Ruler's Trials

Chapter 6

"What will you do first after becoming a noble?", Savar was still finishing his dinner, and Karel was getting ready for bed. Tonight, Savar will be on guard in the first shift.

Karel looked at him, "Probably buy a wife."

"You mean to ask her father for her hand in marriage?"

"Yes, that's a nice way of saying it, but realistically men buy women."

"Hmm, I didn't experience it that way."

"How many wives do you have?"

"Two and three children."

"And how do you like married life?"

"I can't complain, they are good women and fulfill their marital obligations."

Karel tried to stifle his laughter, "Sometimes I wish I was born on another planet, to another race. Where marriage is neither a transaction nor an obligation, but something more."

"More than having children? What else could it be?"

"Absolutely nothing. Good night, Savar.", Karel covered himself with a blanket up to the tip of his nose and closed his eyes.

"Good night, Karel.", Savar kept his eyes on the little man across from him. An enigma for several reasons. Against all odds, he was in the last round of the Trials. In the beginning, he was an attraction for the masses, but now he has turned into a serious competitor. He was haunted by the fact that this boy preoccupied him more than winning the Ruler's Trials. Male Snajans had strong instincts to protect their wives and children, but none of his wives awakened in him what the mere sight of Karel would have caused. Karel was smart, determined and competent. Throughout the competition, in moments of relaxation, Karel's face was the one that afforded him pleasure, never once thinking of one of his wives. And then again, it was unheard of among the Snajans to have attraction between the same sexes. He knew about this option with some other races, but not with the Snajans.

Savar sighed, on the one hand he couldn't wait to get off the moon as soon as possible because this was pure torture for him. But then again, if they both bring the flag, he will be condemned to his company for at least the next 25 years. Which in itself wouldn't be bad if he wasn't tormented by deeper feelings that were forbidden. How will I survive this? Seeing you every day and not being able to do anything more?

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The new day brought rain that threatened to turn into a thunderstorm.

"We have to go back, there are caves around the lake. If lightning starts, there's a good chance it will hit us.", Savar looked once more towards the dark sky.

"Sure. No one will bother with flags in this storm. It's a death sentence. Everyone with any sense will hide."

Fortunately, the cave they found first was empty. The first lightning began to illuminate the dark daytime sky. Savar nervously walked around the cave.

"If you don't stop being nervous, I'll kick you out."

"I'm thinking. No one is going to get the flags now and all the animals have taken shelter, haven't they?"

"Yeah?"

"Didn't we also find a rubber boat in one of the bags?"

"You're going mad! Don't you see what the situation is outside?! We need at least half an hour to the coast in normal weather. Now probably even more."

"True, but if we succeed, we've secured two flags and can commit to your idea of ​​taking out One and Four." - Savar was looking into the storm, jogging in place.

"Savar, we won't get to that. We will return home cremated. By lightning."

Savar gave him a wicked smile, "Run!", he thundered and threw himself into the storm.

"Sonfobitch! Idiot, stupid!" Karel screamed as Savar was becoming invisible in the downpour. He stomped the ground, the warm air coming out of his nostrils in puffs and then he ran after him.

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If there was one thing he hated, it was sticky clothes sticking to his skin and hair. If anything was getting on his nerves, it was the rain that was getting in his eyes and preventing him from reaching the boulder running in front of him. Karel tripped again on a stone and at the last moment caught himself with his hands hitting the floor first, saving himself from a painful broken nose or something worse. Before he could get up, he found himself in the air, slung over a shoulder. Savar laughed and continued to run like he didn't pick up an additional weight. Lightning struck not far from them, scorching the tree into oblivion.

"You are crazy, totally crazy!", Karel tried to overcome the storm, but there was no way that Savar heard him.

In front of Savar, the forest opened up and on the horizon a storm raged over the rough sea.

Savar put Karel down and started looking for the boat in the backpacks. Karel cursed again to himself and joined him.

A few minutes later, both of them were sitting in the boat in the middle of the rough sea, trying to get away from the shore.

"Row harder," Savar roared.

Lightning struck not far from them, but did not damage their boat.

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Well, he was right.

After more than an hour of fighting, they rowed to the flag which, surprisingly, was still intact and significantly smaller than the first one they had in their possession. In one move, Savar plucks it from the buoy it was attached to and passes it to Karel.

"Sometimes you have to take risks in life."

Karel looked at the madman in front of him, who was smiling from ear to ear, and began to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Karel, a complete nobody, smaller than a man, takes a place in history. His descendants will one day sit on the throne of the Snajan Empire. If my father could see me.

Karel became serious at the thought of his father, "We still have to get back." Come on, row."

Savar gave him a million dollar smile, "Why so serious? We're becoming our people's future and hope of prosperity and dominance. We will rule the Empire and the Empire will rule the galaxy."

Savar was cocky, strong and just a little bit insane. Manly pride was oozing out of him. He was seating tall, his face was occasionally lightened by the storm, revealing a broad face with a scar on his chin which gave away his life as a warrior. He also had violet-blue eyes, suggesting impurities in his genes. But Karel only saw the strong man who would go an extra mile for the cause he believed in, for the people he loved. Goddess, I wish I could k... Karel stopped that thought before it got out of hand.

"You're right. There will be books and songs about our achievement. Our names will be forever written in the memory of our people..."

"But?"

"It might not be enough."

A look passed between them. Savar's big smile disappeared from his face, "We should go."

"Yes."