Friday, June 8, 2012

41 - I Am NOT Slinking!


Werfas sat down squarely in Kyrus’s way in the surdeniliarch’s house. “You are not going to slink away in the night! That’s just stupid. You came all this way to learn how to be a warrior, so your dumb old Emperor has to get you killed a more honourable way than as an Ass! Being a real warrior, riding a moa, and all that crap.”

Kyrus crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at his best friend. “I’m not slinking! I’m leaving a note. And if I don’t leave now I won’t ever be able to go home, not even as the lowest sewer filter worker or burner! They find out I’ve learned ‘mandery they’ll not bother putting me in a cage with no bottom, they’ll just take me up and fling me right off the Sun Crystal to make sure there’s nothing left of me when I hit bottom!”

“The surdeniliarch doesn’t think so. He wouldn’t do that to you. He wouldn’t take you away from your mom, from your people. You know that.”

Kyrus made to go around the table the other direction from where Werfas was blocking him. “Look, Milar, back off.”

Werfas leaped up and dodged to block the door the other way. “No, Lainz! You’re being an idiot. You aren’t going to learn how to be a Dee in one or two or even ten lessons. You need to stay. If I didn’t know better I’d say it was because Haraklez keeps smiling at you and teasing you and you’re running away from a girl because she’s a better warrior than you.”

Kyrus bunched a fist, relaxed it, bunched it again, smacked it down on the table. “Darkness TAKE YOU!” He set his pack down right in front of the fire and sat on it, glaring up at Werfas. “That’s just stupid. I’m not scared of any girl.”

“Look you idiot Lainz, you could be as good a warrior as your dad and you have one of the prettiest girls in the war school making gooey eyes at you when you’re not looking and you’re running away?”

“I… I guess if you put it that way… it sounds kind of stupid, doesn’t it?” Kyrus, from his position on the backpack, slid down to use it as a backrest right in front of the fire. “I’m sorry, Wer. I’m just… just so…um… gooey eyes?”

“I know. Never mind the gooey eyes comment. You were off in class today and didn’t say two words strung together at dinner. That’s why I came, because I was worried.”
“You were worried for me?” That was a new idea for Kyrus.

“Yeah, bee-brain.” Werfas grinned as he held out a hand to help Kyrus up off the floor. “You need to burn that dumb note.”

“Stuff a boot liner in it, mutton face.” Kyrus took his friend’s hand to climb up to his feet. “Yeah, I’ll burn it. Um… she’s half Lainz.” His voice was muffled as he turned his back, grabbed his pack and slung it back into the guest cupboard where he’d gotten it. “Thank you.” Then almost in a whisper. “My brother.”

“No problem, Wing-brother.” Werfas said this almost as quietly. “If you want.”

Kyrus wheeled around, eyes wide. “You… how did you find out about that?”

“Not hard, idiot, from Zon Elemfias, she’s fought enough Lainz and been friends with enough since the war that she knows about that. You’ve got your beak hanging open.”

Kyrus stood, breathing hard, struggled to keep his emotions in check and succeeded, except his reddening eyes. He raised his sword fist slowly, kissed it and just as slowly, tentatively, offered it to Werfas. “So long as we are never ordered against each other, by our commanders, my Wing Brother keeps me from making too many stupid mistakes.”

Werfas grinned, kissed his fist, and touched it knuckle to knuckle. “As long as our countries are not at war. Wing brother. I’ll do my best to point out if you’re being a bone-head.”

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