Chapter 233 - 231: How Scandalous.

Chapter 233: Chapter 231: How Scandalous.

​"Well by the sounds of things he was a quite the nuisance when he first got here," Ynoro points out, and directs his next question towards Rogard, "I heard he ruined one of your father’s parties."

​"He did," Rogard affirms, and isn’t quite able to keep the distaste from his voice at the mention of his father. "He threatened me and everything. It was very dramatic."

​"And just look at him now," Ynoro says, like he’s just proved his point, and tactfully ignores Rogard’s indignant squawk about how Khobi still threatens his life.

And on a regular basis. So what if he doesn’t actually mean it?

​"He really has settled down, hasn’t he?"

Fricha admits, "He wasn’t even late yesterday. I guess there’s method to your madness after all, Captain."

​"What do you mean you guess ?"

​"Nothing, Captain."

​"Hmm, come to think of it, doesn’t Loac seem different, too?" Ynoro remarks, looking oddly thoughtful, "Getting smacked around like that will do that to a person, I suppose."

​Rogard’s got to hand it to him; for someone whose attention seems almost wholly devoted to falling for and getting rejected by any and every pretty face around him, it’s surprisingly insightful.

...

Tonight, Khobi comes back after dinner, and joins them.

​"If you’re working hard I can’t just sit still, right?" is what he says, by way of greeting, and falls into line with them.

Rogard automatically looks behind him and finds that Loac isn’t with him.

It’s kind of strange; how accustomed he’s grown to seeing them together that it seems odd to find one without the other.

For two people who don’t get along, they sure seem to spend a lot of time together.

​At each other’s throats, sure. But still together.

​"Hmm?" he remarks curiously, and Khobi draws his sword before Drogger chews him out for holding them up.

"Where’s Loac?"

​"How am I supposed to know?" Khobi snorts, although keeps his voice low.

Drogger doesn’t seem to mind casual conversation during their drills so long as they keep up and don’t disrupt the others.

​"Aren’t you guys stuck together now?" Rogard inquires casually.

​"What makes you think that?" Khobi frowns, and then seems to decide that actually, he doesn’t want to hear what Rogard has to say.

​" Well –"

​" No, stop ."

​Because, even Khobi has to admit that it must look like that.

On the days that there’s training they show up together and spend the majority of the day duking it out until neither of them can breathe.

Or failing that, itching to duke it out until neither of them can breathe.

They even eat together now too, for fuck’s sake.

​Twice now, Khobi’s had to fucking cook for him.

​"He’s probably off with some girl," Khobi shrugs, when Rogard gives him a quizzical look, and then has to concede, "Or guy, I guess. I don’t really know where he goes. I don’t ask."

​He doesn’t need to ask. He can tell .

​Rogard reads between the lines.

​"...And that’s fine with you?" he queries.

​"Why would that not be fine with me?" Khobi frowns, confused by the question.

Rogard’s sure saying some weird things today --even for him.

​"I dunno," Rogard rolls his eyes, "He is your betrothed and all."

Khobi makes the same face he always makes whenever someone reminds him.

A grimace. "I know, I know. But you’re seriously not even a little bit bothered that he’s just going out screwing whoever?"

​"That’s his business," Khobi states, matter-of-fact.

What’s there to be bothered about? The king can think what he likes; he has no intention of ever actually marrying the guy.

"I just wish he’d take a bath before he comes back, is all," he adds offhandedly, wrinkling his nose in distaste, "It makes the bed stink and I hate asking Binny to change it every –"

​" –Wait, Khobi ."

​Oh no .

Rogard’s making a face like he’s about to say something terrible.

​And he does.

​"Don’t tell me..." he whispers, still somehow managing to keep his steps in time, "...You and Loac... are sleeping together??"

​" Do really you have to say it like that ?"

Khobi hisses, and smacks him in the arm when the soldiers who would tell him off for it aren’t looking.

​"How scandalous~" Rogard ribs, and smacks him back, "And before marriage, too!"

​"We’re just...sharing a bed. And he’s not even in it most nights!"

Khobi snaps, annoyed because it’s not like that at all and he shouldn’t have to justify himself to Rogard .

"And don’t you before marriage me. Like you can talk."

Rogard can deny all he likes that there’s nothing going on with anyone, but one of the other guards reckons he saw Rogard heading down into the city the other night.

And that he didn’t come back.

​That, and...he’s had a look about him recently.

​"I’m shocked, Khobi. Truly," Rogard sniffs, nose in the air in contempt, "And offended. Lumping me in with Loac, honestly ."

​" Right ," Khobi scoffs, "Like you’re not getting up to the exact same shit?"

​" –Are you two done?" comes the growl from a couple of rows in front of them, sounding more like a threat than a question.

The pair of them immediately put enough distance between them to pretend they weren’t up to anything, and offer up weak apologies to the withering glare that comes back their way.

​"Sorry, master~"

​"Ah, sorry, Captain."

...

The stables have been quite busy for the last few days, and this morning is no exception.

The horses always get antsy and fuss for their riders when winter comes and it keeps the grooms and servants on their toes.

The soldiers like to pretend otherwise but they’ve all got a soft spot for their beasts, so when Montrel arrives with a pocket full of sugar cubes, Gandy and Mural are both already there fussing over their horses and trying to ply them with their own contraband.

Mural’s horse likes apples. Gandy’s, however, is more partial to his hair, and is trying to get a mouthful when Montrel swings by.

​"Hey, none of that," Gandy complains affectionately, and Montrel snickers as he gives his horse a rub on the nose, "Sorry, but like I said , we can’t go out today! Don’t you know it snowed last night??"