That was when I began training in earnest, taught not only the minor arts of combat, but how to wield the Light as deftly as I wielded the multitude of weapons I was expected to be competent with. Uther was correct, what I lacked in stature, I made up for in sheer ability. Again, things came easily, like breathing. The only one who could challenge me was Arthas, my bright and shining brother, and that was exactly how it should have been. We were so busy pushing each other to farther heights that we failed to note the obvious. And Uther, there were some things he was just oblivious to… as much as he liked to hold us up to his height, we were fallible. We were human. We were young…
The harvest festival was in full swing, in a week of glorious weather. I was an adult, a paladin, swornbound to the Prince. I was also…more than a little inebriated. Hardly falling down drunk, that would be unseemly for Uther's ward, and a Knight of the Hand, but I was well in the giggly stage. I had started out the afternoon with Baudoin, who had done me the disservice of introducing me to his local cherry beer. He was correct, I liked it… a lot, and I didn't have much tolerance for it. His cheer had become wary, and he clung to me like a sheep tick, unwilling to let me out of his sight. Like his beer, I liked him a lot too. He wasn't Arthas, true enough, but he was a fine paladin, steadfast, patient, a good conversationalist when I had finally managed to draw him out of his shyness. I knew deep in my heart that this what Uther meant when he said a good strong man, and I was willing to try.
"Come on, Clarimonde." He chuckled. "Time to get you to a nice, quiet place so you can sleep this off, and no more beer for you." He took my arm and was leading me towards the barracks when we ran into Arthas coming out of them. Arthas was either just a touch more sober than I was, or better at hiding it…but Baudoin judged him quickly enough, and in his defense, tried to keep me going.
"Clair!" Arthas greeted, "No, wait…Baudoin, what…?"
"She's had a little too much beer, your highness." Baudoin stated, "My fault, yes. I was taking her in to sleep it off…"
Arthas stared at me for a long moment before grinning. "Oh, my. She is. I'll take it from here, Baudoin."
Baudoin paused, chewing on the words. Obviously he wanted to keep right on taking me inside, as planned, but not only was Arthas the prince, he was my swornbound. If anyone was supposed to be responsible for me, it would be him, or Uther. "Of course, your highness." He muttered, stepping backwards with one last cautious look at me. All I had to do was call him back…but I didn't. When he'd given me more than enough of a chance, he spun and left.
"You look like you're having too fine a time to be put to bed quite this early, Clair." Arthas chuckled, extending his elbow. "You've been spending a lot of time with him."
"I like him." I frowned, suddenly dizzy, and clutched at Arthas. "Perhaps he was right…it is rather noisy here, and I don't feel quite myself."
"We'll go somewhere quieter. You'll feel better with some food in you, but the day is still young." So we got a couple of horses and a knapsack dinner, and rode out and settled under a great tree which stood sentry over an open field. We spread a blanket and ate our fills, mine washed down with water, but Arthas was still drinking mead… I tasted it dry and sweet on his lips when he kissed me, and he was most certainly not considering me his sister then.
"Arthas…" Some modicum of sanity spoke from me. I was not so drunk that this didn't make sense. "This is probably not such a good idea… Jaina?"
"You're very beautiful, Clair." He sighed, running his fingers down my jaw line.
"Jaina?" That sanity tried again…it was a good fighter, I'd have to give it that.
"I've not seen her in months. And before that, months again. I haven't asked her, and she hasn't asked me… Clair, I…" his eyes, normally bright and luminous were then shadowed and dark. "I can't wait like this. It's wrong to ask you, I know, but…" He left the sentence to hang, and asked me again with his lips. This time the sanity retreated to a dark corner and muttered complaints there, well away from me. And I let it happen. I could have told him no, perhaps I should have…but I didn't. And, of course, I paid for it, exactly as my mother warned me I would.
