Chained To Him [Editing]

Bonus Chapter: The Beginning

There were few spoils of war; mainly, the land itself was spoiled, smoke pillowing from charred shells of family homes and ancestral forests. In his bones, Elias felt the weariness of the burnt plains before him. The soldiers were cutting down the last of savannah oaks to light bonfires. They would roast meat and drink beer and celebrate the end of another battle, and when they moved on this place would forever exist as a jagged scar across the landscape. One more mar to a country that was beginning to be reshaped entirely by what was cut away.

"The battle is won, Elias," came a voice from behind. "Or did you forget?"

Elias patted the ground beside him and didn't look up, though he accepted the cup of wine pressed into his hand. "What did we win? The city is burned to the ground."

"It's a battle, not a war. Before long Ferro will present his crown to us himself."

"And then what?"

"And then we'll live like kings."

"You already lived like a king, Reiner."

Reiner grinned and tapped the rim of his cup to Elias's. "Kings don't cower behind their walls. Not like my father. We're like warrior kings of old, don't you see it?"

Sometimes, Elias wondered if these men were dying simply to satisfy Reiner's personal rebellion against his father, if his old friend had inherited some of King Ferro's own faults and decided to use people as pawns.

"I'm tired, Reiner."

"You just miss Susa."

"Yeah, I do. Is there something wrong with that?"

"Susa is a simple girl. Don't give me that look, El, you know as well as I do that you could do better. When we're finished here you'll have your pick of the land."

"I've already decided on Susa, simple or no."

Elias looked to where Reiner had fallen silent, and he found that his friend was staring hard at him, as if measuring some quality that he himself had no awareness of. He looked back, at the bruised and dirty face of the boy that he had loved for so much of his life, and he couldn't help but smile when Reiner's lips broke in a sly grin.

"I've decided something," Reiner said slowly. He looked back to the sunset, where the light was beginning to wash the horizon in shadow. "When Ferro falls, it won't end there."

"How do you mean?"

"I mean we're going to keep moving. The kingdoms have been scattered and useless for too long. It's time someone united them."

"Reiner..."

"Think about it, El. Shuntany hoards it's sea port and soil, and Issculm gouges prices for its metals. The people would benefit from a little cooperation."

"It isn't cooperation if you force it."

"And why not?"

Because their kings would make them die in battle first. Elias ran a hand through his hair and stared into his cup of wine. He'd always known Reiner wouldn't be satisfied with taking his father's kingdom. He'd known that he would push it further. Elias had been his friend for many years, ever since his father was named squire to the king. They grew up together, the prince and his boy, and despite the nature of their brotherhood Elias loved him more than any blood family he'd ever had.

He didn't hesitate to follow Reiner into battle, because he didn't think Reiner would win. But these soldiers wanted war as badly as the prince, and they didn't mind razing villages to win it. They were unstoppable, and Elias had bet wrong.