A Drink Before Battle [MxM] ✅

19: He'll Need You

The camp was absolutely lousy with Alchemists.

Four more Alchemists had arrived from Valesk, after Urskatha petitioned the Lord Protector, and the Brinnish Alchemists began to visit regularly. In the days since receiving that news, it became increasingly common to see the flutter of a black cloak rounding a corner between the white tents, setting all the common soldiers on edge as the camp seemed haunted by these specters of death. The Alchemists packed themselves into the map pavilion like a roost of bats to strategize, or descended upon the training grounds like a murder of crows on a battlefield, creating otherwordly lightning storms in their maneuvers.

Sevei could only watch all of this from the sidelines. The Alchemists had closed ranks, shutting out even the common soldiers of the Fourth Martial Line, let alone anyone else. Once daily, he and Yanek would be called to the map tent for a perfunctory briefing, and that was all Sevei had seen or heard from Urskatha since that day.

He could have complained. He was just as much a General of this campaign as Urskatha, with every right to full involvement. He'd promised not to push, but should that include military business? That should be separate from their personal matters.

But, Sevei could see what Urskatha was doing, surrounding himself with all these Alchemists. It might look like he was taking control of the situation, organizing, planning, preparing...

Yeresym needed to feel safe. Sevei could only make him feel overwhelmed and anxious.

He couldn't forget Urskatha's reaction to his blunt declaration that day. He'd sent the man, still mending himself after loss and horror and a brush with death, into a panic attack. His heart still hurt to think of it. Sevei couldn't do anything about the fact that Urskatha's worst nightmare might show up here any day, but if a bit of distance was needed, he could give him that.

He couldn't bring himself to go too far away, though. He did make his promised trip to Tharlburg, but all in one day. He went alone at the crack of dawn, rode hard to the city, met with the suppliers, met with Kyrzhan, and then dashed back to camp as if he'd been on the end of a taut elastic band all day that now snapped him back, only coming to rest when he saw the light of candles in the map pavilion gleaming on that halo of pale hair bent down in conspiracy with the ravens.

The next day, he and Yanek went to pummel the frustrations out of each other on the training ground. To one side, all the common soldiers of both the Third Cavalry and the Fourth Martial Line trained together, practicing battle formations under the cooperation of both units' troop captains. The Sekkha were nearby there, and Sergeant Kahan with them, drilling for the special operations they would run. To the other side, Alchemists of Valesk and Brinland practiced their own tactics together in a riot of blazing blue-white energy and black-clad figures disappearing from one place to reappear in another. Sevei couldn't help but glance sharply at every sizzling arc of energy that flashed across his peripheral vision. Yanek got the best of him and sent him sprawling across the grass, abrading his jaw against the leather chin-strap of his helmet.

"You're distracted," Yanek said, handing him up with a perceptive sigh.

"Just tired," Sevei answered, removing his helmet to poke at his jaw. "The trip yesterday put me through it."

"You should have stayed overnight," Yanek admonished.

Sevei picked his shield up from the ground – the one Urskatha had given him – and looked across the field at the battling Alchemists, his gaze distant. He shook his head.

"I know," Yanek said in exasperation. "Well, if he's not talking to you, at least you got a fancy new shield out of the deal."

Sevei looked at his shield with a fond expression, then looked at the one Yanek held.