RP log with Percy
Having decided that it was best to return to Budehuc before he got more depressed, Borus walked slowly by Percival's side as they led their horses out of the city. Once out of the gates, he silently climbed into the saddle and nudged Firestorm into a trot. After a few moments of quiet, he finally spoke up. "Sorry I dragged you all the way out here."
Percival was in his usual chipper spirits, regardless of anything that had gone on. "It's no trouble, Borus," he assured as he rode alongside his friend. "I needed the holiday anyway - there are far worse things than coming to the city and enjoying a few nights of irresponsibility."
The younger knight just sighed. "Thank the Goddess you're not Lord Salome. Or Roland. I can just picture the looks on their faces. And their disapproving eyebrows. Or lack thereof in Lord Salome's case."
Percival tipped back his head and laughed loudly at that. "See? Your sense of humor is bouncing back already. Yes, this is why I'm your best friend, Borus. Who else would accompany you to taverns and parties and introduce you to airheaded girls who will giggle at all your jokes? Among other things ..." he added knowingly, leaving unsaid what those "other things" might be.
Borus cracked the tiniest of smiles and shook his head as they moved even further away from Vinay del Zexay. "Not either one of them, that's for sure. And Leo would have been tossed out early in the night for either being too loud or breaking a piece of furniture." Sighing again, he looked forlornly out at the horizon. "I miss her. I can't look at another woman without seeing her face, can't hear another without hearing her voice. Am I really that pathetic, Percival?"
"Pathetic? You're in love, Borus," Percival replied with a warm smile. "No more pathetic than any other man throughout history who has fallen for the charms of an earthly goddess. She didn't ask you to go on without her, did she? You don't have to. You can wait for her - you've already been waiting how many years?"
"Forever, it seems." He nodded slightly. "You're right, of course, but I feel like and I'm acting like I'm never going to see her again. Even though, no, she never indicated she was never going to return." Borus glanced up at the clear sky with a sigh, thankful at least that the weather would be nice for some time. "It's just ... her saying to not follow her, which is what I preferred to do than stay behind, no matter how brief ..."
"Ah, but that's how she is." Percival had the reins held loosely in one hand, allowing him to gesture while he talked with the other. "Even though she has her friends to support her, she always wants to handle things alone. She seems not to want to burden you with her troubles, even though she should and we all know it." He breathed a quiet sigh. "Take it as a sign that she cares about you enough not to want to burden you."
"I know that!" The infamously ill-tempered knight blurted in frustration. "But nothing is a burden for me when it concerns her. And even if it were, I'd gladly take it on if only to ease her troubles. What kind of man would I be if I did not want to take it all away from her, to just let her handle everything alone? A pathetic one, that's for sure." Borus' face fell and he quieted down again.
Percival chuckled quietly under his breath. "I know that, and you know that. And I'm sure her ladyship knows as well. So here we are, going around in circles - you want to help because you love her, she doesn't want to let you because she loves you. What a terrible paradox, Borus."
"You got that right." He pouted. "And no one is going to concede. At least, I won't."
"That's the spirit!" Percival encouraged with a punch of his fist to the air. "Never give up, Borus. I've never known you to let anything defeat you, so you may as well not start now." He chuckled again and fell silent, looking up at the sky through the bare branches of the trees.
When neither of them said a word, the only sound that could be heard was the clapping of the horses' hooves on the ground. It had almost lulled Borus to sleep but upon realizing that he was drifting off, he shook his head and coughed. "Do you have any plans once we return?"
Percival took a deep breath - the cold tingled his nose - before coming up with an answer. "I'm not really sure. I was away for so long that I don't know how easy it will be to just slip back into service as a castle guard." He looked over at his companion. "I really did enjoy teaching, while I was at Brass Castle. I wouldn't be opposed to going back there if they need me."
Blinking at first, Borus' eyebrows furrowed a little as he frowned. "Well, things seem to relatively peaceful at the castle for the moment. I don't suppose there will be much to do as a guard. But ..." He frowned a little more as he met Percival's eyes. "Are you saying that you would go back and stay there for good?"
"Oh, I wasn't really thinking that long-term," Percival assured, waving his hand again in a sort of "there, there" gesture. "Just, putting the word out to the other battalions that if they require assistance, I am not, shall we say, permanently deployed to the border frontier." He shrugged a bit. "I know such a thing would have to be okayed by Lord Salome, but he's been good to let us pretty much have free reign over our own assignments so far."
Borus nodded, silently relieved. Without Chris around, things would definitely be very dull for him at Budehuc with Percival gone as well. "True. I suppose none of us are meant to be permanently deployed at any one place. And as for Lord Salome, I think he's been buried in his paperwork again. Did you know that he's rooming with that Barows brat now?"
"W-what?" Percival nearly pulled Midnight to a stop, he recoiled so quickly at that. He was laughing, though. "Oh dear Goddess! Sir Euram takes quite a bit of getting used to, I don't know how in the world Lord Salome is dealing with...oh my."
"I have no idea either. And I feel sorry for him. I know Lord Salome can deal with plenty of people civilly, but still." The blonde knight shook his head. "He's more patient than I am, that's for sure."
"It took me more than a year to even figure out the kid," Percival admitted. "He has such a peculiar view of the world and himself, you have to practically decipher what he says like a code in order to know how to relate. But," he added with a snort, "my mother took to him - you know how she is with gentlemen's charms - so now we seem to have a sort of acquaintenceship going."
An eyebrow raised at that. "Well, that's quite a feat you accomplished. Because I don't think I ever will understand him. Other than he must have been terribly spoiled by his parents." Borus couldn't help but snort as well. "Your mother is too kind sometimes. I suppose interacting with him would be inevitable for you now, huh?"
"He writes my mother and she writes back!" Percival exclaimed with enough volume to send small snowbirds fluttering out of a nearby tree. "So yes, you could say that. Even if I didn't need to drop by the room to see Lord Salome." He shook his head slowly. "Perhaps we should consider ourselves lucky that Lord Thomas gave us our room that we had during the war. Else, who knows who we could have been stuck with?"
Borus smirked for a moment then shuddered at thought of being roomed with some other residents who he didn't favor as much as Percival. "You're right. Because anyone else would be far worse."
"At least we're used to each other's habits and quirks," Percival smirked. "Snoring, or socks on the floor, or what have you. It's as though we're brothers by now."
"Exactly. We've spent so many years together, as squires to the present moment, that it would have just been wrong to room us with other people." Shaking his head Borus added, "I don't want to imagine what anyone else is capable of, habits and otherwise."
"Nor could I see too many others sharing your taste in fine wines," Percival giggled. "Except perhaps for Sir Seed, but the two of you in the same room is an explosion waiting to happen. Fire-rune types should not be put together that way."
"Hah, hah. Very funny." Borus pretended to look unamused but he knew his friend meant nothing by his words and was probably simply speaking the truth. "You know, some people get their kicks out of such things. It's good to know that you're not one of them."
"Of course not!" Percival gasped with entirely mock offense. "I rather like you on an even keel, not going off every two minutes. I suppose the old superstitions are right, and Fire and Water are meant to mix together." He chuckled again to show that no harm was meant, and breathed again of the crisp air. "Ah, at least this winter has been good to us! The path is clear enough for travel and it hasn't been too bitterly cold."
Taking a deep breath as well, Borus nodded his agreement. "I can't complain. And even though I wasn't around last winter for that particularly bad ... uh, ice storm, you had at Budehuc, I'm glad that this year has been pretty decent."
"Oh dear. Yes, I'm quite thankful there's been no repeat of that," Percival said emphatically. "It has been a fairly quiet year, hasn't it? Goodness, and next week I turn..." He paused for a fake dramatic gasp. "Thirty-three! My life is over."
As soon as Percival mentioned his upcoming birthday, Borus' face lit up and he smirked. "Uh-oh. Looks like we'll need to have several toasts to that then. Thirty-three of them to be exact." He grinned.
Percival gave another one of his head-back laughs. "Oh, but do you think at my advancing age, such a thing would be healthy? I mean, it might kill me." He winked, and then snickered. "I would be surprised if I could pass twelve, quite frankly."
"I didn't say we have to have all thirty-three over the course of just one night. It can be spread out for a couple of days." He corrected, as he raised another eyebrow. "And come off it. You're hardly old. I mean, Lord Salome is almost forty if he isn't forty already. And Leo already crossed that line a few years ago."
"Ahaha, yes, as long as we still have Leo and Lord Salome around, I will never be that old," Percival laughed. "I do like the way you think, Borus, have I mentioned that lately? Because I do. Ah..." He looked up wistfully. "Just being able to celebrate with friends will be enough. I'm sure we're already too late to join in any Valentines' festivities, but we still have that."
He smirked. "No, you haven't. You should say it more often. And that's what friends are for - to celebrate life." Simply bantering back and forth or just chatting with Percival helped bring Borus' spirits back up but his face falls a little at the mention of Valentine's Day. "Hm. I suppose it wouldn't hurt if we don't miss out. I don't know what we could do though ..."
"Well," Percival said thoughtfully. "I don't even know which women of eligible age are still around the castle. Perhaps missing out wouldn't be a terrible tragedy." He vaguely remembered that he had been at Brass Castle a year before, during the holiday and his birthday, but that wasn't much worth remembering. A lot had changed since.
Borus shook his head. "No. They're all either young or are already in a relationship." His face turns sour as he recalls one eagerly available woman. "Then there's that mercenary Elaine but she's hardly decent."
"Ohhh no. No, let's not even entertain that thought," Percival warned with a wag of his finger. "Anyone who's slept around the Harmonian Defense Force is not even an option, no. Face, it Borus. It's your destiny to wait for Lady Chris, and mine to be a bachelor. That's simply the way it is."
"I can't believe you're still insisting that you're going to end up a bachelor forever. You don't know that for certain." He shook his head at his friend. "You don't know you you might end up meeting somewhere down the line."
"Borus - thirty-three. That's a large number. I'm getting to the point where even my reputation isn't enough to reel in suitors...suitor-esses...whatever. But I decided for myself about this time last year that I wasn't going to worry about it." Percival smiled, and it was sincere. He hadn't done anything besides drink and flirt the whole time they were in Vinay del Zexay. "I have far less stress in my life, now. I'm all right with it."
Stubborn as always, Borus didn't let it drop right away. "Thirty-three may not be twenty, but it sure as hell isn't sixty either. There have been people who find each other later in life anyways." He shrugged then sighed. "But as long as you're content, that's all that matters, I suppose. I just don't know what's going to become of you when we are older and you don't have a wife to settle with by the fire. No kids running around the place ..."
Percival enjoyed a lovely view of the sky while he steeled his expression not to reveal anything. "I suppose I'll just have to content myself with a dog or a cat or something. Assuming I don't find myself one of those 'glorious deaths on the battlefield' like the Lizard people are so keen on," he added with a wry chuckle.
Glancing over at his best friend, the fairer haired knight gave him a stern look. "If you are fine with having just a pet. And as much as anyone might glorify death on the battlefield, I'd much rather that you and the others live through it and survive until you're ninety." A smirk begins to creep up on his face. "Because then we can all gather around a fireplace and drink in our rockers. And then maybe pass away in our sleep."
"Now that is a fate I can agree with," Percival grinned, raising an invisible pint glass to his friend. "And judging by the quiet, one far more likely that the other. Goodness, not even so much as a holly fairy out here today."
"They're annoying little pests. I'm glad they're not around." He grunted as he smoothed Firestorm's mane. "And despite our choice of profession, this peace and quiet is enjoyable. Especially since we know it's not going to last forever."
"It can last for as long as possible, though," Percival chuckled, switching the reins from one hand to the other in order to fix his scarf. "The longer the better. Honestly, Borus, while I do respect Sir Seed and Sir Culgan, I don't understand all their drivel about the glory of war and always wanting battle. I like peace and quiet. I like it a lot."
Borus nodded his head in agreement again. "Nothing wrong with peace at all. Although I suppose when we were younger, the glory of battle was a lot more appealing then. Peace was nothing but boredom. But we've seen enough of it that it's tiresome." He turned to Percival to give him a questioning look. "How old are they anyways?"
Percival thought about it, screwing up his lips. "I'm not entirely sure. Sir Culgan seems older but it's difficult to tell. Sir Seed has to be in his early to mid twenties - but mind you, I'm always bad at estimating these things."
"It's hard to tell sometimes." Borus agreed. "They really don't seem that old nor do they seem that young either. Somewhere in between, I guess."
"Old enough to know better but still too young to be fully jaded by war?" Percival speculated. "Considering both apparently came from the moment in history when they were presumed to have died, perhaps the thought is a little too enchanting."
At that, Borus made a face. "Well, if you ask me, if I ever somehow miraculously escape death in the prime of my youth, when there's so much to live for still, the appeal would be lost on me immediately. Granted, I wanted nothing more to win victories for Zexen."
Percival nodded slowly. "Yet, so much Zexen blood was spilled in the war, I should hope the entire country thinks long and hard before committing that deeply to another one. Victory can be won in other ways. Maybe you don't get big parades for signing treaties," he smirked in Borus' general direction, "but it's a victory all the same."
"Not to those idiots on the Council, it's not." Borus scowled. "There's no victory unless some blood has been shed and lives have been sacrificed. Sometimes there is no other choice but to go to war but when there are other options?"
"I know," Percival sighed. "Defending ourselves from incursions from the Grasslands or protecting trade caravans from bandits is a far cry from out and out marching on Tinto or, for crying out loud, Harmonia. Let's hope cooler heads prevail, with Lord Salome and Lady Chris in charge of the Knights."
"Mm." The scowl soon turned into another smirk. "I guess you're right. We must be getting old if battle is no longer that thrilling and politics has to come up in discussion." He was definitely more content now that they were a good distance from the city and on the path back to Budehuc.
"We can talk about neither?" Percival brightly offered. "Shall we make a side-trip to Iksay and let my mother feed us? She'll be thrilled to see you, it's been a while."
That sounds like a great idea. Budehuc isn't too far from there so we can stay as long as you'd like and your mother will allow." And with a chuckle, he adds, "And so long as she doesn't sing Barows' praises or anything."
"Not likely," Percival beamed. "Two handsome Mighty Knights under her roof will drive all thoughts of frilly noblement right out of her head. Then, it's settled! Destination, Iksay."
Smirking, Borus added, "Her little Percy and his friend from squirehood, you mean. Oh, I'm sure she'll be thrilled." With that said, he quickly prepared himself to dodge whatever Percival could try to throw at him."
Percival yanked on the reins, abruptly halting Midnight in place, but aside from gape and splutter he couldn't do much. There wasn't any snow within arm's reach of a mounted man. "What have I said about calling me that?" he complained, giving the bay horse a kick to get going again so he wouldn't fall behind.
He could only grin at Percival's reaction. "Well, you tease me on a million other things. Nothing else phases you so that's all I have against you, you know."
"Just not in front of anyone at the castle." Percival clapped his hand over his eyes in embarrassment. "It's bad enough Kathy does it."
Laughing now, Borus relented. "Not a problem." He pauses for effect before adding with another smirk, "Unless I've had too much to drink. Then, I have less control over what I do and say."
Percival game him a sideways sort of smirk. "Then I shall have to get you too drunk to talk, that should solve everything."
"Hah, I've never been that drunk. And I won't get that drunk alone." He grinned back. "You'll probably just have to hit me over the head and hope I lose that particular memory, that's all."
"Aw, I would never do that to you, Borus. Never!" Percival smiled even more brightly. It was good to see Borus looking so chipper, all things considered. Anything to get his mind off his pining, it seemed to work well.
Percival was in his usual chipper spirits, regardless of anything that had gone on. "It's no trouble, Borus," he assured as he rode alongside his friend. "I needed the holiday anyway - there are far worse things than coming to the city and enjoying a few nights of irresponsibility."
The younger knight just sighed. "Thank the Goddess you're not Lord Salome. Or Roland. I can just picture the looks on their faces. And their disapproving eyebrows. Or lack thereof in Lord Salome's case."
Percival tipped back his head and laughed loudly at that. "See? Your sense of humor is bouncing back already. Yes, this is why I'm your best friend, Borus. Who else would accompany you to taverns and parties and introduce you to airheaded girls who will giggle at all your jokes? Among other things ..." he added knowingly, leaving unsaid what those "other things" might be.
Borus cracked the tiniest of smiles and shook his head as they moved even further away from Vinay del Zexay. "Not either one of them, that's for sure. And Leo would have been tossed out early in the night for either being too loud or breaking a piece of furniture." Sighing again, he looked forlornly out at the horizon. "I miss her. I can't look at another woman without seeing her face, can't hear another without hearing her voice. Am I really that pathetic, Percival?"
"Pathetic? You're in love, Borus," Percival replied with a warm smile. "No more pathetic than any other man throughout history who has fallen for the charms of an earthly goddess. She didn't ask you to go on without her, did she? You don't have to. You can wait for her - you've already been waiting how many years?"
"Forever, it seems." He nodded slightly. "You're right, of course, but I feel like and I'm acting like I'm never going to see her again. Even though, no, she never indicated she was never going to return." Borus glanced up at the clear sky with a sigh, thankful at least that the weather would be nice for some time. "It's just ... her saying to not follow her, which is what I preferred to do than stay behind, no matter how brief ..."
"Ah, but that's how she is." Percival had the reins held loosely in one hand, allowing him to gesture while he talked with the other. "Even though she has her friends to support her, she always wants to handle things alone. She seems not to want to burden you with her troubles, even though she should and we all know it." He breathed a quiet sigh. "Take it as a sign that she cares about you enough not to want to burden you."
"I know that!" The infamously ill-tempered knight blurted in frustration. "But nothing is a burden for me when it concerns her. And even if it were, I'd gladly take it on if only to ease her troubles. What kind of man would I be if I did not want to take it all away from her, to just let her handle everything alone? A pathetic one, that's for sure." Borus' face fell and he quieted down again.
Percival chuckled quietly under his breath. "I know that, and you know that. And I'm sure her ladyship knows as well. So here we are, going around in circles - you want to help because you love her, she doesn't want to let you because she loves you. What a terrible paradox, Borus."
"You got that right." He pouted. "And no one is going to concede. At least, I won't."
"That's the spirit!" Percival encouraged with a punch of his fist to the air. "Never give up, Borus. I've never known you to let anything defeat you, so you may as well not start now." He chuckled again and fell silent, looking up at the sky through the bare branches of the trees.
When neither of them said a word, the only sound that could be heard was the clapping of the horses' hooves on the ground. It had almost lulled Borus to sleep but upon realizing that he was drifting off, he shook his head and coughed. "Do you have any plans once we return?"
Percival took a deep breath - the cold tingled his nose - before coming up with an answer. "I'm not really sure. I was away for so long that I don't know how easy it will be to just slip back into service as a castle guard." He looked over at his companion. "I really did enjoy teaching, while I was at Brass Castle. I wouldn't be opposed to going back there if they need me."
Blinking at first, Borus' eyebrows furrowed a little as he frowned. "Well, things seem to relatively peaceful at the castle for the moment. I don't suppose there will be much to do as a guard. But ..." He frowned a little more as he met Percival's eyes. "Are you saying that you would go back and stay there for good?"
"Oh, I wasn't really thinking that long-term," Percival assured, waving his hand again in a sort of "there, there" gesture. "Just, putting the word out to the other battalions that if they require assistance, I am not, shall we say, permanently deployed to the border frontier." He shrugged a bit. "I know such a thing would have to be okayed by Lord Salome, but he's been good to let us pretty much have free reign over our own assignments so far."
Borus nodded, silently relieved. Without Chris around, things would definitely be very dull for him at Budehuc with Percival gone as well. "True. I suppose none of us are meant to be permanently deployed at any one place. And as for Lord Salome, I think he's been buried in his paperwork again. Did you know that he's rooming with that Barows brat now?"
"W-what?" Percival nearly pulled Midnight to a stop, he recoiled so quickly at that. He was laughing, though. "Oh dear Goddess! Sir Euram takes quite a bit of getting used to, I don't know how in the world Lord Salome is dealing with...oh my."
"I have no idea either. And I feel sorry for him. I know Lord Salome can deal with plenty of people civilly, but still." The blonde knight shook his head. "He's more patient than I am, that's for sure."
"It took me more than a year to even figure out the kid," Percival admitted. "He has such a peculiar view of the world and himself, you have to practically decipher what he says like a code in order to know how to relate. But," he added with a snort, "my mother took to him - you know how she is with gentlemen's charms - so now we seem to have a sort of acquaintenceship going."
An eyebrow raised at that. "Well, that's quite a feat you accomplished. Because I don't think I ever will understand him. Other than he must have been terribly spoiled by his parents." Borus couldn't help but snort as well. "Your mother is too kind sometimes. I suppose interacting with him would be inevitable for you now, huh?"
"He writes my mother and she writes back!" Percival exclaimed with enough volume to send small snowbirds fluttering out of a nearby tree. "So yes, you could say that. Even if I didn't need to drop by the room to see Lord Salome." He shook his head slowly. "Perhaps we should consider ourselves lucky that Lord Thomas gave us our room that we had during the war. Else, who knows who we could have been stuck with?"
Borus smirked for a moment then shuddered at thought of being roomed with some other residents who he didn't favor as much as Percival. "You're right. Because anyone else would be far worse."
"At least we're used to each other's habits and quirks," Percival smirked. "Snoring, or socks on the floor, or what have you. It's as though we're brothers by now."
"Exactly. We've spent so many years together, as squires to the present moment, that it would have just been wrong to room us with other people." Shaking his head Borus added, "I don't want to imagine what anyone else is capable of, habits and otherwise."
"Nor could I see too many others sharing your taste in fine wines," Percival giggled. "Except perhaps for Sir Seed, but the two of you in the same room is an explosion waiting to happen. Fire-rune types should not be put together that way."
"Hah, hah. Very funny." Borus pretended to look unamused but he knew his friend meant nothing by his words and was probably simply speaking the truth. "You know, some people get their kicks out of such things. It's good to know that you're not one of them."
"Of course not!" Percival gasped with entirely mock offense. "I rather like you on an even keel, not going off every two minutes. I suppose the old superstitions are right, and Fire and Water are meant to mix together." He chuckled again to show that no harm was meant, and breathed again of the crisp air. "Ah, at least this winter has been good to us! The path is clear enough for travel and it hasn't been too bitterly cold."
Taking a deep breath as well, Borus nodded his agreement. "I can't complain. And even though I wasn't around last winter for that particularly bad ... uh, ice storm, you had at Budehuc, I'm glad that this year has been pretty decent."
"Oh dear. Yes, I'm quite thankful there's been no repeat of that," Percival said emphatically. "It has been a fairly quiet year, hasn't it? Goodness, and next week I turn..." He paused for a fake dramatic gasp. "Thirty-three! My life is over."
As soon as Percival mentioned his upcoming birthday, Borus' face lit up and he smirked. "Uh-oh. Looks like we'll need to have several toasts to that then. Thirty-three of them to be exact." He grinned.
Percival gave another one of his head-back laughs. "Oh, but do you think at my advancing age, such a thing would be healthy? I mean, it might kill me." He winked, and then snickered. "I would be surprised if I could pass twelve, quite frankly."
"I didn't say we have to have all thirty-three over the course of just one night. It can be spread out for a couple of days." He corrected, as he raised another eyebrow. "And come off it. You're hardly old. I mean, Lord Salome is almost forty if he isn't forty already. And Leo already crossed that line a few years ago."
"Ahaha, yes, as long as we still have Leo and Lord Salome around, I will never be that old," Percival laughed. "I do like the way you think, Borus, have I mentioned that lately? Because I do. Ah..." He looked up wistfully. "Just being able to celebrate with friends will be enough. I'm sure we're already too late to join in any Valentines' festivities, but we still have that."
He smirked. "No, you haven't. You should say it more often. And that's what friends are for - to celebrate life." Simply bantering back and forth or just chatting with Percival helped bring Borus' spirits back up but his face falls a little at the mention of Valentine's Day. "Hm. I suppose it wouldn't hurt if we don't miss out. I don't know what we could do though ..."
"Well," Percival said thoughtfully. "I don't even know which women of eligible age are still around the castle. Perhaps missing out wouldn't be a terrible tragedy." He vaguely remembered that he had been at Brass Castle a year before, during the holiday and his birthday, but that wasn't much worth remembering. A lot had changed since.
Borus shook his head. "No. They're all either young or are already in a relationship." His face turns sour as he recalls one eagerly available woman. "Then there's that mercenary Elaine but she's hardly decent."
"Ohhh no. No, let's not even entertain that thought," Percival warned with a wag of his finger. "Anyone who's slept around the Harmonian Defense Force is not even an option, no. Face, it Borus. It's your destiny to wait for Lady Chris, and mine to be a bachelor. That's simply the way it is."
"I can't believe you're still insisting that you're going to end up a bachelor forever. You don't know that for certain." He shook his head at his friend. "You don't know you you might end up meeting somewhere down the line."
"Borus - thirty-three. That's a large number. I'm getting to the point where even my reputation isn't enough to reel in suitors...suitor-esses...whatever. But I decided for myself about this time last year that I wasn't going to worry about it." Percival smiled, and it was sincere. He hadn't done anything besides drink and flirt the whole time they were in Vinay del Zexay. "I have far less stress in my life, now. I'm all right with it."
Stubborn as always, Borus didn't let it drop right away. "Thirty-three may not be twenty, but it sure as hell isn't sixty either. There have been people who find each other later in life anyways." He shrugged then sighed. "But as long as you're content, that's all that matters, I suppose. I just don't know what's going to become of you when we are older and you don't have a wife to settle with by the fire. No kids running around the place ..."
Percival enjoyed a lovely view of the sky while he steeled his expression not to reveal anything. "I suppose I'll just have to content myself with a dog or a cat or something. Assuming I don't find myself one of those 'glorious deaths on the battlefield' like the Lizard people are so keen on," he added with a wry chuckle.
Glancing over at his best friend, the fairer haired knight gave him a stern look. "If you are fine with having just a pet. And as much as anyone might glorify death on the battlefield, I'd much rather that you and the others live through it and survive until you're ninety." A smirk begins to creep up on his face. "Because then we can all gather around a fireplace and drink in our rockers. And then maybe pass away in our sleep."
"Now that is a fate I can agree with," Percival grinned, raising an invisible pint glass to his friend. "And judging by the quiet, one far more likely that the other. Goodness, not even so much as a holly fairy out here today."
"They're annoying little pests. I'm glad they're not around." He grunted as he smoothed Firestorm's mane. "And despite our choice of profession, this peace and quiet is enjoyable. Especially since we know it's not going to last forever."
"It can last for as long as possible, though," Percival chuckled, switching the reins from one hand to the other in order to fix his scarf. "The longer the better. Honestly, Borus, while I do respect Sir Seed and Sir Culgan, I don't understand all their drivel about the glory of war and always wanting battle. I like peace and quiet. I like it a lot."
Borus nodded his head in agreement again. "Nothing wrong with peace at all. Although I suppose when we were younger, the glory of battle was a lot more appealing then. Peace was nothing but boredom. But we've seen enough of it that it's tiresome." He turned to Percival to give him a questioning look. "How old are they anyways?"
Percival thought about it, screwing up his lips. "I'm not entirely sure. Sir Culgan seems older but it's difficult to tell. Sir Seed has to be in his early to mid twenties - but mind you, I'm always bad at estimating these things."
"It's hard to tell sometimes." Borus agreed. "They really don't seem that old nor do they seem that young either. Somewhere in between, I guess."
"Old enough to know better but still too young to be fully jaded by war?" Percival speculated. "Considering both apparently came from the moment in history when they were presumed to have died, perhaps the thought is a little too enchanting."
At that, Borus made a face. "Well, if you ask me, if I ever somehow miraculously escape death in the prime of my youth, when there's so much to live for still, the appeal would be lost on me immediately. Granted, I wanted nothing more to win victories for Zexen."
Percival nodded slowly. "Yet, so much Zexen blood was spilled in the war, I should hope the entire country thinks long and hard before committing that deeply to another one. Victory can be won in other ways. Maybe you don't get big parades for signing treaties," he smirked in Borus' general direction, "but it's a victory all the same."
"Not to those idiots on the Council, it's not." Borus scowled. "There's no victory unless some blood has been shed and lives have been sacrificed. Sometimes there is no other choice but to go to war but when there are other options?"
"I know," Percival sighed. "Defending ourselves from incursions from the Grasslands or protecting trade caravans from bandits is a far cry from out and out marching on Tinto or, for crying out loud, Harmonia. Let's hope cooler heads prevail, with Lord Salome and Lady Chris in charge of the Knights."
"Mm." The scowl soon turned into another smirk. "I guess you're right. We must be getting old if battle is no longer that thrilling and politics has to come up in discussion." He was definitely more content now that they were a good distance from the city and on the path back to Budehuc.
"We can talk about neither?" Percival brightly offered. "Shall we make a side-trip to Iksay and let my mother feed us? She'll be thrilled to see you, it's been a while."
That sounds like a great idea. Budehuc isn't too far from there so we can stay as long as you'd like and your mother will allow." And with a chuckle, he adds, "And so long as she doesn't sing Barows' praises or anything."
"Not likely," Percival beamed. "Two handsome Mighty Knights under her roof will drive all thoughts of frilly noblement right out of her head. Then, it's settled! Destination, Iksay."
Smirking, Borus added, "Her little Percy and his friend from squirehood, you mean. Oh, I'm sure she'll be thrilled." With that said, he quickly prepared himself to dodge whatever Percival could try to throw at him."
Percival yanked on the reins, abruptly halting Midnight in place, but aside from gape and splutter he couldn't do much. There wasn't any snow within arm's reach of a mounted man. "What have I said about calling me that?" he complained, giving the bay horse a kick to get going again so he wouldn't fall behind.
He could only grin at Percival's reaction. "Well, you tease me on a million other things. Nothing else phases you so that's all I have against you, you know."
"Just not in front of anyone at the castle." Percival clapped his hand over his eyes in embarrassment. "It's bad enough Kathy does it."
Laughing now, Borus relented. "Not a problem." He pauses for effect before adding with another smirk, "Unless I've had too much to drink. Then, I have less control over what I do and say."
Percival game him a sideways sort of smirk. "Then I shall have to get you too drunk to talk, that should solve everything."
"Hah, I've never been that drunk. And I won't get that drunk alone." He grinned back. "You'll probably just have to hit me over the head and hope I lose that particular memory, that's all."
"Aw, I would never do that to you, Borus. Never!" Percival smiled even more brightly. It was good to see Borus looking so chipper, all things considered. Anything to get his mind off his pining, it seemed to work well.