Brotherhood

Chapter 1 - Brotherhood

Damon

The swords sang as they clashed together. Training took place throughout the training grounds as my men worked towards finishing up their session for the day.

It was an odd feeling knowing that soon I wouldn't be leading them as their captain but as their King. No longer the one they awaited to hear orders from.

A few of the guards paused to nod their heads in greeting as I made my way toward the soon-to-be Captain of the guards.

"You're putting too much weight on your front leg. It's what is throwing off your balance when you go to strike," Apollo said, correcting one of the newer recruits. Then, he took a stance, showing the young Fae how to stand.

"Watch how I do it," Apollo moved into his stance, facing one of our more seasoned guards, Katrina. She was smaller than most of the guards, but what she lacked in size, she made up in speed and attitude. She was one of the fiercest warriors in the training groups, even competed in the summer solstice tournament and came in second place. She was a lioness of a fighter on and off the training field.

"When you go to strike, you need to anticipate your opponent's move. Don't hesitate. You have to follow through. Every second counts in a battle, and any second of hesitation could be your last," Katrina and Apollo circled each other. In a blink of an eye, Katrina stepped forward and made her move.

She was fast, but Apollo was faster. He spun around. Katrina dodges his strike on the end of her braid, narrowly coming out unscathed. Their blades connected, singing a perfect melody—the sound of battle. Katrina faked right, but Apollo anticipated the movement. Hitting her sword and knocking it out of her hand. She cried out as Apollo stepped in, sweeping out his leg and dropping her to the ground, placing his blade against her neck. A triumphant smile on his lips.

He said without moving his eyes from where Katrina lay pinned to the ground.

"If you follow through and don't second guess yourself, you can always gain the upper hand," The young Fae nodded in understanding. Too stunned to speak after just witnessing the takedown, Apollo did without even breaking a sweat.

He had come a long way from the male he was years ago. It had taken me a long time to adjust to having him around, and taken even longer for me to consider him family. Especially after seeing what horrors my sister went through for him. The things they both sacrificed for each other as mates.

It made the broken parts of my soul ache. I pushed the thoughts away before they started. I pushed them down until I couldn't hear them anymore. Helix stirred as he sensed my distress.

Apollo patted the male on the shoulder before stepping away, allowing Katrina and him to continue their training. He turned his attention to me, his smile never faltering as he walked toward me.

"Another few years, and you'll be a carbon coo of my grandfather." I teased; Apollo let out a deep chuckle.

"Im not sure whether to be honoured or concerned by that statement," I shrugged my shoulders.

"It's in your best interest to take it as a compliment. That guy can hold a grudge when he wants to," Apollo nodded, letting out a deep breath. All humour was wiped from his face as he looked me over.

"So how bad was it this time? You usually have a chance to change before you show up to training this late," I bit the inside of my cheek. I'm not sure where to start, but I'm not sure if I even really wanted to talk about it.

"Bad enough that I am now hosting a ball in my honour to find a suitable wife to sit beside me on the throne," Apollo muttered a curse, shaking his head.

"Well, I got just the thing to keep your mind busy. There was some trouble at the harbour today—something to do with Pirates. I need someone to come down and check it out with Lir and me. I'd ask Kier too, but the bastard is too busy wooing Audra to give me the time of day for any of this Pirate bullshit,"  The idea of keeping my mind busy with something I was familiar with was a gift from the mothers themselves.

"If Lir is coming, it will be a good time," I mused, giving Apollo a crooked grin. He chuckled, the excitement of the chase dancing in his violet eyes.

"We will meet you at the gates just outside the capital. Where your cloak," He paused, giving me a once over."

"and some less conspicuous clothing. You don't need to scare off all the information with that privilege," Apollo mused, his lips spreading into an amused smirk.

I laughed at the irony of it. The fact that I had no privilege at all. Yes, my clothes were nice. I was the soon-to-be king, but that all came at a cost. Freedom is the highest cost of it all.

However, he wasn't too far off the mark himself. Now that he officially held the title of prince. Apollo was a Lord in the capital and soon the Captain of the royal guards. He lost a lot of his freedom too, but he gained respect for his status, and being the Captain of the Royal guards would give him some leeway with said a title.

I wanted to tell him how wrong he was. I tried to tell him how lonely it was to be at the top. But I always found myself unsure of wanting to share those burdens. Uncertain of how I might sound.

So I kept my head held high and pretended I didn't have the weight of the world on my shoulder. I didn't have a heavy heart and a mind filled with so much pressure it was about to burst.

"I'll see you at the gates in twenty," I said before turning around and heading for my chambers.

~~~

After I had changed into my black leathers and sheathed on a few blades, enough to keep me armed but not enough to draw attention, I pulled up my hood and let the shadows conceal my face.

When I arrived at the gate, Lir and Apollo waited for me. Three black horses with them.

Both of them were dressed in similar attire. Their knee-high boots freshly polished. Their blades were well hidden under their cloaks. Apollo's violet eyes were the only thing visible from under his hood as he watched me approach. I could feel but not see, Lir's obsidian eyes tracking me too.

"Lir," I said, nodding my head.

It was so strange having the Prince of Vampires in my legion. But Lir had denied his royal heritage. He claimed that he wanted nothing to do with that part of his past. He was a commander, and that was all he would recognize himself as, not a prince or a lord but just a commander, a soldier who took pride in defending his people.

That was exactly what he did in the dark realm. He orchestrated a rebellion against his kingdom, and when the time came, he got them out and helped save our kingdom.

After months of interrogations and judgements, everyone who came to our aid was pardoned for their family's crimes and allowed to seek refuge in any realm, village, or capital that would welcome them. Many left, finding homes elsewhere, but the ones who stayed, like Lir. They stayed and joined the royal guards and Warriors, other jobs that helped rebuild Gardenia after the destruction and devastation we had endured a year ago.

I turned my attention to Apollo, who held out the horse's reins he was holding for me. I gripped them between my gloved hands, leading the horse closer to me.

"My sources tell me that two ships have docked at the harbour in Hedwick. Two ships conveniently happened to show up an hour before everything went down. One claims to be here for a quick stop as they make their way to Caspian. While the other said, they had personal business to attend to with a merchant. I want to check out the village first before we seek out the shops and their captains," Apollo explained.

The pirates had always been an issue, invading ports and villages. They were taking over ships, stealing their cargo and making one hell of a mess in their wake.

I nodded in agreement before mounting my horse. Lir and Apollo followed my lead, a silent acknowledgement of how hard it was for me to walk away from things I had trained for since I could walk.