Gregory woke to a knock on the outer door of the suite. Dia informed them that it was time to get up if they wanted food before they were due at the hall.
Yukiko was the first out of bed. She yawned as she led the way to the armoire. “We’re more rested than most of the others, at least.”
“Except the Shining Light,” Gregory said. “They take small meditative naps while I’m out of the room. The clanless that joined them is doing his best, but it’s obvious that he just started the spirit path.”
“How’s their game going?” Jenn asked.
“The bulk of the fighting will likely go on today. They were far more aggressive than I thought they would be, but for all that, they’re not exposing themselves. It’s going to end up a war of attrition in the woods.”
“How is Hayworth’s side doing?” Yukiko asked as she got dressed.
“They started badly. Their scouts were getting butchered for most of yesterday. They took the opposite stance, though, digging in and creating a hard defense. It’s going to be interesting when Hayworth and Klein come to blows.”
“Oh, good point. Double spatial magi,” Jenn said.
“How’s your game going?”
“Okay, but not great,” Yukiko said. “We’ll go into detail during breakfast. The others will want to hear about it, too.”
Gregory nodded and focused on dressing. On their way downstairs, they greeted Ling and Clover, then found their novice friends waiting for them.
“Breaking routine today?” Gregory asked them. He already knew the answer, as they’d done it before.
“We’re supporting our seniors,” Daciana grinned. “A little less studying this morning is fine to bolster their spirits.”
“We appreciate it,” Yukiko smiled. “Who knows? Maybe your juniors will do the same for you next year.”
“We’ll teach them the ways of the clan,” Victoria said. “Aether will be venerated and his path will be followed as we follow it now.”
“Breakfast should be ready,” Dia said from above them on the stairs.
“We’re going now, Dia,” Gregory said.
Ravol nodded to them as he finished cooking. “Just a minute and I’ll have it ready for you.”
The group thanked him and took their seats.
“As I was telling Greg,” Yukiko said as she sat down, “we knocked out one of the Eternal Flame yesterday. They had him going to the river crossing early, but we’d sent Farin and Jenn that way.”
“It wasn’t Jason, sadly,” Jenn sighed. “It didn’t cost us many troops, either— he had conscripts only. It must have been someone they’d just added. They were probably going to use him as an early warning of the flank.”
“I remember hearing the scream,” Gregory chuckled.
“We pulled them back, but set a chain of hounds down that flank to give us warning if they moved in force,” Yukiko said. “We’ve been building up heavy cavalry. They don’t have the same area damage or denial that Nick’s team had.”
“And a few archers,” Clover added. “We’re also putting money aside so we can add Ling in for the last game.”
Ling smiled at her. “Focus on this game, first. I don’t need to play at all.”
“If one of us gets knocked out, we’ll still bring you in next,” Yukiko said. “We’d like all of us…” She paused, giving Gregory an apologetic look. “All of us, who are allowed to play, to get the chance to hone their mind.”
“I’m honing mine by seeing what everyone else is doing,” Gregory said. “I think about what I would do or argue for if I was playing.”
“A good use of the time,” Dia said. “Do you think the other coordinators are?”
Gregory hesitated, considering it. “I think Mavic might be. James… maybe? James might approach you, or he might not. He asked about the clan, but seemed to back off when I told him the clan requirement.”
“I will speak to any of them, but yes, they must have faith,” Dia replied sadly. “It’s why we never had more than a few novices or apprentices at a time. Since the solstice is past, we’d take them to the tea house to see if they are determined or not.”
“Belief in Aether is required,” Yukiko said softly, her eyes on the women across from her.
“Breakfast,” Ravol said as he pushed a cart over to the table.
~*~*~
Klim gave him a nod when he entered the room. “Good morning, Pettit.”
“Magus Klim, good morning to you, too.”
“Do you think you’d be interested in another sparring match before the end of the year?” Klim asked with a smirk.
Gregory chuckled at her. “I would be glad to test myself against you again, but my clan would need to approve. It would also require that you were free during our week off.”
“If your clan approves and that can be arranged, your answer is yes?” Klim asked with a wider smile.
“Why?” Gregory asked her back.
“Because you’re the most talented fighter with the naginata I’ve ever faced,” Klim said. “I enjoy the challenge you present. I’d gladly face either armsmaster, as well, but getting them to agree is far harder. Besides, you’ll face me with all five weapons, which helps me stretch my skill with them, too.”
“You’ve always been helpful and forthright with me, Magus. If it’s all agreed to, then yes, I will. Hopefully this time, there won’t be a sleet storm to ruin our footing.”
Klim laughed ruefully. “There is that. I was mollified that it wasn’t just me that had that happen to them.”
Gregory rubbed at the back of his head, a sheepish smile in place. “Yeah. I felt bad that Egil won that way. I should offer to face him again, too.”
“I’ll speak with him,” Klim said. “Then again, maybe your clan will win this tournament, and then you’ll get the chance to face him many times.”
“Perhaps,” Gregory conceded.
The sound of people stopped Gregory from adding more. A moment later, Klein led his group into the room, exchanging greetings with them.
When the sounds of the fourth bell died off, Klim cleared her throat. “The game resumes now. Nilum, off to your room.”
The part-weasel eurtik bowed his head to Klim. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Did you join their clan?” Gregory asked, catching sight of the emblem on Nilum’s kimono.
“Last night,” Klein answered.
“Congratulations,” Gregory said.
“Thank you,” Nilum replied with a smile on his lips. “I’m very happy to be given the chance.”
Klim cleared her throat, and Nilum rushed out of the room.
“Sorry, Magus,” Gregory said, bowing to her. “That was my fault.”
“No harm done,” Klim said. “Let the game commence.”
~*~*~
Gregory knew the turn would likely be contested, but he wasn’t positive, so he waited for James. Standing there, he caught sight of movement from the corner of his eye, and turned to face the stairs. He met Fureno’s eyes as the upset man came stomping down from the floor above.
“Pettit,” Fureno sneered. “At least they know not to let a potential cheater into the tournament.”
“Potential cheater?” Gregory laughed. “Ah, I see your clan is still out of touch with reality. Some of us don’t try to cheat, trick, or murder our way to the top.”
Fureno’s eyelid twitched as he advanced on Gregory. “What are you insinuating?”
“Me? Nothing. Nothing at all.”
Snorting, Fureno went to shove past Gregory, but stumbled and nearly fell when Gregory stepped aside. Falling to his knee, Fureno started to snarl at Gregory, but saw James in the hall and snapped his mouth shut. With a sneer, he got back to his feet and stalked off to the other end of the hall, taking the stairs down to the ground floor.
“What was that all about?” James asked when he got closer to Gregory.
“I think he just got knocked out of the game, and well… he takes losing badly. He went to shove past me, but I wasn’t where he thought I was going to be.”
“I saw you sidestep and him stumble,” James said, shaking his head. “Even having seen your foresight during the tournaments, it’s still surprising to see you a second ahead of anyone trying to hit you.”
“It’s been useful,” Gregory nodded. “I think we’re going to have combat this turn. You ready?”
“Oh, yes,” James said as he opened the folder his notes were in. “Considering where they were last turn, I’d be surprised if there wasn’t combat this turn.”
“Did you want to start?” Gregory asked.
“Sure. Okay, there’s a light foot that comes from this space around this heavy wood— using it to shield them from detection— to this space,” James said, showing him the move.
“Which means they run into Nilum’s men,” Gregory nodded. “Okay, did you want to drag the watchers out here for combat?”
“I prefer that. Otherwise, they’ll argue about it,” James said. “Well, Hayworth’s group might not, but the last group… ugh.”
“I’ll drag the watcher for Nilum out here,” Gregory chuckled. “Be right back.”
~*~*~
Hours later, the real combat was about to get underway. Gregory had his notes in order and Klim with him when he stepped into the hall. “I don’t think the game will continue too far past this, unless Hayworth’s team has surprises hidden.”
“Do you think that’s likely?” Klim asked as they waited in the hall.
“As much as I disliked him during the novice year, I can say he’s intelligent. He seems receptive to learning and changing, so yes, I expect him to have some surprises. The question becomes, will it be enough?”
“We’ll find out shortly.”
Someone coming down the stairs got their attention and they turned to find Yukiko, Farin, Petak, and another of the Eternal Flame coming their way.
“They won’t last,” Petak snickered. “You fell easily to that trap.”
Yukiko and Farin didn’t reply to Petak, but Yukiko gave Gregory an apologetic smile as she came closer. “Jason is their last commander. Jenn and Clover are still in it.”
“Telling him won’t help them any, unless he’s going to try sneaking them a message,” Petak sneered.
“My clan doesn’t need to cheat to beat the Eternal Flame,” Gregory said with a smile. “I think we’ve proven that repeatedly.”
Petak grimaced, then pushed past Yukiko and Farin. He stormed off with his clanmate following him.
“Their clan really does hate you,” Klim said idly. “How is the game, Farin?”
“Good, Magus. I’ll be surprised if our team doesn’t win before the end of the day.”
“Good. Maybe you’ll see our clan for the last match,” Klim said. “Go rest. You look like you could use a nap.”
“Thank you, Magus,” Farin said.
Gregory gave Yukiko’s hand a quick squeeze as she passed him. “Rest, dear one. Our wife will win for us.”
“I know she will,” Yukiko smiled. “See you later.”
“Yes.”
James stepped into the hall, then paused to let Yukiko and Farin pass. “Oh, you already have your watcher. Let me get theirs. I’ll be right back.”
~*~*~
Gregory yawned, stretching as he walked beside his wives and friends. “The last game is going to be rough. Klein had a hell of a strategy to fight Hayworth. It cost them a lot… I wasn’t expecting Klein to call for reinforcements during the last round. That’ll mean it’s him and another for the Shining Light in the last round.”
“We got Ling in just before the end,” Jenn said. “That leaves me nearly done, Clover at half, and Ling full. Jason didn’t try to save any of his men— he pushed all the buffs he could onto his men to gut us at the end.”
“That’s how his clan is,” Yukiko said. “We made it to the top three again. Even if we lose the last game, we did well.”
“We did. The Eternal Flame is out of the Empire’s Gambit tournament, at least,” Clover grinned.
“Shining Light and one other clan,” Ling murmured.
“Iron Hand is one of them,” Gregory said. “Klim told Farin that he might face them in the last round.”
“And the Hardened Fist won their game earlier, so it’s those two against each other?” Yukiko half-asked. “That’ll be a brutal game.”
“Considering the history between them, yes,” Gregory nodded. Yawning again, he shook his head. “We have a couple of days off, at least. Farin will be over the day after tomorrow to talk strategy.”
“I’m glad we bring food with us,” Clover said. “I’d be starving, otherwise.”
Ling chuckled, nudging Clover with her hip. “You need to slow down when you eat, as it is. You shoved that whole piece of jerky into your mouth earlier.”
Clover blushed, covering her face with her hands. “I said I was sorry…”
Jenn snickered. “It was amusing, Clover, but she is right. Slowing down would be good.”
“There aren’t many times when you should shove an entire length of meat into your mouth,” Yukiko said with a mischievous smile, her eyes on Jenn.
Now, Jenn’s face heated, and she looked away from Yukiko.
Ling caught the byplay and bit her lip to stop from laughing.
“We’ll get a little more sleep than last night, but not a lot more if we want to keep to our normal schedule,” Gregory said, not wanting to touch the last conversation.
“And we should,” Ling said, quick to agree with Gregory. “It’ll be harder for Clover and I, but it’s better for us in the long run.”
“Agreed,” Clover said, nodding. “Third bell, wake up for breakfast.”
“We should have two or three days off before we go into the last game,” Yukiko said. “We’ll make sure we rest up before then.”
