A Drink Before Battle [M/M] ✅

12: What Are You Thinking Of?

The week passed in relative peace. Life in the camp settled into a routine familiar to military personnel: daily training, maintenance of weapons and equipment, camp chores, hunting and trading with the nearby villages for food. The enemy hadn't shown their faces yet, leaving the river valley to its picturesque calm. Sevei and Yanek actually had done some fishing.

The two Generals called an uneasy truce which took the form of a rigidly businesslike formality whenever they must interact. One would think they were speaking before the King's throne when they were seen together, but it got the necessary jobs done. On the other hand, Sevei and Kahan had struck up an amicable rapport, with Kahan running interference between the two antagonists.

It was getting on towards dinner time, the troops beginning to clear the training grounds, when Sevei caught sight of Urskatha and Kahan across the lists exchanging sword moves with one another in slow motion. Urskatha motioned for a halt, demonstrated a stance to Kahan, then corrected her posture, guiding her sword arm into a sweeping arc. He stepped back, and they squared off again, resuming the carefully choreographed practice. Sevei's eyes narrowed as he watched closely, then his gaze swept across the field to where the Sekkha were packing up their gear for the day.

"Yan!" he called. "Go get Commander Bhari."

Yanek froze and looked askance at him.

"I... why me?" he asked nervously.

Sevei cocked his head to the side. "Yanek, you are the Second-in-Command of this unit. You needn't fear telling the Sekkha Commander that I'd like to see her."

"If you say so," Yanek replied skeptically. "I come back minus a few fingers, I'm blaming you."

Sevei chuckled as his Second jogged away. Yanek was joking, mostly. The Sekkha warriors did have a rather fierce reputation, but both Sevei and Yanek knew that they were damned lucky to have them on their side.

The tribe they came from was secretive and reclusive, and only begrudgingly loyal to Valesk ever since the country had conquered their territory several generations back. Sevei had met Commander Bhari while rooting out bandits in the East, and they had bonded somewhat over that common goal. When the King had demanded military tribute in support of this war, she had volunteered her troop on the condition that she would only serve with Sevei's unit.

As Bhari and Yanek approached, Sevei turned and strolled casually over to Urskatha and Kahan, beckoning the others to follow. They watched the practice before them for a moment longer, then Sevei turned to Bhari.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"Oh, no," the woman replied, her scarlet veil inflating with her breath, "this will not do at all."

Kahan faltered on her next move, her eyes widening as she saw the Sekkha warrior among them, her expression enraptured. Urskatha dropped his sword to his side and turned to them, visibly annoyed.

"Is there something we can do for you?" he asked shortly.

"General Urskatha, Sergeant Kahan," Sevei said solemnly, "I'd like you to meet Commander Shura Bhari of the Sekkha."

"General," Bhari said with an almost dismissive nod in his direction. Then she turned to Kahan, folded both hands over her breast, and lowered her head. "My Lady," she said quietly.

Kahan was startled out of her transfixion. "It's... Sergeant is my only title," she said, with no small amount of anxiety.

Bhari's dark, black-rimmed eyes narrowed, her brows knitting together into a frown. She sighed, then turned to Urskatha.