Forest Kingdom Trilogy 1 - Blue Moon Rising

gleamed in the torchlight as the women stamped and lunged, their movements still somehow graceful despite the cumbersome chain-mail they all wore. Julia strode back and forth before them, stopping briefly to smile and encourage, or demonstrate a difficult cut or parry. As she moved through the flickering, uncertain light, sword in hand, her tall, lithe form seemed like that of some ancient warrior goddess, teaching the arts of war to her worshippers.
    She was dressed as she had been when Rupert first knew her, and he wasn't sure why that hurt him as much as it did. With her old clothes, and her long blond hair tied back in two simple, functional braids, she was like a bitter accusing memory of the time they'd had together, before he'd brought her back to Forest Castle. He'd been so happy, then.
    'I wish you'd go and talk to her,' said the unicorn. 'You're getting on my nerves, standing there all frowning and broody.'
    'There's nothing left to say,' said Rupert quietly. 'She's marrying Harald, of her own free will.'
    'Yeah,' said the unicorn. 'And demons are vegetarians. You're too hard on the girl, Rupert. If she's marrying Harald, it's only because the Court pressured her into it. It's not as if she had any choice in the matter, now is it?'
    'I don't know,' said Rupert tiredly. 'I don't know anything any more.'
    'Buck up,' said the unicorn gruffly. 'We'll be going out into the dark soon. Think of all the fun you can have, taking out your troubles on the demons. They won't know what's hit them.'
    'Yeah. Sure.'
    Out in the courtyard, Julia turned suddenly to face the stables, and Rupert backed quickly away from the doors before she could see him. He didn't know why he was so angry. It was her life, and she had a right to live it as she chose. He hadn't even known her long. They'd spent a few months together, and then he'd had to leave her at the Castle while he went off in search of the Dark Tower. After so many months apart, with every reason to suppose him dead, it was only to be expected that Julia would turn to somebody else. And Harald always was a charming bastard. Their marriage had been all but inevitable.
    That's as may be, thought Rupert grimly. But I'm still not going to be the bloody best man!
    He turned his back on the open stable doors and tugged irritably at his new chain-mail. The vest had obviously been fashioned for someone a few inches taller and a great deal broader than he was, and in the few places where it did fit, it chafed him unmercifully. The arms were too long, the leggings were baggy, and the waistline was a joke. And to top it all, his hood kept falling forward over his eyes. Rupert stomped back and forth between the stalls, trying to get the feel of the armour, but soon gave up in disgust. It could take weeks to get a new suit of chain-mail fitting just right, and he didn't have weeks. It would just have to do as it was.
    'Typical,' he said finally.
    'What is?' asked the unicorn.
    'Well, here I am, all dressed up in bright new armour, about to go back into the dark and fight evil, and all I can think of is how much I need to visit the Jakes!'
    The unicorn sniggered unfeelingly. 'It's just nerves, lad. Think about something else.'
    'It's all right for you. You can take a piss any time you feel like it. I have to unbuckle half my damn armour first.'
    'Don't worry,' said the unicorn. 'Once we get outside the gates, one look at the demon horde will undoubtedly scare the piss right out of you.'
    'You're a great help.'
    'You're welcome.'
    'Ah, to hell with it,' said Rupert suddenly and, before the unicorn's startled gaze, he began unbuckling his chain-mail.
    'Rupert, what the hell do you think you're doing?'
    'First, I'm going to get rid of this damn armour, and then I'm going to empty my bladder. Any more questions?'
    'Just the one — how long do you think you're going to survive out there without any armour? They'll rip you to pieces!'
    'I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.'
    'As I recall,' said the unicorn, watching interestedly as piece after piece of chain-mail fell to the stable floor, 'The last time you threw away your armour, we were immediately ambushed by a bunch of goblins, and you terrorised the lot of them. Who knows, maybe you'll get lucky again.'
    'I fight better without armour anyway,' growled Rupert, gazing vacantly into space as he emptied his bladder against a convenient wall post. 'Chain-mail's not as bad as plate armour, but this stuff fits like a sack, and just gets