Damask & Deception (Spellbound #2)

Chapter 26: Make It Right

It was amazing what the right pain management could do. Baudwin had marvelled over this every day since Rhiannon had given him the elixir in their chambers. While he still experienced some pain and discomfort, the difference was night and day. He still used the cane, but it was more out of habit than anything else. The limp would never be fully gone, but he could go through his day without constant pain.

Maybe he had done something right for the Gods to send Rhiannon into his life with this blessing. She'd warned him not to overexert himself, and he'd made that mistake a few times, but he quickly learnt his new limits and pushed them as far as he could.

He whistled as he walked down the steps to the undercroft where he had once helped his sister set up a secret training room. This new version of him was still something he was getting used to himself, and he didn't want to make it public until he knew if it would last. So he'd taken to doing his training and exercise down here, away from inquisitive eyes.

As he reached the first chamber with its arched ceilings and wooden beams, he frowned when he heard noises coming from the training room off to the side. A moment later he discovered his sister, Braithe, dressed only in her camisole and hoses, attacking her husband with a quarterstaff.

"I thought the advice was for you to not exercise too vigorously?" He raised an eyebrow at his sister who only gave him a cursory glance before making a swiping movement towards Aurelian who had to quickly parry with his own staff.

She huffed. "I'd hardly call this vigorously. I'm barely moving."

"I'm surprised you're allowing this."

The mocking comment made Aurelian glare at him, the momentary lapse in attention resulting in him being knocked off his feet when Braithe swung low, striking his ankles.

"Oof!" The knight stood back up, rubbing his backside. "Have you tried stopping your sister from doing anything? It's about as easy as catching a wild boar with your hands."

"Are you calling me a pig?" Braithe asked, leaning on her wooden staff, a teasing grin on her lips.

Aurelian grinned back. "A very beautiful pig." He turned back to Baudwin. "Honestly, I'm mainly here so I can catch her if she faints."

"I never fainted!"

The knight evaded a jab from her staff by stepping back two steps. "Of course not. You just fell asleep while standing. And I had to catch you."

Braithe grumbled a little, but didn't argue his point, instead looking at Baudwin. "Anyway, what are you doing down here?"

"I've been coming down to train," he admitted, leaning his cane against a wall before walking over to grab a sword and shield, pretending he didn't notice them staring at him moving about without the aid of his cane.

"Well... This is new." Aurelian leaned back against a stack of crates and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Rhiannon is helping me manage my pain." He hefted the sword, weighing it in his hand, then rolled his shoulders and moved over to a training dummy to land a few easy blows.

"Obviously." The other man chuckled. "Are you sure she's not a witch?"

He smiled over his shoulder. "So she tells me."

"How is she helping? Is it the healing power of lov—Ouch!" Aurelian rubbed his upper arm where his wife had punched it.

"An elixir. Potion. Whatever you want to call it. She says it's something any apothecary could cook up if they knew the ingredients." Baudwin shrugged and turned to look at them since they obviously would not leave him alone. "She knows her herbs, my wife."