candybox | FOR TAISA - Reincarnation AU

FOR TAISA - Reincarnation AU

It had been two weeks since the attempt on the Regent of Khura'in's life. He had given a speech in the temple plaza, which coincided with the annual festival of Khura'in's founding and continued sovereignty. Now, it also became a festival to celebrate its freedom from tyranny once more, mirroring the acts of the Founder and of Lady Kee'ra all those centuries ago. The political nature of the celebration was important, but it also made it a perfect time for Ga'ran loyalists to strike. A sniper had narrowly missed a shot and had been apprehended at the scene, as had several other armed individuals, all shouting, 'Ur dihara Ga'ran!'. Since then, a search had been on to find the one who had coordinated the attackers.

Unease had spread throughout Khura'in, and with it, the rumours. A masked figure had been spotted, some said, stopping the sniper from taking a lethal shot. Others denied it, not wanting to pin their hopes on what could turn on to be a fraud like the rebel-hunting Lady Kee'ra.

As for Nahyuta, he had heeded Amara's advice, retreating from the public eye for the time being except to prosecute in court. The rest was televised statements or interviews of reassurance to the public that all was in hand, and that the revolution would not be quelled so easily. To the public, he embodied the perfect combination of the unwavering determination of his father, and the pragmatic caution of his mother.

Privately, however, was a different story. Fear hounded Nahyuta everywhere, because he knew if something happened to him, Khura'in would likely be ruined, Apollo would be in danger, and his mother and sister would be prisoners once again. Not only did he have a family to protect, now, but an entire kingdom, and once again he needed to be prepared to lay down his life for that.

So his nerves were frayed, he was becoming increasingly on edge which each day that turned up no new information or leads. Even meditation did not help. So when he went to sleep at night in the palace, it was a fitful sleep, wracked with dreams of spiders ensnaring him and the palace burning. Tonight, however, was different. Tonight, his dreams were interrupted as he was struck in the world of the waking -- hard -- across the head. Dazed, he could feel someone yanking him upright by his silvery hair, and the feeling of cold, sharp steel at his throat.

If he was half asleep before, he snapped awake in an instant. The assassin was a dark silhouette, their face covered, so it was impossible to discern their identity even with the pale strand of moonlight streaking across his bedchamber. Then they spoke in a low voice that identified his assailant as male.

"Before I kill you, tell me where the Founder's Orb is."

Nahyuta swallowed, trying neither to flinch or cringe away at the blade at his neck, but instead to lift his chin in defiance.

"You cannot threaten a dragon. I would sooner cut out my own tongue than tell you."

Despite his confidence, Nahyuta knew how dire the situation was. The guards outside were surely all incapacitated; no one would come to save him this time. All he could do was pray to the Holy Mother that if this was the end, his soul would be safely conveyed to the Twilight Realm.

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[Of course... He's addressing a dragon, not one of his own citizens. What is better for seeing through lies? Feeling foolish for falling back on his old habits even in front of such a creature, Nahyuta does as asked, moving to sit on the bed.

Confiding in anyone, even the likes of his own mother or Apollo, is difficult for Nahyuta. Maybe the fact that the dragon beside him is so much less personal, is not someone who is depending on him to make things right, will somehow make this easier.

He takes a deep breath, and looks at Dhurke.]

... I am tired. [Mentally, physically, and emotionally. As much as he doesn't want to admit it, that is the truth.]

[Dhurke fiddles with the cork while trying not to crush the bottle in his hand as Nahyuta starts his confession. There was a POP sound once he manages to pull the cork off and starts pouring the wine into a dish.]

It certainly shows. [He'll offer the dish bowl to Nahyuta.] I'm sure you haven't been given a chance to rest these last few weeks. [Or perhaps he hasn't been giving himself that chance.]

[Nahyuta takes the bowl with silent gratitude, nursing it in his hands as he thinks.]

Too much has required my attention to rest. [And too many worries have been on his mind. He reaches up and touches his head in an unconscious gesture, from where the assassin had struck him. Though it's healed by now, the memory certainly hasn't.] And when I can, it has been... difficult to sleep.

[He watches and listens in silence. He could feel the strong desire of a parent wanting to comfort his child, to do something to help ease his suffering. They were alone in this room, surely he could break his own rules when no one was watching. Carefully, he sets the bottle in his lap and leans forward. He raises a hand and gently presses it where his head injury had been. Eventually he ends up stroking his head.]

[The gesture catches him off guard, particularly because it's so familiar, and at first he's bewildered by the sudden intimacy of it. But soon, Nahyuta relaxes into his touch, accepting the comfort, even leaning in to it.

Eventually, he speaks up in a quiet voice.]

Thank you.

[He keeps his hand there a little while longer before leaning back.]

I will stay here with you until morning. [He pours himself some wine, raising his dish.] Let's try to clear your mind of any worries or troubles for tonight.

[Nahyuta is almost regretful that he takes his hand away. It brought back a lot of memories, all of them fond, if bittersweet. Still, the company is welcome itself, so Nahyuta nods and takes a sip of his wine.]

Ordinarily, meditation and prayer are solace enough, but they have not been, of late. Perhaps the company will help.

[Company of any kind, really. He has Amara and Rayfa around the palace, but in some ways, their company only places more pressure on him. His constant fretting over their safety has not abated much since Ga'ran was deposed; in some ways, they're in more danger than before now the kingdom is less stable. As for Apollo, neither of them have much time to spend together beyond work.]

Heh, there is no better cure than being in the company of others you trust. [That's what his past life thinks anyway. He lifts his mask slightly so he could drink from his dish.]

You should find people you can talk about things with. It doesn't have to be always serious, it could just be about what you had for lunch.

I understand now why Queen Amara shunned the throne, once it was restored to her. It is a lonely and difficult place.

[Nahyuta isn't even used to the life of royalty to begin with, so adjusting to it on top of the position of leadership has been an uphill struggle. In some ways, Rayfa is already far more prepared for it than he is, even if she isn't yet ready to assume her duties.]

But perhaps you are right. Even monarchs require confidants, and I ought to find mine.

It can be a difficult place to be, but she was never alone. She had her family, a loving husband to support her when she was our Queen. [He raises the wine bottle, offering to pour more for Nahyuta.]

It doesn't have to be a lonely place, I know you have people you can depend on in time of need, if you allow yourself to let them in.

[Nahyuta takes another sip, before offering his bowl. He doesn't get inebriated easily, but he's starting to feel a warm buzz from the wine. It's not unpleasant.]

"Our Queen"? [He echoes the phrase, looking at Dhurke.] Then you consider her as your Queen as well?

[There's a note of surprise. Certainly, animals adore Amara, and if they had the capacity to speak they might have considered her their Queen. But a dragon?]

The Kingdom's. I was referring to her as the Queen to this kingdom. [The mask hides the uncertainty on his face when he was suddenly put on the spot. Thank goodness this was easy one to explain away.]

She was a respectable Queen I could have stood behind though, heh. [He should stop while he's ahead, but how can he not talk about the love of his life to some degree? Maybe Nahyuta will see it as an amusing joke.]

Ah, I see. [He smiles, apparently satisfied by that answer, even if he doesn't realise the full meaning behind it.]

There is much I have to live up to, both in upholding her legacy as a beloved Queen, and my father's legacy as well.

Hm, well I'm certain they're already proud of you and of what you're trying to achieve. Reuniting an entire kingdom isn't exactly a walk in the park. Your mother certainly didn't have to worry about that back then.

[He takes a sip of his wine.] This is also your life as well. You can learn a lot from the past, but don't let their accomplishments weigh you down. I believe you are just as capable of making the right decisions, s-- [He's not even tipsy and he let himself fall too far into familiar territory.] Nahyuta.

[The familiarity with how he talks about it all, like he was there to witness it firsthand, really is starting to puzzle Nahyuta, and his smile gives way to something more quizzical. Still, he doesn't want to pester the dragon with questions, so he just takes another drink of wine.]

I will try my best. [It then occurs to him he doesn't know how to refer to the dragon, so...] Have you a name or title I may refer to you by? [Please pick one, before he comes up with something like "Your Thunderousness"...]

[There isn't an immediate response from Dhurke as he stares down at his dish bowl. He knew what he wanted to say, but he couldn't answer.]

I was not given a name when I was given life, only a desire to accomplish my mission. [It's not a lie at least. In the end, this was a different life he was living from the previous one.] Although your people have certainly given me a few titles, the Dark One, Vanquisher of evil, Thunder Fist....[the list goes on.]

Her Benevolence would most likely enjoy the first two. [Nahyuta says that with a wry smile, glancing at him before drinking more wine. Names like those sound like something straight out of the Plumed Punisher, something she's still fond of, even if the show was cancelled.]

Of all the names given to you, is there one you prefer?

[He quietly contemplates this. There were plenty of names and titles that emphasized his abilities, but he wanted something to represent his purpose, what he was to the people.]

...Satyendra. [A word he heard the kids on the streets utter a few times, not directly at him, but it was a concept they believed he was. He nods, looking back up at Nahyuta.] Satyendra, the true.

In that case, it is Satyendra that I shall call you as well, then.

[Nahyuta smiles brightly, indicating he approves of the name.] It is truly a moniker befitting a dragon.

[He laughs. The mask may hide his face, but his voice expresses the smile on his face.]

I can drink to that! [Once he finish pouring himself some more wine, there's a pause before he raises his dish to Nahyuta.] Thank you. [He had a name to this life now, something other than just a mission. He may have the memories of his past life, but that is not exactly the life he can live out anymore.]

[Nahyuta raises his bowl in turn.] Then let us drink to that, and to the future of Khura'in.

[They would spend the rest of the night in each other's company, drinking and socialising until the wine had made Nahyuta tired enough that he felt he could finally sleep. By which time, he bade his newfound guardian good night, feeling like a weight had been lifted from his heart, a weight he realised had never really left him. Ga'ran's influence still haunted him even now, but he realised he didn't have to be chained to that, or to his fear of her, forever.

Despite that, it was not to last. Weeks later, Nahyuta travelled out of town to visit a monastery in the mountains when his convoy was intercepted en route. In the confusion, his guards were easily overpowered and Nahyuta himself spirited away to some remote part of the country.

Or so he guessed. In fact, he was bundled into the back of a vehicle and kept drugged and blindfolded for much of the journey, disoriented enough to have no idea where he was going. He could be in China by now, or Nepal, or India, and he'd be none the wiser. It was only after he was released and ushered out into a nondescript cave, flanked by what he can only describe as a ragtag militia, that his heart began to sink. They did not intend to kill him. He was a hostage.

Soon it became clear what they were planning when he overheard them issuing a statement to the royal family: hand us the one you name Satyendra, and we will spare your regent's life. An exchange, one they felt would put power squarely back into the hands of the loyalists, while seemingly keeping the royal family intact.

As for Nahyuta himself, he been gagged, and his arms pinned painfully behind his back and against a stake driven into the ground, angled in such a way deliberately so he could not sit in a comfortable position, only kneel. He had been stripped of his finery, any gold jewellery and his outer clothes that would fetch more than a few dahmas on the black market all taken. For most of the day he was left in complete isolation, so he could not ask questions, get information, or signal any of the guards for help... Not that any of them would be interested in doing so. It gave him a small amount of satisfaction to think they feared the 'corrupting' influence of a Defiant Dragon to this extent.

Still, he was cold, hungry, exhausted, and he ached to his very bones. Yet he prayed Satyendra would not come to save him. The dragon could protect Rayfa and Amara better than he could in his position, and right now, that was all he could hope for.]

[Unfortunately, Satyendra carried the mind of a man who didn't always make the best decisions. When news of his son's disappearance had been announced, his influence could be felt throughout the Kingdom. The sun no longer shined throughout the kingdom, obscured by a lightning storm that increased in ferocity as time passed. There's a part of him that knew they were doing this to test him, to see what he would do, if he would leave his protection of the kingdom to rescue one man. Unfortunately, being rationale was being overshadowed by another thought, the fact that they had used his son to get to him. To an extent, Dhurke knew he had put him in this position, all those visits...they must have caught on. He could not forgive them, or himself for giving the enemy such an opening. He had to do something to make this right. He was a dragon, he had no reason to back down or fear anything. He'll show them what it means to cross a dragon.

It would be slow work unfortunately, as Dhurke did not know where they had taken his son. He had to rely on the network he had created to find this information, but as more time passed, the more impatient he grew. It gets harder not to snap at anyone until he got the information he needed. He tells himself that he'll apologize and make it up to them once this was over, it will be fine. When he leaves, he will be sure to send extra protection to the palace, by sending a warning to previous members of the Defiant Dragons. They were people he could trust, who would be willing to help, even if they didn't realize it was their leader asking for it. It should be enough protection, for he didn't foresee himself being gone for very long.

Nightfall will arrive by the time Dhurke makes his move, taking the loyalists by surprise when he suddenly appears at the entrance of the cave. He gives the guards no chance to retaliate, taking them all down and trying not accidentally kill anyone, as tempting as it was right now. He was here for one thing, and there was nothing that will deter him from his objective. Eventually, after threatening a few men to talk, he'll find his goal. A rumbling of thunder was loud enough to be heard inside the cave when he saw the state they had left his son. He immediately starts to tear at his restraints with such anger behind it, pulling the rag off his mouth.]

Can you stand? [He tries to keep his voice steady, even when he was shaking with fury.]

[Nahyuta begins to lose track of time as the days wear on, and he has no idea if a matter of days or even weeks have passed since he was taken hostage. Though he's been trying to keep track by watching daylight progress to to night outside, exhaustion, pain and hunger mean he'd fitfully pass in and out of sleep. To make it bearable, he would meditate, though only when he was sure he wouldn't be caught doing so.

He'd stayed in that trancelike state for a while, even the dim sound of distant thunder not rousing him. Though thunder has come to strike fear in the hearts of many in Khura'in, Nahyuta has come to find it oddly soothing. Never did he guess it meant the thunder dragon was close, though, until there were sounds of a disturbance outside, and finally, someone tearing at his restraints. The roughness of it hurts, but he barely allows himself even a soft hiss of pain.]

Satyendra? [Is what he tries to say, his eyes fluttering open. But his throat is too hoarse, so he nods, instead. Still, he doesn't make an effort to move. He swallows, and tries to speak again, this time more audibly.] You must leave at once. Please.

[This is a trap, he knows it must be. He couldn't bear it if Khura'in's guardian dragon met the same fate as his own father.]

[Dhurke of course ignores Nahyuta's plea, far too concern over his son's diminishing health to care about whether this was a trap or not. Concluding that Nahyuta could not move on his own, he places a hand on his shoulder.]

Did they do something to you? Can I move you? [Did they plant a bomb or something? There was the distant sound of reinforcements approaching, but he was choosing to ignore them at this moment.]

[Nahyuta looks from the masked man to the entrance of the cave, anxious that whatever forces had been lying in wait to spring the trap were now closing in. He uses what strength he has left to grip Dhurke's arm.]

It is not me they truly want, but you. Please go! Send the Defiant Dragons for me.

[Surely that would have been the more sensible option in the first place, rather than playing straight into the enemy's hands. Why would Satyendra jeopardise himself, and therefore the whole kingdom, just for a hostage?]

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