The sound of wood clanking resounded on Blood Denegis' training ground. Blanc and Celine were busy having a spar while Kael and Lune stood as both judges and spectators at the same time.
"What are you doing, brother, you are bringing shame to our Blood!" Lune yelled, annoyed.
The fight did not appear to go in Blanc's favor as he soon found himself on the defensive with Celine not letting down, a wild smile showing on her pretty face.
"What is this, dear?" began Celine, laughing, "Are you perhaps giving up so easily?"
"You have a better chance to knock me out cold before you hear me say I give up," Blanc replied through heavy breaths as each swing of Celine's sword fell like a hammer upon his exhausted hands.
And before long, she managed to do just what he requested, as, with a spin when Blanc was regaining his foothold, she placed a good sword slap across the side of his head, planting him on the ground with a hard thud.
"Blanc!" Kael yelled, rushing to his unconscious brother's side.
"He is fine, Kael. How many times has this happened today already?" Celine asked.
"This is his fourth nap," Lune sighed, watching him, "I swear he only knows how to shoot a bow."
"Do not worry, Lune, I will teach him to be the best swordsman you have ever seen," said Celine, patting Lune's head.
"Can you train me as well, then?" Lune requested, her eyes glistening with hope.
"I can, and I will," Celine giggled, "As long as I'm able, that is."
"What do you mean?" asked Lune curiously.
"Who knows," Celine replied with an innocent shrug of her shoulders as she went towards Blanc, "Let's go wake your brother up."
"Come on, tell me!" Lune pushed the matter, running after her, but only receiving laughter as a response.
Two days had passed since Sera and the Noble Bloods left for their Domains to get ready for the incoming battle with the Iron Line.
Elion had received constant reports from his intel sources with all the movements of the Iron Line, their supply lines, and confirmation that no apparent moves were made by other Noble Bloods to aid the Iron Line in their rebellion.
So the thought of 'who' remained a constant in the heads of almost all the members of Blood Denegis, who kept training to keep themselves in the best possible shape for the upcoming battle, while also trying to live as normally as they could so that they would not go mad under the pressure they all felt building as the days went on.
One thing that helped them all was the new presence of Celine in the mansion, who brought with her a breath of fresh air, especially after Sera's departure.
Celine attempted to befriend and chat with as many members of Blanc's family as possible, and ensure they accepted her as a new member.
Her attempts went wonderfully well, since the Patriarch and Matriarch kept praising her during meals, making Blanc's chest puff with pride at every meal, as their relationship also grew closer by the hour.
They trained together, ate together, bathed together, slept together, and much more over the last two days, which was finally met with heavy resistance from the twins, who, despite liking Celine and despite their attempts to allow them as much time together as possible, found themselves jealous of the attention their older brother offered his fiancée.
Today, after breakfast, however, they requested to talk to Celine alone, where they negotiated with her on how to share her fiancé's time.
And after a few minutes of what felt to the twins as heavy negotiations, they agreed to train together.
However, time flew by as they moved from playing with the bow, where Blanc easily won, to simpler exercises, until lunch arrived and they found themselves back at the long table in the main hall, thoroughly exhausted.
Still, the twins were satisfied, especially after Blanc promised to tell them stories the following day, as they ate.
"Blanc," Celine spoke as they finished eating, "I stink from this morning. Are you up for a bath with me?"
"Sounds lovely," he nodded, "I feel beyond dirty as well, especially after kissing the ground so many times."
"Let's be on our way then," she smiled, grabbing his hand.
"We'll be taking a dip," Blanc spoke out loud to let the others know as they were leaving the room.
"Make me a grandson," Mera yelled back.
Words that sent the two of them laughing as they started climbing the stairs.
Their room, now cozy with Celine's belongings scattered among Blanc's, welcomed them back. After picking out a fresh change of casual clothes, they made their way to the baths.
The maid, after preparing everything, quietly slipped away, leaving the room filled with gentle steam and the scent of soap.
Together, they undressed and sank into the warm water, letting it melt away the exhaustion clinging to their bodies until only a soft, shared peace remained between them.
A peace in which they stood for a while. Letting it ease their exhaustion and worries.
"Say, Celine," Blanc spoke, breaking the silence as he watched the dark drawings standing on her fair skin, "I've seen your Marks these past few days, yet I do not know their meaning. Are you willing to share their story?"
"Say, dear Blanc, are you willing to share yours?" she replied with another question of hers.
"The full story of each? I fear tomorrow might arrive faster than the end of those stories," he said, chuckling.
"Then, how about one? Tell me about the one on your hip. I assume you gained it from a bear, correct?" she asked, waiting for Blanc's reaction.
"Ah, that one. I've kept it secret ever since I gained it, but since you've asked, I'll tell you. Yes, it came from a bear. An old one I found wounded, starving, and dying late one winter, three years ago. It was a lucky kill, really, only possible because it was too weak to fight back. A single arrow to the head made me stronger and more resilient… and granted the beast the peace it deserved. It's also the only bear I've ever killed, no such luck found me in the winters that followed."
Blanc sat on the edge of the warm water, his feet dangling in it, absentmindedly tracing the Mark along the side of his upper left leg as he told the tale. The Mark was a large outline of a bear paw, faintly white but filled with strength. It remained visible, beautiful, but dangerous for Blanc to reveal to too many people.
As such an information being heard by the wrong people meant that it could be used against you in one way or another. However, Celine was no such person in Blanc's eyes.
Yet she failed to remember that as she listened, half shocked, wondering if he was really being honest, and half curious about the story.
"Well then, it's your turn now," Blanc smiled, lost in thought over what Mark looked the most interesting to him.
But Celine was not ready to share, "No."
"Why?"
"We are busy now," she replied, getting to her feet and out of the water.
"Busy? With what?" Blanc asked, confused. Only for him to soon find out what, as he found himself lying on the ground and being kissed by Celine, who was now on top of him.
I see, Blanc thought to himself, holding back a grin.
After yet another soak, since they had to wash away the new sweat they had worked up, they left the bathroom and returned to their room, where they noticed Mera and Auren were waiting on the balcony and having a casual chat.
"Mothers? Has something happened?" Blanc asked as he entered the balcony, more curious than anything.
"Ah, Blanc, finally, I thought dinner would come sooner," said Mera, sarcastically, "Would the two of you join us for a tea?"
"Sounds lovely," Celine smiled, making her way outside, basically gleaming with newfound energy.
"Then, nothing bad happened, right?" Blanc asked again, as they sat down.
"Nothing, we just wanted to have a chat with you two," smiled Auren as she spoke, "But Blanc, why are you worried?"
"That's how he is half the day," Celine started, "He usually stares into emptiness, lost in thought."
"Is he mistreating you, Celine dear?" asked Mera, eyes wide.
"No, mother," Celine replied hastily, "He treats me very well."
Mera sighed, hearing her, "I will make a cup out of your skull and drink wine out of it if you dare mistreat her."
"Never, mother. And to answer Mother Auren's question, I'm just… uh,"
"Dear?" asked Celine as she watched him.
Blanc frowned, his gaze sharpening.
Above the golden canopy of the forest, black smoke curled into the sky like a wound bleeding into the Heavens.
"Celine, Mothers," he said slowly, already stepping toward the balcony's edge. "Look."
All three of them turned swiftly.
"That's..." Auren began, but Mera cut in, voice grim.
"Tarn Village."
A heavy silence fell. Even from here, the smoke looked sickly and thick.
"What could have happened?" asked Celine to nobody in particular.
The world had seemed to wish to answer her question first, as two riders could be seen approaching the gate of the mansion.
"Open the gates," yelled Elion as he, Valar, and one of the high-ranking Wardens came out of the mansion running.
As the doors of the estate opened, a man and a woman entered atop horses, before the man fell to the ground, as arrows, even from this distance, were visibly growing out of the man's back.
"Fern, Fern!" yelled the woman, jumping down from her horse and running towards the man on the ground.
"Call for the Daughter," ordered Elion to Valar, who, with a nod, went running back inside to look for Drew.
After his son was gone, he turned back to the issue at hand, his voice now filled with warmth.
"Who are you?" asked Elion, receiving no answer from the woman, now weeping beside the wounded man.
"Answer the Patriarch!" ordered the Warder, only to be silenced by a singular glance from the Patriarch.
"We have sent for a healer that will take a look at you and your friend's wounds," Elion kneeled beside her, trying to comfort her, "But could you please tell me what has happened?"
"Y-yes," started the woman, in between sobs, "S-soldiers came down on our Tarn village from the forest and attacked us in the early morning. They killed and stole everything they could before doing as they pleased with those they kept alive. We were sent to notify Blood Denegis of what happened, so I don't know what happened after we left."
"How many were there?" Elion asked quietly.
"W-way too many," the woman replied, shaking her head.
"And what were they wearing? Anything that stood out?"
"They were wearing almost no armor, but, uh, they had these… masks on their faces."
Elion put a hand on her shoulders and offered her a smile, "You two did well to tell us. Now rest, you will be taken care of."
"Tha-thank you," she bowed weakly.
Elion turned around, glancing up at the balcony where Blanc and his wives stood and watched, only to offer them a quick nod before returning to give orders in quick succession to the people who gathered near the commotion.
"Attention, Wardens!" Elion yelled in his deep voice, a roar that could be heard all around the estate.
And the Wardens who arrived in the meantime stood tall as the Patriarch addressed them.
"Summon all the Wardens and levies present in Duldera here in two hours. A separate, smaller army from the Iron Line has infiltrated the Golden Forest and is on their way to show their fangs to us. Let's show these rebellious bastards what the Wardens of Blood Denegis are capable of."
And a roar followed from those present around the estate.
All around, except the balcony, where the four people yet stood silent.