Elemental Thief Part I : Child of Calamity

Daybreak

Val didn't sleep that night.

She had hoped that finally having an answer from the regent would allow her to make the decision she had been dreading making since she sent her sister off. And that decision would allow her some peace, but after her sister had stalked from the room, there had been a heavy silence that weight on all of them.

Tisa had left shortly after, leaving her with her two loyal Knights, who watched her with the coldest expressions she'd seen on their faces in a long time. But they had refused to elaborate and retired themselves, leaving her alone, staring at a map of war and an offer at peace, feeling like either choice would ruin her.

Tisa had walked through the logic with her several times over the past few days, of the tactical advantages and all the unknowns. Their allies were trying to tear them apart, and if they ignored the whispered threats of a far off empire, striking now was the best tactical option. Tisa had only offered the opinion that if she'd wanted war, she would have already agreed with her allies, but if war started, she would fight to make things right in Clairval.

Morning saw her pacing out of the Keep, towards the sounds of metal against metal in the training yards, pausing when she saw the two large, winged men fighting with very little fury held back.

Metal screeched and clanged, breathing was harsh and pained, and there were plenty of bruises and drops of blood spraying the ground. Seeing the surrounding Rulin Guard, it looked like one man against all of them, that they were going to keep attacking him even if he won this fight and her breath caught for the moment, sure that even this truce was unravelling.

But then, even as she prepared for another disaster to fall down upon Morningside, General Anzael caught Commander Lianza with a vicious right hook, only to be caught by the man and tossed to the ground, into what devolved into a wrestling match between two grown men, both of whom were laughing.

Wincing, imagining that surely one of their delicate looking wings would have been broken, she approached, pausing as both men stood, grinning and exchanging a rough embrace, before turning to look at her. "Lady Valencia, good morning."

General Anzael inclined his head, not appearing to notice, or care about, the fact that he was covered in blood and dirt and sticky with a combination of sweat on top of it as well.

"General. Good morning." She tried to force herself to relax, glancing at the genial expressions on the Rulin Guard who had been watching. "I had thought, perhaps, this was a less than benevolent exchange."

Commander Lianza chuckled and sheathed his blades, brushing idly at some dirt on his arm. "I don't think Anzael has a benevolent bone in his body, to be honest, lady. But no, this is how we spar."

"With one another." She glanced between the two of them, frowning just slightly.

"With everyone." Anzael offered, shrugging. "Well, not the raw recruits, or the kids when we're teaching them, we're a fair bit gentler, but once someone can fight, actually fight, there is no benefit of drawing punches or holding back, it only teaches them to lose."

"Who spars with the Royal family then?" She raised a brow, glancing between them. "If that is your philosophy, who spars with the queen, or king, or any of their children?"

The two men exchanged looks before Lianza offered a careful shrug. "We do. It was a practice adopted by King Drakos in Rulin. And even with the Queen, it was Morningside's Sir Benchan who called us out on being too nice to her. It was a change in philosophy that probably saved her life."

"The Feysha are fast, but if you can manage to catch one with a good hook..." Anzael snapped his fingers. "Out like a light. Granted, I've only managed it once, and Shaktay came back at me the next time with a vengeance. I'm still not sure if it's safe to go into the Wild for me." He offered a good-natured grin before glancing up at the sky. "We are two very battle hardened races, the Rulin and the Vayan. Though we've known peace for a long time in human terms, there are many veterans of our wars, who haven't forgotten the lessons of battle."