XXXI
"Why Riley?" James asked, stabbing his wooden sword into the floor.
?Alex glared at him, bent over and out of breath. He wiped the sweat off his forehead with his hand, his curly hair coming undone and sticking to his face. His cheeks were a darker shade than normal but his skin was light enough that James imagined a pink tint to it.
?It had been a cruel joke that, once James had finally managed to seduce Alex, he wasn't able to watch the man unravel with his eyes. The room had been too dark for him. James imagined Alex would have looked something like this, hot and bothered.
?Alex straightened his back and repositioned his feet, shoulder width apart, lifting his sword and preparing for another attack. Thomas groaned in the background, knowing the cycle of defeat would repeat.
?They'd finally found the opportunity to spar with each other.
James was breathing hard, his body aching and tired.
They were training in a private sparring room, away from onlookers except Thomas.
It wouldn't have been good optics for the royal knights to see one of their bosses getting beaten up.
Thomas came along because he'd wanted to watch James spar from a distance after their own match, perhaps trying to spot weaknesses in his technique.
?"Riley has Theos royal blood in him," Alex said, "I can't think of anyone better."
?James inwardly scoffed and then went on the offensive, aiming his sword to Alex's chest before sweeping it low last minute to get his legs, contorting his body to the side so that he missed Alex's upper block.
?James' eyes caught it again; Alex's feet shifted one way and then his body moved in another. Every single slice of Alex's sword was clinical and clean but there seemed to be somewhat of a disagreement between Alex's instincts and discipline; that was why he kept losing.
?Alex cursed after James hit his shins, letting his training sword fall in frustration. James sighed and dropped his own pole to the ground, stopping the match for Alex's own sake.
?"Those things give me splinters," James complained, flexing his fingers, not that he felt it.
?"Better a splinter than a stab wound."
?James looked Alex in the eye.
?"I don't like that man," he stated, wanting to get his opinion on the record.
?Alex glared. "I don't care if you like him or not. It's what I've decided."
?James shook his head. Alex didn't like Riley either, James knew that much.
Riley's royal blood wasn't a benefit, it was a risk; especially since King William believed Theos and Ankaid were conspiring together.
Fabian could catch wind of their every movement if Riley decided to rat them out.
Knights with connections were always the most dangerous.
?"Why don't you like him?" Thomas asked. He had walked up to them with two towels. James took one and wiped it all over his bare shoulders and neck, feeling gross with sweat. Alex still had a shirt on, using it only on his head, and James wondered what he was so self-conscious about.
?"His eyes are dead." James replied, tearing his eyes away. "When I talk to him it's like I'm looking into the eyes of a wooden painted doll. Only psychos have that kind of look."
?"Yeah, I often think the same thing when I look into yours." Alex muttered.
?James smiled at him. "You look into my eyes often? Cute."
?"I like that I can see my reflection in them."
?"Liar."
?"I agree with Alex," Thomas said, nodding. "You used to give me the creeps, to be honest. You have those psycho eyes and the blood-like irises don't help either."
?James was used to being insulted for his eye colour and for his detached gaze, he was more annoyed that he was being interrupted.
?"Thomas, you're awfully talented at spoiling my fun. I'm trying to flirt in peace."
?"You call that flirting?" Thomas seemed horrified but James had already proven it to be successful once already, not that Thomas would know. There was no point fixing what wasn't broken.
?Alex snapped his fingers before James could bite back at Thomas. "Aha! I got it. You don't like him because he's similar to you."
?James genuinely felt offended by that.
?"We may appear similar on the outside but we're very different," he murmured. "More importantly, I figured out what's wrong with your sword technique."
?Thomas titled his head in confusion, clearly not knowing there was a problem in the first place. Alex also appeared bemused.
?"What do you mean 'wrong'?"
?"I'm going to make a wager," James started, he felt like being mean after Alex had been rude to him. "I'm going to bet that you fought a lot with weapons before you formally learned swordsmanship, didn't you?"
?"Why do you say that?" Even if Alex's tone was light, there was an intensity in that gaze.
?James grinned, knowing he'd found yet another sore spot to press.
?"The way that your body instinctively moves.
You start to do one particular thing— a thing that I bet you've been scolded out of using entirely because it's considered 'dirty' or 'unsportsmanlike', so you stop and instead try to go for the cleaner, more honourable, move.
You're constantly fighting your body's impulses.
Your brain is in a tournament and your body is on the battlefield. You're a confused mess."
?Thomas slowly nodded. "Now that you mention it..."
?"You're sort of right," Alex allowed, "though you're exaggerating. But, yes, I only learned swordsmanship after I had been adopted by the duke. Before then, I had to defend myself without training."
?"How old were you when you were adopted?"
?Alex shifted his weight from one foot to the other, clearly uncomfortable with the question.
James didn't care if it stressed him. If Alex was that disturbed, he could just stay silent.
Alex was the type of person who would only either tell you the truth or refuse to reply at all, much unlike James who would lie for the sake of it.
?"It's been about twenty-one years, so I must have been about ten? I'm not sure, it's been a long time."
?James was pleasantly surprised he'd received an answer.
?"That's tough. What happened when you were a kid for you to still be influenced by it?"
?Was he a refugee perhaps? No, he didn't speak Ashadi.
?"None of your business, Cherry."
?James wasn't sure if he should find the nickname demeaning or flattering. There was no doubt the comment was half-sarcastic at best considering the symbolism. James was sexy but he wasn't feminine nor sweet.
?"I've been too nice to you." James muttered, walking away to where Eris was.
?"James, what are you doing?" Alex called, his tone low in warning.
?He unsheathed her, her dark blade like obsidian.
He'd brought her with him, knowing he couldn't stay mad forever.
Ino had hinted that James may be able to control her influence over his mind somehow but he'd never find out how to do that if she remained locked in his wardrobe.
After everything they'd been through together, it didn't feel right to lock her away.
?Thomas immediately retreated away from the centre of the room, hovering a hand near his own weapon in case James went on a spree.
?It felt good to be holding her like this again, warm in his hand, their connection strengthened without her sheath.
Even though she would be able to tell that James had been upset by her, he knew she didn't care.
She was never sentimental, always the practical thing and that was what James had always needed; an anchor.
?"Why are you doing that?" Alex's tone was more panicked and James supposed he had a reason to be worried. What was more alarming than being stuck in a room with a mass murderer on a mental decline and a relic?
?"Pick up a metal one." James said, giving Eris an experimental slash at nothing, slicing through the air with a loud hiss. She was a lot heavier than normal swords, requiring a lot of arm strength and stamina. Even if she tired him out faster, her bite made up for it. She felt right.
?"James, you're mental. We don't have protective gear on and you want me to use a regular sword against that?"
?"Scared?" James asked, tilting his head with a grin.
?"I'm not rising to that kind of bait," Alex scoffed. "Thomas, start packing up."
?Before Alex could dare to walk away, James lunged and Alex jumped out of the way in a panic, his eyes wide. James' smile stretched further. Alex's pupils grew, his breathing quickening, the adrenaline activated. Fight or flight.
?"Whether you want to be armed or not is your choice but I'm going to keep attacking."
?"You're insane!"
?Alex shouted in fear as Eris' blade sliced past and had yet another near miss. James could see Thomas approaching them out of the corner of his eye, he pointed Eris at him in warning to stay back.
?"Get Alex a sword," James ordered him.
?"She's going to eat me the moment her blade touches me!" Alex raged, his face a darker shade than before.
?Despite Alex's concerns, James was very aware of how close Eris was to his skin with each strike. He could read what Alex was going to do before it happened. There was a risk but it was minimal.
?"Only if she cuts your skin," James corrected. "Touching her will just give you a little burn."
?"You're a fucking monster."
?Even if Alex was furious, alarmed by the threat, he hadn't left the room. It was possible James had wound him up enough that he was too pissed off to walk away now. The thought further fed his sick delight.
?"We're going to need to fix that dissonance of yours first, it makes your sword skills lousy. You'll be more capable this way."
?Not just his swordsmanship, this was also an opportunity to tempt out that repressed anger.
Ino was right, Alex had a lot of potential, sexual favours aside.
He just needed a little refining. This man's loyalty could be unconditional if he earned it and there was nothing more valuable in this world.
It was a thing kings went crazy with paranoia seeking.
?James watched Alex's face to get a gauge of his thoughts.
Alex's lips twitched with the beginning of an agreement but then his eyes narrowed, his brain calculating behind them.
Any hesitation would have meant that Alex's rationality had stepped in and he would sensibly back out.
It seemed he was going to need a little bit more persuasion.
?"A coward like the rest of your home country, eh?"
?Alex's body stiffened. There, he'd done it.
?"Ashad has never been my home." Alex stated. He could behave as calmly as he wanted but James already knew the rage that was tied up in that man. It sat there every minute with nowhere to escape, no place for Alex to vent it.
?"Thomas," Alex barked, "the sword."
?James rocked on his heels, pleased with himself.
?Thomas was hesitant yet quick to hand it over, the blade reflecting a blinding light from the skylight above. Alex was confident with it, testing the grip, all caution melted away and replaced with his tempered wrath.
?James didn't have to wait long for Alex to attack, the man went straight for his throat, knowing that he was the one at a disadvantage, not James. As they fought, Alex showed no caution that he would hurt him, assuming James was capable enough to block it all.
?That was exactly what James wanted, he wanted Alex to feel scared; scared enough that he would fall back on his fighting instincts, the thrill of life and death.
James noticed Alex resisting them once, so he let Eris' blade brush up against his arm.
The skin sizzled only for a moment before he flinched away, his skin burned.
?"Fuck!" Alex grunted, only angered further.
?"That wouldn't have happened if you hadn't fucked around," James scolded. "Fight me like you mean it or Eris will kill you."
?Prodding Alex's anger had been a good method. Although his moves were sloppier as a result, that wasn't a problem, James wanted to focus on one thing at a time. Harmonising his body and mind through fear was his goal.
?James had gone through a process which was much worse than this as a kid.
When his mentor had found him, his swordsmanship was pitifully ineffective in a real fight.
In a spar, there had been no need to fight like losing meant death, there had been no desperation in his methods. Desperation was what kept people alive.
?James was therefore happy to forgive any lousy swings, not taking the opening to strike but, as soon as Alex tried to fight his body, James disincentivised it by lightly injuring him.
?He didn't feel guilty about it; this could save Alex's life one day.
?It wasn't the kind of thing he could fix overnight though.
Eventually, Alex got tired, his body hurting from the bruises James had inflicted and the few little grazes Eris had dealt.
Alex stopped, doubled over. James let him catch his breath, checking his body for soreness after getting hit a few times.
?"I'm going to kill your sword teacher." James sighed, they had done Alex a great misjustice.
?"Fuck you," was what he received.
?James hummed. Normally he'd find such immature displays of frustration unappealing, but he liked seeing it on Alex. It meant progress. Anger was a tool if it was something you could control. In Alex's case; repression wasn't control, it was avoidance. That was why he had to tempt it out first.
?"Sure. I guess I'd bottom for you," James thought out loud, getting sidetracked. He wasn't so caught up in stereotypes like Alex was. Though, he'd never actually done it before.
?The look on Alex's face was something to laugh at, the man couldn't tell whether to be shocked, pleased or annoyed. At the very least, his anger had stuttered.
?"Calmed down now?" James asked knowingly. He resheathed Eris to signal the end of their spar.
?"Do you insist on 'flirting' in front of me?" Thomas groaned. "Tolerating things like this was never in my job description."
?"Fuck off then."
?"He can't." Alex said, standing straight. He'd since regained his composure. "The duke has him stuck to me."
?James' eyebrows raised in surprise, looking between the two men. "You know about it?"
?Alex shrugged. "Thomas told me himself."
?"I also relay his movements back to His Grace." Thomas admitted. "I never wanted to be part of this cloak and dagger stuff."
?"Wait, then who are you loyal to?"
?"King William." Thomas said. "I have no loyalty to the duke even if I have to follow his orders.
I only told Alex about it out of respect.
It would be obvious anyway with how often the duke pairs us up.
I'm sure Alex would have figured it out even if I didn't say anything.
So, just to make this clear; if you don't want the duke to know something then don't say it in front of me. "
?James frowned, finding the situation distasteful. Alex didn't seem surprised nor bothered by the blatant spying his own father was conducting against him. James would have been outraged if it had been him.
?Perhaps Thomas was the reason Alex wasn't receptive to his flirting.
?"And why tell me this?" James asked Alex. Alex didn't reveal information without reason.
?"We'll talk about that later."
?If it was something Alex didn't want the duke to know about then that likely meant that he had moved on his own will, outside of orders.
James was pleased Alex was taking initiative.
A good soldier wasn't one that waited mindlessly for orders, rather, one that acted independently for the betterment of their master.
Though, that kind of dynamic was only achievable through devout trust. At the moment, Alex was only loyal to himself, even if he pretended it was with the duke.
?If James did stick the coup out and become king, he could get the first pick of Alex, make him a royal guard. He didn't seem rightfully valued anywhere else.
?He inwardly shook his head. He was going to leave before that point. There was no point in daydreaming about it.
?When James had posed Eris the question; whether he should take power or run; Eris hadn't thought twice about it.
He should flee. Back at the Moira temple, Ino had told him that Eris was attracted to people who had experienced betrayal and he now wondered if she thought that way because becoming king would set him up for more betrayal in the future.
That's where her priorities had always likely been, which was probably why she hadn't liked his mentor either.
She wanted him to be isolated, simply because that was the most stable circumstance for him to be in.
?If he removed the betrayal element from the equation, he wondered if Eris would change her mind. Being king couldn't be that much more dangerous than living as a commoner assassin with more enemies than friends.
?"I suppose you could stop by my room tonight." James said.
?Alex shook his head. "No, that'll be distracting. I'll take you now."
?"Like, right now?"
?James probably smelled awful, so did Alex. They weren't dressed well enough for any of the palace meeting rooms.
?"Thomas, I'll give you the afternoon off if you tidy up so go make yourself scarce. Go see your family."
?Thomas didn't need to be told twice, picking up their discarded weapons to put them away.
?"Follow me."
?James nodded and trailed Alex from behind, admiring the width of his shoulders. He wished he could watch Alex interact with normal people, they'd probably squeak in terror.
?It was a funny thought.