James flexed his fingers and exhaled through his mouth, slow and steady. He could do this. It was just like sparring with any other knight. Except this was the leader of the knights group he had looked up to since he was small. Leaving Luna, fighting in far off places, defending the weak as knights of eld had... That had been his dream. He closed his eyes and drew in slow steady, calming breaths.
"When I grow up, I wanna join Bi-zen fort-is too!"
His mom smiled down at him, her chin resting on his head, "Oh? Well then. You have a long way to go before then. You have to get better first and grow juuust a few more inches."
James giggled and leaned back against his mother's chest. "I will! I'll be the strongest some day! You'll see!"
It was a warm memory of a five year old dreaming of joining his idols, a dream crushed a few short years later when he was placed with the Royal guard.
"I know it's not what you were looking forward to, son, but it's still an honor to be chosen." Hadrick rest his hand on James' shoulder, comforting the young boy.
Through his tears James' face settled into steely resolve, "They wouldn't have picked me for the guard if they didn't see something in me right? I'll work hard to prove it to them dad! I'll show them I can live up to your name!"
Every time he had been knocked down, he found the silver lining, stowed away those doubts and the pain to look to the brighter side... until he truly connected the dots.
"The king only put me in the guard to keep me close at hand and out of trouble. They never saw anything in me. I don't deserve to be Enfield's proto- prot- ward." He stumbled over his words.
Merida took the bottle from his hand, "If I ever let him drink with us again please kick my ass... poor kid." She gently pulled the blanket off the couch and draped it over him. "Don't worry about it James. You'll miss out on the rest of life if you only focus on your career path."
But that was a doubt he had his whole life, ever since finding out the truth and finally connecting those damn glaring dots. And he felt he proved that nagging doubt right, time and time again. The only expectation that had been there for him was to stay near by. Spare parts waiting in the wing.
And today, he was going to prove to that nagging voice in his head that it was wrong, by holding his own against the leader of Bisen Fotis. He cracked his knuckles and took up the practice glaive at his feet. "Let's do this!"
"When I grow up, I wanna join Bi-zen fort-is too!"
His mom smiled down at him, her chin resting on his head, "Oh? Well then. You have a long way to go before then. You have to get better first and grow juuust a few more inches."
James giggled and leaned back against his mother's chest. "I will! I'll be the strongest some day! You'll see!"
It was a warm memory of a five year old dreaming of joining his idols, a dream crushed a few short years later when he was placed with the Royal guard.
"I know it's not what you were looking forward to, son, but it's still an honor to be chosen." Hadrick rest his hand on James' shoulder, comforting the young boy.
Through his tears James' face settled into steely resolve, "They wouldn't have picked me for the guard if they didn't see something in me right? I'll work hard to prove it to them dad! I'll show them I can live up to your name!"
Every time he had been knocked down, he found the silver lining, stowed away those doubts and the pain to look to the brighter side... until he truly connected the dots.
"The king only put me in the guard to keep me close at hand and out of trouble. They never saw anything in me. I don't deserve to be Enfield's proto- prot- ward." He stumbled over his words.
Merida took the bottle from his hand, "If I ever let him drink with us again please kick my ass... poor kid." She gently pulled the blanket off the couch and draped it over him. "Don't worry about it James. You'll miss out on the rest of life if you only focus on your career path."
But that was a doubt he had his whole life, ever since finding out the truth and finally connecting those damn glaring dots. And he felt he proved that nagging doubt right, time and time again. The only expectation that had been there for him was to stay near by. Spare parts waiting in the wing.
And today, he was going to prove to that nagging voice in his head that it was wrong, by holding his own against the leader of Bisen Fotis. He cracked his knuckles and took up the practice glaive at his feet. "Let's do this!"