The Dread Knight's Rage

Solomon’s body acted on its own.

He rushed to grab his sister first, intending to shield her from an attack that was far greater than he had initially anticipated.

But before he could use his back to take the brunt of the blow, there was a strange flash, and Raizel appeared in the air beside them.

"You know, I usually say this all the time, but... I forgot how big that was!"

Raizel swiped his sword in the air a second time, this one in a vertical attack.

When the two forces clashed, there was a small pop before they both fizzled out of existence.

"Ah... god damnit."

As the trio fell from the sky, Solomon gasped at his brother’s arm. Or rather, what was left of it.

His broken limb flailed around like a wet noodle. There were several tears in the flesh that poured a concerning amount of blood.

"...Whoa. That’s not good." Raizel grimaced.

"Kyaaaa! You’re hurt!"

"Ugh!" Nila pushed her brother away by his face and leapt to catch Raizel before he could hit the ground.

A million words in the dictionary couldn’t have adequately described just how baffled Solomon was.

As the three of them landed on the ground, Raizel immediately went down while holding his injured arm.

Dakota also ran over to join them, her worry just as great as everyone else’s.

Raizel lay on the ground pathetically. "Ugh... Be honest with me... How bad does it look?"

"As bad as you when you roll out of bed in the morning." Solomon reverted to his normal form.

"Oh, so it looks beautiful then... Wonderful. I’m glad to know it’ll heal up quickly."

Dakota helped Raizel sit up while checking his internal energy.

"It seems like your body isn’t quite strong enough to get adjusted to the new power inside of you, or capable of using your full techniques."

Raizel snorted. "What gave it away?"

Dakota stepped on one of Raizel’s limp fingers as payback for his sarcasm.

"Oh, ow, ow, okay!!"

Somehow, the others thought that he would be just fine.

-

Night had fallen, and the natives seemed to be experiencing a rather festive mood.

Something similar to a celebration had taken place, with a buffet of hunted meats, berries, eaten around fires and accompanied by ample song.

Solomon was learning that the Amazons and the dark fae placed less importance on modesty than humans did.

Multiple times now, Solomon had watched a pairing of fae or amazons begin copulating right out in the open.

Aside from learning that his sister’s extended knowledge about the anatomy of amazons was entirely correct, he also learned that Dakota was very popular.

He didn’t know how he felt about the latter.

"It seems like we’re both in the same kind of moods."

Yari found Solomon still holding the bundle of joy in her arms, even after the entire day had passed.

She leaned into his arms for support. Solomon smiled down at her softly as he stroked her back.

"... Want to go first?"

"...Same time."

""!...2... 3.""

"I realized how big the gap is between my brother and me."

"My sister wants me to help rule Ilim with her, and I said no."

The couple looked up at each other at the same time.

""What? You first... Stop doing that!""

Yari covered her fiancé’s mouth so she could speak.

"Giselle, she... she has this idea of us somehow working together to piece Ilim back together and fix all the damage that’s been done."

*Muffled* "And you don’t want to?" Solomon tilted his head.

"No, I don’t want to help the civilization of people who cheered when I was imprisoned and branded like cattle!"

Solomon cupped Yari’s cheek.

"I’m on your side, my love. You don’t have to feel like you’re justifying your decision to me because I won’t think less of you regardless."

Yari felt a little embarrassed for not remembering sooner the kind of man that Solomon was.

"...Truthfully, all I wanted was to be queen when I was young. I loved the idea of helping the people, and I thought that it might bring me closer to Great Muria... but after the things I’ve done here, I’ve given up on being accepted by them, or... by her."

Solomon blinked slowly, only now realising that he might have made a very terrible mistake.

"So... Speaking of talking trees..."

Solomon had nothing to laugh about as his wife held him in a dire chokehold from behind.

"WHY ARE YOU ONLY TELLING ME THIS NOW, YOU OAF!? YOU’VE HAD DAYS!"

"I just had it set in that I was going to be a father and that your mother was alive, so give me a small break!"

"I’ll give you a break, alright!"

Yari tried her damndest to snap Solomon’s pinkie finger, but she only succeeded in tickling him instead.

Laughing, he turned the tables in an instant, flipping her onto her back and leaving them both sprawled out underneath a tree.

Yari did not appear even the slightest bit amused.

She grabbed Solomon through his pants. "Y’see? This is why you can’t remember to tell me anything important. Because this is all that you think with."

Solomon bit his lip.

"I wasn’t trying to entice you, I was trying to show how angry I was and- S-Stop getting erect!"

Solomon pulled off his shirt. "It seems like it’s a festival going on. Why don’t we participate in a bit of-"

"Your brothers and sisters are walking around here, too. Your baby sisters."

Solomon became uninterested in sex for the first time in his adult life.

Now, it was Yari’s turn to laugh at him without restraint.

To even the score, Solomon simply lay atop her with his full body weight. As the air rushed out of Yari’s body, she bit her fiancé on the ear to free herself from his suffocating embrace.

Solomon sat up immediately afterward, and Yari smiled at him victoriously. "Apologize."

"Yes, yes..." Solomon kissed Yari from the crown of her head to both of her thighs.

Before she could tell him no again, he lay down between her legs and resumed staring into the sky.

Instinctively, Yari set herself to playing in his hair.

"I believe it’s your turn now. What’s wrong with your brother?"

"...Nothing’s wrong with him." Solomon admitted. "When he unleashed that attack earlier, I felt it. He is nearly a perfect warrior. I had always thought that the gap between us was so small. That I could catch up to him with ease."

Yari smiled subtly. "I am certain you should see this as something to your benefit as well. You love your brother. You love competing with him. Now, you can continue to enjoy the fun of chasing after him."

Solomon started to smile before his joy inevitably faded.

"I know you’re right, it’s just... I can’t stop wondering just how much he had to go through to get that kind of strength."

Yari smiled at her lover, her head full of thoughts that she would forever keep to herself. Solomon, despite how he may have presented himself, was infinitely kinder than most people would ever know.

And she liked that about him. He was her personal secret.

"My darling, your brother is-"

"Something’s wrong."

Sitting up abruptly, Solomon looked toward the far distance, with his brows knitted into a tight frown.

"Something is... very wrong."