victor haterism video lovingly translated by our pet swede:
"how do you think he (wille) did?"
victor: "atrociously. both him and fabbe, that's the craziest thing I've ever heard. they'll have to work on their voices."
"did you hear anything about recording (the song)? were they excited?"
victor: "yeah i heard some stuff about how fabbe had a hard time nailing his line. they had to stay in the studio for a while."
(vid from sportexpressen on ig)
Possible Consequences for a Warrior of Light Upon Besting the Prince of Doma in Martial Combat
...or Upon Letting Him Win
More available here.
Self-explanatory title. Remember that scene where Hien gets teased for being called Shun and says if he beats you in a fight you have to share a secret with him? Here are some potential outcomes I’ve come up with. For prompt “wilt.”
one -
The Warrior of Light bests the Prince verily.
So verily, the Prince is left sitting on the ground, wide-eyed and eyebrow raised, to wonder whether he’d missed something crucial about the art of war. His partner-in-arms extends a hand and smiles. They say, “You’ll hear none of my secrets, Shun,” and lift him from his lowly spot in the grass.
He stands and rubs his bottom. “Well, now I only care for one. If you feel you could indulge a would-be samurai as myself.”
“Oh?”
“How in the world did you manage that?”
two -
The Warrior of Light bests the Prince in a matter of seconds.
The Prince hits the ground without really knowing what had sent him there. The lance? A well-placed kick? An act of the kami?
By the time his eyes are open and he’s able to right himself, the Warrior is trudging away with their weapon already sheathed. They say nothing.
Neither does Hien.
three -
The Warrior of Light strategically takes a blow and crumples to the ground, gasping.
The Prince does not believe it. “Oy,” he says, sheathing his blade. The look on his face rests squarely between amusement and playful disgust. “Have I failed to prove myself worthy of a fair fight?”
The Warrior holds their wounded pose for a moment - and then deflates into laughter. “I thought - “ they say through fits “I thought I was better at faking! Forgive me, Lord Hien!”
He shakes his head with his palm at his hilt. “There’s only one way I’ll forgive you, my friend. Give me the tussle I deserve.”
“I just - I just don’t want to hurt your feelings!” The smirking Warrior raises themself from the ground and dusts their trousers.
Hien huffs. “It wounds me more that you think me incapable of handling a solid defeat.”
four -
The Warrior of Light strategically takes a blow and crumples to the ground, gasping.
The Prince believes it. He has finally stricken the vaunted Warrior of Light. Breaking his martial stance, he leans forward with wide eyes. “My friend!”
The Warrior grits their teeth to avoid breaking the charade and grasps at their supposed wound. “You...you got me.” Letting fall their weapon, they work to strip their arm of armor and pretend the pressure is just too much, hissing in imagined pain.
Hien grows suspicious. “Are you all right?”
“I’m...I’m fine…”
He sighs and rubs his forehead. “I didn’t hit you, did I?”
five -
The Warrior of Light thinks the whole thing is stupid.
Still, when Hien launches himself in a perfect display of Doman technique, the Warrior takes great pleasure in moving aside at the perfect moment. They do this repeatedly, letting the Prince get closer each time.
Hien’s eyes grow wild. This is a partner worth sparring with, tricky as they may be. This is excitement, challenge, glory - everything he has longed for in a single match.
And then the Warrior sidesteps, leaving the Prince to thrust his blade into a gnarly old tree.
He stares dumbly at his beautiful blade splitting bark.
“You can’t assume I’m the only enemy,” the Warrior says, cracking their neck and starting for camp. “No secrets for you.”
six -
The Warrior of Light thinks this is a great idea.
Their battle is a dance, a fair display of prowess. They circle one another for what feels like an eternity until the rest of camp comes to watch the spectacle. When they tire, they don’t resort to banter to give them a moment to breathe - they just keep pacing with sweaty smiles on their faces.
And then, like a snake, one of them strikes.
The camp cheers both of them on in equal measure. Everything is fair and everything is brilliant. The Warrior emerges the victor after Hien finally drops to his knees, conceding.
The meal they have that night is the best they’ve had in weeks. The Warrior joins Hien as the others head off to their tents.
“Still aching to hear my secret, then?” the Warrior asks after popping a rice ball into their mouth.
“Hmm.” The Prince smiles. “My understanding was that only should I emerge victorious would you deign to share it.”
“You’ve more than earned it.”
The Warrior tells the Prince something embarrassing.
seven -
The Warrior of Light is scared.
Not of Hien, but of secrets.
When they ready their stance and hold their weapon, they are reminded of another they sparred with often. They think of how he’d ready himself, knowing full well he’d never best the Warrior. This man, this prince, now - he stands with the same fool smile, the same knowledge - perhaps the same hunger.
What he wants is a good fight, but with thoughts of Coerthas in their mind, the Warrior isn’t sure they can give it to him.
They are readied, nonetheless.
Hien approaches first, and the Warrior responds with a breath of fight-or-flight in their system, letting too much out at once and pinning him on the ground in a manner of ungraceful seconds.
The Warrior breathes hard and it hurts.
Hien stares up. The night sky is in his eyes. Even the stars are a bad omen.
“Forgive me,” he says. “Are you all right?”
The man pinned on the grounds asks this of the Warrior, so frail is their face.
The Warrior raises their weapon and backs away like prey. “I am...not sure I am ready to talk about...secrets…”
