AR10 Ch10

Chapter Ten

“Ragnar will be at the duels this morning,” Gregory said. “Nothing to be alarmed about. He just wants another spar with me.”

Rudit sat back, staying silent for a moment before she nodded. “I see. Everything else is fine?”

“Roshana’s trip to the harbor has her competing with a priest who gets a little too loud about magi. Roshana wins the respect of the water priests by outperforming the loudmouth. Even he admits that he was wrong afterward. When Astriddottir arrives, she chastises the man for what he did and thanks Roshana for her understanding. Astriddottir will write a letter explaining the incident and give her official thanks to Roshana for the records.”

“A mixed blessing for her file,” Rudit said. “Before we do the Peaceful Fist, there is one thing we should discuss about your day.” She took her ring off, pressing it to the spot on the desk to activate the enchantment. “The duel with Ragnar, is it going to be watched?”

“More than likely. I’ve had a spy on me most of the time since the war ended,” Gregory said. “The biggest respite from that is between bed and breakfast.”

“Wind and shadow?”

“It’s almost always wind.”

“Because shadow magi are sensitive to shadows around them, and Yuki is shadow,” Rudit nodded. “I’m inclined to agree that it is our own country keeping tabs on you.”

“Because I am too valuable to leave unwatched. If I become too friendly with Krogga, they might try to pull me from the posting to stop it from becoming even worse.”

“Which would break tradition, but yes, I believe someone might try it. You and your family will be scrutinized for at least a few years.”

“Lightshield warned me that I would be closely watched like he was and Windfoot is.”

“He would be right. Now, as for why I am using the barrier, we’ll go with me suggesting that you try to deepen the friendship with Ragnar. You’re going to be family soon and should use that to try dissuading him from raids with the empire when the agreement expires.”

Gregory’s lips twitched, but he bowed in his seat. “Understood, Ambassador.”

Taking her ring off the desk and slipping it back onto her finger, Rudit stood up. “Now, the Peaceful Fist.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

~~~

“Pettit!” Ragnar boomed out with a wide grin. “Good! I hoped it would be you. Nothing against your wife— she is a fine warrior. I just wanted to see if you’ve kept up your own training while I was away.”

Gregory bowed to Ragnar and Sifdottir beside him. “Ivarson, Sifdottir, it is good to see you both. I see we have a crowd for today.” His eyes flicked up quickly before looking at the crowd.

Both of the Kroggians caught the implied meaning. “It seems the honor duels have been widely attended,” Sifdottir said.

“The more who see the might of Krogga, the better,” Ragnar said. Cheers followed his words, and he grinned at the crowd. “But I acknowledge that without Aether’s Guard, these duels wouldn’t take place at all. Do you think the next ambassador will continue them?”

“It will depend on the magi and what clan they belong to. Some clans will be forward-thinking, but most will refuse.”

“As I thought. I think the Iron Hand would, if they can accept losing regularly.”

“Only if they fought you,” Gregory laughed. “Shall we do our fight first?”

“No, we will go last today,” Ragnar said. “I don’t have to organize anything after the duel today.”

“Greta, pair them off, please,” Gregory said.

As the second duel began a bit later, Ragnar spoke softly to Gregory, his head tilted slightly downward, “Thank you for Hurnadottir’s spear. I gave it to Avadottir yesterday.”

“I wasn’t sure if she survived or not,” Gregory sighed. “When you didn’t mention returning the spear to Angala when it was handed over, I thought she survived.”

“She succumbed to her grievous injuries two days after the duel.”

Gregory frowned at that. Verka and Lita would’ve been able to save her from nearly anything if they had the time and aether.

“Her core was broken during the duel,” Ragnar said, seeing the frown. “She pushed too hard to win when she was already wounded. My sister worked hard on her, but she didn’t have the required medicines to try to save her from that injury.”

“She was a good woman and a fierce warrior.”

“Agreed.”

“Do you think her daughter will take up the spear?”

Ragnar was silent for a time as he considered that. The second spar ended while he thought, breaking the silence during the third duel. “She might. The weapon is powerful, and she knows the forms. She trained them as a child with her mother. She went to an axe because she wanted to be different, and the axe is Krog’s weapon. Now, though… she might.”

Gregory thought about Angala and the loss of her mother. It was different in nearly every way from his own loss. The pain of losing a mother was something he understood. All he could do was say a silent prayer to Mortum for Ava’s soul.

~~~

When the time came to duel Ragnar, Gregory gave his haori to Mindie. Staring into her eyes for a moment, he smiled to ease her worry. “It’ll be fine, my heart.”

“I’ll still worry, more without Verka here to use her magic to shield you two,” Mindie said.

He couldn’t refute her logic, so he squeezed her hand and then dropped into the fighting ring. Walking to the middle of the pit, he summoned his naginata. Ragnar stood waiting for him, his training axe in hand. That reminded him that he still needed to ask Ling to make him an unbreakable training weapon. He’d ask her tonight so he didn’t forget again.

“No aether, just weapons?” Ragnar asked.

“The arena is too small for us to use our aether effectively, and the crowd wouldn’t be safe, either.”

“Very well. Vexadottir, call us to start.”

Gregory got into his ready stance, then nodded when Greta asked if he was ready. The moment she called them to start, both men rushed forward. Gregory’s passive boosts from physical enhancement were slowly growing, but he was woefully behind Ragnar in that area, giving the bigger man a greater advantage than he’d already had.

The onlookers were silent as they watched the masterclass of weapons before them. Awe was the biggest emotion in the crowd. The number of people spying on the fight spiked, as it was something more wanted to see. Astriddottir took her eyes off the duel to look at the number of places where spies were watching. Two shadow users were listening from the arena while seven wind users watched from above. It was mildly concerning that so many were invested in seeing these two men fight.

The two separated after the first intense clash to grin at each other. “You know, Ivarson, we’re going to be family soon.”

“Yes, when you marry my sister,” Ragnar said as he adjusted his position in the ring.

“It makes me wonder how aggressively you’ll attack the empire once I’m family.”

Rangar’s steps slowed at that. Both of them knew what an abomination the Velum Empire was. Gregory couldn’t seriously be asking him to leave them alone— no Kroggian would agree to that. He almost missed the small eye-roll from Gregory, but that motion let the true meaning sink in. “I see. It’s something to consider, but we have years of peace for me to ponder that statement.”

“True,” Gregory said as he shifted his stance.

“Of course, if you upset her, it might incline me to more than just a mere raid,” Ragnar smirked.

“And if she is happier, you’d be less inclined?”

“We’ll have to see.”

Gregory launched himself forward, naginata spinning around to attack Ragnar’s legs. Ragnar shifted to avoid the blow, but then had to jerk his weapon around as it’d been a feint. The sheathed blade glanced off the wooden axe head, just barely touching Ragnar’s ear. Ragnar roared and jerked his axe down, forcing Gregory to go to the side to avoid having his weapon taken from his hands.

“I’d be bleeding, but not injured enough to matter,” Ragnar said.

“Even managing that much is an improvement for me without my magic.”

“True. Now let us fight in earnest.”

“Agreed,” Gregory said, then had to defend himself when Ragnar came for him.

The fight lasted far longer than their previous duels had. Neither had a decisive edge, but Ragnar’s advantages proved enough in the end. Gregory was slowly corralled until he was left with his back against a wall. With nothing but victory or failure left, he went for a risky gamble, but not risky enough to cause Mindie a heart attack.

Ragnar grinned when Gregory made his move. He’d been expecting it, as he’d cut off every other path for his brother. The two clashed weapons time and again until Gregory stepped in and let go of his naginata, summoning his wakizashi. Ragnar, though, let go of his axe at the same time, his left hand catching Gregory’s wrist as his right produced his own small blade to drive forward. When Gregory captured his right hand, the two strained against each other for a few seconds. Then, they both tried to headbutt each other, slamming their foreheads together with enough force that everyone winced. That weakened their grips, and that was where Ragnar took advantage of the edge he had. He would’ve eventually won because he was physically stronger than Gregory, but Gregory’s weakened grip let Ragnar jab his arm forward.

Gregory grunted as he let go of Ragnar and held up his hand. “I’m dead.”

Mindie leapt down and rushed over to the two men. Grabbing both of them by the shoulder, she pushed her energy into them at the same time. The crowd was roaring their joy at Ragnar’s victory as she muttered something about stubborn men. Both Ragnar and Gregory chuckled through the pain of her healing.

“You’re both fine,” Mindie sniffed, affronted at them laughing at her.

“Sorry, my heart,” Gregory apologized contritely.

“I didn’t mean to laugh, either,” Ragnar said, “but you weren’t wrong.”

Mindie nodded, then produced Gregory’s overrobe for him. “I accept the apologies. At least neither of you broke anything.”

“You’re getting better, Gregory,” Ragnar said. “You’re still far from being my equal physically, but better.”

“I’ll never match you physically,” Gregory snorted. “We’ll have a better duel again before the posting ends. Maybe I’ll surprise you then.”

“Maybe, but I doubt it,” Ragnar laughed as he held up his arms to the roaring crowd. “I don’t lose!”

Gregory just shook his head, not responding as he felt the increased number of eyes on them. One day, he knew he’d defeat Ragnar, but to do so any time soon would be bad for him, his family, and everyone he cared for. If he had even a slim chance of beating Ragnar, the empire would bring him for every raid or war against Krogga. It would be best to strive, but fall short, even if he did have a chance in a year or two.