Pay (revised)

Original post is here.

 He was fifteen and tall for his age, still narrow in the shoulders, and completely and utterly grass-stained. Asia suspected, after the last time she’d seen him, any hope he wouldn't like Arcturus was futile. He even moved the same, which was uncanny. How could she still find things uncanny when she lived with a quislai, a genie, a fire elemental, and a dragon?

 The boy was fast, skilled from practice. Asia felt something tug in her chest when she saw the rest of his teammates stand in a circle around him for a pep talk. Arcturus had been fifteen when he pulled the sword from the stone, and he was king soon thereafter, leading his men into battle. She remembered how much Emrys had fretted that the only table he could find on such short notice for the inaugural council meeting was circular.

 The players spread themselves across the field once more, and James began shouting orders. Asia watched the teenagers move with ragged synchronicity. Even in practice, James ran his team like they were in competition. Then one of the boys made wild, flying kick, and the ball came right at Asia’s head. 


She reached up and plucked it out of the air.

 “Sorry about that!” James trotted toward her, waved his arms. “Give us a throw-in, would you?”

Asia sauntered down the bleachers toward the sidelines. She hefted the ball a few times, then looked at him, considering. “What will you give me if I give this back?”

The confusion on his face was priceless. Apparently he’d never been challenged like this before. “We’re in the middle of practice.”

 Asia spun the ball on her index finger. “Indeed you are, but as soon as this left the pitch it was no longer in your possession, and now it is in mine. So...what are you willing to pay?”

 “Pay?” James echoed. “That ball belongs to the school --”

 Asia remembered baiting Arcturus when he was king, just to see the way his cheeks flushed and his eyes burned bright.

 “Pay,” she said. “What will you give me?”

 James patted down his pockets reflexively. “I don’t have any money, but --" He lifted his head, green eyes blazing. "This is madness. Can we have the ball back, please?”

 The rest of the players were getting restless. Asia raised her voice. “What say you, lads? How much for your football? Is it worth a kiss? Maybe two?”

 The boys gaped at her. One of them laughed; another let out an indecorous whoop and holler. James turned bright red.

One lad was brave. “Go on, James, kiss her!”

 James prowled toward the sidelines, wary and still blushing. He was muttering under his breath, and any other mortal wouldn’t have heard it, but Asia did. She was going to share his first kiss?