#words of radiance
Fandom: Stormlight Archives
Pairing: Kaladin/Adolin
Spoilers: For WoK and WoR
Also on AO3http://archiveofourown.org/works/13169070/chapters/30119982
Chapter 2
“Why didn’t you?” Adolin ground out between clenched teeth. He really wanted to drive his fist into Kaladin’s nose again. Would he have used his full strength if Dalinar had been close to death with no real chance of turning the fight into his favour? But hadn’t that been the case all along? His father’s survival had been as much luck as skill. That and the fact that the assassin hadn’t seen them as threats and not used his full strength. Adolin didn’t want to think about what would have happened if the Assassin in White had attacked them using his full strength, but the ‘what if’s’ were like a loud noise in a cave, echoing for ours whenever he thought about it. He doubted he or his father would still be here in that case. He had been helplessly stuck onto the ceiling. He wondered what would’ve been worse, having to watch his father die, unable to help, or knowing Dalinar had to watch is son die at the hands of the man that already robbed him of his brother.
Adolin’s fury was matched by a determination to do anything to prevent a catastrophe like that from happening, should the Assassin in White return.
He could see Kaladin’s adam’s apple bob as he swallowed, he opened his mouth and closed it again without speaking. Adolin’s scow deepened.
“I am afraid of people finding out about what I can do.”
“So afraid that you couldn’t do your job, what you promised to do, to the best of your abilities?! You might have saved our lives by pushing the assassin along with yourself out the window but if my father hadn’t caught the blade beforehand, instead of letting it split his skull in half there would be nothing left for you to protect because you chose to hide your abilities!” Adolin knew he was raising his voice and possibly alerting any nearby guards or servants but he couldn’t care about that at the moment. He couldn’t care about anything else over the seething anger making his head pound in rhythm with his heart.
Kaladin opened his mouth as if to reply. Probably to deny that he wouldn’t have let Dalinar die, but Adolin didn’t let him speak.
“I don’t care whether or not you want people to know, but you should have told my father about it. You say you won’t be as helpless again should the assassin return? But if you can’t bring yourself to trust my father with this,” Adolin wanted to gesticulate at Kaladin’s now slightly less glowing form and perhaps punch him again for good measure but found his hands still firmly stuck to the ground. “If you can’t bring yourself to tell my father about it, how can I believe you when you say you’ll do your best to protect him?”
“I want to trust him, I want to trust and believe in Dalinar fully, but I can’t let believe and hope guide me. Not again.” For the first time since Adolin met the storming man, Kaladin seemed his age. Younger than Adolin. A young man with brands on his forehead that were put there against his choice. Scarred by the cruelty and corruption of the world. He seemed fragile. It made Adolin feel uncomfortable. His anger was sniffed out like a candle in a Highstorm and he cleared his throat in a useless attempt to dispel some of that uneasiness.
“My father sacrificed his Shardblade for you and your men, he made you a captain! What more do you expect him to do?” He wished the glow around Kaladin’s body was stronger so he didn’t have to see the pain in his face or so he could pretend it was an illusion cast by the Stormlight. He was glad when a glimmer of anger emerged onto the bridgeboy’s face at his words.
“You lighteyes have taken everything from me! This,” Kaladin gestured towards his chest, “is the only thing I have left. I can’t let it be taken as well! I can’t stomach another betrayal.”
“My father won’t betray you!” Now that he no longer wanted to choke the life out of the storming man, he felt exasperated at Kaladin’s words. Dalinar was very likely the most honourable man in all of Alethkar. How could the bridgeboy not trust him after what his father had sacrificed to Sadeas after the betrayal? What man would’ve given a Shard to his enemy?
When he finally spoke, Kaladin’s voice sounded raw, as if he had a hard time saying the words aloud.
“I told Dalinar something. I was convinced to trust him with something that happened. But he didn’t want to know about it. Didn’t want to hear anything bad about another lighteyes. It was my mistake. I was well aware they knew each other. I knew they were friends. I should really know better by now.” Kaladin’s bitter smile looked more like a wavering grimace.
Adolin wanted to deny it. Wanted to stand up for his father. But he couldn’t do so with a clear conscience. Would his father believe a darkeyes that saved his life; a person he promoted to captain without knowing him for even a month or a friend of the same rank, a friend Dalinar had known for far longer? Adolin knew what the answer would be for himself.
He didn’t know what he could possibly say to that. Accuse the birdgeboy of lying? No, this was probably the longest they had ever talked and Adolin felt like Kaladin was telling the truth. Or at least what he felt was the truth. Adolin wasn’t willing to just blindly trust whatever he said. He wanted to ask what the bridgeboy had told Dalinar but it would be a useless question. They didn’t like each other, let alone trust, so what reason should Kaladin have to tell Adolin about it? He probably already regretted saying what he did. Maybe Adolin could somehow ask his father about it without appearing too suspicious
Adolin closed his eyes for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts. He sighed. His evening was supposed to be him relaxing with a glass of yellow wine, not have an emotionally exhausting conversation with the bridgeboy while nearly straddling him.
“Alright. Let’s just assume you had a good reason not to tell anyone about it, not even my father. Or do the best you could,” Adolin took a steadying breath because that part was what bothered him the most and was almost enough to send him tumbling into another rage. “Even though the Stormfather knows how irresponsible that was! What now? I know what you can do.” The bridgeboy’s expression turned a mix between worried and angry and Adolin hastened to add, “I’m not going to tell my father or anyone, unless you give agree or give me reason to. But, I have conditions. I want you to tell and show me everything you can do and know. And I want you to train with me. If the Assassin in White returns or someone else with powers like that comes along I need to be able to fight.”
Kaladin was the perfect training resource for this. And the only real solution for Adolin to learn how to fight against people with the power of Stormlight. He couldn’t risk Kaladin running away or something like that if he told his father about what he found out. There was no doubt that, if Kaladin felt threatened by the truth coming out he could just vanish. Though Adolin doubted the bridgeboy would leave his men behind. But he still could not risk it. He needed Kaladin’s cooperation. Of course, should the bridgeboy give him reason to doubt his loyalty that was a different story entirely.
“Alright.” Was the only thing Kaladin replied, apparently remembering his grim and brooding nature. His customary scowl was already back in place. At least Adolin now had seen proof that the bridgeboy hadn’t been born with that perpetual frown.
“But first, you are going to free my hands from whatever you did to them.” Kaladin looked almost amused hearing that demand, lips twitching, before seaming to realize the position they were in. Storms! How could the bridgeboy have been unaware of it until now!
Kaladin inhaled sharply and Adolin watched as Stormlight drifted from his hands to Kaladin’s mouth. It looked fascinating. If he hadn’t been in such a ridiculous position, Adolin would ‘ve remained rooted to the spot for a few moments longer just to watch the Stormlight drift from Kaladin’s mouth. As it was he hurried to scramble up, resisting the urge to punch the storming man again.
Adolin flexed his fingers, relieved to finally be able to move them again. He ran a hand through his hair and moved toward the table with the wine because he really wanted something to drink before remembering the goblet and the poison that led to this revelation in the first place. Adolin frowned. He had completely forgotten about the poison.
“Are you alright, bridgeboy?” It was probably a useless question but it didn’t hurt to ask. Kaladin seemed startled by it.
“I didn’t know you cared, princeling.” Adolin scowled. Look what came out of him trying to be nice. Kaladin scowled back. The storming man seemed to be alright if he could be this insufferable again already.
“Forget it! If you die from poisoning I’ll just tell them to chuck your corpse down a chasm, your stench alone is going to keep any Chasmfiends away from the area.”
Adolin took a seat and gesticulated towards the other chair, motioning for Kaladin to sit down. Kaladin seemed to hesitate for a moment before getting up from the floor and sitting down almost opposite of Adolin. As they scowled at each other, Adolin asked himself how in the world the two of them could possibly work together. Adolin didn’t know how long they had been scowling at each other before Kaladin looked at the goblet with the poisoned needle and started speaking.
“Who would poison you? Dalinar is more of a problem to the other Highprinces.” Kaladin’s eyes widened in sudden realization, he jumped out of the seat. “Someone could’ve placed poison in Dalinar’s room as well!”
Adolin stood up, growing worried as well, although it was unlikely his father had even been to his rooms yet.
“My father should not be back in his quarters yet, he has a meeting that will probably go well into the night.” The two looked at each other before hurrying out of Adolin’s room to check Dalinar’s quarters. They passed Teft and Drehy and Kaladin stopped shortly to inform them about the current situation and left orders to question anyone who had access to Adolin’s room.
“The poison used wasn’t lethal, although the small amount that entered my bloodstream had a very strong effect in a short amount of time,” Kaladin began as they rounded a corner. “I don’t think it was meant to kill, merely incapacitate.”
“How would you know?”
“I was trained to become a surgeon before I ended up in the army. Anyway, the amount of substance that can be put on a needle that size is miniscule. Even Blackbane or Backbreaker Powder couldn’t manage to kill a grown man, a child maybe, yes. Whoever planned this had to have known it wouldn’t be enough to kill you, only make you seriously sick for some time. Maybe if you suffered some illness or your body was weakened enough. My guess is that it was a Backbreaker Powder concentrate because of the fast and strong effects it showed. It would’ve paralyzed my body, made breathing hard and induced unconsciousness in a matter of minutes with a small possibility of choking to death if left lying on my back.” Adolin nodded, he knew about those poisons but not much beside the fact that they were lethal. Somehow, he wasn’t that surprised to hear that Kaladin had been trained as a surgeon. It fit the man and his overprotective nature.
“This attempt to harm you was better than the one a few days ago, but it’s purpose still seems to mainly be to incapacitate you.” Adolin agreed. The attempt a few days ago, when his food had been laced with a mild poison hadn’t even come as close to succeeding as this one. Apparently, the people trying to harm him and perhaps other members of his family hadn’t known that he had a food-taster.
Who would be stupid enough to make an attempt on his life with next to no possibility of it being successful? It made sense for the goal to have been merely to incapacitate him.
They reached his father’s rooms where another bridgeman, Hobber, guarded the door. Adolin had made a habit of learning all their names, he wanted to know who was tasked with protecting him and his family.
“Has anyone been in or out of this room since your start of the shift?”
“No, Sir!” Kaladin briefed Hobber on the situation and then both he and Adolin entered the room, closing the door behind them.
Instead of starting to look for any threats though, Kaladin started taking spheres out of the lamps. Adolin stared open mouthed at the storming man, utterly baffled.
“What in Kelek’s name are you doing?”
“I need to replace my spheres, they’re all dun.” Kaladin took out his pouch and put his dun spheres in the lamp. Adolin felt stupid for not realizing, he had just learned the bridgeboy could breathe in Stormlight after all. He started to walk deeper into the room intending to start looking for threats.
Kaladin grabbed him by the arm, keeping him in place. Adolin looked at him in annoyance.
“Let me look. You should not touch anything. It doesn’t matter if I get poisoned as long as I have spheres but it’s going to be a problem if you get poisoned.”
“Fine.” Adolin had to agree with Kaladin but it was frustrating not being able to do anything. He leaned against the wall and once more watched the bridgeboy carefully comb a room. Only this time he wasn’t annoyed at his thoroughness.
“We are still going to have a talk.” Adolin started after a while. Kaladin only grunted and continued inspecting everything, including the bedsheets.
“How long have you had those powers?”
“I’m not sure, but I became aware of them during my time in Sadeas’ camp.”
“How exactly does it work? You just take the Stormlight from the spheres and then you can do stuff? Can I learn to do it?”
Kaladin stopped inspecting the bed and looked at him, an unreadable expression on his face. After a moment, he turned his head back and resumed his task.
“I don’t think you can simply learn it, I’m not exactly sure how I works either.” Adolin knew that wasn’t the whole truth but he let it slide for now. Getting some answers was enough for now. Even if it bothered him it was better than nothing and he didn’t want Kaladin to close up now that the storming man talked.
“And what can you do with it?”
“It enhances my strength and speed,” Kaladin started to explain obligingly. “It makes wounds heal faster and poison or alcohol rather useless. I can make things stick together.” Kaladin looked up at him and flashed him the tiniest of grins. “As you got to experience first-hand.” It caught Adolin completely off guard. He was glad Kaladin had already averted his gaze again or he would’ve witnessed the Kholin-heir staring stupidly.
“If you do something like that again I swear you’re going to regret it, bridgeboy.” Adolin finally snorted.
“I can also change the direction of gravitation of an object or person,” Kaladin went on, not reacting to Adolin’s comment. “Though I only learned that was possible when I saw the Assassin in White do it. I’ve practiced but I’m not very good yet.” He sounded frustrated. “You said you want to practice with me, when do you want to start? I train down in the chasms.”
“Tomorrow, in the later evening, so I don’t stand out so much. I can’t have people talk about me going down there with a bridgeman if I don’t have a good reason.” Going to train in the dark, damp chasms with the bridgeboy sounded about as fun as spending the afternoon in a fresh pile of Chull dung. Adolin wondered if it was a worrisome sign that he felt excited about it.
Notes:
How do you think my story-scapegoat aka the attempt to poison Adolin is gonna end? Who did it? Was it an old assassin, doing his last job before retirement but confusing the targets due to dementia? Was it Adolin himself, trying to get Kaladin’s attention or one of Adolin’s old girlfriends trying to get revenge because Adolin looked at differrent pairs of boobs instead of her own? Who knows.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter!
PS: Stay tuned for Kaladi groping Adolin’s undergarments in chapter 3, though not in the way you might hope
