Men who play games of war and soldiers born from circumstance...
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With a laugh, the two men sink down slowly into the warm bathwater, soaking their activity away as the Harbinger leans back against the taller man, their fingers interlocking as they simply enjoy the other’s presence for the first time in far too long. “Was the Forgemaster willing to participate in the plan?” The Captain smiles as he leans down to touch his lips to the back of the Harbinger’s neck. “He is… with all of it and even gave us wishes of luck that we might be successful…” sliding his mouth away, he tightens his grip around the blonde’s fingers and hugs him close as his head slides across a broad shoulder, his tone serious and a little low. “I will leave tonight for a few hours to prepare some things we will need for the journey and when I do this, we will ‘allow’ the one stationed outside to glimpse your progressively worse condition. I will return during the night and by tomorrow, find my way back to Gran’hein so that he may confirm your death. He will carry you from this room and down into the Forges in order to burn your body…” Kso’ppghiel smiles. “I look forward to this, then my swords will be returned and I can feel whole once more.” He slides his gaze back to meet mismatched blue and green. “Even more so when you have joined me. Then we can start our journey back to our homelands. I hope to ask the Forgemaster more about my father before we leave. I am interested to know what kind of man he was back then. I am still in shock that it was that woman he served under and these halls in which he walked, that there are others who were close to him. That it was even your Mastersmith who made his sword…” “There are many things I was surprised to learn myself after I was instructed to bring you to our Mistress.” Bal’thial smiles, sliding his free hand up to brush at damp white blonde locks while hugging the Harbinger closer to his body. “The connections between yourself and your father, and your father’s and Queen Io’fayl… the Mastersmith’s to them both.” Tracing over, clawed fingers continue along the line of a spiraling horn. “There will most likely be one day’s time between your ‘death’ and when I will be able to join you, and Gran’hein has said he will be taking you to a safe place that our Queen does not know of to await me, perhaps in that time you will be able to ask him of your father… I find myself very curious as well…” White eyes close as Kso’ppghiel leans back, the Captain’s lips grazing a soft line down the Harbinger’s neck while the younger man speaks. “I am sorry you will be giving up a position you worked so hard to attain. I would have understood if you chose not to follow. For most, thirty years of service would take precedence to a man they had only met months prior.” He smiles. “I am… looking forward to no longer traveling alone. I am sure I have said this before, but it will be a new experience.” The blonde’s face shifts back, meeting Bal’thial’s lips and speaking softly into the taller man’s mouth. “It had never once occurred to me I would ever meet someone that could make me feel anything, especially something more powerful than the hate that drove me.” Tilting his head enough to brush his lips against the Harbinger’s, Bal’thial smiles and speaks directly against his mouth. “In all my years of life, I have never once thought I would find another who would make me want to walk away from thirty years of service… or one who could capture my heart. But there is no other I can imagine doing so than you and I too am looking forward to our travels…” Kso’ppghiel leans farther back, pupiless white eyes slipping closed briefly as their mouths meet for the softest of kisses, the tall Captain sliding his arm across the shorter man’s built chest to hold him tightly before they manage to break from the kiss. Tilting his head to the side as the blonde slides down to settle back against him, he touches his mouth to the base of spiraling horns with a smile. “The dangers in fleeing her territories and pulling this hoax off aside, I look forward to revisiting my homeland… and seeing yours as well. Before I was sought out by the Mistress I served under another and when I left that clan to live here, I did so without so much as a goodbye…” he chuckles softly with a slight shaking of his head that sends metal adornments chiming. “There were many in that clan that claimed me as friend and a few I claimed in return, so it will be interesting to see them again should we happen upon them when we are there.” The blonde smirks. “I can imagine there are a few that would have liked to have claimed you for more than just friendship as your subordinate has. You are hard to displace out of one’s mind as I have discovered.” He chuckles slightly. “Part of me hopes we will so that they can see where your heart lies. I rather enjoyed the look on that boy’s face.” Kso’ppghiel is finding himself very much enamored by the idea of claiming the love of someone so incredibly special and that both their eyes hold only the other in return. “I wish you tell me about your time traveling with this clan. I am interested to know everything of your life.” Bal’thial laughs softly “If you are right in that, then it will be an interesting revisit indeed.” he leans a little further back against the marbled tile while sliding one leg up, the Harbinger immediately draping his free arm across the other man’s knee while clawed hands slip down through the water to hold tighter around his waist as he sighs. “It was one of the larger clans in the territories, mostly mercenary as I recall, but they would take jobs for the governing warlord when the prices were right. I was recruited by the leader after the clan I had been in clashed during a raid, apparently I caught his eye and at the time I had few loyalties, only caring for training and the fight in my efforts to become stronger so moving from one to the other was easy.” The white haired man leans down to nose in wet strands of light blonde, a small measure of distance creeping into his lowered tone. “He was an… interesting man, that leader, fair in his dealings yet ruthless in nature. The sword I carry was gifted to me by him about three years into service actually. He had it forged specifically with me in mind, said the mixture of textures on the blade represented what he felt I carried in my soul.” A smirk slips free of Bal’thial’s lips. “Apparently I am both smooth and jagged all at once inside.” Kso’ppghiel smiles as he simply enjoys the presence of the one behind him. “I would have to agree. Though most leaders do not take the time to look in to one of their subordinate’s souls long enough to even think about it, let alone forge a weapon specifically with them in mind. I am going to gather he took interest in you?” He runs claw tips down the skin of the Captain’s leg. “That he did.” The tall Captain says softly as a shiver slides along the length of his spine while the Harbinger continues to trace the line of his leg. “more so than I did in return… we shared a bed occasionally years prior to my leaving but it was no different to me than the bed I shared on occasion with our Queen. There were no lies between us and he understood my heart was not his for the taking...” Bal’thial sighs. “Though it seemed as if he still held hopes as he tried on many an occasion to buy the specific affections he wanted, that sword being one of those attempts…” “Despite my obvious disinterest in any social interaction, there was always at least one or two in every clan I visited that would attempt it. I did not understand it then, as I felt my actions were very obvious, but if they saw me as others saw you, including myself, I can see why it would have been harder to resist.” Kso’ppghiel smiles. “No one penetrated my mind until you. None were worth even a moment’s thought beyond how easy they would be to kill. But they are right…” His free arm wraps across the ones holding him close. “There is something about you that cannot be denied.” “I assume it is my shining personality that shadows all else.” Bal’thial chuckles softly as he pulls his back free of the tile behind, the Harbinger’s head shifting in the slightest across a broad shoulder to allow full lips to touch along the line of his neck. “Though, this is something quite the same in reverse. I have met many in my own travels, bedded a few as well and there has never been even one of them to linger in my thoughts as you have.” Smiling against the blonde’s skin, mismatched eyes slip partially closed as he traces up and over to a spiraling horn, taking his time to move his lips over every contour and detail as he speaks. “There have been none to catch my interest in a way that would make me risk everything to attain them.” Tracing over to wet locks of white blonde, he takes in a deep breath while hugging Kso’ppghiel against him once more. “Perhaps our …unique views are what drew us together.” “I am… happy you see me as such.” The blonde smiles contentedly. He leans back, claiming the other’s lips once more before rising from the water and grabbing a nearby towel to dry himself off, taking hold of the Captain’s hand and pulling him up soon after. “But we must eat. I will never recover if there is nothing for my body to keep me alive.” Bare feet pad across cold marble as he returns to the bed and the tray of food Bal’thial’s subordinate so generously brought them. Reaching over to grab piece of fruit, the Harbinger straightens and throws it back towards the bathe’s entranceway, the food immediately caught by the white haired man behind as he steps through. Mismatched eyes remain on the other man’s built frame as he slides his body back onto the waiting bed, a smile forming on his lips when the fruit is pulled up towards them. “I cannot have you actually dying on me so food it is…”
 Fear filled mismatched eyes meet green for a split second before the white haired man is gone, his hurried steps carrying him down the long hall towards the stairwell beyond while the man left behind shifts, eyeing the door that had been left open as nervously as the expression that had been painted on his commanding officer’s face only a moment before. The guard is nervous, he didn’t like the look on his Captain’s face one bit. Whatever’s wrong with the Queen’s Harbinger appears to be real bad, and earlier another of the Captain’s men had left in a hurry as well. The soldier debates for a moment before finally relenting to his curiosity and pushing the cracked door open a bit more, peering in. The Harbinger looks… sick, really sick. He isn’t even breathing right. The guard had heard rumors about whatever it was being contagious, which made him really nervous about standing outside the door. The man in the bed makes a painful and tortured moan, startling the soldier and causing him to jump back, closing the door quickly behind.
 Bal’thial laughs softly with a shaking of his head as he steps up to run clawed fingers along the hilt of a duplicated sword. “In thirty years’ time, Mastersmith, I have yet to come across another beyond yourself who could say such a thing and mean it.” Pulling his hand away, mismatched eyes rise up to meet Gran’hein’s caramel colored gaze, the amusement showing plainly in green and blue. “And while my service has allowed me only brief moments to converse with you and your lovely wife, I will miss your forges and the presence you bring to them.” The Captain smiles. “But I will never forget you, or the help you have lent to both myself and Kso’ppghiel through this and one day I will find a way to repay you for it.” “Nah.” The older man waves him off. “Like I said before, I do this for Mithghiiel, not either of you.” Gran’hein smiles. “I will miss the only levelheaded Captain she’s ever had, however. I’m sad to see you go. Has to happen somehow, I guess. No one stays forever, it just that most of them end up being killed.” He muses. “I don’t plan on doing this forever, once Offy’s done, I’ll be moving on and probably retiring. We have a son who’s a blacksmith in the Northeast territory, you’re welcome to seek shelter at his home if you need it, he’ll understand. Her wars have killed the rest of my sons in battle. Maybe we’ll run into each other again at some point.” “I would like that.” Bal’thial smiles in return. “And until then, when he can manage it, Sav’real might be able to be a voice on the wind... granted he is not too angry with me for leaving the way that I will be.” The white haired Captain chuckles softly before his expression straightens. “I plan to take Kso’ppghiel back into my homelands after we have revisited his own. We may happen upon your son as we pass through, is there a message you would have me deliver to him? It is the least I can do.” “I will probably send you off with a package from his mother, if you wouldn’t mind. De’lenah will be happy to get some things to him. Considering what Sav’real has told me about where Mithghiiel ended up, my son isn’t too far from that village… maybe a day’s ride. I will be able to give him more details once we’ve left.” Gran’hein steps forward, slapping Bal’thial on the back and smiling. “You two take care of yourselves. Come find me when the boy’s ‘dead’.” “That I will.” Bal’thial smiles as he turns back towards the entrance, taking a step to the side to allow the Forgemaster access to unlock his doors. “You as well my friend, and tell your lovely wife I will make sure her package arrives safely.” With a nod, Gran’hein speaks the spell needed to free the Captain and immediately the white haired man’s expression shifts once again, the mask of worry returning the moment he steps out into the humid forges to make his way back towards the levels above.
Shifting up to slide his hand across embroidered fabrics, he smirks in the slightest before pulling a simple tunic and woolen cloak free to toss them onto his bed behind. Bending in to retrieve a small leather sack from the marbled floor beneath, he straightens soon after and moves himself into the opened bathe at his side. It takes little time for Bal’thial to fill the carrier with a few essentials and necessities he knows they will need before he’s back into his room to add in the clothing he’d just pulled free, the white haired Captain tossing the half filled sack back onto the plush bedding below before moving himself towards his doors once more. It was time.
“It is now or never.” The white haired man smiles, long plaits spilling over his shoulders as he leans down to momentarily claim the Harbinger’s lips. “The one outside has already begun to grow nervous; the fear is in his eyes from only the word of the one prior at your ‘condition’ as well as my own.” He continues when he pulls back just enough to speak against the other man’s mouth. “When I leave to fetch the Mastersmith, these doors will be left open, though I highly doubt he will risk anything more than a glance inside. I will be returning quickly with Gran’hein and your ‘swords’…” “It is understood.” Kso’ppghiel whispers into the Captain’s lips. “I only hope it does not take too long for you to leave and for us to be together again.” They meet once more before the blonde pulls away, slumping himself down in the sheets in such a way that would hide his breathing should someone decide to stare for too long. “I will be waiting for you…” Straightening, Bal’thial trails his claws across the blonde’s arm with a smile. “I will join you as soon as I am able…” Mismatched eyes remain on the Harbinger’s built frame, taking a few moments longer to take in every feature of the man below while knowing the dangers that will soon lie ahead for them both might very well separate them for good if their plans don’t go accordingly. The time they now have before them will be short and every second from this moment on crucial. Should something go wrong… Pushing the apprehension aside as he pulls his hand away to slip free of the bed, the tall Captain turns towards the doors to his Mistress’s chambers and speaks the unlocking spell swiftly past to burst out into the hallway. Surprised violet eyes meet his fear filled mismatched gaze and he shakes his head without a word, turning away from the stationed guard before breaking out into a full run towards the stairwell beyond. The guard stands in shock, the one stationed before his shift told him it was bad, but bad enough for the Captain to need to run somewhere? Purple eyes apprehensively look in to the open room. The one in the bed isn’t moving and he wasn't about to go in to some diseased area to find out if he was breathing. What if the Harbinger is dead? What if they catch what he’s got? The soldier panics, he really doesn’t want to be standing in front of this room anymore. What happens when the Queen returns? She’s going to be pissed. He fidgets slightly, inching himself away from the door and any air that may be circulating out of it, suddenly afraid for his life. After a few minutes a few other of the Captain’s guard come up to see what was going on. The soldier standing watch pushes them back, not letting anyone go near the room. “I think he’s dead… like seriously. I don’t want whatever he’s got and I definitely don’t need to be responsible for you guys getting it either.” One of the guards turns immediately to run off and find some others while the rest of the group that had gathered fidgets all around, not quite sure of what to do while every second that ticks by fills them all with more and more dread. The hoofed soldier and Vir’nas soon join the others, hard yellow managing only a glimpse of the Harbinger’s body before heavy footfalls and a familiar chiming pulls the muttering crowd’s attention towards the end of the hall. They all part for the white haired Captain and the Forgemaster following close behind as they come bounding back down the hall, Bal’thial’s urgent voice echoing across the marbled walls. “Get away from the Mistress’s chambers, now!” he yells, instantly pulling them all back and away. “Back to your stations, it is too dangerous!” Gran’hein hides his amusement at the whole ordeal, hoisting the board they’ll be using to carry the Harbinger over his head to hide the lumps the swords make under the fabric. He enters the room, not exactly remembering the last time he had been in Io’fayl’s chambers. It’s probably been at least a decade… His thoughts are interrupted as he reaches the bedside, looking down at the very convincing display Kso’ppghiel was pulling off. He calls out to Bal’thial as he tries to reign in his own soldiers from the panic. “You are right, he’s definitely gone. Quickly, we must dispose of the body before it spreads.” Hope flickers in hard yellow eyes that no one catches when the Forgemaster’s words pull his Captain away from the rest of the men, hope and a fair amount of satisfaction at the knowledge that the Queen’s chosen has actually died from whatever illness he’d had. And while he’s fearful of catching whatever it is that the dead Harbinger had as he’d probably been exposed to it the longest when he’d been in his Mistress’s room, he can barely contain the elation that shifts through him knowing his Captain has finally been set free. He may have been denied before, but if he times this right, he might just get another chance. Bal’thial will need consoling once that thing is disposed of and he’ll be damned if he lets anyone else do it, especially after he’s already told everyone he’d officially been taken on as the older man’s bedmate. No one else knows that his Captain had lost his heart to that Harbinger, and if he works this just right, no one else ever will. The doors slam suddenly shut to leave the soldiers in a near panic outside, the spell spoken from the inside to lock them before Bal’thial turns towards the Mastersmith and the blonde with a slight hurried smile painted on his lips. “I think it is going rather well.” He whispers as he starts towards them. “My soon to be former men have much fear in their eyes…” Kso’ppghiel sits up in bed, his white gaze moving directly behind to the weapons mounted on the wall. “My swords… please, Forgemaster.” Gran’hein smirks. “I do have a name, boy, you can use it.” He turns to Bal’thial as the Captain begins unwrapping the duplicates from the cloth. “You as well. As far as I’m concerned, you don’t serve Offy any longer. No need for formalities.” The white haired man smiles as a small, quiet stream of words leaves the larger man and the seal protecting the swords shatters instantly with the smallest of effort on his part. Caramel colored eyes glitter as he shakes his head. “She’s really been slacking on her magic these days.” The Harbinger stands immediately, his fingers wrapping over the worn leather of his swords as he carefully takes them down, happy to have this piece of him returned. Bal’thial hands Gran’hein the duplicates and he remounts them where the others sat. He stands back, actually having to concentrate to force down the power of the spell to reseal them. He gets as close as he can, shrugging slightly. “She should be able to easily dispel it. Ok boy, on the board.” Kso’ppghiel nods and lies down on the wood, strapping his swords to his side as the Captain comes forward to lay the heavy linen over top of him. With a nod to the man across, they both hoist the Harbinger up and move carefully towards the closed doors behind. Gran’hein dispels the Captain’s lock and kicks back, the gathered crowd jumping back in surprise when the doors fly open and both their commanding officer and the master of their Queen’s forges swiftly move the covered blonde through. Both men keep their mask of seriousness as they descend the stairs, telling all those whose curiosity was getting the better of them to get back for their own safety. It doesn’t take long before they reach the forges, rushing through and back to Gran’hein’s private workshop. Once the seal on the door has been set, the larger man drops his end, laughing as Bal’thial stumbles forward and Kso’ppghiel falls right off the board. “Ok you two, here’s where you split. Thial here needs to go keep up appearances. Boy, you’re going to need to stick in here until after dark, I can come for you then and take you out.” Kso’ppghiel frowns, rubbing the back of his head where it had hit the floor in the drop. “I have a name as well… Forgemaster.” Gran’hein simply laughs. “Just like your father…” He grabs the board from Bal’thial, throwing it into the forge and moving to work the bellows and heat the coals, ignoring the two other men as they say their goodbyes for the moment. The blonde stands, moving in close to the Captain. “Do not take any longer than you must.” Clawed fingers slide up to brush at strands of white blonde as the taller man smiles softly. “I will join you in one day’s time.” Kso’ppghiel nods as he slips his own hand into long braided plaits, metal adornments that cap long winding horns chiming softly as Bal’thial tilts his head and leans in just enough to touch full lips against his own for a kiss that slowly begins to deepen until Gran’hein clears his throat loudly and breaks the momentary spell. Furrowing his brows in annoyance as white eyes reopen to meet mismatched blue and green, the tall Captain can’t help the amused smirk that forms. “Be safe.” He whispers a moment later before dropping his hands and turning to the door behind, a single long braid slipping across the Harbinger’s palm when he pulls away. The Mastersmith steps past them both to allow Bal’thial free and within moments the white haired man has slipped carefully past the cracked opening to leave the pair alone. “Well, make yourself comfortable, boy. We’ve got a few hours before dark and I won’t risk leaving before then. There’s food and a blanket over there. I need to make sure there are some horses available for us to make our great escape with in the first place…” Gran’hein speaks as he moves towards the doorway. Kso’ppghiel hesitates for a moment. “I… had wanted to ask you about my father.” The older man smiles. “I’ll be happy to tell you anything you want, once we’re safely on our way. I’ll be sealing you in here until it’s time. I suggest you attempt some sleep.” The Harbinger nods, picking up his swords and walking over to where the food is lain, sighing to himself as the door is closed behind and the lock set. He only hopes there are no complications that will prevent Bal’thial from joining him. It’s not as if he can wander back to find the Captain. He does not want to be without him.
Footfalls near the entrance catch his attention but he doesn’t bother lifting his head, his expression flat and emotionless and hidden by his own hands. “S-sir?” Vir’nas tries as he stands just outside the partially opened doors, hard yellow eyes trained solely on the man contained within. He’s served under his Captain long enough to know just how bad things must be when he doesn’t respond, his lack of emotion on the outside usually far from the truth and the young soldier finds himself torn again between hating to see the older man as he is and the happiness he’s feeling that the obstacle between them has actually died. “I failed…” Bal’thial whispers after a few long and tense moments of silence, never once lifting his head free of his hands. “For the first time in thirty years, I… failed…” “I-it… it can’t be your fault, sir.” Vir’nas dares a few steps closer, wanting to rush over to console his Captain but holding himself back. Instead, he walks calmly in, stopping directly in front of the older man. “You didn’t make him sick. Who knows what he could have brought in with him from wherever he came from. I-I think our Queen would understand that.” Something which he knows probably isn’t true but anything to make the white haired man feel better and take notice of the one directly to his front. Bal’thial shakes his head softly, “The Mistress will never understand.” He whispers before finally sliding his face away from his hands to glance up, the distraught clear in his mismatched gaze when he meets hard yellow. “Nor should she have to. I was charged with a duty to keep her chosen safe… living… breathing and untouched. I did none of those things and now, it feel like my heart has shattered and I do not think I can face her again knowing that I have broken her trust. I failed. Completely and utterly… failed.” Sliding his arms away from his knees, Bal’thial straightens and suddenly stands up, moving swiftly past the younger soldier as he makes his way towards her door. “I am no longer fit for her service.” He practically whispers. “I have no right to be under her command.” Vir’nas runs to catch up with his Captain as he rushes out of the Queen’s chambers and out into the hall towards the stairs. “Sir, wait!” The young soldier follows him down, calling as he walks towards his own room. “You can’t go, the Queen needs you, your men need you.” The pair stop as they reach Bal’thial’s door, yellow eyes falling to the floor as he whispers. “I need you… Sir, you don’t understand…” A clawed hand slides up against the worn wood of his door and his expression softens for only a fraction of a second while he speaks. “I understand perfectly, Vir’nas…” hard yellow eyes rise up to meet his mismatched gaze as he pushes his door open. “But our Queen has no use for those who cannot fulfill her expectations and my men, including yourself, will be given another who she feels can.” Turning to move into his room, the tall Captain slides the wool cloak he’d set out free of his bed and wings it over his broad frame while speaking to the man still standing in his entranceway in a tone filled with feigned regret. “My usefulness and worth within these walls died with her chosen…” “But I don’t want another!” The words leave the young soldier’s mouth before he has a chance to think. “Because one stupid Harbinger died over a sickness you had nothing to do with, that doesn’t mean you failed. You’re the best there is, anyone else would be pointless.” A small, frustrated whine leaves him when Bal’thial doesn’t stop his packing. “Please… you can’t leave. She’s not going to ignore over thirty years of perfect service because of one thing. She can’t…” Yellow eyes look to the floor as a final act of desperation hits. “T-take me with you. I don’t want to serve under anyone but you. I-I… really care for you.” Sliding the leather straps of his weapon’s open sheath into brass buckles across his chest, Bal’thial reaches up pull his sword free of the scrolled pegs that hold it before swinging it back behind him and locking it into place soon after. Turning to move back to his bed, he reaches down to grab the leather sack and swing it over his shoulder as well. Moving towards the entrance and the young soldier standing with eyes cast down at the floor, the tall Captain reaches out to grasp lightly around his subordinate’s shoulder, pulling his yellow gaze slowly up. “You are young, Vir’nas and have a full life ahead of you. I will soon carry a price on my head… you know as well as I that our Queen does not tolerate failure any more than she will my leaving and one way or another, death will find me… if you were to come along, it would find you as well sooner than it should” Slipping his hand away and up to adjust the sack, his tone falls low. “You will find a match one day, but I am not it. My heart was given to one person, and it died with that one person so you would do best to forget me.” Stepping past the younger soldier, Bal’thial moves swiftly out into the hall to make his way down to the levels far below, speaking quietly as he goes. “I am sorry… tell them, and our Queen this as well…” Vir’nas stands, dumbfounded and unknowing of what to do as the white haired man simply walks away. He can’t forget his Captain, ever. How can he expect him to after all his years in the older man’s service? He wants to run after him, plead and beg him to stay but he knows this will probably be useless and so yellow eyes look away in defeat. It was all that Harbinger’s fault… if he hadn’t come along, the Captain would be all his and they’d be in bed right now all over each other. He fights the tears that threaten to erupt at the loss. There was no way he was telling anyone about his Captain’s feelings for that Harbinger, it’d make him look like a fool. He’ll just have to make up some story about the Captain not wanting to risk his life or something being why he didn’t take him. The young soldier’s fists clench and he turns around to face the empty room his Captain lived in, walking in and closing the door behind him to mourn in peace.
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