Empire of Ashes

Chapter X - Playfighting

It was only when I heard armour clinking that I poked my head out of my new den.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

Rory was unbuckling the leather straps of Temris's pauldron — an obedient little tyro. Northerners seemed to live in their armour, so something must have been going on. Especially since Anlai, Bevan and Colloe were all doing the same. Fendur was gone. He must have gone back to bed, since he wasn't even supposed to be on duty.

"To train," Anlai snapped. "You're not coming."

"Says who?" I rose to the challenge, sneaking a suspicious glance at Temris.

"Don't look at me. I'm happy to let you tag along," he said defensively. "Just don't expect to be given anything sharp."

Anlai scowled, as was his favourite habit. He could hardly argue with Temris — well, he could, but he knew it wouldn't get him anywhere. I picked up my cloak from the floor, dusted it off and returned it to my shoulders. Temris's bed was far too warm for much clothing. And I refused to acknowledge the ulterior meaning to that statement. Gods, Lyra, stop making everything sound so intimate.

When they had shed all the plate armour and chainmail, the men changed into loose white shirts instead of their usual tunics. And they did all the changing in front of me, to my delight. They couldn't ruin their fine clothes with dirt because, to hear them tell it, the washerwomen were threatening castration.

"Um ... I only have one set of clothes," I pointed out.

Temris swore, which was rewarded with a hard cuff from his cousin. He rubbed the back of his head and glared at Anlai, who grinned. "Fendur says we have to watch our mouths around the kid."

Colloe scowled. "I doubt you care for the boy's welfare as much as you want an excuse for violence. Be careful, Anlai. Most men who raise a hand to a Ragnyr lose the hand."

"Come and take it then, old man," Anlai drawled, spreading his hands wide in invitation.

The Iyrak was too sensible to rise to such obvious bait. Instead, he snorted and looked away disdainfully. Behind him, Temris rose to his feet and went to rifle through a clothing chest. "This is ridiculous. I bet he's heard far worse. Haven't you, Rory?"

Rory beamed. "Oh yes. And most of it was Anlai."

Would you look at that? The kid had grown a backbone ... although, judging by the look in Anlai's eyes, it might end up snapped before the day was out. It must have been my example which inspired such insolence.

Temris laughed as he threw me one of his own shirts. Far too big, of course. "Sorry, Lyra. I can't be arsed to go on a hunt for small clothes right now."

I grimaced but went into the bedroom to change. It could have been worse — it reached halfway down my thighs. I fastened a belt around my waist to keep it from sidling up. The fabric smelt of soap and campfire smoke, a strange but familiar combination. We had always dried our clothes at the fireside on the farm.

Once I ducked out of the bedroom, there was no waiting around. I trailed after the three men as they led the way to the training field I had admired upon my arrival. Even Rory was allowed to join in the fun.

Unsurprisingly, the crowds parted before the cousins as they walked. They were both imposingly tall, for one thing. And there was the aura of lazy authority that surrounded Temris like a second skin. Anlai just radiated violence. From where I stood, looking at the back of their heads, they could be golden twins. It was their eyes which really marked their differences. Cool blue and dark. Clear sky and night.