Started on Century Part II: Expanded. These pieces are all out of order and probably won't make much sense out of context but I'll post them in my journal as I write them anyway. This one is 2.3k words.
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1. Healthy
He’s sure there are certain things a healthy relationship between sort of friends should include, and Blaise is sure that being greeted with a duel for being late (Ninga put too much force in a lot of his attacks, something Blaise notes they should work on the next time they practice with blades) isn’t one of them – but he can’t find it in him to really care. The moment he stepped into camp, Blaise knew he’d done something wrong. As he passed through the ranks of soldiers silently eating their breakfast, and none of them would look him in the eye, the feeling intensified. While he walked toward the camp’s main tent, Blaise ran through all of the things that Ninga (and he knew it was Ninga who was irritated at him; the soldiers were never this quiet unless Ninga was experiencing a moment of anger) could be angry at him for. He’d apologized for the Festival event, though he figured Ninga wasn’t really irritated over that Blaise had decided he probably should have asked first before he and the soldiers decorated their current camp in the best festive gear they had on them. Though Ninga wasn’t the true leader of this rebellion the soldiers often seemed to look to him as an icon. Even Loren (grudgingly) had nothing but respect for the man’s tactical ability.
So Ninga couldn’t be irritated at Blaise for the Festival event. Blaise tried to think of other events. He supposed Ninga was rather permanently angry with him over their dispute of his Aetherian powers. The first time Ninga had used his own blood in order to save the rest of them Blaise had very strong words for him. And after every other occurrence Blaise was there, still concerned but hiding it behind anger. Blaise winced when he thought about those times. Eventually Blaise managed to find the words to voice concern and for once Ninga appeared to really listen. He still wouldn’t agree not to cut himself, not to use that power that sapped at his health – he would save the small army they were becoming even if it cost him his life – but he did agree to only use it as a last resort. This put more work on Blaise’s shoulders. He had to work extra hard to be wherever Ninga was, to be at his back during battles, to keep enemies from reaching Ninga so that they didn’t break his concentration, so that Aether would never need to be used. But Blaise was all right with that. Ninga had listened to him. And Ninga was beginning to trust him.
So if that (probably) wasn’t it, then what was it? Blaise can only think that he was gone too long. About a week ago he got word that Marie was residing in a nearby town and he almost couldn’t sit still long enough to let Ninga and Loren know where he was going. Loren let him go with a roll of his eyes and a notice to be back within a few days. Ninga had just set his jaw a very certain way. A way that, looking back now, Blaise should have recognized it as a sign he would be in deep s**t when he came back. It has to be that. Blaise took too long getting back from visiting his…What was Marie to him? This caused Blaise to pause walking. He’s not sure how to answer this question. He can’t answer it with girlfriend. Marie is a woman, Blaise is a man, and sometimes they have relations but it’s nothing permanent. They’re at war. It can’t be anything permanent. Still, Blaise is fond of Marie and he thinks she is of him. Calling Marie the woman he has relations with seems a little cold but that’s the best he can come up with. So that’s it – Ninga must be irritated with him because he thinks Blaise is focusing too much time on Marie and not on the war. This is a well-worn fight between the two of them. One neither of them ever truly wins.
Blaise continues walking. He’s near the main tent now and he hears conversation. When he opens the flaps to the tent, all the conversation dies. It’s only then that Blaise realizes what he’s walked into: Ninga and Loren are holding a war meeting and Blaise wasn’t present at the start of it. Ninga says nothing, just sets his jaw that certain way again, and gestures wordlessly that Blaise should take a seat next to him. Blaise sits where indicated and it takes a while for the thread of conversation to pick up again but no one really wants to irritate Ninga more than he’s already showing so it gets going quickly enough. Blaise even manages to pick up the location they’re ambushing this time; it’s a Council stronghold thought to contain a stock of weaponry but most importantly, there’s word there are important documents in that stronghold. Such documents as some the Council doesn’t want anyone to know about, which makes the stronghold a perfect target for them. The rebels agree on the target, agree on a plan (thought up between Loren and Ninga, who are agreeing more and more these days, which frankly bewilders Blasie as he thought they still hated each other) and the war meeting is dismissed.
That’s when Blaise understands that Ninga’s irritation level has gone to another level entirely. And he’s about to do something about it. Ninga puts a hand on his shoulder, just a certain way, tightening his grasp just so.
“Blaise,” he says in a tone of voice that brokers no arguing, “I need to talk to you. In private.”
“Certainly.” Blaise says in return. He thinks about telling Loren to come look for him if they’re gone a little too long, but his friend only raises an eyebrow at him and shakes his head. So much for loyalty.
Ninga leads him into the woods near camp. They’re within view of camp, but far enough away that Blaise is sure no one could hear them if Ninga suddenly decided he wanted to kill him. Blaise shook this thought off as nonsense but Ninga’s back was turned to him and the dark haired sorcerer remains that way for a while. Blaise’s trepidation grows. When Ninga finally turns around to face him, his hand is on the hilt of his blade but it goes no further.
“That ritual you told me about, that one the knights are taught. The duel?” Ninga’s tone is conversational throughout the exchange, but his hand never relaxes from where it rests. “You said that knights can challenge each other to a duel if they misstep in their duties. Is this correct?”
It is. Blaise is also fairly sure he mentioned that these duels were often to the death. Very few duels ended in anything else. There were other recourses a knight could take to bring his fellow knight’s transgressions to light. If he or she wished him or her to live. Blaise moves his hand to the hilt of his own blade, just in case. He won’t kill Ninga, still not even sure where he’s taking this, but Blaise can certainly knock him out and carry him back to camp should it come to that. This isn’t even the first time Blaise has had to do that.
“Okay.” Ninga nods to himself and then draws his sword. “I would like to challenge you to a duel.”
Blaise’s first emotion to this declaration is disbelief. “Ninga, these duels are usually to the death. Are you trying to tell me something?”
Ninga scowls, but he doesn’t sheath his sword. “I’m not going to kill you.”
Blaise breathes a sigh of relief at this. It’s not because he thinks he has anything to fear from Ninga swordsmanship-wise (unless he plays dirty and uses magic) but he doesn’t want to have to expend the effort in restraining him. Blaise has already been through a hard ride getting back to camp within the given time, and he’d skimped on sleep while with Marie anyway.
But Ninga’s not finished. “But I do want you to know this is serious. You were late to the war meeting. That is unacceptable. There may come a time when what goes on there cannot be relayed to you quickly enough should you miss it. We might be in the process of an assault by then. Why are you laughing?”
Blaise can’t help himself, but he allows himself a couple more chuckles and then clears his throat. “Nothing,” he tells him, though he’s mostly lying, there’s most certainly a reason and his laughter is mostly relieved more than anything, “continue.”
Ninga frowns, but does so. “I wanted to communicate the fact that this is serious in your own language, so you’d take me seriously. Loren suggested the duel, actually, but it made sense.”
Ah. Blaise is going to have a few words with his best friend when he returns to camp later. Then perhaps he’s going to have a few more words for Loren, poking fun at the man’s apparent burgeoning friendship with Ninga. Loren will hate to hear of it even if that’s not what’s happening, though Blaise is sure the affirmative is the case.
“I’d listen to you.” Blaise tells him, and the answer is mostly honest. In most things other than Marie, Blaise
will listen to Ninga. “So can we put this whole charade behind us?”
Ninga’s back to scowling. Blaise is starting to think Ninga has three default expressions: no expression at all, a frown, or the scowl he’s currently displaying.
“No.” Ninga says. He extends his arm and lowers the blade into the appropriate stance. This makes Blaise blink. He’s sure he hadn’t told Ninga the nuts and bolts of the duel. “I told you I challenged you to a duel. If I defeat you you’re not going to be late again.”
Blaise raises an eyebrow. “And if I win?”
“You’re still not going to be allowed to be late again, if that’s what you’re getting at.”
Blaise chuckled again. “No. If I win…If I win, you have to do me a favor. Something of my choosing.” He’s thinking of making Ninga promise not to use Aether again, no matter what happens, but he doesn’t reveal this. Ninga will never agree to the terms if he knows.
There’s a narrowing of the eyes, but Blaise rightly guesses that Ninga is actually more than a little irritated at Blaise for being late. His irritation clouds his ability to realize what Blaise might ask of him.
“Fine.” Ninga tells him.
Thus the duel begins. Blaise is pleasantly surprised by the way Ninga puts the skills he taught him to good use and is genuinely surprised when he pulls out some tricks of his own. The new movements almost overtake him but Blaise sees a distinct connection between Ninga’s new style and the one Loren favors. The connection makes Blaise smirk. In the end, Blaise wins the duel but he draws it out a little. He doesn’t want Ninga to think he let him win but Ninga’s come far from the sorcerer who relied too much on magic to now, a sorcerer who could reliably defend his life with a blade if it came to that, so Blaise doesn’t want to discourage him either. Besides, some of the sword-work Ninga uses actually does push Blaise back and force him to think about his next move.
When their duel draws to a close, Blaise re-sheaths his sword and gives Ninga a hand up. Blaise gives him a smile that is purposely calming, the one he uses when he knows something he’s going to say may piss the sorcerer off to no end.
“I want to you to never use Aether in battle again.” He says simply. “And I mean it. I don’t care if you have to watch all of us die. That stuff is poison Ninga. It’s killing you and I won’t be part of the cause of your death. You can still drain it the way you do sometimes when the buildup gets too bad, but I don’t want to ever have to rescue you from some tower again only to realize you inflicted most of your wounds yourself.”
The furious snarl that is about to take over his face (Blaise adds that expression to his count) is partially quelled by mention of the tower incident. Even Ninga agreed that move hadn’t been one of his best plans. Of course, Blaise and Loren, followed by most of their army, had needed to drill that belief in him, but Ninga had relented in the end. One of their few victories over the subject.
“You’re a b*****d,” Ninga says finally, “But fine. Fine.”
And then he sheaths his sword and walks off without Blaise. Blaise watches him go and knows that he might have possibly cooled relations between them permanently. He thinks that they’re mostly okay though. Ninga’s known to keep his word, but the subject of Aether was one thing he’d never budge on. The fact that he’s agreed never to use it again during battle is a major step in a good direction. So Blaise just chuckles to himself and follows. He can survive the silent treatment for a week or two. Ninga has to talk to him eventually. He’s just glad Ninga was angry at him for being late to war meetings and not for visiting Marie again. He’s sure there are certain things a healthy relationship between sort of friends should include, and Blaise is sure that being greeted with a duel for being late (Ninga put too much force in a lot of his attacks, something Blaise notes they should work on the next time they practice with blades) isn’t one of them – but he can’t find it in him to really care.
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