I've been to war before (1)

James didn't know if Hansworth was scared. It'd explain his new found unnatural reslove. He was training more than James himself would have advised. Nino was training almost just as hard.

"Why are you not training as hard as your sister, Eno?"

The door opened as Nino chose that very moment to come take her rest.

"His abilities are impressive, but he may find it difficult to influence a large scale battle like we're going to have. And on that note, why are you slacking off?"

She sat on his lap, leaning her sweaty back against his clean shirt. He looked askance at the girl. 'Am I spoiling these kids?'

"I am training, kiddo. I personally believe I might be more important than both you and Hansworth in the fight to come."

"Because of your stupid fire spell?"

"Yeah. Plus, I've got lots pf large scale destructive power."

"That's what the three tailed foxes are famous for, you know?"

James stopped reading to regard her with a frown. "I don't like you speaking about them that way."

"What way?"

"Like you're no longer part of the tribe."

"Are we though? Part of the tribe, I mean? Hansworth told me of your suspicions."

James sighed. "I hoped he wouldn't, but you deserve to know. I did tell him to go all the way there to protect you though, so—"

"Protect us from what?" Eno interjected.

James had almost forgotten the boy was there. He rubbed his head to distract him while he thought furiously for a lie to spew. Any lie.

"Don't worry about it, Eno. James only told Hansworth to come with us because he doesn't want us to be alone."

The boy looked away fast, but not before James saw a spot of pink starting to take shape on his cheeks.

"... I see..."

"Anyway, I thought the three tailed foxes are famous for mental related abilities."

"You're a bit right. A higher level fox with a gift such as mine wouldn't need to produce fog to paralyse a victim. It all just happens in the head. There was once a great fox monarch who could kill lower level warriors with no more than a thought.

"Some have mind reading abilities and even can communicate mind to mind."

"Hmm. I'm guessing your people going into hiding has to do with humans and other high races being too afraid of your potential."

"Partially, yeah. They did tell me that humans performed hurtful experiments on our people at one time or other. Do you know of these weird communication crystals?"

"Well, yeah. There is supposed to be one around here I can use to contact the mansion if I find a competent mage—"

"Okay," she nodded in simple acknowledgement. "Those things were based on one of our abilities, after a bunch of human mages ruthlessly experimented on those who possessed the most common ability at the time."

James didn't know what to say for a long horrified moment. He settled for patting her head and hugging her for a bit. She hadn't seemed sad though. She'd just been explaining facts. Facts about greed and ambition, though she hadn't outright said anything of the sort.

James hadn't thought to paralyse Talia again after her six hours got done the day before. She hadn't tried to escape though, nor had she said a single word. At least she'd slept for a bit. He'd occasionally catch her staring curses in his direction, and he wondered when it had stopped being murder.

He'd never seen the way she watched him interact with the children in confusion; or the way she watched him read his grimoires with caution; or the way she spaced out sometimes, contemplating something he could never fathom.

They were a few hours from the next town over when James called Aric to him again.

"What more do you want from me? Was betraying my comrades once not good enough for you?"

If only they knew how the rest of their comrades viewed them.

James chuckled. "Maybe you'll be betraying them, I don't know. I've been doing some thinking though, about this upcoming fight."

"I will not fight for you. It doesn't matter what you say. The boss will never forgive me if I did, and my comrades too."

"That's alright. I just want you to teach me how to use the bow. I've thought about it, and it's the most feasible weapon with my fighting style."

"You don't know how to use a sword?" Aric asked with a snort.

"No. And I think I'm probably too lazy to learn how to. I'd rather learn the bow and arrow."

"You do realise we'll be in the next town in a matter of hours? Your battle is in eight hours at the most."

"Then we'd best get learning, oughtn't we?"

Aric demonstrated how to hold the haft of the bow, how to pull back, aim, and all manner of micro instructions. It seemed pretty simple to James. At least until he was pulling the rough string and his hand was getting chaffed.

"Are these things always this rough?"

Aric shrugged, reaching over to grab his long bow and cradle it like a baby. He'd been reluctant to let James borrow it in the first place.

"I guess I'll have to make do with a crossbow for now. I just thought the bow would be convenient for speed."

"You really think you, one man, and two children can take on an army of fifty veteran soldiers on your own? And have you ever killed a man before? Do you know what it feels like?"

James stared at the man, wondering what kind of answer would be appropriate. In the end he just shrugged.

"Maybe I've never seen war before, but you must know how us nobles dream of making a name through such ventures."

"Hmm?"

"So, do you have an extra bow?"

Aric looked at him for a long silent moment, trying to consider something. In the end, he tried his luck, just like James thought he would.

"If you're really interested, I could give you this bow for the boss."

Jamed stared at the bow. "An enticing offer, but I must object."

"Why?! Even if you try to use her as some kind of bargaining chip, the commander will just charge, he doesn't care if a few people die."

"And you'd happily serve such heathens?" James shook his head. "In anycase, if you can make me my own bow, I could consider letting your whole party go tomorrow."

"And the boss?"

James smiled sadly. "I was always going to let her go."

He wasn't looking at Aric just then, so he didn't notice the man frown in his direction. The man chose not to make any mention of what he'd seen.

"I have strings. I just have to find the right type of wood to curve one for you. It won't be perfect, mind, since I'm not the best of crafts men."

"Yeah. Its just for practice anyway. I'll have a better one made when I arrive at the capital."

"I know I told you most of the basic rules in one session, but don't think you will master the bow in just a month or so of practice. It takes a lot more than that."

"Yeah, I know. But am I aiming for perfection? I guess we'll see how it goes."

In his old life, James had been a marks man. It had taken him hours of practice though, to get as good as he was. This body had a tendency to try and force its own instincts on him though.

He'd actually started a workout regimen the night before. He was tired of looking scrawny. He'd given up after only five push ups, and he'd been thankful for his decision to exercise from a secluded place.

That night they were in a town. But it was more accurate to call it a village. The only place which had mage light was the only inn in the village, and it was the only more than one storey structure.

The rest of the houses were a mishmash of dilapidated buildings, some on the verge of collapse, and a few well maintained houses. The community there was small, and the people seemed wary of strangers. In his own estimation, it was much easier to ambush them here than somewhere on the road. And he knew those revolution bastards. It was almost impossible they'd choose the less profitable venture.

James sat in his carriage as his attendants made sleeping arrangements. He cradled a roughly hewn wooden bow in his lap, and occasionally tagged on its strings, trying to get his fingers accustomed to the thing. The string had already cut him a good number of times.

When he had the faint knock on the wood of the carriage, he approached Talia. The woman just traced his path with her eyes, but otherwise made no move object. He thought he saw her swallow at some point. It had been rare for them to be in the carriage alone together.

She didn't object when his hand touched her arm. James would have frowned if he'd been of a mind to think. All he did was undo the knots binding her, and one by one the ropes fell to the carriage floor.

She sat on the bench and watched with plain wariness as he moved to stand near the door, his tall form hunched.

"You're revolution, they'll be here, you know. They'll try to ambush us inside the village, and rob the villagers too. I'm not saying this based on some sort of prophetic ability, but because I know their type."

She hissed. "The revolution does not attack the minority."

"The revolution is a sham, Talia," he said with a sad note. "Maybe you believe in the cause, and maybe a few others do, but you're the minority. Besides, they are taking advantage of your beliefs."

"What do you mean?"

"All they want is power. They are just looking for a way to line their pockets with even more gold, to gain privilege. When the royal family and the nobility fall, someone will need to take their place."

"I don't care. As long as the order is changed. Look at this village, it's in your father's domain!"

"Well, technically you're right, but this is not my father's domain yet, at least according to the local lords who've refused to recognize the Duchy."

"Well boohoo. To have the problems you nobles think might be world ending."

James laughed mirthlessly, bitterly even.

"Why'd you start to rob the rich to feed the poor? It is a worthy goal, I'll give you that. But how much of your loot has made it to the people you intended to feed?"

"I...We have to feed our armies. We need money for—"

"To fund your war of conquest on the whole continent? A war in which the innocents you wish to protect will die in droves? Even I somwhat despise the system, but that is no answer."

She made no reply, instead staring at him with a defiant gaze.

"Good things do not come from terrible actions. Your revolution is a lie. Everyone has their own agenda. I happen to know a few of your highest ranking members are nobles as well. I should know, I'm probably someone they've considered for recruitment."

He met her defiant gaze, perhaps for a final time.

"I will give you one piece of advise, Talia. Tomorrow at dawn, battle will be joined. Do not join your army, because you'll have to go against your morals to try and have your revenge on me. Besides, even if you try to convince them not to do this, Toura will kill you, and his men won't bat an eye at that. And we are going to desimate that army." He paused with the carriage door open, hesitating before he said one final thing.

"Farewell, Talia. I hope when we meet again it will be under much friendlier circumstances."

Then he was gone, not daring to look back.