The Drache's Love

Chapter 11, Cormac

I didn’t know what we were going to do.

Avva had unknowingly wormed her way into my heart, very early on.  I had been unwilling to face that, until she came into my bed of her own volition.  Because she felt safe, she’d said.

But more importantly, what was I going to do?  She was a princess, and would no doubt have an arranged, political marriage, likely to a Strumman prince, if it would bring peace to both kingdoms.  And I knew that Avva would put her duty to her country above all else.  I knew exactly what I would do.  I would cherish the time I had with her, and then when she married whatever human man she was promised to, I would disappear, and my heart would wither.  I would have to let her go.  But I would think no more on that until it actually happened.

So, day in and day out, we trained.  And each night, after she was certain no one would see or hear, she crawled into bed with me.  Somehow, we each managed to control our desires every night.  And each morning, before the horn blew, she snuck back to her own bed.  We continued in this way for several weeks.

By this time, Avva and I were as equally matched as we could be in our one on one training, as were most of the other pairs of soldiers, so one day Melkree made an announcement.

“Today, you will not train with your partners.  You will however, fight side by side against another pair.  We will continue in this way for some time, rotating pairs.”

As luck would have it, Avva and I would be fighting Mauricio and Dolf.  I liked the troll, but the human was scum.  And so, we squared off, Avva against Dolf and myself against Mauricio, all with staves.  I was going to enjoy making a fool of this human.

Avva and I fought well together, and I couldn’t be prouder of her.  We had both reached a point that we anticipated each other, and quickly began to anticipate our opponents as well.  If Mauricio made a move that I would be unable to block, Avva would block it herself, and never take a hit from Dolf, and I would do the same for her.

This frustrated Dolf.  He was a capable warrior, but he likely blamed their shortcomings as a team on the lack of a relationship with Mauricio.  And I had come to know Dolf well enough to know he had tried, and then tried some more, to form that relationship, but now, he was simply tolerating the human.

But Mauricio was livid.  We continued fighting in this way, Mauricio and Dolf not gaining an inch.  And with each blow he failed to land, the angrier he got, until he saw an opportunity for a cheap shot.  His staff connected with my groin, and I hit the ground, and my balls hit my throat.  I wasn’t necessarily surprised, but I had thought, perhaps, the human had at least a shred of honor.  I was wrong.  What did surprise me, however, was Avva’s reaction.

She beat the everloving s**t out of Mauricio.  

For every blow he blocked, Avva landed one, and not gently.  Dolf ducked when she knocked Mauricio’s staff away with such force that, had it hit him, it would have completely knocked the wind out of him at the very least.  He had thought he was out of the way.  When Avva had gone after Mauricio, Dolf had stepped back.  Apparently tolerating Mauricio didn’t mean defending him when he was being a bastard.

Before any of us knew it, Avva had Mauricio on the ground, the end of her staff at his throat.  Her chest was heaving, and her teeth were bared in her rage.  Whether she knew it or not, she had just put on a territorial display worthy of a Drache female.  It was a good thing my balls were as bruised as they were, otherwise the heat she caused in my blood would have caused a display that was the height of impropriety.

Mauricio lost his mind.

“WHAT? You can’t handle when your beast is bested?”  His volume began to rise, and the other soldiers, Melkree included, began to gather around.  “We all know you sneak into his bed every night.  You debase yourself fornicating with that beast!”

It was my turn to pounce on the prick, but Fridthor beat me to it.

“What nonsense are you spouting, Mauricio?  My bed is on the other side of Avva’s, and not once have I seen her leave her bed, but to go to the privy.  You’re nothing but a slanderous, spineless worm, that’s jealous because you think that the princess has chosen the Drache over you.  Shut your mouth before you shame yourself even more.”

Mauricio opened his mouth to lambast Fridthor, but before he could get a word out, Melkree boomed, “Enough!”

Everyone immediately turned their attention to the captain.

“I saw the entire exchange.  Mauricio, your services are no longer required.  We have no need for an honorless liar amongst our ranks, and certainly not a racist one.  We are here to foster cooperation, and you only cause dissent.  Gather your belongings and leave.”

“You’ll regret this, troll.  And you, princess.  This is not the last you’ll be seeing of me,” Mauricio spat as he extricated himself from the end of Avva’s spear and stormed off toward the barracks.

“Dolf, I am sorry for the loss of your partner, but since you never truly had one anyway, I doubt you are.  I will request a new human recruit from the other captains, and encourage them to be more discerning in their choice,” Melkree told the younger troll.  “Now, I think we’ve earned heading to dinner a bit early.”

After dinner, Avva and I sat in our usual places by the fire when Fridthor and Borglum sat with us.  The look on their faces didn’t bode well for the conversation.

Borglum began, “Mauricio was right about only one thing.  We all do know where Avva sleeps at night.  But rest assured, not one of us will say a word.  Down to the last man, we value the way we have come together as a company.  We will keep your secret.”

“But,” Fridthor added, “perhaps you should consider sleeping apart, at least for a few nights.  It is against regulations, and if Melkree should find out, my ass is on the line as well as yours, because of the lie I told today.  Now, sleep well.”

He and Borglum found their way to their beds.  Avva and I looked at each other.  We both knew they were right.  Neither one of us would risk dishonoring a fellow soldier of the company.

“I don’t like it.  I won’t sleep,” she said.

“I don’t either, but we both know we have to,” I replied.  She sighed oh so deeply, and we headed off to bed.  We both tossed and turned all night, sleeping very little.

But fortune smiled on us, for that was the last night we would willingly sleep apart.