeria was within arm’s reach, she jabbed her hand onto his side. He jumped, releasing Brecht, and whirled around to face his attacker. Aeria had seen his blow coming and pulled back and away. He missed but just barely, clearly the alcohol made him sloppy. He took a painful grip on her shoulder to keep her from moving away and pulled back his hand before he realized who it was he was holding.

“Ariel.” he said it finally dawning on him.

“Let’s go!” Aeria said loudly and Caius allowed her to lead him out of the mess the tavern had become. They managed to escape out a window, the cool wind only reminded how hot and muggy the tavern had become. It was so quiet outside. Niko and Telfer must’ve found their own way. “We need to get back to the caverns.” Aeria said and tugged Caius along. They were at the mouth of the alley that led back to the Ivory Bastion when Caius laughed. There was a bite in his laugh.

“Let’s go back I wasn't done with that asshole.” he said light heartedly though she wasn’t sure if he was serious or not.

“If you kill him you loose your sword.” Aeria reminded him and dragged farther into the narrow alleyway. A glaive was not to harm another person. Their whole existence was to protect. If they took a life, they would loose the ability to call forth their glaive blade or the chance to even acquire it.

“So what.” Caius said as he snatched his body away from her. He stumbled in his step.

“What do you mean ‘so what’?” Aeria said. Caius leaned against the brick wall his eyes heavy. “You’ve wanted this longer than all of us.” Aeria stared him down but Caius refused to look at her. “Caius?”

“All this to make him happy.” Caius said anger in his voice and fury suddenly burning his emerald eyes. “To make him proud of me, to make him want me. Is this what you’ve been wanting to hear? Ariel, Reimar never wanted me. I was a mistake.” His green eyes had never looked so hopeless. “You know, I always thought I’d get to meet her someday. That Reimar had to keep me away from her for whatever reason, but now I know she’s dead. Been dead the whole time I’ve been alive, and Reimar,” he laughed like his life was a cruel joke and slid down the wall till he was sitting on the floor. “Reimar kept it from me because he thought she wasn’t important enough to even remember her name.”

“Caius. . .” but Aeria didn’t know what to say.

“You know I always pictured her. . . my mother. . as the most beautiful woman I can imagine.” he looked down and rubbed his eyes with his hand. He kept hand over his face shielding his eyes. “Now, all I can picture is the last whore I convinced to bed with me, and tonight with Perii. . I just couldn’t.” his breathing changed. “But Reimar is gone again without even bothering to say goodbye.” Caius continued. “He always leaves and leaves me a thick bag of gold coins so that he can walk away without any guilt. He doesn’t care. He didn’t care about my mother and he doesn’t care about me.” he chuckled miserably. “He treats me the way he treated her.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out a fat coin purse and smashed it against the wall. Hundreds of gold coins scattered everywhere. “He tires to buy me just like he bought her.”

Aeria took a seat next to Caius. “Can you imagine Reimar’s face?” she said with a small smile.

“Huh?”

“When that priest arrived with you in his arms.” Aeria said and Caius stared at her confused. “Reimar could’ve sent you away to live in at an orphanage, or just left you with the priest. Reimar didn’t have to take you in, but he did.” Caius watched her intently. “Your mother too. A whore doesn’t have a child if she doesn’t want it.” There were many ways a woman could terminate a pregnancy, “So you must’ve meant something special to her if you she decided to keep you. Reimar too. Maybe Reimar actually loved this woman but would rather tarnish his reputation instead of admitting that great and mighty Reimar actually fell in love.”

Aeria stood. “Reimar wouldn't have come all this way if he didn’t care Caius.” she said before offering him her hand. He smiled meekly and took her hand before heaving himself to his feet. “Let get back.” Aeria said but when she looked back at him she saw his eyes downcast. He was thinking again and she could see all the doubt and negativity slowly coming back to his face and undoing everything she had just done to bring him comfort. “Caius?”

And when he looked at her, there were tears in those green eyes of his.

He looked so hopeless and so miserable before she could stop herself, Aeria wrapped her arms around Caius’ bare shoulders and pulled him into a hug. She could not heal his pain, it was all she could do to comfort him at that point. She felt like crying too for being so useless to help pull her friend from his dark despair. Surprisingly, he hugged her back. She knew that Caius only saw his friend Ariel but there was a strange warmth all over her body. Her face felt especially hot and her chest burned, no it wasn’t her chest. The stone around her neck was scorching hot against her skin. Aeria shoved Caius away.

Caius’ green eyes filled with confusion. Had they always been that green? Aeria gulped as the stone began to cool. It was still whole. “I, uh, I just thought you needed one.” she said and Caius confusion faded.

“You’re such a sap Ariel,” Caius said half heartedly and shoved her lightly. “But thank you.”