Of Blood and Duty

Chapter Nine • Learning More and More

**Warning - Foul language**

Long Chapter

-Lliam- 

Hagan's body followed the trajectory of Lliam's punch; to the right... or what would be his left. His feet started criss-crossing over each other as he desperately tried to stay upright and hold his balance. Dust swirled around him while blinked excessively during all of it. Still with both blades in his hands.

The blow had put an abrupt stop to his bull-like charge. Now he was dazed, hurting and most likely a bit nauseous. He appeared as if he was trying to find his bearings in pitch black darkness when it truth it was in the middle of the day. 

Lliam pulled his fist back, ignoring the pulsating sensation currently beating in it. He snatched the large dagger from his opponent's left hand and threw it deep into the training area, to keep someone from the audience to make a run for it unnoticed. With his eyes fixed on Hagan, he heard the dagger land with a dull sound, no clang or clank as it met the ground. He kept listening for a few seconds longer, no footsteps leapt for the weapon. 

Certain that no one would stab him in the back, he held his sword out as protection before he spoke low enough so only Hagan was able hear him. "I am done with this foolish game or whatever it is that you are trying to prove to the others. This was supposed to be training. Not you and Mae trying to kill me." He spoke coolly through clenched teeth. "Put down your sword." He ordered.

No answer.

He looked on as the light-headed man shook his head once... twice. The black hair sticking to his face here and there in his sweat. He was not doing it in objection to the order but to be rid of the dizziness caused by the blow. His eyes staring ahead as he waited for it to pass. 

He did not even hear me. 

"I do not want to fight you." Lliam spoke quietly. "This is meaningless." 

Hagan, slow and disoriented, turned his head toward him. Still trying to blink himself back to normality. In his eyes he could read the word 'cheater' being hissed at him, but never spoken. 

Hypocrite. He thought, pressing his lips together to keep the word from being spoken aloud.

Without much effort, he walked behind Hagan and disarmed him by ripping the sword from his loose grasp. 

"This is over." He declared to everyone, threw down both of the blades and spat to his right. Giving each face he could find, a dark and disapproving look when a hint of disgruntled mumbles rose among them. The mumbles quickly died out as soon as his eyes met some of them. "I will not take part in this anymore. If you want to train, fine. Train. This is nothing short of abuse." He went on and gestured towards Hagan and the area they were in. "This, " he pointed at Hagan with his hand and then at the audience, "is a ridiculous pissing contest." He set off towards the other end of the training grounds, where there was barely any onlookers that could stop him from leaving. 

As he walked he could feel someone staring at him, intently and unwavering. It was not one out of many disappointed onlookers around him. No, it felt different. He looked up to the left, saw nothing that caught his attention and then to the right. Meeting tons of faces staring back at him. None of them stood out . Until he noticed a very special face far away, behind the others. Staring straight back at him. Leaning against a massive tree trunk, arms crossed and brown eyes locked onto him. It was her.

Mae. He met her gaze for a second or two. Her eyes flickered from him, to Hagan and then back to him. Had she not been so far away, and so much happening between them, he could have sworn there was an impressed smile on her lips. He could not help but to notice the absence of the very peculiar effect she usually had on him. It was nowhere to be found now.