It took Millie a few minutes to realize Lek had no idea who Tria was. "Lek, this is Tria, my soon-to-be apprentice. Tria, this is my brother Lek."

"Apprentice? What about Pinja?" Lek asked, startled.

"Uh, nice to meet you." Tria said awkwardly.

In reply to Lek Gerthrim (msg # 292):

"Pinja doesn't wish to be my apprentice any more. I don't think she wants to face anyone nor risk being face to face with any men who come in."

Lek's shoulders slumped. "What is she going to do?" He asked.

"I don't know that she has decided yet."

"I wish I could help her." Lek said, his eyes shining with a pain deeper than the wounds he sustained from the duel.

"We can't help her if she doesn't want it."

Lek looked down and wiped his eyes, fighting back tears.

Millie doubted it would ever happen, but she truly wished Lek would open his heart to someone else. He deserved better than this.

"You'll want to keep these cuts clean and watch out for infection, but you'll live." Difyr said, starting to feel guilty for not giving him something for the pain before giving him stitches when she noticed his tears.

Lek looked at the stitches, he hoped the scars would make him look tough but his heart sunk even more as he knew it wouldn't help him with Pinja. He slowly stood up.

"Come on, I'll walk you to the barracks."

Lek shook his head. "I have to report to Wulfsen now."

"Oh, all right. I'll see you tomorrow then," Millie replied, heading back to the main hall.

In reply to Millicent Gerthrim (msg # 305):

"Good night, Millie." Lek said and headed for the War Room.

Tria watched them go, then decided to follow Lek.

Lek had earned some respect by defeating Edgar, though he still sensed a few of the men sniggering behind their helms at him. He obeyed Wulfsen's orders by not challenging anyone to any duels and resisted looking for fights, ignoring the whispered jests from the few remarking on him loving a soiled woman who didn't love him back.
The upside to the duel was that Edgar stayed away from Millie, and Lek now had scars. He knew they upset his mother and Millie was not happy about how he got them, but they made him feel more like a man. He thought he started growing chest hairs immediately after the duel.
Today he trained with his shirt tucked into his belt. Not just to display the scars but because he was sweating freely. He carried two heavy iron bars in each fist as he started his run up the winding stairs of Thorn Tower, then back down. He ran across the outer bailey to Garden Tower, then up and down those stairs. Then across the outer bailey to Wolf Tower, up and down those winding stairs. Then across the outer bailey to Thorn tower. He would make this circuit several times each day.
The running gave him time to think. At first he had been relieved to learn that Wulfsen would not be traveling so he would stay in the keep, near Pinja. But since Pinja was afraid so Lek stayed away from her, it only made him feel more useless. He had messed up so badly with Pinja, proposing marriage was the worst mistake he had ever made. At least before they were friends, she may have eventually recovered enough from the attack for them to still be friends and possibly he could have earned her love. But instead he stupidly rushed things and offered to marry her, and that scared her so badly she did not want him anywhere near him. Now there was nothing he could do for her. He had lost her forever.
At least with him sweating so heavily no one could tell why his eyes were tearing.
Lek was starting to get thirsty so after descending from Thorn Tower he headed to the spring in the garden for a drink.

Xyla strolled into the garden, mindful of the guard Wulfsen had ordered to watch over her. At least he was keeping a good distance. She heard metallic sounds and looked in the direction of her guard, who wasn't moving and then around. Xyla stilled when she spotted the young shirtless man obviously training alone.

Lek set the iron bars down on the grass, then knelt beside the spring. He splashed a double handful of water onto his face, then scooped up some water to drink. He debated between running one more lap, or taking the iron bars back to the smithy. After that he planned to visit Millie, torture himself by asking her after Pinja. His face contorted slightly thinking about her. He gulped hard then dashed more water on his face, working on regaining his composure.

Xyla tilted her head slightly, watching him for a few minutes before dragging her attention away. She certainly didn't want him to catch her watching. Xyla plucked a flower before sitting back in the bench, studiously avoiding watching him.

With spring water still running down his face and in his eyes Lek spotted the blond woman sitting on the bench.
"Pinja?" He jumped to his feet, startled. He pulled his shirt from his belt and used it to wipe his face dry. With his vision cleared he could tell it was not Pinja- of course it was not Pinja- it was Wulfsen's sister.
"Oh, Lady De Wolf, excuse me for appearing like this." Lek hastily pulled on his shirt and gave a polite bow.

Xyla lifted her gaze from the flower she was concentrating so hard on. "Oh, please call me Xyla. I dare say I am probably not considered a lady any longer. And you are...Lek if I remember correctly?"

"Yes, I'm Lek." Lek frowned. "Every lady is a lady, especially you."

"Oh, I didn't mean personality wise. Only in the upper levels of society," Xyla said with a blush. "I don't think I have any official title any longer." She smiled at him shyly.