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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Worry not, I am hardly one to be concerned with presentation, at the moment.

[He smiles wryly at him, intending the reply to be a joke at his own expense. The smile quickly fades when Satyendra gets up again, and Nahyuta soon realises he's trying to avoid him, which only confuses him even more.

He wraps the blanket around himself glumly, poking at the sushi while he waits. He's not sure he'll be hungry while his mind is on needing to get answers, though.]

[He will eventually have to come back and face the music. With nothing else to delay him, he'll finally return to settle in the chair, offering the tea to Nahyuta.]

...Right, well. Let me just start by answering your question from before. [With the mask still covering his face, it's hard to read what he's actually feeling, but there was a noticeable lack of his usual easygoing nature in his tone and how he was sitting more upright and stiffly.] No, I did not know your father. I've only been on this earth for almost...two months now, after you became the acting regent.

[Nahyuta thanks him as he takes the tea, mulling over his words.]

So... Roughly after the time the revolution achieved its goal. [And after Dhurke's passing, of course. He seems disappointed there's no direct connection, but he'll let Satyendra say his piece before he forms any conclusions.]

[He nods, shifting in his seat. The next part takes a while for him to say. It will more than likely give Nahyuta enough to come to his own conclusion.]

...But before this life, I lived as another. That is why I know things previously before my time.

[Nahyuta had suspected something, but... This? His grip on the mug of tea tightens, so much so that he has to set it down before he spills it. But his eyes stay fixed on Satyendra, confusion and disbelief etched across his features.]

Take off that mask.

... [For a moment, it looked like Dhurke was going to comply, his hand reaching for his mask but then...he lowers his hand.]

Tell me something first. Do you understand why I chose not to say any of this to you?

[Nahyuta wants nothing more than to tear it off himself in a fit of grief, but he reins in that impulse, looking away. He feels faint and lightheaded; this is all too much to take in at once, after all that has happened already. Still, he forces himself to think over the question.]

I... I don't know. [Not for sure, anyway, but he has a few guesses. He's losing his usual composure very quickly, his voice beginning to shake.] To protect me, and avoid compromising your mission? To spare me the pain of knowing?

[There's a wry bit of laughter coming from him.]

Hit it in one. You saw what the enemy did yesterday to lure me out. They already suspect something. For that reason, I do not want to show my face to you at this time. Because you will no longer see me as Satyendra. [He is Dhurke, but also not. What the people need him to be is not Dhurke, but Satyendra, a guardian. He leans back in his seat.]

It is my fault that you've suspected me for as long as you have. I'm just not very good at playing the dragon spirit when it comes to the family of my past life. So, if you still want me to take this mask off, knowing what I've said to you, then I will respect your decision and remove it.

[Nahyuta clutches the blanket closer to himself, looking for all the world like he might be on the verge of tears. But he fights down that urge. He's not a child any more, and this isn't his father... At least not fully.

After a silence that seems to stretch on for an eternity, he comes to a decision.]

... Keep it on, then. [He looks at Satyendra, that moment of vulnerability gone as quickly as it came, replaced by something colder.] I... I do not want to make things more difficult for you than they need to be.

[If anyone understood the necessity of hiding part of themselves away to protect the ones they love, it's Nahyuta. Even if it's all a ruse, even if he knows who is really sitting across from him and what face he'll see under the mask, he'll accept it. He's already let go of his father, sent away his spirit to find peace in the Twilight Realm. He can't cling to his new life and pretend things will be the same as the last.]

[There was silence, time felt like it had frozen in that moment. And then Satyendra bows deeply to Nahyuta.]

Thank you. [It hurt, every part of Dhurke wanted this to be different and not have to put his son through this, even when he believed that this was the right decision. This would keep them both safe, even if he wanted nothing more than to embrace his son, his family after already spending half a lifetime hidden from them once before. At least this secrecy wouldn't last forever, and it drives him to see through his mission.] One day, when stability has returned to the Kingdom, I will be able to take this mask off.

[He stands.] Finish your breakfast. We'll leave for Khura'in afterwards. [The formality returns, Satyendra making a conscious decision that he needed to learn to distance himself. He could not keep toying with Nahyuta like this and make it harder on him.]

Yes. [Nahyuta's agreement is almost as lifeless as when he simply took orders from Ga'ran, as he tries to force himself to eat. Like the old days, all he had to do was crush any emotion inside him, and things would turn out for the better. The only comfort, if it could be called that, was that at least this time he had to treat his father not as an enemy, but a distant protector.

Yet his father had been alive back then. Nor did they have to hide their relation, even if Nahyuta had to distance himself from it.

With all those things weighing heavily on his heart, he doesn't even bother to make conversation with Dhurke -- Satyendra -- unless the other speaks to him first. The sooner he can get home and reassure everyone of his safety, the better. Any thought of his father needs to stay where he left it: at his funeral.]

[Even when he didn't want this moment to stop, he could not bring himself to say anymore, less he worsen things between them. So after standing there awkwardly in silence, he chooses to take his leave and give Nahyuta some space.

He'll stay outside, assuming his dragon form once more to bask in the sunlight. And there he remains until Nahyuta was ready, lost in his thoughts and steeling himself for the reality he would have to live with once they leave this place.]

[Nahyuta lets him go, finishing his breakfast with a little more space to think things over, to grieve. Then he tries to wring out his clothes a final time -- that particular prank was one thing he can't distance from his father, and while it might have been funny before, now it simply adds insult to injury.

Eventually, he emerges, stopping beside the dragon.]

I am ready to leave.

[He glances down at him, with the most solemn look a dragon's face could make. He didn't like this, a man who always wanted to be in the company of others being given the cold shoulder like this, from his own son, the world may as well be crumbling around him. One would think he'd be used to this, considering this was exactly what Nahyuta had done to him before. It just felt even worse since he's responsible for things to spiral out of control between them.]

I'm... [Did he have any right to apologize to him? He shuts his eyes for a moment and then stands.] Can you climb up? [He asks as he offers his front leg as added leverage.]

[Nahyuta surveys him, ignoring that solemn look. It doesn't look like the climb will be easy, but he's not about to ask Satyendra for help. He places one foot on the dragon's front leg, then grabs onto his back, pulling himself up, his weakened arms shaking under the effort. It makes his body hurt all over again with exertion, but once he's up, he looks down at him as if he'd had no problems at all.]

Shall we?

[If they're going to act like they're not father and son, then Nahyuta's not going to do anything that might suggest he needs taking care of beyond his basic safety, either. He'll handle the rest on his own, like he did before.]

[Even if Nahyuta didn't ask for help, he kept an eye on him and his progress until he was safely on his back. His ears press against the side of his head as he reluctantly turns to face forward, spreading his wings.]

Hold tight. [To his fur? His hair? He doesn't exactly come with a saddle. And unlike the imaginations of a fantastical flight, it was more like being on a wild buck. The take-off was anything but smooth and there was turbulence afterwards as he flies higher. He'll eventually stop his climb once they were cruising just over the trees, the flight smoothing itself out with Satyendra occasionally bobbing up and down from the flapping of his wings.

He'll carry Nahyuta in silence during the flight unless spoken to. ]

[Nahyuta clings on tightly as advised, winding his hands into Satyendra's mane in the hopes it will help him cling on, then pressing himself flat against the dragon's body to avoid creating as much wind resistance as possible when they take off. He just has to hope his strength will hold out for the journey -- because what other choice does he have?

Once they've been flying for some time, Nahyuta finally speaks up.]

What is the plan when we cross the border into Khura'in? Do we wait until nightfall, and enter the palace under the cover of darkness? Or go on foot and slip inside while it's still light? [Either way, the less people saw of him and Satyendra together, the better.]

Oh. I was just going to take you back to the palace directly whenever we get there. [He didn't think that they needed to be more covert, or just didn't think about the return at all, considering how he just rushed off to rescue Nahyuta.]

It is probably better that we wait until nightfall. A storm will provide us more cover as well.

[Nahyuta nods in agreement, although he realises the dragon can't actually see him from up on his back, so he answers instead.]

Right. That seems like the safest plan.

[At least one of them was thinking further ahead for the both of them. That said, Nahyuta settles back down, trying to shift his weight to be as comfortable as possible... difficult as that is without a saddle or harness of any kind to hold him in place. He wishes he could enjoy this trip -- what Khura'inese child doesn't grow up wondering what it would be like to ride on the back of a dragon? -- but he can't, not with how tired he is, and not after everything that has happened. What should have been a joyous rescue has instead left him feeling bitter once again at the hand that fate would cast his family.

Eventually he lies back down on Satyendra's back and closes his eyes. It's not comfortable enough to sleep, and too dangerous when he needs to focus on holding on, but at least he can rest a little way of the journey.]

[As the day passes them by, their journey would continue on in silence. Soon Khura'in will start coming into view, the sun having not nearly set just yet. So he gathers more speed and starts to ascend, circling the kingdom as gray clouds start to form around them.]

It's nearly time. [As he goes above the clouds he spreads his wings to the fullest, hovering over the kingdom as he waits for night to fall. His ears twitch as he picks up the faintest sounds of chatter and noise from down below. There was widespread confusion and distress, no doubt created from the events that had transpired the last few days. ]

I'm taking us down. [He starts his slow descend, accounting for the fact he had a passenger this time and should not be making dramatic dives. Soon the world will finally stop moving when he roughly hits solid ground. They were back within the palace courtyard and soon a wave of royal guards will come out to greet them. He lays himself down, allowing either Nahyuta to get off or for them to come up and get him, if they were brave enough that is.]

[Nahyuta is relieved when Khura'in comes into sight, the exhausting day-long flight feeling like it might never end. He keeps his hands tightly wound in Satyendra's mane as they make their descent, holding on as much as he can. When they finally land, the guards are all far too wary to get close to the dragon, especially having seen how it damaged the palace in the past. So Nahyuta slides off his back instead, and as soon as he does so, he stumbles like his legs are ready to give out from beneath him.

Two guards rush forward to support their regent and help him walk, and another gives orders for a palanquin to be brought so that he can be taken to his chambers. Though he hates this display of weakness, there's little he can do after his confinement, and then having to cling on for dear life on the back of a dragon for the best part of a day. He's all out of strength left to give.]

Please summon Her Mercifulness and Her Benevolence to my chambers. Tell them I am well. You, please likewise send a message to Apollo Justice. [He orders two of his men, who dash away to do as asked. Then he looks back at Satyendra for a long moment, deciding what to say.] ... Thank you for everything.

[It's sincere. Even acting like his father, as much as it hurt, was nice while it lasted. But they need to say goodbye to that now, and so Nahyuta will do it here.]

[He watches, making sure he was well taken care of before leaving, or perhaps he just wanted to prolong this moment. The inevitable will arrive when Nahyuta thanks him, telling him it was time to part ways.] ...Be safe.

[He gets back on his feet and takes off without a back glance, disappearing into the clouds as a downpour begins. It was like the heaven was crying, eventhough Nahyuta's return should have been a happier occasion.

The visits will stop soon after, with reports coming in of Satyendra's deeds increasing in frequency as the weeks go by. Focusing on his task meant it kept him busy and one step closer to finishing his task. Despite all the good that came from it, there were a constant flow of unsavory rumors spreading throughout the kingdom since he returned with Nahyuta. The kidnapping may have ended in failure, but Satyendra had left his enemies with ammunition to plant the seeds of doubt throughout the kingdom. Loyalists started to spread claims that Satyendra was nothing more than a murderer, slandering him as a demon, a false deity. Backing their claims were photos that surfaced of the scrimmage in the cave, of the savagery he had displayed, the beast that showed itself. Many at first chose to ignore it, believing to have been fabricated since it had happened a ways away from the kingdom. They were extremists anyway, good riddance to them. But then the killings started to happen in Khura'in.

The papers printed photos of people, presumably Ga'ran loyalists having been slain in the most brutal fashion, Satyendra visibly seen leaving the scene. Fear and confusion spread like wildfire soon afterwards, families and friends tore each other apart when they learned someone close to them were a loyalist. It brought back the same uncertainty that the false Lady Kee'ra once did. They soon demanded something to be done to Satyendra, that he needed to be stopped and answer for his crimes, if he had indeed committed them. At first, Satyendra tried to handle things on his own, believing he could stop the killings before they happen. He was only one man though, as powerful as he was, he could not be everywhere at the same time. When the people he saves starts to fear him instead of thanking him, it becomes clear how serious the situation had escalated. He could only think of one thing to make it stop.

And so the next day, he presents himself to the authorities of his own volition. If it'll stop the killings then he was willing to turn himself in. This wasn't him giving up though. The battle just had to be fought on a different stage, the courtroom. He was confident, with Apollo as his defense that they'll be able to put an end to the killings and reveal the real mastermind behind them.]

[Nahyuta could scarcely believe history was repeating itself again. His father, unjustly on trial against someone determined to pin crimes on him that he would ever commit. And his father, playing along once again, because... Because what? This time, it surely was not to protect his wife. This time, he simply wanted to clear his name, still respecting the law even as a mythical beast that should seem beyond such things.

This time, Nahyuta chose one of the finest prosecutors Khura'in had to offer to prosecute, because he could not bear to do the deed himself, but also because he had testimony that would help the defence. He had tried not to work too closely with Apollo, not wanting to seem like the head of state was unduly influencing a trial in the way Ga'ran would have. Still, he testified to his various rescues by Satyendra, and his peaceful incapacitation of the assassins that had assaulted the palace, proving the dragon spirit was not one to commit murder.

Even if it risked the prosecution accusing Nahyuta of using Satyendra himself for political advantage, and therefore having a vested interest in lying on the stand, he simply had to trust the prosecution had no will to raise unfounded accusations against their own monarch. He would also have to trust Apollo would find something to corroborate his claim of forged evidence pinning crimes on Satyendra, a task Detective Skye would doubtless assist with under the table.

In the meantime, Nahyuta had a visit to make. Everything hinged on this trial, and he's both angry at his father for simply giving in and handing himself over, and -- though he would not openly admit it -- yearning to see him again. He hoped nothing would go wrong in this trial as it had before, but he truly had no way to be sure. Or even a way to be sure of what Satyendra could be hiding from him.

Not that he would let on that he was motivated by such sentiment. When Satyendra is taken to the visitor's cell of the detention centre, the arrival of the regent is announced. Then, on Nahyuta's command, the guards leave to allow them to talk in private.

Nahyuta takes a seat before the iron bars that separate detainee and visitor. He looks in much better health than when they last parted ways, at least, but there's no warmth in his expression when he looks at the other man.]

So, everything hinges on Apollo once more.

[No greetings or small talk. Getting this over and done with as quickly as possible is perhaps the best way to handle this, after all.]

[The sound of chains rattle as Satyendra comes in and settles himself in the chair. Though entirely pointless, the authorities had decided to chain his hands and feet together, even stranger that Satyendra didn't break them yet. The mask still rest over his face, making him a hard read once more. Clearly everyone was afraid of what they would find underneath or believed they be cursed if they removed it.

But it made things easier this way, to confront Nahyuta once more. He seems well at least, even when he gave him a cold shoulder.]

Yea. That's twice I owe him now. [Among other things.] The killings have stopped at least, right?

[Seeing him chained up like that makes Nahyuta's expression stiffen, but he doesn't comment. He's not going to abuse his position by demanding he be unchained, when he has to remain as impartial as possible.]

For now, yes. Detective Skye is still working on getting more information about the identities of the victims. I truly cannot believe Ga'ran loyalists would cut down their own to further their own agenda, when their numbers are dropping by the day as it is. [The lead is better than nothing, at least. Even if public opinion isn't looking good yet, the situation isn't hopeless, either.

He pauses, and then narrows his eyes.]

They are not mistreating you in confinement, are they?

[Nahyuta had given the orders not to, but many of the Ga'ran regime's old habits run deep. If that's the case, he wants to know about it.]

FOR TAISA - Reincarnation AU

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gets swallowed by January and spat out a month later

Barfs back exposition of a trial I barely remember what it was about