1st Day of Frost. 18th Year in the Age of Kings.


Elyna lay asleep, content in the warm arms that held her. Beyond the covers of the bed, the air was frozen by the first touches of frost. The window panes were thick with condensation. In Yvans arms, she found no regret. The young woman had transferred to his unit during harvest. They met in hotel rooms, or at a regular room he seemed to rent beside the docks. Elyna found herself to be insatiable and Yvan irresistible. He was her drug, and he was only too eager to indulge her.

She didn’t talk about his wife, and nor did he. She didn’t talk about her family, nor the virtue that had long been lost.

Tonight, his wife was away in Warrick, though Leonide intended to return to her home before making her annual trip to Nejem.

The fireplace was blazing at the foot of the bed and she was bare. Curled up in her lovers arms, she slept. Sated and peaceful the woman dreamt of a world where responsibility set her free. Free to be with the man she loved.

Yvan stirred, lifting a heavy arm from her waist and sat. He stared at the door as though it had offended him before staggering to his feet. He pulled on trousers and hastened into a shirt as he stepped out of the bedroom and into the ante-chamber. A worried looking servant gestured to the door.

“Sir, some of your command are here. They have news.”

“Can’t it wait till morning?” He yawned and pushed a hand over his head. The hair had all been shaved off in the height of summer and was only short now.

“Apparently not...but also...Leonide will return before dawn, Sir. She sent a bird.” The servant opened the door to admit three men from Yvans command.

“How considerate of her,” Yvan growled. He looked over his command, brows narrowing as he spotted Bennett. There was something about the man that had always irritated him. But he was a good Knight.

Leonide was due back within a few hours. Yvan sighed.

“Wake my guest and escort her home, would you? Safely. No not you, Ben. I don’t trust your wandering eye. Bennett, you do it. Be quick, Leonide could be home sooner than expected.” He nodded to the other two knights, one had been acting guard whilst the other was also fresh back from assignment.

“I’ll get my report from you, Heath. What’s so important that you wake me in the middle of the night?” He dropped into his chair, behind a desk as his gaze swept over the group.

****

Anyone entering the room would see the figure of a small woman curled up, her back to the door. Sheets twisted dangerously low around her waist, though they were clutched against her chest in the front. She let out a soft breath as she dreamt, features at peace. Long dark hair ran down her back and pooled on the pale sheets behind her.

The fire flickered, casting a golden light against untouched skin. She rubbed a hand against her face as she slept and curled up, unhappy at being abandoned in her slumber.

A fine white mist had settled into the cracks of the surrounding valley, the horizon pink and gold in the fading light. The sun had set and the horses were restless, tired of standing still while the weather turned cold. A tall dark knight sat atop a chestnut mare, who stood with her head bowed, ripping up what little grass there was to be found. The reins were tied in a knot she could not pull, resting across her wither. The knight who sat upon her, did so with his hands cupped, blowing warmth into them before rubbing numb fingers together in an attempt to return some warmth to them.

Steam rose from a pool of piss the second man had created, his own horse stood idle with muzzle lowered and features at rest.

“Hurry up,” Malcolm encouraged. “Ser Yilmaz expected us back yesterday.”

Heath shook himself and wrestled with his armour, fixing his belt sword to his hips once more.

“Squire!” Heath called, and a young, awkward looking boy got down from his horse to help Heath onto his own.

Malcolm made a clicking sound with his tongue and gave a gentle tug of the reins. “Come on, Red,” he said to the horse, turning her about.

They returned to the road, four horses and riders in total. Red snorted with excitement, eager to finish the journey home, for she knew the King’s road better than any, one that was wide and easy to travel. She and her rider, Malcolm, set a good pace, taking them right up to the city limits, only to veer off and head towards the large farmsteads of the wealthy. A number of handsome villas dotted the countryside, none quite as unique as that which belonged to Yvan Yilmaz, a knight who had spent more time at sea than he had on land.

The villa was exotic, a building to rival the lavish merchant houses of Nejem. It was set into the hill with high walls and a stunning ocean outlook. From here they could see the ports where Malcolm had often stood guard, making note of every ship that docked.

The horses were taken to the stables upon their arrival by their squires. The knights climbed the sandstone steps to the entrance, only to be met by Benjamin. The tall, burly blonde embraced his brother before putting space between them, holding Malcolm by the shoulder at arms length.

“Do you bring any news, my friend?” Benjamin asked.

“Heath negotiated with the Duke of Warrick,” Malcolm admitted. “He has news for our captain.”

“Well it might have to wait,” Benjamin said, “he’s got visitors on their way.”

The three knights shared a look and laughed, they all knew what that meant. Each of them had served Yvan Yilmaz long enough to know what a socialite he was.

“We saw his wife’s carriage on the road. She’s an hour away, if that,” Malcolm said. “Ben, could you let the Captain know she is expected?”

Heath scoffed. “Just once I’d like to see him keep a commitment.”

Malcolm smirked, for they all shared that wish, even if none had been bold enough to voice it. “Come,” he insisted.

It seemed each time they met like this, Malcolm was tasked with ushering the captain’s latest conquest down some escape route and back to the city or docks where she had come from. This time, however, he felt a certain reluctance to enter. Never had he stepped into the captain’s quarters without knowing what awaited him. Even in his wildest dreams, he could not have been prepared to lay eyes on her.

Long dark hair and the warm, milky skin of her back met his gaze, bathed in candlelight. The woman was a beauty, not the normal type Yvan bedded. This one wasn’t covered in marks and was soft with age. She was young, fair and gorgeous. She moved, disturbing the covers further to reveal the soft under-arch of her right breast, her hand reaching, as if seeking out another.

Malcolm turned, not daring to see anymore. He balled his fist and rapped it against the door with the intent to see the woman stir. “Miss, I must insist you dress,” he said, once sure she was awake. “The captain wishes me to escort you back to the city, with haste,” Malcolm added.

It was just his luck, he thought, to be caught up in this kind of position. He wasn’t sure if he had the captain’s trust or if he was always thrown in the deep end for another reason. Either way, Malcolm thought to himself, once he was captain, he wouldn’t have to run anymore errands for Yvan Yilmaz, nor set aside his own morals for the likes and benefit of others.

“I’ll be outside with the horses,” Malcolm spoke, one more time before leaving the captain’s bedroom. Even standing in the cold of Frost was more comfortable than the heated room he had then left in a hurry.

Her brow drew together in a frown, even in sleep as she found the bed beside her cold and empty. She let out a soft sigh, the breath rising through her chest as she tried to tuck beneath the blankets and twisted sheet. It was the sudden rapping on the door that had the woman sitting upright. The sheet pressed to her chest she blinked, staring into the room, waiting for her eyes to adjust.

Panic lifted the fine hairs on her arms and down the back of her neck and she sat still, shoulders rising as she blinked free of the deep slumber. Who had called out? Elyna pushed a hand up from the front of her head, to tame the heavy tresses back and push them down her back as she fought for calm.

Had they said something? She rubbed a hand across her eyes, it seemed like a dream. Had she imagined it? Her heart thumped in uncomfortable rhythm against her chest and as the adrenaline faded, she heard voices from beyond the door, horses clattered into the courtyard below and she slid from the bed. The blanket was clutched around her shoulders before she recognised the sound of carriage wheels. It was finally enough warning for the girl. It hadn’t been a dream. She had been summoned.

Elyna pulled on dark leggings and a thick woollen tunic. She didn’t bother to fasten the front of it as she hopped around the room, pulling in stockings and then boots. Her sword she found beneath the bed and slid onto her belt. Still fastening the leather tab as she clattered out of a side exit. The door closing behind her, hidden; secret. From the bedroom it just looked like a tall painting. Only a few knew its secret purpose. With her boots unfastened she stumbled on the stairs, slipping on the icy surface and crashing into the stone wall at the bottom.

She tumbled, landing in a heap at the base of the stairs. Panting she pushed herself up with her hands, straightening her arms before she could untangle her legs. Elyna took stock, she felt bruised from her fall, but nothing was broken. She knelt, careful, and fastened the ties of one boot before pulling her second foot forward. The second set of laces was tied and she straightened. Horses? Had someone mentioned horses?

Elyna waited in the shadows as the arriving party were ushered out of the cold and into the house. It was bitterly cold with dawn still a long way off. The world smelt like ice, and the snow that was yet to fall. It burnt her nose and cheeks as she lingered and eventually gathered her courage to cross the courtyard to the stable block.

She ducked under the neck of a carriage horse, admiring the new animals that had been bought in overnight. Her hands dropped to her tunic and she fastened the ties across her neck. She usually would chose to dress more warmly, she hated the cold. She hated the way that it clung and took over. But there hadn’t been a lot of time to gather her belongings.

Had someone said they would meet her here? She peered around one of the stalls and swallowed. There was a tall man, with dark hair and broad shoulders. He was lean and long limbed. Dry-mouthed, and heart thudding from all the excitement the woman looked him over, trying to take his measure. If he was a knight, then she didn’t recognise him as part of Yvans crew. She remained silent as she watched him, considered speaking and decided better of it. What if she had imagined it all?

Elyna moved on past the unfamiliar horses. Her own mount had been saddled, a dark chestnut gelding with a sweet temperament. The horse nosed her hand for a treat as she stroked him. Taking hold of the reins she led the horse quietly through the stables, weaving between all the frantic activity until they were outside again, in the frigid air.

She mounted up and rubbed hands that had already turned icy together. It was going to be a long journey back to the city on a dark night. What time was it anyway? Her hair draped around her shoulders, and tied it up, business-like into a low bun, shivering at the touch of frost against her neck.

Malcolm stood tightening the girth-strap of his horse’s saddle. The chestnut mare gave a dissatisfied grunt, sure she was to be stabled for the night after their long journey back from Warrick. The man lifted his foot into the stirrup and pulled himself onto the horse, having already fetched and saddled the lady’s horse.

The knight made the mount look effortless, even in the heavy leather doublet he wore. The garment was stitched with diamond shaped bits of metal as thick as a coin, arranged across the chest and back, tight enough to stop an arrow. His woollen hose were black, padded about the thigh and tight, lost below the knee to his riding boots. Off his hip, a steel longsword was pulled from its keep to sheath at his back, the grip fashioned with woven leather strips. The rainguard was black, stark against the silver cross-guard and ornate pommel.

A stiff leather sheath gilded with silver chape and locket boasted money, though the man himself looked rather plain. Malcolm had a cheap haircut, the kind the town barber gave every knight, short in the sides and back, with very little to style and play with on top, about a fingers width in length. His jaw was smattered with a few days worth of dark stubble, hair thick and black. The only thing that softened his look and hard jaw was the green of his eyes, emerald and vibrant. He had a kind face, if not a little hard, chin deep and lips lending to a full and endearing smile. His nose looked as if it had been broken and set once or twice, thick with the kind of punishment their job entailed.

Malcolm leaned back a little in the saddle, not having heard the woman sneak into the stables. His thick, dark brows were raised in mild surprise and he offered a warm, but anxious smile. For a moment, Malcolm had registered the lady of the house in place of the stranger that had taken up her bed. What would he say to Leonide had she confronted him in the act of sneaking another one of Yvan’s lovers from the grounds?

“Evening, Miss,” Malcolm greeted the stranger, sure she was young, dumb and unspoken for. Who else would find themselves entangled with The Butcher? A name Yvan Yilmaz had earned himself after years of bloodshed.

Malcolm cleared his throat and clicked to his horse to usher the mare from the stables. “Follow me,” he called, to the woman at his back, already trying to cast from his mind that she wore nothing beneath her woollen top, the chill of Frost having made that much obvious.

At a walk they left the grounds, given the all-clear by Benjamin, who stood on the wall outside of the watchtower and waved. Once they hit the road, Malcolm eased the horse into a trot and, when he realised the woman could ride, got the mare to canter by pressing the heel of his boot to her flank.

The city was a two hour ride from the estate. After the horses had tried to best one another at a gallop for some time, Malcolm slowed the mare to a trot with a low, calm sound, concerned she had been overworked. He had a euphonious voice, deep, gentle and pleasing to the ear.

Still a good hour and a half from the city, Malcolm rode in silence for a time, even as the woman at his back caught up to him. It troubled him that he had nothing to say to her. Had she been aware that he had seen her in a state of undress, curled up on the captain’s bed? Did she even care that she had almost been caught?

He twisted in the saddle to smile across at the girl, a half-smile, something cautious and reserved. “I’m Malcolm,” he said, and instantly felt stupid for it. They had been riding almost half an hour in complete silence and this was all he could think of to say?

The woman knew she wasn’t much to look at, and envied the way the tall knight was able to swing up onto the saddle. On the other hand she had been a gawky teenager and by all accounts hadn’t hit that long promised of growing into her own skin. Yvan had confirmed her fears. She had her mother's curves, her father’s height and her brothers muscle. She had laughed at his description at the time, but often thought about it. Returning to it upon reflection. Truly, she must be an awkward looking individual; unlike the dark-haired man who moved with such ease and grace. Elyna had done all of her growing and was still shorter than her father, who was not a tall man. The knight had money, or had had money perhaps. Her gaze lingered on his boots. They were good boots. Well-worn and softened with use they had once been expensive, and he had taken care of them. They were well oiled, supple and fit the curve of his calves nicely.

He led the way out of the keep and into the darkness. Her breath turned to a pale mist before her as she shivered, peering past Timothy, the horse’s ears; waiting for her eyes to adjust to the moon light as the orb dipped in and out of the heavy clouds. The knight paused and she held her breath, waiting for the silent signal. She could recognise Ben, a man she had worked with on occasion. Did he disapprove? Did it matter?

Humiliated she was hurt that Yvan had sent someone else to wake her. Convinced now that it hadn’t been a dream, Elyna knew that the man beside her had probably seen more than his share. She felt exposed, vulnerable. What would he tell all of his friends and the rest of the unit? Unable to look him in the eye she found herself turning in the saddle. In the distance, the lights from Yvans home looked like little stars on the horizon.

She missed her thick leather jacket that would have kept out the wind. She missed the fine woollen shirt that she would have worn beneath her tunic. She missed the even thinner undergarments that would have kept her legs warm. She hunched forward and when the horses walked she tucked her hands under her armpits, bowing forward with the cold. She ached with it, back and sides and stomach taught from shivering. Hair falling in strands around her face as she struggled. Yvan told her she needed to toughen up. Perhaps this was a test.

Her own sword was a fine weapon, expensive and beautifully crafted. A gift from her father for her eighteenth birthday, the day before she was knighted. But it was wrapped in an old leather sheaf, nondescript. The wool of her tunic was fine, midnight blue; a colour she usually tried to avoid due to its association with Burhan.

She looked back again, he had cast her from her bed and she was angry. This was the first time he’d done that. His wife was home and would always be a barrier between them, and their love. Yvan hadn’t had time to wake her himself, that must have been it. Guilt plagued her, what if Leonide found Elyna’s discarded clothes, the ones she’d left behind? Would Yvan be in trouble? Would he be angry with her? She told herself that the servants would have tidied the room, that everything would be okay; but it did little to ease the sensation of sickness that spread through her limbs. Then there was the question of the secret door itself. What did that say about the man she loved? He had explained that it was a quirk of the architect, something that had been built without his knowledge or agreement; but it was useful. Never had she truly believed that she would be expected to use it.

Why should she care what her fellow knights thought of her? Why couldn’t she help it? She let Timothy have the reins, let him race, eager to put the house of their master behind her. There was no sound except the steady beat of hooves on the road and the whisper of her own breath as she lent forward, rising in the stirrups. She hoped the knight would fall away, but he kept up. It was a long and silent stretch of road by moonlight and frost. But it wasn’t lonely enough for her liking.

It was just the cold. That was why she found herself watching the silent knight and wondering if it would be warmer within the circle of his arms. He turned to her and offered a name, and a smile and she stared back at him.

“Reyes,” she said eventually, reluctantly and her gaze travelled once more back down the road they’d come down. “Elyna Reyes.”

She nudged Timothy forward to catch the man, the air was so cold that it hurt to breathe. She forced herself to meet Malcolm’s gaze, and found herself looking at the stubble on his jaw instead. “I don’t need your escort. You’re free to go back.” She informed him and nudged her horse forward again, determined to set the man behind her.

The woman offered her name and whatever evil little worm of doubt had crawled into his thoughts, was quickly squashed. Perhaps it hadn’t been silly to start with that, though before Malcolm could say anything else, Elyna had urged her mount forward, putting space between them.

“I… have been given a command,” he said, the words already on his tongue, of course, they meant nothing to his horse.

He nudged the mare and she snorted. Red tripped on a hoof she had not lifted high enough to give chase, causing Malcolm to lurch forward in the saddle. “Whoa!” He said, “whoa,” reins pulled taut. The mare stopped and stood in the middle of the road, looking up at her new companion, who was getting away.

Malcolm rubbed the mare’s neck and climbed down from the saddle. He slackened the girth-strap and took up the reins, choosing to lead her on foot. Red whinnied, nostrils flared and ears pricked, alert as she watched Elyna’s horse disappear up an easy slope.

“It’s been a long few days,” the knight said, to his mare.

Red snorted.

“Don’t give me that attitude,” Malcolm said, smiling. “We’ve traveled this road before, the dark is nothing to fear.”

Elyna enjoyed a brief moment of freedom. The wind tugged at the freed strands of her hair as it whistled down the valley. The horse moved in easy rhythm beneath her. Hooves thundering along the hard ground in long strides. She was aware that the knight, Malcolm didn’t follow behind her and told herself that she was relieved. Her hands were tight on the reins, half-frozen into place and she wasn’t sure how she was going to release them. Timothy climbed a hill and the woman found herself looking back.

The road dropped away into a valley, and she could see the man walking beside his horse. The trees beside the road had lost their leaves, the dried remnants of a long-forgotten summer, scattered across the ground. They hissed as the wind caught them and the woman let out a slow sigh. Perched atop the hill, with the moon behind her, she could have looked like something from a children’s book, or folk tale. Her hair caught and tangled in the wind as she paused, silhouetted. Timothy snorted, huffing and impatient. He dragged a hoof across the ground and slowly she nudged him in the side.

There was a big difference between leaving the man to ride back to the Keep and leaving him to walk towards the city in the dark. Embarrassed, she had wanted to leave him behind. But she wasn’t going to abandon a fellow knight on the road. She nudged her horse back into a walk, returning down the slope. She prayed that she wouldn’t regret her decision as the horse plodded to a stop.

She looked over the man’s mount, “is she lame?” Elyna asked and waited, impatient for her answer. The cold made her cross, and the events of the night had left her with a sour taste on her tongue. The woman considered the tall knight, looking between him and the open road that led back to the city. She shook her head again, “climb up,” she patted the space behind herself and met his gaze, albeit briefly.

“We’ll reach the city quicker if we ride,” she pressed her back teeth together, unhappy with the situation, “and it’s fucking freezing,” the woman admitted. She hadn’t stopped shivering, not since the moment she had left Yvan’s bed behind. Adrenaline had long since faded and now it was just the persistent frozen air that made her skin tremble.

“Not lame,” the man said, “just tired, as is her rider.” He stopped in the road, surprised the woman had turned back.

It was early Frost, and though the cold had made itself known, it was nothing compared to the dead of winter yet to come. He had been riding from dawn to dusk and well into the night. Malcolm’s legs ached, as he was sure the mare’s did. He looked about the area to a small grove of trees just over the rise.

“Elyna Reyes,” Malcolm said, “might I suggest we make camp for the night? I have very little packed, but enough to make you warm.” The knight twisted as he spoke, raising a hand to rest on the furled blanket tied to the back of his mount’s saddle.

“Come the dawn I can accompany you to the city. If the thought displeases you, we may then part ways.”

Malcolm continued on up the path. He had enough supplies to get a fire going, and rations enough to stave off hunger. The thought of them sharing a horse, though tempting due to the weather, left the man ill-at-ease. He would not know where to put his hands, nor if he could look her in the eye after such a journey.

The woman turned her horse again as he gave his answer. Indecision caused her to pause and he led his own mount off the path before she was able to answer. Her mouth had flattened into a thin line and finally she let out a snort of breath, much like horse she rode. The woman swung her leg over the saddle and dismounted, landing with a crunch on the gravelled road.

Elyna traced the man’s steps, she could feel the snow on the air, though it hadn’t yet fallen. The first day of Frost and already the weather was miserable. Of all things, she was glad that her tunic had long sleeves that fell partially over her hands. The neck was high, now that the clothing was fastened along one side the collar protected the very base of her spine.

She tethered her mount to one of the trees that still had a few leaves. They shook and rattled in the wind as the gelding immediately dropped his nose and started hunting for fresh grass on the frozen earth. Elyna watched the knight as he moved and made his preparations, realising that she hadn’t made a verbal response and that it was now probably too late, without seeming even more odd.

Elyna clapped her hands together, sure they had frozen into place. But then she bent, gathering what firewood could be useful and carrying them to the place the knight deemed suitable. She crouched down, hands on her knees before she cupped them, blowing on them as she shivered. She hated the cold. She hated that Yvan had cast her out like an old blanket. She hated that she didn’t know this man before her, and that he had seen more than she wished to share.

After a while she cleared her throat and wrapped her arms around her chest. “Have you done this a lot?” She asked, understanding that that question might seem sudden, or perhaps rude and she looked down at the first layer of frost as it gathered on the grass. “Escorted women back to the city for Yvan?” She clarified. Clearly he was used to camping.

It was indeed a heavy question, one Malcolm chose to answer politically, both to save face for his captain and avoid hurting the woman’s feelings. “You are the first,” he lied.

Malcolm helped gather firewood, tearing young branches away from the evergreens that would provide them shelter tonight. He tore the fernery from the wood, laying it down near the heaped wood he was yet to light. Soon they had a hot little fire burning, hot enough to dry the ferns and see them turned over before the blanket was set down.

As the heavy woollen blanket was unfurled, so too was the man’s cloak. He set it upon Elyna’s shoulders before taking up a seat beside her. His own horse was left to wander, trusted by the man after years of service. Malcolm unfolded a sheath of waxy paper and held out what little there was to offer to his guest.

“It’s a date scone,” he announced, “they are a little tough, but satisfying.”

Malcolm left Elyna with the last of the rations from his stop over in Venora some days past, and held his hands out towards the fire. Questions floated about in his thoughts. How did she know Yvan? What was her business in the city? Did she realise the captain was married?

“Are you warm enough?”

Elyna was drawn like a moth to the flame, as though she couldn’t get close enough to it. She ended up sitting on her rear, knees bent and arms around them. She smiled at his answer, the first? So this wasn’t a regular occurrence for Yvan. It lifted some of the tension from her shoulders and she let out a slow breath of air. Some of the anger that had been knotting in her stomach, started to slip away. felt tired beside the warm fire. She had already been exhausted before arriving at the Keep that evening.

Had she eaten? Elyna accepted the scone with a smile of thanks, she picked at the pastry and licked the crumbs from her hand. There hadn’t been much time, she had been assigned a guard post for several hours, as was expected. But at the end of her shift, she had been summoned by the Captain and well...the inevitable had happened. Her stomach contracted with hunger. There hadn’t been time to eat as she’d fallen asleep. Now, now she was here and her world felt as though it was turned upside down.

The cloak felt heavy around her shoulders and she pulled it close, as though she could bury herself within the warm folds of martial. The woman closed her eyes and nodded her agreement.

“‘Much warmer, thank you.” The silence was measured in crackling flames add the hiss of wood as it dried. Malcolm was experienced and well organised. Elyna dreaded knowing the truth, but knew that she had to ask.

“Are you one of the Captain’s regular crew?” She asked and peered at him over the top of the cloak. It even smelt warm. Her fingers flexed around the hem of her tunic sleeves, a sense of feeling finally returning to them.

“I haven’t seen you around before?” She added, as though that would explain her confusion.

Elyna made short work of the scone and Malcolm was pleased that it had not been wasted. The silence between them had returned, though Malcolm didn’t feel as pressed to talk as he had before they made camp. Elyna was the first to initiate a new line of conversation, one in which Malcolm added what he could.

“I am,” he agreed, smiling, “the one he sends furthest away.” Malcolm teased, even if there was some truth to it, as there was with all good-humoured remarks, or so he believed.

The knight thought himself lucky there was no wind tonight, especially as he was to spend it without his cloak. The cold he could tolerate, but an icy wind was another matter completely.

“I’ve served under Ser Yilmaz for many years,” Malcolm said. “He is a stern but fair man,” the knight added.

Malcolm had noticed that the woman had her own sword, perhaps as fine, if not quite as decorated as his own. Was she in service to the Iron Hand, he wondered. Was that how the pair had met?

“Feel free to rest,” he suggested, “I will see to it that you go undisturbed.” Come first light he would wake her and take the day for himself once they arrived.

“He must trust you,” Elyna found herself smiling in response, “if he’s willing to send you out of sight.” She wondered what rank the man was, to have such autonomy. Being sent on her own missions was a distant dream and a small voice whispered that if she continued to share Yvans bed, then perhaps she would never have the chance to test her wings, as it were. Had she already lost any chance of gaining his respect?

Under Yvans command, he liked to keep her close. It had been his idea that she transfer back from the skyriders. Elyna told herself it was because she was inexperience, having only been a knight for less than a year. He was keeping her safe. But what if? What if he never let her broaden those horizons, what if season after season, he continued to keep her close? She swallowed and shifted, trying to get comfortable on the hard ground as she sat on the offered blanket, shared with the dark-haired man.

“Some people don’t see that,” she added after a while. “They don’t see the fairness to his actions.” Her brows pulled together in a frown. “They just see the reputation, I suppose… but he doesn't often act without reason.” A small, intimate smile pulled at her features as she watched the flame. She knew Yvan better than most. More intimately than his own wife, she thought. She knew his fears, his desires and his love. Still, it was a fearsome reputation; the Butcher.

Elyna pulled the sword away from her hip and lay it across her knees. She ran her fingers over the battered leather case, feeling it warm beneath her hands. Here she was, sitting in the middle of nowhere, with a man she didn’t know, when she should be at home; in the barracks. She should have been fast asleep in her own bed. But no. Infatuation had dumped her in a difficult situation. One her mother would have a fit about if she ever found out. More than that, Elyna knew. If Caelin ever knew about her and Yvan, she would be pulled back to Burhan, her dreams of serving in the Iron Hand turned to dust.

With blood moving freely around her body, her cheeks felt as though they were burning. Embarrassment was hard to shake. How much had he seen? She wondered and found herself reluctant to meet Malcolm’s gaze. What must he think of her? A silly girl who had been kicked out of her lovers’ bed. She touched her tongue to her bottom lip and hung her head, no longer cold but willing herself to be as small as possible, so that perhaps he might forget about her.

Malcolm encouraged her to rest and she gave a shake of her head, smiling at him once more. “I’ll be alright, you must be even more exhausted than me, if you’ve been travelling today.” Elyna promised to stay alert till dawn with the man. It was a promise she fully intended to keep. She struggled with her heavy eyes, the weighted limbs of her arms and legs. She was a knight! She should have the experience and ability to keep watch.

Despite her determination, her lack of years made themselves known. First her head fell forward, as she curled up, still sat in his cloak. Sat beside the man as she was, the woman swayed against him. A source of heat in the long stretch of darkness.

Elyna rolled onto her side as the first grey light of dawn started to touch the trees. She stared, confused at the grass that tickled her nose, white frost lining the green strands that stood to attention. Leaves crunched beneath as she moved, feeling her body stiff. Where was she? She pushed herself up, touching a hand to her cheek which felt sore. Exposed to the cold air all night, a purple bruise had spread across the bone from her run in with the stone wall. She blinked, sitting up and realised that she was almost brushing against the tall, dark- haired knight who had so rudely awoken her the night before. Or had she been against him, and rolled away before waking? She caught a leaf in her hair and pulled it free, discarding it among the other litter.

The cloak fell away from her shoulders, like a blanket and she stared at it as it pooled around her waist. Had she pulled it up around her shoulders? She didn’t think Malcolm was the type to tuck her in. Her embarrassment returned as she lifted her gaze to meet his and quickly looked away again. Had she fallen asleep on him? Uncertain the woman rolled to her knees. She gathered up the cloak and turned it over in her hands.

“I’m so sorry,” she murmured, “I must have fallen asleep.” She tried to press the cloth into his grasp. Her voice was thick with slumber. “You must have been cold...I’m so…” she swallowed the lump in her throat.

“Please, please don’t tell the Captain, he already thinks I’m the worst knight he’s ever taken on,” the words came out in a worried rush. “If he knows I fell asleep when I s-should have been awake,” she shuddered. She didn’t want to spend the first weeks of Frost trying to sit up through cold winter nights, proving that she was just as capable as the next person. Someone who hadn’t been raised to expect a soft bed and the silver spoon of luxury.

Besotted, he thought, the woman must be if she could not see that the virtue was Malcolm’s and not that of her lovers. He was a trustworthy person, evaluated, tried and tested by Yvan time and time again. She had spoken of fairness and Malcolm almost laughed. Was it fair to be sent like a dog to deliver another woman the captain was trying to pup, safely to her doorstep after days on the road? Sleep deprived and hungry, he had not argued, but nor had he agreed with the woman. He offered a tired smile and fed another piece of wood to the fire.

Elyna had refused rest and Malcolm didn’t challenge her, sure of his ability to stay awake. He wasn’t surprised, however, when she leaned into him, eyes heavy. He yawned and blinked away the gloss that coated his eyes, distorting the moving flames in front of him. There was a small rustle of leaves overhead, winter’s whispered warning. The first night of Frost was swiftly starting to feel like one the man wouldn’t forget in a hurry, not because of the cold, but the beauty beside him.

After the first hour, Elyna had fallen into a deep sleep, body tipped forward against the man until her cheek came to rest upon his thigh. Malcolm leaned back, unsure if he should wake her or not. He sat with hands curled, rested on the blanket, lifting one a moment later to pull his cloak up over Elyna’s shoulder. She was quiet, the gentle rise and fall of her chest the only movements she made, automatic, peaceful.

Malcolm watched the stars. There hadn’t been a cloud in the sky, which had served to make the night extra cold. The odd snort from Red kept him company, lending to an easy watch. Every now and then the knight would close his eyes, resting them. The darkness seemed to become more and more clear as the hours passed, until the sky turned to ash, tied with early morning pink and orange hues.

Elyna woke and spoke of her embarrassment, to which Malcolm merely smiled and shook his head. “It's no trouble,” he told her. When Elyna announced that she was a knight, Malcolm had been shocked. Why hadn’t she said so sooner?

The knight got to his feet, stiff. His left leg had gone dead, so he stood for a moment, letting the blood creep back into the limb before summoning his horse. The mare snorted, as if to laugh at him.

“As far as he knows, you spent the night in your bed, safe,” Malcolm said. “I’ve no reason to say otherwise.”

Elyna joined the man on her feet, bending to collect the blanket she busied herself, folding it neatly. Was she truly the worst knight that anyone encountered? Ser Malcolm’s expression said more than his words and she bowed her head a moment, watching her hands. They trembled as she held the blanket, folding it in half and half again until it wouldn’t roll any smaller.

The woman didn’t like to lie, but as Malcolm said, Yvan would make his assumption and she wouldn’t need to correct him. Elyna passed the blanket to the man without looking at him. She checked that the fire was out, and readied Timothy to ride.

Eventually, she peered over the back of her mount. Her eyes ringed red with exhaustion as she watched the tall man make his own preparations. “Thank you for keeping us safe,” she called across to him, quiet. “You really don’t need to see me to the barracks. If you have other plans for your day.” If he had wanted to return to Yvans keep, them the city was out of his way; and Elyna had travelled this road often enough alone during the day. The sky above was clear except for a stray, pink cloud that drifted overhead.

The mare wandered over to her rider and sniffed at his hand. She knew the routine. He always had something to treat her with. A handful of stale barley from her saddlebag always did the trick. Red nodded, making a low, rumbling sound. More, the gesture insisted, but there never was.

Malcolm gathered his things and saddled his mount, ready for the morning’s journey. He took a swig of what little remained in his waterskin and offered Elyna Reyes the rest. Malcolm chose to move close to the woman before he spoke, so that he would not have to raise his voice.

“I’ll see my captain’s wishes honoured,” he said, “it will give me peace of mind to know you are safe.”

On fresh legs, the horses made light of the hour long ride, racing one another across the open fields. Though new to the idea, Malcolm quite liked that he was in the company of a fellow knight, choosing to push the woman to test her skill on a horse against his own. The ride left him wakeful and smiling, if not a little breathless by the time the city walls came into view.

The barracks were located in Lowtown, an easy few minutes ride from the southern gate. Malcolm saw Elyna to the stables, where he chose to house his own horse for the day. The smell of breakfast summoned him along with the thought of a warm bed.

“Delivered safety,” Malcolm said, offering a parting smile. “Thank you for your company on the road, Reyes. Let me take your horse.” He watched Elyna go before turning to tend to the horses. It had been a strange night, he thought, though one he would happily live again, exhausted or not.

At midday there was a knock at the woman’s door, somewhat familiar yet unexpected, given it was her first day off in some time. When she did not answer fast enough, the handle was tested, a second knock sounding only once the person on the other side realised the door was locked.

“Elyna,” Yvan called, from beyond the wooden divide. “Let me in?” He kept his voice low, not wishing to alert any of her neighbours to his presence. “I caught up with Ser Bennett. He informed me that the two of you arrived in good time last night. I’ve sent him to Krome with a few other men. I was thinking… maybe you’re ready for another mission?” Yvan thought at that moment he would promise anything just to lay eyes on her.

Elyna hadn’t realised how thirsty she was, until the water touched the back of her throat. She finished the skein and passed the bottle back, fingers brushed the warm hand of the man before her. He moved closer and she tilted her head back to look up at him, choosing to stand her ground rather than back away, as she often did. Her gaze fixed on the bottom of his right ear as she listened and found herself smiling in return. A warm feeling twisted in the centre of her stomach. She nodded and returned her gaze to her feet. “Thank you,” she murmured again, and meant it. It wasn’t hard to see why Yvan trusted Malcolm, he was a good man.

The ride was better than she was expecting. The horses were eager to run and she and Bennett let them. They raced over ground that was still soft enough to enjoy. She bent forward over Timothy’s neck, balancing off the saddle. She loved to ride. There was nothing quite like the sense of freedom she felt on horseback, especially flying over the open terrain outside. Her homeland of Burhan was known for it's dense forest land, and although she was something of an expert of dodging through trees on horseback without the use of her hands on the reins, she enjoyed the gentler terrain outside of the city. She was grinning, cheeks red from the wind that whipped against them and pulled the last of her hair free from it's tie. The strip of leather flying off into the distance as she and Malcolm Bennett left their campsite far behind. It was almost too soon that they were forced to slow their mounts. The silence between them was comfortable and she watched the man, side long as he led the way through Lowtown; far more familiar with the streets then she was.

At least it was quiet, being so early in the morning. She hesitated when he offered to take her horse; knowing it was her responsibility. The woman experienced an urge to hug the tall knight, or press a kiss to his cheek in that moment and resisted. She thanked him again, touched by his kindness. He must have been just as hungry, just as tired but he seemed genuine in his desire to let her go. "I owe you one...or several," she admitted and looked up with a bright smile, before she went, looking back over her shoulder to wave at the man before ducking out of view.

Elyna ate the last of a loaf of bread, that had been left on the table the day before. She finished a large glass of milk, that had been kept chilled on the window ledge. Somehow, she found the energy to wash. Cleaning herself of the smell of horse, camp-fire, and the man she had spent the night with, before being dismissed from his bed. With damp hair, she changed into soft bed-clothes and crawled into her bed, pulling the heavy blankets up over her head.

She didn't hear the first knock, but stirred at the second. Her allocated room in the barracks was small. A single bed with a chest at the bottom to store her belongings. A fireplace opposite with shelves on either side where she kept food, cooking equipment, books and the regular small items need to keep her knights gear in good working order. A small pot of oil, wax for her bow, threads for whipping arrows and a small sewing kit. Stumbling from her bed, she crossed the room within three strides, the blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

Elyna paused, listening to the man speak beyond the door before she set her hand on the metal latch. The door opened easily and she stared up at Yvan. He looked paler then usual beneath his tan. Before she could speak, the man had stepped inside the room and kicked the door behind him. His hands cupped her face, thumbs running across his cheekbones as he pressed a kiss to her mouth, her nose, her forehead and finally each cheek before finding her lips again.

"You're safe," he bowed his head to hers as she nodded, confused.

"You sent me back with Bennett," Elyna closed her eyes. It had hurt, to feel so dismissed by him.

"Leo returned earlier than expected," Yvan lifted his shoulders in a shrug and drew back, still holding her face.

She turned, trying to pull away, but he held her firm and demanded her attention.

"Elyna," his voice was low, almost a growl and she trembled, "look at me."

With her features caught between rough, burly hands there was no where else that she could look. Her gaze returned to his; fixed beneath the icy expression he wore.

"I'm a married man," Yvan stared at her, "you knew that. You can't sulk now, because my wife returned to her home.

"I don't like it," Elyna admitted, she tried to pull away again and the man released her. Watching as she crossed the room, folding his arms together.

Yvan remained silent, waiting for her to turn back.

“You said I could go on a mission?” Elyna lifted her chin, did he realise how humiliating it had been? Did he even care?

“Yes,” Yvan moved forward once more, “I am travelling to Venora. You’ll be assigned as a guard.”

Elyna nodded and pushed her hands into her pockets. She had never been to Venora before.

“Leo will be in Nejem, by the time we return.” Yvan smoothed his hands down her shoulders. “I’ll rent a house here in the city. We’ll spend the season together.” He pressed a kiss to her temple and she bowed her head.

“Alright,” Elyna sighed.

Yvan laughed at that, “don’t mistake this as a choice, Elyna. It’s an order.”

Elyna felt herself smiling, bowing to his will as he kissed her cheek and traced the line of her skin to her jaw. She was still angry, but her frustration was ebbing away.

Satisfied, Yvan straightened from his attentions, lifted her face to his by tucking a finger under her chin.

“I was worried about you last night, I was worried that you would be cold.”

She felt her heart skip a beat as she met his gaze.

“You’re back safe, and that’s all I care about. It’s all I needed to know when I woke. You’re what I needed to see.”

“I’ll need to prepare” Elyna couldn’t help but smile at the man. “I need to replace my warmer clothes.”

Yvan searched her gaze and pressed a final kiss to her lips before withdrawing. It was then that he pulled forward the bag from his back and dropped it at her feet. “Don’t leave them behind again,” he warned and his tone was serious once more. “Prepare for our journey. We’ll leave at dawn.”

“Yes Ser.”

The first heavy snow of Frost had fallen in the north only days after Malcolm and his crew had arrived on the ninth. They had been tasked with preparing the riverside village for Frost, work fit for squires, not seasoned knights. The first two days they had spent digging along the riverside, the icy water made their feet and hands numb. It had taken the night to warm up, only to have to brace the cold again the following day. By the fifth day, the laborious task had become backbreaking, and all four of the crew were exhausted, Malcolm included.

Roland threw his shovel down and sat on the icy bank, the cold soil leaching at his warmth through the few layers of clothing he wore.

“I’m right sick of this!” He shouted. “Ben and the girls are assigned watch duty with the captain and here we are,” he spat, “shovelling shit.”

Thomas laughed hard and slammed his shovel back into the earth. “You need the exercise you fat shit.”

Heath and Malcolm shared a look, one of quiet amusement. “Just shut up and let’s get this done,” Heath said.

“Come on, Roland,” Malcolm encouraged. “If we finish here by tonight, we can take a few days off.”

Roland laughed. “A few days off? Am I going crazy or did Malcolm just say we could take some time off?”

Thomas elbowed Roland. “Think I heard it too.”

“Giving your word, Cap?” Roland asked.

“Me, captain?” Malcolm asked. “I’m just a lowly shit-shoveller.” He teased.

The men laughed and carried on.

Roland picked up his shovel and sighed. The day dragged, though the prospect of getting the job done had put them all in good spirits. The trench had been dug and the riverbank stacked and secured with heavy stone. It would hold for another winter and keep the village dry.

As promised, Malcolm had allowed the crew their down time, giving them two days to do as they pleased. In truth he had needed it himself. Five days of digging had left him exhausted and in need of rest. While the rest of the crew had spent their freedom in the tavern or out chasing girls, he had chosen to visit relatives, stopping in to see Benjamin’s parents, the people who had raised him and his younger brother Owen.

They had returned home the night before the twenty-seventh. Come dawn, Malcolm had roused the men early, seeing to it that they were up, fed and dressed in their uniforms before making the journey to the Yilmaz estate. Ser Yvan had been due home the day before and planned to meet them in order to discuss their next big mission.

Perhaps it was something for Elyna to be embarrassed about, but she was excited to visit Venora. The young woman had only travelled between Burhan and Andaris before leaving her home the year before. Much of Renmere was a mystery to her, one she had studied and memorised on maps, longing to see the countryside for herself. Yvan had assigned her to his crew, and she was grateful. Some of the knights had been left in the city, on the usual roster of city guards.

They rode to Venora, where Yvan conducted his business with one of the barons. Elyna, Katelyn and Ben were assigned tasks around the main keep. In the morning they trained with members of the Iron Hand who were station in the area. In the afternoons, they helped move winter stores into a better made barn. On their final day in the region, Elyna found herself perched atop the roof of another barn, hammering tiles onto the roof. They’d slipped in the first winds of the season and no one else had volunteered to climb up.

She had clambered down, hopping from the fence and landing with a whumph in the snow-covered earth. Yvan stood, hands on his hips as he looked her over.

“That was a risk,” the man glared at her, “it wasn’t necessary for you to do that, there are other knights. There are carpenters,” his voice was low, almost a growl so that no one else could hear him.

“I was fine, it’s done.” Elyna straightened up and pushed her hands into her pockets. “I’m a knight like everyone-”

He reached out, pushing her back against the building and bent closer, “don’t do it again.” He told her before backing away. “Pack your bags. We’re returning to the city.”

They arrived on the twenty-sixth, returning to Yvan’s house at the edge of Andaris. There was less staff, and the rooms seemed cold as Elyna wandered through them. There was a small barracks within the grounds, used to housing Yvan’s crew when they gathered in the area. Elyna was grateful to be assigned a room to drop her bags and belongings, though truly she understood that she probably wouldn’t be sleeping in it.

Yvan was busy for the evening and she sat with the others, quiet as she mended her gear and rubbed oil into leather that had dried out in the cold weather. She picked at the cheese and bread that had been left out on the long table, grinning as the banter flew overhead between the knights. For a moment, after travelling with the group, she felt that she belonged among them. That perhaps, they were starting to accept her.

It was then that a servant appeared at the door and summoned her with a look. She felt her cheeks burn instantly. She set her work aside, finished the small cup of wine she had been sipping and made her excuses. Trying to slip out the room without anyone noticing.

Did she feel like his lover? Or like a whore who was being summoned? It didn’t matter, her doubts fell away once she was in his arms.

Washed, and neatly dressed the next morning, she left Yvan sleeping late. The woman picked her way through the quiet keep and returned to the room the knights had been using. She searched the table, before opening drawers in the cabinet, searching for the jerkin she’d been mending the night before. She wore soft woollen leggings, tucked into dark brown boots. Beneath a pale shirt she wore a warmer layer and over the top, a deep green tunic that covered her arms and fastened against her neck. Her hair was braided and hung down over one shoulder.

Elyna dipped a hand into a drawer before pulling it back sharply, “ow!” she sucked on the small dot of blood that spread over her finger and peered into the darkness. Scowling she moved onto her toes so that she could fish out the jerkin, and the needle that had bitten her skin.

“Don’t let the Captain see that,” Katelyn leant against the door frame, “he might want you to see the healers. Can’t have you injured,” she teased and entered the room with a large pot of porridge. She set it on the table.

Elyna wasn’t sure that the woman’s tone was entirely friendly, but she smiled none the less, wary. She turned, pulling out the collection of bowls and spoons that had been neatly stacked on one side and set them down next to the cauldron.

“Morning,” she greeted the woman quietly.

“Sleep well?” Katelyn grinned at her and Elyna found it hard to meet her gaze. Deciding not to answer.

Kat scooped up one of the bowls and added a spoonful of the porridge.

Malcolm sat atop a chestnut mare looking out over the King’s road. It was the only other way in and out of the ports. The roads were often traveled by the king’s men, thus making them less attractive to thieves. Yvan Yilmaz’s estate marked the end of a small private road that veered off to the left.

The smell of boiled leather hung heavy in the air, Malcolm’s own armor newly stretched, cut and tooled, was made of horsehide, thought to be stronger than soft, traditional cow leather. He wore it with pride, for it had been gifted to him by Alter Krome, a man Malcolm had a great deal of respect for. The chest piece depicted the family crest, two cross-swords in the top right corner of the shield shaped crest, a wolf to the left, the trees of Krome below that, with a crown taking up the remaining bottom-right corner.

Roland, Thomas and Heath caught up to him on the road and together they galloped the remaining stretch of pavement to Yvan’s house. Benjamin was waiting at the gates and gave the order for the squires to pull the heavy doors open. The four horsemen charged through and carried on up to the stables where the animals were watered and seen to by one of the stablehands.

The ends of their cloaks were wet with muck and melted snow, hung up beyond the door. Yvan sat like a king at his breakfast table, as if he didn’t have a care in the world, belly sated and mind elsewhere.

“Bennett,” he acknowledged, sitting up a little straighter in his chair. “What news do you bring from Krome?”

“We completed the wall,” Malcolm reported, aware of the other knights who had then joined them in the room. “The lord there sends his thanks.”

Yvan scoffed. Alter had placed a lord on the seat of power in Krome, choosing the war general over his own sister who was rumoured to have refused the offer. Yvan had ordered command of Malcolm, hoping it would put him in Alter’s favour, but little had come of it, other than a promotion for Malcolm himself. Yvan often pondered why Malcolm had not been given land and title in Krome. Instead Alter had forged a new, smaller territory for him, and Malcolm strutted about, pretending he was just another one of the lads. The captain hated it, though he did his best to hide his disdain for the pampered little shit before him.

“I suppose you want to know where I’m sending you next?” Yvan said.

“Home, I would hope, Ser?” Malcolm had answered.

Yvan smirked. “No. I don’t think you’ve earned the season off. Maybe next year.”

Malcolm straightened, jaw tight as he grit his teeth together. To his mind, he had done everything the captain had asked of him and more. He had travelled and worked without sleep, food and comfort, knowing he must work twice as hard as any other man to earn half if not all of Frost off to spend with his family. He swallowed the poison he wanted to spit at Yvan and gripped a fist behind his back.

“As you wish, Ser. I'm here to serve.”

“Good.” Yvan stood up. “I’m glad you’re all here, as I have some very important work for all of you.” He went to his writing desk and picked up a scroll. “There’s been an increase in crime within Lowtown and you lot have earned yourselves a season on nightwatch.”

They all hated him at that moment, but only Benjamin groaned his disapproval.

“Something to say, Ben?” Yvan asked.

“No, Ser.”

“Good, because your watch begins tonight,” Yvan explained.

Elyna had kept to herself in the corner of the room. Sat beside Katelyn she looked up as the new arrivals entered. Smiling as she recognised the tall knight who had escorted her back to the city. He didn’t notice her, nor did he acknowledge her and she set the spoon down in her empty bowl and waited as the new assignments were read out.

The captains crew was upset at their new work and Elyna felt heat rising at the back of her neck. Malcolm, looked almost disgusted, offended by the work. Or was he just tired? Had the man had any time to rest, she wondered. Yvan certainly liked to keep the dark-haired man busy. He had hoped to go home, and Elyna felt for him in that moment. The tension in his jaw was subtle, but she wondered who else could read it. He made no verbal protest however and she found herself letting out an uneasy breath.

After looking around the room with a slow sweep of his gaze, Yvan stood and departed. After all, they all knew now that they were assigned the night watch. Was it wrong, she wondered, to be excited by such a thing? It was a sign of trust, surely? That she was capable of working in the city; she could be useful.

“Bet all your watches are stationed here, Reyes,” Katelyn sniggered as Elyna stood.

Elyna paused and looked down at the woman. She chose to ignore her again, but it was another voice that spoke from across the room. A man she didn’t know. She could hear a high pitched ringing in her ears and drew a deep breath.

“Are you questioning my ability as a knight?” She asked calmly. “I’ll be joining you all on the watch, so if you’re concerned I won’t have your back- tell me now.” She touched her fingertips to the table top.

“Come on,” Katelyn stood beside her, resting a hand on Elynas arm. “Reyes worked just as hard as Ben and I in Venora.”

Elyna pulled her arm away from Katelyn and withdrew from the table. Seeking to escape the small room as quickly as possible. She would prove her worth.

“Technically she worked twice as hard,” Katelyn remarked, as Elyna took her leave of them. She waited for the girl to move out of earshot, or so she thought, before adding, “I mean… I saw her spending a lot of time with the Captain.

“You know how he likes to train the new ones,” Roland said.

A bout of boisterous laughter filled the room, silenced by a voice that rang out like thunder. Malcolm was angry and everyone now knew. “Fetch your things, pack and ready your horses. We leave by midday!” He did not leave the room, did not run from his crew-mates’ ire as Yvan did after giving a command. Bennett was the type of knight who owned his station, kept his word and governed with earned authority. He did not demand respect, he merely had it, for proving himself time and time again.

The ride back to the city had been one of the hardest and fastest of their lives. When Bennett was angry, they all seemed to suffer, for instead of sulking, the man only seemed to work harder.

“The afternoon is your own,” he told them. “I will meet you at the tavern off Water Street as the sky darkens.” He took his leave then, headed towards Midtown.

Elyna had paused beyond the door, still debating whether she should return and prove herself by breaking the nose of her doubters. So she heard Katelyn’s words and felt the last thread of her pride slip away. She sniffed, determined not to cry as they laughed. It wasn’t because they teased her, she told herself. But for a moment, a brief, shining moment, she had thought that she had found a place to belong within the crew. That Katelyn had known her teasing had gone to far and had wanted to support her, to be friendly - maybe even a friend. Apparently not.

Bennett’s orders raised the hairs on the back of her neck and the woman didn’t wait around. Mostly packed already; the woman waited in the courtyard for the others, reins in hands as they readied their horses. She struggled to look at her teammates and instead, stared blankly at the gates, her face carefully free of expression. Yvan watched from the doorway, raising an arm in farewell. So much for spending the winter together she thought, and wondered what his intention was. Would he take up rooms in the city as he said?

The ride back was challenging, but she enjoyed it. The other knights seemed to struggle with the speed and the skill required, but it was a challenge she loved. Elyna was better suited to mounted combat, to ranged weaponry and it was those skills she had spent longest developing; with her intention to be a skyrider.

There was no time or opportunity to speak to Bennett, or to thank him. Though she didn’t know if she even should. It was likely that the man was just cross that his leave had been cancelled. That his sudden temper had nothing to do with the remarks of the crew. Elyna watched the man go before making sure her borrowed horse was well cared for.

With an afternoon to herself, there was only one thing she wanted to do; sleep. Elyna was exhausted. Katelyn had been cruel, but she had also been correct. Working hard during the days, and spending long winter nights with her lover had meant she had less opportunity to rest. She felt worn, frayed around the edges like an old carpet too many people walked over.

Still, she arrived at the tavern early; Emily in tow. The skyrider also had some time to herself and had jumped at the chance to go to the tavern.

The building was busy, lit with dozens of candles that were stuck to any surface that was unlikely to move. Elyna wore her thermal leggings beneath dark-brown, leather breaches. Tucked into sturdy boots that covered her legs to the knee. Her nest defence against the snow and the freezing cold that came with getting wet. She wore a thin woollen shirt of fine fleece beneath a normal linen shirt, a thick woollen tunic of deep green that reached to her knees and over it all, a leather great coat that also brushed the back of her knees. A scarf of forest green wrapped around her neck, gloves were stuffed into her pockets, along with a small woollen hat.

Emily laughed as she lent against the bar, ordering an ale for herself and a tea for her friend. “You’re outfitted for a blizzard,” she teased.

Elyna grinned, already peeling off her scarf and coat, it was too hot in the tavern for so many layers. “I’m serious about not getting cold” she replied and curled her hands around the drink.

Emily shook her head and turned to study her friend. “I can’t believe they said that,”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Ely it does. You know it does - how dare they talk to you that way?”

Elyna took a sip of her drink, testing the heat on her tongue. “It doesn’t matter. I just need to earn my place.”

Then skyrider looked away, hand closing into a fist.

“What?” Alarmed, Elyna reached out a hand to touch the woman’s arm beneath her own leather jerkin.

“Nothing,” Emily glanced at her and side. Around them, the tavern was filling up. She lowered her voice. “It’s hard to explain how angry I am with him, Elyna. This is wrong - you…” she grit her teeth and took a deep pull of the rich ale.

“I know what I’m doing. What...I knew the risks when it started.”

“Come back to the skyriders,” Emily stared over the top of her drink. “You’ll have more freedom out from his shadow. You could have a crew that would give you a chance. You could still do ...whatever it is that is between you, it wouldn’t have to stop.” Emily looked around and sighed with frustration. “You’re not going to come back to the Skyriders are you?” She banged her hand on the tabletop.

“Damnit, Ely! Your dream has always been to fly. Not run around in a city with a sword…”

“They’re both just as important,” Elyna found herself looking away. “Dreams change.”

“No they don’t, not yours.” The hand that landed on Elyna’s shoulder was gentle. Elyna set her own fingers atop it without looking at her friend.

“Ely, you don’t know how much time you have here...please don’t waste it...don’t give up on what you’ve fought so hard for.”

“I can’t give him up.” Elyna replied quietly, aware that the tavern was nearly full. That members of Yvans captaincy would have arrived. She finished her drink and pressed a kiss to her friends’ cheek. “Have a good night.”

“Be safe,” Emily hugged her and withdrew, moving to join a table of skyriders with her drink. “Stay warm!” She called over her shoulder before being lost to the crowd.

Elyna paid for their drinks by dropping coins on the bar before she turned, scanning the crowd for a familiar face.

Katelyn had made it to the tavern first, though she hadn’t made herself known. She watched Elyna and her friend and couldn’t help but wonder if Elyna had invited backup after all the teasing from the crew. She paid for a drink and set it down in front of Elyna once she saw the coast was clear.

“You’ll need a thicker skin,” Katelyn said, in way of greeting, offering Elyna the drink. “Peace keeping,” she announced, the gifted ale her silent apology. “It’s tough working with men… with the captain’s son,” she explained, “they all tested me too. Perhaps you should work on keeping your head down, focus on earning their respect?”

Katelyn still had her own drink to finish, something strong to warm her before the long night of cold ahead. There were only six hours of daylight in Frost. Zora, the smallest of the two suns, rose by the tenth hour and set by fourth-fold, leaving the people of Noar to suffer eighteen hours of darkness. Their shift would last twelve of those terrible hours, something Katelyn wanted to be prepared for.

“Where are you from?” Katelyn asked, hoping to break the ice. “I was born in Nejem and trained there,” she explained, her thick accent evidence enough. “Yvan appreciated my skill… and invited me to join him in Renmere to complete my training. I’ve stayed ever since.”

Elyna looked up as the dark-haired lady took a seat. She studied the drink, the peace offering before nodding to the woman and smiling in response. She wasn’t going to make any friends if she held onto her frustration. Katelyn had offered peace, and Elyna wanted to accept it. It couldn’t hurt to have some back up.

Katelyn told her to keep her private life, more private and Elyna laughed, choking on the sip of ale. She covered her mouth, leaning back in the chair. Did Katelyn really think that she wanted everyone to know that she was bedding the Captain? She was under his command. If he summoned her, she would have to go. Elyna loved the man, and she wanted to spend time with her lover, but she detested the lack of privacy. If she thought too hard about it, it made her sick to think that everyone knew. So she tried hard, determined not to think about it.

Elyna took another small sip, “I can’t refuse a summons from my Captain.” She simply replied, unwilling and unable to say much more on the matter. He just didn’t summon anyone else to sleep with them. There was a crossing of threads and power in their lives and Yvan, at this moment held all of the strings. As a lover, she could refuse to meet him if he sent her a message. But as a member of his crew, she had no grounds. So lover or knight, she was under his command. Katelyn mentioned skills and Elyna felt the first brush of jealousy. Had Katelyn shared his bed? Was that why she had followed him from Nejem?

Elyna folded her arms on the table, “Burhan,” she tried another cautious smile, “I won my shield in Bloom,” her smile expanded with pride, until her gaze dropped down to the table. “I haven’t seen much beyond Burhan really, not before last Frost.”

She lent forward, curious to hear about Nejem. “What’s it like, Nejem?” She asked, eyes wide with wonder. “Is it always hot? Is everything made out of sand? What do you eat, do crops grow in the desert?”

Katelyn scoffed, “you always have a choice, stupid girl.” It was the woman’s tone then that might have given away how much she detested men, or just how much she disliked their abuse of power, especially Yvan’s. “You can earn a name for yourself without hoping to get a leg up from him. He’s married, you know? If you have feelings for him, I suggest you check them. You can’t afford distractions at your stage of training.”

She took a long swig of her drink and felt it warm her all the way down to her belly. “He’s old and yourself so pretty, what’s wrong with the boys our age, eh?”

Just as Katelyn had asked, Benjamin and Roland fell through the door, wrestling over a gold coin they had found in the street, yelling about who had spotted it first. Katelyn looked across at Elyna and rolled her eyes, as if she had the answer to her question without the other woman having to say a word.

“I miss Nejem,” Katelyn said, “especially in Frost. It’s cold during the night in the desert, but hot all year round. Sryn favours our people,” she boasted, though whether or not that was true was another story.

Malcolm entered the room and the squabbling ended. Benjamin took the coin before Roland could protest, and spent it on a glass of wine for his friend and brother, Malcolm. “Ser,” he said, “a drink?”

Malcolm nodded and went to the bar.

“I don’t want any help from him,” Elyna scowled and stared down at her drink. “I don’t want any favours I just want to earn my way and be useful.” She wasn't sure if she was speaking to Katelyn or herself but she pushed back from the table, leaning in her chair. At the rest of Katelyns words, Elyna fell silent. It wasn’t true. Yvan was risking a lot to be with her, if her parents found out...there was so much risk.

The woman looked up at Benjamin and Roland and couldn’t help but smile. She hid the expression behind her hand, eyes following their commander as he made his own way in. Her gaze lingered where it had no right to. Boys her own age? Elyna shrugged.

“No one was ever interested,” she admitted, looking between the three men. “But I...well I never made many friends.” Elyna looked around and saw Emily at a table not far away. She smiled at her friend and the gesture was returned. “The skyrider over there,” Elyna turned back to Katelyn, “my friend,” she grinned and took a large gulp, “my only friend” she laughed.

Her gaze returned to the man who would command them that night. Irresistible, what if she wanted to know more about him? He had been kind. Her drink was empty and Katelyn's low. “My round?” she suggested and headed towards the bar. She slipped between the crowd and found herself beside the tall knight. She placed her order of another tea, anything to stay warm.

“Evening,” she dared to look in his direction.

Katelyn studied the skyrider Elyna had pointed out from across the room. When her gaze fell on Elyna once more, she couldn’t help but recognise how the woman’s eyes lingered on their commander. “Wish more like him were single?” She said, only teasing. “Your shout,” Katelyn agreed, and while Elyna went to the bar, Katelyn made a beeline for Emily.

Malcolm turned his head to find Elyna had been the one to greet him. “Good evening, Reyes,” he said, and smiled. “Will you be having a drink with us before we start our patrol?”

“We usually start our shift with a drink,” Benjamin said, “take the edge off and warm us all up.” He grinned like a child, pleased to be in good company. Benjamin put an arm around Malcolm and pressed a big wet kiss to his cheek. “Plus our Mal here loves it, don't you, brother?”

Malcolm grinned and elbowed Benjamin in his side. “Perhaps no more for you.”

They gathered their drinks from the bar once served and went to the table Katelyn had recently returned to. She smiled at Elyna and thanked her for the drink. “Your friend seems nice,” she said, and should Elyna look, she would find Emily frowning at her, disappointed by whatever news had been shared.

More like the commander were single? Elyna felt heat rising along her neck and shook her head. “Who is Yvans son?” She asked, news that he was among the crew had been a surprise.

Elyna grinned back at Malcolm, laughing as Ben wrapped an arm around him. “I’ve already had an ale, but I’m hoping that tea will keep me warm,” the woman admitted. Stood beside the two men, who were clearly so at ease with one another, lessened the tension in her shoulders. She collected her drinks and returned to the table.

“You’re welcome,” she slid the glass to Katelyn, meeting Emily’s gaze. Her heart skipped a beat and she paused before taking a seat. What was it? What had Katelyn said to Emily?

“She’s the best,” Elyna answered and forced her attention back to the gathered knights. She sat back in her chair, trying not to bump elbows or knees with anyone. “Are you really brothers?” She looked to Ben, curious. They looked so different to one another.

The two shared a look, the smile Benjamin wore causing Malcolm to grin. “We are brothers,” Malcolm said.

“In all but blood,” Benjamin agreed.

Katelyn looked at Elyna and rolled her eyes. “They say that in case they mistakenly fall in love.” She teased.

Benjamin burst into a fit of laughter at the accusation. “Oh if I wasn’t about to be married,” he said, wagging his brow at Malcolm.

“I’d be one lucky boy,” Malcolm said, playing along.

It was Katelyn’s turn to laugh. “You are, are so… urgh!” She said. “I just want to pinch your cheeks!”

Malcolm chuckled and lifted his glass to taste the wine Benjamin had bought him.

“Malcolm’s brother is Owen,” Katelyn explained to Elyna. “He’s usually on duty with us, but he’s been on holiday for the last half a season.”

“That’s a nice way to describe a broken arm,” Thomas said as he squeezed in between Benjamin and Katelyn. He regarded Elyna with a look of indifference, then took a swig of ale to busy his mouth, should anymore distasteful words attempt to escape it.

“He fell off a horse,” Katelyn said, “literally fifty metres from the city gate.” She couldn’t help but laugh.

“He’ll be back in a few days,” Malcolm confirmed. “I went to see him today.”

Elyna looked between the group, sinking a little in her chair as she felt herself relax. Brothers in all but blood? She peered at the two men and tilted her head to the side, trying to make sense of them. She couldn’t help but chuckle at Malcolm’s mock dismay at Benjamin’s marriage, no matter his feelings towards the man, he was clearly happy for him.

“Owen?” Elyna curled her hands around the tea and looked between them all before shaking her head. “I don’t think we’ve met.”

She grimaced at the broken arm, falling off a horse was a nightmare for anyone. “It will be good to meet more of the crew,” the woman admitted with genuine enthusiasm. Her smile extended to Thomas, even if he only glared in return.

“It sounds as if he was lucky, to fall so close to help,” she saw the positive, even if it had been damned unlucky to fall in the first place. “I hope that he is well,” she lifted her gaze once more to Malcolm. From what Katelyn had inferred the man wasn’t single, or perhaps he was more interested in men. It didn’t matter. She was Yvans. Yvan was hers… she ducked her head to take another drink. Knowing that she lied to herself.

She peered at the streets beyond the window, watching as the light started to fall. “I’ve not had many shifts in the city,” she admitted, trying to be brave. “Is there anything I should know?” Elyna would rather be honest, then place herself or someone else in danger by trying to bolster through.

Thomas regarded the woman with cold indifference. He did not meet her eye, nor return any of her false smiles, or so he thought them to be. He muttered something under his breath, too quiet for anyone to hear, but Elyna would know that she had not made a friend of him.

The left side of Katelyn’s mouth pulled down in an uneasy grimace. She was good friends with Thomas and had been for a long time, even before she had come to Renmere. Though she would have preferred for the two to get along, she knew it was Thomas she must defend and not the girl sat before her. She had given her warning, she told herself, there was little she could do.

“You haven’t done any patrol work in the city before?” Benjamin asked, features wrought with mild shock. “Uhh,” he paused, looking across at Malcolm, who was sat beside Elyna with a good foot of room between them. “Do you think it’s safe for her to be in Lowtown for her first lot of patrols?”

“No,” Malcolm said, after a short pause, “but our captain gave an order and we must respect that.”

“Is he trying to get rid of you already, Reyes?” Katelyn teased, which only served to open her up to Thomas’s scrutiny.

“Don’t get stabbed, boot,” Thomas told her. “Or do, might save us some trouble.”

Her mouth was dry as she looked between the group, trying to take the measure of each of them. It was difficult, she had never been a fan of crowds. Elyna had always preferred to keep to herself; perhaps finding it safer that way. She didn’t have to guard herself, if it was a company of one.

“I have no intention of getting stabbed,” Elyna replied and held the man’s gaze, “or of putting anyone else in any danger.” She tapped her fingers against the mug of tea, chewing on her bottom lip. Uncomfortable under scrutiny she felt sweat slide down her neck, despite the cool weather beyond the walls of the tavern.

“I’ll follow my orders,” the woman looked to Malcolm then. “I’ve patrolled in Burhan often enough, but I know it’s different. When I first came to the city I was assigned to the skyriders,” was that enough said? Skyriders didn’t often join city patrols. Why did she feel the need to explain herself? “I’m new to the knights,” was she just making herself a target? Elyna held back her sigh and her gaze returned to Thomas.

“Perhaps we should work together?” She suggested, how could he hate her so quickly? He didn’t know her. Elyna was convinced that it was a way to break down those barriers.

“You should have stayed with them,” Thomas said, “us knights are made of harder stuff.” When she made her offer to work with him, he spat. “I’d rather swim in the icy waters of Gwayne and stand in the snow with my balls out than risk my life working with the new kid,” he said, and got up from the table.

Malcolm opened his mouth to exact punishment, but Thomas was already halfway to the door.

“I’ll go with him,” Katelyn said.

Malcolm nodded.

Benjamin finished his drink. “Want me to take her?” He asked.

“No.” Malcolm shook his head. “Katelyn and Thomas have south to west gate. You and Roland take west to north. Myself and Miss Reyes will patrol the northern and eastern gates. I’m sure as the barracks are stationed in the final quarter, that they will manage that as they’ve always done.”

Benjamin nodded. “I’ll check in at half watch,” he said.

“I’ll see you in six hours,” Malcolm agreed, though they had little way to measure this, other than the city bell that chimes once on the hour each hour throughout the day and night.

“Reyes.” Malcolm smiled as he rose. “I’m sorry, but it looks like you’re stuck with me.”

The woman dropped her hands to her chair, gripping the seat as she let the insult land. Elyna didn’t rise to the provocative and felt a flutter of pride when the man left. So that was Yvans son? At least it explained why he had taken such an instant dislike to her presence. Her jaw was held tight, back teeth pressed together as she watched the man go. They debated her, the boot that no one wanted slowing them down. It was hard to remain excited, when they all thought she was so useless.

Elyna rose from the table, collecting the empty glasses into a neat stack as she did; before looking up at Bennett. She offered him a smile, though the expression had dimmed. Did he think it to? Why did she care? “I’m sorry you’re stuck with me,” she replied. “At least it’s only six hours,” once more she tried for positivity, “and if I’m truly awful, you can always reassign me.” She lifted her shoulder in another shrug. She pulled on her woollen hat and pushed her fingers into gloves before they left the tavern behind. She was determined to stay warm, or at least do everything she could in that attempt.

Her breath came in a stream of frosty air as they stepped out under the stars. Elyna was quiet for a time, letting Bennett lead the way.

“I will follow your orders, Ser.” The woman repeated herself quietly. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt.” Elyna wanted him to believe her.

A soft knot formed at the centre of the knight’s brow. “Sorry?” He echoed, “I was rather looking forward to it. I think you’ll find, I’m the boring one.” He winked, trying to lift her spirits.

“Don’t worry about Thomas,” Malcolm said, “he won’t say anything to Yvan or Leonide. She’s the woman who raised him, it’s true—but he’s a bastard. Yvan won’t let him use the Yilmaz name,” Malcolm explained, going no further.

Did Yvan keep the boy close in order to keep him out of trouble? Malcolm wasn’t sure. Like all of the men and women Yvan employed, Thomas too was sure to have a purpose. Katelyn had her gifts of sight, Benjamin’s family came from a long line of knights. Heath was the distant cousin of the Baron of Gwayne. Roland’s family was one of extreme wealth and influence. Then there was Malcolm…

“I’m sorry to have to tell you this,” he said, thinking Elyna already displeased with his company, “but six hours only marks half our shift. At that point we change quarters. It’s nothing but a change of scenery really.” He chuckled.

Malcolm re-tied the tongue of his belt through the loop, pressing the silver prong into one of the worn out keeps. It served to hold his sword and keep the chainmail beneath his tunic and above a layer of felted wool, pinched at the waist.

“Boring?” She laughed as she walked beside him, her steps a little quicker in order to keep up with his longer stride. “That’s what people always said about me,” she admitted. She peered down the streets as they went, looking at the alleyways they passed, nodding with a small smile at anyone who came their way. “Boring or too quiet,” the woman added. She touched a hand to her sword belt as they moved through as darker section of the road. Moving a little closer to the man beside her. “I guess I just don’t talk much,” she glanced at Malcolm and doubted he would believe her.

“Six hours is half,” the woman repeated and smiled across at him as they passed a window with a candle lit. It was enough to see his features more clearly. “I understand, I just thought - you’d be glad to get to six hours...so you could see someone other than me.” Her smile turned rueful and she paused to peer down an alley, moving onto her toes as she did.

After a while she moved on again, catching up with man having failed to spot anything untoward in the street.

“I wasn’t the first was I?” She asked quietly. “Not the first woman you’ve bought back to the city...and you don’t think I’ll be the last?” The last thing she wanted to do, was talk about Yvan. So why couldn’t she help it?

Was that why she had indulged the captain a secret relationship, to prove she was not boring? Malcolm wondered, if such were true, maybe Reyes was also in the wrong line of work, doing this only to prove that she could. Malcolm didn’t point either of these observations out, but rather, stowed them away like little puzzle pieces to try and fit together later with the rest of the assortment getting to know Elyna had left him.

“Our job tonight and each night after this, is merely to be present. It’s rare that any crime takes place out in the open and the crew know I don’t like heroes,” Malcolm explained. “If you find yourself in trouble, get out of it fast. It’s rare that anyone will challenge a knight, especially in Lowtown, these people have very little and, though they don’t always appreciate our presence, it does help deter the crimes they themselves would like to be free of.”

Malcolm set a slower pace, having realised it was an effort for Elyna to keep up with him. They had many hours of walking ahead of them after all. There was no point spending all of their energy by the first chime of the city bell. He had done this a hundred times before and thought he would a thousand times more before the end.

“We stick to the main street,” Malcolm said, “the most well lit areas.” He found it important to go over the safety tips he imparted to all new knights under his command, most of them just as eager to please or get in the way of trouble, as Elyna seemed. The safety of his crew was paramount, for he would not risk a single one of them on his watch.

They chewed through time, going over different scenarios and sharing idle chat in regards to missions that had taken place over the years. Soon an hour had gone by and then a second with little to no trouble outside of the usual drunks stumbling home after being thrown out of the taverns. Malcolm had told Elyna to expect as much of the people of Lowtown, the working class. These were the people who grew their crops, tended their horses and cleaned their houses for little more than a silver piece. They were underpaid, under appreciated, and lived in some of the most appalling conditions in all of Renmere.

“Did you always want to be a knight?” Malcolm asked, the first and one of the only types of personal questions he ever sought an answer to.

After listening to, and agreeing to his rules, she settled into an easy rhythm beside the man. Able to match his steps more easily when he slowed them. The man didn’t respond to her question, q and Burhan. She listened with interest, making careful observations and trying to get and feel for the country she had seen so little of.

She tried not to stare at the drunks, but when they were suddenly loud, found herself walking closer to the tall knight then she had before. Only to wander away, enough that the distance between them returned to something more formal. One one quiet stretch of the road, just after their second bell chime, a cat had lept from a roof, scattering lose tiles with a crash that had seen the woman jump, stumbling as she twisted on the slick ground to see where their attack came from. She had bumped into Bennett before backing away with an apology, cheeks red with embarrassment before she bent, letting the cat brush against the back of her hand.

They continued and she peered around at Bennett, unable to stop smiling at his question. “Yes,” she answered without hesitation, “well…” she pushed her fingers through her fringe as it poked out from beneath her hat. “I always wanted to be a skyrider,” her gaze lifted to the stars.

“It’s hard to see for long distances between the trees back home, so I always dreamt of being up high, above them; free.” She touched a hand to the hilt of her sword and studied the road ahead of them. “I used to get into so much trouble for climbing where I shouldn’t,” she confessed with a grin that she tried to conceal.

“But… being a skyrider, or a knight; I get to be something useful. More then just a decoration; a flower or just…” she sighed. She glanced at the man, tall, strong, handsome. Perhaps he couldn’t know what it felt like to be defined by her ability to marry. “I always wanted to help people. I can do that in the sky, or on the ground.”

She touched her tongue to her teeth, “how about you? Did you always want to spend your winters walking around in the dark?” She teased a little.

Malcolm found that time always passed so quickly with new recruits, perhaps because they had so much more to talk about. Elyna made clear her dreams to become a Skyrider and Malcolm couldn’t help but wonder if being a part of Yvan’s crew was only serving to hinder that process. He did his best not to mention the captain, having gone as far as to ignore previous questions, instead redirecting her focus to more positive topics. If the man knew anything, it was not to mingle in people’s private affairs. He didn’t want to say anything that might tarnish the captain’s reputation, believing Yvan was more than capable of doing that himself.

“You should work towards getting a transfer if that is what you love,” he said. “Perhaps before the crew makes it too difficult for you to go?” Malcolm smiled, he knew what the people under his command were like, tight-knit and protective of their own. If Elyna did manage to work her way under their skin, she would find they wouldn’t let her go easily, perhaps him included.

“I always wanted to be a teacher,” Malcolm admitted. “I travel and read a lot. It’s difficult to find time, of course, but if I were to make the rank of captain I could be assigned to Andaris permanently and perhaps find the time to study and get qualified.”

The night was reflective of its name, Frost. Pale ice clung to the edges of buildings, froze the fresh snow muddied melt water underneath. It slid over every part of exposed skin and leached away the precious heat and that she had managed to trap between layers. Elyna cupped her hands as they walked, blowing on her gloves. How many hours had passed? The dark streets were becoming familiar, would she ever recognise them in daylight?

“I...I made my decision to transfer from the Riders in the Harvest,” Elyna replied after a while. “If it has been a mistake...then I will live with that. I’m not going to just run away. Not from a problem that I’ve created.” Her gaze returned to the cloudless sky. “I guess you’re stuck with me...and I am sorry for that. I don’t like being such a...focus for negativity.” She couldn’t imagine a time when the crew might want her.

Was she starting to regret the transfer? She let out a breath which fled from her lips as a pale mist. Yes, if she was being honest with herself. Yvan had wanted it, he’d coaxed her to submit the request so they could see more of each other, so he could help her train with the sword. The best way to improve her skill, was surely to use it more regularly? But she worried that she lost her ability with a bow; and he kept her close, too close. At the start it had felt romantic, to be so desired. They’d been sneaky but then he seemed to have given up on any discretion. When had it changed?

Elyna looked across at the man, “you’re a Cavalier?” She asked, she had seen his new livery but hadn’t had a chance to study it in detail, although had noticed that he was probably from Krome. “It can’t be too long before you’re given your own command,” the woman encouraged.

“What would you teach?” She watched him, and found that she smiled as she studied his features. “Mathematics? Art? History?” He was a fascinating individual. “How did you become a knight, instead of a teacher?” She turned her gaze back to the road, not wanting to be caught by surprise. “Did you sign up in the wrong office?” Why did she keep teasing him? Why was it so easy to do? She felt almost relaxed in his company; but then so did the crew. He brought out the best in people. “You’ll be a good teacher,” she spoke quietly. He already was.

Elyna was full of questions. Did she know how her face lit up when she spoke about the things she loved, he wondered. The later it got, the more the knight seemed to relax. Most crime took place in the early hours, around about the ninth or tenth-fold, after that the townsfolk were usually tucked away in their beds.

Malcolm couldn’t help but laugh at her jest. He supposed it sounded funny to know exactly what he had wanted from life, only to pursue something else. It seemed they shared that trait. “My brother and I grew up in a family with a long history of service to the Iron Hand. It only seemed natural to follow in those footsteps,” he explained. “I know it makes them proud to have three knights in the family.”

There was time enough for him to achieve what he wanted in future, Malcolm thought, especially now that he was so… tied down. His thoughts went to Vanessa and the children. Their love seemed a lifetime ago. Elyna had asked a few other things, but the man had already forgotten, lost in thought.

“Do you practice the sword much?” He asked. Malcolm had never seen her train with Yvan or any of the other knights. He suspected the only training they did was bedroom related. The left side of his mouth turned up in quiet amusement. “I’d be happy to spar with you. Tomorrow perhaps?”

She listened to his explanation. Elyna knew that she was lucky to still have both of her parents still alive, even if she didn’t agree with their wishes for her. Such was the price of nobility. Perhaps there has been a similar pressure for Bennett to join the Hand. Elyna felt for Malcolm then, though he was clearly proud of what he did, and more than capable, he had been encouraged down a path that wasn’t entirely his choosing.

Perhaps they had more in common than she had first thought. “I’m sure they’re very proud of you,” Elyna smiles across at the man and the comfortable silence returned; broken only by the steady sound of their boots in the dark.

“I practice,” the woman admitted, “usually early in the mornings when most people are asleep. It’s not my strongest skill,” her thumb brushed the hilt again. “I could always train more, your offer is appreciated, thank you.” The smile in the darkness was shy. “I’d like that. I’m sure I can learn a lot from you - from, uh...you know the more people I can train with the more knowledge I can gather.” The base of her stomach felt warm, as though she’d eaten fresh baked bread. “Tomorrow,” she agreed before she could embarrass herself any further.

XXVIII Frost KI[/centre]

Elyna had successfully completed her first patrol in the city, and she felt proud of herself. Their patrol the night before had been thankfully, uneventful. The hours had started to drag towards the end of their twelve hours however and Elyna had felt her eyes grow heavy with exhaustion; as though someone had rubbed them with wool. But somehow, she had survived patrol in lowtown without incident and perhaps more importantly without managing to disgrace herself in front of Malcolm, or so she hoped. Instead, she had committed his rules to memory. He didn’t want his team putting themselves at risk, he didn’t need anyone to be a hero. So far, he had kept his team and alive and so she reasoned, they were good rules.

Elyna had crawled into her bed, and fallen into a deep sleep through the rest of the dark hours. Finally rested, the woman had washed up and dressed in similar clothes to the night before. Warm leggings beneath a woollen tunic. Thermal layers beneath and a great leather great-coat over the top. Her pockets were stuffed with gloves and a hat once more but she had removed her scarf and left it at home in the barracks.

There had been no summons from Yvan, and she found herself relieved to finally have some hours to herself. She had arrived at the practise courts in the barracks, early to meet Bennett. Ready to spar, and learn something new. She lingered at the door to the large indoor court where most knights chose to train in Frost. Having been uncertain if the man would want to train outside, or inside, she was prepared for either eventuality. Her hair was neatly braided and off of her face. Her sword attached to her hip, but practise weapons were gathered in a linen bag slung across her back. Even with the weak Frost sun filtering the clouds, it was still bitterly cold, with fresh snow falling as she looked up and down the arenas, searching for the Cavalier. When she spotted him, she couldn’t help but smile. Her cheeks were brushed with pink from the cold, but the expression was genuine. She was glad to see the man.

It was a season of misery for the knights, both rising and settling in the black of night, indistinguishable from the dawn. Malcolm had stayed at the barracks with the rest of the men, too tired to ride. Their first watch had been a success, with little to no incidents reported by any of the crew.

Malcolm woke early and ate before seeing to a few chores. He checked in with some of the men on the wall and gathered updates on the activity that had taken place during the handful of hours he had been asleep. There was news of suspicious trade ships docked beyond the harbour. Malcolm had sent word to Yvan and a bird had returned just as the first fingers of light stroked the horizon.

As promised, Malcolm had made his way to the training courts to meet Yvan’s newest recruit, Reyes. She was a keen young woman, he had gathered from the time they had spent together, eager to please and to prove her worth. Such was the desire of youth.

He stood in black hose, a long red tunic, brown leather tabard and boots. Malcolm had just pulled on a pair of black leather gloves as Elyna approached. He caught one of the wooden practice swords thrown his way and tested the grip, tightening his right glove accordingly.

“Good morning,” he greeted the woman, wearing an easy smile, keen to begin.

Malcolm knew little of Elyna’s formal sword training, if she had undergone any at all. The cruciform hilt fit snugly in his hand, though the wood long-sword lacked the weight of his usual weapon.

“The long-sword is a weapon of war,” Malcolm explained, “our go to in the Iron Hand. It was made to thrust, slice and cut,” he said. “Both hands on the hilt at all times,” he coached. “Once you graduate that, we can move onto one handed disarmament and grappling techniques.”

Malcolm moved to stand beside Elyna, holding the weapon out to start with the very basics. “The cross-guard can be used as a hook for tripping or knocking an opponent off balance,” he explained, pointing out the correct stance and grip to begin. “And the pommel,” he said, as he drove his elbow back, “is a good way to break the nose of the man behind you.” Malcolm knew this because he had suffered such a blow in battle.

“Your torso and limbs are unprotected,” he told her, “as most long-sword wielders work without a shield. Your best defence is offence, strike before they can hit you. When it is clear to thrust, you must be sure that your blow will be final as it will leave you defenceless. Head, heart, and major areas of blood loss,” he told her. If she did not know those, she had homework to do.

“Your hands, wrists, forearms and shoulders will suffer the most damage if you are good. If you do not think you can best your opponent with an open shot, work instead to disable them. Knee, ankle, arm. Decapitation is real,” he warned, “as is loss of limb. A long-sword will cut through skin and bone with enough effort.”

Malcolm’s arms were covered with the same warm, black material that dressed his legs, but beneath, his arms were a battlefield of small silver scars, each gained through training and real battle. “We’ll graduate from these after the first hour, I assure you.” He winked.

The knight moved to stand across from Reyes, both hands on the hilt as he had shown her. “Let’s take it slow while you get a feel for the use of the weapon. Straight away, what do you see?” He asked. “Be sure to size up your opponent. You may feel at a disadvantage being shorter, but you have the upper hand for crippling me via a blow to the leg, if I don’t take your head off first.” He teased.

The woman set aside her iron weapon and the long leather coat she wore. She moved to the centre of the arena. Her boots crunched across the thick layer of sawdust that had frozen and stuck to the heavy stony beneath. The sawdust was supposed to soften a landing but in Frost, she doubted it would have much impact. Elyna watched the Cavalier, listening to him and trying to commit his lesson to memory. She knew a lot of what he taught. Her training master, Ser Farn had taught her the basics of working with a sword. But it was good to have the information refreshed and she appreciated that Bennett started at the beginning, without launching into something complicated.

Still, in her eagerness to learn, Elyna felt an all too familiar, crushing sensation in her chest and stomach. Panic. It was difficult for the young woman to learn from books, Farn had recognised that early on. She felt her cheeks start to burn as panic twisted in her middle. This is how it went, she wanted to do so well, that her mind seemed to stop working. She was an island, isolated, alone and struggling to listen over her own sense of panic. Strange though, the sensation didn’t often come when learning a physical skill before, but usually when it came to academic abilities.

Ser Farn had been a patient man; and he had seemed to recognise the difficulties she had. Things that often caused other people to think that she was slow, or stupid. What had Farn taught her? Breathe, remember to breathe. She stood very still at Malcolm went over the points. She mirrored his movement as he moved to stand beside her.

“Thrust, cut, slice,” she repeated Malcolm’s words and copied his stance. She wrapped her hands around the hilt of the sword and spun it. Much of what he explained, she already knew by heart and that helped ease her panic a little more. Both hands on the hilt, she knew that. The wooden weapon warmed beneath her gloves hands and she looked up at Malcolm with a faint smile, concentrated on the lesson.

He explained things well, clearly and in a logical order and she repeated them to herself. The last panic faded and she relaxed into her stance. Elyna dragged a foot across the icy ground to centre herself. What did she see?

Elyna studied the man critically, slowly from the boots up to the top of his head. She took in the small details. The fine quality of wool that made just hose, the tool marks of his scabbard and belt. He was a tall man, with broad shoulders but long limbs. He was strong, confident in his stance and almost relaxed as he watched her in turn. A formidable opponent on any day.

“You’re a larger target then I am,” she spoke up, “you have long legs which gives me more to aim at, but you have long arms too. So longsword against longsword I can’t gain an advantage of reach.” She took a step to the side, turning side on to make herself a smaller target still. “Often people see that I am small.” She held the blade comfortably in her grip. “They underestimate me. You are...confident Ser Bennett, but you’re wary enough of a new opponent.” Another smile pulled at the corner of her mouth, “my training master used to say, there’s nothing more dangerous than an opponent who doesn’t know their weapon.” An opponent without formal training could react in unpredictable ways, making them just as dangerous.

The man was surprised to hear she had been afforded the luxury of a training master, even Benjamin’s family had gone without that. They had made do with their father and grandfather’s harsh lessons alone. Who was this girl standing before him, he wondered. She certainly wasn’t common or if she was, he had the feeling she hailed from a very wealthy family. A merchant family, he had convinced himself. It made sense now, why Yvan had not grown tired of her yet. Then again, he imagined the captain had probably palmed her off for a few days to bed a servant or one of his wife’s noble friends.

Malcolm approached the knight then and did as he had promised, moving into a set of slow strikes she would be able to match with ease. He was testing her skill, whatever this sword master had passed on. It was easy to spot the training style she had committed to memory and, once able to predict her next move, Malcolm switched his up. He made sneaky swipes at her arm or hip when she opened her stance too much or could not predict his next move. Any moment of hesitation was abused, just as he expected an enemy to do on the battlefield.

Elyna often felt, when it came to learning that everyone else was at the end of a race and she was still standing, confused, at the starting line. What it had meant though, because book learning didn’t come easy; was she had learnt how to learn. This, more than her noble title and the money, had been what had impressed Farn into agreeing to take her on. She learnt by repetition, and with the sense of panic safely set aside she was able to move and block each of Malcolm’s defenses without thinking. She worked longer, trained harder than any other knight she had met, and it was because she knew that she needed to. But the results paid dividends. What she had been taught, she was able to reproduce with ease.

The woman blocked the series of strikes, and just as she felt confident, Bennett changed his technique. The ground was unforgiving underfoot, and her arms started to sting with the blows he landed. He needled at her, testing the range of her ability and finding the obvious gaps in her knowledge. Farn had warned her that a good opponent could do that; and would. She would simply have to keep learning, keep improving her knowledge. It was why she had been so keen to train with Yvan. The more he pressed, the more mistakes she started to make, having to consider her movements rather then allowing instinct to move the sword into place.

He’d said that the greatest defence was offence, and she stepped forward. It was time for her to take the offensive; and put that lesson into use. She brought her blade in a sweeping arc towards his shoulder, as though to cleave head from neck, before dropping it across his body to his leg. It left her open, but it was a quick movement. One she had learnt from Yvan.

“Good, again!” Malcolm said, voice jolly and a smile on his face. He had managed to block the woman, but only just, having not anticipated her move.

Half an hour flew by, which quickly turned into another. They ended the session on the chime of the eleventh bell, leaving them with five hours of light before their shift would begin.

“Yvan has been teaching you,” Malcolm remarked, recognising the captain’s signature moves. He had taken arms off on the battlefield by slashing like that and cut deep into his opponents legs.

Malcolm returned the practice weapons to their crate and took off his gloves to reveal a few red marks on his hands. “You got me good there,” he said, and pointed to a mark on the edge of his right palm. “It would have left me out of action for certain if we were using real swords.” The knight smiled again. “Or one handed.”

Stood with his hands on his hips, Malcolm studied the woman standing across from him. He could understand why Yvan had chosen her. Elyna had a unique kind of beauty. She was youthful, easygoing and had a certain charm that was difficult to resist.

“The day is yours, I suppose. I’ll see you after sunset at the tavern?” He asked, not wanting to keep her if she had plans.

Elyna was pleased to have done well, she returned the smile with a grin of her own. The expression brief before she returned to her concentration. Time flew by, and she was grateful when the man called a final halt. He had tested her limits and skills, and trying to keep up had been a challenge. Wanting to do well, the woman had put her whole energy into the bout. It had been interesting to put some of Yvans techniques to the test against someone else, but even more she had enjoyed watching Bennett.

“Could you teach me that?” Elyna followed him to the crate. Fine hairs stuck against her hairline, despite the bitter cold. “Not today, but...that counter sweep you did? Or that sneaky thrust? I was learning from the Captain last Frost,” the woman filled in some of the blanks. “But the more I can learn, the better my chances of staying alive, right?” She watched Bennett hopefully. Not sure if she was keen on leaving an opponent without a hand. Guilty for marking the man she studied the frost covered ground. “Sorry for that.”

She knelt to re-tie her bootlace as it had come loose during their sparring. Elyna collected up her coat and folded it over her arm, too hot beneath her layers to want to pull it on.

With the day to herself the woman glanced up at the clear sky. She smiled, perhaps she could pick up some extra work in the mews, with the flying mounts. “A hot meal,” she grinned, “I’m going to get a hot meal, maybe get some sewing done...maybe some sleep.” She grinned, “what are your plans, Ser?

Malcolm agreed to teach Elyna any of the tricks she had taken note of. He was more than happy to impart his knowledge to her. He told Reyes there was no need to apologise, that each mark was a lesson better learned here than out on the field of battle.

“A few more lessons like that and you’ll be giving the captain a run for his money in no time,” Malcolm said, grinning, proud of what they had accomplished today.

“Most of my plans are tentative,” he said, “comes with the job.” Malcolm smiled. “A hot meal sounds nice. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll join you.”

He paused then, having realised he had invited himself. “Unless you intended to go somewhere other than the barracks?” Then he would leave her to her day.

More sleep sounded nice, which made Malcolm think he might put his other plans on hold. There was always tomorrow or the next day. He knew his horse would be itching to stretch her legs, but Red would be all right for another day.

He looked up at the sky, which had been threatening rain all morning. The last thing they needed was cold, biting rain to add to the misery of their pitch-black nights of patrol.