Northern Star.

8.

Simon panted as he leaned against an arrow target. 

He and the others had been sparring all afternoon. Though it had certainly felt more like play than actual fighting. He had been paired with Eskel, much to his dismay. 

It wasn't that he didn't like Eskel, in fact, the Witcher was nothing but kind, courteous and...really handsome. It was the last fact that Simon feared, even if he never saw his home again, even if he stayed with the Witchers or set back out onto the path to find a new life, he could never be with Eskel. 

The Witcher in question sat beside Simon, offering the other a flask of what Simon thought to be water wordlessly. 

"Oh-uh...thank you" Simon said, taking the flask and taking a few gulps before offering it back to Eskel who took his own drink before looking back to Simon, 

"You're too stiff" 

"Pardon?" 

"You're too stiff, you need to loosen up while fighting" 

Simon nodded, pulling his legs to his chest and chewing on his lip. Eskel raised an eyebrow, 

"You don't do this often do you?"

"...Not really" Simon said, picking at his pants and Eskel hummed, scooting closer to Simon,

"Can I tell you a story?" he asked, golden eyes staring at Simon who's heart began beating quicker as if trying to escape, 

"You will tell me even if I say no..." 

Eskel chuckled, "I'm not Lambert" 

Simon scrunched his nose, nodding slowly, "Fine then" 

Eskel nodded, looking back to Lambert who was fighting Tatiana, Geralt fighting against Max. 

"When he was a boy, Lambert used to hide from sword practice" Eskel began, lowly as if not wanting his younger brother to hear him, "one time, we bribed him with honey cake...if he won, he'd get a whole cake to himself" 

Simon looked at Lambert. The man was a bit shorter than his two brothers but had the same blazing golden eyes as them, Simon giggled a bit. 

"What happened after that?" Simon asked and Eskel laughed a bit, 

"Well...Lambert gave it his all, never saw him fight like that before that day" 

"Did he get the cake?" 

"Yes...Geralt and I got smacked round the head for bribing him" 

Simon laughed at the idea of little Eskel pouting from being smacked. Eskel nudged Simons shoulder and smiled, taking another drink as Simon's laughter died down. The man tilting his head in thought before Max plopped down beside him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and Geralt sat beside Max silently. 

"They're still at it" Max said, watching Tatiana and Lambert. 

"That all you got?" Lambert asked though he was panting. Tatiana grit her teeth, Lambert spread his arms wide and grinned. Eyes going wide as Tatiana lunged for him with her sword which he blocked. 

Max thought the two looked more like dancers. Despite Tatiana having rarely held a sword, she was quite the natural, fighting against Lambert. 

Lambert knocked Tatiana to the ground, the woman hardly wasting a moment before she swung her sword for Lambert's legs which he jumped to avoid, Tatiana standing quick and narrowing her eyes at Lambert. 

The two kept fighting. The other four watching closely and Max gasped as a sword went flying, landing neatly on some hay. 

Lambert held his hands up slowly as Tatiana held the tip of her sword to his throat. Smirking with still narrowed eyes, 

"Nice form" Lambert said and Tatiana chuckled, 

"You flatter me" 

"I would love to fight against you again...close range, daggers perhaps" 

"I will consider" Tatiana said, moving her sword from Lambert's throat and impaling it into the ground, walking off with Max and Simon getting up to follow her. 

Eskel and Geralt went over to their brother who was staring at where Tatiana had left, eyes wide. Eskel waved a hand in front of Lambert's face who blinked, 

"Least he's not in a complete daze" Geralt said, crossing his arms and Lambert sighed, 

"What a woman" He said softly, 

"As if any of them would ever like us" Eskel said, yanking Tatiana's sword from the ground. Lambert rolled his eyes, 

"Let a man have his fantasies" 

"Fantasy? Of what? Bedding a woman who could kick your ass?" Geralt asked and Lambert, shockingly, flushed a bit. Eskel and Geralt looked at Lambert, looked at where the three had left and then at each other before bursting into laughter. Lambert scowled. 

"What's so funny?!" He demanded and Eskel howled with laughter, Geralt being the one to speak though through laughter, 

"You fancy her!" 

Lambert went redder, "So what if I do!?" 

"Never thought I'd see the day Lambert gets a crush" Eskel said, wiping his eyes before mockingly sniffling, "they grow up so fast, don't they Geralt?" 

"Feels like just yesterday he was saying how he'd never fall in love" Geralt said with a grin and Lambert huffed, 

"A mans opinion on things can change you know..." Lambert grumbled, "and it's not love, I'll be damned if I fall in love!" 

With that, he stormed off, Geralt looking to Eskel and holding out a hand, 

"Ten gold crowns says he becomes like a lovesick pup before winters end" 

Eskel took Geralt's hand, shaking it, "Deal".