08-26-2021, 01:15 AM
“You won’t let the Captain-General find out about this, yeah?” the young soldier asked sheepishly as he finished lacing up his breeches. The man even blushed slightly. “She might kick me out if she knew I was laying with nobles – no offense, m’lord. It’s just that I’m on duty and–“
Merdyn quieted him with a finger to the lips; they always liked and expected that sort of thing from someone of his station. It almost felt like he was playing a lazy game of Daes Dae’mar. Almost. Merdyn let his hand drop and shook his head with a smirk, “So long as you don’t go bragging to your fellows back there.”
The soldier blushed even harder. Soldiers always liked to brag, and they were always the most eager for a quick release. Merdyn had no expectations or motives, of course – these things just had a tendency of happening when he got bored. That had been the problem. They had been waiting here for hours. Oh, Merdyn had tried to put his spare time to good use. He had been running exercises with Saidin and his sword, but lost interest after the fourth hour. He had wandered off into the woods after that, in search of a place to relieve himself.
After moments of wandering, Merdyn ran into the soldier. The other man had found a place to relieve himself, so Merdyn stepped up beside him to do the same. It was not long before eyes began to wander, and hands quickly followed suit. It was not Merdyn’s finest moment, be had had enjoyed himself immensely. And who could ask for a better way to pass the time? That was not to mention the relief it offered of the day’s multiple stresses. Saidin was sweeter, but there was something about doing a thing for oneself that was incredibly satisfying.
By the time they had finished, a dusty purple haze painted the sky above as the Sun began its final descent behind the horizon. Stars emerged from their hiding place and the swollen Moon sat just overhead. It was time to gather up the troops and return to the real world. Merdyn did love his distractions. The only thing that would have made these last few moments sweeter would have been a bottle of brandy, but then the Daughter Heir had made it very clear he was to keep clear headed on this endeavor.
The soldier began to get back into his gear and Merdyn turned away, pulling his own trousers back up from around his ankles. Channeling, he brought a spray of water up from the stream and quickly freshened himself. The fine wool blouse came back on and then the rest of his trappings, right down to the black coat of an Asha’man. The soldier was already gone by the time he finished readying himself. Merdyn smirked to himself. It was what he had wanted.
Still holding Saidin, he closed his eyes and listened to the sounds around him. The woods were mostly silent, save for the rest of the soldiers a ways off and the light crunching of deer and their young to the west. He took a deep breath and exhaled, clearing his mind of everything but a tiny flame. He feed it all of the hurt, frustration, and anxiety that he had been ignoring since coming back here. He let go of the pain and the fear. Holding the flame firmly in his mind, he set back off to the rest of the men.
Merdyn avoided eye-contact with the solider once rejoining the group. It was better to let the man know this was a clean break. It was merely a passing fancy, a one-time affair. He could not afford to let himself get wrapped up in love again. He wouldn’t even entertain the notion, especially not tonight. The flame in his mind burned white-hot.
“Form up men, we are to set forth at once,” Merdyn bellowed as boots began to scuffle in his wake. He strode up a double column of soldiers, head held high and Saidin raging at his fingertips. He began weaving the flows needed for a large gateway as he came to the head of the columns. It was at that moment that a streak of red shot up from the distant horizon.
“Oh, light not now,” Merdyn gasped to himself as his eyes trailed after the fire in the sky. Vivienne was to send up a flare of red flame if things were starting to go awry – if she was able to. If she was sending it, that meant she was not detained, but if she wasn’t using a gateway or skimming… A thousand scenarios flew through Merdyn’s head and ice clutched his spine. The flame in his mind was nowhere to be found.
“There is likely trouble, men,” Merdyn bellowed in a courageous tone despite himself, “Stand ready for anything. None of you are to charge in until I give the word. Vivienne Sedai and her Warder’s life may depend on it.”
The soldiers began rattling their swords against shields in reply. Merdyn finished his weaving and a gateway, large enough for three to march abreast, sprung into existence before him. In the distance, through the opening in the air, sat Gilyard Manor. Merdyn pressed his eyes shut and called for the men to march through.
Merdyn quieted him with a finger to the lips; they always liked and expected that sort of thing from someone of his station. It almost felt like he was playing a lazy game of Daes Dae’mar. Almost. Merdyn let his hand drop and shook his head with a smirk, “So long as you don’t go bragging to your fellows back there.”
The soldier blushed even harder. Soldiers always liked to brag, and they were always the most eager for a quick release. Merdyn had no expectations or motives, of course – these things just had a tendency of happening when he got bored. That had been the problem. They had been waiting here for hours. Oh, Merdyn had tried to put his spare time to good use. He had been running exercises with Saidin and his sword, but lost interest after the fourth hour. He had wandered off into the woods after that, in search of a place to relieve himself.
After moments of wandering, Merdyn ran into the soldier. The other man had found a place to relieve himself, so Merdyn stepped up beside him to do the same. It was not long before eyes began to wander, and hands quickly followed suit. It was not Merdyn’s finest moment, be had had enjoyed himself immensely. And who could ask for a better way to pass the time? That was not to mention the relief it offered of the day’s multiple stresses. Saidin was sweeter, but there was something about doing a thing for oneself that was incredibly satisfying.
By the time they had finished, a dusty purple haze painted the sky above as the Sun began its final descent behind the horizon. Stars emerged from their hiding place and the swollen Moon sat just overhead. It was time to gather up the troops and return to the real world. Merdyn did love his distractions. The only thing that would have made these last few moments sweeter would have been a bottle of brandy, but then the Daughter Heir had made it very clear he was to keep clear headed on this endeavor.
The soldier began to get back into his gear and Merdyn turned away, pulling his own trousers back up from around his ankles. Channeling, he brought a spray of water up from the stream and quickly freshened himself. The fine wool blouse came back on and then the rest of his trappings, right down to the black coat of an Asha’man. The soldier was already gone by the time he finished readying himself. Merdyn smirked to himself. It was what he had wanted.
Still holding Saidin, he closed his eyes and listened to the sounds around him. The woods were mostly silent, save for the rest of the soldiers a ways off and the light crunching of deer and their young to the west. He took a deep breath and exhaled, clearing his mind of everything but a tiny flame. He feed it all of the hurt, frustration, and anxiety that he had been ignoring since coming back here. He let go of the pain and the fear. Holding the flame firmly in his mind, he set back off to the rest of the men.
Merdyn avoided eye-contact with the solider once rejoining the group. It was better to let the man know this was a clean break. It was merely a passing fancy, a one-time affair. He could not afford to let himself get wrapped up in love again. He wouldn’t even entertain the notion, especially not tonight. The flame in his mind burned white-hot.
“Form up men, we are to set forth at once,” Merdyn bellowed as boots began to scuffle in his wake. He strode up a double column of soldiers, head held high and Saidin raging at his fingertips. He began weaving the flows needed for a large gateway as he came to the head of the columns. It was at that moment that a streak of red shot up from the distant horizon.
“Oh, light not now,” Merdyn gasped to himself as his eyes trailed after the fire in the sky. Vivienne was to send up a flare of red flame if things were starting to go awry – if she was able to. If she was sending it, that meant she was not detained, but if she wasn’t using a gateway or skimming… A thousand scenarios flew through Merdyn’s head and ice clutched his spine. The flame in his mind was nowhere to be found.
“There is likely trouble, men,” Merdyn bellowed in a courageous tone despite himself, “Stand ready for anything. None of you are to charge in until I give the word. Vivienne Sedai and her Warder’s life may depend on it.”
The soldiers began rattling their swords against shields in reply. Merdyn finished his weaving and a gateway, large enough for three to march abreast, sprung into existence before him. In the distance, through the opening in the air, sat Gilyard Manor. Merdyn pressed his eyes shut and called for the men to march through.
Russian Dolls and Broken Gods, a new Fantasy novel by best-selling author, Aiden Finnegan, out this December! Preorder online and instore today!