The Vampire & Her Witch

"I will accept your challenge, but do you dare to accept my terms?"

Thane’s taunt dug under Savis’s skin like barbed needles, tearing at his already tattered pride and provoking the beast that lurked behind his normally impassive golden gaze. During the battle of the Tangled Tower, Savis fought Zedya to what could charitably be called a draw. In reality, only Nyrielle’s prompt arrival had rescued her prized maidservant from the powerful vampire’s claws.

Now that he was being asked to simply submit to another of Nyrielle’s young progeny, it was all Savis could do to keep himself from erupting in fury in the middle of the war council.

"If you wish to settle this as a contest between men, I won’t refuse," Savis growled, standing up from his chair. "Little Brother Tausau can stand as my second and as my witness. Name your second, and we can take this outside to resolve without spoiling the mood here."

From his seat beside Savis, Tausau gave Nyrielle a complicated and helpless look before the Clanless vampire stood at Savis’s side. He’d shared his concerns about his ’older brother’s wounded pride and questionable loyalty on more than one occasion since coming under her banner. Savis had once been hailed as the White Fang of the Tangled Wood, renown for defeating two Eldritch Lords in single combat to expand High Lord Hamdi’s territory and the sudden fall in status had shaken Tausau’s older brother more than the proud vampire might admit.

In the High Pass, while they were recovering from the battle and making arrangements for their dead, Tausau had even gone so far as to plead with Nyrielle for her to bestow the same gift of reawakening the heart that she’d given him. He’d hoped, perhaps naively, that a return of the emotions he’d lost centuries ago would fill Savis with the same gratitude and loyalty that he felt after experiencing a rebirth at her hands.

Nyrielle had rejected him instantly, saying that Savis had yet to earn such a favor and that there were others who were still waiting for that gift who had contributed far more to the Vale’s cause over decades of war than Savis had by contributing in a few minor battles while they traveled the Eldritch nations. Now that things had come to a head, part of Tausau’s complicated glance at Nyrielle seemed to say ’I warned you, grand-niece,’ even as another part seemed to say ’Now that it’s come this far, I’m helpless to stop him.’

"I have no need of a second," Thane said, smiling lazily as he stood from his own chair, spinning it effortlessly as though it were a dance partner before he tucked it out of the way. "My terms are very simple and advantageous to you," Thane continued as he adjusted the laces at the cuffs of his white tunic, as well as the laces across his pale, muscular chest that he normally allowed to hang loose.

"I’ve worn my best white tunic for tonight’s gathering," the Lord General continued, holding his arms out wide in a grand gesture and taking a slow turn as if to show off the way the garment strained across his broad shoulders while falling loose around his trim waist before vanishing beneath his wide sash. "If you can stain it with so much as a single drop of my blood, I will count it as your victory and submit to your rule as Lord General of the Vale of Mists."

"You think that your sword will give you an advantage against my claws, boy?" Savis jeered. "I thought that you knights had honor and fought for your virtues. But I’m not a petty man. If you want to match your sword against my claws, I’ll allow it. And if you can stain my fur with a single drop of my blood, we’ll count it as your victory."

"Sir Thane wouldn’t resort to such low tricks," Ollie objected fiercely. Thane was the man who had taught him more about what it meant to be a knight than anyone else, and seeing him insulted like this struck Ollie in a particularly sensitive spot after completing his own vigil to become a knight.

"It’s fine, Sir Ollie," Thane said, untying the knots that bound his darksteel arming sword to his sash and removing the weapon, sheath and all, before passing it across the table to a surprised-looking Ollie. "I said that I wouldn’t need a second, but since you want to make this a matter of the honor of knights, then Sir Ollie can stand as my second and hold my blade. I won’t be needing it anyway."