The sound of wood clanking resounded on Blood Denegis' training ground. Blanc and Celine were having a spar with Kael and Lune as judges and spectators all the same.
"What are you doing, brother, you are bringing shame to our Blood!" yelled out Lune as she was watching.
The fight did not appear to go in Blanc's favor as he found himself on the defensive with Celine not letting down, a wild smile showing on her pretty face.
"What is this, dear?" began Celine, laughing, "Are you perhaps giving up so easily?"
"You have a better chance to knock me out cold before you hear me say I give up," replied Blanc through heavy breaths as each swing of Celine's sword fell like a hammer upon his exhausted hands.
And before long, she managed to do just that, as, with a spin when Blanc was regaining his foothold, she placed a good sword slap across his head, planting him on the ground with a hard thud.
"Blanc!" yelled Kael as he rushed to his brother's side.
"He is fine, Kael, how many times has this happened today already?" asked Celine.
"This is his fourth nap," sighed Lune, watching him, "I swear he only knows how to shoot a bow."
"Do not worry, Lune, I will teach him to be the best swordsman you have ever seen," said Celine, patting Lune's head.
"Can you train me as well, then?" asked Lune, her eyes glistening with hope.
"I can, and I will," Celine giggled, "as long as I'm able, that is."
"What do you mean?" asked Lune curiously.
"Who knows," Celine replied with an innocent shrug of her shoulders as she went towards Blanc, "let's go wake your brother up."
"Come on, tell me!" said Lune, running after her, but only receiving laughter as a response.
Two days had passed since Sera and the Noble Bloods left for their domains to get ready for the incoming battle with the Iron Line.
Elion had received constant reports from his intel sources with all the movements of the Iron Line, their supply lines, and confirmation that no apparent moves were made by other Noble Bloods to aid the Iron Line in their rebellion.
So the thought of 'who' remained a constant in almost all the members of Blood Denegis, who kept training to keep themselves as well trained as possible for the upcoming battle and who kept trying to live as normally as they could so that they would not go mad under the pressure that all felt building as the days passed.
One thing that helped them all was the new presence of Celine in the mansion, who brought with her a breath of fresh air, especially after Sera's departure.
Celine attempted to befriend and chat with as many members of Blanc's family and ensure they accepted her as a new member.
Her attempts went wonderfully well, as the Patriarch and Matriarch kept praising her during meals, which made Blanc's chest puff with pride at every meal, as their relationship grew closer as well.
They trained together, ate together, bathed together, slept together, and much more over the last two days, which was finally met with heavy resistance from the twins who, despite liking Celine, and despite their attempts to allow them as much time together, found themselves jealous over the attention their brother offered to his fiance and not to them.
That day, after breakfast, they requested to talk to Celine alone, where they negotiated with her on how to share her fiancé's time.
And after a few minutes of what felt to the twins as heavy negotiations, they agreed to train together.
However, time flew by as they moved from playing with the bow, a victory for Blanc, to simpler exercises, until lunch arrived and they found themselves back at the long table in the main hall, thoroughly exhausted.
Still, the twins were satisfied, especially after Blanc promised to tell them stories the following day, as they ate.
"Blanc," spoke Celine as they finished eating, "I stink from this morning, are you up for a bath with me?"
"Sounds lovely," he nodded, "I feel beyond dirty as well, especially after kissing the ground so many times."
"Let's be on our way then," she smiled, grabbing his hand
"We'll be taking a dip," yelled Blanc to let the others know as they left the room.
"Make me a grandson," yelled Mera back, the words making both of them start laughing as they started climbing the stairs.
Their room, now cozy with Celine's belongings scattered among Blanc's, welcomed them back. After picking out a fresh change of casual clothes, they made their way to the baths.
The maid, after preparing everything, quietly slipped away, leaving the room filled with gentle steam and the scent of soap.
Together, they undressed and sank into the warm water, letting it melt away the exhaustion clinging to their bodies until only a soft, shared peace remained between them in which they stood for a while.
"Say, Celine," spoke Blanc, as they seemed to finish cleaning themselves, "I've seen your Marks these past few days, yet I do not know their meaning. Are you willing to share their story?"
"Say, dear Blanc, are you willing to share yours?" she replied with another question of hers.
"The full story of each? I fear tomorrow might arrive faster than me finishing them."
"Then, how about one? Tell me about the one on your hip. I assume you gained it from a bear, correct?" she asked, waiting for Blanc's reaction.
"Ah, that one. I've kept that one a secret since I've gained it, but I will tell you since you've asked. And yes, it is from a bear, an old one I found wounded, starving, and dying one late winter, three years ago. A lucky kill that I managed just because it was too weak to fight back, so a quick arrow in its head made me both stronger and durable, but it offered the beast the peace it deserved. However, it was the only bear I've killed as no such luck found me the next few winters I went hunting." Blanc sat on the edge of the warm water, his feet dangling in it, as he absentmindedly traced the Mark along the side of his upper left leg with his hand.
The Mark was a giant outline of a bear paw, only white in strength. Yet it was visible, and a danger for Blanc to tell a lot of people.
As such, information being heard by the wrong people meant that it could be used against you in one way or another. However, Celine was no such person in Blanc's eyes.
Yet she failed to remember that as she listened, half shocked he was really being honest, and half curious about the story.
"Well then, it's your turn now," Blanc smiled, lost in thought over what Mark looked the most interesting to him.
But Celine was not ready to share, "No."
"Why?"
"We are busy now," she replied, getting to her feet and out of the water.
"Busy? With what?" Blanc asked, confused. But he soon found out what, as he found himself lying on the ground and being kissed by Celine, who was now on top of him.
I see, Blanc thought to himself.
After yet another soak, since they had to wash away the new sweat they had worked up, they left the bathroom and returned to their room, where, on the balcony, they noticed Mera and Auren were waiting and having a chat.
"Mothers? Has something happened?" Blanc asked, as he entered the balcony as well.
"Ah, Blanc, finally, I thought dinner would come sooner," said Mera, sarcastically, "would you two join us for a tea?"
"Sounds lovely," said Celine, as she entered as well, basically gleaming with newfound energy.
"Then, nothing bad happened, right?" asked Blanc, as they sat down.
"Nothing, we just wanted to have a chat with you two," smiled Auren as she spoke, "but Blanc, why are you worried?"
"That's how he is half the day," Celine started, "he usually stares into emptiness, and is lost in thought."
"Is he mistreating you, Celine dear?" asked Mera, eyes wide.
"No, mother," Celine replied hastily, "he treats me very well."
Mera sighed, hearing her, "I will make a cup out of your skull and drink wine out of it if you dare mistreat her."
"Never, mother. And to answer Mother Auren's question, I'm just… uh,"
"Dear?" asked Celine as she watched him.
Blanc frowned, his gaze sharpening.
Above the golden canopy of the forest, black smoke curled into the sky like a wound bleeding into the Heavens.
"Celine, Mothers," he said slowly, already stepping toward the balcony's edge. "Look."
All three of them turned swiftly.
"That's..." Auren began, but Mera cut in, voice grim.
"Tarn Village."
A heavy silence fell. Even from here, the smoke looked sickly and thick.
"What could have happened?" asked Celine to nobody in particular.
The world had seemed to wish to answer her question first, as two riders could be seen approaching the gate of the mansion.
"Open the gates," yelled Elion as he, Valar, and one of the high-ranking Wardens came out of the mansion.
As the doors of the estate opened, a man and a woman entered atop horses, before the man fell to the ground, as arrows, even from this distance, were visible as they found themselves stuck in the man's back.
"Fern, Fern!" yelled the woman, jumping down from her horse and running towards the man on the ground.
"Call for the Daughter," ordered Elion to Valar, who, with a nod, went running back inside to look for Drew. "Who are you?" asked Elion, but received no answer from the woman, now weeping beside the wounded man.
"Answer the Patriarch!" ordered the Warder, but he was silenced by a glance from the Patriarch.
"We have sent for a healer that will take a look at you and your friend's wounds," Elion kneeled beside her, trying to comfort her, "but could you please tell me what has happened?"
"Y-yes," started the woman, in between sobs, "s-soldiers came down on our Tarn village from the forest and attacked us in the early morning. They killed and stole everything they could before doing as they pleased with those they kept alive. We were sent to notify Blood Denegis of what happened, so I don't know what happened after we left."
"How many were there?" asked Elion.
"W-way too many," the woman replied.
"And what were they wearing? Anything that stood out?"
"They were wearing almost no armor, but, uh, they had these… masks on their faces."
Elion put a hand on her shoulders and offered her a smile, "You two did well to tell us, now rest, you will be taken care of."
"Tha-thank you," she bowed.
Elion turned around, glancing up at the balcony where Blanc and his wives stood and watched, and offered them a quick nod before returning to give orders in quick succession to the people who gathered near the commotion.
"Attention, Wardens!" Elion yelled in his deep voice, a roar that could be heard all around the estate.
And the Wardens who arrived in the meantime stood tall as the Patriarch addressed them.
"Summon all the Wardens and levies present in Duldera here in two hours. A separate, smaller army from the Iron Line has infiltrated the Golden Forest and is on their way to show their fangs to us. Let's show these rebellious bastards what the Wardens of Blood Denegis are capable of."
And a roar followed from those present around the estate. All around, except the balcony, where the four people stood silent.