Collaterals

We All Have Roles to Play

Sleep had been slow to come, and quick to leave, as it had been almost every night since they'd arrived to the Capitol. And so when she'd awoken, from the same terrible dream, sweaty and restless, she was not surprised to hear the Captain's knock. Leila glanced, now, at the rising dawn. It was enough of a distraction that the Captain had found an opening, striking through her defense so she'd been sloppy with her parry.  

"You keep glancing at the skies as though he's going to fall out of them," Captain Gawain had been beating her at every spar, pulling her off the ground only to strike into another attack.

Leila locked eyes with him, a moment, before parrying his strike, "I know not who you speak of."

"Must I speak his name, then?" He taunted as the sound of steal clanged through the courtyard. He leaned forward, Leila gripping her sword even harsher against Captain's weight, transferred through their blades. The name was alien to his tongue as he spoke it, "Kah-led."

Leila raised a brow before twisting the blade and sliding it of the Captain's, "I'm not waiting for him."

"He's been meeting you after his prayer, everyday," he spoke as he countered her every move, "I would not blame you for expecting him to—"

"I do not expect anything from anyone," Leila grit her teeth, pushing forward even faster. It was fast enough the Captain barely blocked her blade, by which time she'd already moved into her next stepped.

He stood, now, frowning at the blade pointed at his shoulder. He looked to her, pushing her blade off him with his own sword, "I hope only you do not grow attached to a man you're not to see in a few months."

Leila did not know what the pinch in her chest was for. She raised her chin before stepping back into position. The Captain sighed, nodding at her to relax, "Have a drink of water, then."

Leila frowned, watching him turn before she put her sword down. She looked to the sky, all shades of red and orange. Leila uncorked her leather bottle, wincing at the memory of Ali, looking away from her during the Council's meeting. It was only a matter of time, really, before Khaled looked at her like that, too. Was she really expecting him to think of her as anything other than the Empire's lapdog? Collateral. She was always the collateral. And now, so were her relationships. Family and...other. Leila put the cork back in the bottle, setting it down before she looked up to— the silhouette of a man, walking across the courtyard. Leila took a step forward, squinting, "Is that—?"

"Haitham, I believe," the voice behind her was heavy. "Always in a rush."

Leila twirled, eyes wide, a smile already on her lips. But the excitement was short-lived. She hoped the disappointment was not too evident when her brows fell, mouth twisted into an uncomfortably polite smile when she greeted, "Ali."

He raised a brow at her reaction, before looking her over, "Not a day without training, I see."

Leila gulped, moving to sheathe her sword, "No."

"Part of being the Hand of the Tainish Empire?"

Leila paused, glancing at him before looking to the Captain behind him. Captain only raised his brows at her, as though to say, go on. She looked back down art her sword as she let it fall into the sheathe, "Yes."

"And yesterday?"

"What of it?"

"Was that some type of...role you play?"

Leila shook her head as she turned to grab her water, "I'm sorry if my role as Hand displeases you, Ali." She turned to move past him, "Know well that I did not chose it."