｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,Nothing better than watching your mates fight it out shirtless.:*:･ﾟ☆

Octavia

I watch my mates train while completing my potions homework for our joint class, it feels like years since I've been to an actual lesson. What with the whole royal meeting, burned one attack and just general skipping to make out with Riven in the closet.

The war games are coming into full effect, not to mention the repercussions are seeping into the other classes. Potions have us working on everything ranging from healing Hygieia potions to explosive FiendFyre. Not to mention our practical magic teacher has been apparently setting up various challenges for us.

The pressure to find Omadas and form Eusebia bonds has increased by tenfold but it's not something you should rush, not that many seem to care. Class has practically become a peacock show as fairies and Dumaris alike show off to find themselves bonded partners for the upcoming battles.

Granted it will make them stronger but they will be bound for life.

Sucks if they get it wrong.

"How have you been princess?" A smooth voice drawls and I look up to see Los joining me on the bench.

"Long time no see," I comment and shuffle some of my school work to the side so he can rest down his training gear.

I eye the way mud, sweat and Helios know what else clinging to the third year's skin, he's panting for breath and desperately chugs down his water.

"Tough session?" I mock amusedly.

He grumbles and rolls his eyes at me, there's something tired and haunted in his eyes.

"Long day." He comments absently and toys with his mate band.

He eye's my paper worker curiously, "What are you working on."

"Potions and royal paper work, not very exciting."

"It's weird to think that you're an actual princess helping to rule our realm." He comments wistfully, giving me a soft smile. "Anything interesting on the docket boss or are you drowning in food ration reports."

I don't like how curious he is.

I think it's sweet, he's trying to be nice.

I glance down at the submission form for trainers under the new war time regime, "Just catching up on paperwork I was supposed to submit yesterday."

The paperwork you told Dowling you had done? Darkling gripes and I tense but a glance at Riven training against Dane with Sky's support from the sidelines has me calming down.

I can do this.

I thought you were proud of my bluff. My voice is less snarky than I would like but I said something to them at least.

The shadows hum and drift back into the recesses of my mind to allow me a moment of peace.

I ignore my sigh of relief at their absence. Baby steps. This is just a small set back.

"Just work for the General." I finally answered Los.

"How's Sam?" I ask, wondering after his mate.

He sighs, "We resolved the whole separation fear of breaking up when he leaves Alfea but with the attack a couple of days ago... he's worried for me. He thinks if I stay at Alfea I'll be forced to conscript."

I pause, stomach churning slightly at the thought.

"I'm sure that won't happen." I console, all the while thinking about if it will. If my mates will be conscripted.

"Eh, you're right." He brushes off his previous concern, "There's no use worrying."

I smile and nod slightly.

"How are those mates of yours?" He asks, wiggling his eyebrows. "If you know what I mean."

A shocked laugh bursts out of me and I swat at his arm, unable to stop my laughter. Dolos protests and mock defends himself and my cheeks begin to hurt with the size of my smile, my breath coming in slight pants as we giggle and slap each other.

"Pixie?" An awkward voice asks and I freeze, pinning Dolos on his back with his arm in my grasp to stare at my mate.

"Hi." I say somewhat embarrassed before squawking as Los manages to flip us over and my back crashes against the grass.

I let out a dramatic groan as he stands and brushes himself off, greeting Riven with a smile as the pair stare down at me as I lay splayed out on the floor.

I can't be bothered moving.

Too much effort.

"Octa." Sky's worried voice calls and I tilt my head back to see him striding towards me, a worried frown adorning his face.

I smile at him, sitting up to dust myself off as Riven flops down beside me, sprawling onto his back as he clasps his hands behind his head.

"Hi babe," I smile up at Sky as he blocks the sun from my view, his frown replaced by a relaxed look.

"You had me worried for a second." He murmurs gently, lowering himself to the ground on my left before glancing up at the older specialist. "Long time no see, Los. How's the mate."

We all ignore the sharp reminder for Los to back off.

"Overprotective." he smirks, Riv and I share a look when Sky merely nods and smiles back. Sky really has upped his protection game, it's currently endearing but I have fears it'll get suffocating.

Who am I kidding? I love that shit.

A mate willing to kill a pack of Burned Ones for me? Sign me up.

My spine tingles as soft lips place kisses along the side of my neck, moving slowly to gently nibble just below my ear. I gasp in delight at the sensation, leaning back into Riven's arms as he cradles my back against his front.

"Were you enjoying the show earlier, Pixie?" He rasps.

Yes, yes I was. Nothing better than watching your mates fight it out shirtless.

"You stopped the show early." I pout in complaint, watching as Sky and Los converse tensely.

He hums, sliding his arms around my waist, "We can give you a private show if you'd like."

I grin in delight.

"I would like you to get back to training." Andreas drawls and Riven freezes behind me, I turn to roll my eyes as the scowling figure. "Unless you plan to scare the Burned Ones away with bad flirting."

I quickly twist round to plant a kiss on Riv's cheek before rising to my feet as Sky comes to stand by our side as Dolos takes that as his cue to back away. He stares at his father with some uncertainty but the emotion is hidden beneath a calm mask.

"Sky," Andreas nods to his son in greeting before addressing all three of us. "I want the three of you leading some goblin simulations, then we'll move onto the lower level demons. I don't want us caught out again."

We nod at his command.

"Beatrix is getting the simulation crystals set up but you'll need to run through Cave Goblin procedure for those who haven't studied them in class yet."

"What about the demons?" I ask, thinking through the various lower level nuisances that occasionally appear on our radar.

"You won't get to practical training against them today but give them all a heads up, we don't have time for surprise sessions. I want them studying and revising methods of attack from tonight onwards."

We stare at each other for a moment, registering the shift of power. It's our time now. This is our war now as well, our generation's.

It's time to start acting like it.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

The group of first years before me is terrifyingly shit.

Like.... They would die in seconds. Now I understand they are first years, and I understand they are learning, but they have also been here over two months and half of the tasks I have given them require common sense and logic.

For example, when your commander dumps you in the middle of goblin territory with no weapons or maps as a tracking exercise your first response should be to look around your surroundings, gauge the area and scout for locations and weapons. It should not be to panic and run around like a headless chicken straight into the cave filled with goblins when you see one footprint.

Because that would be suicide.

As I explained to the first year now sulking at the side.

Sky and share a pitiful look as he leads his group over to our simulation section to observe the finally decent specialists sparring against a group of five fake goblins. I can't stop the smile from creeping on my face as the warmth of Sky's body seeps into mine as we stand side by side and observe the different groups going up against the crystals' simulations.

"What happened to half your group?" I murmur out the corner of my mouth to Sky as I take in the mud soaked second years. They look like they took a bath in a pig sty. My mate sighs heavily and mutters unintelligibly under his breath. "What?" I question.

"They were really pissing me off and not taking the task seriously so I twisted the simulation to give them a little..." He trails off at my raised brow but is mercifully saved from my questions by the arrival of Riven as he seemingly abandons his group in the care of General Beatrix, and in helios' name does that woman give commands like she was born to do so. I should really take a picture of her right now, with her french braids, metal battle boots, jeans and bomber jacket. Bea would be so pissed if I didn't get-

"Stop looking at my sister with 'fuck me' eyes." Sky grumbles.

"Believe me, if Beatrix and I were both gay I would have wifed her delicious ass years ago."

Sky lets out a disgusted whine while Riv bursts out laughing, staring at me with bright eyes and I relish in the life held in his gaze.

"I would pay good money to see the two of you-"
"Riven, No! Please don't!" Sky cuts him off and I take one look at Riv's shit eating grin and double over laughing.

I hear laughter beside me and I can't help the tears that stream down my cheeks as Riv and I stare at each other, both doubled over and gasping for breath as giggles continue to escape us. Snorts of laughter quickly fill the air as Sky continues to huff and sigh and roll his eyes at us.

"We are supposed to be professional." Sky hisses but I can see the amusement lining his face. "We are literally supposed to be commanding these specialists and the two of you are acting like children."

He finishes his complaint by swatting at Riven who only cackles louder at his protest. I can feel my cheeks begin to hurt but I master myself enough to straighten up, even if I can't stop the occasional hiccuping giggle as I see Sky fight his own smile.

Sky stares at me, something adoring and quiet in his gaze that has me calming down and Riven straightening up. That look. That look in his eyes, what is it?

"Will you stab me if I ask you on a date?" He whispers with a rueful smile, "A proper date. Not just these fun little dalliances we have been doing."

My eyes water and my throat clogs up. Helios, I wasn't expecting to be so overcome by emotion. I shakily nod but my gaze drifts to Riven whose resolutely staring at the specialists we're training. A small hum from Sky brings my attention back to him as he brushes a strand of hair from my face before turning slightly to look at Riven from the corner of his eyes.

The two stare out in opposite directions, each pretending the other isn't looking at them. I watch silently as Sky gently grip's Riv's wrist over the archery guard, causing the brunette to freeze and swallow audibly.

"I thought we could take the horses somewhere." Sky murmurs, voice low as he whispers into the shell of Riven's ear. "You still haven't properly introduced us to Wisp."

Ah yes, the stampeding horse. Darkling sniggers and I ignore him with a huff.

The one that crushed my mate.

I'm going to have words with that damn thing.

I bet you are.

Riv nods shakily and I smile at them both finally starting to get on. Well.... Get on in that way I suppose. The friend zone between the two of them was killing me. Maybe Sky will finally grow some balls and make a move on Riv. I hope so. I'm kind of assuming that's why he hasn't slept with me, us, he's waiting for Riven. Unless he's trying to be chivalrous and do the whole courting thing first which is partially redundant because if memory serves, Sky is not a gentleman in bed.

Thank fuck for that.

"Yeah." Riven's hoarse voice whispers, "I'd like that."

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

"Princess."

"General."

There's silence over the line for a long moment and I take the time to stare out at my mates training before me. The simulations went as shit as expected. There were a few surprising successes, but apparently, according to my mates, there wasn't enough action for it to have been interesting. So of course the next logical move was for my boys to train against each other again. Shirtless. With muscles rippling as they tackle each other across the platform in the silence of the evening.

"I heard about the attack." Lykos whispers and there's such remorse and guilt in his voice that I can't stop my tears from welling, choosing to focus on the bickering voices before me as my mates try to gain the upper hand over the other. "I'm sorry for the losses."

I hum, "yeah, well, it shouldn't have happened."

"I agree, you should have never been in that position-"

"But I was." I cut off his gentle tirade. "I was."

He was silent for a moment.

"This is the one part of the job that no one can teach you. Yet it was the most important lesson you could learn."

Condescending arsehole.

"Yes, it is a hard lesson." I answer, thinking through the many lessons Lykos has taught me over the years. "But our information was wrong."

Silence.

"The reports said there were only three in the Alfean area." My voice is calm and steady but anyone can tell I'm shaking with rage. "Yet we were faced with not only over ten Burned Ones but a horde of Cave goblins."

He sucks in a sharp breath.

"Cave Goblins, Lykos." I snarl, losing all pretence of calm. "They are supposed to be extinct."

"This is the kind of talk to have over the phone-"

"Then we shall talk tomorrow." I command and relish in his shocked pause. "Or am I guess your surprise inspection wrong?"

"How did-"

"Please, we both know you want to scope out Andreas on the Queen's behalf." I drawl. "Tomorrow is the first free slot in your calendar, and we both know our not a patient man."

He snarls down the line.

"Careful, princess, your making enemies where you should be making allies."

"Am I?" I question in mock shock. 

"Just bury the hatchet Octavia."

"I don't bury hatchets. I sharpen them."

A sharp sigh echoes down the line. "Don't be so eager to create divides."

"Funny, I remember the battle lines being drawn weeks ago. When you stood against my mates and I, remember?"

"There are no sides in wars like this, Octavia. You know this. We need all the-"

"You have a good day now."

I put the phone down and roll my eyes at his endless lesson. Part of me believes that I'm going through a late teenage rebellion phase where I go against the people who have taught me everything I know. The other part is loving the fact that their own lessons are being turned against them.

It's funny how much information the General keeps secret. Now there is the information that is on a need to know basis and I am still technically a school student and therefore I'm not very high up on the need to know. I stare down at the report in my lap. But not telling your princess and command of defence and foreign affairs that Lord Kástano's nephew was spotted walking around the Aster Dell fields with the heir to the Solarian throne and a changeling? That's a big omission.

What the fuck has my sister got herself into with that boytoy of hers?

I sigh and rise from my place on the bench, cheeks heating as my shirtless mates hop off the platform to greet me with sweaty hugs. I playfully push them away, grinning as they grab their stuff.

"That seemed like an interesting conversation." Riven muses with raised brows.

I roll my eyes, of course they were listening in.

"I'm afraid the two of you are going to have a rough training session tomorrow." They groan in disgust and annoyance, but quickly pause to give Irene and Beatrix a smile as they pass us on their way towards Silva and Andreas who are packing up the last of the equipment.

"I thought the fairies would be joining." Sky comments as I link my arm through his.

"We will," I hum, "But Lykos is a Dumaris, not a fairy. He will be critiquing the things he knows best."

"And are we to be on our best behaviour?" Riv mocks, linking his pinky through mine as we walk.

"Yes you jolly well are." I answer sweetly, smirking at him when he rolls his eyes.

"This isn't a political event." I murmur, sobering up. "I can't pull rank or flaunt power anymore. I need to be the perfect child or problems are going to begin to arise."

"Hey," Sky nudges me, "we'll play nice."

A/N: What would you like to see between Lykos and others?