Under One Banner (kuro_bara x Broomhandle45)

Eri watched Han mediate for a moment while Clefable approached and cautiously healed him at the encouragement of the healer. The Pokemon looked much small compared to him and scurried away when his eyes opened. There was something odd about the bond between him and Nidoking, he had said that his father had given him the crystal. She frowned in thought, from all she had learned from Raiku Wei, the only other bonded warrior in her clan, it was a risky business passing the crystal on. Forming a bond was heard enough and was often done or started before a Pokemon was bonded.

Absol had found her when she quite young and had been separated from the clan as they trekked across a part of the plains near the mountains. It had cared for her for almost two days before she was found and they had remained together since. It was Wei that had recognized the potential for the bond in them and she had made sure Absol understood what it would mean if they went through with it. Her hand closed around the heart shaped crystal almost subconsciously. She could feel him respond inside, giving her the impression that he was nuzzling against her side affectionately. Looking at the fight that Han constantly seemed to have with Nidoking made her feel a bit sad that he couldn't experience what it was like to have this sort of bond. 'Perhaps he isn't strong enough?' Absol offered, his voice a soft murmur in her mind.

Mentally, she shook her head. 'Han is strong.' She answered with conviction.

There was a pause while Absol considered something. 'Physically yes.'

It was such a simple thing to say but it carried so much weight, her eyes widened slightly as she mulled this over. Seeing that Han was alert again she rose to her feet and pushed Absol's comment to the back of her mind until she decided what to do with it. She said nothing, only padded over to stand beside him, thanking the healer and Clefable once again for their work and care.
 
Han rose up after a moment, rolling his shoulders before giving the Clefable a respectful bow. "My thanks, healer...I'll try not to do that too often."

"That's what they all say," he tsked. "You just mind yourself, you hear? Lord Gren can't have two important warriors battling each other so I can heal them."

He nodded at that, finally slipping up his robes to cover his chest before glancing at Eri.

"...I trust you're satisfied?" he asked her. "That I am a capable warrior?"
 
Eri gave him an impish smile. "I am quite thoroughly...satisfied." She replied, her lip twitching slightly. That is to say, he quite thoroughly proved his point. She couldn't remember having been so thoroughly between in that form, not since Wei had finished her training. Even Wei and Raichu couldn't beat her anymore. She folded her arm over his as the left tent, they were forced to stop almost immediately after exiting.

A large crowd of clan members had gathered while they were inside, all of them trying to wish them well, congratulate them, shove wedding gifts at them. Eri glanced up at Han in surprise. "Wh...what's going on?" She whispered, smiling as young girl handed her a basket of fruits.
 
"...It seems that Lord Gren decided to announce our marriage properly," Han mumbled back, offering a man a light and polite smile as he took an offered gift. Fur gloves...well, he supposed winter would be coming eventually, wouldn't it? It was...odd seeing everyone so happy about it, not that he was a hated man. But he often preferred being a little more less seen...and this was right in front of everyone.

"...Without telling us." he finished somewhat dryly. That was Lord Gren if he ever knew him...worked to his own pattern.
 
It took the better part of an hour to make it back through the camp to the tent that was now her home. They had been loaded down with gifts along the way and greeted by what must have been half the clan. She smiled and nodded and shook hands, even hugged some of the more exuberant members of the clan. She played her part as the happy new wife to perfection, never loosing her composure and always treating the clan members with respect and grace. When they finally got to the tent the crowd dispersed like leaves blown in the wind vanishing to other parts of the camp with a haste that was a bit too obvious. She couldn't help but wonder if Lord Gren had instructed them to corner Han and herself back here in an attempt to make things 'official'.

With a grateful sigh, she set her armful of gifts next to her still packed satchel and stretched out on the bundle of furs. She was sore and tired after the fight and laying down felt glorious. Her eyes remained closed for several long seconds before she peeked one open and peered at Han. "Lord Arwais has an interesting way of making a person feel welcome." She murmured, the grin evident in her voice.
 
"...He is a man of politics, surprisingly," he chuckled, sitting down at the foot of the furs. "His preference is to win people over without lost life, he has many ambitious goals...he needs armies and loyalty to do that." It was nice to see her happy, however. It was something that made the discomfort of being bombarded with hugs and handshakes and everything else a little less pressing.
 
She let her eyes close again and rolled onto her stomach, placing her head on her folded arms. "I feel like I was very...mislead about Arwais Gren..." She said in a soft voice. "My clan has always told stories about what a monster he is...cruel and uncaring. In the very short time I have been here, I have yet to sense any of these things from him, or any of the people here." She was more musing out loud, not really expecting a reply to her idle chatter. "Still...it would have been nice to be given the choice rather than forced..." She sighed wearily. "Even had I been given the choice, I believe I still would have ended up here." Her eyes popped open and she pushed herself up to look at him. "Han, I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound like that..."
 
"Don't," Han replied easily, glancing off a little. He didn't exactly like looking at the sympathy or guilt in her eyes. He didn't really want to figure out which, if any. "My Lord Gren is a man of means to an end, we do...have done things for the good of the land, that is all. Even our marriage was for that purpose. I am only glad that I can continue to aid my lord in his dream." It sounded a little like a recited tone, but it was nonetheless what he truly believed.

He was not exactly a man of incredible interest, perhaps he was attractive...but he was dull, and preferred the solitude of training and meditation over the confusion of socializing. He never assumed that he would find a wife, that wasn't his purpose.

"...But it is nice, to have a wife." he admitted. "...I hope that I will be a husband worth something to you, in the coming days."
 
Eri sat up and faced him with her legs crossed, the smile on her face one of sincerity. "Han, you have already proven just how worthy you are." She answered. "I already said, it is my honor and my pleasure to be your wife." It almost surprised her when she realized she did actually feel that way, there was still a bit of anger there inside her but she was starting to understand where that was coming from. None of this situation was Han's fault and so her anger was not directed at him. Her anger wasn't even really directed at Lord Arwais, she was angry at her family and her clan for the way they handled the situation. She was angry because of the lack of choice or freedom in the decision.

Her face became pensive for a moment as she sorted through this realization and finally she smiled again looking right into his eyes. "I am happy to stand by your side, on and off the battlefield."
 
"...I will keep that in mind, Eri." Han said after a moment, and despite his attempts to hide the contrary, there was the faintest amount of red that creeped up into his cheeks and he mentally kicked himself for it. And just like that, Guruden Han had nothing to say to such sincerity other than words he had to stumble over it. He cleared his throat faintly, grateful for the distraction of his rumbling stomach. Melding with your partner took a lot out of your body, and more often than not it meant ravenous hunger.

"...I'll cook us something to eat," he decided, rising up a little faster than normal. But...this was good, right? She wanted to be with him.
 
She noticed the slight reddening in his cheeks and politely looked the other way, examining something across the tent. The last thing she wanted to do was make him more uncomfortable, so she gave him a moment to compose himself before looking at him again. When he mentioned cooking it was her turn to look a little embarrassed. "Isn't that supposed to be my job?" She asked, starting to feel a bit worried. For some absurd reason she had considered that she would be required to do the cooking, it was one of the few household skills she had failed to master. Eri had spent more time learning fighting and skills essential for a warrior that she never bothered with more than the basics of cooking.
 
Despite trying not to be rude, Han admittedly chuckled a little as he started the fire at the center of the tent. "That is true for most marriages, but most marriages don't fight each other in the literal sense, do they?" he replied idly. "It's fine, I'm used to cooking." It was a good skill to have, especially when you traveled around as often as they did. You couldn't always find someone to make a good meal for you.

...And he did feel a little relaxed that she felt as uncomfortable as he did, as terrible as it sounded.
 
The tension eased out of her at the sound of his chuckle and the comment he made. She even laughed softly herself. "I suppose not." She answered with another smile. "To be honest...your cooking is probably much better than mine." She confided, giving him a sheepish look. "My instructor did not leave me much time to learn such essential skills." She explained in a dry tone. "The only reason I am able to sew proficiently, is because I learned it at a very young age. Before he got his hands on me." Talking like this made her feel more comfortable, it seemed like a habit really. Given Han's quiet nature she almost felt compelled to fill the silence with idle talk.

She rolled to her feet and padded over to him. "Is there anything I can at least help with?" She asked, watching the little fire crackle.
 
"...Well," Han said, sitting back a moment. "Could you get some vegetables? The farmer wanted some pelts earlier, trade them....I'm running kind of low." He could make a stew, which...while a common food and can sometimes be very bland, it was easy to make and very easy to eat again if the time arose. He was a bit more thankful that someone could sew...cause he sure couldn't, which is why he had a pile of things in a corner.
 
She brightened considerably. "I will do that." She chirped happily, gathering up the indicated pelts and getting directions from Han, she set out towards the farmers tent on the outskirts of the camp. Eri hummed to herself as she made her way through the village of tents, nodding to the people who stopped to wave and saying hello to the ones who stopped to talk.

The Arwais camp was so different from her own, despite being made up of structures that could easily be taken down and moved, it had a much more permanent feel to it and a much better sense of community. The Raiku were always on the move, rarely settling down in one place more than a month before moving on. It made them hard to pin down and was part of what made them good at what they did. The Raiku were well known for rushing in on an enemy and vanishing before their opponent could pull together and retaliate. On top of that her people were excellent scouts and always seemed to know before anyone else what was coming.

She felt more than a little sorry for the last two clans that were holding out against Lord Arwais. The combination of warriors he now wielded, herself and Han excluded, were a powerful host. Adding in the few bonded warriors made him near impossible to stop. She had heard that the Kyrne and the Seiszu worked in tandem and had developed a very powerful technique. She was so lost in thinking about that inevitable battle she almost walked straight past the farmer's tent.

A weathered, shriveled old man was stumping around a large plot of dirt, poking at it was a shovel and grouching to himself. She smiled and cleared her throat, waiting for him to turn around. When he didn't immediately respond she opened her mouth to speak and was instantly distracted by the Pokemon that lumbered around the tent with an armload of wood. She gave a little squeal of delight and almost bounced on the spot. Machoke was almost as tall as she was, a fighting type and another rare sight for the area. Eri wondered how so many members of Lord Arwais' clan managed to acquire these Pokemon. Machoke spotted her and gave a soft grunt at the farmer who finally responded, turning around to fix Eri with a cantankerous stare. "What do you want girl?" He demanded in a gruff voice.

Eri blinked at his tone but never lost the smile on her face. "I have come to trade on behalf of my husband, Lord Guruden." She said politely.

"Eh, so you're the chit Lord Arwais shoved on the boy." She could have sworn Machoke smacked a palm against his forehead, but when she looked at the Pokemon he was staring back innocently, stacking wood beside the tent.

She decided to ignore the barb and instead held out the pile of furs. "Han would like some vegetables, he said you were looking for some pelts."

The farmer glared at her for a very long time before nodding to Machoke and turning his back on her again. "One basket." He called, as Machoke disappeared around the back of the tent.

Eri felt a surge of indignation. The pelts Han had sent were worth much more than a basket of vegetables. She opened her mouth to argue when Machoke came striding back around the tent carrying two large baskets of vegetables AND fruits. Her jaw dropped in surprise when the large Pokemon set them before her, his eyes sparkling mischievously. She knew that Pokemon were intelligent creatures but the ones here had so much personality it was hard to process sometimes. Machoke took the offered pelts with a soft "Ma..choke."

She giggled lightly and picked up the heavy baskets, casting one last look at the grouchy old man. "Thank you." She said loudly, dropping her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "And thank you very much." She murmured to the Machoke, who promptly turned a bit red before stomping off back to his task. With a cheerful smile, and a very generous load of food, she returned to Han's tent to show him what she had acquired.
 
Her...cheerfulness was something he was adjusting to, but he rather enjoyed it. It distanced himself away from his admittedly dour thoughts and gave him something to distract his normally inward thoughts to something more positive. It was at least, something Nidoking could not complain about...because it was nothing that he could control. So when he saw his energetic bundle of wife appear into the tent with that same cheerful smile, he immediately felt a little overwhelmed by it.

"...Good luck, I take it?" he asked, glancing back down at the fire. She was a radiant woman, oddly enough...the smile just made it even better. Han had a hard enough time figuring her out, but having someone so...energetic around him would take some getting used to.
 
Eri dropped the filled baskets near the fire with an exuberant grin. "Yes, the farmer was a bit..." She wrinkled her nose trying to think of a word that wouldn't be too insulting. "He was a bit prickly." She stated finally, kneeling to start sorting through some of the vegetables. "He had a very nice Machoke though." Eri added with a smile as she worked.

After a few moments of amiable silence between them, she frowned in thought. The way the old man had acted towards her bothered her, particularly because he seemed to think she would be a burden of some kind. Her eyes wandered to Han and she regarded him quietly. If the grumpy, old farmer was brave enough to voice it...how many were silently thinking the same thing. Many of them had congratulated the pair on the marriage but she suspect Lord Arwais had has much to do with that as anything.

She pulled a handful of healthy looking vegetables out and brought them to Han, kneeling beside him. "Is there anything else I can do to help?" Eri asked, a more serious edge creeping into her tone. It sincerely bothered her that some of the people here may consider her a burden.
 
He didn't honestly pay her much mind, really. But it wasn't her fault, Han was lost in slicing and separating the vegetables...but even he noticed the slight change in her tone as he glanced at her with a slight uptick of his brow. Well, one moment she was cheerful...the next she looked like the world was at stake in her expression. While he'd never claim to particularly understand the opposite sex, he would be an idiot to ignore that kind of implication she was giving.

Thankfully, he wasn't that much of an idiot yet.

"...Do you know how to cut potatoes?" he offered idly, holding one up. "They need scrubbed and cut before we can use them." Her normally energetic posture seemed completely different. But he wasn't exactly quite sure what to say about it.
 
Eri's face broke out into a broad smile and she took the potato. "I can do that." She chirped, almost immediately happy again. She put it a small basket with the rest and took them out of the tent to scrub them like he had explained. When that was done she went back inside and started slicing them with a look of determination, her tongue sticking out slightly as she focused on the task he had given her.

For some reason it made her absurdly pleased, to be sitting here chopping potatoes. After their fight something had shifted in the way she looked at him. There was still some anger bubbling below the surface but she recognized that it wasn't caused by him or really directed at him. She could sense Absol chuckling at her and turned a bit pink when she realized why. He was supremely amused by her happiness at such a domestic task and that she may actually enjoy this arrangement.
 
...Well, that was...an improvement, he supposed. Her actual joy took him a moment to take in, but it was a content silence for a time. Truth be told, his day was quieter and more regimented...and conversation was often an afterthought to his daily activities. But still, they were warriors...surely Han had something to talk about that would satisfy them both?

"...With Lord Gren having your clan under his banner, there is only two clans that remain," he murmured. "Both are very formidable in their own way." And they worked in tandem, their unity was something to be admired. The Seiszu knew ancient methods to temper steel to make them resistant to pokemon moves, and the Kynre have long established themselves as considerably skilled soldiers with their pokemon, their bond could be almost seen as fluid as people like Han and Eri.

Even with their considerable powers, they would be a hard opponent to face.
 
Eri paused in her task, considering his words for a moment. Finally she looked up at him with a smile. "After seeing you fight...I think they are the ones that should worry. When they see what Lord Gren has unified under his banner, I believe they will start to rethink their choice to stand against him."

Whether they reconsidered or not she suspected a battle with them was inevitable. "We will just have to show them the power of a true bond." She added after a moment. The words could be interpreted two ways, the bond they shared with their Pokemon or any potential bond they formed. Either way, it made them both considerably stronger as a pair.
 
"...I suppose so," Han said, brow raised slightly. "Far be it for me to question you, my lady...but weren't you complaining about Lord Gren beforehand?" Women, he'd never understand them...and since he started late, he was probably doomed. Lord Gren made it look so easy, but then again...he made a lot of things look deceptively simple. Like uniting most of the tribes, no man would ever see it as a simple task, but Lord Gren did.
 
Eri scrunched her nose up at his comment. "Yes...well..." She squirmed a little. "I may have been wrong...in my opinions of Lord Gren..." She gave him a flustered look. "I still don't like that I was trade like livestock but...I am starting to see why it was necessary, even if I haven't quite accepted it."
 
"...I see," Han chuckled faintly. "...Well, I suppose it is good that you are open to understanding, Lady Eri. I assure you, Lord Gren is a far better man than you take him for. He clearly saw merit in...allowing us to be wed as opposed to taking you for his own, don't you agree?"

Personally, Han thought Gren had something else in mind. But he couldn't quite be sure what.
 
Eri smiled thoughtfully and returned to her task, finishing up the last of the potatoes. They were a little unevenly cut but otherwise not mangled too badly. She glanced over at Han, her expression teasing. "Maybe he thought having a wife might help you relax a little." She joked, sliding the sliced potatoes over to him.
 
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