It's some time after dusk, and Alex has only just managed to finish his meeting for the day. He leaves Duke Gareth's office and heads back to his own chambers.

They emerge in a copse of trees just off the road, far enough that anyone watching would think they just came out of the trees as opposed to appearing out of nowhere ( Read more... )

He has to go back.
Caught in limbo
That's all that's in his mind as he returns to their room, numbly placing the book back on the shelf and sinking into one of the chairs, drawing a knee up and wrapping his arms around it, staring blankly into space.
driven by the bloodbeat
He has to go back.
Beaten by the stick as standards fallHe's known that ( Read more... )

He feels like hell.

He also really doesn't want to wake up right now. Unfortunately, his body seems to have a different opinion.

Alex is in his room upstairs.

He's been here a while.

There is a puppypile of young men in Alex's bed. Alas, All three of them are fully clothed.

They engage early in the afternoon. A bad time for fighting, perhaps, with the light dying early at this point in the winter, but the Tusaines don't seem to care, and the Tortallans can't afford to let them gain ground under cover of darkness. The cavalry mount up, mostly knights and those few commoners who can ride and weild a weapon at the same ( Read more... )

Alex is asleep, Alanna curled up next to him.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In his dream, his room is empty, quiet, dark. The only light comes from the black taper burning in the shrine. Alex kneels before the shrine, holding a pearlescent grey feather, and prays.

He's in Corus, in the rooms they put aside for him at the palace. His armour is in packs by the door; he spent the better part of the afternoon going over it, checking for weaknesses and polishing and making sure it's in good shape. It's been a long time since he had cause to wear full plate mail ( Read more... )