#heehoeoheeohe

[one-leaf-grimoire]

knight au ➼ chapter 16

warnings ➼ none

synopsis ➼ The Black Bulls and CLK have a joint training session. Julius holds a meeting and is confronted by Augustus

ao3 link (18+ content) ➼ here

masterlist ➼ here

author’s note ➼ I am really excited about the next few chapters! Also, this chapter features Wraith, and OC who belongs to @hobgobbin

“Come on! Are you really that out of practice?”

Lisa waved her hand, dismissing the worry, her breaths about four seconds behind her racing heartbeat. “I-I’m fine-” she managed to say, her lungs feeling like two deflated balloons. They had only been in this joint training session for 15 minutes, and she was starting to get tired. Damn it! She thought, frustrated. All that time doing nothing while I was injured hurt my stamina. She drew in one more deep breath before straightening up again. This is what I get for being reckless, I guess.

Sei watched Lisa recover, blinking a few times in the bright sunlight. Suddenly, someone bumped into him, sending him stumbling a few feet. “Hey! Watch it!” he snapped, looking up to see Finral Roulecase, one of the knights from the Black Bulls squad, on the ground where he had fallen. The Crimson Lions were conducting a joint training session with the Black Bulls, hoping to foster more unity between sects of the organization. The Black Bulls did not have the… best reputation, but they were getting along with Sei’s squad.

“S-Sorry, Sir!” Finral stuttered, jumping to his feet before turning angrily to his opponent. “Asta! Maybe hold back a little?”

The short, grey-haired kid gave his senior a goofy smile. “SORRY! I’ll try! It’s hard to hold back with this ol’thing!” He swung his gigantic black claymore over his shoulder, letting out a loud laugh. Sei couldn’t help but stare at it for a moment. Fuegoleon’s greatsword, the Leo Rugiens, was dwarfed by that thing. It wasn’t the biggest he had ever seen, but for a claymore, it was monstrous. Yeesh. He seems too short to wield a sword like that.

“OUCH! Hey, what was that for, you twerp!”

“AH! I’m sorry!”

Sei turned around to see a tall, brown haired Black Bull marching towards Leo, Fuegoleon’s younger brother, with fury in his eyes. There was a bruise upon his cheek, where Leo had hit him with the blunt side of his blade, but the younger boy seemed to be more terrified of his foe. Sei quickly moved between them, sensing that this could get ugly. This is Gauche Adlai, right? He thought, glad to see that Guache halted at the sight of the senior knight. “Hey! You two, you’re not actually supposed to kill each other during this practice. It’s practice after all, right?”

Gauche scoffed, rolling his eyes before turning away. “Whatever. I’m not the one who hit me in the face with a sword.”

Sei wanted to deck the guy in the face, but held himself back. Instead, he just sighed and turned to scowl at Leo. “It was an accident! He was strongarming my blade, and it slipped-”

“I know, I know.” Sei patted the boy on the shoulder. “Go switch out with Finral and fight Asta. The poor guy needs a break.”

Leo’s eyes lit up. “Yessir!” he shouted before running off to face the other energetic boy.

Geez, I wish Fuegoleon didn’t have that stupid meeting, Sei thought to himself, crossing his arms before turning to survey the scene once again. The air was full of the sound of blades clacking and knights grunting. But among the sounds of fighting, there was also laughter and happy chatter, despite the occasional sore loser. It’s only me looking after this bunch. Yami’s at the same meeting, after all.

......................................

“This is supposed to be Patri? Doesn’t look like him at all…”

Yami Sukehiro, captain of the Black Bulls, chewed on his pipe as he stared down at the paper he had just received, along with the 8 other captains. This meeting had only just begun, but he was already tired of it. Joint training is today, he thought. I wish I could beat up some of those Crimson Lions along with my squad…

“Trust me, this is accurate.” Yami looked back up as Julius spoke. He was standing at the head of the table, crown and cape discarded in favor of a more casual outfit. The older man looked troubled, but determined to set a plan in motion that would end the threat posted by Patri and his followers. “I saw him with my own eyes, after all.”

Yami raised an eyebrow. “Even the pointy ears? He looks like an elf.”

“Yes, even the ears.” Julius sighed. “He was experimented on and tortured while in captivity. Subjected to things that… changed his very body.” His brow furrowed, his heart pained by the thought.

“...that’s the reason why he wanted to hand you over? To gain his freedom?” Charlotte Roselei, captain of the Blue Roses, asked, her eyes lingering on the picture. “Why didn’t Diamond just send one of their own assassins?”

“They’d rather have someone else do their dirty work,” Fuegoleon answered before Julius could answer. “It’s cruel… but that doesn’t forgive his actions.” Under the table, he clenched his fist. Because of Patri, Lisa and Sei both got hurt. I could have lost both of them. I’m thankful that it wasn’t more serious, but still… It would have hurt to see someone as young and promising as Lisa be killed, and Fuegoleon couldn’t even begin to comprehend how he would suffer if he lost Sei.

“...If his goal is truly to escape Diamond for good… then why don’t we just extend a pardon?”

Everyone’s heads snapped towards William, who sat at the other head of the table. As the captain of the Golden Dawn, the most decorated and illustrious squad in the Kingdom, he was highly respected by all, but right now the others weren’t sure that they believed he would suggest that.

Julius sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.

Patri…

He couldn’t help but remember the day Patri joined the squad, alongside William, Yami, Nacht, and Morgen. They were all so bright-eyed, so eager to prove themselves.

I failed all of them… in the end, I couldn’t protect Morgen, and I let Patri be taken away.

“It’s more than just escaping Diamond… Patri blames his pain entirely on me.”

As he should.

“To him, as long as this Kingdom survives, with me at the helm, his pain will never be avenged. This is larger than just me and him… we can’t let him continue. A pardon will do nothing but add insult to injury.”

Opening his eyes, Julius stared out at the captains, determination gripping his heart.

That’s right… I can’t let myself wallow in guilt. There are too many people depending on me, I can’t give up. I’m not innocent, but neither is anyone else.

And besides…

Lisa looked so beautiful in the moonlight.

I have a future now. One I need to preserve.

“You will make sure that your squads are all familiar with this man’s face. He can’t leave this kingdom, he has nowhere else to go. We know the names and faces of a few of his associates, as well, so it won’t be long before we corner the Eye of the Midnight Sun.”

The captains nodded, eager to find the man who had almost robbed them of their King.

“Julius! One moment!”

Julius turned around from where he had been saying goodbye to the captains as they filtered out of the conference room and left down the hall. Now, none other than Augustus was waddling towards him, beckoning him away from the door.

“Yes, of course.”

Julius quickly moved to meet the man. “How are you?”

“Fine, fine!” Augustus replied quickly. He seemed to be rushing to get to some point, almost too jovial. “Even better, now that I have a moment to chat with you!.” He chuckled, and Julius inadvertently bristled.

...he’s up to something, isn’t he?

“About the ball… I was worried at first about this woman of yours, but after talking to your cousins about her and her family, and then seeing her-” Augustus laughed again. “She was quite enchanting… you’re a lucky man, Julius.”

Julius chuckled nervously, wondering why Augustus had waited almost a week to bring this up. It was true, everything had gone according to plan; at least, that was what Augustus was letting on. Julius couldn’t help but wonder if the man was secretly suspicious still; the thought made his pulse quicken.

If Augustus knows something, then Lisa is in danger-

“In fact, you’re a little too lucky.”

Julius blinked, Augustus’s words grounding him once again. “...what do you mean?”

Augustus narrowed his eyes, twirling his pathetic little beard between two fingers. “I mean, don’t you think it’s improper for you to court a woman more beautiful than the one I am engaged to? I mean, my fiancee is pretty, but like I told you before, she’s tall, and pales in comparison to- er- what was Lady Payne’s first name?”

“...E-Elisabeth-” Julius replied slowly.

“Elisabeth! She’s simply divine… so…” Augustus finally smiled again, deviously. “I propose… the two of us trade. I marry Elisabeth, and you can take my fiancee.”

Julius sucked in a breath, immediately starting to get angry. “Switch? Augustus, that’s absurd-”

“I don’t think it’s absurd!” Augustus interrupted. “It’s more absurd for you to walk around with a pretty young wife on your arm while I’m stuck with a homely spinster!”

“Augustus,” Julius clenched his teeth, willing himself to stay calm. The mere fact that Augustus had been drinking Lisa up that evening like she was some sort of eye candy was enough to make him scream, paired with his willingness to cast aside his own fiancee on a whim. But he couldn’t lose his temper now, not when things were so delicate. “Our relationship is different. It wasn’t arranged, we are in love with each other.”

“That’s not a problem! Listen-” Augustus stepped closer, lowering his voice and reaching up to pat Julius’s shoulder. “It would really only be in name… you can see Elisabeth whenever and wherever you’d like! We would share… That’s what friends do, right? She would belong to you and all that… although...”

Julius looked down to see Augustus lick his lips slowly. It looked like some wretched slug was poking its head out from between his lips.

“She would still be my wife-”

It was instinctual. Julius’s hand reached up and grabbed Augustus’s arm, prying his hand off his shoulder. Augustus yelped at the pressure, trying to yank himself free. But he couldn’t; Julius’s grip was like a vice. Augustus looked up into the man’s eyes, and for the first time in his miserable life, felt true fear.

“...we aren’t friends.”

Julius’s voice was flat in comparison to the anger that swirled within his eyes. He looked down at the little man, and his grip clenched again. Augustus was too scared to cry out.

“Don’t ever bring this up with me again. It’s out of the question. And if I catch you looking at her… well. I’ve killed men for less.”

Julius didn’t want to say anything else, he didn’t even want to be in the man’s presence anymore. His grip loosened, and Augustus took many steps back. The man panted lightly, still in shock of what had just been said to him. But for the first time in his life, Augustus couldn’t find anything to say. He just stood there and watched as Julius stormed off down the hall and out of sight.

Share…

Today had been a relatively good day so far, despite the stressful meeting. Not only did they have to discuss the Eye of the Midnight Sun and Patri, but plans were made for a very important upcoming visit from the royal family of the Spade Kingdom. Everything ended up being squared away, but now Julius’s good mood was ruined.

Share… SHARE?!

He stomped up the stairs to his room, slamming the door behind him. Finally, he had some peace and quiet, but his mind was plagued by the interaction he just had. With a groan, Julius collapsed face-first into his bed, exhausted both mentally and physically.

Not only do I have to protect everyone in this Kingdom, but now I have to protect Lisa from that creep.

Even if everything went well, and Lisa came here to live with him as his wife, she wouldn’t be safe. Not 100%. Julius was never going to forget what Augustus said today.

Maybe I should go see her tonight.

He rolled onto his back, his head turning to look out the window. Seeing her would be the comfort he needed; To know that she was safe in his arms, the only place that he knew he could protect her all the time.

Of course, she didn’t need to be protected all the time, as Lisa often told him herself. She was a knight, after all.

........................................................

“Wraith’s here! Dinner time!”

All the Black Bulls suddenly dropped their weapons and ran to the front door of their barracks, all jostling against each other in the entrance trying to get in. Lisa blinked, standing awkwardly with the other knights from her squad, not sure if they were invited.

“Hold on! There’s enough for everyone! Haha-”

A short man had appeared, dragging a cart behind him, loaded with every vegetable you could imagine. The Bulls obviously all knew who he was as they swarmed around his cart. At one point, he looked up in time to spot the other squad standing there. “You guys come get some, too! You’ve all been working hard, after all.

“Awww we have to share?” the blonde young man with a perpetual smile, Luck, whined. Wraith shot him a warning glance before turning to smile at the Crimson Lions again. “Come on! I just harveseted these this morning. You can stick ‘em on a skewer and roast them over the fire pit if you want.”

“Go on. I’m sure you’re all hungry,” Sei encouraged, and his squad finally moved to join the Bulls around the cart. He smiled a bit before walking up next to Wraith. “Thanks for doing this.”

“No problem, this is supposed to be inter-squad bonding, right?” Wraith said. “There’s no better time to bond than over a meal.”

“Right.”

Lisa smiled to herself as she sat with the others around the fire pit, watching the skin of her sweet potato start to wrinkle as it was roasted. Everyone was in a good mood, still energetic from their vigorous training session. The light from the flames flickered pleasantly across their faces, the sky above them slowly shifting into night.

“Guess who?”

A pair of big hands suddenly reached out of the darkness behind Wraith to cover his eyes. He let out a yelp of surprise. “Yami?”

He turned around and grinned when he saw that Yami was back, a smug smile on his face. “Captain! Welcome back!” the Bulls chorused.

“Here- I saved some for you.” Wraith handed Yami a skewer as the man squeezed in next to him, one of his arms draped casually over the back of Wraith’s seat. “How was the meeting?”

“Boring. And top secret.” Yami winked. “I have news, though. The Grinberyall family is coming to visit this weekend. Something about signing a new defense treaty. But security is going to be tight.” His eyes glinted a bit in the flames as he looked at the faces of all those seated around him.

“The Grinberyalls? All the way from Spade?” Sei repeated in disbelief.

“And their whole court, apparently,” Yami added. “Julius said that each squad should send some knights to help keep everything under control.”

“OOOH! I want to go! Captain! Pick me!” Asta suddenly shouted, raising his hand and nearly bounding out of his seat. His mouth was still full of food.

“...we’ll see.” Yami rolled his eyes, suddenly spotting something interesting. “You there… what’s that creepy thing on your head?”

It took Lisa a moment to realize that she was being spoken to. “H-Huh? Me? OH-” She sat up straight, nearly choking on a bite of sweet potato. “Er- uh- it’s a birthmark- sorry if it’s creepy, sir-”

“Hey! Leave my squad members alone,” Sei cut in, kicking Yami in the leg. “That’s my job.”

“Fine. At ease,” Yami jokingly said, his eyes lingering on Lisa’s mark for a moment longer.

Lisa nodded, quickly redirecting her attention to her sweet potato. As the night went on and the fire dimmed, her mind shifted to a new set of thoughts.

I hope I get to go to the gathering…