A DRINK BEFORE BATTLE (MxM)

“No!”

General Urskatha fixed everyone in the map tent with a dark and icy glare.

The two Generals had gathered First Constable Yanek, Lieutenant Thelan, and Sergeant Kahan to discuss this so-called “Butcher of Anwynd”.

Military spies had uncovered a trove of information about him. They knew his name now – Master Balan Ghed. He had come to Loranar from a distant country overseas, rumored to have been driven from his home country as a criminal. He had insinuated himself among Loranar’s Alchemists, exposing them to his country’s unusual practices. Although many Loranarian Alchemists spoke of him with distaste, his unorthodox methods had been embraced by some.

At Anwynd, even two squads of Alchemists hadn’t been able to take him out, or even to drive him back, leaving them no choice but to rescue whoever they could and then cede the ground. He hadn’t been heard of since, though, and that had been a mystery. They now knew that while Master Ghed’s methods endowed him with power beyond any normal Alchemist, he required very long periods of rest after implementation, and Loranar would only deploy him for their most important missions. It was this detail that had given Sevei some peculiar ideas.

Ideas that General Urskatha vehemently opposed. Sevei threw his hands up in frustration.

“You’re not even listening to me,” he complained. “Don’t just say ‘no’ - tell me what’s wrong with it.”

“You wouldn’t understand if I did,” Urskatha scoffed. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. Alchemy isn’t something you can take piecemeal and rearrange as you wish.”

“But it is,” Lieutenant Thelan mused. “That’s how innovation happens. You Martials are too rigid. You forget your fundamentals.”

“Aren’t you a Martial?” Yanek snickered.

“I am no such thing,” Thelan replied reproachfully. “And General Sevei may not have our education, but he’s clearly been quite diligent in his observation. The idea is good... I can work with it.”

His sleepy doe-eyes slid a side glance to Sergeant Kahan, who sat close beside him. She gave him a reserved smile, then turned to Urskatha.

“I agree,” she said. “We can do this.”

Urskatha frowned at her before glowering again at Sevei. “It’s too dangerous. And you know that Sergeant Kahan is... needed elsewhere. How can you ask her...?”

“If we plan carefully...” Sevei began to protest.

“I can keep Meira safe,” Thelan interrupted.

Urskatha gave a dramatic tsk. “With respect, Lieutenant, I’m reluctant to send you onto the field.”

“Yes, I know what you think of me...” Thelan said quietly.

Kahan laid a comforting hand on Thelan’s arm while shooting Urskatha a scolding look. Urskatha’s mouth dropped open silently, his eyes betraying some regret for his thoughtless words.

“He really can do this,” she asserted. “And I can do my part. I want to.”

“Meira...” Urskatha began, a patronizing tone in is voice.

“Yeresym,” she said firmly. “I know you want to protect me. Don’t you know that I would do the same for you?”

Urskatha’s face only hardened as he huffed. “I’m disappointed that you would agree to something so dishonorable. This idea is underhanded. It’s cheating.”

“Hey, don’t take cheap shots at her!” Sevei shouted. “This is my idea, and how is it underhanded? It’s just using all of our assets. Loranar isn’t playing by your rule book, should we just let them slaughter us, so we all die honorably?”

Urskatha narrowed his eyes at him angrily, then folded his arms across his chest and looked away from everyone. Kahan winced and began to massage her temples. Thelan frowned at her with concern, and reached for the teapot to refill her cup.

“Maybe we all ought to sleep on this,” Yanek piped up. “Give General Urskatha some time to mull it over.”

Sevei took a deep breath to calm his temper flare. “You’ve been quiet tonight, Yan,” he said. “What do you think?”

Yanek shrugged. “I think I’m completely out of my depth, but if the experts here can come to an agreement, then I’m on board. Just tell me what I can do.”

While he spoke, Urskatha struggled to rise from his chair. Sevei leaned over to help him up, but got his hand batted away sharply.

“Get off!” Urskatha snapped. It wasn’t his usual hesitant denial. There was real anger behind it. Sevei pulled away as if he’d been burned, Yeresym’s attitude stabbing like a knife in his heart. Lieutenant Thelan jumped up and came over.

“I’ll take him,” he said, supporting the shaky man back into the wheelchair beside the table. “I need to give you a check-up anyway.”

“Can you do it in my tent?” Urskatha asked gruffly. “I’m not going back to the infirmary. I want to sleep in my own bed.”

Thelan nodded thoughtfully. “If you don’t mind an attendant checking on you occasionally.”

“I’ll send Nal over,” Kahan said, her voice still tinged with a bit of soreness.

After Thelan had wheeled Urskatha away, Sevei sighed and looked between the two left in the tent with him.

“I could do with a drink,” he proclaimed. “Anyone else?”

“I’d love to, but I’ve got rounds,” Yanek answered with some regret. Moving towards the doorway, he clapped Sevei on the shoulder with a smile. “Don’t overdo it. It’s not the end of the world.”

“Yeah, yeah...” Sevei muttered to his disappearing back. He cocked an inquisitive eyebrow to Sergeant Kahan.

“Why not?” she agreed dismally.

Night was falling as they emerged from the map tent. Sevei started a fire in the pit, then retrieved a bottle of wine from his own tent, passing a cup to Meira as they settled down into the warmth of the fire, and the wine, and the company. They sat in silence for a long while, each sighing intermittently, lost in their own thoughts. When the wine rose to Sevei’s head, he cast a narrowed glance of suspicion Meira’s way.

“You and Lieutenant Thelan have gotten close,” he stated.

Meira’s eyes fluttered in surprise as she looked away. Sevei couldn’t be sure if the blush on her cheeks was embarrassment, or just the wine. “Hmm,” was her only response.

“Come on,” he prodded. “You know all my secrets, it’s only fair. Yanek was under the impression that you liked women. That you liked Commander Bhari.”

“No!” Meira protested adamantly. “That’s...” she hemmed, “...a different sort of admiration.”

“She seems to worship you, though,” Sevei noted. “What’s that about?”

Meira turned her head to look at him. Her eyes were soft and beginning to become a bit unfocused. They’d only had a few cups of wine so far, but she wasn’t one to drink much, being ever-cautious and always on her guard. She leaned her head against the back of the chair and gave a sigh that puffed her full lips out adorably. Sevei was delighted to see her so relaxed.

“Her people...” Meira said slowly, “...my people... they were the same people. The Empaths were, I guess, the spiritual leaders of the Sekkha. That was a long time ago, though. I don’t think she can see me as anything else, even though I’m in no position to lead anyone.”

“Hey, don’t get sad on me, now,” Sevei said, his voice serious, but with a light edge to it.

Meira smiled and shook her head as he held her cup out towards him. He eyed her doubtfully, but then filled her cup again by only half.

“I shouldn’t start anything now, anyway,” Meira said, morosely defeated. “I’ll be leaving soon.”

“I’m sure there’s a girl out there for you,” he assured her. “Although, if you’ve taken a shine to Lieutenant Thelan, are men alright too?”

“Not... hmm...” Meira looked up at the sky, gathering her thoughts carefully in her semi-drunken state. “I think I don’t mind the shape of a person’s body so much,” she said somewhat obliviously, “just what’s in their heart. She has a beautiful heart.”

Sevei’s brow rose. “She?”

Meira’s eyes widened. “No... no...” she stammered. “He...”

She looked at him as if he’d utterly betrayed her.

“General Sevei, that isn’t fair,” she said sharply. “I’ll tell you my secrets, but you mustn’t ask me others’. He could get in more trouble than...”

Sevei extended a hand toward her placatingly. “Meira, it’s alright. I won’t breathe a word.”

He sat back in his chair again and refilled his own cup.

“My heart-brother in Tharlburg has a few associates in that predicament,” he told her.

Meira gave him a wary look. “Your brothel Master?” she asked.

Sevei laughed out loud. “What’s this my brothel Master?” he objected. “He’s just my friend.”

“I would hate to ever see Thelan have to do that...” she said, her eyes downcast.

“It isn’t what I would choose,” Sevei agreed. “And maybe they wouldn’t either, if the world were different. But they’ve made themselves a family – a family that doesn’t judge, and that has to be a comfort. Maybe all any of us can do is grab onto whatever comfort we can find in this life, and hold onto it as tightly as we can.”

His eyes drifted across the courtyard to Yeresym’s tent, lingering on the small light showing through the seam at the doorway.

“Don’t take what he said today to heart,” Meira said quietly. “He’ll come around. It’s a good plan, and he knows it. I’m the only reason he’s hesitating.”

Sevei nodded absently. “We will keep you safe,” he assured. “And we’ll get you out. And Alchemists go anywhere for jobs, right? Maybe after the war the Lieutenant can join you wherever you end up.”

Meira smiled sadly. “The future is a lot of ifs just now.”

Sevei raised his cup. “Well, then, here’s to all our iffy futures.”