Private Tales An Ocean of Fire

[Rhidian]

A long, heavy sigh released from him.

He deflated into his seat, staring straight ahead, but all fight and pretense had been dropped for all of ten seconds of silence.

When it passed, he cleared his throat, tilting his head back to look up at the overcast sky that could be glimpsed past the treetops. "There was a girl I was seeing back at the Academy. Not usually the kind of person I would go for but... her strangeness was what made me attached. Anyway... she was a Urahil." The name tasted like blood, reminding him of the threat made against him should he try to go to her, to take her away, and think he was good enough to keep her.

They had beaten him bloody, the family not at all concerned to do the job themselves when they could pay others to deal with him. One of them had poisoned him with something that blocked his magic, had made him useless to the attack. He could walk at least, pained, but able. Rhidian remembered thinking of calling to Proctor Urahil, but even though he knew she was different to the rest, she still bore a name he could no longer trust.

And so, Rhidian dragged himself to the Elf Quarter. Had sought help there where he had helped many others with his friend Elsie.

Kress was he glad she had showed up hours after, had given him something for the pain but nothing to numb the heartbreak he was still to mourn. He still mourned.

 

[Skyler]

"Oh," she said quietly. Was this Urahil the reason why he'd been so guarded? Used that mask to cover up an ocean of pain? Sky studied Rhi and that faraway vacant look he had on his face.

Yeah, the medic thought, this girl must've done a number on him.

For once, the dreadlord's face looked softer. More vulnerable. And in his own way, more handsome than she'd seen him yet. Sky swallowed and turned her eyes back to the road as the horses continued on. Faithfully, pulling their cart along the line of soldiers winding their way closer to Cortosi territory.

"It takes a great deal of courage to love someone."

Her voice was quiet. Even as her thoughts turned to the boy back home. The one she'd grown up with. Sometimes, his smile and laugh still echoed in her ears.

"Rhi, if you ever want to talk about it more, youv'e got a listening ear." With a light flick of her wrist, she urged the horses on.

 

[Rhidian]

"I don't... even know if it was love. It felt intense enough to be it, but... I don't know, shouldn't I have fought harder to be with her instead of bearing the loss and coming all this way to get away from her? And to be sad."

But he looked to Sky, smiling at her offer to listen to him should he ever need it. "You're a good friend, Skyler. Glad to have you."

He reached over and squeezed her shoulder, letting it rest there a moment before eventually moving his arm to rest along the backs of their seats. His fingers would catch her hair in the wind, and lazily he would let them flutter over them. For him, it was much too soon to jump back into the trust of a relationship, even when all his thoughts went to Skyler, but before he could change anything between them, he needed to know if this was real or him searching for someone to fix his needs.

If it was the latter, he did not want to hurt his new friend.

 

[Skyler]

She bumped his own shoulder in return. Lapsing into a comfortable sort of silence with him. The kind that only grew between friends as they got to know one another. She didn't think it mattered what she said at this point. She didn't want to offer him any empty words or unasked for advice. But she did want to lend him her time. And the freedom to speak and share whatever he wanted without judgement.

After a little more riding and that comfortable stretch between words, Sky finally said.

"I'm glad I met you, Rhi, and that we get to do life together for a bit."

Because that's all there was to it. Who knows what would happen? But in this moment she was glad he joined her on this ride. It wasn't until nearly nightfall that they stopped to make camp. They were close to the frontlines now. Sky could hear the fighting that wasn't so far off carried on the stiff breeze. There were orders being called out and Sky scurried to unpack the wagon to resupply the med-tent.

"SKYLAR. LOOK ALIVE. You're to report to the General's tent. You too, Rhidian," the officer barked out the order as he rode down the line.

 

[Rhidian]

Rhidian was quick to take the heavier and bulkier items from Sky's grasp. In lifting them, it tore his shirt out from where it had been tucked into his trousers, giving the medic a glimpse of his impressively honed abdomen. His face strained as his arms tightened on the gear and moved it into place upon a smaller cart that he could pick up the handles and cart towards the medic tent.

"Really wished I wouldn't be back here." He strained, now lifting and pushing the cart to the Medical Tent that was on the way to the General's tent. "I almost died last time I was here, but Arn saved my life." An arrow fired by him bought Rhidian enough time to overpower someone of the Radiant Church.

 

[Skyler]

Skyler was, well, STARING.

What did they feed Dreadlords these days?

Warm brown eyes kindled with an internal heat as she finally tore her eyes away. Look at his eyes, Sky. UP THERE. She swallowed.

"Arn has a way of doing that. He seems hapless about it but I think he doesn't give himself enough credit," Sky smiled. A little sheepishly that had nothing to do with what she just said.

Once they unloaded the supplies, she walked with Rhi to the General's tent. Soldiers and dreadlords scurrying around camp in different states. Sky frowned as she saw someone that looked like one of her brother's but then realized he wasn't.

"I'm sorry you're back here so soon, Rhi," a quiet consolation among the chatter of camp.

 

[Rhidian]

Rhidian shrugged, hauling the heavy gear with more ease than Skyler would have had. "There is a theory by the Proctors at the Academy that I cannot die. Thank Kress no one has tested to be sure, but... I came back after killing my entire squad and the enemy in the Savannah... but don't you worry, I've got you here to make sure I do not bleed out."

He grinned, looking over at her and winking.

Healers were rare amongst the Dreadlords. They always were seen to be weak, useless, and easy prey, but now? He wouldn't mind more medics and healers in this world as war loomed ahead of them.

"Doesn't matter if I am back here already... war would do that, and I chose to fight."

 

[Skyler]

"Rhi, I don't know what to say. That sounds awful," Sky rubbed a hand along his back before her hand gave his upper arm a small squeeze before falling back to her side. "Hopefully this time will be different." Her smile didn't reach her eyes, though. The cortosi were relentless.

She'd also seen that first hand.

The medic came to attention as she and Rhi entered the General's tent. He had a salt and pepper beard with a nasty scar running down the left side of his face. "Dreadlord Rhidian. Medic Skyler. You both come highly recommended. There is a small group who went behind enemy lines. We lost contact with them yesterday. They are carrying back something very important. Our spies believe they are still alive and still in posession of that item. I want you two with a small contingent of the guard to go retrieve the item and them."

It was clear where the General's priorities were. And it wasn't on his people.

"You leave in a few hours. Any questions?" His tone was sharp and short. Sky couldn't help the widening of her warm brown eyes. She'd never went on a recovery mission before. And not behind Cortosi lines.

 

[Rhidian]

He had been hearing Dreadlord Vaughn for so long since his graduation that the personalisation of the use of his given name after his rank made him look up. Saw the face of the General, the serious task being asked of them. Perhaps it was a grace to be known by their first names, to be trusted in this endeavour.

It could be the last orders they receive.

Himself and Skyler were important, important enough to retrieve this... thing they were eager to have back on this side of the border.

Rhidian looked to Sky, refrained from his hand reaching for her's.

"Affirmative, sir." And he gave a bow of his head before turning away to leave the tent. They didn't make it far before he pulled Sky's arm to face him.

"You scared? Be honest."

 

[Skyler]

The sounds of the war camp seemed to blur and overwhelm at the same time. She froze at Rhi's touch. It was like wildfire spreading up her arm. His heat doing too much and not enough. And for a moment, the intensity in his eyes.

She could just stare her lips parted.

Her free hand squeezed into a fist at her side.

"I've never been behind enemy lines," she admitted. All her fighting had been in the open or on the border. Never something clandestine like this. She glanced around the camp and stepped closer to him. The shadow he cast felt strangely like home. Familiar and comforting.

"Of course I'm scared, Rhi," a hurried admittance in the shrinking space between them. "But if the General thinks I'm good for the job then I won't let him down. I won't let you down." Reaching over she took his hand in her own and gave it a squeeze.

 

[Rhidian]

He placed both hands either side of her shoulders, lowering himself so that he was eye level with her. Rhidian took in a deep breath, staring at Skyler with a serious expression. "I've got your back, Sky. Hey, look at me! I promise you that I will protect you out there. I know the land, I know how to fight against our enemy, alright? You will come home."

She was important, and not just to him and his sadness that needed some sunshine to warm him. No, she was a medic. She was valuable not only to their small team going forward, but to the other group they were to find behind enemy lines.

"Come here." He pulled her into a hug and rested his chin on her head. "This will be a quick mission. Searching for Anirians won't be hard out there, but... there is shit out there that even I cannot fathom. I got you, just as you got my back too Sky."