"Brother Aelius?"
"Hmm?" Aelius, who had been crossing his arms while watching Javier put down the flintlock musket after his shooting demonstration, glanced at him. "What?"
"You know, I've never once seen how you fight or what skills you have." Javier reached for a double-barrel flintlock pistol, took out a powder horn, carefully poured a measured amount of black powder into each barrel, then used a small ramrod to tamp a lead ball and a wad of cloth down onto the powder. He primed the pan with a finer powder, checked the flint in the hammer, and finally snapped the frizzen shut.
He held the pistol up, inspecting it with a satisfied nod before putting the weapon down and turning back to Aelius.
"I've seen Marcellus fight. I've seen Cedric fight. I've even seen Heres fight in that 'simulation.' But you? You're always in the background, handling the economy, the trade, the numbers. I've never seen you draw a weapon or your fighting style."
