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Swords

Lord King Marac Tor Paeonia had many things. He had his kingdom, of course, and his castle. He had great lands and wonderful subjects. He had peace. He had pretty much everything a king could want - everything a man could want.

Though he just did not have the patience for Minewin Devereny half the time. Whatever Minewin was - and that was still a nagging question though Marac didn't assume he'd ever get an answer because honestly, he was fairly sure he should have figured it out by now - he got bursts of energy that were just... impossible.

And they were generally used for ridiculous things, like reading for two days straight in the castle library while perched on top of a bookcase and making the aged librarians nervous. Or taking a tour of the town and stopping in every single shop to look at every single thing. But not buying anything, because Minewin never seemed to need much and certainly never bought anything to offer to the gods.

Minewin visited on the whims of his master, which were frequent yet unpredictable. Marac's advisers had suggested that perhaps Minewin either properly join his military or court or perhaps not visit as often, publicly, or intimately as he tended to.

Marac didn't much care about that. There were no political maneuvers afoot. He and Minewin were good friends, often bedmates, and a good match in general. It mattered not that Minewin served a different lord.

"I could get you some real ones," Minewin offered as he half-dragged Marac along through the deepest part of the castle armory where the truly unique weapons were kept. Most were artifacts of earlier times and not to be used in random battle. They were swords of Lord King Night and others. Queen Lupasika's sword hung there. A bow said to belong to Ko'al James rested on a worn cushion.

"Real ones?" Marac questioned. Now he had to doubt the authenticity of what had been around for thousands of years?

"I really doubt that's Ko'al James's bow," Minewin replied as he leaned to brush the dust off the little plate describing the piece. "He wasn't much of an archer. But his swords are pretty common. He used a lot--"

"Minewin, did you just say Ko'al James's swords are common?" Marac half-mumbled. Oh, of all the things, Minewin apparently also knew a great warrior who'd been dead for the last few thousand years.

"I could get you one," Minewin said firmly. "Wouldn't take too terribly long, though--"

"Where would you be getting it from?" Marac questioned. "You can't tell me that you know Ko'al James. He's been dead for thousands of years."

Minewin just smiled a little half-mad smile that made Marac want to groan.

"Why don't you tell me what else is wrong with the castle collection?" Marac asked. "Then you can worry about getting me proper relics."

"Well, I don't know most of the Eastern Kings," Minewin admitted. "Night... I should be able to talk to a few people? Not as easy as it could be, but I think I can do it. I'm trying to remember what I've heard about his swords."

"Heard?"

"Read?" Minewin answered, almost covering for himself. "I'll have to go shopping. Um..."

He turned quickly, looping.

"How about Daryn?" he asked after a moment of surveying. "He was here quite a bit. He's been here recently?"

"Yes," Marac replied. He definitely hadn't mentioned that. But Minewin had an annoying bit of magic about him, too. "I suppose a sword of his would be proper. He's quite familiar with the castle."

Minewin offered a little smile and then silently kept appraising. The only thing he really said for the next few minutes was 'Need to go shopping...'

The next day, when Marac woke, Minewin was already gone. There was a note, of course, though Minewin returned before long.

"We'll see," he said. "I don't know if that will work."

Marac was fairly sure that Minewin was so well-liked by the general Mana Corani populace because he wore black and carried himself in a way that apparently reminded some of the elders of Lord King Night. Marac had no idea if that latter part was true - much like Ko'al James, Night had been dead for thousands of years.

Minewin brushed off the comments with soft refusal. Night had no children. Though he likely had blood from another branch of the family, yes - not a lot, but his coloring did suggest it... He downplayed the skills he showed off for Marac. And Marac didn't know which side of Minewin was real and which was just a front. Maybe both. Maybe neither.

Something had always felt a little strange about Minewin. But there just didn't seem to be any way to question him in a way that wouldn't come across as wanting to know too much. Their silent understanding of one another had always been important, too. Minewin seemed to like how he didn't push.

But dammit--

Three days after Minewin returned to the West, the first sword appeared on the castle altar to the Goddess Daria. It was beautiful, weighted exquisitely and deadly sharp. There was a note attached that explained exactly which battle Ko'al James had used it in.

Marac didn't disbelieve, of course, but he took the sword carefully to the library and found an account of the battle that described the sword in enough detail that Marac was sure that he'd been given a priceless gift.

The second sword arrived the next day, from the altar of the Lifegod Dayn. It was one of Lord General Daryn's - newer and with a note in Daryn's own hand asking that it be hung beside a sword of Night's.

The third sword was short and belonged to Saydhe. It was imperfect and well-used. There was no note beyond the description.

The next was a sword of Daria's own, which arrived wrapped in thick black material that made Marac yearn for Minewin and some explanation beyond vague offers and a need for shopping.

And then there were three more swords, all Night's, all with notes from Daria verifying that they were Night's and wondering why they weren't in the castle to begin with. Though her notes seemed playful and like they might be hinting at something more in the world.

Swords arrived so abundantly that they no longer could be kept in the depths of the armory. Instead they were mounted and displayed throughout a hallway, along with the prized Nightstar art collection. The swords were as much art as anything, and the notes and descriptions that went along with them were true gems. Daria's sword was mounted with the black fabric wrapped half around it.

In all, more than fifty weapons appeared over the span of two months. It was a treasure beyond anything Marac had ever imagined. No gold or jewels would ever match the weapons now hanging in his palace. Though he put the swords of the Eastern Kings on display, too. Including Queen Lupasika's.

Minewin came back around about a week after the last sword appeared. His hair was getting quite long and he looked good. He'd obviously been getting a lot of sun and had obviously been in Marac's bedroom for a couple of hours, judging by how he'd taken off all his clothing and cocooned himself into the bed.

"Minewin?"

Minewin stirred and smiled as he opened his eyes. "They said you had a late meeting. Figured I'd rest up."

Marac chuckled. He was fairly sure Minewin didn't actually need rest but was just killing time.

"Hey," Minewin continued, fighting off a yawn. "I totally forgot to ask the servants I was talking to -- did anyone send a sword?"

Marac did not have anything for Minewin Devereny. And he was fairly sure he liked it that way.