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Flavor of the Day - 12/2/08 - Bulwark with Hot Fudge
Story : knights
Rating : PG
Timeframe : late 1260-early 1261
Word Count : 544
Word of the Day : bulwark - (among other things) a person, thing, or concept that is a defense or protection
“I hear you’ve found yourself a new shadow.” The man’s tone set Tristan’s hair on end. He turned to find a tall figure, wrapped in the same dark garb of which they all seemed so fond, with a wild silver mane that framed a scowling face.
“Kinu,” said Sethan, silken smile gliding into place as he stepped between them. “Haven’t seen your ugly face in awhile.”
The scowl deepened. “I’ve been chasing down your brat.”
“No luck, I take it?” Sethan’s grin approached a sneer.
The newcomer’s fingers pressed trenches into his arms. “Kairn’s vanished, the boy with him. No man I send after the knights comes back alive.” Tristan swallowed hard, straining to keep his composure at what he could only hope was mention of Ski.
“Pity,” said Sethan, with a casual wave of his hand.
Kinu’s grimace dissolved into a toothy snarl. A fist flew at Sethan’s face. The surge that was now familiar raced up Tristan’s spine, and he found himself between them with the man’s wrist in hand. With muttered curses, Kinu twisted free of his grasp. The fierce look slid away as pale eyes settled appraisingly on him. Tristan held his breath to supress the threat of shivers as the stranger’s gaze raked him from head to toe.
“Muscles on this one,” Kinu commented with a smirk.
“Seems they have their uses,” said Sethan.
The scowl resumed. “Until he stabs you in the back like the last.”
Sethan’s hand settled on Tristan’s arm and his muscles eased. “Won’t happen,” he said.
There was a snort from Kinu. “What? Pretty boy loves you more than Kairn did?” Tristan’s fists curled. Any other man would have found one of them in his face, but he reminded himself these were scarcely ordinary men he was dealing with. Sethan’s grip on his arm tightened in the slightest, as if he didn’t quite trust him to make such a judgement, but no other reaction was forthcoming from the man. After a moment, Kinu shook his head. “You’ve made enough of a mess for us all as it is,” he said.
“Yes,” said Sethan. “I do suppose I should do something about that. Seeing as you’re not up to the task.”
Kinu’s hand wound back into fists, but remained at his sides he passed an icy glare from Sethan to Tristan and back again. “You’ll leave this to me, Sethan.” He leaned in close, one thick finger aimed at Sethan’s serenely grinning face. “Stay out of my way. And make sure your pretty little bodyguard does too,” he added with a sharp jab in Tristan’s direction.
Without waiting for another word from any of them, Kinu gave his claok a dramatic swirl and swept on down the hall.
“That went well,” said Sethan, when the man was out of sight. “Nice touch, blocking him like that,” he added, with a pat to Tristan’s arm before his hand slid away.
“Nice wha-?“ His eyes strayed the hand that quickly vanished back into Sethan’s robes to the pair of gleaming blue that smiled back at him. “Wait, you planned-?” Tristan shook his head. “What do you need a bodyguard for?”
The hand returned to give his arm another pat as Sethan resumed his pace. “Appearances,” he said.
Story : knights
Rating : PG
Timeframe : late 1260-early 1261
Word Count : 544
Word of the Day : bulwark - (among other things) a person, thing, or concept that is a defense or protection
“I hear you’ve found yourself a new shadow.” The man’s tone set Tristan’s hair on end. He turned to find a tall figure, wrapped in the same dark garb of which they all seemed so fond, with a wild silver mane that framed a scowling face.
“Kinu,” said Sethan, silken smile gliding into place as he stepped between them. “Haven’t seen your ugly face in awhile.”
The scowl deepened. “I’ve been chasing down your brat.”
“No luck, I take it?” Sethan’s grin approached a sneer.
The newcomer’s fingers pressed trenches into his arms. “Kairn’s vanished, the boy with him. No man I send after the knights comes back alive.” Tristan swallowed hard, straining to keep his composure at what he could only hope was mention of Ski.
“Pity,” said Sethan, with a casual wave of his hand.
Kinu’s grimace dissolved into a toothy snarl. A fist flew at Sethan’s face. The surge that was now familiar raced up Tristan’s spine, and he found himself between them with the man’s wrist in hand. With muttered curses, Kinu twisted free of his grasp. The fierce look slid away as pale eyes settled appraisingly on him. Tristan held his breath to supress the threat of shivers as the stranger’s gaze raked him from head to toe.
“Muscles on this one,” Kinu commented with a smirk.
“Seems they have their uses,” said Sethan.
The scowl resumed. “Until he stabs you in the back like the last.”
Sethan’s hand settled on Tristan’s arm and his muscles eased. “Won’t happen,” he said.
There was a snort from Kinu. “What? Pretty boy loves you more than Kairn did?” Tristan’s fists curled. Any other man would have found one of them in his face, but he reminded himself these were scarcely ordinary men he was dealing with. Sethan’s grip on his arm tightened in the slightest, as if he didn’t quite trust him to make such a judgement, but no other reaction was forthcoming from the man. After a moment, Kinu shook his head. “You’ve made enough of a mess for us all as it is,” he said.
“Yes,” said Sethan. “I do suppose I should do something about that. Seeing as you’re not up to the task.”
Kinu’s hand wound back into fists, but remained at his sides he passed an icy glare from Sethan to Tristan and back again. “You’ll leave this to me, Sethan.” He leaned in close, one thick finger aimed at Sethan’s serenely grinning face. “Stay out of my way. And make sure your pretty little bodyguard does too,” he added with a sharp jab in Tristan’s direction.
Without waiting for another word from any of them, Kinu gave his claok a dramatic swirl and swept on down the hall.
“That went well,” said Sethan, when the man was out of sight. “Nice touch, blocking him like that,” he added, with a pat to Tristan’s arm before his hand slid away.
“Nice wha-?“ His eyes strayed the hand that quickly vanished back into Sethan’s robes to the pair of gleaming blue that smiled back at him. “Wait, you planned-?” Tristan shook his head. “What do you need a bodyguard for?”
The hand returned to give his arm another pat as Sethan resumed his pace. “Appearances,” he said.