Snippet #2169571

The slow burn within Karem's glare flared as he tried to find words to express his wrath, failed, and moved to raise his sword instead. He had not been raised to resort to bloodshed so quickly when faced with umbrage, but the situation warranted such action.

Calihal's outward calm only infuriated Karem further. Whatever foreplay the chancellor was playing at, he just wanted to get to the point. Karem had been essentially challenged to this fight, had he not? Or was Calihal truly such a unique mix of cocky and bastard that he had not realized what he was doing? In any case, weapon drawn, Karem was now committed.

With no warning other than the one he had already given, the guardsman flowed smoothly into an offensive stance and slashed his curved blade from Calihal's waist to the opposite shoulder. The high contrast between his skin and clothing made the target easy to see.

"Self defense," breathed Karem shortly, putting all his thunder into his movements. "You threatened the Embassy's senior guardsman, remember? Bad move."

The memory of the short but vehement words that had passed between Calihal and Sylywn earlier that day regarding accusations of murder flashed in his mind. Being too young to remember said events, Karem had no idea what to make of it, and knew only that the bitterness of losing a mate could make one willing to believe anything that would help alleviate some of the suffering. And also that loving another could make one equally biased. Not that this changed Karem's firm belief that the chancellor deserved to have each extremity sliced off and the life bleed out of him. Not at all.

Where Calihal preferred to throw words and shadows at him, Karem decided that the only way to settle this score was man to man. Whether or not it would end in fatality was not important now. In fact, he would prefer to have Calihal feel the pain and live with it. For now. He was ready for the fight and whatever fate it brought.