A good fight

Riley truly smiled for the first time in days. Roland had grown this quiet, stoic dignity over the years that was becoming kind of irritating, and Riley had been yearning for the opportunity to take him down a peg.

Respectfully, of course. The man was a great leader and everything, but an excess of pride was a terrible thing, and wasn't Riley a good citizen to prevent that from happening? 

Roland looked at the training spear he was handed, checking its blunted tip. A weapon that could still do plenty of damage with a good hit. Riley pursed his lips. He supposed it would be in bad form to totally humiliate the monarch. 

Handing off his sword for a practice one to placate Roland's glaring guard, he winked at the man and turned to his opponent. This was a welcome distraction from the grind he'd found himself consumed with lately, and he wasn't the only one who seemed to think so. 

The recruits' eyes were shining like children in a candy store, as well they should be! To have the opportunity to see the greatest warrior of their time spar with… well, Roland was all right. And a king. Still exciting. 

"I'm ready when you are," Riley nodded his head graciously, intending to let Roland get in a strike or two so the man wouldn't feel totally humiliated in front of his subjects. Of course, Riley was the General, so he couldn't let himself look weak either. 

Roland finished looking over the practice weapon, shed his formal coat, and turned to Riley. He was calm, amused even. 

Riley was momentarily puzzled, until Roland shot forward and the time to think passed. 

Reacting on instinct, Riley blocked. He spent far more time training with swords than against spearmen. He was beginning to regret that now. 

Although the militaries of the three major nations had been more or less consolidated under his leadership, through Roland's diplomatic work, Riley still mostly stuck to what he knew. Those who wanted to train in the Rhone style were put under Rhone captains, and up until recently, the Cetoan navy trained more or less on their own under Caspian's supervision. 

Now, the ones old enough for military service came here. There were several hundred brand-new teenage boys eager to learn. 

Fending off the barrage of playful blows Roland sent as an opening salvo, Riley then leaned into an offensive stance to welcome the king back into action. 

Riley was already sweating from his exercise of fighting the trainers all at once, but that just meant he was warmed up and ready. Poor Roland hadn't even stretched his muscles. 

They were probably atrophied from sitting in chairs doing paperwork all day. 

"Sorry I missed the meeting," Riley said a bit disingenuously. He wasn't sorry at all. Most of the time the meetings were deadly dull, and when they weren't, it was usually because there was terrible news to be heard. 

"Will you come if I make sure there are snacks next time?" Roland wheezed out as he ducked Riley's overhead blow. 

"What kind of snacks?" Riley paused in surprise long enough for the shaft of the practice spear to nearly catch his shin. 

"Actually–" Roland struck again as he exhaled, blocked by Riley's sword, "I sent a note." 

"A note?" Riley was intrigued despite the increasing physical demands of their spar. Roland had definitely improved. When had he found time to practice? 

"To Ashley," The king grinned, and Riley got a sinking feeling. "Asking her–" 

The General feinted left and then struck four times in succession in alternating places. Roland had to stop speaking for a moment to concentrate on evading the hits. The recruits cheered, but Riley didn't really know whose side they were on. 

"Asking her what?" Riley's eyes narrowed. 

"To withhold your favorite treats and send them to Council meetings every day," Roland finished. Riley paused, a little stunned. 

"That's devious. She wouldn't. She–" 

Roland spun, bringing the back of his spear over his head in an arc to crack down on Riley's skull. Riley brought his sword up to block and nearly missed the glint in his opponent's eye. 

Leaping to the side, he avoided the other end of Roland's weapon as the move morphed into a jab. 

Mixed reactions from the observers. Riley shot them a glare. Those subject to it quieted immediately. 

Roland had interfered with his supply of sweets, just because he'd missed one Council meeting? Unfathomable! Unacceptable! Unconscionable! 

He stepped forward, doubling his offensive efforts. Roland backpedaled, but kept his footing. The circle of recruits held their breaths. Riley pressed his advantage, and noted with satisfaction the sweat beading on Roland's brow.

Riley wasn't going all out, but it was certainly more effort than he'd expected to put into this spar. By a long shot. 

As the king continued what had to be a strategic retreat, Riley grew wary of overextending himself. Instead of giving into the temptation to increase the fervency of his pursuit, he fell back, allowing Roland to rally. 

His opponent spun the spear in his hands with a flourish, and Riley chuckled.

"Neat. You'll have to teach me that one." He mocked lightly, loudly enough for the nearest trainees to overhear. 

Roland gave him a relaxed smile just before diving back into the fray, crouching low to swipe Riley's feet out from under him. The General easily leapt over the spear, bringing his wooden sword close enough to Roland's head to make the bodyguard leap forward in alarm. 

The king rolled with his dodge, rising with the butt of his spear in an upward arc that could have caught Riley on the chin if he hadn't seen the move coming. On the defensive again, Riley blocked three quick strikes before thrusting forward again. 

The spar lengthened, both men slowly ramping up their efforts, proportional to the other. Riley was surprised to have not yet reached Roland's limit as he pushed harder, increasing the speed and strength behind his strikes. 

He was sweating heavily now, as was Roland. Riley almost felt bad about likely ruining the fine clothes, but it amused him in equal measure. Another strike that almost landed tore a hole in the king's sleeve, and the bodyguard looked like he might interfere and murder the General. 

Roland waved him off. 

"You're going to give the poor man a heart attack," Riley chided softly. "Take pity on him and surrender before you get hurt." 

Roland barked a laugh. "He doesn't realize that of all the people in Klain, you're among the ones least likely to cause me one bit of actual harm." 

"Is that a challenge?" Riley chuckled.

"Serafina would kill us both," Roland shook his head as he blocked an overhead strike. "Your attack patterns are getting repetitive. Where's your imagination?" 

"Just trying to make you look good in front of your subjects," Riley shot a significant glance at the recruits. "Holding your own against me will make you a hero in their eyes." 

"Is that all it takes?" Roland quirked an eyebrow before jabbing his spear forward with both hands. 

"Easy, right?" Riley changed up his attack, aiming seven rapid strikes at Roland's legs and forcing the man to leap backwards to avoid having his shins bruised beyond use. 

"Absolutely simple." Roland agreed, panting. The gall of trying to pretend this was an easy fight for him irked the General and he prepared to increase his attack yet again. 

"Sir!" The bodyguard tried to interrupt again. "Your Majesty!" 

Roland held up a hand, and Riley reluctantly paused his assault. 

"Yes, what is it?" The king asked a little breathlessly. Riley's eyes narrowed. Was he using this as an excuse for a break? He wanted to keep going until there was a clear winner between them. 

"Sir!" Riley noticed for the first time a new man standing next to the bodyguard. He looked frazzled. "A message! A messenger bird just arrived!" 

Roland's brow drew together and he hurried towards the messenger, who held a small piece of paper in his hand. Riley followed close behind, eager to see what was important enough to merit one of the birds' usage. 

Roland's eyes scanned the paper, first with relief, then with consternation, then with some other undefinable emotion Riley couldn't pin down. 

"Well?" The General demanded quietly. "What's so urgent that it warrants an excuse to let you out of finishing our little contest?" 

The recruits were looking on nervously, perplexed by the sudden interruption to the demonstration of two masters. 

"He found them," Roland's eyes met Riley's. "Gabriel found them all, they're safe." 

"Shayn, Kyler? Victoria?" Riley's mouth pulled into a smile. "That's wonderful news!" 

"That's not all. They found halflings, and a new mountain growing in the North. A portal larger than anything we've ever seen is about to open." Roland's voice was a whisper, but Riley's reaction was not. 

"Well, what are we waiting for?" The General snatched the paper to look at it. "I'd better get these recruits back to training if we're going to fight off whatever might come through."