Queen Of Glass

Book 2 Chapter 20 part 2

There was a half hour break between the rounds, and Raal took the entire time to prepare for this match, an act that included going to speak to his two brothers, having another glass of wine, and then silently slinking into an empty pen for a few quiet minutes alone. Celaena, despite his prying and cunning, admired the young lord: he was the kind of boy that would grow into a wonderful man, dedicated to his family, country, and king. Galan Ashryver would be fortunate to have him serve in his future court.
In fact, she would be fortunate to have him serve in her court. If there ever is one.
Luca seemed to be sitting straighter than she had ever seen him, his eyes bright and his chin upheld. Somehow, Raal had managed to give Luca more confidence in a few hours than she had tried to inject in a few months.
It's amazing what an effect the same sex can have on you! Perhaps it's just got something to do with hormones— though I bet society has a lot to do with it as well.
Luca began to tap his foot, his knee bobbing up and down with rapid speed, as Raal rode past them, waving goodbye once more. They wished him good luck, and followed him to the fence, where he pulled his horse to a stop in front of the gate. As the trumpets announced the end of the intermission, the crowd went wild once more, and as the Master of Ceremonies called out Raal and his opponent's names, the noise was deafening.
Though Raal was not astoundingly handsome, he looked attractive in his armor, and as he flashed his impish smile to the crowd, several ladies nearby hurled flowers at him. Raal laughed at his reception, and rode out to meet his opponent, his hair bouncing like his grey horse's white tail. He shook hands with his competitor, said something that made the anxious-looking boy laugh, and then galloped back to the stables, putting on a show of glamour and glory that made Celaena click her tongue with amusement.
He certainly knows how to win the crowd.
Luca was clutching the fence, and Celaena found herself gripping it as well as Raal put his helmet on, slammed the visor shut, and stared ahead, deep in concentration. His blue and green lance looked more like decoration than a weapon, but as soon as his squire had handed it to him, Raal held it in a way that made Celaena gulp for his opponent's sake.
The Master of Ceremonies counted off, and the second his command had burst from his red-tinted lips, Raal was flying across the pen, dirt bursting from beneath his horse's hooves.
A resonating BOOM exploded from both opponents, and Raal leaned back in his saddle, but regained his countenance quickly. His opponent, who had took the blow far worse, struggled for a moment, but then kept his balance. Raal nodded to the boy and galloped back to the gate, dropping his lance to the ground and grasping in the air for another one. The announcer signaled again, and Raal charged out with as much energy as before, landing a blow in the upper left shoulder that sent his opponent flying from the saddle. He pulled his horse to a stop as the crowd cried its support, and swung under the fence, helping the boy to his feet. They nodded to each other in a sign of good health, and shook hands before returning.
Celaena and Luca, caught up in the thrill of it all, were cheering, and they returned to the shade of the tent as Raal pulled in, dismounting quickly. He accepted the thanks of his entourage, and he walked beneath the canopy of the tent, ripping his helmet from his head.
His face was coated in sweat, and his dark hair fell limply around his face. "Water," he panted, dropping the helmet onto the ground as he sunk into his chair between the two companions. A servant swiftly arrived with a goblet, which Raal downed in a few gulps, and then handed him another, which the young lord consumed as greedily. He gave the servant the empty cup, declining a third, and put his head between his knees, breathing hard.
Luca and Celaena looked down at him, unsure of whether to congratulate him or ask if he needed a bucket.
"Ah," he said between breaths, "That was exhausting." He continued to pant, his hands clutching his knees. "Please, just..." more breathing, "give me a moment."

Celaena and Luca told him to take his time, worried expressions crossing their faces, and waited for him to sit up. He eventually did, after a few more moments of intense breathing, and he smiled at the two of them.
"He completely knocked the air out of me," Raal said, leaning back and closing his eyes, his armored chest heaving. "But I didn't realize it until I was halfway down the field again, and even then I refused to let it get to me until I got back." He laughed weakly and shook his head. "Oh, that was so foolish of me! My brothers will kill me for that."
What discipline! If that happened to me, I'd complain and cry.
"Well," Luca said, "it looked as if you had it completely together."
"I took acting lessons for three years when I was a little boy."
Celaena laughed, remembering her own childhood encounter with music lessons.
He continued to pant, and Celaena frowned. "Should we fetch you a healer?"
Raal raised a hand and waved her off. "No, no. I just need a few minutes, that's all."
Celaena and Luca exchanged looks. "Luca," she said suddenly, looking at the start of the next match, "you should go change...you're up seventh."
Luca looked at his friend and then back at her.
"She's right," Raal said, dropping his head between his knees again. "Don't worry about me—go change back into your armor."
Luca ran a hand through his brown hair, and his eyes seemed to have that despairing hue once again. He said nothing, and walked out of the tent, jogging down the track to their stable.
"You should go with him," Raal said, turning his head to her, his mouth open and lips pale.
Celaena shook her head. "He doesn't need me for another few minutes."
Raal eventually regained control of his breathing and sat up. His breastplate, once shiny, was now dented and covered in scratches. "Ah," he said, examining it, "what a pity. I had hoped to escape from this competition with a suit of armor that looked in prime condition."
He grinned at Celaena, who gave him a sympathetic smile in return.
"My brothers are dying to know who the 'lovely damsel' is that I'm sharing my tent with."
Celaena rolled her eyes and looked out across the field to find his two brothers, who couldn't have been more than a year or two older or younger than Raal, waving at them. Raal stood up and waved back, pointing at Celaena before nudging her to wave to them. She stood, adjusting her tight, forest green pants and billowing silver-green tunic, and waved awkwardly. The two brothers cackled and pushed each other, obviously as playful and full of laughter as their other brother.
"How old are they?" she asked, sitting down.
Raal reseated himself. "The one on the left, Uli, is seventeen, and the other one, Kapo, is nineteen." "And how old are you?"
Raal ran a hand through his sweaty hair. "Twenty, four months shy of being twenty-one."
"Do you and your brothers get along?"