A Drink Before Battle [M/M] ✅

17: Story Time, Part Two

Sevei stared back at him intently. "You're putting a lot of trust in me, telling me that," he said gravely.

Urskatha nodded. "I hoped you might talk to the Sekkha for us, see if they might take her in."

Sevei shook his head. "No good. She'll want to stay out of Valesk, and the Sekkha are definitely going back when this is over. They might help get her out, though, when the time comes. If she can get to Tharlburg, Kyrzhan would help, too."

"I'm sending Nal with her," Urskatha said. "I can't send him there."

Sevei cocked his head to the side and grimaced. "He would be fine. First, Kyri doesn't exploit children, and second, I'm not suggesting they stay. Kyri could set them up somewhere else, maybe even send them to Caedra or Thalesia. The further the better, probably."

Urskatha considered this, and nodded. "I'll think about it," he said. "Thanks."

Sevei smiled and returned his nod. "You still haven't told me why you used her name," he prodded.

Urskatha heaved a very deep sigh. "That's a long story," he said.

Sevei shrugged. "I'm drunk and injured, I'm not going anywhere." He reached down beside his chair and produced an unopened wine bottle, holding it toward him.

Urskatha stared at him, a light smile toying with his lips, then he nodded in concession. He took the bottle and pulled the cork, drinking deeply before continuing.

"I studied Martial Alchemy at the Academy. When I graduated, it was a given that I'd join the army, and that I'd be put directly into a Generalship, and that wouldn't be because of my own skills, but because of my name – my family name. I was the best at the Academy. I was even surpassing my Masters by the time I left, but I knew the rest of the army wouldn't care about that. I wanted – when I took my Generalship, I wanted the men I led to be able to trust me, to trust my leadership.

So, I refused the title at first, and joined an infantry unit. I hid my abilities, and my status. I just trained alongside the common soldiers as one of them, so that I would know what it was like for them. I used Kahan's name then – because I always felt like she was my real family, more so than my blood relations."

Sevei raised an impressed eyebrow, but couldn't resist cajoling him. "So, this hiatus you mentioned was a vacation before taking your rightful place?"

Urskatha went silent. He turned his face away and looked into the bonfire, his eyes becoming distant, his expression dark. Then he dragged both hands down his face and steepled his fingers in front of his lips as if he needed to hide to say the rest.

"It was a convalescence," he said quietly.

Sevei frowned quizzically. "What happened?"

"Two years ago, my unit was sent to Anwynd."

Sevei stiffened and sucked a breath in through his teeth. Anwynd had been a horrifically bloody battle, in which Dericia and their Valeskan allies had gotten their asses handed to them. There hadn't been many survivors on this side. Apparently, Sevei was looking at one of them.

"You don't have to talk about it," he said gently, but Urskatha looked a bit dazed, and Sevei wasn't even sure the man was still aware of his presence beside him.

"The battle was going our way at first," he said, his voice dropping into a low monotone. "We really thought the day would be ours. But then, this Loranarian Alchemist just came out of nowhere... and proceeded to show me just how not the best I am.

We only fight each other, usually. It's a matter of honor. We don't attack those who can't fight us. He didn't seem to share in our code. He just slaughtered anyone he saw. Our accompanying Martial Line hadn't been deployed yet, and we were on our own against him. So, I revealed myself, and tried to fight him."