Chapter Text
Early spring sunshine lazily speckled the ground, warming the still cool air enough to make venturing out without a coat possible. Dew soaked the grass, making it shimmer in the sun. The woods were quiet, serene, the perfect place to relax.
A swollen stream played host to birds, wildlife, splashing through their morning baths.
A horse and rider clomped heavily, slowly up to the banks, scattering the fauna to the four winds.
The rider was slumped over the saddle horn, asleep. A worn traveling cloak hid most of the rider's form, though tan leather armor peeked through where the cloak gaped open, allowing a glimpse of a slender form. A face mask and cowl obscured the rider's features, rendering them sexless.
A whiny jolted the rider awake and they groaned low and slipped down from the saddle. The rider was neither short nor tall, neither broad nor narrow; middling height, slender and willowy but still solid.
"Eat," the voice was quiet, soft with sleep, and indistinguishable, muffled behind the mask. The horse happily dipped his head and clipped grass.
There was still a good distance to go to get to the camp, about half a day's ride. Sasha Devilwood, the rider in tan leathers, dragged the cowl and mask off, scrubbing gloved hands over a grimy face.
Though dirty, the face revealed was lovely, gorgeous, with an angular jaw that balanced the gap between masculine and feminine, full lips, strong, straight nose, high cheekbones, and a high forehead. Strawberry blonde hair was clipped short, chin length and layered, straight, though matted down with sweat.
It wasn't until Sasha had stripped down to skin for a bath that the truth of gender was apparent. A firm, toned chest, tight belly, narrow hips; he was the picture of hard work paying off into a nice physique. He scrubbed off the worst of the grime in the stream, taking the time to get the sweat and dirt out of his hair and from beneath his fingernails. He wanted to make a good impression on the man hosting trials for some secret guard sort of thing.
Farm life was too docile, slow, to hold Sasha's attention. He wanted adventure, but he also wanted to learn something that could make him feel useful. His siblings had all married off, and the oldest had taken over the farm when their parents had passed. He had nothing of his own, and wanted to change that desperately.
Clean, Sasha dried off and set about cleaning his armor. He only had the one set, had had it made for him several months back, and had only worn it on this journey. He dressed once his armor was clean and dry enough to wear, and then climbed back into the saddle. "Let's go, Pagan," he urged, tapping his heels to the horse's flanks.
~*~
"Tell me how many we can get. I don't wanna hear what we don't got."
William Fleet, a warm ember of a man, held both his arms tightly behind him as he and his second in command walked the perimeter of his newly formed compound.
"Twelve barrels, sir. Plus the two that are on the carriage," C'Theean, Will's only Elvan guard, said in the aloof and bland way they all had about them.
She was tall, taller than he was by far, thin, and beautiful, but that went without saying. Elvan blood never failed to produce beauty. What he loved about her was her cold, precise nature. Nothing was dire to her. Nothing was dire to any of the Elvan since they had a lifespan which humans only guessed was eternal, which made C'Theean an excellent second man. She also happened to be an excellent assassin.
"So, fourteen." Will sighed and ran a hand through his hair, a deep, warm amber like that of a dark sunset. "That's enough for seven weeks, if we stretch it thin. What about the horses, have they come in from the king yet?"
"No, sir. We have only the beasts which we own ourselves."
"Figures," William muttered. "Okay, so get word out to the scouts to keep an eye on the road. I want recruits captured and bound, hooded so they don't know the way they got in, just in case they don't make the grade."
"If we can not capture them, shall I give the order to slay them?"
"No, no, that's okay. That means they've got potential. We'll have to just make note. If those we can't hood don't pass...." He looked at C'Theean.
She nodded. "Yessir." Off she went, floating on the rough ground, her platinum hair billowing in a wind that wasn't there.
~~
Five days later and the road had become dusty and parched from the lack of rain in the region, and despite the effort Sasha had taken to clean himself up each evening and before he set out, he was dirty again by midday. The ride was monotonous with only the clip-clop of the horse's hooves to keep him awake and the never changing route through Evertall Wood.
The wind changed and Sasha took a deep breath, sighing softly. There was someone close by, and while he couldn't pinpoint their exact location, he could feel them. He shuddered and blocked out the sight that was trying to steal across his gaze.
Now wasn't the time to have a vision, not when there was a potential threat on the road. Travelers were sparse, and bandits were plentiful; after the war a few years ago, people had turned to crime to help increase their miniscule coins.
The scouts moved with the shadows of the trees, breathed in the sigh of the wind. They had the traveler surrounded, but didn't move. They saw their target pause, just a moment, the rider went stiff before continuing on.
Hand signaling to the men in the treetops, those on the ground spread out and prepared to strike. Out from the canopy, two forms swung, suddenly kicking Sasha from his horse.
"Oof!" Sasha tumbled backward off of his horse, pulling free twin short swords from his hips before he even hit the ground. He landed on his feet and brandished his blades.
"Pagan, defend," Sasha murmured quietly, and the horse reared up on his hind legs, pawing at the air. Sasha turned his back to the horse, defending the stallion’s flank while the stallion defended his.
The men who attacked weren't trying to hurt him, Sasha could see that after the first few crowded in. They swiped at his weapon, not his body, and kept their blades from harming the horse. They were in uniform, not bandits, Sasha thought, and one held a hood.
No sooner than he noticed the hood, a vision slammed into Sasha's brain; hooded, dragged away, and then blinding light as the hood was ripped away. A face; pretty, reddish brown hair, deep amber eyes, a superior smirk—and then the vision ended just as the hood came down over his head.
He hadn't even realized he'd been disarmed in the seconds that the vision took over his sight, and Sasha struggled and flailed to escape.
He was tossed over a horse and the wind was knocked from his lungs. Sasha heard whispers around him, men and women speaking quietly, orders of some kind. Then, they were off. Sasha didn't see daylight again until the hood was whipped off and a man stood smirking down at him.
"Clever t'have made it this far. State your purpose," William demanded.
It was him! Sasha stared at the man from his vision for a moment, and then shook off the surprise. "I've been kidnapped..." he paused, soft voice trailing off as he thought, "perhaps it is you who should explain."
Will laughed. "Kidnapped implies we took ya away from where y'were tryin' t'go."
He was dressed as the others; a black uniform, crisp and clean, but the belting was different, custom and worn. Will put his hands on his hips. "So, I suppose it all depends on where ya were off to." He gave the recruit a smirk. "Well?"
Sasha tipped his head, expression calm and neutral. "If I told you, I'd have to kill you." A smirk tipped up one corner of well made lips. "The flaming bird in the dark, that's where I was going." He frowned, delicate brows drawing together. "No, a flaming bird draped in black." He shook his head. "It wasn't clear."
Will raised his brow. "Ya dunno where you were headed?" He looked up at Edmond, one of the men who brought him. "Did she have an invite?"
Edmond shook his head. "Not on ‘er, sir. But, her an' her horse fought us off quite well until she had some kinda fit."
Sasha silently wondered if he looked like he was having a fit when the visions came. "Pagan. Where is my horse?"
Will nodded to the stables. Then dropped down on his haunches to look the traveler in the eye. "Ya said a fire bird? What'd ya mean when ya said that it wasn't clear?"
There was no way he was about to explain about his visions; he'd be thought insane and sent packing. Sasha shrugged. "The insignia I saw. A man tore up a letter, and the seal that he dropped had a black fire bird. Phoenix, that's what it is." He laughed and scrubbed a hand through his hair. "A Black Phoenix."
William rubbed at his whisker-free chin as he thought, searching the possible recruit's eyes for the truth. "C'Theean?" He turned and called forth a woman over six feet tall. She was the first Elvan he had ever seen.
"Take this one t’the interrogation tent. Get the rest a the recruits t’the yard." He eyed the traveler and then left him in the hands of the elf.
Sasha went calmly enough, and even though it was called an interrogation tent figured that he'd be fine. He'd never gotten a sense of being wrong to come to this place, and his visions had never steered him wrong yet. Then again, he wasn't exactly sure where they came from.
The guards plopped him down on a stool and took a step back, deferring to the ridiculously tall Elvan who glided into the tent behind them. Sasha met her gaze, unflinching, and tried to figure her out. It was fascinating to see an Elvan; they rarely left their homes.
She sat down in front of him, gliding down into the chair. Her eyes, wide and sparkling with all the colors of the forest at once, turned to Sasha. "You have reached the Phoenix Guard. Often called the Black Phoenix, as we deal in matters not suited for the daylight. I tell you this openly. Do you know why?"
He thought about it for a moment, head cocked in a listening pose, and then blinked and shook his head. "No, I don't know why." At least he was in the right place, Sasha thought and relaxed. Missions steeped in darkness and blood; it wasn't news to him. "I believe you'll tell me, though, lady."
"Because I don't expect you to live to tell anyone about us," she answered. "You will join, or you will die."
At that, the flap of the tent opened up and in walked William. The men behind Sasha stiffened. "You c’n go round up the troops," he said to the elf. Then, cast a wary eye on his captive. "Are ya here to join, or were ya just unfortunate to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?"
A slow smile bowed Sasha's lips. "I'm here to join, of course." The elf's warning slid right off of his back; these people weren't a threat to him, though the missions he'd likely end up on would definitely be. "I was supposed to be tested, rather, tried to see if I fit."
"Uh huh. So who was the man?" he asked, flopping casually into the seat. "The one who had the invite."
Again, Sasha tipped his head, listening to something only he could hear. It was the first time William had seen it, but C'Theean had seen it before, not long ago. This time, Sasha's eyes slid closed, as though drifting to sleep. "He isn't coming," he murmured, voice soft and sweet, airy, almost feminine. "Dark hair, slim build, violet eyes. No, she. She's not coming. The king won't allow it."
A sharp, quick gasp and Sasha came back to full alertness. "I don't remember her name."
William's eyes narrowed on the youth. "What's your name?"
"Sasha Devilwood," he replied. "At your service, captain."
"Mmm." Will leaned back in his chair, giving the girl a look over. He tilted his head to the side. "Well, Sasha, before you're in my service, you'll have to pass the tests just like the other recruits. The ones who were invited an’ hand picked by me," he added, giving Sasha a sly look.
"That's fine. I was prepared to complete the trials." Sasha met Will's gaze evenly, fearless and confident. "I'm just worried about them keeping up with me."
Will let out a laugh. "Alright, pipsqueak, let's see what ya got, then." He got up from his table and the men led Sasha out to the training field where several other people stood stretching, sharpening daggers, and the like.
Out on the field, Sasha felt the hum of excitement rumbling through his veins. He breathed deeply, eager to test his mettle against these men and women. His visions had given him a small advantage; allowing him to watch and learn different styles of combat, since life on a farm didn’t really provide combat training. It had never been long, but he had a good memory and had practiced until he was confident. He still had a lot to learn, but he had a good basis to start.
Will and C'Theean watched the group fight. Each fighter pitted against the other in a one on one battle. There were games of skill; archery and stealth were tested individually, and most combatants did well in all arenas. These contestants were indeed those hand picked by the king’s trusted spymaster, William Fleet.
The odd boy without an invitation did well in all arenas, with an innate skill that put him on par with the rest. It was obvious, however, that the little blonde didn’t have any formal training. Sasha grinned brightly and wiped the sweat from his brow as he and the other recruits lined up before the captain and his Elvan lieutenant, waiting to be told yea or nay.
William leaned a whisper over to the woman next to him. She bent down to hear him and then handed him over a sheaf of parchment. He studied it and winced. There were a few on the list that had not been able to get hooded, which meant that they would not be leaving here alive.
He sighed, so it was. "Take these to the entrance," Will instructed. C'Theean nodded and called the names out. Those that were left were separated into ‘accepted’ and ‘rejected’. The ‘rejected’ were quickly hooded and put in a cart to be dropped off deep in the woods. The ‘accepted’ stood still before William.
Of the twelve people who had begun the trials, only three were left standing before the captain. One was a tall, stocky man with dark blonde hair and green eyes who had more than excelled in the stealth and archery tests. The second was a dwarven woman, red hair, blue eyes, and well muscled who was chillingly impressive with a bow, stealth, and dual daggers. The third was Sasha, strawberry blonde hair, gray eyes, and able to keep up with his two comrades.
Sasha grinned over at the dwarf, excited, even though she ignored him entirely. He looked over at the other man and tried a smile on him, but was similarly ignored. He sighed, shook his head, and decided to just beam at the captain, since his companions refused to share his happiness.
Will caught Sasha's grin. He had to admit he was a little shocked to see such a bright smile beaming back at him. Will sniffed a laugh and gave the contestant a smirk before he began.
"Congrats," he started, folding the parchment under his arm. "You three are the best a the best. I know ya may have questions. You'll get your chance later t’night when we outfit ya. For now, you'll be assigned a bunk and Thomas will see ya there." A smile broke out on Will's face. "Welcome to the Phoenix Guard."
The three were led off by yet another guard toward tents set up near the rear of the camp. Luckily, the three didn't have to share a tent with each other, though they did have to share with another guard. Sasha grinned at the sight of his small bag tucked beneath one of the cots and eagerly plopped down on his new bed. It wasn't very soft, but it was better than sleeping on a straw mattress as he'd done since he could remember.
Another guard stepped in, sweaty and grimy from practice, and Sasha popped up off of his cot with a friendly smile, waving a hand in greeting. "I'm Wood," he said, watching the man strip off his hood and cowl. He was shocked by the silvery hair that spilled out from beneath the hood, and the delicate face, gorgeous features, but managed to keep it off of his face. His tentmate was not a man.
She cocked her head at Sasha, a brow raised. "I thought your name was Sasha," she stated, brown eyes narrowing on the person across from her, watching carefully.
"Ah, yes, my name is Sasha, but everyone at home called me Wood. I'll answer to either, though I prefer the nickname." He wavered for a moment, and then dropped his smile. She wasn't going to greet him properly.
"Is that your last name?" she asked, still withholding her own name.
"Devilwood," he responded with a chagrined smile.
She chuckled. "Depending on your performance, you might just earn the nickname Devil instead of Wood. Welcome to the guard. I'm Relena and I'll be keeping you in line between training. The captain runs a tight ship, so don't expect much in the way of relaxation time. We're here to work, and while we're paid by the king, we belong to the captain."
"Ah, yes, I understand. So," Sasha propped his hands on his hips, "where do we start?"
"You start by taking a bath and getting changed," she said, pointing to the pile of clothes that had been awaiting him. "Then, I'll escort you to the captain's quarters. He'll want to interview you thoroughly."
She stripped off her shirt and untied the corset holding her breasts, leaving nothing but the thin, black shift underneath. "Tubs are that way." She nodded in a direction behind them. "Bath water is cold, but it's private."
"Right, okay," Sasha turned on his heel and picked up the stack of clothes, grateful that he wouldn't have to be trapped in the tent with her while she changed clothes. He sidestepped and slipped out of the tent, moving around behind to find a wooden bathhouse. He moved inside and was relieved to find small sectioned off stalls with curtains hung over the openings to allow for privacy.
There was a pump and a stack of buckets, so Sasha grabbed a bucket and filled it. He stepped into an open stall and closed the curtain before stripping off and kneeling down with his bucket of cold water. It was brisk, but familiar; he'd been bathing in the pond on the farm since he was small. Scrubbing away dirt and grime was heavenly, but he didn't linger too long, too eager to get started with his new life.
Sasha dried off and sorted through the clothes he'd been given. There was a fine, thin sheath of a shirt that felt amazing on his skin, but there was also a corset. He frowned, confused, but figured it was a layer of protection to deflect arrows. He shrugged and pulled it on, struggling to tighten the stays, utterly unfamiliar with the contraption. He got it tied, but it was tight, restrictive, and it pulled his narrow waist in tighter. Figuring the guard knew what they were doing, Sasha pulled the rest of the armor on and stepped out, carrying the hood and cowl and his dirty things over one arm.
Relena passed him on his way out and she nodded at him. "Take your things back to the tent and wait for me there. I'll escort you to the captain's tent when I'm done."
"Yessir," he responded and made his way back to his tent. He was ridiculously happy that he hadn't had to bathe while she was in there, even though it was private. Just knowing there was a naked woman in the same room with him would've had him blushing and stuttering and fleeing.
Relena came back, thankfully dressed. Her silvery hair was wet, making it look like the skin of a sea serpent. She turned to him, running a towel through her hair. "You might want to wipe that smile off your face. The captain is a professional. There's no room for innocence."
"Ah, sorry, I'm just happy to be here," Sasha replied, twisting his fingers in his lap. "This is a completely new life for me, so I'm a little excited. Are we ready to go, or do I have to wait to be summoned?"
Relena's eyes narrowed; there was no way this kid was new to this life, not if the captain had assigned Sasha here. She hadn't seen Sasha's trials, but assumed there was a great deal of talent or she wouldn't have a new tentmate. "Let's go. And stop grinning like that." She dropped her dirty things into a small crate and swept out of the tent, forcing Sasha to hurry along behind her.
She braided her hair as she walked, not bothering to wait for Sasha to catch up to her long strides. Relena finally stopped at a large octagonal tent and paused at the door. "He's waiting."
Inside the tent, a candelabra was lit, shedding light on the first of what looked like several sectioned off parts of the tent. This front one was apparently an office of sorts. Will was seated behind a table of ash wood, scratching notes from the prior meeting into a scroll. He set it aside as Sasha darkened the doorway.
"Come on in," he offered, leaning against the table, one hand on his hip. His eyes traveled down the length of Sasha's body. "The uniform looks good on ya. Everything fit?"
Sasha nodded. "The corset is a bit tight, but I suppose that's a good thing. Are we always going to have tents, or are we going to build a more permanent structure?" he asked, letting his gaze travel the inside of the tent.
Will laughed at how open the girl was about her under things. "Yeah, uh..." he shifted where he sat and cleared his throat. "Tents and teardown structures only. To remain mobile. You got an issue with tents?"
Sasha shook his head and returned his attention to his new captain. "No, I've slept in a barn since I was a kid. Um, Relena said something about an interview? What do you want to know?"
"Yeah, take a seat, get comfy. I just wanna know about you. You know, get some background so I can place you better. I got a policy t'know my people inside and uh.... out." His eyes fell again to the cinched waist of the black uniform. His mind wandered to the tight corset underneath.
Will pushed off of the desk, banishing the thought for now. "So, tell me about Dupri."
"Dupri?" Sasha blinked and then his face went slack and his eyes closed. "She stays at her king's side, hiding in plain sight, secret and private in his chambers, and builds her toys to make him happy."
"And... who is she to you?"
Sasha pulled in a breath and shook his head, blinking himself back to reality. "I've never met her."
"Then how d'ya know who she is?"
He was caught out; if he lied, the captain would see it, but if he told the truth, he'd be branded insane and sent away—no, he'd be killed, there was no leaving, not now. Sasha cursed his visions and sat back. "You won't like the answer," Sasha warned. "Isn't it enough to know that I don't know her?"
"Not with a lead up like that." Will crossed his arms. "Ain't no one knows what you told me 'bout her but someone who knew her...intimately." He winked. "So, ya fuck her or finish her? No judgment either way."
A blush warmed Sasha's entire face and he shook his head. "I don't like women, so, uh... no. And, I've never killed anyone, so... no to that, too." He rubbed a hand over his face. "I... I have, damn, this is awkward. I have visions."
William's face fell flat, but he didn't denounce Sasha on the spot. He raised an unimpressed brow. "Visions?"
That was almost worse. Sasha winced. "I told you that you wouldn't like the answer," he said quietly, looking down at his lap, fingers twisting anxiously. "It's not a voice, or anything crazy like that. Just...bits and pieces of things that haven't happened yet." He gave William a wince of a smile. "I can't actually control it, though. It's how those guys caught me and hooded me to bring me back. I saw myself being brought here."
"Saw it, huh?" He leaned back, rubbing his hand over his mouth. "Think you could learn to control it?"
"You have no idea how badly I want to, but who can teach that kind of thing?" Sasha asked, his expression hopeful but resigned. "It's the only reservation I had about coming here, really. I never know when it'll strike, and it's already proven that it can and will knock me out of a fight."
Will gave the girl a grin. "Whatever's givin' ya these visions knew just where t'send ya. Sit tight."
He went to the back of the tent and tied the flap up. His bed lay beyond the doorway. Sasha could see the disorder of clothes, weapons, bedding, scrolls, and books. Will emerged with a pendant and pushed it across to Sasha. "Put it on."
Sasha raised a brow but took the pendant. "What is it?" he asked, fastening it around his neck. He looked up at William. "This doesn't mean we're engaged, does it? I've heard about some cultures that do that."
Will laughed. "Only if ya go t'bed with me after." He gave Sasha a sly grin.
"It's a protection charm, for right now, until we can getcha in for a good training session t'do it yourself. Don't know if ya noticed, but we got a genuine elf! C'Theean'll see you once a week and work with you. They're the only ones can teach seers t'use a power like that an' we're the only human outfit who's got one," he said proudly.
"Uh," Sasha was still trying to figure out if his captain was kidding about sleeping with him. "Sure? I mean, she won't mind teaching me? I've been just wearing gloves and keeping my distance from people. Touch is the easiest way to force a vision. I don't think I want to see anything about that woman. She scares me."
Will nodded. "Yeah, the Elvan are tough to get to know an’ to be around, but she won't do nothin' to ya. She knows better than t'fuck with one a mine. Besides, I bet she'll find you interestin'. Too bad ya don't like girls. She's a hella one."
He put a finger to his mouth. "Touch, huh? Y'get somethin' every single time y'touch another person?"
"Most times, if they're coming to a pivotal point in their lives, and you wouldn't believe how often that is." Sasha shyly ducked his head, uncomfortable talking about it, but, at the same time, happy to finally be able to share the confusing part of himself. "My eldest brother had five in one year, and it was ridiculously hard not to tell him so he could make an informed decision." He twisted his fingers in his lap. "He made some terrible choices, but some good ones, too."
Will nodded. "So you've got family. They all still around?"
"My brothers and their wives, my twin sister and her husband, but not our parents." Sasha shrugged and looked over at the mess of his captain's quarters, still visible from where he sat. "I doubt they'll miss me."
"Good." Will followed the girl's gaze and walked back to shut the flap. "Not t'be insensitive, but our line a work tends t'get messy if’n there's ties to the outside world. As of today, you're dead."
"No fear of that from me," Sasha answered with a huff of laughter, a grin on his pretty face, "Because of my visions, I've been... a little bit of a pariah in my family. They don't actually know about them, they just know I'm... different from them."
"Heh. Alright." Will tilted his head. "One last question. Whaddya wanna be a Phoenix for, anyway? Or was it just a case of following your visions?"
Sasha's gaze lifted to William's and held, suddenly seeming otherworldly and wise, completely opposite from the bubbly person William had come to expect. "I honestly can't answer that question at this moment. I don't want to sway any decisions you'd make regarding your company. Just know that I'm here because I want to be, because I'm good enough to be."
Will narrowed his eyes. It gave him the shivers, the same way being around the Elvan people got him tingly and cold. "I shouldda expected an answer like that," he muttered as he went to the trunk to fish out a bottle. "Drink?" he asked, holding out the blue liquid for Sasha.
Wide gray eyes peered up at William, once more the innocent, bubbly kid William had come to expect. "Oh, um, sure?" Sasha held out a hand and took it, gripping it by the bottom of the bottle in an absent attempt to keep from accidentally touching the other man. "What is it?" he asked, peering at the blue liquid that swirled in the bottle. He pulled the cork and stood, looking about for cups.
"They call it Moon Sugar. It's some kinda Elvan concoction. Goes down really smooth, but strong as fuck. They don't mess around. Try it."
There were no cups, and the captain looked intent on the bottle, so Sasha took a mouthful of the sweetly smelling blue liquid right from the bottle. He swallowed and gasped, a hand to his chest while the other urgently shoved the bottle at William. "Gods," he wheezed, trying to suck in some air. It was syrupy sweet, had been completely innocuous in his mouth, but when he swallowed it had been like breathing fire.
"Right?" Will grinned, taking the bottle and kicking back a swig of it himself. "Anyway, welcome to the guard. I'll have the deceased papers sent to your family with a seal. Tomorrow, we c’n pick out weapons for the newbies. You're free t'go, unless... you wanted t'stay."
His throat still burned, but now it was warming up his belly. Sasha blinked at William and dropped back down onto the little stool he'd been using. "I have my short swords. Will I not get to keep them? And my horse. Pagan won't listen to anyone but me. I trained him to voice commands and hand gestures. I can't let anyone else try to ride him. He'd probably trample them to death."
"No, no. You c’n keep your horse. We're short on horses, so you're one of the lucky few." Will noted the way Sasha ignored his offer and brushed the idea aside. "You're free t'keep your personal weapons, a’course. Just we'll have some new ones, if’n ya wanna try somethin' out."
He took another swig of the liquor and flopped in his chair, feet up on the desk. "You'll be in training before I throw y'into any real missions. So ya got time t'pick somethin' up."
"I... the bow?" Sasha laughed and twisted a short strand of hair around his finger in an absent, nervous gesture. "I've always wanted to try the bow. Even just hunting. I usually have snares, or throwing daggers when I hunt. I guess I'm not bad with the daggers." He looked up at William. "What do you prefer?"
"I'm an archer, through an' through." Will gave Sasha a smirk. "You're in luck. The arrows I use c'n be a bit different, but I c’n teach ya. You were pretty good at climbin' during th' trials. Bow might be a good fit for ya."
"Oh, really?" Sasha sat forward on the little stool attentively, intrigued and interested. "I'd love that, thanks! I'm a fast learner, so I swear I won't—" he paused, that same listening pose he'd adopted, and closed his eyes. A small smirk curled his lips. "Oh. I see," he murmured softly and then blinked up at William. "I swear I won't disappoint you," he finished, as though he hadn't stopped mid-sentence.
Will glanced up at the empty air Sasha had listened to. "Yeah..." He pushed from his chair and put a hand on Sasha's back. "Well, like I said, through for the night. Have a good one. Don't let Relena kill you in your sleep."
Sasha's spine arched and his head tipped back as a vision slammed into him. It was disjointed, whirling, hopping from choice to choice to choice, only petering out when William's hand left his back. He bowed forward over his legs and gasped, shivering and trembling with the sheer mass of images roiling through his head.
"Woah, you alright? Is the Moon Sugar hitting you?" Will bent down, concerned about the new recruit, and only kept his hand from the girl's back because Sasha held up a warning hand.
"N-no," Sasha panted and dropped his hand to his side. He pulled in a deep breath and looked over at William, eyes wide and mismatched; one blown wide, the other a small pinprick. "So many choices, so many different endings, different outcomes. You'll be dancing along the edge of the abyss—" he shook his head, trying to clear the images from his mind, "it's all so unclear. I know, though, so I won't let you fall over the edge."
"What?" William's face twisted in confusion. "Edge a what abyss?" Will backed up. "You had a vision, didn't you?" he said gravely. "What was it?"
Sasha gritted his teeth and stood, shaking his head. He stepped back from the captain. "Nothing specific, nothing soon, just the choices you'll have to make, and the outcomes of all of them. I shouldn't say anything," he backed up another pace, bumping into the desk, "I can't make you aware of just who you're going to be. Not until you're already there."
William rolled his eyes and huffed out a laugh. "Yeah. Prognostically appropriately vague." He glanced down at the chair Sasha was about to trip over. "Sit down. I'll get you some water."
"You're fearful of my visions, and yet you mock me?" Sasha sat down with a huff of laughter. "You try watching a king fall because of a wrong choice, and—" he stopped, gazing up at William with wide eyes. "Is there any chance that your Elvan can teach me to keep my mouth shut?"
Will couldn't help but be curious, the tip of his tongue toying with the sharp point of a canine. He studied Sasha a moment more, but then gave up waiting for the recruit to fill him in on any more.
"She'll teach you not to access the magic on accident. I'll get you some water, wait here."
Will moved to the back of his tent again and pushed back his bedroom 'door'. The main water trough was in the front of the camp by the smoke house and stables. What he returned with had to have been a private retainer.
Will handed Sasha a tin mug filled with good, clear water. "I've been around enough precogs to know you always talk in riddles and to us mortals, it's annoying as fuck," he said softly, but with a playful smile on his lips.
"I'm not trying to be mysterious," Sasha answered and sipped at the water slowly, "just trying not to blurt out things that I shouldn't. I've already learned that it's dangerous to give away information before a decision is made. It's too easy to screw up the outcome if the choice was only made to avert a bad result." He rubbed his shoulder absently, a circular motion, lost in thought. "It's a lot more frustrating to know what will happen when you can't say anything for fear of spoiling the future."
The water in the mug was crisp and clean, refreshing him as if from a deep well. Will let Sasha have some air and time to breathe, watching the hand rubbing at his shoulder.
"I think you and C'Theean need to meet first thing tomorrow. Don't know how many people y'grew up around, but you're in a camp with a bunch of 'em now. Someone's liable t'bump you or pat ya on the back. Can't have you reeling every time someone shakes your hand."
"It wasn't so bad when we were going through the tests, but I think that's because I'd geared my brain up for it?" Sasha stood and finished the water, setting the cup on the edge of the desk. "But, yes, I'd like to start getting control of this—this crazy in my head so I don't end up getting booted. I'm supposed to be here."
Will reached for the mug and kept a good distance away from Sasha's hand. "Y'think it's for somethin' other than gettin' that brain of yours trained up?" he asked, moving back to a taller chest of drawers. Will opened one and began rummaging through.
"Definitely," Sasha replied, chipper and bright again. "I'll see you in the morning, captain. Have a good night!" He waved and made his way to the tent flap. "Oh," he paused and looked back at William, a small smile on his lips, looking at him from over his shoulder, eyes lidded almost tiredly; it was a provocative look, if unintentional, and reinforced the feminine air he carried, "dinner? Where do I go? Will Relena show me?"
Will licked at his lips. Was it because he knew this woman was off limits, or something else that made his mind go back to the bedroom with her?
"Lena will show ya. Here." He tossed a pair of leather gloves at Sasha. They were worn from years of use, softened and carried a deep, earthy smell. "So no one gets ya between now and t’morrow's lesson."
Sasha's smile widened and he nodded. "Thanks, captain," he said softly, and ducked out of the tent. He was happy for the gloves, though he couldn't wear them yet. Instead, he tucked them into his pocket and folded his arms over his chest, tucking his hands into the bends of his elbows to keep them safe.
Back in his own tent, Sasha stashed the borrowed gloves and grabbed the set that went with his new uniform, and tugged them on. He followed Relena to the mess tent and settled in for the meal, busily trying to take in everything he could see and hear and smell.
The tent was less rowdy than one might imagine a platoon of warriors, but more talkative than one might think of a group of assassins. The Phoenix Guard was family like, joking, laughing in clusters, sullen in others. Relena was firmly on the side of the family who believed silence was golden. She sipped at her tea, fielding questions with terse, annoyed answers.
Sasha spotted the other two new recruits looking solitary at a table together. Both had washed and dressed in the new uniform, but it was impossible for each of them to have had a private interview with the captain. He noticed, now that he saw the multitude of the guard all at once, that his and the other recruits' belts were made of a plain black material without the lining the true guard had.
He supposed that the recruits had to earn that little insignia, that bit of conformity. Sasha looked at Relena, then over at the recruits, and went to sit with them. "Hey, guys," he said as he sat down. "How'd your first day go?"
"Shut. Up," the dwarven woman snapped, glaring a hole through the bubbly kid.
"Not her fault that you got kitchen duty until the end of the week," the tall man pointed out. "Drake. She's Alana. I got stuck out in the stables. What did you get?"
"Oh," Sasha bit his lip, "I've got work with C'Theean in the mornings before training."
Alana glared at Sasha. "Who did you spread your legs for to get that kind of posting?"
"What?" Sasha blinked, and then color flooded his face. "Hey, that's really rude. I didn't do anything like that. I didn't pick it."
"Back off, Alana. The kid's right. You're just pissy because you're tired. Finish eating and get to bed."
Alana huffed and stood, taking her half empty tray back to the line and dumping it in the trash. Sasha watched her go and then looked back at Drake. "I'm Sasha, by the way, but most people call me Wood."
"Nice to meet you. Eat and get to bed. It's going to be an early day. Probably for the rest of our lives." Drake got up and took his empty tray, dumping the trash, and then heading out to find his tent for the night. Sasha was left alone at the table and he sighed, but started eating.