The Sword and The Shadow

Greeting the Father-in-law

“Bastard, when did Gold-eagle’s camp become a public toilet?!” Jast cursed, rushing at the brat with his lance.

He had more strata than the brat, so obviously he was stronger. While he had to admit he stood no chance against the galestorm swordsaint, he could certainly could, and would, teach the little mercenary brat a lesson.

Unfortunately, he was destined to suffer another blow today.

“Buzz off! I didn’t ask for you!” Leguna barked.

He activated Lightness, his speed doubling instantly, and kicked Jast in the chest. The poor man was once again struck flying. He eventually came to a stop, got up, and stared at the brat incredulously.

“You… you… how can you be so fast?! You’re cheating…”

Whether from the shock of being defeated instantly twice in such quick succession, or from some internal injury he’d received during one of the two, or perhaps both, exchanges, his eyes blanked and he collapsed a moment later.

He had indeed gotten pretty quick, Marolyt thought, but Wayerliss could not have taught him that. Someone else was teaching him. His penchant for mischief flared, and he quickly hid himself. Leguna would be none the wiser unless someone literally told him Marolyt was there.

“Aaaaah! Alissanda, get out here now!” Leguna bellowed again, strutting about.

Leguna didn’t just want to beat Alissanda up to keep him from punishing Lisana. He firmly believed that rules should be damned when it came to friends and comrades, they came before any rule, no matter how good the reasoning behind it, and he was disgusted by people that applied the rules in detriment to their friends and comrades. He had come to like the prince in the time they’d spent together and he didn’t want the man doing something that went against Leguna’s personal beliefs that would make him disgusted by him.

He was determined to stop him no matter what he had to do. He would not let Alissanda become someone who put more importance on the rules than his companions.

“Calm down!” Alissanda shouted to be heard, annoyed at the little brat.

He admired the kid’s ability to handle himself in a fight, but he didn’t like his penchant for acting without thinking. Everything could be resolved if only he would just shut up and listen to Alissanda for a few minutes, but no, of course no one but Leguna could have anything reasonable to say about it, he just had to be the only one that knew what was going on and how to solve it…

“Listen to me!” Alissanda yelled again as he shoved the brat’s attacks aside.

“Listen my ass! You’re trying to punish Lisana in front of this crowd! Look at her eyes! They’re red! I won’t listen to you! I’ll beat you up instead!” Leguna spat.

“His Highness’ already punished her! Twenty canes!” Marolyt shouted from the crowd in a disguised voice.

Ugh, Teacher was right! That old guy is insane! Alissanda thought hatefully.

The moment of distraction was enough for Leguna to get his hand in and club Alissanda’s head, the first time something like this had ever happened to him. His vision blurred for a moment and he was thrown off balance.

“Hahahaha!” Leguna bellowed and smiled at Lisana proudly.

The prince was furious now. Since there could be no reasoning with the brat using words, he’d just beat some sense into him! He dropped his lance and flung his palm at Leguna with all his strength. It connected and left a beautiful red palm print on the brat’s cheek.

“Freaking hell, not the face! What kind of prince are you? Didn’t your mother teach you not to do that, you scoundrel?!” Leguna cried.

“Who are you to call me out? You’re the bastard, the scoundrel! Your family didn’t raise you well!” Alissanda shouted as the two wrestled.

The two didn’t use their impetus, however. Alissanda’s advantage thus disappeared, and the two fought on relatively equal grounds, though Leguna’s smaller frame put him at somewhat of a disadvantage.

“I grew up in the slums and you’re talking about family lessons? You got the wrong guy! Ptooey! A young master like you dares to slap my face?!” Leguna barked again.

He opened his mouth to say more, but a fist shoved into his face at the same moment.

“Who wants to slap that face? I’m rattling that empty cavity in your head where a brain’s supposed to be!”

“Get in line!” Leguna shouted back, genuinely surprised by the hit.

“Hahahahaha! So you admit you’re an idiot!” Alissanda laughed.

“Buzz off! Eat my fists!” Leguna retorted, waiving his tiny fist at the prince.

……

The two exchanged blows like two ruffians for several minutes. Neither ever used their impetus, instead they simply pummeled each other like common thugs.

Neither was badly wounded when they finally stopped, though the same couldn’t be said for their faces. Leguna could barely see through his two black swollen eyes while Alissanda bled ever so slightly from his nose.

The two now stood a few paces from one another, Leguna glaring at the prince. He held the pose for several long seconds before bursting into a laugh. Alissanda glared at him hatefully for a few more seconds before joining.

Everyone else, Marolyt and Lisana included followed suit.

“Hahahahahahaha!”

“That’s how real men ought to fight! Good job, Captain!”

“Hahaha, that brat with the thin arms could at least give the prince a good workout. I guess he isn’t too bad!”

“At least that much should be expected from an assassin that could kill Haden and survive Saron!”

“Oh, so he is that shadow everyone’s been talking about lately. He’s so young!”

Lisana, on the brink of breaking down after Marolyt’s interference, became lively again.

“Hahahaha! Beating up someone feels great, especially when it’s the second prince!” Leguna laughed, glancing at Alissanda’s bloody nose.

He’d always wanted to beat Geoffrey up, but he was fine with settling for Alissanda.

“Hmph! You have no right to talk. You’ve turned into a panda! I bet everyone who sees you will have a good laugh!” Alissanda retorted.

“Hmph! What are you talking about? This is just eyeliner!” Leguna waved him off.

“Then why don’t I help you put your makeup on every day?!”

Alissanda laughed again for a few moments… but then sighed.

“Ley…”

“You’re not much older than me, you don’t get to call me that!” Leguna sudden snapped, only somewhat humorously.

“Fine, fine… Anyway, I didn’t punish Lisana…”

“Huh?” Leguna’s mouth bloomed into a thief’s smile, “Oh, so you thought it through after all?”

“Drop your ego for a moment and let me finish!” the prince snapped lightly, though not without a fair hint of irritation, “I was stopped, yes, but not by you.”

“Who else could have?” Leguna turned around, none of his companions had caught up with him yet, so it couldn’t be any of them; the knights would never interfere, so they were out of the question as well…

“It was my master,” Lisana offered.

” ‘Master?’ ”

“I don’t remember you ever mentioning you had one. Didn’t you learn your swordsmanship from the army?”

“Do we need to spell everything out for you?” Alissanda asked, eyes rolling. “Lisana’s swordsmanship is accurate and quick. Have you seen anyone in the brigade fight like that?”

“No…” Leguna nodded thoughtfully.

The brigade’s general style was brutish and dramatic, not elegant. In fact, few people overall fought with such a style.

“Who’s your master?” he finally asked, turning to Lisana.

“It’s–”

“–It’s me, you stinking brat!” Marolyt spat, appearing behind Leguna.

Leguna’s anal sphincters so tight he nearly threw up the previous day’s breakfast. His face turned whiter than snow. That voice and attitude could belong to only one person, though he wished dearly it wasn’t.

“Stop praying. You know who it is, now turn around. I’m practically halfway to being your father-in-law!” Marolyt yelled.

“This child greets his father-in-law,” Leguna bowed shamelessly.